First Grade Parent Handbook

Mrs. Eccleston’s Class

Mrs. Eccleston’s 1st Grade Handbook

Welcome to 1 st Grade Dear Parents,

Welcome to 1st Grade at Tozer Elementary School. I am so excited about the 2013-2014 school year. We have a wonderful group of 1st graders. I am so lucky to be able to work with such a terrific group of students, parents and teachers.

Please feel free to contact me anytime you have a question or concern. The easiest way to contact me is through email at katherine.eccleston@weldre4.k12.co.us or you can call me at 686-8400 x2101.

This school year will be packed full of learning and fun. Thank you for letting me share this exciting year with your child.

Sincerely,Katie Eccleston

Contact Information

Tozer Office: 686-8400

Attendance Line: 686-8403

Email: katherine.eccleston@weldre4.k12.co.us

Voicemail: 686-8400 ext. 2101

I check my email and voicemail before and after school. If you need to get a message to your child or to me that needs

attention before the end school, please contact the Tozer office and they will bring the message to my classroom. Thank you.

Birthday TreatsIn first grade, a birthday is a very special occasion.

If you wish to celebrate your child’s birthday in our classroom, please contact me at least a week

prior to your child’s birthday. Each year, I have students with allergies and I need to contact

families to provide an alternative treat. All treats must be store bought, not homemade so we can

check ingredients for allergens. Please bring enough snacks for 24 students. If your child has a summer birthday, you may schedule another day

during the school year to bring treats. A half-birthday is a fun idea or your child’s Star Student Week would be a great time to celebrate. Please do not send invitations to be distributed during

class time. Feelings are hurt when everyone is not invited. If you wish to hand out invitations, please

have your child give them to me and I will put them in the correct mailbox. Classroom

directories will be available early on the school year. Please consider being included in the

directory so students can contact each other.

Reading Calendars

In September, our class will begin participating in the “Book It” reading program in connection with

Pizza Hut. I will send home a monthly reading calendar. Your child needs to read 20 minutes

each night. You will need to fill in one picture on your reading calendar for that night of reading. At

the end of the month, a parent needs to sign the calendar and return the calendar to school by the first Friday of the next month to receive a “Book

It” certificate. Certificates will not be given for late calendars. The certificate is good for a FREE personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. Nightly

reading is part of your child’s nightly homework. Completing the calendar monthly and turning it in

on time helps me determine your child’s homework grade.

Volunteers

Volunteers are a vital part of our classroom. I can use your help in the classroom weekly, monthly or on special occasions.

I would love to have volunteers daily during my small group reading time or math work place time because we have

multiple centers going on during that time. Our small group reading time is from 8:45-9:45 a.m. Our math work place time is 1:15-1:45 p.m. I will have a form to fill out at Back To School Night on August 29th if you are interested in volunteering. I can

also send clerical work home with parents who wish to help our class out in that capacity. Please let me know ahead of

time when you can’t be here, since I plan accordingly for the help I have scheduled that day. All regular volunteers, as well

as those wanting to attend field trips, need to complete a volunteer application from the office that may include a

background check. One-time volunteers, for example those who wish to participate in their child’s birthday celebration or

a class party, do not need to fill out this form. Please understand that school policy does not permit volunteers to

bring their younger children with them while helping at school or on field trips.

Daily Schedule

8:05 School Begins (Please line up outside our classroom door!)8:05-8:15 Opening Activities

8:15-8:45 Whole Group Reading8:45-9:45 Reading Intervention Time

9:45-10:00 Morning Recess10:00-10:10 Snack (Healthy snack brought from home)

10:10-10:45 Writing (Tuesday Library)10:45-11:25 Specials (P.E. Tues/Fri, Music Mon/Wed. and Art

Thurs.)11:25-12:00 Lunch

12:00-12:20 Bathrooms/Read Aloud (Thursday-Computer Lab12:10-12:50)

