A small reference handbook for first grade!

General Information

Book Orders
On occasion, you will be given the opportunity to purchase books for your child through a book club. It is always exciting for a child to get a new book and can even be helpful for encouraging reading. If you wish to purchase books, please mark your selections on the order form and return it to school by the date specified. Be sure to include a check payable to the book club for the exact amount. Unfortunately, teachers are unable to accept cash.

Meal Prices
Breakfast $.80 Lunch $1.75
Reduced price $.30 Reduced price $.40
Extra Milk $.50
Students are asked to come to school with the necessary funds for meals. Pre-paying for your child’s meal is very convenient, and it makes the lunch-buying process much easier for the children. The lunchroom will accept checks if you would like to do so. A reminder will be sent in your child’s folder when your child’s account gets low.

Absences
Please notify the school when your child is absent. The Weatherstone Attendance Line is 380-6982. Absences are excused when a note is provided, or if a parent or legal guardian notifies the office or teacher by telephone. Notes must be submitted within two days of the student’s return to school.

Educational Leave
It is necessary to receive a prior approval for educational leave. A request form can be obtained from the office and must be completed prior to the trip. Trips will only be approved if they are for events that can never be rescheduled, ie: the Space Shuttle launching or a Presidential Inauguration.

Conferences
Our team holds two formal conferences during the year. The first conference replaces the first quarter’s report card and will be held sometime during October. An end-of-the-year conference will be scheduled in the spring. If you would like to conference other than during these times, please let me know. Please do not “drop in” unannounced for a conference, as I am very busy with your child during instructional hours.

Visitor’s Badges
Our school has a revolving door and we encourage parent participation and most of all, safety. When you arrive to school to help in the classroom or to have lunch with your child, please stop by the office to sign-in and receive a Visitor’s Badge.

Signing Your Child Out During the School Day
Please sign your child out at the office when you come to get your child before the school day is over. The office will give you a green slip to bring to the classroom. Your child will not be dismissed unless you have a green slip.

Snacks
Children will eat a mid-morning snack. Children need to bring in their own healthy snack daily. There are no class snacks. Possibilities include: pretzels, crackers, popcorn, dried fruit, cheese/crackers, juice bars, goldfish crackers, etc. Teachers will not provide snacks.

Food Policies
WCPSS food policy. No sugary sweets are to be brought to school. Classroom treats need to be store brought.

Newsletters
Due to budget cuts, a class newsletter will be emailed bi-weekly (generally on Mondays) to help keep you informed of classroom happenings. If you do not have Internet access, we will send a hard copy home. We include upcoming events, reminders, theme news, supply needs, and lots of bragging about our students. Please let us know if you have anything to include in the newsletter.

Daily Dismissal Procedure

Your child’s safety is very important to me. As a rule, your child is dismissed according to their normal dismissal routine. Please read the following about transportation changes.

How and When to Communicate Changes
Please write a short note to communicate any transportation changes your child may have. In your note, be sure to include the date and transportation change information. Please place the note in your child’s folder and/or Fish Book, so I can be sure to receive the information. If you call the office to make a transportation change, please try to do so by 2:00 on the day of the change. Please do not rely on your child to “tell me” of any changes, as all changes should be made in written form.

Carpool
ALL car riders must have an assigned number to dismiss through carpool. If you need a number, please obtain one through the front office. Remember, you may not pick your child up without a number.

Switching Buses
Unfortunately, children may not switch bus assignments to ride home on another bus with a friend.

Thank you for helping me keep your child safe!

Homework In First Grade?

Believe it or not, one of the first questions I usually hear from my new students is “When do we get homework?” Homework is an important part of first grade, as it provides an opportunity for parents to build on what is taught in the classroom and to see individual progress. It also helps children view learning as something that continues beyond the classroom.

Homework is assigned on a monthly basis. A language arts homework calendar outlining the assignments will be sent home in your child’s folder. Math assignments will be sent separately. Activities will include practice in reading, math, writing, and spelling subject areas and will be developmentally tailored. Homework for each week is due on Fridays. Time spent on homework shouldn’t exceed 15-20 minutes for First Graders.

The first few homework assignments will be very general to allow your child time to adjust. As the weeks progress, assignments will focus more on specific skills. The First Grade Team thinks carefully about the activities we create and choose those that can be easily modified. When helping your child with homework nightly, please make adjustments to fit the needs of your child.

