1. Back to School Night September 11, 2017
The s
of First Grade
Back to School Night September 11, 2017

2. Attendance
Unless your child is ill, please make every attempt to have your child present at school and on time.
Our day begins at 8:40 and dismissal time is at 3:25. Students that arrive late are missing valuable instruction.
If your child absent, please call the attendance hotline and provide a written note on the first day that your child returns to school. If your child is out of school for more than 3 days, please provide a doctors note.

3. Behavior
Students that choose to follow the rules will earn green Dojo points and will earn rewards. Likewise, there will be consequences for students that choose to break the rules. (earning red Dojo points, parent contact, time outs, etc.)
Please be sure to sign up for ClassDojo so that you can keep track of your child’s weekly behavior points and also review and sign your child’s behavior calendar each day.

4. Curriculum
Reading Wonders
Math in Focus
Science
Social Studies

5. • Practice reading the popcorn words nightly.
• In 1st grade, we will focus on developing phonemic awareness, decoding skills, word recognition, comprehension and oral reading fluency.
• The more sight words a student knows, the more fluently he/she will read.
• Practice reading the popcorn words nightly.
Read to Self
Read to Others
Listen to Reading
Word Work
Work on Writing

6. A variety of grouping strategies will be utilized to deliver our reading and language arts curriculum. Whole class and small group lessons will be delivered to ensure mastery of skills.
We will focus on the following throughout the year:
Reading Strategies
Comprehension Skills
Reading Fluency
Vocabulary and Word Analysis
Spelling, Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Writing
Listening and Speaking

7. We do lots of writing in first grade
We do lots of writing in first grade. Children are encouraged to use phonetic spelling when they first start. Our goal is to encourage risk taking and independence in writing. Part of this process is to stress to children that phonetic spelling is acceptable, and to build their confidence in their ability to communicate in writing even if they can’t spell the word with “dictionary spelling.”
However, as high frequency words and spelling rules are introduced children will gradually move toward more conventional spelling.

8. This is our first year with Math in Focus
This is our first year with Math in Focus. Students will be assessed at the end of each chapter
Skills taught are:
Numbers to Ten
Number Bonds
Addition and Subtraction Facts to 10
Shapes and Patterns
Ordinal Numbers and Position
Numbers to 20
Addition and Subtraction Facts to 20
Length and Weight
Picture Graphs and Bar Graphs
Numbers to 40
Addition and Subtraction to 40
Mental Math Strategies
Calendar and Time
Numbers to 120
Addition and Subtraction to 100
Getting Ready for Multiplication and Division
Money

9. Daily Schedule 8:40–9:00 : Arrival 12:40–1:10 : Lunch
9:00-9:10: Morning Meeting
9:10–9:40: ELA: Whole Group Reading
9:40–10:00: Word Work/Phonics
10:00-10:40: Writing/Grammar
10:40-10:50: Snack
10:55-11:40: Encore Subject
11:45–12:35: Daily 5
12:40–1:10 : Lunch
1:10-1:40: Recess
1:40–1:50: Read to Self
1:50–2:45: Math
2:45-3:15: Science/Social Studies
3:15-3:25: Pack Up
3:25-3:50: Dismissal

10. Early Release Days
There will be 4 early release days this year. The dates of those days are:
September 27
October 27
February 15
March 28

11. Falcon 5 Every student is expected to follow the Falcon 5: Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be Caring
Be Here, Be Ready
Celebrate Success

12. Goals
Each unit of study has learning goals. They will be communicated to you in our newsletters. You will receive a weekly newsletter for language arts and reading. You will receive a math newsletter at the beginning of each unit.

13. Homework
Homework will be assigned on Monday for the week. You can find the homework calendar in your child’s binder in the inside front pocket. Please be sure to review your child’s homework each night and sign the homework sheet daily.
In addition to reading and math homework it is important that 1st graders read EACH night. This may include practicing their decodable readers, shared reading with an adult or older sibling, and reading and decoding good fit books on their own.

