First Grade Open House Mrs. Rebecca Coffey Room

All About Mrs. Coffey  I believe all students benefit from a positive and supportive learning environment. Each child’s success is important to me. It is most important to me that the students want that success on their own!  Our classroom is a caring one. My room is one that cares about being kind to each other, respectful to each other and adults, and responsible for our own actions at all times.  This is my 9th year with North Colonie.  This year is my 7th year teaching First Grade.  I have my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Masters degree in Literacy Education from SUNY Oswego.  Contact: & x4154  My website:

FYI  Our specials schedule is on my website.  The newsletter will be on my website every two weeks instead of being sent home as another paper in take home folders. Please check the bulletin board on my website for any important information throughout the month that may not be stated in the newsletter. You will receive an from me when the newsletter is posted to the website.  The students’ take home folders will come home every day. Please look for homework and/or important notices.  Lunch money can be paid in prepaid checks made out to North Colonie Cafeteria Fund or online through the food service site.  When the sharing bag comes home there is a note inside the journal with directions. We started the sharing bag this week! Please no toys with many pieces or that do not fit in the bag!  Our behavior plan is the “think tank” and magnets on the board. The student’s magnet moves to the “think tank” when a student needs to think about his/her behavior.  Book orders are on the table with your packet. Thanks!

Special Services  Reading 5 day and 3 day  K-2 Language and Speech  Counselor  Learning Resource Area  Health Educator  Psychologist  Occupational/ Physical Therapist  English as a Second Language  Students need to qualify to receive services for many of the services listed above.

Homework  Monday- Read!  Tuesday- Read!  Wednesday- Read!  Thursday- Read!  Friday- Read!  Of course reading every night is a great idea! You will see a “Book in a Bag” come home. Please read that book as homework that night.  When you see a paper come home with homework (or HW) at the top, please complete that paper in addition to reading that night.

Raising A Reader & Balanced Literacy  First two pages in packet.  Important to let your child use the strategies he or she learns at school at home. Encourage practice of them when reading together. (See pages 1 through 4 in packet.)  Bedtime reading is best as a read aloud. Reading together when your child reads to you works well when your child has energy. Ex: after school, after doing homework, before school, etc.  Book in a Bag- Please complete the reading log when you read the book that comes home.

Writing  We do a lot of writing in first grade.  We will be following the National Common Core Standards for our writing curriculum.  The students are offered “free choice” in their writing majority of the time. Sometimes the students are given a writing topic`.  We use sound spelling (how the word sounds to the student’s ear) and dictionary spelling (how the word actually is spelled).  We do not just do journal writing. The students will keep a journal, but we will also create many different writing pieces throughout the year.  Try keeping a journal at home! Encouraging their writing at home, keeps them enjoying it at school too!

Math  The 1 st grade common core math objectives are on p.6  Our math lessons are whole class. We complete a sheet together and when we do so, you will see those come home on the take home side of the students’ folders.  We have a new math series this year. It is exciting for the students, as it is very interactive with the smartboard and it has many online tools. You may hear about “Curious George Lessons.” Curious George helps to teach the students new concepts in a fun way.  As I learn and discover more, I will share it with you!  Any questions or comments are appreciated as this is a new series. Thanks!

Spelling (In First Grade we call it Word Work!) 2-3 core words (high frequency words or sight words) 3 word family words/vowel sound focus/spelling patterns 2 choice words (selected from student’s writing or word bank)  Core words and word families will be communicated to families by the teacher at the start of each cycle. You will not be given a weekly list to study from. (Newsletter, note home, website, etc.)  Parents will receive a word work dictation sentence(s) circled with the words your child has not yet mastered. These words will placed in the student’s word bank. No grade will be given on the sentence, but a handwriting grade will be given at the bottom of the page.  Word Work curriculum aligns directly with our writing program. Spelling is no longer a separate entity.  There will not be weekly mandated word work homework. Refer to suggested at home activities in Open House packet. (page 5)  Word Work Activities that are not as effective as what our program incorporates: putting words in alphabetical order, drill and practice- memorization, copying words repeatedly: 3 times each.

Word Work… Continued  Research demonstrates the traditional method of drill and practice which emphasizes memorization is not the most effective way to teach students spelling. Our focus is on building an understanding of effective spelling strategies and patterns.  The goal is for the students to apply these skills and strategies to their daily writing. Therefore, taking ownership of the spelling patterns.  You will be given the core words for the week and the word family for the week communicated on my website and/or through an . Please practice core words and create your own words from the word family at home.  Thank you for your help in assisting your child in developing his or her understanding of how to put words together.

Social Studies & Science  The units we complete in social studies and science throughout the year are listed on page 7.  There will be many hands on activities in science.  In December, look for a notice to come home for a social studies unit on holidays. We will need your help!  All year long we will have an animal of the month. It is fun to learn about each one!

Report Card  It is different from kindergarten in format and frequency. Our grading year is set-up in trimesters. The first trimester is mostly effort in all areas and will include more achievement as the year moves forward. Not all areas on the report card are graded in the beginning of the year.  There is a big emphasis on Work/Study Skills in first grade all year long.  The section on reading explains your child’s reading progress. Please look for a paper in the first report card to explain reading progress. It is important to keep this paper as a reference for the entire school year.  The progress report will look similar to the report card.

Parent-Teacher Conferences  Please do not forget to sign up for a conference when you get an invitation on the new online set up! **Will be up and running VERY soon!  Also, I need your help! Please sign up for volunteer opportunities if you are available! Those will also be posted on my website and will use the same program for sign-up as the conferences. Easy to change, sign up, and check!  Mystery Reader is a first grader favorite! Please find a date good for you! Again, the signup will be online.

Have You…?  Been to my website?  Checked out the Loudonville Elementary Webpage? oudonvillehome.htmhttp:// oudonvillehome.htm  Signed up for SNN yet?  Looked at the Food Service website, to see how you can pay online and print a menu? home.htm home.htm

Thank you for coming!  Please feel free to contact me anytime! is the easiest way to reach me.  Don’t forget to check out my website weekly!  I look forward to a WONDERFUL year!  Thank you!