2. PARENT ORIENTATION PLEASE TAKE YOUR FOLDER HOME FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
PLEASE READ YOUR CHILD’S NOTE
PLEASE WRITE A NOTE FOR YOUR CHILD FOR TOMORROW MORNING.
PARENT ORIENTATION

3. Dear Parents:
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our first grade classroom. I feel we will have a great year at Copper Creek Elementary!
If you have any concerns about our class or your child, please feel free to contact me. My school hours are 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. You may call and leave a message on my voice mail. My voice mail number is My address is
I am looking forward to working with every student. I’m sure we will
have a fun year in first grade!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cramer

4. CLASS RULES 1. Be a good listener and follow directions.
2. Raise your hand to share.
3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
4. Walk quietly in the classroom and building.
5. Always try to do your best work.
Please look at the rules the class made.
CLASS RULES

5. Individual Basis: The students are seated at tables in our classroom
Individual Basis: The students are seated at tables in our classroom. Points will be given to the tables for positive classroom behavior. Points/stars are tallied for each table at the end of the day. Tables will be rewarded by packing up first or going out to recess first.
At this time, I won’t be sending home a behavior chart. If you feel your child needs one, please contact me. If I have concerns about your child, I will contact you. I may move to a behavior chart in the future.
Class Reward: The class rewards will vary throughout the year to maintain the students’ interest. We will have “Fun Friday” to celebrate good behavior.
If your child’s card is on yellow or red, they won’t participate in Fun Friday.
REWARD SYSTEM

6. CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE
If needed:
A Green Card will be given each day. This means each child starts with a fresh beginning.
A Yellow Card means a warning and a 5 minute timeout.
An Red Card means the student will lose a recess and the parents will be contacted by or phone.
If there is a big issue, like hitting, the student will be sent to the office or the “success room” immediately, parents will always be contacted.
CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE

7. I will be sending home a classroom a weekly e-mail
I will be sending home a classroom a weekly . If you don’t have , please let me know and I can send home a printed copy. If both parents want a copy sent to them, please let me know.
Book order forms will go home throughout the school year. Book orders are an excellent way to motivate and enhance the students’ reading skills. I will send the forms home on a Friday and they will be due that Monday. Please order online using our classroom code number, GLHBB. These are wonderful books at a reduced price, however, you are under no obligation to purchase books.
HOME NOTICES

8. READING AND WRITING WRITING
READING We use a balanced reading program. The goal is to enable your child to become an independent reader. Instruction will be provided to enable your child to use a variety of strategies to gain meaning from print. Phonics, sight vocabulary, and context clues will be taught. Instruction will be presented in the “Four Blocks Model” which includes guided reading, self-selected reading, word study, and writing. Materials: Scott Foresman/Pearson Reading Street series.
WRITING
In developing their writing skills the students will progress from simple sentence structure with inventive spelling to complex sentences in a story format. The first grade students will be exposed to the Six Traits of Writing which includes Ideas, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice, Organization, and Conventions. We use the Lucy Calkins Writing program.
READING AND WRITING

9. MATH, SCIENCE & SOCIAL STUDIES
SCIENCE & SOCIAL STUDIES We will focus on plants, solids and liquids, and animal and plant life cycles. For Social Studies we will study appropriate current events through the Scholastic News and our reading program. Students will learn about different holiday customs, Arizona, community helpers, and map skills.
MATH Instruction begins with hands-on activities and progresses to paper and pencil activities. Math fact tests will be given during the every month. The math concepts we will cover include: number sense, addition, subtraction, time, fractions, geometry, and measurement. Our math textbook is My Math published by McGraw-Hill.
MATH, SCIENCE & SOCIAL STUDIES

10. Daily classwork and tests will be graded according to the District rating scale for primary students which includes: 1=Making limited progress toward grade level standards, this is an area of concern 2=Making expected progress toward grade level standards 3=Meeting end of year grade level standards 4=Exceeding end of year grade level standards.
GRADING