First graders will learn where to return their homework and folders. After a few weeks it becomes “old hat”! This process serves as a valuable lesson in responsibility, accountability and organization. Students begin to learn that they are responsible for their work and belongings, not mom and dad.

As soon as our classroom routine has been established and I have determined the appropriate reading selections for each student, I will send home “Just Right Books”. More information will be sent home soon, as many of the books are from my own personal library and some texts are school property. These books are sent home in a plastic bag, labeled with your child’s name.

I welcome any questions or concerns you may have about homework. Together, we can help your child become very successful in First Grade!

Homework Policy

At Weatherstone Elementary, we define the term “homework” as school-related instruction that is to be completed outside the classroom. It should fulfill the following purposes:

• To enrich and extend school experiences through related home activities.
• To reinforce learning by providing practice and application.
• To stimulate effort, independence, responsibility and self-direction.

Guidelines

• Homework will provide practice to reinforce skills and materials learned in class.
• Homework will provide opportunity for parents to encourage their child to succeed in class.
• All homework assignments will be completed on time.
• Students will turn in work that is neatly done.
• All assignments will be evaluated and results shared with students in oral or written form by the teacher.

Frequency

• K -Encourage reading for pleasure-occasional optional enrichment assignments.
• 1 -Not to exceed an average of 20 minutes.
• 2 -Not to exceed an average of 30 minutes.
• 3 -Not to exceed an average of 40 minutes.
• 4/5 - Not to exceed an average of 50 minutes.

Homework can be assigned Monday through Thursday night. Occasionally, some projects may extend into the weekend.

Parents are expected to contact teachers if homework was not completed due to unavoidable circumstances. Parents are encouraged to send a note of explanation to accompany any incomplete assignments.

Examples of Possible Assignments

Examples of possible homework assignments might include reading logs, observation experiments, assigned reading, drawing, reports, creative writing, interviews, research, and skill practice.

Helpful Reminders

• If your child is going to buy lunch on a regular basis, it would be easier to open an account with the cafeteria to eliminate the possibility of forgetting or losing their money.
• During the first couple of weeks, the buses will be learning new routes. Please be patient. If your child has extracurricular activities, you may want to consider picking them up from school to avoid schedule conflicts.
• In an effort to promote school safety, all visitors are required to stop by the office and obtain a visitor’s pass. Please do so anytime you enter the school.
• Many forms are coming home, please complete and return them as soon as possible. It is extremely important that all areas are completed. Correct telephone numbers and emergency contacts are a must. Be sure to look on the fronts and backs of all forms.
• Make certain that I am personally aware of any medical conditions your child has.
• Make certain that I am personally aware of any custody papers that are in place.

I am looking forward to a wonderful year of learning!

The Fish Book

Our Discipline Plan
Our classroom has high standards, and we encourage the children to work hard to reach those standards. I expect the children to act responsibly, do their best work, be honest, and treat others kindly. Students will be given many opportunities to aid in developing strong decision-making skills.

I firmly believe that lifelong success depends on self-discipline. Our classroom discipline plan affords each student the opportunity to manage his or her own behavior. Your child deserves the most positive educational climate possible for optimum academic growth. Therefore, our plan will be in effect at all times.

In conjunction with Weatherstone Elementary Character Trait Education, we will focus on the following traits: Safe, Cooperative, Respectful, Courteous and Responsible. Together, we will spend some time during the first week of school developing a set of classroom rules that incorporate these traits. I feel it is important for the children to be involved in developing these rules, as they will be expected to follow them.

A daily behavior chart, otherwise known as “THE FISH BOOK”, will be sent home with your child daily. Different teachers reward good behavior through our fish program in various ways. Check with your child’s teacher about her classroom procedure.

Your child’s behavior will be communicated to you daily through the Fish Book. The book will relay to you where you child’s fish was at the end of the school day. The Fish Book should be signed and returned daily. As reinforcement for positive, children who have had their fish in the sea grass each day during the week will be allowed to choose a prize from the Treasure Chest. This is a HUGE event!

As you will notice, I have also included many important dates throughout the year in the Fish Book. Please note that some of the workdays may change due to the weather.

I will discuss the discipline plan with the children, but I would appreciate it if you would review the plan with your child!