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Absences-If your child is ill, please call the office (847-398-4297) and inform us of your child’s absence and the reason for it. This is for your child’s safety. If a student must leave early for a doctor’s appointment, go to the office to sign him out and the secretary will call him to the office.
Attendance-A successful school experience is the responsibility of the child, the parent and the school. Your child's progress, both academically and socially, is influenced to a great extent by daily participation. Regular attendance without tardiness is a key. Please view school as a priority and children should be encouraged to attend every day except in cases of illness or emergency.
Arrival and Dismissal-Students should arrive by 9:00 AM, and we will begin by 9:05 AM each day. Dismissal for this class will be 3:35 PM. Children leaving will be dismissed from the door on Windsor St. and will meet their pick-up "parent" by the sidewalk on the Windsor St side of school. Please know that I will not release children until I see a familiar adult picking them up, so if there is a change to the daily routine, please be sure to let me know!
Art- The children will participate in art class once per week and will need their art smock for that day. However, we may also do some art activities in the classroom, so if your child could please keep the art smock in his/her backpack that would be most helpful for any class projects that we need to complete as well.
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Backpacks-To help your child carry messages and information to and from school, you are asked to provide a backpack (no wheels please). Please have your child remove the notes and papers from the backpack with you daily so that they can share in their accomplishments from school and so you stay informed! Backpacks should be big enough to carry a folder, notebook, art smock, change of clothes (emergency clothes) and a snack.
Birthdays-Birthdays are special occasions for young children. We will do special, in class, celebrations for each child on her/his birthday. The district does not allow children to bring birthday treats (food or otherwise) to school.
Book Orders-I will try to send home a book order once a month for you and your child to look over. These clubs offer wonderful books at reduced prices---what a great way to build your home library! Of course, you are never under any obligation to order. If you choose to order, please make the check payable to Scholastic Books. By ordering books for your family, you are also helping to build our classroom library! THANK YOU!
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Calendar-A calendar of events and the monthly school breakfast/lunch menus are available on our school website. I will also try to publish upcoming events in our class newsletter.
Computer-We use a variety of age-appropriate programs that reinforce math, readiness and reading skills. Children will work on the computers whenever appropriate.
Conferences-Parent/Teacher conferences are held twice a year, and the first one is in October. You will be signing up on-line for a conference time, and it is restricted to 1 time slot per student. We will discuss your child's accomplishments, strengths and overall progress. Please feel free to schedule additional conferences at any time throughout the year, if the need arises.
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Discipline-Our classroom is a small community where teamwork and good relationships are expected. We will spend time learning class procedures and practicing them. Each student is expected to act within our standards of behavior, the Wildcat Way. To establish good order and help the children learn self-control, they will be guided to respect themselves and their peers through specific directions, positive reinforcement, suggested new activities and responsible actions. We will talk about what rules means and what we need to do to follow the classroom/school rules. Students who have troubles following the rules will have natural consequences for their behavior. I would like to establish a relationship with you, so that I can call/e-mail and let you know what your child is doing. I think that it is your right to know when your child has a few bad days.This year we will be utilizing a website called Class Dojo, which helps students to monitor their behaviors, both expected and unexpected, in order to help them adjust their behavior throughout the day. This website will also notify you of how your student did each day.
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E-mail-You can contact me via my email address: [email protected]. I will check my email on a daily basis. If you need to discuss something urgently, please call me at school instead or send a note with your child. Please let me know if there are any changes at home or to the daily routine which may affect your child's day.
Emergency Information Paper-Please complete and return the emergency paper promptly (if you did not complete it during registration).If your home or work phone number changes, or your contact information changes, PLEASE inform the office as soon as possible so you can be located quickly if an emergency occurs.
Emergency Closings-If schools are closed for a snow day or any emergency you can check our school website for that information. Local radio stations or the local TV stations (Channels 2, 5, 7 and 9) will make an announcement as early as possible.
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Field Trips-We plan field trips that are both fun and educational for the children. Parent drivers are not permitted, so buses will have to be used for transportation. We often need parent volunteers on the trips and chaperons will be chosen on a first come, first serve basis. Please return permission slips as soon as possible after they are sent home.
Fire Drills-Fire drills are held at various times throughout the year. All students will participate and are expected to walk quickly and quietly to their designated exit. We will practice and become familiar with procedures before our first scheduled drill. Sometimes these drills cause anxiety for kids, so we spend a lot of time talking about why we do fire drills. We learn that we do them so that we are safe in case there is a real fire.
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Gym-Our class will have gym twice a week for 30 minutes each time. The children are asked to wear sneakers on gym days and girls might consider wearing pants or having a pair of shorts to slip on under their dress.
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Hands-on Learning-I feel that the best way to help children learn is to make learning fun. Important concepts can be learned by doing meaningful hands-on activities. There are times when seat work is required and necessary, but for the most part, our classroom will be an active learning environment.
Health-Please let me know of any special circumstances which may affect your child. These could include medication that may make him/her sleepy, a death in the family, etc. Also, please let me know of any allergies your child may have, especially food allergies.
