1. Mrs. Thorne First Grade Back to School Night

2. Meet Mrs. Thorne I am thrilled to be your first grade teacher!
I have taught for more than nine years.
I love to teach, read, sing, go for walks and spend time with my awesome family!
My husband and I have two sons and a daughter.
We love the great outdoors. A few of our favorite places to visit are Yellowstone, the Green River, and Bear Lake.

3. My Teaching Philosophy
I believe that students are more successful in school when they are actively engaged in their education. When I teach I bring energy and exciting activities into my classroom to involve my students. I will always go the extra mile to help my students learn and comprehend the curriculum regardless of their abilities coming into first grade. I teach values that are important in life, including the values of kindness, integrity and discipline in the classroom.

4. Classroom Management
My classroom management plan is to make my classroom a safe place for learning for every student. I want them to feel valued, intelligent, safe, and excited to learn. We will show respect for each other by treating everyone in our class with kindness and fairness. Our class environment will be conducive to learning so we welcome everyone's opinion and encourage and respect student differences. Our classroom will be well managed and teaching will be effective so that students learn, grow, and become responsible citizens. 

5. Student Expectations & Rewards
  Follow directions quickly and quietly.
Focus eyes and ears on the teaching.          
Use an indoor voice and kind words.
Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
Work together, do your best, and be respectful.
For poor behavior, students pull cards (green, then yellow, then red). Students will sign the log when pulling a card and will then practice the correct behavior. (See slide titled: Consequences for more details.)

6. Rewards for Good Behavior
Verbal Praise Special Privileges Pom-poms are given from time to time for positive behavior and always for completed homework. Pom-poms will be exchanged about once a month for special activities or going to the Treasure Box. Points are given to the whole class for praises from other teachers and from me. When the class earns 100 points we have a class reward or activity. For example: Show and Tell, eating lunch in the classroom, or popsicles for everyone.

7. Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior
Students will be taught expectations over and over again. Students will be reminded of expectations if they break a rule the first term. If they choose the behavior again that day they pull their first card which is green. Next time they pull their yellow card. Students will sign the I Need Practice Following the Rules log when pulling a card and will then practice the correct behavior a few times with me during the beginning of the next recess or during my prep time. If a student pulls their third card (the red card) in one day, parents will receive a phone call home during school from me and their student. If a student intentionally hurts another student he/she automatically has a conference with me and the other student. If it is found that he/she is at fault you will be called and the office administration may be contacted.

8. School Wide Behavior Management
Syracuse Elementary has a school-wide aggressive behavior management plan. This can be found on the school website.
This behavior management plan will be used for aggressive behavior and overrides our card system.
The Syracuse Elementary Aggressive Behavior Management Plan is generally handled by the administration.

9. Lots of Learning and Growth in First Grade
We learn so much in First Grade! Your student will be learning many math concepts and to read and write. There is a lot to learn and not much time to do it. It will take a lot of practice and one-on-one time to master all of these skills!
YOUR CHILD NEEDS YOUR HELP! Practice makes perfect, and most of the individual practice takes place at home.
By the end of first grade your child should be reading at least 47 words per minute with an 87% accuracy. This district goal takes all of us working together.

10. What Parents Can Do at Home
Read interactively with your child every day.
Review work that comes home. Establish a routine for when and where homework is to be done.
Reinforce good handwriting and doing their best work.
Ask and talk with your child about their school experiences.
Encourage them to be responsible by having chores and routines.
Expect your child to obey and respect you.
Allow your child to do as much for him/herself as possible to encourage resourcefulness.

11. Daily Schedule 8:50 Morning Work/Attendance
9:00 Language Arts: word work, phonics, etc.
10:15 Recess
10:30 Small Reading Groups/Center
11:15 Lunch
12:00 Number Talks
12:15 Computers: ST Math and Raz-Kids
12:45 Math
1:35 Recess
1:55 Music/Art/Library/Computer/P.E
2:40 Science/Social Studies
3:10 Clean Up/Pack Up/Story Time
3:25 Dismiss

12. Weekly Homework
Every Monday, your child will be sent home with a homework folder.
This folder needs to be returned with the completed homework the following Friday.
Please HELP your child with their homework! The homework reviews concepts being taught that week.
The most important homework is reading. Have your child read to themselves and to others. Read to them daily. Reading together is a great way to spend time together.

