I want you to know how excited I am to be your child's teacher this year! It felt so good to be back in the classroom and the fun students I have make my job that much more enjoyable. I appreciate each student and their respect toward me and their kindness toward each other. I have to admit that this is an especially unique group of kids. I am already looking forward to what this year will bring. I'm hoping that all of us will continue to stay safe and healthy so we can remain in school all year. (Fingers crossed!)
The following are some housekeeping items to help answer some questions you might have. Also, please help remind your child to bring 3 items to school each day besides their backpack with their homework folder: their mask, a water bottle and a small snack.
Attendance:
Much of my teaching in first grade is hands-on. In order for this year to be a successful learning experience, it is extremely important that your son/daughter arrives to school by 8:55 and attends school every day. If your child is late, he/she will miss important instruction. A great goal is to not be tardy or absent more than 5 times during any given school year. If an absence is unavoidable, missed work will be saved in a folder. The folder will go home on the first day your child is back to school. Your child will then be given two school days for each day he/she has missed, to turn it in.
Opening Bell: 8:55 AM
Full day dismissal: 3:35 PM
Friday (by appointment)
Our bell will ring at 8:55 AM. Students will be brought inside and instruction will promptly begin at 9:00. Please plan your morning accordingly so your child will arrive on time and ready to learn.
Our weekly rotation schedule is in the following daily order:
Music, PE, Library, STEM Lab (Computers)
Please make a note to have your child wear running shoes to school each Tuesday so he/she can participate safely in PE class. PE will take place outside as long as weather permits.
I will also teach a "Second Step" lesson each Monday which is a Social/Emotional skills class that will run through the year. I will introduce the topic on Monday and we will review it daily throughout the week. (All students in the school will receive these lessons.) I will let you know what the topic is so you can reach out to your student during the week and talk about it.
Homework:
Every student has been given a red plastic Ridge View Elementary homework folder. This folder needs to come to school daily. Please look over your child's work they bring home and remove it from the homework folder before returning it to school.
Homework will consist of Words Their Way (Spelling), high frequency word recognition and nightly reading of 20 minutes. Your assistance with homework is essential for your student to be successful. (I will be sending more information about this next week.) For this week make sure to read with your child 20 minutes each day.
Each Thursday your child will receive a 3-page packet that is expected to be completed on Friday while your child is not physically in school. (This packet will consist of a math review page of the week, a reading passage and a writing assignment.) This work is NOT busy work. It is what we would normally be reviewing on Friday. They will return the homework to school the following Monday.
On Friday I will work with children during a 3-hour time period. This is one-on-one or small group targeted instruction. If I need to work with your child on any Friday, you will be notified by that previous Monday and a 30-minute time will be set up to either meet in person or on a Zoom meeting. Meeting in person is always preferred and much more beneficial, if at all possible.
Spelling (WTW) will start the week of Labor Day. I have tested all the students and they will be placed in their own "work-at-their-own-pace" program. Words Their Way is a word study program I use that allows a child to learn words and the spelling patterns at their own developmental level. At the beginning of each week your student will get picture and/or word sorts to study throughout the week. Each Thursday, a test will be given. Further information on this program will come home in a couple weeks. This year, if your child has access to an iPad, computer or another digital device, you have the option to receive their words in an online game format to do each evening. If not, I will be happy to send home a paper copy for your child to use all week for their homework. During class, your child will also do daily spelling activities on their individual iPad.
*Reading homework: A monthly reading calendar will be sent home at the beginning of each month and will be due at the end of the month. First grade is a very big year for your child’s reading development. Your child is encouraged to read out loud for at least 20 minutes daily with a minimum of 100 minutes a week. The reading calendar can also help to record minutes if your child is going to participate in the Pizza Hut Book-it program. You will be receiving login information for your child to read on RAZ Kids, which allows them to choose from hundreds of books at their reading level. I have paper books to lend out for those of you who do not have access to the internet or would rather have your child read from paper books than online books. We will have a fun popcorn read-a-thon at the end of the school year to celebrate our reading success!
*Sight word knowledge is essential for reading success. Sight words will be on the back of the monthly reading calendar to practice. These words need to be memorized, not sounded out. We are focusing on sight recognition, not spelling; however, writing them down is a great way to reinforce memorization.
Snack & Daily Schedule:
Our lunchtime is 12:45. We will be having a time for snack at 10:30. Please send your child with a healthy snack each day. Some healthy snack suggestions are: string cheese, fruit, crackers, raisins, apple sauce, dry cereal, granola bars, etc. All snacks MUST be peanut-free (peanut-butter free) and tree nut free. Please do not send a drink for snack time. Your child has their own water bottle that they can use. FYI: This year we have snack in 3 separate time frames so the students who are eating, are at least 6 feet apart from others eating at the same time (because they have their masks off.)
*Please plan ahead for snack. Before the week starts, encourage your child to “be proactive” and put multiple bags/baggies of snack in his/her backpack so it will last four days. Some parents find it helpful to send a box of crackers, fruit snacks, pretzels, etc. for their child to keep at school. I’d be happy to keep it in my snack cupboard with his/her name on it. Whatever works for you, works for me. (As always, if your son or daughter does not bring a snack, I will provide one for them.)
Star Student:
I have a weekly Star Student in place of birthdays to accommodate those kids with summer birthdays. I try to have his/her special week close to their birthday, if possible. If you choose to send a treat for the class, please remember that it must be store-bought and peanut-free/tree nut-free. Some parents send treats and some don’t. It’s an individual decision on your part. If you choose to send a treat, snack time is the perfect time to pass it out! Your child will be given a poster a week before his/her special week. Your child is encouraged to fill it out and decorate it. The poster will be displayed in the room during his/her Star Student week. Your child will tell about the poster, bring his/her favorite book for me to read to the class, wear a crown all week and receive a fun treat from me!
Book Orders:
I participate in Scholastic Book Club ordering. This is a wonderful and inexpensive way to build home libraries. Book orders will come home about every 6-8 weeks. I encourage everyone to order, however, it is on a voluntary basis. Now it’s easier than ever to find the right books for your child—and help us earn FREE books for our classroom library at the same time! Best of all, our class earns a FREE book every time a parent places an order online! You will receive more information the first time I send a book order home.
*Water Bottle:
Due to Covid-19, drinking fountains are OFF LIMITS at school. Please send your child to school with a labeled water bottle to use each day. Several times during the day, I will turn on the water at the back sink for your child to fill up their bottle.
Please feel free to contact me regarding this or any other questions, comments, or concerns you may have. I can be reached at Ridge View Elementary (801-567-8930) from 8:30-4:00; however, during class time you will be directed to my voice mail. You may also send a note with your child or feel free to email me at [email protected]. I will check my email a minimum of twice daily. If you need to meet with me, I’d be happy to set up an appointment so I can devote all of my attention to the matter. I can also be contacted during my "office hours" on Friday from 11:00-11:30.
Last but not least, if you haven't had a chance to view our Virtual Back to School Night, please click the red button below. If you have not filled out our digital information and transportation forms, please do so below. I look forward to getting to know you and your child! We’re going to have a blockbuster of a year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cameon C. Patterick
Director of an “All-Star” class
http://creatingstars.weebly.com