Classroom Rules: The
following rules will enable us to have a positive and effective learning
environment in our classroom:
1. Be
kind (Say nice things. Share. Respect other people and their
belongings. Keep your hands to yourself.)
2. Be
a good listener (Follow teacher’s directions the 1st time. Listen
in class. Listen while others are talking.)
3. Follow
classroom procedures. (Work quietly. Raise your hand. Do not
disturb others.)
4. Be
a good problem solver (Go to the teacher in cases of emergency-when someone is
being hurt, or when property is being damaged. Otherwise think of a
positive way of solving the problem yourself!)
5. Do
your work neatly, on time, and to the best of your ability.
We will be working in class on the above so that
the students will become more proficient at being able to follow the rules and
procedures.
Folders: Each
student will have their folder to place homework, communication, and completed
work in. Any papers sent home on the left side are for you to review and
keep at home. Papers that are sent home on the right side are for review
and to be returned to school. Please make sure to clean out your child’s
folder each day.
Homework: In
a short while homework will begin coming home in your child’s folder. There
might be unfinished work from class or a separate assignment. Any
unfinished class work will be given to the student to complete in the
classroom with the teacher. If it is unfinished still it will become
homework. Habitual uncompleted assignments will be result in study hall.
Homework should be returned in the folder and is due the following morning at
8:30. After homework is graded it will be sent home in the finished work
side (left side of the folder) and should be taken out and kept at home. Please
be sure to always check your child’s folder and remove all of the papers from
the finished work side each day. I encourage you to review your students
work with them and go over their missed problems.
The following ideas on things that you can do
with your child to help them have a successful first grade year.
Spelling Word:
Each week the students will have 10 spelling words to study. Review
them with your child orally, written or in a game. When a list comes
home on Monday, see how many he/she already knows. If none- learn two
words then each following day add two more words until the list is mastered. A
practice spelling test will be sent as homework on Thursday night. Spelling
test will be given every Friday morning.
Memory Verse:
Each week there will be a bible verse for your child to memorize. We
will work on the verse in class, but it should also be practiced at home. Make
it a part of your routine. Say it on the way to school, or at supper, or
before bedtime. Your child write it down on a fill in the blank form as the
year progresses the form will become more complex.
Math Facts:
In first grade we will begin memorizing addition and subtraction math facts. The
goal is for each child to know their facts (without having to use their
fingers). It would be helpful to use flashcards at home. Go slowly
and be aware of your child’s attention span/frustration level. At
first see if your child knows any of the facts. If not, learn two cards,
each day add on to new cards until the set is done. Then work on speed.
Book-It:
Beginning in October, we will participate in the Pizza Hut Book-It program. Each
month each child receives a goal of how many minutes should be read. If
the goal is met, he/she receives a coupon for a free personal pizza. This
is very important because the monthly reading chart will be a part of your
child’s reading grade.
Handwriting:
Encourage your child to write neatly all the time if their handwriting is not
neat or legible they will be asked to do it over. With practice their
writing speed will improve. We use a D’nealian style of writing. This
style allows a smooth transition into cursive. I have enclosed a copy of
the alphabet in this style for you to keep handy for reference at home.
Class Work:
If your child does not use work time wisely for completing the work required,
I will send it home in addition to their other homework. The work is due
the following day (full credit may be given to work turned in the next day
after that if any additional days/time is needed partial credit will be
given). Result of habitual unfinished class work and the student
will stay with the teacher during recess to finish. In the event the student
continues to not finish they class work on time they will be sent to study
hall and the parents will be notified.
Communication: Communication
between home and school is very important! Every Monday you will receive
a newsletter. The weekly newsletter will recap what the students learned
the previous week and what they will be covering during the current week. Each
newsletter will have a memory verse for the week and spelling words. Every
Tuesday you will also receive your child’s weekly behavior report. This
report needs to be signed by your child and a parent or guardian and returned
in the folder the next day.
Notes (field trips, auction, and any other
important information) will be sent home in the student’s homework folder on
the left side of their folder.
In the event of a question or problem arises, or
you are concerned with something that has happened in the classroom, please
contact me. If you wish to send a note with your student I ask that you send
the note in their folder. I can also be reached between 7:30-8:00am,
after students have been dismissed until 3:30 p.m. at school and by email at brandi-blankenship@att.net.
Email is the best way to reach me since I have a smart phone and can receive
your message at anytime. I will not respond nor check my messages during
class time. I will only do so during break times. I will try to
reply as quickly as possible and be accessible for any questions or concerns.
Religion: The
students will be bringing home a book at the end of each religion lesson, take
a minute to allow your child to share with you what they have learned. These
books are for the students to keep at home. The students will also be
going to chapel every Wednesday and I encourage the students to wear their
Grace Christian shirts on this day. Each class will have their own date
to lead chapel your welcome to come to chapel this week or any week. I
will let you know the date in the weekly newsletter.
