Nichole Leopard

First Grade/All subjects

B3

Phone 355-5223 Email: nleopard@greenville.k12.sc.us

Standards Are at the bottom

Units of Instruction Aligned with Standards

Quarterly plans correspond to the required South Carolina Learning Standards.

 Instructional Materials and Resources

Instructional Materials and Resources

Early childhood programs actively involve children in learning experiences consistent with their development and help children acquire a strong foundation for future learning.  Teacher’s guides for state adopted textbooks are used as planning resources:  

Math: Big Ideas Math by Ron Larson and Laurie Boswell

Language Arts: Reading Horizons, Houghton Mifflin Journeys & Balanced Literacy (Using Fountas and Pinnell)

Social Studies: South Carolina: Right Under Our Feet, Grade 1 

Science:  online access with Carolina Biological

Units of Study

Science: Intro to Science and Engineering Practice and Crosscutting Concepts, Shadows, Light and Motion in the Sky, Animals Communicate, Plant Shapes

Social Studies: We are Citizens of our School and Community, We are Citizens of Our State, Inquiring About History: SC Then and Now, S.C. our Unique State, Economic Impacts

Major Assessments

Reading – Individual assessments will be given on comprehension and fluency

Spelling - Weekly tests will be given on 5 Word Wall Words and 5 chunk words.

Math – Teacher made unit assessments

Science/Health/Social Studies - Unit tests or projects will be given for each unit studied.

Classroom Assessment

First grade students are assessed on a daily basis in addition to assessments required by South Carolina and Greenville County.  Daily assessments allow the teachers to provide appropriate assistance to each child.  Evidence for these assessments will include the following:

ü   Student work samples

ü   Teacher-made checklists

ü   Observational notes

ü   Student and parent interviews

Report Cards

Letter or numerical grades are not assigned in First Grade; therefore report cards are not distributed.  However, parents will receive a Greenville County nine-weeks checklist at the end of each nine-week period for a total of four checklists by the end of the year.  Progress reports will also be sent home halfway through each nine weeks.

Student Records

The teacher will be keeping artifacts from each subject. The teacher will also have copies of all assessments the students complete. The teacher will send home graded work to be signed and returned.          

Homework

Your child will have homework will be sent home daily with a behavior report each day. There will be a different reading assignment and spelling activity on Mon, Tues, and Thursdays.  Occasionally there will be a math sheet or fact sheet to go over.   Please assist your student with their homework. Homework must be done in pencil. Homework is meant to reinforce what we are learning in school as well as involve parents in the learning process.   

Attendance and Tardy Policy

Every learning day is important.  Regular prompt attendance helps young children build a lifetime of good habits.  After five unexcused absences, your child’s name will be referred to the District Office for action.  If your child is absent from school they are required to bring a written excuse from their doctor or parent when they return.  The excuse needs to include your child’s name, dates of absence, and reason for the absence.  Families will be contacted when attendance or late arrival impedes learning.  If your child is tardy more than 5 times, he/she will be ineligible for the attendance award at the end of the school year.  

Procedures for Non-Instructional Routines

Morning Routine: Students are to put their Green HW folder in a basket so the teacher can check them, complete morning jobs, and morning work.

Restroom:   Students may use the bathroom at any time during the day except during instructional times. If there is an emergency your student will be allowed to use the restroom. Restroom time can be a distraction and using it during instructional time must be an emergency.

Green/Homework Folder: This HW folder  is brought to and from school daily. If you have any questions this is a good place to write them.  Please send money in a ziplock with label.

Lunch: Students will be going to lunch at 11:00 and will be leaving at 11:20. Students will be expected to open their lunch materials and to clean up after themselves.  

Communication with Parents

The first grade program supports the development of children as lifelong learners through partnerships with each child’s home and family.  Parents will be contacted throughout the school year and are encouraged to call the school or send a note if a concern arises.  Tuesday Folders are sent home every Tuesday to share any work (graded and non-graded).

ü   Weekly newsletters describing class, social activities, and important information

ü Personal one on one communication with the teacher in the WOW binder

ü   Copy of classroom procedures

ü   Daily student work samples to keep at home

ü   Telephone calls or letters concerning student behavior or work reflecting progress or need for improvement.  

ü   Notification of scheduled parent/teacher conferences to be held at least once a year.

ü   Invitations to special class and school events

Behavior Expectations

Your child’s success is very important. To create and maintain a positive learning environment for all students, each student is asked to follow the behavior and discipline policies below.  After reading and discussing the first grade expectations with your child, please sign the lower portion of this form and return it to school. Be sure to keep the top portion for future reference.

           Behavior Policy

1.      Student will raise hand before speaking.

2.      Student will listen when others talk.

3.      Student will keep hands, feet, and words to him/herself.

4.      Student will put forth his/her best effort.

5.      Student will be kind to others and treat others the way they would like to be treated.

    Discipline Policy

Beginning of Day – green card

1st time reprimanded - verbal warning

2nd time reprimanded – yellow card (5 minutes off recess)

3rd time reprimanded – red card (loss of some recess)

4th time reprimanded - parent and principal contacted

For repeated offenses, your child may receive a referral.

Inclement Weather and Quarantine Instructional Plan for Parents

Revised August 2021

The state Education Oversight Committee approved Greenville County Schools as an eLearning district in the fall of 2020. This designation allows the district to conduct eLearning on inclement weather days or when the district must close a school due to quarantines. eLearning days are not counted against the district and therefore does not require the use of make-up days. Below are the procedures and expectations for students on elearning days. 

Inclement Weather

For the purpose of inclement weather days, eLearning is defined as live instruction throughout the day. This live instruction may be whole group, small group, and/or individual sessions similar to the Virtual Program instruction. Students are expected to log on to the live instruction during inclement weather days. If students are unable to join the live meets due to power loss, sickness, etc., work must be made up within five days of returning to school. 

Class and School Quarantines 

In the event a school or a class within a school has to be quarantined, students should join the live instruction at home via Google Meets. If students cannot join the Google Meets, they must contact their teacher or they may be counted as absent for that day. 

Individual Student Quarantines

Individual students who have to be quarantined need to contact their teacher in order to continue their school work at home. In some cases, teachers may be live streaming their classes and in other situations this may be work posted on Google Classroom. Teachers are not required to live stream since they will have brick and mortar students they must teach. We do encourage teachers to live stream, but ultimately that is up to each individual teacher to live stream, post work or send work home for students on quarantine.