Important September Dates

9/3 -   Mid-term reports will be sent home

9/6 -   Labor Day – School dismissed

9/7 -  Mass - 8:00

9/14 - Mass - 8:00

9/24 - Grandparents Day – 12:30 - Grandparents can visit classrooms

                                                    1:30 Mass

 9/24 - Spaghetti Supper at the K of C Hall

9/28 – Mass 8:00

9/28 – Blood Drive in the Parish Hall

Classroom Information 

• All classroom helpers or drivers for field trips must complete the safe environment program.  This can be completed online at www.shieldthevulnerable.org.       
• Thank you to Jennifer Ferrell and Erin Tronbak for sharing the responsibilities of being our room moms.  A note was sent home on Friday with additional classroom information.   

  This Week in First Grade: 

Religion:  We are learning that we can praise God through prayer.  We are understanding that we listen and talk to God when we pray.

Phonics:  We are working on consonant c and k.  We code the letter c with a back line if it sounds like the letter k (example:  cat, can, cot). 

Spelling words:  a, an, at, tap, lot, nap, tan, zip, lap, pit - Bonus Words:  clap, class and hands.  Each bonus word is worth one point.  No points are taken off for bonus words spelled incorrectly.  The spelling test includes two sentences.  I grade these sentences using correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.  The sentences for this week are:  Nap on it.  and  Zip a top. 

Grammar:  We are practicing writing sentences correctly.  Every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period – telling sentence, question mark – asking sentence, and exclamation mark – a sentence show strong feelings.

Reading:  We are reading the story, Soccer.  The theme for this week is teamwork.  We are working on identifying the author’s purpose by using story clues.  We are learning final blends nd, st, nt, nk.  We are learning that words often rhyme in a poem.  Our new vocabulary words are very, help, use, and now.

 Math:  We are practice adding 1 to a given number.  We are writing addition sentences.  Your child should also practice addition fact doubles. 

Social Studies:  We are beginning Unit 2 – Where People Live.  The new vocabulary for this unit includes:

State:  a part of a country

Country:  an area of land with its own people and laws

Globe:  a model of Earth

Resource:  anything that people can use

Continent:  a large area of land

Science:  We are beginning our chapter on the needs of a plant.

A Little First Grade Information               

Welcome to first grade!  This is a very special year in your child’s life.  First grade is a time to experience important transitions and acquire new skills. During the year, your child will learn how to read, write stories, add, subtract and so much more.  I hope to instill a love of learning that will last a lifetime.   Here is some specific information to help you learn about our classroom. 

·        Morning announcements, prayer and pledge will begin each day in the gym at 7:50 A.M.  Your child will be tardy after 8:00 A.M.  Please refer to the St. Joseph School Handbook for our policy on being tardy to school. 

·        Homework - Homework will be assigned Monday through Thursday.   Homework is usually an extension of what we are learning in class.  On most days, homework will be Side B of Phonics, Side B of Math.  Help your child establish a homework time each day.  Also, try to provide a well lit place where there will be little interruption. The homework should be placed in the Yellow folder – Return to School.  I will send home completed assignments as soon as they are graded.      

·        Home School Envelopes – The Home School Envelopes will be sent home on Wednesday afternoon which includes the school Scene that provides school wide information.   

·        This year you will be able to find classroom information on my school web page.  I update the website every Monday or as needed.  I would like to send a weekly newsletter home through the form of an email.  Be sure to write down your home/work email and I will be happy to send you the newsletter that includes important dates, field trip information, and what we are learning in first grade.   

·        Spelling words – Students will be introduced to new spelling words every Monday.  They will bring the list of words home on Monday to study for our Friday spelling assessment.  The spelling words will be listed on the class webpage.  Spelling will begin on the first week of September.   

·        If your child is absent, every effort will be made to send home any make up work.  You may pick up any work in the office after lunch or I will send it home with a sibling. 

·        We eat lunch each day at 11:15 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.  A thirty minute recess will be taken daily.   

·        Classroom Management - to keep our classroom an organized and productive place in which to learn, we have established classroom rules.  Our classroom is a positive and fun filled place to learn and keeping positive rules makes it run smoothly.  In first grade, we role model and discuss how to be a good friend to one another.  Please discuss these rules with your child.   

1.       Good friends listen carefully.

2.       Good friends take turns.

3.       Good friends say kind things.

4.       Good friends share.

5.       Good friends help each other.

6.       Good friends respect one another.

7.       Good friends are dependable

8.       Good friends can disagree without hurting each other’s feelings.         

 Each child will receive classroom rewards for following the classroom rules.  Some of the rewards are:

1.       Positive comments from teacher on a daily basis.

2.       Positive notes sent home with child.

3.       Extra time for special activities on Friday afternoon.   

Each child will have an individual pocket on a class chart.  Each pocket will have 5 different color cards which represent a classroom behavior.  Each child will start the day with a blue card.  The card is changed to the next color for any misbehavior. 

The colors and consequences are as follows:              

Blue:      Good Behavior             

Green:    Warning             

Yellow:  5 minutes of recess lost             

Orange:  10 minutes of recess lost             

Red:       Note sent home to parents 

I will notify you if your child’s behavior changes.  I appreciate your cooperation and support.  

·        I do allow the students to have a snack at school. Snack time will be at recess each day at 12:45 P.M.   If you want your child to have a snack, please provide a snack for your child.  

·        During the hot weather, a water bottle may be sent to school.  Please be sure that it has a lid.   

·        Birthdays – You may send in a simple treat to celebrate your child’s birthday.    

·        Kentucky law requires that all children under 7 years to be secured in a car seat or booster seat.  Booster seats are required at St. Joseph School on all field trips. 

·        Accelerated Reading:  If you are new to Accelerated Reading here is a brief summary.  Your child can read a book at home or at school.  Be sure that the book is listed on our AR list. The list can be found on the school website.  If a book is read at home, send in the title of the book with your child.  The first grade students can take an accelerated reading test during computer lab classes. This test is a comprehension test that can be 5-10 questions (depending on book length) that your child will read and answer independently.  The students will receive a certificate on Friday morning when goals/point values are reached.  I do not require the students to take an AR test at this time.  However, if your child is reading fluently and has great comprehension skills, please let me know and we will give AR a try.   

·        Guest readers:  Periodically during the year, parents have asked to come to the classroom to read a book to the children.  If you are interested, please fill out the form at the end of this packet.  I will notify you of your date and time to read to the children.   

·        Workshop/Classroom Helpers:  Each day after lunch, the children have the opportunity to work in small groups.  During this “workshop time” I usually take the children in small reading groups to work on skills, guided reading and writing.  It has been very helpful to have a parent volunteer to help with the students who are working independently.  After I receive a list of all the volunteers, I will set up a schedule for the year. 

Once again, welcome to our first grade family!  I look forward to meeting and working with each family.  I would like to take this time to thank you for entrusting your child to me.  Together, we will make this school year a positive and wonderful learning experience for your child. 

First Grade Supply List