Dear Parents,
Welcome to the first grade experience! This is a very exciting time for your child. Sometimes children are a little fearful or nervous but that usually goes away in a few weeks so please be patient. Here is some information about what goes on in our classroom during the week.
Everyone in grade 1 loves P.E. Our P.E. days will be Monday and Wednesday. Also, on their Hit Parade, is music and art. Music is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday and art is on Tuesday. Our computer and library day is Friday. Please send their library book back to school on that day or before if they are done reading.
We will have social studies the first half of the school year and science the second half. Their progress reports and report cards will only have the grade of the subject we are studying at that time.
I ask each child to bring in a box of crackers to share with the class. We usually take a snack break each day after recess. This supply usually lasts most of the quarter.
Please be sure your child knows how he or she is getting home and if they are to be met at the front door or in the parking lot.
We love to celebrate birthdays! If you want to send a treat on your child's birthday just let me know a treat is coming the day before. We have 10 children in the class. We have new carpet in the classroom so I think it would be best if we only have water as the drink for our parties.
We will have spelling tests this year. A list will come home on Monday and the children have 2 chances to take the test. The first time will be on Thursday and the second on Friday. If there is no school on Friday, the test will be on Wednesday and Thursday. The tests will not start right away so don't look for a list quite yet, I will send another note with the first list.
We will have some homework in first grade. Once a week (usually on Friday) the reading book will come home with a small note taped to the front of the book. It will give the pages your child needs to read to you. After they finish, please sign the note saying you listened to them read. I will collect the notes in the morning. Also, we will have a Simple Solutions page on Mon.-Thurs. again this year.
The discipline plan for first grade is explained on another note. One way a child could have to turn a card is to not have their homework done. This helps instill responsibility and good homework habits.
Occasionally during the year I will send home a Highlights forms. Please sign and return these even if you don't wish to subscribe. Our class receives very nice gifts for having any response!
Word cards similar to the cards your child had in kindergarten will be in their going home folder. They will be getting new cards each week and they need to learn them. Please be sure to return them to school every day so we can use them during the day.
Please, please put your child's name or initials on all their clothing!
This note will be on our website if you need to refer to it during the school year.
I am looking forward to a great year!