Dear Family,
Welcome to an exciting year in first and second grade literacy! I look
forward to working with you as a partner in educating your child. My goal
is to facilitate learning in an exciting and meaningful way for your child.
As an educator, it is my goal to see that your child becomes a lifelong
learner.
This handbook was written to introduce you to my classroom policies and
procedures. Please refer to it throughout the school year when necessary.
If you have any questions or concerns that cannot be answered here, please
do not hesitate to contact me. Again, with your cooperation and support,
I know we can make this the best year yet for your child!
Enthusiastically,
Stacy Vensko
GRADING IN MRS. VENSKO'S 1ST and 2ND GRADE LITERACY CLASS
HOW WILL YOUR CHILD BE GRADED?
First and second grade students will receive a letter
grade in the following subjects by Mrs. Vensko: reading and language Arts
(language arts includes writing, spelling, and grammar). Social studies will
be given by the first and second grade homeroom teacher. There are four total
grading periods throughout the school year. A progress report will be sent
home every three weeks for your convenience. Please sign and return this
progress report. The report card will be sent home every nine weeks. Please
sign and return the report card envelope.
WHAT WILL MY CHILD BE GRADED ON?
Your child will receive a letter grade on all reading tests. At times,
some class assignments are given grades but this is rare. Work that is done
in the classroom together will not be given a grade. Many times, the
students work together on an assignment and/or we complete it together as a
class. When we complete papers together in school, you will see a "CT
smiley face" written at the top of the students' papers. This work will
not be given a letter grade. The majority of reading and language arts tests
are administered on Friday.
WHAT TESTS WILL MY CHILD BE GIVEN?
Each Friday, your first and second grader will take several reading and
language arts tests. In both grades, a story selection test assesses your
child's comprehension of the main story in the reading book. It is important
to reread the story at home throughout the week. It consists of 5-8 multiple
choice questions and 1-2 short response questions. In second grade, your
child will also take a spelling, dictation, vocabulary, and FCAT weekly
comprehension (cold read) tests. If first grade, your child will take a
weekly rainbow words test, phonics test, and a cold read test.
**Please be sure to check the weekly newsletter for the skills being taught,
units being studied, and tests being given each week. If you have any
questions about your child's grades, please contact me immediately so that we
can discuss your concerns.
**All graded classwork and tests will be sent home in the weekly
Friday envelope. The papers inside this envelope are from the previous
week. It would be very beneficial for you to review all work with your
child over the weekend. Please be sure to sign on the dated line with a pen
or permanent marker and return the envelope to school on Monday. This Friday
envelope must last all year long, so please make sure your child does not
lose it. You may keep all of the graded papers at home.
WEEKLY SPELLING
Each week, your first grader will be given a total of 10 spelling
words. Rainbow words (or high frequency words) are NOT included in the weekly
spelling list. However, these are important words for your child to learn to
read and recognize. In second grade, your child will be given 15 words. All
words will be introduced each Monday and reinforced throughout the entire
week during school. Although spelling homework is not assigned, it is
important to practice these words at home in order to be ready for the
spelling test on Friday. The spelling words will contain the special phonics
pattern that we are currently working on in class. High frequency words will
be included in the second grade spelling list. It is very important that
your child learns to recognize, read, and spell these words in second grade.
In addition to the spelling and high frequency words, your child will be
given three dictation spelling sentences. Dictation sentences may contain
any of the ten spelling words from the weekly list. For the dictation test,
students will be expected to listen carefully to the sentence dictated by the
teacher and then write the sentence on paper with correct conventions
(capitalization, punctuation, spacing, and spelling). Words will be taken
from the curret spelling list in addition to other words that follow the
weekly spelling pattern. Dictation sentences will be counted as a language
arts grade. Dictation sentences will start during the second semester of
first grade.
WEEKLY READING
In second grade, your child will be given a vocabulary, story
selection, and FCAT weekly comprehension test each Friday. In fist grade,
your child will be tested on the weekly rainbow words, phonics skills, and
story selection (main story in the reading book). In addition, your first
grader will be given a weekly cold read test. This is a test of an unfamiliar
story that your child must read on his/her own and then answer five multiple
choice questions.
At the start of the week, all reading vocabulary words and reading
skills will be introduced and reinforced throughout the week. Skills taught
throughout the week will be tested on Friday. The vocabulary words in second
grade can be found in the main selection of the reading book. Vocabulary
homework will be given out each Monday in second grade and consists of
putting the words in ABC order, writing glossary definitions (found in the
back of the reading book), and writing a complete sentence for each word
along with coloring an illustratioj. Homework is due back to school no later
than Friday. For the first semester, vocabulary
words will be counted as bonus words and are worth 1 point each if spelled
correctly on the test. At the start of the second semester (in January),
these vocabulary words will no longer be counted as bonus words, but will be
included as weekly spelling words. In addition to these tests, I will
administer informal reading inventories, running records, reading behavior
rubrics, and fluency checks throughout the year to assess your child's
reading. Results of these tests will be discussed during conferences. Feel
free to contact me if you have any concerns or questions about your child's
reading.
