1. Welcome to 1 st Grade! -Please sign up for a conference time -Please read over the PTA proposed budget and cast your vote -Please be sure and check out our volunteer opportunities if you did not get a chance to at open house

2. About Mrs. Newton.. Educational background 5 th year First Grade learning: – Explorative – Independence – Home-to-School Connection

3. Curriculum

4. Pathways to Literacy *Consistency in K-2 6 components: 1)Shared Reading: daily routine, big poem, sight words 2)Daily Literacy Centers: Students work in small groups on independent activities to reinforce reading and writing skills 3)Writer’s Workshop: Students work on the elements of writing. They also learn about a variety of texts 4)Daily Read Alouds: listening to a story 5) Word Study (spelling) 6) Independent Reading: reading on level books

5. Word Study Word Study is Loudoun County’s spelling program. Words are sorted into groups based upon their features. gr br pl green brush place grape broom play grade breakfast plate

6. Mathematics Continued spiral from K Investigations Student Discovery; Hands-on Daily Math session, math games/ centers Topics covered include: Patterns-Addition Money-Subtraction Fractions -Place Value Geometry-Probability and Statistics Time Measurement Graphs/Charts Problem Solving

7. Science Alternates with Social Studies Units  Weather  Seasons  Matter  Force, Energy, and Motion  Habitats  Cycles Scientific Process  Asking Questions  Communicating  Gathering Data  Making Sense of Data

8. Social Studies Units 1.Map and Globe Skills 2.Communities/Citizenship 3.Virginia 4.Famous Americans 5.Economics 6.Australia 7.Alaska 8.Hawaii 9.Symbols

9. Assessments Frequently – more than what you may see coming home End of unit tests/ projects In-class work Please use them as information and to target any work you may do at home CLARITY

10. Grading Policies The report card will have the following letters as indicators of development: 1/B Below *With assistance, student struggles to demonstrate partial mastery of current grade level expectations 2/P Progressing *With assistance, student demonstrates partial mastery of current grade level expectations 3/M Meets *Student consistently meets and demonstrates mastery of current grade level expectations 4/E Exceeds *In addition to meeting the standard, the student makes application beyond grade level expectations *If a is placed in an area of the report card, this means that the skill was not assessed during that particular quarter.

11. Homework Homework will be sent home every Monday and should be returned on Friday. Homework is a nightly process – Reading is expected every night, it is part of your nightly routine. Reading…Silently/Read Aloud- 10/15 minutes How can I help at home? – Flash cards +1,+0 Doubles Then everything else Sight words – Asking questions while reading… What is your favorite part? What does this remind you of, or any connections you might have? Tell me what happened in the story (Retelling with charters names and in order) *Starts in October

12. Behavior Management All students start here! Purple: King of the Jungle Reward jar! Light Blue: Flying High.1 round of Operation Pink: Showing Pride. Earn a sticker! Ready to Learn! Yellow: I need to SLOW DOWN and focus on my work Orange: Logical Consequence/ kindness jar Red: Parent Contact -note home, sign and return the next day *What if this doesn’t work for my child?

13. PBIS R -respectful O - on task A - acting safely R - responsible

14. Food Breakfast: students may eat breakfast at school in the morning when they first arrive Snack : Quick, HEALTHY and clean 5 minute snack – LOVE bananas, cereal, apple slices! – NO PEANUTS please! Lunch begins at 11:00 each day. *joining your child for lunch *adding money to their account *icecream on Thursdays

15. Housekeeping Class celebrations *three each year: winter, Valentine’s, EOY Birthdays *No food *Birthday ‘balloon’, sticker, pencil, singing, and read their favorite book (please no chapter books ;) !) *Can donate a book to class or to the library Field Trip * T-Shirts Medication *Nurse

16. Attendance I want to see your child’s smiling face! Full day with LOTS of curriculum Come every day! Send a note, email, or call about absences – Absentee Number: 703.957.4391 Ellen Austin: ellen.austin@lcps.orgellen.austin@lcps.org (She needs to know too )

17. Specials Monday: Computer Lab, Music, P.E. Tuesday: Library & Dreambox Wednesday: Guidance & P.E. Thursday: SEARCH & Art Friday: P.E. & Music **Please have your child wear tennis shoes on days that we have P.E.!!

18. Communication Email Arcola Website Monthly Newsletters; Weekly reminders in Thursday folders – Paperless Take home folder Black Thursday folder Conferences Phone calls and notes as necessary

19. Contacting Mrs. Newton Email: lindsey.newton@lcps.orglindsey.newton@lcps.org *Please be patient with emails. I will reply to you as soon as possible, but I rarely have an opportunity, if any, to check my email during the school day. Send in notes School Phone:703-957-4390 Absentee Line: 703-957-4391

20. THANK YOU Thank you for your time tonight! Our collaboration will be key in creating a successful year. Please remember to sign up for Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences and any volunteer opportunities you are interested in!