Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of
students and parents.
- Do I need a back pack?
- What time is lunch?
- When does the class go to the library?
- Do students use computers?
- What time are specials? What are specials?
- When is recess?
- Is there a morning snack?
- Do we have homework?
- Is my child being challenged in the classroom?
- Why is the schedule different on Friday?
- May I bring treats for my child's birthday?
- May my child have a water bottle at school?
- Can my first grader buy ice cream or snacks in the cafeteria?
Do I need a back pack?
It is a good idea to have a backpack to put student's Daily Take
Home folder, Monday folder, library books and any other items that need to be taken
to and from home. Please bring a backpack without wheels so that it will fit
inside our new wooden cubbies located in the hallway. Be sure
all items from home( lunch bag/box, jackets, backpacks) are
labeled with student's first and last name. Please encourage
your child's independence by allowing them to unpack their things
for the day and place them in the proper place.
What time is lunch?
We go to lunch at 12:00 each day. You are welcome to come and
eat lunch with your child in the cafeteria. If you will be buying
a lunch, please send a note in the morning so I can include you in
the lunch count by 8:00am.
When does the class go to the library?
We go to the library Friday, 9:15-9:45. Please remind your
child to
bring their library books back to school on or before Friday each
week.
Do students use computers?
Yes. We go to the computer lab once a week.
We also will be programing robots when we work with the
WEDO lego kits during Robo Lab beginning the second semester.
What time are specials? What are specials?
First grade goes to specials at 9:10-10:00 Monday-Thursday. We
have a
different schedule on Friday, 10:00-10:45. Specials are music,
art and PE.
This is my conference time.
When is recess?
Our class goes to recess right after lunch from 12:45-1:15.
Is there a morning snack?
Yes. We have snack time at 10:00, after specials. Your child
will need to
bring his or her own small healthy, peanut free snack each day in
their
backpack.
We will be a peanut free classroom this year. Please help us
protect
students with peanut allergies by saving these items for eating
outside the
classroom.
Do we have homework?
We will be using a computer based reading website called Raz-Kids for
homework assignments this year. Each student will receive a log in and
password to access books that they can read or listen to on their reading
level. Their teacher will assign a reading level for them to start with and
monitor their progress throughout the year. The site provides differentiated
reading with hundreds of leveled books. The students can listen to a book on
their level to model fluency or read books with the help of pronunciation and
vocabulary support. They will also be able to test their comprehension of the
story by completing a multiple choice quiz. After reading, listening, or
taking a quiz they will “earn” stars which they can spend in the Raz Rocket
store to buy items to outfit their own rocket and planet! The more they read
the more stars they have to spend! We are asking students to read for 10
minutes 4 times a week.
Is my child being challenged in the classroom?
Absolutely. As a teacher, grade level and school we provide
many
enrichment
opportunities, differentiated instruction and teaching
techniques
that are
individualized to meet each student's needs. An example of some
of these
activities include, but are not limited to, robo lab, technology
in the
classroom, Math Investigations, Writer's Workshop, Flexible
grouping, Pre
and Post Assessments, Tiered Assignments, Guided Reading,
Literacy
Workstations, Alpha Smarts, Enrichment Clusters, IIM Research
Projects, Math
Rules, Sunshine Math and much more. As your first grade
teacher,
I am
certified in Special Education, Talented and Gifted, Early
Childhood and
ESL. My expertise in these areas helps me to meet the needs of
every
student in my classroom. Your input and feedback is always
important to
me. Please feel free to let me know if you have any concerns or
questions!
Why is the schedule different on Friday?
Every Friday from 8:00-9:00 the school will have an enrichment
time, called
e-slot. This will be a time to do clusters and other enrichment
activities. The schedule will be slightly different on
Friday...Specials
will be 10:00-10:45, lunch will stay the same.
May I bring treats for my child's birthday?
According to the RRISD policy and Laurel Mt. handbook birthday
treats are
not allowed at school. This is in compliance with state laws
regarding
food. However, in the classroom we will celebrate and make each
child's
birthday special in a unique and meaningful way.
May my child have a water bottle at school?
Yes. It is especially recommended during the hot months that
students bring
water to school. They may keep them on their desk as long as
they don't
become a distraction.
Can my first grader buy ice cream or snacks in the cafeteria?
The first graders can buy ice cream at lunch on Fridays with your
permission. If you do not want them to buy ice cream at school
you need to contact the cafeteria and have them note it in their
computer so that there will be no confusion. Ice cream costs 65
cents and can be purchased using their lunch cards only on
Fridays. First graders are discouraged from purchasing extra
snacks that are available in the cafeteria on a daily basis. We have
found that the students do not eat their lunches when they
purchase these snacks and then are hungry at the end of the day.