1. Please sign the yellow PG permission form
and write your child a special note. 
Please sign up for mystery reader.
(only 2 slots per family)

2. Please make sure you have signed up for our class email group.
Blog-
Please make sure you have signed
up for our class group.
This is my fourteenth year teaching in Cobb County. I have taught kindergarten, first and second grade.

3. The ABC’s of Mrs. Curry’s Classroom

4. A
Absences: If your is absent, PLEASE send a note in with them upon their return. You must send a note within three days for it to be valid.
In the note please include your child’s first and last name and dates he/she was absent. Please send in a note, not an so I can give it to the office.
There is a copy of an absence note included in your packet. Please copy and use as needed.
*NEW RULE*- After three unexcused absences I must contact you.

5. Accelerated Reader-
This program is used as a supplement to our reading curriculum. AR helps make reading fun and exciting for every student. It is also used to personalize instruction so every student achieves maximum success.

6. B
Birthdays:
Please let me know ahead of time if you would like to send a treat for your child's birthday.
Please send in treats that are all EXAXTLY the same.
We will have our celebrations at lunch.

7. Book Orders:
Scholastic Book Orders will be sent home monthly. This is a great way to encourage and excite your child about reading! Every time a class order is submitted we earn free books for our classroom.
The first order for the year will be coming home in a couple of weeks. All ordering can be done online. There will be an online ordering code attached to the flyers.
* I would love to have a parent volunteer separate and staple these for our class each month. This can be completed at home.

8. Behavior Folders:
A red behavior folder will come home every Thursday with you child. Inside you will find a list of the learning skills and behaviors that are on the first grade report card. Please review the folder every Thursday night, initial, and return to school on Friday. Thank you in advance!

9. C
CoGAT:
(Cognitive Abilities Test) Students will take the CoGAT September 5th, 6th, and 7th. This test CAN NOT be studied for and consists of puzzles, analogies, patterns, etc.
Comprehension:
Comprehension is a key element in a child’s reading development. Reading without true understanding is simply word calling. Reading comprehension is a MAJOR part of our Reader’s Workshop and will be addressed in many ways each day.

10. Communication:
I believe communication between the teacher, school, and parents is absolutely essential in order for each student to be successful. PLEASE let me know any concerns, questions or comments you have! -
Blog-
Shuttterfly account coming soon

11. Class Pet: Starting this Friday, our class parrot, Chewbacca, will go home with a different student each week.

12. Deliveries:
The only items that will be delivered to our classroom are forgotten glasses, birthday treats and lunches. Please make sure these items are dropped of by 10:00 am. D

13. E
Procedures:
The best way to get in touch with me is via . I check my throughout the day and will be able to respond quickly to any questions or concerns. It is easier for me to make phone calls after school, so if you need me to call you send me an and I will call you as soon as I can after dismissal. PLEASE DO NOT TRANSPORTATION CHANGES!
My address is :

14. Early Checkout:
If you need to pick your child up early for any reason PLEASE make sure you do so by 1:45 at the latest. The front office is a very busy place at the end of the day and they will not check out students after 1:45.
E-Blast:
PTA sends a weekly E-Blast with important information, dates, and upcoming events. Please make sure you sign up for these, if you have not already done so.

15. Please support our Foundation during the Patron Drive
Please support our Foundation during the Patron Drive! Your donation impacts every student every day!

16. https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/training/school-volunteers-and-ferpa
Cobb County Schools is requiring every parent volunteer to watch a brief video on FERPA and to sign off that they understand and will uphold the responsibilities outlined in FERPA.

17. G
Grading:
Measures progress toward the standard. Students will receive the following:
3- Consistently meeting the standard
2- Progressing toward meeting the standard
1 – Limited or minimum progress toward meeting the standard
Please keep in mind first grade is a developmental year and students learn at different rates. Therefore, some students may “progress” toward a standard for a quarter or more before “meeting” the standard, which is OK!

18. H
Homework:
At least 15 minutes of reading is an expectation every evening. Your child can read to you while you are cooking dinner, riding in the car, etc. Reading out loud to a parent or older sibling is MUCH more beneficial than independently reading, especially at the beginning of the year.
Additional home practice pages will show up periodically in your child’s Take-Home Folder. These practice pages will involve a skill or concept already introduced and practiced in class.

19. I
Items Left at School:
Please LABEL your child’s personal belongings such as coats, backpacks, lunch bags, water bottles, etc. The LOST AND FOUND is located outside the front doors this year.

20. L Lunch: Our lunch time is 11:06-11:36. Lunch Visitors:
We welcome parents and grandparents to join us for lunch. However, the school asks that you not bring lunch from an outside restaurant for your child. When visiting your child for lunch, make sure to sign in as a visitor, and then wait for us at the entrance to the Dining Room. I also ask that you tell your child good-bye in the Dining Room so that we can get right back to work when we return to our classroom. Lunch visitors will not begin until after Labor Day.

