Communication Folders

Students are asked to bring their Communication Folder to and from school each day. Please check your child's folder each night for notes or paperwork from school. Please enclose anything you'd like to return to school or feel free to make notes on the communication log, especially any notes regarding transportation changes.

Classroom Expectations

First Grade is an important time for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral growth. In our class, we will not use a clip chart, cards, or other management system. Instead we will rely solely on coaching, feedback, and revisiting our expectations. Students will often be rewarded with praise, as I firmly believe positivity encourages students to meet and maintain even the highest behavioral expectations. Should a student struggle to meet expectations, we will follow the below matrix to address his or her actions.

Response Matrix

1st Action: Verbal or Visual Reminder of Expectation

2nd Action: "Think Sheet" Reflection

3rd Action: Loss of Privilege (flexible seating, directive vs. choice, etc) + Parent Email or Note

4th Action: Reflection Time in another First Grade Class + Parent Phone Call or Conference

5th Action: Office Referral + Parent Contact from an Administrator

Should a child frequently require reminders and escalate to the top tiers of our Response Matrix, then an individualized behavior plan will be designed, in conjunction with the parents, to ensure the student's success.

Individual and Class Incentives are also built in to our class make-up to keep students engaged and reward the good that is constantly taking place! Incentives will be designed to cater to the specific class - sticker charts, marble jar, Reward Bingo, Class Coupons, etc. Often these strategies will change at different points in the year to keep things fresh and motivating.

Field Trips

We unfortunately do not have any field trips scheduled this year, due to COVID. We hope opportunities for experiential off-site learning will be restored again soon! Until then, know we're working hard to provide on-campus experiences that students won't forget!

Breakfast

Students are welcome to take advantage of the school's free universal breakfast each morning from 7:30-8:00am. Students should report directly to the cafeteria when arriving to school in order to get breakfast.

Snack

Students are invited, but not required, to bring a snack each day. We will eat snack in our classroom at 10:10am (M, T, Th, F) and outside during physical activity on Wednesdays.

We encourage students to bring a healthy snack and ask them to avoid candy or dessert items. Please have your student pack his or her snack separately from their lunch in a disposable bag/container. To help keep our classroom clean, please try to send snacks that do not require a spoon or tend to be on the messier side.

Water Bottles

Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle daily. Please do not send juice, soda, or sports drinks; but water only. Please discuss with your child how to properly 'transport' their water, as we see a lot of spills in backpacks that affect communication folders, library books, and important papers.

Lunch

Students are welcome to purchase a lunch from the cafeteria or bring their own from home.

We will eat in the cafeteria on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We will eat in our classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year to allow for social distancing due to COVID protocols.

Each child has been assigned a lunch number that I will send home in their folder the first week of school. Please help them practice and learn this number.

Meals this school year are again free! If you need to replenish your child's lunch account for "extras"/ala-carte items, you can add money through the "Pay-Pams" website or by sending in a sealed envelope with your child's name, lunch number, and the amount enclosed.

Transportation

Please notify me of any transportation changes in writing. I cannot allow students to veer from their general transportation schedule, unless he or she has a note or I have received an email or ParentSquare message.

If you experience a change of transportation during the school day, please call the front office and they will notify me. I generally do not have a chance to check email or Parent Square during school hours and would hate to miss a message from you before dismissing.