Class Handbook
I know that this will be a positive year for your child as we build on past successes and learn new things in first grade. With home and school working together, your child's academic and social skills will become even stronger throughout the year. Below is some important information about our class:
The Parent and Student Handbook is full of very important information. You should review this with your child. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Our school hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Take-Home Folder
Everyday your child will bring home a take-home folder. This folder is very important. It will have all important notes and letters that you need to read including this newsletter. It will also be where the you will find your child's graded papers and any homework they may have. Please take out all papers and look at them daily. This folder needs to be returned the next day. Help your child to make a habit of keeping the folder in their backpack.
Behavior Folder
Everyday your child will also bring home a behavior folder. This folder is also very important. This folder is also a good place to put any notes or concerns that you may have. Please check this folder daily as well. It is only necessary that you sign it once a week.
Homework Policy
Homework in our class is usually math, reading or spelling. Homework will be given most days, except Friday. The spelling test is on Friday and your child should study throughout the week. Your child should read every night, usually a book of their choice. Homework for the week will be listed in the newsletter.
Absent-Tardy Policy
Please notify me and the office as soon as you know your child will be absent or tardy. Work will be sent home with your child when they return to school. They are not expected to complete all of the work in one day, but I do expect to have it back within a week. Students are counted tardy at 8:30 a.m.
Behavior Plan
We make the rules together with the class at the beginning of the year. When children come in the morning, everybody starts out at the green light because they’re doing the right thing. Like the traffic light, green stands for “go, keep doing what you’re doing.” If a kid does something that goes against one of our rules, we’ll say, “You need to change to yellow so that you remember to slow down and thing about what you’re doing.” The child then has to switch to the yellow light. They will be given three warning before they change to yellow. If the misbehavior continues, we’ll say, “You really didn’t change what you were doing. Now you need to stop. You need to change what you’re doing and you need to make a different choice.” And then the child has to change to the red light. If a student stays on green all day, we give them a mile. When a students collects 25 miles, they are able to pick a treasure from our treasure basket. If a student is on yellow or red they do not get a mile. There is an incentive to stay on yellow. At the end of the day, we count how many students have green and yellow. Then we tally it up in our “weekly goal.” If most students stay on green and yellow all week, I will give the class some free time at the end of the week.
Each day the students will color in a chart with the color they were on for the day. I will initial by it and I ask that the parents sign it each week. This chart is in their behavior folder.
Progress/Report Cards
Progress reports will be sent home in the middle of each nine weeks. Report cards will be available for pick-up from the office every nine weeks. With both progress and report cards, you should look them over, sign them, and return them. Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Mass Days
Students should wear their full uniform on Mass days. Girls should wear their green jumper and white blouse. Boys should wear their red polo shirt and tan or blue pants. (See Parent and Student Handbook for more details)
Library
We go to the library on Thursday. Library books are due the next week. For each day a book is overdue, students are asked to bring a canned food item. (See Parent and Student Handbook for details)
P.E.
P.E. is on Tuesday and Thursday. Please see that your child is dressed in their Physical Education Uniform. (See Parent and Student Handbook for details)
Lunch
Our lunch time is 11:50 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It is at 11:30 on Tuesday and Thursday due to P.E. Your child may eat a school lunch or bring a lunch from home.
Snacks
Please send a healthy snack with your child every day. We will have snack in the morning at 10:10. The afternoon snack is provided.
Spelling
Spelling lists will go home on Friday for the coming week. The students will be given a pre-test to determine if they are on the regular spelling list or the challenge list. All of the students will have the same four sight words on their list. We will work with the words throughout the week, but it is very important that they study them at home. Our tests will be on Friday. We will not usually have a spelling test on weeks that are not five days.
Popcorn/Snowcone Money
On Fridays, students may bring money for snowcones or popcorn. They are usually $1. This is completely optional. The money raised will go to the classrooms. Our class will sell popcorn or snowcones twice a year.
Parties/ Birthdays
We will celebrate many fun holidays throughout the year. We are always needing parents to volunteer to come to the parties or send something to school to help. Look for information to come home close to the holiday. Birthdays are always a huge celebration at Villa Teresa. If you would like to bring treats or something else just let me know when it gets close to your child's birthday. It is completely optional and please know we will still have a celebration for your child even if they do not bring anything.
Field Trips
We will be taking one or two field trips this year. We will need many parents to volunteer to drive students to the destination. Parents must have Safe Environment training to attend.
Information about Our Class
There are many ways to get information about what we are doing in our class each week. Every Monday you will receive a class newsletter (First Grade News) and Monday notes. These will have very important information on them. Also look outside our classroom door for important information to be posted.
The easiest way to reach me is through email cherd@villateresaschool.com, but you can also reach me by leaving a message at the office. I am also available before and after school, if I'm not on duty.
I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me through the school office or email.