11. HOMEWORK Homework goes home on Thursday. It is due on Tuesday.
Your child should read every day for at least 20 minutes. Please record his/her reading on the monthly reading sheets/logs and return it on the specified date. On the back of this reading log you will need to record that your child practiced his addition/subtraction facts (sums to 10/20) for 10 minutes each evening (flash cards, games or websites for math fluency).
The students should study their word wall/sight words every evening for 5-10 minutes. This makes a huge impact on their school abilities!
Throughout the school year there may be additional math worksheets sent home from the new My Math Program. The worksheet would reinforce math skills covered in the classroom.
Grading Scale:
0 assignments missed/late = C (Consistently)
1-3 assignments missed/late = O (Often)
4+ assignments missed/late = I (Improvement Needed)
Homework goes home on Thursday. It is due on Tuesday.
HOMEWORK

12. Monday: Computer Lab Tuesday: Library (Students check out one book per weekly visit.) Wednesday: Music Thursday: P.E. (Students need to wear proper shoes.) Friday: Art, monthly Spirit Celebration
SPECIALS

13. Lunch tickets and milk/juice/water tickets may be purchased by contacting the school cafeteria. Also, you may send money in a labeled envelope to the classroom. On the envelope please write your child’s first and last name, the words Lunch Money, and my name Mrs. Cramer. *Please don’t send in loose money! Finally, you may go online to purchase lunch tickets. Your child is encouraged to bring a healthy snack for morning break or afternoon recess.
LUNCH TICKETS

14. CELEBRATING YOUR CHILD
Top Dog
(Student of the Week)
Each child will be featured during the school year as the “Top Dog”. The materials for your child need to be sent in on Monday of the week they will be featured. They can bring in five pictures, their favorite stuffed animal and a book. We will share their book with the class. The class will be making the “Top Dog” a special book which will be sent home on Friday.
BIRTHDAYS
If you choose to send in treats for your child’s birthday please let me know a few days in advance. Due to the state policy and food allergies, only certain foods will be acceptable. We will share the treats at our recess. Please do not pass out party invitations at school unless everyone in the class is included. This will avoid hurt feelings.
HOLIDAY PARTIES
Let me know if you are willing to help in class or send in items for these special days.
CELEBRATING YOUR CHILD

15. ACCELERATED READING PROGRAM
Starting Second Quarter: Each child will be participating in the Accelerated Reading Program. The students will select a book from the library. They will need to take the book home and read it at least three times. Then, the following day they can take a comprehensive quiz on the library book. At the first grade level each book is worth 0.5 points. Once the students take the STAR Reading test, then a quarterly reading goal will be set for your child. The students will take the quizzes on our classroom computer when time allows, and they can take the quizzes during our computer lab time. Once they are familiar with the test format the students can take the quizzes before school in the library and during their lunch recess in the library.
ACCELERATED READING PROGRAM

16. TAX CREDIT INFORMATION
As a tax payer in the state of Arizona you can make a tax credit donation
to our first grade classroom. You can specify that the monies be used for
field trips, guest speakers or as a gift or donation. In the past few years
we have used our tax credit monies to take field trips to the Marana Pumpkin Patch and the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. Also, we have had guest speakers come to our classroom from the International Wildlife Museum and the Mad Science Program. We have been told that there are not any funds available for field trips this school year due to the educational budget and state of our Arizona economy. Therefore, we are asking for your support in these areas. If you are interested in donating to our classroom there is a form to download at the Amphitheater Public Schools website and a copy in this folder.
Additionally, you may donate up to $400 per family. This then is counted as a direct TAX CREDIT on your Arizona state income taxes. You will have to pay the money in any case, but this option let’s you, THE PARENT, direct where and for what the state/public school system will use your money. If you don’t owe any state taxes, you get a refund!
TAX CREDIT INFORMATION

17. …and FINALLY FOLKS I want to thank everyone for coming tonight.
Thanks for sharing your children with me. It is an honor.
I want to thank everyone for coming tonight.
I think we are going to have a great year!
Connie Cramer
(Rosie & Sadie)