Welcome to 1St Grade at Eagle Creek Elementary! I Am So Excited to Start the New Year With

August 2016
Ms. Masters

Dear Parents,

Welcome to 1st grade at Eagle Creek Elementary! I am so excited to start the new year with you! During first grade, your child will learn how to read, write stories, add, subtract and so much more! I hope to make your child’s first grade experience fun, exciting and successful! To help your child get off to a great start, please read this important information and keep it for reference. I will also post it on our class website at .

Communication
Communication between home and school plays a key part in a child’s learning. For this reason, there are several ways that I will be communicating with you throughout the year.

* Red Folder- This issent home each Monday, or the first school day of the week, withyour child. It contains important information from the school to you. Please empty it and have your child bring it back the next day with any forms or other information that parents are asked to complete. We will pass out the red folders at Open House, with forms for you to fill out and return with your child on the first day of school.

*Black Shakopee Folder- This is the folder that I will use to communicate with you on a day-to-day basis. Your child will bring it home every day after school. Please empty it each evening and check it for any papers, notes, etc. Place any notes, lunch money, etc. for me in this folder and send it back with your child the next day. Thanks for your cooperation with this. Bringing the black folder back and forth to school each day is a great tool to help your child practice responsibility. I hope that you will find it helpful to have all of the important papers in one spot each day! 

*Newsletter- I will send home a newsletter each week. The newsletter will also be posted on our classroom website at The letter will include information about what we are learning and any upcoming events/important information to remember. Please be sure to take a look at these.

*Open House, Parent Night, Parent Conferences-These arescheduled events at whichwe will talk aboutwhat is happening at school and your child’s learning progress.

* Emails and calls-You are ALWAYS welcome to email me or call me with any questions, comments or concerns!

Snack Time
In our classroom, we will be taking a snack break in the afternoon. Your child may bring a nutritious food such as raisins, graham crackers, crackers and cheese, pretzels, cereal, popcorn, fruit, vegetables, etc. Please do not send any candy, gum or beverages of any kind. We have a drinking fountain in our room. The snack should be something that can be eaten in about 10 minutes and enough for one day only. Students will not be allowed to keep food in their desks or lockers. (I’m sure you can guess why?!?)

Birthdays
Birthdays are important for first graders. Your child is welcome to bring something to share with the class on his/her birthday (or another day of choice if the birthday is on the weekend or in the summer). This is an option, but please don’t feel any obligation to do this. If you do decide to send something, we would prefer that it be nonedible. Some great alternatives to snacks are pencils, erasers, stickers or a book or game to donate to our class. Please send enough for 24 students. Please contact me with any questions.

Schedule

*Daily Routine - You will find a copy of our classroom schedule on our class website. If you need a paper copy, just let me know. Our main subjects are taught in the classroom at the same time each day. Students attend “specials” during one period of the day, rotating on a 10 day cycle. Specials include gym, music, media, and art. The schedule indicates which days (1-10) that our class has the various specials. The rotation starts with the first day of school as Day 1. I will note the specials for the week in the class newsletter.

*Library Check-out:We also have Library checkout that rotates with the same day numbering system. Our class will have library on Day 5 and Day 10 of each cycle. It is important to keep track so you know when library books are due! I will note these dates in the newsletter too.

*Lunch and Recess- Please check our Class Schedule for recess and lunch times. You are welcome to join your child for lunch! Just call ahead to the lunch room to order your lunch.

Homework
Your child’s homework and any communications from me will be in the Black Folder. Please check this folder and practice the words/activities in it with your child for 10-15 minutes each evening. Setting aside a special time to do this will help your child develop a homework routine that will be valuable both this year and in future years of school. Your child will have a math sheet to complete every night that reinforces the lesson that we completed in school. If you have time, you can help your child practice reading and spelling the words on the First Grade High Frequency Word List that will be distributed in the Red Folder on the first day of school.Finally, and most importantly,PLEASEREAD with and toyour child daily for 15 minutes!

Important Papers and Money
Please send any money for lunch, book orders, field trips, etc. in a sealedenvelope in the daily Black Folder. Please include your child’s name on the envelope and the purpose for the money. Thank you for helping me with this step so that we make sure I receive the money safely! 

School Supplies
The supplies that you send at the beginning of the year should typically last for the whole year. Please do check with your child from time to time to see if a glue stick, new pack of pencils, etc. may be needed. Occasionally, I will post a classroom
“wish list” in the newsletter. If you are willing and able to contribute to our class, we would greatly appreciate it!

Our lost and found box here at school tends to reach mountainous heights each year! It would greatly help if you would label your child’s outerwear clothing, especially jackets, hats and gloves or mittens. PLEASE make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather!

Transportation/Attendance
Any time there is a change in your child’s transportation plan, please let me know with a written note or call to the office. Please don’t leave any information on my voicemail or email that I need to have by the end of the current day. Sometimes I don’t get it in time. I will send your child the normal way, unless I have directions from you to do otherwise. If your child is ill or not going to be in school, please call the attendance line. That way the office doesn’t have to call you, and we know that your child is safe.

Procedures
As a class we will be talking about how our classroom is a safe and caring place. We will talk about our hopes and dreams for the year, develop a list of rules together to ensure that we reach our dreams and remind each other to continue to follow them. We will work hard together to learn as much as we can! 

Star of the Week
One student a week will be our “Star of the Week”. Prior to your child’s week, I will send home an All About Me poster and information about this event. Please decorate and fill out this poster with your child and send it back to school at the beginning of the week. The poster includes fascinating facts, favorite things, places for pictures and room to color and personalize the poster to fit your child. Your child can also bring his or her favorite book to share with the class that week. Thanks for helping us make your child feel like a star!

Volunteers

If you are interested in volunteering for our class, there are many opportunities both at school during the school day and after school at home. Examples include stuffing the Red Folders or reading with a student at school, or filling out Scholastic Book orders from home. Please watch the newsletter for volunteer opportunities. Thank you in advance for all that you do to support our class!

It will be a great year!
First Grade is a big developmental milestone, so parents as well as children may have some apprehensions about the school year. It is extremely important to keep in mind that we all build on small successes. Each child will progress at his/her own rate, acquiring skills as he/she is developmentally ready. Maintaining each child’s self-esteem, fostering independence, and building a secure foundation for future growth will be priorities in our first grade class. Positive reinforcement from home and school will help students greatly. Please also be sure that your child gets plenty of rest and a good breakfast.
I encourage all of you to stop by during the year to participate in your child’s learning!
I’m looking forward to working with you and your child this year! Feel free to contact me any time with questions, comments or concerns. My email address is and my school phone number is (952)496-5922 Ext.6408.
Sincerely,
Beth Masters