First Grade Information
Packet
Mrs. Dingler’s Class
September 2014
Back to School
Starting the school year off with an early dismissal day is a nice way to ease into the demands of school after summer vacation, but soon enoughyour child will be working hard all day. It is common for our first graders to be tired, irritable, and even at times teary as they adjust to the changes from their summer schedules. Please remember that your child may need a little more TLC and sleep than he/she might usually require.
Lunch and Recess
This year the first grade lunch period is from 12:30-1:00 P.M. Prices for lunch, milk, and snack will remain the same. It is $3.00 for lunch, $.50 for milk (without a lunch), $1.00 for bottled water or juice, and $.75 for snacks and ice cream. Students will continue to utilize a card system of payment. Each student has a card with his/her picture and ID# on it, and the card works like a debit card. You may send in checks or money (at your convenience) which will be credited to the account. Or, if you prefer, you may also place money on the card electronically over the internet which allows you to monitor the account from home. There is a link to do this which you can get to through the school website at .
Recess for first grade will follow lunch from 1:03-1:33 P.M.
Snack
Each child will be responsible for bringing a snack from home to school each day. The snack should be healthy and something which need not be refrigerated. Juice boxes may also be brought for this time. Please keep in mind that snack should be able to be eaten within 15 minutes and that snacks may not be shared. Please keep both me and the nurse informed about food allergies.
Water Bottles
There are multiple times in our daily schedule when students are able to get drinks at the water fountains. Students also have the option of keeping a water bottle at their desk as long as it does not become a distraction or cause frequent trips to the bathroom during instructional time.
Bathrooms
Two boys and two girls are allowed to leave the classroom to use the bathrooms at a time. Unless it is an “emergency,” children will be discouraged from going during lessons. This cuts down on the silly behavior that may occur there as well as long lines and missed learning time in the classroom.
A Change of Clothes
Please send in a bag with a change of clothes for your child. It can stay in his/her cubby for as long as you’d like during the school year. It’s nice to have in case of any possible “emergencies.”
Schedule
Our Daily, Related Arts, and SRBI/World Language schedules can be found below.
Daily Schedule
Time / Class8:15-8:30 / Homeroom
8:30-9:10 / Morning Meeting/Reading
9:14-9:54 / Specials
9:56-10:26 / SRBI/Spanish/Enrichment/2nd Step
10:30-11:45 / Reading
11:45-12:27 / Writing
12:30-1 / Lunch
1:03-1:33 / recess
1:38-2:38 / Math
2:40-3:10 / Science/Social Studies
Related Arts
Mrs. Dingler’s Class9:14-9:54 / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
P.E. / X / X
Art / X
Library & Technology / X
Music / X
SRBI/World Language
Day 1 / SRBI/World Language (Direct exposure to a world language at a set time separate from CORE academic instruction)Day 2 / SRBI
Day 3 / SRBI/Enrichment
Day 4 / SRBI/2nd Step Lessons
Day 5 / SRBI
Day 6 / SRBI
Homework
Homework, at this stage in your child’s learning, is as important for the attitudes and habits it may foster as it is for learning. After the first week of school, please get adjusted to spending time on homework every night. Your child will not be able to do all of the homework independently. This means that you have some homework too!
As part of our school’s math program, math homework is given weekly, Monday through Thursday, unless we are completing a Topic and assessments are being done. Rarely,homework may be given over the weekend. In addition, it is an expectation that you will spend time every night reading with your child. Usually this will consist of your child reading books and practicing words on a word ring from his/her bookbag with you. Occasionally they will be asked to respond in writing to what they read, and they may need help with this.
Homework should not be frustrating. I rarely expect students to read books or do homework assignments that include skills we have not previously gone over at school. The homeworkgiven is meant for review, practice, and reinforcement of concepts, topics, and skills already introduced and/or learned. If your child does not understand the homework, please let me know what the difficulty was with and indicate what you substituted in its place. I can review the topic or skill again with your child at school and possibly even offer alternatives to help the process go more smoothly.
Book Clubs
Participating in Scholastic Book Clubs is a super way to get books at great prices and help us earn books for the classroom. If you choose to participate in the book clubs that are offered, you may do that online or by returning the order form with payment to me at school. If you send your order slip in to me, it is important that you remember to pay for your items with a check or money order (NO CASH) made out to “Scholastic Book Clubs” and not to me or the school, as it will have to be returned to you. More information regarding online ordering will be going home soon.
I generally send a new book club magazine home monthly unless there is a Book Fair scheduled at the school in that month. Orders are due roughly one week from the date they go home. (Look for the due date on the back of the magazine.) Orders take about 2 weeks (from the day they are ordered) to arrive at school, and will be sent home with your child.
Busses, Drop-Off, Pick-Up
For the first few days of school, I will be waiting with a sign near the flagpole at the front of the school (if weather permits) to meet your child. If it rains, I will be waiting right inside the main entryway. We will walk into the school and up to our classroom together. On Friday, Sept. 5th, your child will begin walking up to the classroom without the teacher, but rest assured that staff members will be in the hallways to help guide the way, if necessary.
At dismissal time, all students taking a bus after school will be dropped off at their respective busses. If you will be picking your child up, please send a note in and ask your child to deliver it to me as soon as he/she gets into the classroom. At present, students being picked up will be dropped off in the band room.If this procedure needs to change, I will certainly notify you.
Birthdays
In the past it was popular to celebrate birthdays with treats and goodies, but at present we do not share food items in celebration of birthdays, so please do not send in any goodies. Instead, we like to celebrate birthdays at school by creating a birthday book for each child and offering you the opportunity to have your child bring in a favorite book to be shared with the class that day. The kids really enjoy celebrating this way at school and it fosters a greater love of reading and learning. What could be better!?!
Getting in Touch
To contact me, you may write me a note, email me at , or call the school and leave a message on my voicemail so that I may get back to you as soon as my schedule allows. Email is the quickest way to reach me. Please remember that if your child will be absent from school, you need to call the office to let them know.
Most important of all, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions or concerns. I will always get back to you.
Conferences
Fall conferences will occur on Tuesday, December 16thand Thursday, December 18thand are required of all parents. Spring conferences (April 2nd) happen upon teacher or parent request only. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t feel you have to wait until these dates to get in touch with me. If you are unable to attend the September 17th Meet and Greet, please contact me to sign up for a conference on one of the two December conference days.
Parent Help/Volunteers
I can always use parents’ help in the classroom and welcome your assistance. The only two things that I ask are that the first months or so are for the children to get used to the routines and independence that first grade necessitates, and that your participation in the classroom be governed by the needs of the students. A letter will go home soon. I look forward to your participation!
Field Trips
The first grade classes usually take one or two field trips per year. Parent Chaperones are chosen at random from the group of parents that indicate a desire to attend the field trip with the class. Parent Chaperones are responsible for a small group of students on each trip and will not be able to spend time on the field trips solely with their own child. Siblings of first grade students are not allowed to attend first grade field trips even if the parent is one of the chaperones.
Thank you for your time and support. I am
looking forward to a wonderful year!