Schmalz Elementary

Mrs. Shipley

 Students go to Specials once a week for 50 minutes. Monday: P.E. Tuesday: Art Wednesday: P.E. Thursday: Music Friday: Dealer’s Choice  He/she will receive a grade of E, S, or N. There is also a conduct grade.

 Treats must be delivered to the front office by 10:30.  Please choose an individual treat like cupcakes or cookies that can be easily served-no cakes or candy and NO DRINKS.  Please let your teacher know in advance so they can be sure that there will not be double treats. Summer birthdays can be celebrated in May.  Birthday party invitations cannot be distributed at school.

 CHAMPs is a school wide discipline approach with clearly stated expectations. C: Conversation H: Help A: Activity M: Movement P: Participate S: Student Success

 Behavior is recorded daily on the discipline card in their blue Daily Folder. This is a school wide chart used by all grades.  Please remember to initial your child’s card each day and return it to school the next day.  All teachers follow the same classroom rules, consequences and rewards but each has their own style of behavior management.

 Lunch is 12:46-1:16.  Prepaid checks may be sent for lunches. You may also prepay for your child’s lunch on-line at The cafeteria keeps track of the meals your child consumes, and lets the child know when there are only 2 days left on their allotment.  Please send in an envelope with the amount, child’s name, and teacher’s name.

 Fact Fluency is a Katy ISD math program which will begin this 9 weeks. The program focuses on the rapid recall of addition and subtraction facts. It will help the students develop fluency and automaticity.  2-4 Fact Checks will be given to the students each 9 weeks.  They will not be timed in first grade but students will be encouraged to finish 25 problems in 90 seconds.  An assessment will be given at the end of each 9 weeks for a grade.

 On Tuesdays, a GRADED WORK FOLDER will also go home.  It will contain important notices from the school.  This folder will contain all graded papers. Praise the good work and spend a few minutes on those areas that need improvement.  Please sign and return the folder the following day. All failed papers will be stapled and returned in the folder. Please be sure to look over all papers and respond to notices accordingly.

 Homework will be sent home at the beginning of each week in the BLUE DAILY FOLDER.  Please assist your child with his/her homework on a daily basis.  Homework should take no more than minutes plus an additional minutes of reading each night.  ALL homework is due on FRIDAYS. Each incomplete homework assignment will be marked on the discipline card.

 All KISD students will be required to wear an ID badge while attending school. Students will be asked to wear their badges home but are expected to return them the following day.  1st graders will be given a verbal warning the first time the ID badge is not returned. If their ID badge is not returned the next day, your child will receive a conduct mark.

 I am thrilled to have your child in my classroom this year. This will be my 8th year teaching 1st grade and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from Texas A&M University. Go Aggies! Then I taught 5 years in Pasadena ISD before getting married and moving to Katy. This will by my 3rd year here at Schmalz Elementary and I am excited to be teaching at such a fantastic school. I had our first child, a girl, back in December. She is absolutely precious but I am truly learning what it means to be a parent. You parents rock!

 Students are encouraged to wear their Schmalz Spirit Shirts every Friday.  You may purchase a kid’s T-shirt from PTA for $15.00.

 Students will have library once every two weeks. We have library every other Monday!  1 st graders may check out 2 books.  Students may ask to go exchange them once they are done reading them.

 If you send money to school (lunches, field trip, parties, etc), please place it in an envelope or Ziploc baggie with your child’s name and the purpose of the money.  You may send money in their BLUE Daily Folder.

 Our school nurse is Mrs. Karen Glasscock.  Medicine sent to the school must go to the clinic. Teachers are not allowed to administer any medicine. This does include chapstick and cough drops.  Please leave prescriptions in the original containers.  Any child who runs fever should stay home until free of fever for 24 hours.

 Recess is daily when weather permits.  Playground safety rules will be taught, and proper use of equipment is closely monitored.

 I will send home a Parent Newsletters titled “Peek of the Month” at the beginning of every month with important dates and helpful information.

 Grades will begin NEXT WEEK.  A 3 week progress report will go home.  Students will receive a report card every 9 weeks.  Curriculum is based on a 4-Nine Week grading system/year.

 R.E.D. folder means “Read Every Day”  At the beginning of the week, students will take home a RED Folder with their new Take Home Reader (T.H.R.).  Students will read for minutes every night with an adult figure. Parents may help sound out the words and check for understanding.  RED Folders will be returned every FRIDAY.

 29 Sight Words will be sent home at the beginning of every Nine Weeks.  As you receive them, please cut and store them in a baggie at home to practice them every night.  In the middle and at the end of every Nine Weeks students will be assessed and given 2 Reading grades. Students will have 3 seconds to read each word.

 If your child changes his/her regular mode of transportation, a written notice must be given to the teacher or a call should be made to the office. NO S WILL BE ACCEPTED.  Please, do not wait until the end of the day to notify the office. Otherwise, the child will be required to travel home as usual. This is a safety precaution for your child.

 Parents and teachers are a team. We are all working together towards a common goal.  My conference time is Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11:40-12:30.  I will schedule Beginning of the Year Conferences for all my students after the first 3 weeks of school.  If you would like to have a conference before then, or any time thereafter, please contact me at or

 First grade teachers love parents to be involved. Each classroom will have one homeroom parent.  We will have two parties, a year. And we will need additional parents to help the homeroom parent at these parties.

 Word Study is the new spelling! Students learn word families and are able to apply those word families to make to spell multiple words.  2 Assessments will be given per 9 Weeks.  A weekly spelling list will not be sent home and weekly spelling tests will not be given.

 A note must accompany a child returning to school after being absent. It must be signed by you or a doctor explaining the absence.

 After recess at 10:55-11:00.  Students are allowed to bring a small healthy snack.  Snacks must be ready to eat solids.  Liquids are not allowed as spills may cause damage to school property.  Please send all snacks in appropriate containers and be sure to include a napkin.  Students may not share snacks and snacks will not be provided.

 Zero is the level of conversation students should have in the hallway and at the restrooms. All students are taught appropriate voice levels for a particular activity. Levels vary from Level 0-Level 4. Level 0: No Talking Level 1: Whispering Level 2: Partners Level 3: Group Work Level 4: Recess

Schmalz Elementary Sharks