Daily Folders
Each evening, your child will bring home a folder that includes:
A weekly info sheet
A pocket for the weekly poem
A sight-word ring we’ll work on throughout the year
A behavior chart
The behavior chart lets us stay in touch about your child’s school day. If there’s a rough moment—say, they talked out of turn—I’ll note it (e.g., "too much talking"). Please review this with your child and initial it each evening.
At the back of the folder, you’ll find a pocket for placing book order money, lunch payments, or important notes to me. On Fridays, additional items like office announcements, flyers, my classroom updates, and general information will be added. Please read everything and clear out the folder to return it by Monday—this helps keep our communication flowing smoothly!
Homework
Homework this year will be 4 things and it will be the same EVERY single night
Have your child read the story of the week in the copied paper books
Have your child read the small colored-photo booklet in the front of your child’s daily folder ( if there is one-these will not start until late September at the earliest)
Practice your sight words for the week from your sight word ring
Practice the spelling words for the week
Water Bottles
Please feel free to send in a bottle of full water on a daily basis. Water bottles will be sent home daily. Please be sure to have your child's name on the water bottle. Only water should be in the water bottles. This helps promote healthy teeth AND keeps the mess to a minimum.
Field Trips
We may take a few field trips throughout first grade to enrich our learning. Parents are welcome (and encouraged!) to join as chaperones. Details and scheduling will be sent well in advance so you can plan. Due to space, you might need to drive separately if the bus is full—carpooling is encouraged! Please note: Siblings are not permitted on the bus or at the trip sites.
Class Parties
There will be four class parties: Fall, Winter, Valentine’s, and End-of-Year. Parents are invited to sign up to help—whether attending or contributing supplies. I’ll send out a note in advance. I’ll handle overall planning, but appreciate volunteers for supply coordination and activity stations.
Toys from home
Please do not send toys from home to school with your child. Toys can be distracting and may be lost, broken, or become a source of conflict between students. We have plenty of fun materials and activities available in our classroom!
Parent-Teacher Conferences
We hold conferences in October and March, and all parents are expected to participate. These meetings are essential for discussing your child's growth, setting home–school partnership goals, and addressing any questions or concerns. You can also request additional meetings at any time during the year.
Parent Involvement
Throughout the year, we’ll need parent volunteers in the classroom—for small-group math or reading sessions, cutting and gluing projects, and more. These opportunities usually last about 30 minutes and can flex to fit your schedule. If you're available, please let me know! (Note: you’ll need a background check on file to participate regularly.)
Birthdays
We love celebrating birthdays! If your child’s birthday falls during summer, we’ll celebrate their “half-birthday” in class. You’re welcome to bring treats like cupcakes or cookies—just let me know ahead of time. Caked desserts aren’t allowed, but individual ice cream novelties can be stored in our freezer until snack time. Party invitations for outside events may only be handed out at school if ALL boys or ALL girls (or the entire class) are invited. Otherwise, I will return them in your child’s folder.
Snack
We enjoy a daily snack break to help students stay energized and focused. To keep this simple, each family is asked to send in a class snack once a month. There is no set schedule—just send in a snack when it’s convenient for you. If your child prefers, they are welcome to bring their own individual snack each day instead of eating the class snack.
I will share information about what we are up to in class along with photos a lot via our private class Facebook page. It will have overall information you will need to keep up with our first-grade program. If you do not have a Facebook page, please consider creating one so that you can access our classroom news and photos. This page is strictly for parents of students in our room so it will serve as a great way to get to know our classroom too!
Grading Policy
Student progress is evaluated through observation and personalized assessments, aligned with Indiana State Standards. Report card grades correspond as follows:
A: 90–100%
B: 80–89%
C: 70–79%
D: 60–69%
F: Below 60%