Welcome to First Grade! Here is where you will find information about our classroom.
Daily Routines:
· Morning work (usually vocabulary and handwriting practice)
· Calendar time (weather, calendar, number of days in school, tally marks, money, skip counting, even/odd, tens/ones, time)
· Reading (shared, guided and independent)
· Phonics and Phonemic Awareness (Haggerty and Fundations)
· Sight word work (word walls and making words)
· Daily Five Literacy Activities(read to self, read to someone, writing, listen to reading, work on words)
· Writing
· Math
· Science and Social Studies
· Specials ( P.E., art, music and technology)
·
Communication:
You may send notes, call, or email me at any time. I will do the same. I make it a rule to respond within 24 hours to all types of communication. If you do not hear back from me within 24 hours, please try again. Every year we experience technical difficulties at times. asolita@bpd3.org 847.599.5015
(I do know some emails will not come through.)
Newsletters:
I will not be sending home a newsletter. Instead, I will send email updates.Basic information can be obtained through my website. This can be reached through the Kenneth Murphy homepage or at asolita.weebly.com. The purpose is to keep you informed of what we are learning in the classroom.
Take Home Folder/Backpack:
Your child will need his/her backpack every day. Your child will bring a folder home every night. This folder will contain any work or notes from me. Please go through the folder every night with your child. Please use the folder to send things back to me. I will collect the folders every morning. Homework and sight word/trick words/vocabulary words will be sent home in this folder.
Bus Riding:
If your child is going to be picked up from school, or will be going home with someone else, a note is required. Please send a signed and dated note with your child’s full name on it. Also, please send a note with your child if he/she will be staying after school for an activity.
Tardiness:
It is important for your child to arrive at school promptly each day. Daily attendance and participation in opening exercises as a class gives the day a positive start. If you are bringing your child to school late, please have your child check in at the office to get a pass into class. They will also need to inform the office if they will be purchasing hot lunch for the day. Also, please send a note if your child is to leave school early for any reason (dentist, doctor, funeral, etc.). Your child will be picked up in the office. Identification is required in order to pick a child up early from school.
Conferences:
Parent-Teacher conferences are held in November and March. These meetings allow us a chance to sit down together, discuss your child’s progress, and set new goals for your child. If at any time during the school year you would like an additional phone conference, please feel free to contact me.
Report Cards and Progress Reports:
Progress reports and report cards are distributed 3 times each during the school year. Progress reports and report cards are designed to give you an indication of your child’s growth and maturity. Please do not hesitate to drop me a note if you wish to discuss the progress report or report card.
Schedule:
Please see the schedule link for our current schedule. Please note, there may be periodic changes to the schedule.
Snack:
We will not be having snack in the classroom during the day. Please send a water bottle to school with your child. Please do not send any juice or pop.
Medicine:
All medicine that needs to be taken during the school day must be turned into the school nurse. This includes cough drops.
Birthdays:
The children may wish to celebrate their birthday with his/her classmates. You may send non-food treats to school with your child. If your child has a summer birthday, we can celebrate it on his/her ½ birthday, or you may choose another special day to celebrate. Treats are not necessary. We will still celebrate with a birthday crown, book, and pencil.
Food restrictions:
Please let me know if your child has any food restrictions or allergies.
Field Trips:
Our class may participate in field trips during the school year. A note will be sent home in advance stating all of the necessary information. Keep the note handy so that you will have all of the information the day of the trip, thus eliminating phoning the school and/or sending your child unprepared. Disposable sack lunches and juice boxes are used on field trips. Do not send a thermos or lunch box.
CATCH/Recess:
Please prepare your child for daily recess outside. Recess is held outside unless it is raining or extremely cold (below 20). Please label all hats, gloves, scarves, boots, and snow pants.
Book Orders:
Through out the year I will send home a book order. I will give you a couple of weeks to look over them before they are due back to school. You are under no obligation to order any books, but the clubs usually offer quality books at a discounted price. Your orders help me to earn points to put towards free books for the classroom. If you choose to order books, please send the order form with payment to me in an envelope with your child’s name on it. All checks should be made out to Scholastic. One check can be written even if ordering from more than one brochure clubs.
Online ordering is also available.
Here is the link for online ordering. https://orders.scholastic.com/H64MP You can search for favorite authors, subjects, grade levels, etc online. There are thousands of books available through the website.
School Supplies:
Please be aware that your child may need additional school supplies throughout the year. We are always in need of extra glue sticks, wipes, and sharpened pencils.
Classroom Donations:
Every year I have parents ask if they can donate any items to the classroom. The following is a list of ideas;
· Stickers (any kind)
· Prizes for the prize box.
. Any old games toys that your child does not play with at home. (I am always looking to add games and toys for our indoor recess days.)