Help at Home-I now that your nights are very busy, however it would be very beneficial for your child to have the following skills mastered early on in the year: **Full name **Address **Telephone number **Parents’ names **Basic colors **Counting to 10 **Printing first name When time permits, work on these skills also: **Reciting the alphabet **Shape names **Birthday (month & date) **Identifying numbers to 10 **Identifying letter names **Tying shoes Your extra help at home really makes a difference!
Homework- Yes, there is some homework involved. Each day you need to spend some time reading with your child, this can be reading to your child, with your child or listening to your child read. Additionally, there may be homework that comes home if something was not completed during class or is something your child needs extra practice with (there will be a stamper mark indicating what is homework). Please help to ensure that your child has completed the homework the the best of his/her ability and return it the next day. It is important to see what your child is doing, and making mistakes is part of the learning process so I DO NOT expect the homework to be done perfectly.
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Illness-The question of when to keep your child home from school is often a difficult one, especially when decisions must be made first thing in the morning. It is important, however, to keep your child home if he/she is ill. This helps to make them more comfortable and prevents others from becoming ill. Children function more effectively in the classroom when they are healthy. Please remember that your child may not come to school with a temperature. Children may not come back to school until he/she has been fever free, without medications, for 24 hours.
Independent Reading-Because children learn to read by reading, they need plenty of opportunities to read independently. Sufficient time and appropriate materials are necessary to develop and strengthen reading abilities. By giving the children time to read both at school and at home, we can work together to provide a literature-rich environment and a life-long love of reading.
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Jolly Phonics- This program was used in the kindergarten setting to help the children understand that letters have sounds and when you put these sounds together they make words. Each letter or group of letters that was studied has a special sound and motion for the children to help them remember. We will be referring to these motions/sounds in our work as first graders as we continue to learn our phonics skills.
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Kindness-Students in our classroom are encouraged and expected to treat all members of our class as well as others with kindness and respect. Bothering others, bullying and interrupting learning will not be permitted.
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Library-Here at Windsor, we call this the LMC. The children go to the library one day per week. In the LMC, encouraging the children to love reading is our main mission, through the sharing stories, strategies, and activities. The children will have a chance to select a book to borrow for a week.
Lunch- Children may bring a packed lunch from home or eat a school lunch. If your child is eating a school lunch, please set up a lunch account for your child. If you need to send money to school, please send it in an envelope with your child’s name written clearly on the front. Have your child give their money to me when they get to school. You can also drop the money by the office. Each morning your child will make their lunch selection, which is turned in. Once a lunch selection has been made it CANNOT be changed, so please help your child to review their options with them before school so that they can make the most appropriate choice when they arrive in the room.
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Math-We are excited to have a new mathematics curriculum, Math in Focus, which provides students with mathematical experiences that help them develop number sense and a positive attitude towards mathematics that will continue through their school career and their lives. We employ a hands-on, problem solving approach to learning, and I always encourage the children to learn the skill several ways and then to rely on their best method for solving the problem.
Music-Our music teacher will be teaching the children the basics of music education and will be sharing many wonderful songs! We are scheduled to have music twice per week. Of course, we will be singing and enjoying music daily in the classroom.
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Newsletter- A class newsletter will be posted on our class website every Friday, and the newsletter will contain information that you and your child will need to know and share. Reminders, family activities, calendar events, etc. will be provided for you in the newsletter.
Nurse-We have two school nurses here at Windsor. They will tend to minor scratches and scrapes, as well as sudden illnesses. For more serious injuries, you will be contacted. Please be sure to send in any change of contact numbers, in case she needs to get in touch with you. Please make sure to contact the nurse with any pertinent information about your child's health!
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Oh, Wow!!!!!-You will be constantly amazed at the changes your child will be making this year. We will be learning and growing DAILY! First Grade is the best year of your child’s learning career. It is the year all of their learning beliefs are set in stone. Please help me in making this a very fun, beneficial, exciting, and positive year!
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Parent Involvement-Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school! We are always happy to have your help for special activities in the classroom and school functions. I hope that you can come and join in the fun!
Parent Teacher Association-Windsor school is very lucky to have such a wonderful PTA. The PTA has done some outstanding things for our school. PTA is always looking for volunteers to help with school functions. Please volunteer some time to help our school out!
Parent/Teacher Relationship-I believe a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success. Throughout the year, I will communicate with you through notes, telephone calls, e-mails, newsletters, our class website and parent-teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns at any time.
Parties & Celebrations-There are two main parties each year---which will be decided between myself and the room parents. The room parents will organize these events and coordinate volunteers and donations. We will celebrate all of the holidays, but only some will be done as classroom parties.
Playground Procedures-Please review these playground safety procedures with your child: 1. Slides are for going down, not up 2. No rough play. Keep your hands and feet to yourself. 3. Do not leave the playground. 4. Rocks and woodchips stay on the ground
Pictures- Our class has a Shutterfly classroom share site for picture sharing. I try to take as many photos as I can of our activities and post them on this site. The site is secured, and only people which I add to the list can view these photos. I will send a membership link to your email so that you can view these photos.
