
Arrival -
- The first bell rings at 8:40.
- We start our day promptly at 8:50.
- It is important to be on time!
Dismissal -
- The walker bell rings at 3:17.
- Bussers are dismissed at 3:20.
- Send a note if your child is going home a DIFFERENT way than normal. Otherwise I will always send them their normal way home.
STAR Binder (Students Taking Academic Responsibility) - 
- to and from school each day
- I will communicate with you on the calendar each day about your child's day.
- you will find...
- calendar
- home folder
- newsletter
- class list
- lifebook
- our schedule
- challenge words
- books in the book bag at least 3 days/week
- please initial the calendar each night so that I know you saw it :)
Birthdays -
- birthday or half birthday
- store bought treat (ex: fruit snacks, small cupcakes)
- 21 kids in our class
- if you send invites for a party, I can sneakily pass them out for you to avoid hurt feelings
Recess -
- 12:35-1:05
- we go out almost EVERYDAY
- dress appropriately
Field Trips -
- apple orchard
- the farm
Snack -
- We have a snack break each morning
- optional
- something healthy
- packing snacks can be your child's responsiblity
Lunch -
- 12:05
- send money as needed
- Feel free to join us any day! We walk right past the office so we can pick you up on our way to the cafeteria.
Attendance -
- First grade is mostly hands on experiential learning so it is so important that your first grader is in school each day.
- If they will be gone, just call the office.
- Please do keep your first grader home if they are sick.
Book Orders -
- sent home monthly
- you can order yourself online
- www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
- login: MrsSmithBookClub
- password: books
- you can still order by sending it to school if you prefer
Supplies -
- ask your child every few months how their crayons and markers are holding out
- I will send a note if they need a fresh set of crayons/markers or other supply
Spelling -
- pretest Monday
- test on Friday
- 0, 1, or 2 missed words - challenge list PLUS the one or two words they missed
- 3+ regular list
Responsive Classroom -
- Morning Meeting
- Rules
- Guided Discovery
- Problem Solving
Principals
- The social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum.
- How children learn is as important as what they learn.
- Children need specific skills to be successful:
- Cooperation
- Assertion
- Responsibility
- Empathy
- Self-Control
- The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.
- Knowing the children is as important as knowing the content we teach.
- Knowing families is important.
Sharing -
- Lifebook
- no toys
- book to read to the class (starting after winter break)
Family Changes -
or home routine changes are helpful for me to know as it may affect your child here at school.