**Please note that the FCAT Weekly test, county cold read tests,
and unit reading tests will be weighted in the final reading grade. This
means that these tests will be counted more as part of your child's final
reading grade.**
**PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING TESTS ARE NOT WEEKLY TESTS**
**STANFORD 10 ACHIEVEMENT TEST**
This standardized test will be given at the end of the year (around
May) and consists of two parts: reading comprehension and math problem
solving. According to the Pupil Progression Plan in both first and second
grade, the results from the reading portion will be used as a criteria for
promotion and retention. Your child MUST score at least 36% or higher on this
test to be promoted to the next grade level.
**DISCOVERING EDUCATION ASSESSMENT READING**
This test is given on the computer and will be administered three
times a year (beginning, middle, end). This test assesses both your child's
reading and math skills.
**DRA2 READING TEST**
This reading test will be adminstered at least two times during the
school year (beginning and ending). The results of this test will provide
the teacher with reading levels for instructional and independent reading
purposes. This test is administered individually to each student.
MRS. VENSKO'S CLASSROOM POLICIES
ABSENCES/EXCUSES
Anytime your child is absent from school, please send a written
note explaining the absence and return it on the day your child returns to
school. Please remember to date and sign the excuse. If I do not receive a
written excuse, the absence will be considered unexcused on your child's
attendance card. Your child has five school days to complete any work and
make-up tests that he/she has missed. If your child misses 9 or more days of
school in a single semester, a letter will be sent home and a doctor's excuse
must be turned in for all absences in order for them to be considered
excused. This is school board policy.
SENDING MONEY TO SCHOOL
Occasionally, your child may need to bring money to school (i.e.
field trips, book orders, lunch money, etc.). Be sure to put the money in
a sealed envelope with your child's name and purpose for money written on
front. Please put all money in the money pouch located in your child’s
H.O.B.O. Book. This helps me to keep all money organized and ensures a safe
arrival to school. Thank you!
SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUBS
Ocassionally, I will send home a Scholastic Book Club order form.
This is a wonderful opportunity for you to buy inexpensive books for your
child. Often times, reading levels are noted on the pamplets to make it
convenient and easy for you to choose just right books for your child! If
you wish to order something, just return the order form with a check made
out to Scholastic Book Clubs. Be sure to put the money in a sealed envelope
inside your child's H.O.B.O. Book.
MEDICATION
Children should not bring any medication to school at any time. If
your child needs to take medicine at school, you will need to bring the
medication to the nurse's office in the original container and fill out a
form there.
BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays are special times for your child and will be celebrated in
our classroom. Feel free to bring in a small treat for your child’s
birthday. Please do NOT send in any birthday cakes or ice cream. Because
of our busy schedule, we will celebrate your child’s birthday at the end of
the school day at 2:00PM. Feel free to stop by at that time if you would like
to celebrate with us! As always, please sign-in at the front office and get a
visitor pass. If handing out party invitations in school, please give one to
each member of the class. Students who have birthdays during the summer
months will have a special day dedicated at the end of the year to
celebrate.
TRANSPORTATION HOME
For your child’s safety, it is school policy that I MUST send your
child home his/her normal way, UNLESS I receive a written note or a phone
call from you. This will prevent any misunderstandings and is in the best
interest of your child. Thank you for your help in this matter.
CLASS CELEBRATIONS
Throughout the school year, we will have classroom celebrations. I
will plan a celebration for Christmas and Valentine's Day. Donations for
party are always greatly appreciated. When it gets closer to that time, I
will send a letter home with requested supplies that we would like to have
for our celebrations. I will supply everything for the final celebration on
the last day of school. We look forward to celebrating these special
times with you!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We welcome all volunteers and would love for you to help us out if
you can! There are many volunteer opportunities available inside and
outside of our classroom. A volunteer affadavit MUST be on file, for the
current school year, in order for you to volunteer at Laurel Hill School.
**Please understand that you MUST fill out a brand new volunteer
affidavit (preferrably at the beginning of each school year) and this form
must be notarized. For your convenience, you can have this form notarized in
our front office at the school by Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Coon, or Mrs.
Brown.** More information regarding volunteering opportunities will be
sent home during the first few weeks of school. As always, please see Mrs.
Vensko if you are interested in volunteering.
All graphics by www.cutecolors.com