Chapel Offerings: Each
student is encouraged but not required to bring their chapel offering each
week. You and your student can decide the amount of the offering. There
is a Ziploc baggie inside the student’s folder for the chapel offerings please
make sure the offering is placed inside of the Ziploc baggie. This is
the only money your student will need to bring to school. Please refrain
from sending money with your child to school. I would not want them to
lose their money and there is nothing at school they would need money for.
Classroom Rewards/Behavior Procedures: During
the school year several different reward systems for good behavior and work
may be used. These rewards may be stickers, pencils, erasers, etc. The class
will also be working towards filling a jar with marbles. Marbles can be earned
when the class is really working hard at doing their best. Once the jar is
full we will choose how we want to celebrate (a movie, extra recess, a special
snack or some other special treat.)
In the event a student needs behavior steps they
will (1) get a verbal warning, (2) get a written warning with their name on
the board (3) pull a yellow stick (4) A red stick.
Green sticks mean your student was on task and
being a scholar, green sticks once they are given are for the week and will
not be taken away.
Yellow sticks are warnings a note will go home
with their weekly progress report.
Red sticks means the student needs to reflect on
their behavior. If a student received a red stick they will get a note
home that day with an explanation of why they received a red stick and I ask
you review this with your student and you both sign and return the following
day. Students with repeated red sticks for the same event will have
further steps to be taken.
Consequences for misbehavior may also include:
Missing of class activities
Missing Recess
Missing of Fieldtrips
After School detention with teacher and principal
~Aggressive behavior may result in an immediate
red stick.
Student of the Week: Each
child will have a turn at being the student of the week. They will need
to complete the “All about me” poster that will be sent home a week prior to
their presentation. They will also bring home a sharing bag to share the
week they are student of the week. Think of interesting things to put
into their student of the week bag. This is different than the Sharing Bucket.
They are three items to tell about their selves.
Sharing Bucket: Instead
of the usual “show and tell” each student will have a chance to bring home the
sharing bucket. This is different than the bag that will go home when
they are student of the week. Please make this the exception to allowing
your student bring a toy to school and encourage them to bring unique and
interesting items. After choosing the item for the sharing bucket each
student will be asked to write three complete sentences as clues to what they
have brought. The sharing bucket will be kept in front of the classroom
until the end of the day to ensure the safety of each student’s possession and
to ultimate breakage of the items inside the sharing bucket.
Toys: Toys
should not be brought to school. We have toys for the classroom and
other equipment for recess. This helps prevent lost or broken toys and
hurt feelings
Snack: We
do not have a snack time in first grade, however during the first few weeks of
school I will provide one graham cracker that they can eat during the first
few minutes of recess. After a few weeks most students would rather
spend their entire recess playing instead of eating. I will ask that you
send in a box of graham crackers a few different times. I have enclosed
a list that includes your weeks.
Field Trips: First
graders have great field trips each year. The field trips are tied into
our curriculum and are exciting for the students. I will be asking for
parents to volunteer as drivers. Some of the field trips will require
that younger siblings not be able to attend. I hope all parents’
schedules allow them to attend a field trip and I will try to make sure you
know in advance to be able to ask for time from work. Some of our field
trips require that we pay in advance and we have limited space for drivers. In
this event I will have a first come first serve policy on drivers and included
in this is a minimum of three students in one vehicle. I understand that
some parents need to notify their employer of days off before wanting to
return the field trip permission slip. If you want to chaperone please
return the permission slip and in the event you do not receive the time off we
can allow the next available chaperone the chance to attend.
Class Parties: We
will celebrate Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day with class parties.
We will also have a fall/harvest party. Each student will choose the
party they will be hosting. I will notify each family of their party. This
will also be the party you are welcome to attend and help with. I will
send home a list of items that will be needed for the party and if it is your
student’s party they will sign up to bring one or more of those items. I
will then send home a note letting you know which item you signed up to bring.
Birthdays: We
will celebrate birthdays in class at 2:15 or on early release days at 11:45. Children
with birthdays during the summer months or while we are on vacation will be
able to celebrate “unbirthdays”. Your child may bring a
treat to share with the class, cupcakes, donuts, cookies, etc. Please
save more elaborate celebrations such as treat bags and balloons for a party
outside of school time. Since many birthdays are in the same month I
have set up a schedule for birthday celebrations (trying to keep them close to
their actual birthday) if you wish to change your date please ask to do so on
a case by case basis.
Classroom Volunteers: Are
welcome during center time. They are also welcome during whole class
crafts and cooking days. If you would like to volunteer please contact
me and make sure I have your contact information.