Mrs. Willard Mrs. Domkus Mrs. Edrington Mrs. Schick

1. Mrs. Willard • Mrs. Domkus • Mrs. Edrington • Mrs. Schick

2. Reading Whole Group - Grade Level Skills Small Group – Differentiation BIG 6 in Reading Instruction • Phonemic Awareness • Phonics • Comprehension • Vocabulary • Fluency • Sight Words (Reading & Writing)

3. Reading Let's figure it out-mathematically! Student A reads 20 minutes, five nights of every week; Student B reads only 4 minutes a night…or not at all! Step 1 : Multiply minutes a night X 5 times each week. Student A reads 20 min. X 5 times a week = 100 minutes a week; Student B reads 4 min. X 5 times a week = 20 minutes. Step 2: Multiply minutes a week X 4 weeks each month. Student A reads 400 minutes a month; Student B reads 80 minutes a month. Step 3: Multiply minutes a month X 9 months. Student A reads 3600 min. in a school year; Student B reads 720 min. in a school year. By the end of the 6th grade Student A and Student B maintain these same reading habits, Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole schools days, while Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 schools days.One would expect the gaps of information retained will have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance. Please support your child's reading habits by providing opportunities for your child to read nightly.

4. Word Work Words Their Way Spelling Phonetically Sorting Words Looking for Patterns Assessment includes New Words

5. Writing Students will write in a variety of settings and purposes. They will write to prompts, in response to text, to record, to communicate etc. Expectations: • Write on Topic • Illustrations match text • Compose complete sentences • Correctly Punctuate • Spell sight words correctly • Use resources to spell, and spell phonetically • Work on self editing and revising

6. Listening and Speaking • Variety of Opportunities for Listening and Speaking embedded in all subject areas throughout the day. • Explicitly taught in Reading Street

7. Math • Our district is using Engage New York/Eureka Math as our main math curriculum. • We have 6 modules in first grade entitled • “Sums and Differences to 10” • “Introduction to Place Value Through Addition and Subtraction Within 20” 3. “Ordering and Comparing Length Measurements as Numbers” 4. “Place Value, Comparison, Addition and Subtraction to 40” 5. “Identifying, Composing and Partitioning Shapes” 6. “Place Value, Comparison, Addition and Subtraction to 100”

8. Math Continued • Students will have homework each night. • Here are some great resources for parents to help their children with their homework http://www.dvusd.org/Page/39515

9. Science / Social Studies • Science • New Plants • Balance & Motion • Pebbles, Sand, and Silt • Social Studies • Rules & Laws • People Where We Live • Our Country & Symbols • Our Changing World • Meeting People • The Marketplace

10. Specials • Please remember we are on a 6 day rotation. Please be sure to send you child to school in shoes appropriate for P.E. are they may not be able to participate in the activity. Please note specials will change each semester.

11. Attendance It is important for your child to be to school daily and on time. Please call the school attendance line and leave a message when your child is absent. If you need to check your child out of school early, you must do so through the school office. The attendance line phone number can be found on the school website 623-445-7690.

12. Bathroom Our policy is that students will not be allowed to use to the bathroom during direct instruction time. They will need to use the bathroom before school, lunch and during independent work time. Please let your teacher know if your child needs special arrangements for the bathroom.

13. Birthdays Birthdays are special for 1st graders. A day close to or falling on your child’s birthday will be our celebration day. If your child’s birthday is at a time when we are not in school, a day will be planned for his or her celebration. You may send a STORE BOUGHT treat, if you desire that he or she can share with the class. Parents may drop off the treat in the office. Students will pass out their birthday treat around 2:30. Parents are not allowed in the classroom during this time. Please DO NOT send birthday invitations to be passed out at school. It is school policy to not hand out invitations at school.

14. Classroom Management • Pink • Purple • Blue • Green-Every Child starts on green everyday. Green is good! • Yellow = Warning • Orange = Teacher’s Choice consequence • Red = Principal and Parent Contact (Titan Reflection Sheet)

15. Communication • You may contact us by phone, email or written note. • A change in how your child goes home MUST be in writing or call the office. • Email-24 hours in advance (meetings, substitutes) • We will answer as quickly as we can. At school, our first responsibility is with our students.

16. Field Trips • There will be 2 field trips this year. • The first one is still being discussed and will most likely be in December or January. • We will be going on a second field trip to OdySea in May. • More information will be sent home when the time approaches. • We will need chaperones, and chaperones will need to be volunteer trained.

17. Helpful Hints • When you’re sending money to school, please put it in a sealed envelope with detailed information on the front, such as name and what it is for.

18. Homework • Math homework every night. • 10 minutes of reading each night. • Students may also practice their word study and high frequency words.

19. Wish List • We do a lot of activities that require extra supplies. Sometimes we may send home an extra note, however, some things that we could use now would be paper towels, snacks (goldfish, granola bars – for students without snacks).

20. Library/Media Center • 1st grade classes will be going to the school library once each week. • Mrs. Schick’s class goes on Mondays, Mrs. Domkus’ Class goes on Tuesdays, Mrs. Willard’s class on Wednesdays, and Mrs. Edrington’s class on Thursdays. • Students are allowed to check out one book, and will need to bring this book back each week on the day that their class is scheduled.

21. Snack Time and Water Bottle • Each day students will be having snack time. Please send a healthy snack to school with your child to keep them full and ready to learn. We do ask that you make it a healthy snack and PLEASE NO NUTS! Please keep it to a snack (not a meal) and classroom friendly. • Water bottles are OK in the classroom, but they can only be filled with water (no juice, soda, or Gatorade). Please be sure they are labeled with your child’s name. • Students will only be able to purchase an ice cream in the cafeteria on Fridays with their lunch, if they so desire.

22. Take Home Folders • Students will bring a folder home every day. This will contain their homework, work completed in class and any flyers going home. • Please check this folder daily. • The take home folder should come back to school daily.

23. Volunteers • Must be volunteer trained to volunteer in classroom, help with classroom parties, or to go on field trips. • Volunteers must check in at the office and wear a volunteer badge, and younger siblings are not allowed on campus.

24. Parent Survey – NEED TO UPATE • "Please take a moment to take this survey to help our school identify ways to improve. The purpose of this survey is to listen to our parents’ opinions about our school. Please read each statement and choose the response that most closely matches your opinion. Your responses will be completely confidential. Your feedback will be used to identify school needs through the AdvancED(click for more information) accreditation process. Thank you for helping us make our school a better place for your kids! We appreciate your feedback." Thank you!