12:20-12:45 Number Corner12:45-1:45 Math

1:45-2:00 Afternoon Recess2:00-2:40 Science/Social Studies2:40-2:45 Pack up and clean up

2:45 Bus students dismissed2:50 Walking/Picked-up students dismissed from main doors

Book Orders

Each month, I will send home a book order. This is a great way for you to purchase quality children’s books at reduced prices. When

ordering from multiple book orders, you only need to make out one check. If you are ordering

using the order form, please place the orders (with cash or check payable to Scholastic Books)

in a labeled envelop with your child’s name. Another option is to order on line using my online

activation code LFNVP. When you order books, our class receives points that can be used for

additional class books. You are in no way obligated to buy.

Star Student

Each student will have an opportunity to be our Star Student this year. I will send home a list that

tells you which week your child will be assigned in the next couple of weeks. I tried to work closely

with birthdays but it wasn’t always possible. The week prior to the assigned week, your child will bring home a poster to fill out. Please help your

child fill out the poster and find some family pictures to share. Please send the poster and

pictures to school by the Monday of your child’s assigned week. The poster and pictures will be sent back home at the end of the week. You are also invited to come in and read a story to the

class during this week and/or send in a treat for the class. Again, all treats need to be store bought,

not homemade.

Homework

The most important part of your child’s nightly homework is taking the time to read with your child for 20 minutes each night. I will send a book bag home with books to read starting in September. Please sit down and practice reading these books with your child. I would like each book to be read three times before it is returned to school. During the first read, the child will say the word in the story with a parent or older sibling. During the second read, the child will read the book aloud to a parent or older sibling. During the third and final read, the child will read the book to himself/herself.

I will also send sight words home each month to practice. Please practice these words a few minutes each night until they are able to read them without sounding out the words. Continue to practice old words and add in new words as you go.

I will send home the weekly spelling list on the first school day of the week. The test will be given on the last school day of the week. Students are expected to write their spelling words three times and write three spelling sentences each week. You can substitute an alternative spelling activity from the list of choices if you choose. Just note the activity and date on your child’s homework page for credit. Please practice your spelling words throughout the week so your child feels confident going into the weekly test.

Finally, math activities will come home weekly. These are a review of activities previously done in class. There may also be corrections, unfinished work or missing work sent home to be completed. Parents are encouraged to help students with their homework to help your child understand that homework is important. Parents are also encouraged to check over their child’s homework before it is turned in to go over any mistakes. Please do not do your child’s homework for them or give them the answers.

The main goal of homework at this age is to develop the habit of working at home on a regular basis and the responsibility of returning completed assignments to school by the due date. It would be helpful if your child had a regular block of time in the evening set up in a quiet environment for homework, just as your would schedule soccer or any other activity. All homework is sent home on the first day of the school week and is due on the last day of the school week. If this is a challenge for your family situation, please let me know and we will try to find something that works.

Behavior Expectations

At Tozer, we expect each student to respect themselves, others and learning. We spend a great deal of time talking and role-playing these expectations with the students. I begin each day by providing a safe, nurturing and positive environment in which students are able to learn at their individual level. Following our rules is vitally importance for creating an effective classroom environment.

Each child will start the day on “Ready to Learn”. They will be able to move up to “Good Day” or “Outstanding” based on the positive choices they make during the day. They will also be able to move down the chart to “Think About It” or “Parent Contact” based on inappropriate choices they have made during the day. If a child moves their clip to “Parent Contact” they will stay in for recess to contact a parent and discuss their behavior. Other possible choices for addressing inappropriate behavior could be moving to another area of the room, filling out a respect violation form, visiting Mrs. Prenger in the office or another logical consequence for the behavior. Students will move up and down the chart throughout the day based on their behavior. A form will be sent nightly to reflect where they were at the end of the day.

Please take the time to reinforce appropriate behaviors with your child, so we can ensure the most academic gains during our time together at school! Your involvement and support make a huge difference in creating an effective learning environment.