Dear Parents,
I am delighted to have your child in 1st Grade at Blackland Prairie Elementary. I am looking forward to a year of learning, growing, and discovering together. Please be sure to read your Blackland Prairie Student - Parent Handbook that addresses many important procedures, along with the Round Rock I.S.D. Handbook. This letter is intended to address items specific to our classroom.
1. You may call anytime and leave a message on my voice mail, however the best method to reach me is by email because I can easily check that throughout the day. Telephone calls are generally not answered during instructional periods of the day, but the call will be returned at the earliest possible break in in my schedule. In the event of an emergency, please contact the school office for immediate attention.
2. Arrival & Dismissal:
Upon arrival, all students are to remain in the cafeteria until 7:20 A.M. At that time, the students may go to the 2nd Grade Hallway and read quietly until 7:30 A.M. Any student entering the classroom after 7:40 A.M. will be recorded as tardy. If a student is tardy, then (s)he must report to the office before going to the classroom. The student will get a “pass to class” from the attendance clerk to take to the homeroom teacher.
Dismissal will start at 2:55 P.M. for car riders. First grade car riders are picked up in the back of the school. Older siblings in grades 2-5 will join their younger (K-1) sibling in the back of the school. Parents are encouraged to carpool with other families to cut down on the amount of traffic around our school and for the safety of our students. Walkers and bike riders will be dismissed between 3:00-3:10. This helps to create a safer dismissal for students who walk home from school because it limits car traffic.
3. Students will go outside for recess if the weather permits. During the hot weather months, we recommend that students wear clothing that is appropriate for outdoor activities and that complies with the student dress code as outlined in the Blackland Prairie Student-Parent Supplemental Handbook. (Keep in mind that shorts must be “finger-tip” length or longer, no spaghetti strap blouses, no inappropriate messages on t-shirts, etc.)
4. Homework: The required homework for 1st grade is that they read at least 20 minutes every night. You are welcome to find any additional practice from online resources, however, it is our firm belief that children at this age need down time away from school for physical, social and emotional health. Sharpen that saw! (Habit #7)
5. Every Thursday your child will bring home their “Thursday Folder “ containing work from the previous week and information pertaining to school & community functions. This is the primary way that the teachers communicate with the parents weekly. Please read and remove all items in the Thursday Folder carefully so that you can stay informed of school happenings.
6. Students may go to the school library to check out books as long as they have returned all previously checked-out materials.
8. Book orders will be sent home periodically throughout the school year. The book companies that we use offer teacher incentives to help us build classroom libraries. We ask that you order online from Scholastic (see the Scholastic Book Orders tab).
9. There are many volunteer opportunities at Blackland Prairie Elementary. Please contact the PTA if you are interested in volunteering.
The privilege of teaching your child is a responsibility that I take very seriously. I value your partnership and look forward to working with you this school year. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Kem Platte