Mrs. Newton's 1st Grade Class Information

1. Welcome to 1st Grade! -Please sign up for a conference time -Please read over the PTA proposed budget and cast your vote -Please be sure and check out our volunteer opportunities if you did not get a chance to at open house

2. About Mrs. Newton.. • Educational background • 4th year • First Grade learning: • Explorative • Independence • Home-to-School Connection

3. Curriculum

4. Pathways to Literacy *Consistency in K-2 6 components: 1)Shared Reading: daily routine, big poem, sight words 2)Daily Literacy Centers: Students work in small groups on independent activities to reinforce reading and writing skills 3)Writer’s Workshop: Students work on the elements of writing. They also learn about a variety of texts 4)Daily Read Alouds: listening to a story 5) Word Study (spelling) 6) Independent Reading: reading on level books

5. Word Study • Word Study is Loudoun County’s spelling program. Words are sorted into groups based upon their features. grbrpl green brush place grape broom play grade breakfast plate

6. Mathematics • Continued spiral from K • Investigations • Student Discovery; Hands-on • Daily Math session, math games/ centers • Topics covered include: • Patterns -Addition • Money -Subtraction • Fractions -Place Value • Geometry -Probability and Statistics • Time • Measurement • Graphs/Charts • Problem Solving

7. Science • Alternates with Social Studies • Units • Weather • Seasons • Matter • Force, Energy, and Motion • Habitats • Cycles • Scientific Process • Asking Questions • Communicating • Gathering Data • Making Sense of Data

8. Social Studies Units • Map and Globe Skills • Communities/Citizenship • Virginia • Famous Americans • Economics • Australia • Alaska • Hawaii • Symbols

9. Assessments • Frequently – more than what you may see coming home • End of unit tests/ projects • In-class work • Please use them as information and to target any work you may do at home • CLARITY

10. Grading Policies • The report card will have the following letters as indicators of development: • 1/B Below • *With assistance, student struggles to demonstrate partial mastery of • current grade level expectations • 2/PProgressing • *With assistance, student demonstrates partial mastery of • current grade level expectations • 3/MMeets • *Student consistently meets and demonstrates mastery of • current grade level expectations • 4/E Exceeds • *In addition to meeting the standard, the student makes application • beyond grade level expectations • *If a • is placed in an area of the report card, • this means that the skill was not assessed during that particular quarter.

11. Homework • Homework will be sent home every Monday and should be returned on Friday. • Homework is a nightly process • Reading is expected every night, it is part of your nightly routine. Reading…Silently/Read Aloud- 10/15 minutes • How can I help at home? • Flash cards • +1,+0 • Doubles • Then everything else • Sight words • Asking questions while reading… • What is your favorite part? • What does this remind you of, or any connections you might have? • Tell me what happened in the story (Retelling with charters names and in order) *Starts in October

12. Behavior Management • Pink: Star Student  Reward jar! • Purple: Role Model. 1 round of Operation • Light Blue: Showing Pride. Earn a sticker! • Ready to Learn! • Yellow: I need to SLOW DOWN and focus on my work • Orange: Logical Consequence/ kindness jar • Red: Parent Contact -note home, sign and return the next day *What if this doesn’t work for my child? All students start here!

13. Food • Breakfast: students may eat breakfast at school in the morning when they first arrive • Snack : Quick, HEALTHY and clean 5 minute snack • LOVE bananas, cereal, apple slices! • NO PEANUTS please! • Lunch begins at 12:30 each day. *joining your child for lunch *adding money to their account *icecream on Thrusdays

14. Housekeeping • Class celebrations *three each year: winter, Valentine’s, EOY • Birthdays *No food *Birthday ‘balloon’, sticker, pencil, singing, and read their favorite book (please no chapter books ;) !) *Can donate a book to class or to the library • Field Trips * T-Shirts • Medication *Nurse

15. Attendance • I want to see your child’s smiling face! • Full day with LOTS of curriculum • Come every day! • Send a note, email, or call about absences • Absentee Number: 703.957.4391 Ellen Austin: ellen.austin@lcps.org (She needs to know too )

16. Specials • Monday: Art (Mrs. Stremple) • Tuesday: Music & P.E. (Mrs. Leslie; Coach Bango) • Wednesday: Music & Computer Lab • Thursday: P.E. & SEARCH/Guidance • Friday: P.E. & Library **Please have your child wear tennis shoes on days that we have P.E.!!

17. Communication • Email • Arcola Website • Monthly Newsletters; Weekly reminders in homework binders • Paperless • Take home folder • Black Thursday folder • Conferences • Phone calls and notes as necessary

18. Contacting Mrs. Newton • Email: lindsey.newton@lcps.org *Please be patient with emails. I will reply to you as soon as possible, but I rarely have an opportunity, if any, to check my email during the school day. • Send in notes • School Phone:703-957-4390 Absentee Line: 703-957-4391

19. THANK YOU • Thank you for your time tonight! • Our collaboration will be key in creating a successful year. • Please remember to sign up for Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences and any volunteer opportunities you are interested in!