14. Itinerary
Oh, the places we will go and the things we will learn this year as we soar through 1st grade!
To find out exactly where we are headed each week you will want to read our weekly newsletter. All weekly schedules, upcoming events and important information will be listed on our newsletter. Your weekly newsletter can be found in your child’s BALLOON binder in the front pocket.

15. Just Right Books
Studies have shown that those children whose parents are actively involved in the reading process will become the best readers.
Reading to your child, listening to them read to you, taking them to the library and providing quality just right books at home is of the highest importance.

16. Keeping Informed
Be sure to check your child’s BALLOON binder every night for all school and class mail.
Join Class Dojo 

17. Lunch Lunch is from 12:40 – 1:10 each day.
Money can be added to your child’s account by sending in a check or at
Lunch and breakfast menus will be sent home at the beginning of each month and are also located on the Pottsgrove website.
The students are encouraged to memorize their student ID number that came home in the summer letter. This will help the lunch line run smoothly.

18. Mystery Readers
I would like to invite all parents, older siblings, grandparents, or other special people to surprise your child by being a “Mystery Reader” this year in our classroom.
Mystery Readers will visit us on Friday afternoons at 2:45 for approximately 20 minutes. Remember this is top secret!
Sign up calendar is in the back!

19. Nuts About Books
Students are ALL encouraged to participate in the 100 book club.
You will find a book log in the reading pocket of your child’s BALLOON binder. Each book that your child reads should be logged on that paper. Once your child has read 10 books please turn in the log and your child will add a dot to their bird.
In 1st grade 20 pages = a book if reading a chapter book.
Books can be read by the child or to the child depending on their reading level or mood that night 

20. Other Items: Birthdays Scholastic Book Orders Money (lunch/snack)
Classroom helpers
Classroom Directory

21. Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on November 20th and 21st. During this conference, we will be discussing your child's academic performance,, homework, behavior and any additional concerns you may have.
A sign up schedule will come home closer to the date.

22. Questions
Please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions. You can do this in a variety of ways:
• Write a note
• Send an or message me on Dojo
• Call me at school

23. Report Cards Report cards will be distributed once each trimester.
November
March
June

24. Success! Teacher + Family = SUCCESS
Research shows that students are more receptive at school when they are aware of the collaboration between home and school.

25. Tests
All tests will be announced in our weekly newsletter or homework sheet. All tests will be corrected and sent home to be reviewed in your child’s take home folder.

26. Up Up and Away!!!
It is so exciting to see what AMAZING readers our children blossom into in 1st grade! Our class has already begun to build our Reading Stamina!!! STAMINA is being able to do something for a long time without getting tired or giving up. We are trying to build up our STAMINA when we are practicing reading to ourselves.

27. Visitors and Volunteers
• If you have time or talents to share with us, please complete and return the volunteer “Helping Hands” form.
• Our school policy requires all visitors/volunteers to check in at the school office. Visitor Badges are required if you will be in the school hallways or entering a classroom.
Also, anyone that wishes to help in the classroom is required obtain their clearances.

28. Websites

29. EXtra Supplies
In order to provide your children with the program I believe they deserve, I supplement the curriculum with extra projects. These projects are not funded by the regular education budget.
Please take the time to look at my Giving Tree. I have posted apples on the tree in the classroom this evening. Any and all donations are truly appreciated!
If any additional supplies are needed throughout the school year they will be noted in our class newsletter or on Dojo.

30. You…… You are your child’s first and most important teacher.
I hope that we can work together this year to make your child’s 1st grade school year a huge success!

31. Zzzzz…
Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep each night, so that he/she is well rested and ready for the challenges of first grade. It is recommended that 6 and 7 year olds get 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night.
This year will ZOOM by, so let’s make the most of it.

32. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Once again, thank you for coming this evening and for showing an interest in your child’s education. If you should have any questions or would like to speak with me further about your child, please contact me by at or call the school to schedule a time for us to meet.