Author: Owner

Welcome to 1st Grade!
Ms. Parker’s Class

Communication
You can keep up to speed with all that we are doing in class as well as the latest news by checking our website www.1stgradefriends.yolasite.com. The website will be updated frequently, so check it regularly.
School Supplies
Our school supplies crayons, markers, pencils, and glue. Please do not send these supplies to school with your child. The only thing they will need will be a backpack and a water bottle. If you would like to make a donation to our classroom we can always use hand sanitizer, Kleenex, Clorox wipes, and snacks.
Water Bottles
Please send a water bottle to school with your child that has a no spill lid. I prefer the “pop-up” lids as opposed to the screw on lids (less spills).
Homework
All homework is a reinforcement or extension of class instruction. Look for homework Monday - Thursday in MOOSE books. A "Homework Helper" is needed to go over directions and make sure work is completed and returned to school. Please sign or initial your child's work and send a note if it wasn't done. Students will need to have pencils, crayons, scissors, and a glue stick at home to use at home.

Birthdays
You may send in a simple class snack to celebrate your child's birthday. Invitations to parties can only be passed out in school if the whole class is invited (or all girls if it is a girl party or all boys for a boy party). Children this age are very sensitive to being left out.
Reading Calendars
Reading calendars will be sent home at the beginning of every month. Students will be asked to read for 15 minutes each night and a parent or family member will initial the date for the 15 minutes read.
Show and Tell
Students will be allowed to bring an item from home for show and tell 1 time this year. We do show and tell in the form of a “secret sharing bag”. Students will get to take the sharing bag home and bring back their special toy when they are star of the week. With the exception of the “secret sharing bag” students are not allowed to bring toys to school. Please make sure your child keeps toys at home. If I have to take a toy from a student, I will label it with their name and put it away until the end of the year. Parents may pick up the toy at anytime.
Snack
We will enjoy a healthy snack everyday after second recess. I ask that each family sends a healthy snack to school one time each month. Please send a snack in at the beginning of each month. Ideal snacks are fruit, string cheese, graham crackers, granola bars, etc. Snacks will need to feed 22 children.

Contact Ms. Parker
Email: jparker@casdk12.net
Phone: 344-3500 ext. 3105 (school)
989-370-5422 (cell)

M.O.O.S.E. Books
M.O.O.S.E. Books will be sent home Monday through Thursday and will be expected back to school the following morning. This is a great communication tool for families and teachers. If you have any notes that will need my immediate attention, please slip them into the front cover of the M.O.O.S.E. book.
Volunteers
Volunteers are always welcome in our classroom. I will be sending a volunteer sign up sheet home the first week of school. I will ask that you please sign up of one of the classroom projects or events.
Behavior Management
In our classroom we use a “pin up” system. All students begin each day on green ~ ready to learn. They will then either “pin up” or “pin down” depending on their choices. The “pin up” color meanings are as follows:
Green ~ Ready to Learn
Purple ~ Role Model
Pink ~
Orange~ Outstanding
The “pin down” color meanings are as
follows:
Yellow ~ Warning-Make a Better Choice/
5 minutes of recess
Red=Think About Your Choice/ no recess
Blue=call home
I will send home a Behavior Report at the end of each week. If your child has any color changes please discuss their choices with them sign the slip and send it back to school.
Money
Please send any lunch money, popcorn money, book order money, or field trip money to school in an envelope with the following information printed on the front.
Student Name
Specific Money (i.e. Lunch Money)
Ms. Parker
Dollar Amount

Schedule
8:30-8:40 Breakfast for the Brain
8:40-9:15 Reader’s Workshop
9:15-9:45 SPECIALS
9:45-10:30 Writer’s Workshop
10:30-11:30 Guided Reading/Daily 5
11:30-12:00 LUNCH
12:00-1:00 Math Stations
1:00-1:30 RECESS
1:30-1:40 Snack/ Read Aloud
1:40-2:15 Phonics
2:15-3:00 Science/ Social Studies/
Explorations
3:00-3:10 Star Time
3:10-3:18 Wrap-Up/End of Day
Specials
Tuesdays and Thursdays we will have music class with Mr. Brown. Wednesdays and Fridays we will have Gym class with Mr. Baker. Please remember to bring your gym shoes on these days. Mondays we will have Library with Mrs. Millikin. Students will check out books and work in the computer lab during the our Library time, 2:00-2:45. Please help your child remember their library books on those Mondays.
Specials in the classroom will include art, reading buddies, Spanish, and technology. Technology will be incorporated across the curriculum. We will be blogging about the interesting things that we are be doing in class. You can find a link to that blog on our website. Spanish will be introduced in special lessons on when time allows. It will be incorporated on a daily basis during our greetings and calendar time. Art will be most Fridays. We will be meeting with our reading buddies from Mrs. Lewicki’s 4th grade class at least twice a month.

I am looking forward to spending an amazing school year with you! Can’t wait to get the 2011-2012 school year started!
Ms. Parker