21. Lunch Extras:
Students have a choice at lunch to buy EXTRA items-some of these include ice cream, canned drinks, and chips. Each of these cost the student additional money. PLEASE talk with your child and let them know if it is ok for them to purchase these items. If you would like to limit the days your child is allowed to buy extras, please send a note stating your wishes.
Listening:
One of the most important work habits in first grade is listening. I stress the importance of this from day one! Students MUST to be able to listen in order to be as successful as possible in first grade.

22. M
Mystery Reader:
We will have a Mystery Reader every Friday at 8:00. Mystery Readers are a secret, so please don’t tell your child when you are coming to visit. You should plan on bringing books with you to read. These can be your child’s favorite books or seasonal books. You will have from 8:00 -8:30 to read so, please bring several books. Please do not bring chapter books.

23. Medication:
The clinic will administer medication should your child need to take medication while at school. No medication can be transported on the bus. You will need to bring the medication to the clinic and fill out a medication form.

24. Orton-Gillingham: A Methodology for Teaching Reading & Spelling to ALL Students!
Whole class & small group lessons
Differentiation in reading and spelling based on student ability
No “spelling tests.” As we teach a phonics rule or pattern, students will read & spell words with that rule or pattern.
Assessment through dictation and application of phonics rule/pattern. (ex. –ck rule) These words do not need to be memorized.
Trick words: words that do not follow a rule or pattern. MUST BE MEMORIZED for reading and spelling. 3 Trick words will be introduced at a time and will be memorized for spelling and reading. (ex: said)
Your donations at work.

25. P Parent/Teacher Conferences:
Parent/Teacher Conferences are an opportunity for us to discuss your child’s progress both socially and academically. Conferences will be held October 15th-19th. However, if you need to schedule additional conferences, I am always available to you throughout the year.
Parent Volunteers:
Throughout the year the first grade team will meet as a grade level in order to plan collaboratively for two hours. During our absence, we will ask parents to volunteer in our classrooms. You must be trained through Mt. Bethel in order to be a parent sub. There are two training sessions planned:
Friday, August 10th: 9:30-10:00 am
Monday, August 20st: 9:30-10:00am and 1:00-1:30 pm
Wednesday, September 12th: 8:00-8:30 am

26. R
Room Moms:
Our room reps are Tamela Drews and Allison Smoker. A huge thank you to both of them for agreeing to do this for our class this year. They will be contacting you soon. We had a lot of volunteers this year for this very difficult job and I am very grateful for every ones willingness to help. I know it is not an easy job!

27. S
Specials:
We have specials each day from 12:20-1:05. Please refer to the schedule in your child’s folder to know which specials we will be going to. Tennis shoes are required for PE.

28. I would love to have extra snack donations to keep in the classroom.
We will have snack daily. Students are responsible for bringing their own snack. Please provide your child with a healthy snack. Students may not bring juice, sports drinks, tea, or sodas. We will have snack around 8:40 am daily. Having sugary snacks at 8:40 am does not make for a very productive afternoon for first graders. Please remember this as you plan your child’s snacks. Thank you for your support!
I would love to have extra snack donations to keep in the classroom.

29. T Transportation Changes:
If your child will be going home a different way than normal you must send a note to school in your child’s folder. The only transportation change that can be made during the day is for your child to go to ASP. You MUST call the office to make this change. Please do not transportation changes!
If your child is going home with a friend on a different bus, please make sure you fill out the change of dismissal bus pass and send it with your child. There is a copy inside the folder on your child’s desk. Please make copies as needed. If your child is riding a different bus, the bottom portion must be completed for it to be approved. .

30. Take Home Folders:
Your child will bring home a YELLOW folder each night. Important papers and your child’s classwork will be in there. Some days there will be items in the folder and some days it may be empty. Please be sure to initial the behavior sheet each night. Please place all notes and payments inside the folder. If you put a note, payment, or transportation change in the folder, please tell your child. Students check their folders in the morning and give me all notes and payments.

31. Trick Words:
Trick words are the same as sight words. These words cannot be sounded out and usually do not follow the normal rules of spelling. Inside your child’s folder you will find a list of first grade trick words. Some of the trick words for the first 9 weeks are a review of kindergarten trick words. Students should be able to quickly read (within 3-5 seconds) and correctly SPELL every word in their writing. We will practice these at school, but it is important for students to ALSO practice at home.

32. V
Volunteer:
We will have a classroom Shutterfly account with volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
At the moment, I am looking for someone to help with sorting and stapling Scholastic Book orders each month. I am also looking for someone to help sort our Studies Weekly social studies and math booklets. These jobs can be completed at your convenience at home and returned to school.

33. W
Water:
Research shows students are able to attend to a task longer if well-hydrated! Please pack a REUSABLE water bottle each day! Please make sure they are labeled with your child’s name. WATER ONLY!

34. Thank you for coming. I
am looking forward to a
great year! Please do not forget to leave your child’s note and PG permission slip at their table spot.