Welcome to First Grade!

First grade is an exciting year! I am so happy to welcome you and thank you for sharing your child with me this year. If you should ever have any questions or concerns during the school year, please feel free to contact me by note or phone.

The school office number is (830) 885-1500.

My conference time is Monday – Friday from 12:15-1:05

SCHOOL HOURS

7:15-7:35 Students will wait outside the classroom door in the hallway.

7:35 Pledges. Students are considered tardy at 7:45 a.m. and must obtain an admittance slip from the front office.

2:45 The school day ends.

ABSENCES

A written excuse must accompany your child upon returning to school following an absence. Arrival after 10:00 a.m. is considered a full day absence. The note must have you child’s first and last name, plus the teacher’s name. If a note is not received within 48 hours of the absence, it will be considered unexcused. If possible, please let me know ahead of time if you know your child will be absent for any reason.

NURSE

Our school nurse is available should your child become sick or have an injury during the day. She will contact you should you need to pick your child up from school. A child must be fever free, without medication, for 24 hours before returning to school. If your child becomes sick in the evening and you must keep them home, please let the school know. It is especially important to let us know if your child develops a particularly contagious condition (chicken pox, strep throat, head lice, etc) so that teachers can watch for symptoms in other classmates. Please keep the nurse and teacher informed of any unique health condition.

**It your child has a food allergy, you must complete a food allergy form and have it signed by your doctor.

AFTER SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION

A written note is required if your child will be going home in a different way than usual. In the case of emergency changes, the front office must be notified by 2:00 p.m. to ensure your child gets home the correct way. If I do not receive a note, or message from the office, I will assume your child goes home in the usual way.

LEAVING EARLY

Please understand that if you pick up your child early from school for any reason, normal afternoon procedures will be postponed until the following day (i.e.: folder stamped, school communication, etc.)

SUPPLIES

Having to be responsible for their own supplies can be a real task in First grade. Please be aware that consumable supplies (crayons, pencils, glue, spirals, folders, etc.) may need to be replaced throughout the school year. Notes will be sent home when “specialty items” are needed for projects or assignments.

LUNCH

Lunch time is 10:30-11:00

Please make sure your child has the correct amount of money for lunch, or that his/her lunch account is up to date. When sending lunch money to school, please send it in an envelope or baggie with your child’s first/ last name and lunch code, as well as the teacher’s name clearly visible. Classroom teachers cannot be responsible for loose change or bills. If you wish your child to purchase snacks a note from you is required. Specific questions can be answered by the cafeteria manager by phone or email.

RECESS

Students will go to recess in the after lunch from 11:00 – 11:30. All children will participate in outside playtime (weather permitting) unless a written note is sent. Please be aware of the weather each day and dress your child accordingly. Tennis shoes are encouraged. In the case of inclement weather, we will have “inside recess” which may consist of center time or a video. For safety issues, there are to be no parents or siblings on the playground during recess.

BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays are fun, especially when you are a First grade student! Invitations to birthday parties may be distributed in class if every child receives an invitation. Teachers are not allowed to provide addresses and phone numbers of students. Parents may bring store-bought cupcakes, cookies, or doughnuts to school. These will be eaten at lunch or in the afternoon.

CURRICULUM

First grade curriculum includes Math, Language Arts (reading, writing, listening and speaking), Social Studies, Science, Health, and Handwriting. The curriculum incorporates and extends the concepts and skills found within the Comal ISD curriculum and the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills); see the district website for details.

GRADING

Report cards are distributed once every nine weeks. Progress reports will be distributed at the midpoint. This checklist/report card provides the following rating scale: E=Excellent; S=Satisfactory; N=Needs Improvement.

HOMEWORK

Your child will have homework assigned to them. Homework will consist of review and reinforcement, and will help build good study habits and responsibility. Periodically your child will bring home “special projects” for homework. Guiding reading books will be sent home for reading practice inside either a folder or a colored reading book. Please read daily and return the folder/bag daily.

DISCIPLINE

Procedures and expectations are reinforced on a daily basis. Children are rewarded for making the right choices during their learning day. All students attending Specht Elementary will follow the school guidelines. Our campus rules are: Respect, Responsibility, Self-Control, and no Bullying Behavior. Parents please initial the red behavior folder daily.

Parent signatures inform the teacher that you have looked at the folder and helped reinforce school expectations.

CONFERENCES

Formal conferences are held in the fall and as needed. I am happy to meet with you at any time to discuss your child’s progress or any concerns you might have. Please schedule conferences by phoning the office or sending a note in your child’s folder. Bringing your child to the classroom and stopping by to visit in the morning is not acceptable. Email and phone calls are another way to conference with the teacher quickly.

TAKE HOME FOLDERS

Every day your child will bring home a folder that hasthe behavior chart, papers completed at school and notes or messages from the teachers or office staff. Please remove the papers in the folder nightly and initial the daily behavior chart. Folders should be returned to school daily.

WATER BOTTLES

Your child may bring a pop-top water bottle to school, labeled with your child’s name. It is to be taken home daily for cleaning and returned filled with water only.

SNACK

We have snack each day. Please send a healthy snack labeled with your child’s name and kept separate from their lunch box. We do not allow peanuts in any form as a snack due to severe allergies of a number of students.

BATHROOM ACCIDENTS

Accidents do happen in First grade. It is recommended that you put a change of clothing in a labeled Ziplock bag in your child’s backpack. Your child will change clothes in either the nurse’s office or class bathroom. If they use clothing from the nurse, please wash and return the extra outfit to the nurse as soon as possible-it will be needed. If you do anticipate bathroom troubles, please let me know, so it can be handled discreetly and sensitively.

BACKGROUND CHECK

All volunteers are required to complete a background check each and every school year. If you are interested in helping with class parties, field trips, field day, bike rodeo, tutoring, etc. you will be required to complete a background check (one for each volunteer) several weeks prior to volunteering. This form is on the computer and there are computers in the cafeteria during orientation to help you complete them.

VISITORS

If you plan to visit our campus at lunch, to volunteer, or be on campus at anytime, you are required to stop in the front office and present your driver’s license. This will be run through the “quick check machine” and then you will be presented a badge to be visibly worn during your visit and turned in upon your departure to the office. After the first week of school we expect students to bring themselves to the classroom.

END OF DAY PROCEDURES

“Express” students are students whose parents drive through the express pick-up line to pick them up. The driver will drive behind the school and wait in line. First graders will wait in the gym until their name is called on the walkie-talkie. They will then meet their parent at the assigned cone that is supervised by a teacher. The driver must have a sign in the right front car window with the students’ first & last name, grade, teacher’s name.

“Walkers” are students who are picked up by an adult or sibling in the front hallway. The line to the right is for kindergarten and first graders will be on the left. A sign with your child’s first & last name, grade, and teacher’s name is most helpful. Students may not go to the adult or sibling until their name is called.

“Daycare & School Busses” will pick up students in the bus circle. Some daycare busses come quite late and sometimes those students are redirected to the front office.

“SACC” will meet in a designated classroom where they will be met by SACC staff.

**Please send clear notes for any change in procedures.

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