Welcome Back to School! Mrs. Alison Masef Mrs. Courtney Sweeney First Grade September 16, 2014

Team Teaching Create a positive learning environment Work together to deliver whole group instruction Provide additional small group instruction in all subject areas to support and challenge learning for all students

Our Daily Schedule 8:50 – 9:25 Arrival, Morning Work 9:25 – 9:45 Morning Meeting 9:45 – 10:15 Reading 10:15 – 10:30 Recess 10:30 – 10:45 Snack 10:45 – 11:30 Reading 11:30 – 12:30 Recess and Lunch 12:30 – 1:10 Math 1:10 – 2:00 Writing 2:05 – 2:45 Special 2:45 – 3:25 Science, Social Studies, or Handwriting 3:25 – 3:35 Closing Circle, Dismissal

Schedule of Specials Monday – Music Tuesday – Library Wednesday – Computers Thursday – Gym Friday – Art

Curriculum Journeys enVision Math Science Social Studies

“Responsive Classroom” Model Academic learning is most successful in a positive social environment. In addition to an academic focus, social skills are modeled and practiced. Morning Meeting Hopes and Dreams Rules established together Take care of ourselves Take care of each other Take care of our school “Bug and a Wish” Word of the Day Fill a Bucket

Clip It System Encourages positive behavior Teaches, “Mistakes are learning opportunities.” Promotes logical consequences Look for the calendar that will come home each night. It will reflect the color your child earned each day.

Ten minutes per night in first grade If your child would like to be challenged further, some suggestions include: Reading and discussing a book together Playing math computer games from “Untangling the Math Web” This link can be accessed via the Sol Feinstone website. Select “Primary Math Websites.” Generally, homework will be given each night from Monday through Thursday. There will not be homework on Fridays or holidays.

The students should complete their homework as neatly as possible in pencil. Please encourage your child to write his or her first and last names, using proper capitalization, on all homework assignments. Your child will copy his or her homework in a composition book. Please sign the book each night. Please remind your child to check the “Homework” and “Keep at Home” pockets of his or her green folder each night.

You can expect the following pattern of homework: Monday: Word Study - Your child will bring home his or her “Personal Word Wall.” This will include required first grade words as well as specific words we observe your child can practice. Spelling words will also come home. Your child will also bring home an activity sheet with options for practicing the week’s words and personal words. **Please refer to our weekly newsletter for the words we will be focusing on each week.

Tuesday: Poetry – The students will bring home a poetry book Tuesday: Poetry – The students will bring home a poetry book. They should read the assigned poem (with help as needed) and complete the assignment on the back of the poem.

Wednesday: Math - There will be a “must do” side that all students should complete as well as an “optional challenge” for those students who wish to do something extra.

Thursday: Reading Log - The students should read for ten minutes and log their reading using the book log that is sent home. Discussion questions will be attached to encourage your child to read for meaning. If no specific book is sent home with the log, your child may read any book of his or her choice. If we include a specific book your child has been reading in school, your child should read that selection for homework and return it the next day. Remember, homework is never worth tears!  If your child is having too much difficulty, please attach a note to his or her green “Take Home Folder,” and we will work with your child in school.

Writing Briefcase Beginning later in the year, we will be sending home a fun “Writing Briefcase” with one child on Monday of each week. The student should use the enclosed materials to write anything he or she wants throughout the week. On Thursday of that week, the student should return the “Writing Briefcase” with his or her writing enclosed. We will then celebrate the student’s writing as he or she shares it with the class.

Star Student We will notify you the week before your child is “Star Student.” Please have your child create a poster about himself or herself to share with the class. The poster can include photographs, drawings, magazine pictures, etc. and should present special information about your child. Some ideas include: family, hobbies, pets, birthday, what he or she would like to be when grown-up, etc. We will hang the poster on the “Star Student” bulletin board. In addition, your child may bring one favorite item and one picture book to share with the class.

Communication Log We will be sending home a red “Communication Log” on most Fridays. The log will include work your child completed in school as well as a paper for you to sign. Please return all of the papers with the red folder on each Monday. If there is a week when not many worksheets have been completed due to inquiry-based learning, we will wait to send home the red folder on the following Friday.

Dismissal If your child will not be taking the bus, please send a note with your child in the morning. Without a note, we are required to send your child home via his or her usual means of transportation. Students may only ride different buses for child care purposes, which must be indicated in a note. If your child is always a car rider or is a car rider on certain days, please send us a note saying so.

Absences Missed work will be completed in school when possible. There may be times when the work must be sent home to complete due to our busy days. Please send an excuse note when your child returns to school.

Snacks and Birthdays We have a morning snack time each day. Please supply nut free snacks. If your child wishes to bring birthday treats for the class, please make sure they are nut free as well. * If you are baking birthday treats, please send in a list of the ingredients used. We are unable to distribute any snacks that contain nuts or have no ingredients. Please send us a note when your child wishes to bring in treats for his or her birthday.

Volunteers Please sign in at the front office and get a visitor’s tag to wear so students and staff know you are part of the learning environment. Mystery Readers: We will have a parent “Mystery Reader” each Wednesday. The “Mystery Reader” should bring one picture book to read to the class while the students eat their snacks (10:30 A.M. – 10:45 A.M.). The “Mystery Reader” is a secret, and the students will enjoy guessing who it is each Wednesday.  Treats should be saved for birthdays rather than during “Mystery Reader” times. Thank you!

Owl Cutout On your child’s desk, there is an owl cutout. Please review the school behavior plan that is online. You and your child should then sign the owl cutout, and return it to school.

Communication Information Weekly Newsletter Email: amasef@crsd.org; csweeney@crsd.org Phone: (215) 944-2400

Before Leaving Tonight If you wish to be a “Mystery Reader,” please sign up for one Wednesday on the calendar provided. Conferences will be in November. Please schedule a conference time before leaving tonight. On the first day of school, we read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. The students then made a “kissing hand” for you! Please trace your hand next to your child’s hand, and write a note to him or her inside of your hand. Please leave it on your child’s desk for when he or she arrives at school tomorrow! Take home the Pearson SuccessNet math password sheet and Council Rock Language Arts Overview, which are on your child’s desk. Please also take the “KidStuff” book if interested. Try to guess who your child is on the outside bulletin board! 

We look forward to a great year with you and your child! Thank you for coming! We look forward to a great year with you and your child!

Clip Art Retrieved From: http://www.school-clip-art.com http://www.free-clipart-pictures.net http://www.picgifs.com http://www.teacherfiles.com/clip_art.htm