Parent Orientation Night September 12, 2013

1. The s of First Grade Parent Orientation NightSeptember 12, 2013

2. All about Mrs. Hudson • Born and raised in Spring, TX • Graduated from Texas A&M in 2007 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies (WHOOP!) • Certified to teach PreK-4th grade, GT, and ESL • Will graduate in December with my masters in Reading from Sam Houston • Taught for 7 years in first & second grade • My husband, Kenny, works for a construction company and we have a two-year old puppy named Sadie • I enjoy reading, running, and Aggie football!

3. I believe that it is all about setting high expectations for everyone, showing respect to one another, caring for everyone, and helping each other whenever possible. It is a community working together to establish mutual respect, build self-esteem, and celebrating success.  Daily communication about your child’s behavior will be in their purple folder. Please review and initial this chart daily. Behavior

4. Reading • Word Work • Writing • Math • Science • Social Studies Curriculum

5. Students need to read independently at a level 18 (J) by the end of First Grade. • Teachers take records of students reading and determine when to move students to a new level. This is an ongoing process. • Reading is taught through Read Alouds (comprehension skills), Shared Reading (whole class reads a familiar text to build fluency) and Guided Reading (individualized instructions) • Focus on story elements, sequencing, types of sentences, nouns & verbs, fiction and non fiction, vocabulary development, main idea… and so much more!

6. Word Work This is when we teach students about how words work. Some examples of things we learn are long and short vowels, contractions, blends, and patterns in words. At home, you can practice spelling words, talk about the pattern in words, and make lists of other words that do and do not fit the pattern.

7. Writing • Writing is taught during Writing Workshop • High frequency words are expected to be spelled correctly. • Students are encouraged to stretch the words and write the sounds they hear. • At home: • Encourage students to write stories about things they are excited about (birthday parties, loosing a tooth, vacation, etc.). • Work on penmanship, and stretching words then moving on. Every word does not need to be spelled correctly. Writing should be fun!

8. Addition and Subtraction Facts • *district fact proficiency test each 9 weeks • Xtramath website can help with this at home • Geometry • Counting Money • Telling Time • Graphing • Problem solving • Fractional Parts • Place Value

9. Science Safety • Observing and recording properties • Five Senses • Four Seasons • Living vs Nonliving • Animal Characteristics • Force and Motion • Life Cycles • Plants

10. Rules and laws • Citizenship • Needs vs Wants • Customs • Map skills • Communities • Timelines • Calendars • Holidays

11. In order to provide the best possible instruction to each child… • •Not all children will be on the same page, in the same book, at the same time. Instruction will be individualized. • •Please let me know if your child is really struggling or if he/she is not being challenged. Differentiated Instruction

12. Please make sure that we have the correct emergency phone numbers on file and keep them updated. Emergencies

13. Students are expected to follow school expectations for common areas such as the hallway, cafeteria, and recess field. • More information on our classroom expectations can be found on my teacher webpage. Following Expectations

14. Grades • Grades are new for 1st grade this year. Why the need for change: • When E,S,N, or U is used there is an element of subjectivity involved with determining a grade. • Using numerical grades is objective; the subjectivity is removed. • Rubrics are used to determine grades. • Consistency exists across the district with regard to the major grades assessed and the rubrics used to determine the grades. • You can access your child’s grades online through the school website. Information will be sent home from the office explaining how to go about viewing student grades. • Please take the time to look over any graded papers sent home each week and review any skills or areas of weakness with your child.

15. Every Day: Read and study spelling words nightly. • Reading Response: Each week, choose one book or chapter of a book that you read and complete the reading response activity. This will be due on Friday mornings. • Spelling Tests: Spelling tests will be given on Friday mornings. • Math and Spelling Grids- complete one activity a week Homework

16. Important Information If you have important papers or notes that need to come to school, please send them in your child’s daily purple folder. I will be checking these each morning.

17. Reading a “just right” or “good fit” book will help your child become a better reader. • We use the 5 finger rule in class: • If a student cannot read more 4-5 words on a page, the book is too challenging • Studies have shown that those children whose parents are actively involved in the reading process will become the best readers. Just Right Books

18. Visit our classroom website frequently. The newsflashes will let you know what we are learning about each week, and our calendar will keep you up-to-date, reminding you about upcoming due dates and events. • Watch for emails Keeping Informed

19. Our lunchtime is from 11:15AM-12:45 PM. • If you would like to come and have lunch with your child, please check-in with the front office (you will be required to show picture ID). There is a designated table at the front of the cafeteria where you and your child may sit and eat. It is a school policy that parents allow only their child to sit with them, and not friends of their child from their class/other classes. • Parents may not accompany students to the recess field for safety reasons. Lunch

20. Mystery Readers • I would like to invite all parents, older siblings, grandparents, or other special people to surprise your child by being a “Mystery Reader” this year in our classroom. • Mystery Readers will visit us on Friday afternoons at 3:30 for approximately 10 minutes. Remember this is top secret! • I will have a sign up page on my teacher webpage

21. Please make sure that you have signed up for my teacher newsflash • Newsflashes will be sent out each week and will inform you of what we will be working on that week • *You can use the laptop to sign up tonight if needed! Newsflashes

22. •Red Wednesday Folders- these folders will contain any notes from the office as well as the students’ weekly progress reports •Birthdays- only store bought cupcakes at lunchtime are allowed •Class Parties- Christmas and Valentines Day •Scholastic Book Orders– first order will be placed this Friday! www.scholastic.com/bookclubsClass Activation Code: GVWQF Other Items

23. Parent/Teacher conferences will be held as soon as testing is completed. During this conference, we will be discussing your child's strengths and weaknesses, assessment results, behavior and any additional concerns you may have. • I will be contacting you soon to set up a conference. Parent-Teacher Conferences

24. Please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions. You can do this in a variety of ways: •Write a note •Send an email- alidahudson@tomballisd.net •Call me at school: 281-357-3060 •Make an appointment for a conference: 12:15-1:00 Questions

25. Reading

26. Student of the Week • Each child will have a special time during the school year to be the student of the week! • This student will get special privileges each day during the week: • Monday- each lunch in classroom • Tuesday- bring stuffed animal to school • Wednesday- wear a hat in the room • Thursday- sit at the teacher’s desk • Friday- shoes of all day

27. Your child will return from school in the same manner he/she arrived unless we have a signed note changing the method of transportation. The note stating the transportation change must be given to the front office the day of the transportation change. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Transportation

28. We will work together to help your child succeed!! United

29. This year the district is requiring every volunteer to apply before entering the classroom. The application can be found at this link: • https://tomball.cloud.talentedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=717 • I will be contacting parents who signed up to volunteer in the next few weeks. • Thank you for your help! Volunteers

30. If you haven’t already visited our classroom website, please make sure you do sosoon. • This will be my primary means of communicating with you throughout the year. • http://teacherweb.com/TX/TimberCreekElementary/MrsHudson Website

31. My Wish List is posted on our classroom website and will be updated throughout the year. EXtra Supplies

32. You • You are your child’s first and most important teacher. • I hope that we can work together this year to make your child’s 1st grade school year a huge success!

33. Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep each night, so that he/she is well rested and ready for the challenges of first grade. • This year will ZOOM by, so let’s make the most of it. Zzzzz…

34. Thank you for Coming!