General School/ Classroom Info

School Hours (8:15 - 3:15, early release at 2 PM on Wednesdays)

While the school day doesn't start until 8:15, students will be let into the building beginning at 8:05 for breakfast. A supervisor will be present beginning at 7:50. On days with bad weather, students enter school but remain in front of their lockers until breakfast begins at 8:05.

Drop-off/Pickup

Student drop-off and pickup can be done from the parking lot, Pershing Ave, or in the bus circle on Pershing Ave. Remember that drop-off should be before 8:15. Bus circle pickup generally begins around 3:10 as names begin to be called. Students being picked up in the parking lot or on Pershing Ave are released at 3:15.

Only for bus circle pickup, a sign with your child's name on it should be held up for a staff member to see. This staff member will use a walkie talkie to call names to all classrooms. Please move up in the single car line rather than passing other cars. If you are running a little late, please contact the office.

Breakfast

Breakfast will be eaten in the classroom starting at 8:05 prior to school and ends promptly by 8:20. If you know your child is eating breakfast,  drop them off early so they have enough time to eat.

Breakfast (and even lunch) is provided for free to all students that request it. Don't be afraid to take advantage of this! Sometimes students are confused and might take breakfast against the wishes of their parents. Communicate clearly with your child whether they should be taking breakfast or not. 

My Work Hours

I typically am at school an hour before and after the school day (7:15 - 4:00). During these times is when I am able to respond to emails. If you email me while I have students, I probably will not see it until students are gone. If you need to give me important information about a child's appointment or pickup info, either contact the school office or send a note with your child.

Materials Needed by Each 1st Grader

Shared items do not need to be labeled with your child's name. All other items will benefit from being labeled.

• Walkman Style Headphones (required)

• Pencil box

• 24 Pencils (yellow #2) (shared)

• 2 Pink Erasers

• Scissors 

• 2 Large sized Glue Sticks (shared)

• 2 Bottle White Elmer’s Glue (shared)

• 1 Box of 24 Crayons 

• 2 Package of Colored Pencils

• 1 Hand sharpener with shavings catcher

• 3 Dry Erase Markers (skinny)

• 1 Pocket Folder

• 2 Three-ring binders (1 inch)

• 1 Pack of sticky notes (shared)

• Paint shirt (old t-shirt works best) 

• Gym Shoes/Indoor shoes (to be kept at school) 

• Refillable Water Bottle

Water Bottles

It is important for your child to have a reusable water bottle at school to stay hydrated and also to reduce how much they leave the classroom. I encourage students to take them home each Friday to keep them clean.

Birthday Treats/ Invitations

Birthday treats are fine to bring in and may be prepackaged or homemade. There are 17 students in our class. If birthday party invitations are brought in to school, there must be enough for each student in the class.

Specials

Students will attend drama, gym, music, and movement classes this year.

1st grade units

The school year is split up into 3 trimesters with each trimester bringing a new topic or essential question. In first grade, our units are the following:

• 1st trimester (September - November), Why do we need to understand that the Earth is unique?

• 2nd trimester (December - March), How does the human body work?

• 3rd trimester (March - June), What is important about my community?

EOL's

Exhibitions of Learning occur at the end of each trimester. These events are typically the climax of a trimester and involve each class presenting for an audience. Students present their project work as well as their music, drama, art, and movement pieces. Families and community members are encouraged to attend and support students.

POL's

Presentations of Learning happen about a week after the EoL. These serve as a "conference" between teacher, student, and family with only said parties in attendance. Students lead this presentation by sharing information they have learned throughout the trimester as well as how they have grown or struggled. The teacher and parents show their support of the student by asking open-ended questions to aid in reflection. This event gives students a higher purpose for their learning at school and teaches them responsibility along with vital presentation skills.

Home Learning

At this age, home learning for a 1st grader requires your assistance. You will be asked weekly to guide your child in different activities outside of school which will strengthen their grasp on what we learn inside of school. It is best to add it into a set routine such as right when you get home from school or immediately following dinner. 

When these activities come your way, I ask that you set time aside to be present with your child and support them. These interactions could even be as small as taking 3 minutes to complete a math page. This might seem minuscule but the impact is monstrous. The simple act of sitting down with your child shows them you care. This teaches them that learning is important. It can be easy to put off with how busy your schedule might get but a few minutes of your undivided attention is truly a gift.

There are 3 general types of home learning you will experience in 1st grade:

1. Reading practice will be sent home most frequently in the form of short books and home practice sheets. The laminated home practice sheets should be brought back to school after completion.

2. A red math journal will be sent home some nights (about every other week) for math practice. This Home Connections journal is part of the Bridges Math series that students interact with daily at school. I provide detailed instructions of how to guide your child in completing the pages and using correct math vocabulary.

3. The other home learning sent home will be related to our units. These activities vary in subject from writing information about your family to finding a planet in the night sky. These will be infrequent, and I will email you when one of these project-based activities is being sent home.

Responsive Classroom

At Étude Elementary, we use a classroom management program by the name of Responsive Classroom. This program is very much aligned with our schools beliefs as it is based around building community within our classroom and school. Daily morning meetings involve sharing and listening to make student connections as well as waking up our bodies and brains for a successful school day.  Another huge aspect of responsive classroom is giving students a voice. As a teacher, I become more of a mediator than "the one in charge" during class discussions. Students will work together to create expectations for our classroom and other areas of the school. This student voice and choice helps students develop responsibility for themselves and their actions.

The take a break area in our classroom is of course used for students who need to take a breather. This area is a crucial part of responsive classroom as it gives students a place to relax and calm down when needed. Taking a break doesn't always mean a child has been naughty. Students are welcome to walk over to this area if they are feeling strong emotions or out of control. We talk as a class about recognizing feelings within ourselves and using strategies to calm down or focus. There will be times when I recognize this within a student and tell them to take a break.

Buddy teachers are used in the circumstance that a student refuses to take a break in the classroom. A predetermined teacher will be notified, come to our classroom, and take the student to their classroom for a break. If a student refuses to go with this buddy teacher, the principal will then be notified and take the student to the office for a break. The student will be required to make reparations and problem solve steps to take in the future to avoid this situation.