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Questions-Since so many of you are new to Windsor School or my class this year, I’m sure that you may still have some unanswered questions. Please feel free to call me at school 847-398-4297 (between 8:15-9:00 a.m. or between 3:35-3:45 p.m.). Or you can always write a note or email me at: [email protected]
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Recess- The class will be going out for recess several times per week unless it is raining or extremely cold. Please keep this in mind when helping your child to select clothing for the day. For the most part, if your child is well enough to be at school she/he is well enough to participate in outdoor recess, if properly dressed. In the winter, students are allowed to bring their snow gear. We ask that they bring extra shoes to change into when they take off their snow boots.
Report Cards-Report cards are issued three times per year. These reports reflect the progress your child has made toward various first grade learning objectives and uses a grading system that reflects the developmental nature of learning. Please remember that as the year progresses so do my expectations.
Restrooms-We have a bathroom near the classroom, but using it frequently takes away valuable learning time. Your child will be permitted to go as needed, but there will be bathroom breaks throughout the day. Please talk to your child about basic bathroom rules and hygiene.
Room Parent-The room parents' job is to be available to help coordinate parties and activities. Being a room parent is a great way to be involved in your child’s school life. Room parent’s work closely with our school’s PTA.
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School Rules-Our school follows the Windsor Way, which is a set of expectations to help the children understand what they are expected to do in all areas of the building. These expectations are: • Be Kind, Safe and Responsible because you are important!
Science-The focus of the science curriculum is on developing an awareness of the world in which we live. Through scientific inquiry, concepts will be presented, and these areas will be explored utilizing a literacy based, hands-on approach. Our units this year will be: Watching the Sky, Light and Sound, and Examining Living Things.
Shared Reading-Shared reading is an interactive process used with the whole class. As the teacher reads a story, children join in on phrases or words that they know. During subsequent re-readings, children read more and more of the text, until they are able to read the story independently. Shared reading is an opportunity for the teacher to model conventions of print and the use of reading strategies.
Snack- We will have snack time every day, but snack is optional.In order to promote healthy eating and to ensure all students are safe (we do have some allergies in our classroom), we are asking that snacks be limited to fruits and vegetables. Please avoid things that require lots of time to open or things that require spoons, as we do not have a great deal of time for snacking. You may also feel free to send in a water bottle with your child if your wish, but please know we have access to water all day as there is a water fountain in our classroom.
Social Studies-The social studies curriculum focuses on the students and how they relate to others in their families, classroom, school, and community. We also study American Symbols and have a cultural study unit as well. Activities will help the children focus their natural curiosity for the world around them.
Social Thinking- In my classroom, we utilize skills and strategies from Michelle Garcia Winner's Social Thinking curriculum. We do not use the words good and bad when we describe students or behaviors. Instead, I ask the children to place a label on their own behavior as either being EXPECTED or UNEXPECTED. The children judge their own behavior by looking to see what their peers are doing and if they are having unexpected behaviors, then they make the necessary corrections to their behavior without hesitation.
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Toys-Bringing toys to school is discouraged because they distract the children from learning. If a toy is accidentally lost or broken, feelings will be hurt. Books are okay to bring in, but please make sure that they are clearly marked with your child's name.
Tardies-Your child is expected to be in the classroom by 9:05. We do keep track of your child’s tardies, so it is VERY important that your child is at school on time!
Transportation-If you plan to change how your child goes home at the end of the day you must send a written note or call the office when changes are necessary during the day. Do not rely on your child to tell me this information, because children often become confused and relay messages incorrectly. If no written note or call to the office is received, your child will be sent home by her/his usual method of transportation.
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Visitors-Windsor has a policy that ALL GUESTS (including familiar faces) are required to check in at the school office.Windsor welcomes and encourages family involvement. It is important to remember that while this may seem inconvenient to frequent visitors, it is the goal and responsibility of the school to create a safe learning environment. Please also take into account that visits should be kept short, so the learning atmosphere is not interrupted.
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Website-. Check in regularly to our class website to find information about curriculum, special events and school news. I will be featuring photos of our weekly activities--it's the next best thing to being in our classroom each day! Please promptly return the web permission form, which permits me to include your child's photo and first name on our website.
Writing-Our writing program builds on what each child already knows. Writing begins with scribbles and proceeds to lines and circles, random strings of letters, words and spaces and eventually sentences. Your children will be encouraged and praised for all attempts and accomplishments in writing. Providing a risk-free environment is paramount to your child's progress in writing. If possible, please provide your child with writing tools, such as pencils, crayons, markers and paper at home.
Water Bottles-Students need to perform at their best. In order for their little brains to be working they need water! Children are welcome to bring a water bottle to use during the day, but we have a water fountain in the classroom so a water bottle is not mandatory.
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X-cellent year-This will be an excellent year for your child. First Grade is full of many firsts in your child’s life. I am so excited that I will get to share those with you and your family. Please remember to let me know if there is ever anything that I can do to help you out!
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Zzzzs-Make sure that your child gets plenty of rest. The first grade classroom is a busy place and you will probably find your child exhausted at the end of the day. Setting and keeping a bedtime is a wonderful gift you can give to your child. It will help them to be alert and ready to learn each day!