Welcome!!! Miss Novorro Room 5 2017-2018

Welcome to First Grade!! This is an important year for you and your child. This PowerPoint will provide you with an overview of first grade and our routines and expectations We want to remind you that this is an informational session about 1st grade in Room 5 and not the time to ask specific questions about your child. If you have any questions, please write them down on a “post-it” and place them on the “Parking Lot” as you leave tonight.

My Background Childhood-attended elementary, middle and high school in Scotch Plains Education-Montclair State University. Graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Child Studies concentrating in Elementary Education Fifth year teaching first grade at West End

Contact Information Notes Email heather_novorro@nplainfield.org Voice Mail (908) 769-6083 Ext 7747

Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Breakfast Club starts at 7:30 am, students who are not enrolled will not be permitted to enter the building until 8:00 am. Please do NOT drop your child off before 8:00 am! The school day starts promptly at 8:25 am Students are marked tardy at 8:25 am It is also very important that your child is picked up after school promptly at 2:35 pm. Thanks for your help!

Important Information  WHY:  Monitoring attendance ensures that students will benefit from being a part of the educational program we plan for them on a daily basis. Our goal is to ensure that every student attends school regularly and on time. West End is committed to student success; attendance rates have increased and chronic absenteeism have decreased. Families too, play a key role in ensuring their children value the importance of attendance.

Important Information Cont. Students should be in class ready to learn by 8:25 a.m. Contact the school to report absences by 8:00 a.m. Send in doctors notes if applicable Contact school nurse for chronic medical concerns (ie asthma, diabetes, seizures etc) Be proactive and contact us if assistance is needed. Parent meetings will be scheduled after students are absent for a total of; 5 or more days within first marking period 7 or more days within the second and third marking periods   10 or more days within the fourth marking period Please be timely in picking up your child at 2:35 p.m.  Aftercare is not available at WE but we do work in private organizations who offer those service (Klubhouse, etc.)

(Learning Equally and Peacefully) **Sign Homework Journal daily L.E.A.P (Learning Equally and Peacefully) Rules! Rules! Rules! **Sign Homework Journal daily

We Will Be Learning Many Wonderful Things this Year We will cover all of the subjects and topics that our state and school district believe are important for your child to learn during first grade. We will be using several programs this year to address the Common Core State Standards. Video about the Common Core: http://vimeo.com/51933492

Curriculum Math Writing Program: Everyday Math Spiral approach Skills Taught: Handwriting Organization Beginning, middle, end Ideas/Content Narrative, Opinion, Informational Grammar Word Choice/Vocabulary Sentence Fluency Program: Everyday Math Spiral approach Hands-on learning Games Explorations Differentiated Instruction (readiness, reinforcement, enrichment) Keep unit letters for support

Curriculum Reading FUNDATIONS Shared Reading (class reads together) Whole group instruction Read Alouds (teacher reads) Guided Reading (reading in small leveled groups with teacher support) Buddy Reading (reading in pairs) Independent Reading One-to-one conferencing with teacher based on individual goals Listen to Reading (computers, headphones, raz-kids) Raz-Kids info for home use: Username: hnovorro Password: bunny picture A multisensory, structured language program. Concentrating on Phonemic Awareness Phonics/Word Study Dolch Sight Word practice (words that appear frequently and cannot be sounded out…memorization) Vocabulary Handwriting Spelling

Curriculum Science Social Studies Focusing on inquiry based techniques --- searching for natural phenomenon My Class, My Community (citizenship) Character Ed./C.A.R.D. New Jersey Character Education Cultural Traditions Making Changes; past and present Anti-Bullying/Respect Students receive an effort grade

Homework Our focus for homework this year: Having parents and children sit down and read together at home. After reading we hope that you have a book chat. One additional mini activity which will vary in subject (10 min max) Throughout the year, we will periodically assign a family project *All homework will be written in your child’s homework journal. Please write the title of the book your child reads each night. Please sign homework journal each night *

Specials Monday: Art 1:45-2:30 Tuesday: Gym 1:30-2:00, Computers 2:00-2:30 Wednesday: Music 1:00-1:30, Health 1:30-2:00 Thursday: Gym 1:30-2:00 Friday: Library/Book Exchange 1:45-2:30

Suggested Home Materials School Materials Take Home Folders Homework Journals (check them daily) Suggested Home Materials pencils glue stick eraser crayons scissors Organization

MP Expectations can be found on my website Performance Assessments Progress Checks Tests Homework Effort Participation *Report Cards are sent home 4 times a year- November, January, April and June Report Card Grades MP Expectations can be found on my website 4 Meeting or exceeding expectations 3 Progressing toward meeting expectations 2 Progressing toward meeting expectations with some support 1 Not meeting expectations at this time Grading

Parent/Teacher Conferences Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held November 14th- 16th Please sign up up for one 10 minute time slot **Please be sure to sign up for your conference at your earliest convenience**

Birthdays West End is initiating a new way to celebrate birthdays in a unique and special way!! “Think outside the box” and to think of some non-edible birthday celebration items or activities that we can do to celebrate their special day! Your children can pick his/her own activity. Some  examples include: a parent guest read aloud, games like Around the World or Mad Libs, crossword puzzles, GoNoodle videos, word searches, origami, appropriate homemade videos to share, show-and-tell, etc. The activities should be brief (no longer than 5 or 10 minutes maximum). We then sing “Happy Birthday” at the end!  Of course, if you do want to celebrate the traditional way with a class treat, that will be fine too 

Reminders Snack 10 minutes daily We have students in our classroom with peanut and seed allergies- please be mindful of that when sending food into the classroom Should be small & healthy Send them with spoons, forks and napkins necessary to eat the snack Lunch Money Label envelope with child’s name, 1N and Room 5 Please review lunch choices daily

Reminders *Each week your child has the opportunity to bring home a book from the West End Library. Please listen to and support your child when he or she reads the book. Finished books can be returned the next day so that your child can take home a new one.

Things to Work on With Your Child Tying shoes Making a lunch choice Knowing what is snack and what is lunch Knowing addresses and phone numbers Knowing and spelling first and last names Knowing his/her birthday

Ways to support learning at home Reading Practice upper and lower case alphabet Practice the sounds of the alphabet Read to your child Have him/her read to you Have him/her retell the story Math Have him/her count to you Practice counting objects Count loose change/coins Practice number recognition Have him/her write the numbers 1 to 110 Practice math facts

Let’s work together to have a great school year!