Days Absent: On days when a child is absent, I will gather the work that is missed and it will be placed in a "We Missed You" folder. If you would like to pick up the students work, please let me know no later than lunch time (11:20) of that day, the earlier the better. I will then make sure all work is gathered and ready by the end of the day for you to pick up, or to be sent home with another student.

*If work is to be sent home with another student...please state the student's first and last name, along with their teacher's name.

*If you are picking work up it will be available for you to pick up in the office after 2:30.

Homework: Students are expected to complete homework each night, Mon. - Thurs.

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As a part of the student's routine each morning, they are to hand in their homework assignment. If a homework assignment is not completed or is incomplete a "Cat Sheet" will be sent home. A "Cat Sheet" makes parents aware that an assignment was not completed or was incomplete. Students are to get the "Cat Sheet" signed by a parent and complete the missed assignment. The "Cat Sheet" and completed assignment should be handed in the following day.

*There is no reason to be concerned unless you are receiving these frequently.*

Reading: WEB Calendars:  Our class will participate in Pizza Hut's "Book It!" program.  The program will start on October 1st and run through the end of March.  Our goal in first grade is for ALL students to read or be read to for at least 15 minutes, 4 nights per week.  This reading should be recorded on your child's web calendar each night and counts as a homework assignment.  WEB calendars should be brought back and forth from school to home each day.  At the end of the month students who met or exceeded the goal will be rewarded with a Reading Award Certificate!  This certificate entitles them to a free, one-topping personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.       .......Happy Reading First Graders......

*Children should be reading at least 4 nights per week, for at least 15 minutes.

Management: For behavior management I use a "Stoplight."  At the bottom of the stoplight there is a golden star.

Golden Star...Each day all children begin on the star.

Green Light......Warning  (A chance to reflect and make more positive choices)

Yellow Light......Student loses some of their time

Red Light......Student loses all of recess and parent contact is made.

I also use tickets in the classroom. Students can earn tickets for exceptional behavior and/or work. Upon earning tickets students write their names on the back of the tickets and enter them in the ticket- muncher. Each Friday I draw five names and these five students have the opportunity to make a selection from the prize box.  Other types of reinforcement utilized in my classroom are verbal praise and recognition, stickers, pencils, good news cards, phone calls to parents and/or children.

Birthdays: Families are welcome to send in a birthday goodie for us to enjoy to celebrate a birthday. Please make contact with me prior to sending in the goodie so I am aware of when you plan to send it in. Goodies should be sent into school with your child in the morning (if they can handle carrying it in) or dropped off in the office.

Goodies should be finger foods (cupcakes, brownies, cookies, etc.) Foods that your child can easily hand out to classmates. If you would like to send in drinks...please send in individual juice boxes only.

Summer Birthdays....will be celebrated in June if you wish.

Volunteers/Room Parents:

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- Computer Lab Helpers

- Room Parents

- Junior Achievement Volunteer(s)

In order to help our first graders' learn the difference between their snack and lunch I encourage you to pack them separately.  For example, placing their lunch in a lunch box or bag and their snack simply in their backpack or in a separate bag.  This way the snack is separate from their lunch and there is no confusion.  If their snack is in a disposable bag you also could label it for them, "snack."

Forgetting ones snack can be very upsetting for a child, so please help your child to check for his or her snack each morning before they leave.  Use this as an opportunity to discuss the difference between their lunch and snack.

The books will be sent home promptly upon their arrival at school.