First Grade Handbook

FIRST GRADE

REMINGTON ELEMENTARY

GENERAL INFORMATION

This handbook contains a variety of information concerning your child’s classroom environment.  Please read it and save it for easy reference throughout the school year.   Thank you!

School # 620-752-3239

E-mail – Teresa Nash - tmnash@usd206.org

            Heidi Thornburg -hmthornburg@usd206.org

TRANSPORTATION

All bus students will ride a regular route to school and home again.  If your child is not to ride the bus due to being picked up by you or someone else, we MUST have some notification.  Please send a note or call the school office.  Without prior notification, your child will ride the bus no matter how much the child insists otherwise.  Town students need to enter through the front (south)  no earlier than 8:00a.m.  After school they will leave through the south door at 3:30p.m.  You may pick them up in front of the building.

DISCIPLINE

*Show respect for others and their possessions.

*Keep hands, feet and other objects to yourself.

*Use acceptable language.

*Follow directions.

*Promote an atmosphere that allows teachers to teach, and students to learn.

Students who receive any disciplinary action will have time out from recess as a consequence.  The time will vary depending on the offense but typically the time is as follows:

5 min- first offense

10 min – second offense and may or may not receive an office referral depending on each individual basis. All of the above is at the teacher’s discretion.

REWARDS

Coins are issued to reinforce positive behaviors.  Each child who does not receive any disciplinary action for the day will receive a coin.  These can be redeemed for rewards such as stickers, pencils, books, toys, etc. from our “store”.  If you would like to contribute to this “store” by supplying us occasionally with items, it would be much appreciated.  These items do not have to be purchased; they may be gently used. 

DAILY WORK

Papers are sent home daily.  Look over the papers to see what your child has done in school.  Most work will be corrected in school if time allows.  If your child is absent, a homework folder will be sent home with the work that was missed at school.  Please return promptly.

HOMEWORK

During SFA (Success For All – our reading program), homework will be sent home daily.  Please take time to help your child read and complete the tasks, sign the homework paper, and return it every day.  Research shows that children who are read to at an early age are more successful in school.  It’s not too late to start if you haven’t been reading to your child. 

Water Bottles

BREAKFAST  

The school will provide breakfast if you choose to buy the meals.  Your child will be asked the day before if they are going to eat breakfast the following morning, so we can get a count.  Please help them to know if they will be eating breakfast each day. 

SNACKS

Our afternoon snacks are provided by the parents.  Your child’s name is listed on the calendar when it is his/her turn to bring snacks for the class.  It is fine to send the snack at the beginning of your child’s week.  If you are unable to send a snack please let me know ahead of time so I can make other arrangements.  If your child is having a birthday during the school day, I will do my best to list them on the calendar for snacks that day. 

CALENDARS

A calendar will be sent home at the beginning of each month to let you know what will be coming in the weeks ahead.  Your child’s snack day will be on the calendar.

BOOK ORDERS

Periodically, I will send home a Scholastic book order.  Please return the form by the date indicated on the note if you wish to order.  Please send cash or write a check payable to the book club, not to the school.  You can also pay online, which gives the classroom more credit points.  The books are usually inexpensive and are a great way to get your child interested in learning to read.

PIZZA HUT BOOK-IT PROGRAM

First grade students may earn a pizza certificate (October-March) if they meet the reading goal of 20 extra books per month.  This does not include the SFA homework, these are to be extra books the child reads throughout the month.  I issue certificates digitally so please be sure to sign up to receive these on your phone/email.  Information regarding this will be sent home in September.

BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays are an excellent way to make a child feel special and build their self-esteem.  Sending treats is highly encouraged.  Your child’s birthday will be listed on the snack calendar.   Summer birthdays will be celebrated the last month of school.  For home birthday parties, please mail invitations rather than have your child pass them out at school.  This prevents hurt feelings of children that were not invited.  Due to the pandemic, we request that you please send individually wrapped treats only.  Thank you.

SHOW & TELL TIME

Each student may bring something special to share with his/her classmates once a month. I feel this is an important time because it gives each child a chance to speak in front of others and allows all of us to become good listeners.  It develops confidence and makes each child feel important.  Here are some guidelines that may help you and your child choose an object to share:

      *Let the child choose the item.  Help him/her to think of 3

              things to tell the class about it.

      *Place the item in a backpack or larger bag that we can’t see

              through.

      *Help your child by selecting it the night before and place it

              where he/she will remember to bring it.

      *Encourage your child to keep it a secret.

      *Please do not send any weapons, even toys.

*No live animals/insects.

CLASSROOM PARTIES

We will have four parties throughout the school year.  All parties will start at 2:45, unless it is an early dismissal day.  Parents can help by signing up for one party per year.  The room parent will call you in advance to let you know what you need to contribute.  A party will include refreshments, take home treats, paper goods, games or activities for the children to participate in.  Your child and their classmates are counting on you to direct 30 minutes of safe, memorable fun for them.  You are welcome to join us for any or all of the parties.  If you have any further questions, please contact the room parent.

PARENT INFORMATION

Parents are welcome to visit our classroom, but we prefer that you wait two weeks to give your child time to adjust.  Parent/Teacher conferences will be held in September and March.  If there is ever a time you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the school.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Every student needs a pocket folder.  They will carry their papers, notes, and progress reports in the folder.  Please check it everyday.

We will have recess outside as much as possible, so please see that your child is dressed according to the weather.  If, for some reason, you do not want your child to go outside on a particular day, you need to send a note.  The child who cannot go outside will sit in the office or the classroom with a book.

Once a week we will go to the library and have story time.  At this time the students may check out books.  Please help your child take care of their library books and send them back to school the following week in time for library class.

Your child’s supplies will probably not last all year.  The kleenex will, but crayons, pencils, and glue sticks will not.  These are great stocking stuffers at Christmas time.  It gives the children a lift during the winter break.

If you give your child money for field trips, book orders, etc.  – please put it in an envelope with the child’s name on it.

FIRST GRADE CURRICULUM

Reading:  Success For All – this is a comprehensive reading program for beginning readers.  It provides a strong base for students’ literacy and fosters their love of reading through rich literature experiences, oral language development, thematically focused writing instruction, opportunities to read decodable stories and phonics practice. Please be sure that your child reads every night and sign their homework slip. Students will be reassessed each nine weeks to determine their SFA level.

Math:  Cengage Big Ideas: Modeling Real Life and fits the needs of today’s elementary math classrooms!

• Uses learning targets and success criteria for student self-assessment.

• Incorporates literacy strategies, encouraging students to read, write, and talk about math.

• Helps teachers recognize the impact they have on students.

• Allows students to grow as independent learners and experience the delight of mathematics.

Students will be engaging in rigorous lessons using interactive technology, as well as math journals.  Some of the skills covered include:  counting to 120 forwards and backwards, addition and subtraction to 20, telling time, fractions, greater than, less than, measurement and some money.  We will also be using the Touch Point method of addition and subtraction. 

Handwriting:  Manuscript – Correct formation of the letters of the alphabet.

Social Studies:  Understanding the world around us, geography, the people, customs, our state, and our neighbors.  We will also be utilizing the Scholastic News Weekly subscription.

Science:  Study of living and non-living organisms, the sky and weather, caring for our earth, and matter and movement.

Computer:  Learning introductory computer skills, proper hand placement for typing, and utilizing educational software and websites.

Language/Grammar:  Understand word relationships and writing conventions.  Demonstrating English grammar and parts of speech.