First Grade News

ELA:

• Module 6:  Celebrate America

  • • • Text Features

      • Create Mental Images

      • Story Structure

      • Elements of Poetry

      • Writing Form: Personal Narrative

      • Grammar: Names of Months, Days and Holidays

      • Spelling: Soft g

Social Studies:

• Exploring Places

Math:

• Number Sense to 99

Science:

• Seasons, Day and Night

In order to prepare for Valentine's Day, each first grade teacher is asking for students to create their own “Valentine Mailbox” at home.  (See below for decorating ideas.)  Your child may bring his or her Valentine cards for each classmate and “mailbox” to school on Tuesday, February 13th (please don’t send them early... space is limited). As your child chooses his or her Valentine cards, please remember that only NUT FREE items may be sent to school.

Class sizes to help you purchase the correct number of Valentine cards for your child's class:

Ackels 14 Carrasco 15

Hisel 14 Hernandez 13

Thompson 15

Valentine Mailbox decorating ideas:

•Be sure the box has a hole big enough for Valentine delivery & removal. Old shoe boxes with both parts wrapped separately work well.  You could also use an empty Kleenex box.

•Box Covering:  Cover the box with Valentine wrapping paper or reverse another type of wrapping paper so the plain side is visible.  You could also cover the box with newspaper/comics or the reverse side of a grocery bag.

•Your child’s name needs to be visible on the top or front of the “mailbox” so classmates are able to make their deliveries with ease.

The following may be used to make the “mailbox” look fancy:

•Sequins •Lace

•Valentine Stickers •Yarn

•Glitter •Conversation Hearts

•Doilies     •Puffy Paint

Each first grade classroom is in need of a few items as we continue our learning in 2023. If you are interested in donating an item to your child's classroom, please see the list below:

• disinfecting wipes

• tissues

• pencils

• glue sticks

You are also welcome to check with your child's teacher about more specific needs. Thank you for all you do!

GCISD offers the "Play It Safe" program for all students in grades K-5. The GCISD School Health Advisory Council (SHAC is a volunteer council comprised of parents and community members that reflect the values of the district and community) has previewed and recommended these programs for all GCISD elementary schools. The curriculum and presentations are aligned with district philosophy. This program is a personal safety program and does not address human sexuality.  Play It Safe is a child abuse prevention and awareness program that incorporates individual grade level, age-appropriate scripts and movies to teach children how to reduce the risk of sexual and physical abuse, and sexual assault. It teaches them to recognize potentially abusive behavior, provides the tools to respond to threatening situations, and encourages them to report abuse to a trusted adult. 

The Women's Center of Tarrant County, Inc., uses trained employees to present a fact-based personal safety program for students.  The presentations are classroom-based so that children are in a familiar environment, and feel comfortable to interact with the trainer.  A video is shown, followed by a question and answer time.

We must have your permission in order for your child to participate in this program. Please indicate OPT IN if you would like your child to participate. We need parents to provide an OPT IN or OPT OUT for their child. Click here to view instructions on how to Opt In/Out from your Family Access.

Please use the link below to see more information we were asked to share:

PLAY IT SAFE PARENT LETTER

Play It Save Preview link:  Play it Safe Preview

If your child needs to miss school, please report the absence to Tyla, Aguilar, our Student Data Secretary. She will code your child's absence for school record keeping purposes. You may report the absence by phone our email using the contact information below. 

• email:  tyla.aguilar@gcisd.net

• phone:  (817)251-5661

*You are welcome to include your child's teacher in any communication regarding absences, too.

If you visit the doctor or dentist with your child and receive an office visit/return to school note, send it to school upon your child's return. Your child's teacher will be sure it gets delivered to the office for updating attendance records.

First graders have recess at 10:45 each morning. Please remember to send appropriate outerwear for recess to school each day. If the temperature and windchill permit us to have outdoor recess (per GCISD temperature guidelines), we go out. Please label all outerwear with your child's name. Jackets, gloves, hats, mittens, etc. are often dropped or left in the hall during restroom breaks and we want them to find their owner if this happens.

The first grade team is excited to announce that plans for our big field trip are underway! First graders will be going on a field trip to the Dallas World Aquarium on Wednesday, March 27. Each classroom will need several chaperones so we wanted to let you know in advance so you are able to plan accordingly. All chaperones will need to complete a GCISD Volunteer Background Check. 

• School begins at 7:40 each morning

• Lunch will be at 10:15 - 10:45

• Recess will be at 10:45 - 11:15 

• First graders will go to Specials (PE, Music and Art) from 1:25-2:10

• Walkers will be dismissed from the courtyard doors. Please carry your car tag so teachers are able to identify you quickly.

• Car riders will be dismissed from the back of the school. Remember to display your child's car tag on the dashboard or in a front window if your child is a car rider.