September 8, 2011
Dear Parents,
Welcome to an exciting year of first grade at St. Mary Magdalen
School! I am so looking forward to partnering with you and your child this
year.
I hope to make learning fun! If the children enjoy what they are
doing, learning seems to happen naturally.
Expect very tired children by the end of the first full week of
school. This is very common. You may even find a few exhausted teachers.
All do adjust, however, to the daily routine quite quickly.
I believe good communication between parent and teacher is very
important in the education of a child. Please feel free to contact me for a
conference or a phone call should you have any questions during the school
year.
Your child has received their school stationery supplies today.
They include:
pencil case 8 and 24 pack of crayons and box
storybook art journal (for Jan.) folders
glue eraser
ruler pencil grips
highlighter lead and red pencils
copybooks
monthly calendar books
Please send in their scissors as soon as possible if you have not
already done so. Monthly calendars have been ordered. Your child’s total
stationery cost is $41.00. Please send the exact amount in cash or check
made payable to St. Mary Magdalen in an envelope with your child’s name on it
by Friday, September 9th.
If you could also send in a box of tissues, hand disinfecting wipes
and any old magazines for special projects, it would be most helpful.
Each night the children will be bringing home a few of their books
and folders to be covered in clear contact paper. A limited number of clear
plastic covers for your child's religion book will be for sale at our Back to
School Night.
Please send all money and notes in an envelope marked with your
child’s name, grade, and what the money is for. Notes are also required when
your child is absent and when he/she is going home from school a different
way than usual.
Please mark your child’s name on all their belongings, especially
gym sweatshirts and lunch boxes.
A homework sheet will be given out each Monday. Please check and
sign all written homework. Written homework and study work should not last
longer than 30 minutes each night. The children work hard all day in school
and I believe homework should be a short review of what they learned that
day. If your child is experiencing any difficulty with homework, please let
me know. It is important to review vocabulary daily. The making of
flashcards for vocabulary words is very important. Try making up games or
timing for speed when reviewing.
Tuesday is our gym day. Children wear their gym uniforms to school
on that day. Please do not wear any jewelry on that day for safety reasons.
A few times during the year, your child may come home with order
forms from different book clubs. The purchase of these books is completely
optional. If you wish to purchase any books, simply return the order form and
the exact amount in an envelope. Some companies, such as Highlights, will
give free classroom gifts even for a returned “No” slip. So, please sign and
return the “No” slips also.
Your child may wish to celebrate their birthday with their
classmates. You may send in a small treat for the class (cookies, doughnut
holes, brownies, or cupcakes work great!) We have 20 children in our
classroom. We will celebrate summer birthdays at the end of the school
year.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation during these very busy
first few days of school. I look forward to meeting you at our BACK TO
SCHOOL NIGHT on Thursday, September 15. May God bless all of our efforts
this year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Linda Protesto