13. Book Talks
On Fridays, starting mid September, four or five children per week will share a book talk about a favorite book they have read.
I will send a schedule of when each student will share. This only needs to be one to two minutes long. They will present once a term.
They are not supposed to simply read the book aloud. They should share some of the story in their own words.
I will be sharing book talks with them so they will know what I expect.
Reading Rainbow on PBS has great book talks. Click on this link to watch an example.

14. McGraw Hill Reading
We will be using the McGraw Hill Reading Program adopted by Davis School District.
The program focuses a lot on comprehension while learning phonics skills.
Students will also learn sight words, vocabulary words, and grow their writing skills.
Students will learn to write complete sentences with capitalization, punctuation, and parts of speech.
Students will be taught to recognize the structure and elements of fiction/fantasy stories and informational texts.

15. Learning the Zeno Words
During the beginning of first grade your child will need to learn 107 sight words. The list of Zeno sight words will be send home with your child. These sight words are in 75% of what we read. Helping your child learn these words will make her/him a much better reader.
We spend time most days practicing the Zeno words, however, practicing at home is a huge help.

16. Math
In first grade, we use a math program created by the Davis School District. Many of the activities in this program are hands-on and use manipulatives, or other games and activities. The program focuses on learning different strategies to solve basic math problems. I will be using supplemental materials that support DSD’s program.
Students will use ten frames, number lines, Rekenreks, counters, and number bonds to help them solve math problems.
Each day students will be engaged in Math Talks which is using mental math with no manipulatives.

17. Birthdays
Each boy and girl will be crowned “royalty” on their birthday.
They will share their All About Me poster with our class on their birthday.
If your child does not have a birthday during the school year, this will happen on their ½ birthday month.
The poster should be picked up during Back to School Night and returned within the first week of school.

18. More Birthday Information
If you choose to send a snack to celebrate your child’s birthday, please make sure it is purchased and if possible individually wrapped. It is best to hand out birthday treats at the end of the day.
PEANUT ALLERGY: Please do not send any treats with peanuts or nuts in the ingredients to the classroom. We have a student who has a peanut allergy.

19. Do Not Bring Toys to School
Do not bring toys to school unless prearranged for Show & Tell.(usually twice a year) No Pokémon cards or other game cards are allowed at school.
Toys or cards will be taken away if they are found in the classroom. They will be returned to the child at the end of the day.
You may bring sports balls as long as they are placed in the lunch bucket and labeled with their name.
There is playground equipment provided for students at recess, so they don’t need to bring sports equipment from home.

20. Attendance
First Grade is FULL of hands-on experiences. These experiences cannot be recreated or sent home. This is why attendance is so important.
We understand that sickness and emergencies happen. Please do not send you child to school sick! However, please make every effort to have them at school on time, everyday possible.

21. Friday Attendance Important
We assess students every Friday on the concepts we have been working on during the week.
Language Arts Assessment
Spelling Test
Math Skills Quiz
We include the spelling word vowel patterns in the weekly homework packet.
Weekly Assessments are almost impossible to make up. Please make sure that your student is in class ALL DAY on Friday.

22. Communication
Weekly newsletters will be sent home in the Monday Folder and through s. You may send me a note with your child. Office phone during school hours: (801) My direct line which you may use before or after school: (801) ext Teacher contract hours are from 8:15- 3:50 if you need to contact me.

23. If you would like to donate items to our classroom
If you would like to donate items to our classroom. These are the items we need:
Glue sticks
Boxes of tissues
Rolls of paper towels
Small stickers
Small treasure box items
Ziploc type baggies
Gallon size
Sandwich size
Box of graham crackers
Box of Goldfish crackers
Box of Tic Tacs
Small wrapped candy
Bag of potting soil
Disinfectant wipes
Expo markers
Snacks for 24 students

24. Thank You
Thank you for all of the hard work that you have already put into your child’s education!
I look forward to joining your team and working with you and your student this year to move forward in the development of their academic, language and social skills!
By working together, we will achieve our district’s higher standards!
I’m excited for a fantastic school year in First Grade!
Please come to Back to School Night, Tuesday, August 22 from 3 – 5pm in room #18.