Reminders
Nov. 9-12 – Library Book Fair
Nov. 11 – PTA; Veteran’s Day Program
Nov. 12 – Interims go home
Nov. 13 – Cultural Arts Open House 5:30; Family Game
Night 6-8 pm
Nov. 17 – Italian Pie Night for BEE
A Peek at Our Week
In Language Arts, the theme will be Friendship. We will be reading,
discussing, and writing about this topic. We will continue visualizing and
noting beginning, middle, and endings of stories. Phonics skill will be s
blends. Grammar focus will be verbs and commas in letters. In math we will
continue to do strategies for addition and word problems.
RSVP’s Needed
PTA is asking for RSVP’s about pizza orders for Friday night. They would
like these in for Tuesday to finalize their order.
Food Drive
The Student Council will be collecting canned goods for a community food
drive. We will graph our donations.
The winning class will have a nacho party.
Displaced!
Our class will be meeting in various places this week as new cabinets are
installed in the front and back of the class and a new computer table is
constructed. I am planning to have as normal week as possible, but I’m sure
the children will be very excited about the changes. We will also get a
whole side wall of cabinets to replace the old ones, but I have not been
told yet when they will be delivered.
Thanksgiving Snack!
Next week on Wednesday, I plan to assemble all ingredients needed to mix up
pumpkin muffins as part of a math class. On Thursday, we will make
Friendship Fruit Salad. I will be sending home a note telling your child
what fruit to bring. Only send one of the fruits as the salad will be huge
if we double the ingredients.
Lost Items
Cooler weather brings lost sweaters, sweatshirts, and jackets. Please put
your child’s name on everything. The chance of getting them back is so much
greater when the items are labeled.
Shoes
We have PE on Wednesday and Thursday. Coach is very concerned about
safety. Children need to wear tennis shoes on these days or they will need
to sit out.
Changes
Within the next week or two, our classroom should be getting new cabinets.
The storage will be on all four walls. If your child comes home talking
about having class in a different location (cafeteria, foyer, hall), that is
why. We must be out of the classroom for installation of these.
Reading
We are beginning Book 3 of our reading series. We are one third through the
reading series for first grade. Many of the children are reading the
words. We are continuing to work on fluency so that it sounds like talking
and is fun to listen too. This helps with comprehension. Please stop your
child every few sentences and ask him/her to retell what he/she has read.
Labels for Education
The PTA is collecting the pink Labels for Education found on many products.
It is free, and they make money for equipment for the school. Please send
them in a baggie labeled with your child’s name and C. Petty on the bag so
our class gets credit for them.
New Grading Scale: We will be using the following to determine letter grades
for your child: 92-100=E, 91-74=S, 65-73=N, and 64 and below is a U.
Reviewing Papers: When test papers and classwork are sent home, please
review missed items with your child. This is invaluable to him/her in that
it is exactly where trouble spots are. I try very hard to go over missed
work or we check the classwork together and they are supposed to make
corrections.I do not, however, go over tests.
Behavior grades in Red Folder on Calendar
Look for behavior grades in your child's red folder beginning last Monday.
An explanation of the grades is also in one of the plastic protective sheet.
The class has been womderful! I am not expecting a lot of clips to be
dropped.
New Folder and Spelling Journal
Reading Folder: This blue folder contains all the words and stories for the
first reader. Please do not have your child read ahead. The Oral
Vocabulary words are for talking only. We will be using them in
conversation. The Challenge Words are only for those children who know the
Story Words and Phonics Words quickly in any order. These should be put on
flash cards and kept for review. The stories will be highlighted when we
have done them in class. Again, do not have your child read these stories
until they are assigned. We will be working on Story 3 this week.
Spelling Journal: This journal contains the week’s spelling words. A
separate note is in the front of your child’s Spelling Journal to explain
spelling procedures. The highlighted words are the only ones your child
will be tested on. First Grade teachers are working hard to individualize
Spelling. If your child knows the words on the pretest, he does not work on
them that week, but concentrates on the ones missed and possibly challenge
words. The activities that you child may choose to do for their spelling
assignment are glued in the back of the Spelling Notebooks. We are
currently using the blue options. If the work is completed in the notebook,
I don’t need you to sign the notebook. BUT if it is not in the notebook,
please initial and tell the activity.
You should expect three things in your child’s book bag every day: a red
Daily Folder, a blue Reading Folder, and a Spelling Journal. It will be your
child’s responsibility to pack these in his bag each day.
Snack
Please make sure your child has an easy to eat snack each day. Several
children have forgotten to bring snacks and/or drinks. I am providing
snacks until I run out. He/she can get water, but something dry to munch on
is nice to get the brain juices flowing again. Please do not send yogurt or
pudding as we will have to eat in our room as we work, and those are messy!
Box Tops
A letter went home last week reminding you about the box tops. The list on
the back of that paper was long. Many products count. Please be sure to
send them in an envelope with your child’s name and my name. Last year we
won a pizza party!
Flash Cards and Reading
If you feel the stories are too easy for your child, please have him/her
read from books you have at home or library books to supplement what I
send. Please try to read with your child at least 10 minutes a night.
Reading groups will be taught at your child's level.
Practice the flashcards for the words listed in the Reading Folder.. If
your child knows these easily, put them away. If he/she doesn't know them,
practice nightly on a few and add more gradually. If your child missed
readiness words on the Basic Skills test, continue to practice those as the
reading series assumes he/she know those.
Captain of the Krewe
This is where I will highlight one student each week or two. We will be
making a page for a class scrap book. Each time a child is chosen, I will
send home a portfolio of materials. You may add to the materials to help
your child make a page.
Names on Items
Please make sure your child has a name on his/her lunchbox and backpack that
is easily seen. These often get left somewhere and can be returned quicker
with names clearly visible.
Special Activities
Monday – Music
Tuesday – Art
Wednesday – PE Be sure to wear sneakers.
Thursday – PE Be sure to wear sneakers.
Friday – Library Library books can returned to our class as soon as you
are finished reading them.
Red Daily Folders will go home with your child every day. Please check the
front of the folder for homework and important notes. Your initials on
homework and notes let me know you have seen them. Papers in the back of
the folder are to stay at home. Please review papers with your child that
contain errors. Each week you can expect a newsletter and a homework sheet
on Monday unless the copier is down.
If you want to set up a conference with me, I am usually available at 7:40
on Tuesdays through Friday or after school (3:30) Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and
Thursdays. I do need prior warning to collect notes and fill out conference
forms so our time is used wisely, and I can give special thoughts to you.
If you send a note in front of your child's folder, please give a couple of
alternative times that are good for you. I do stay later most days if you
need a later time. I do not like having conferences during school time as I
usually am stuffing folders, running work, or checking folders.
Birthdays: Please send a note if you are sending treats for a birthday as I
have to plan extra time for this. Cupcakes are MUCH easier to serve than
cake.
Please ask your child for his full name, birthdate with year,
a usable telephone number, and address including city and state. These are
safety facts that he/she should know instantly, but will forget if
you do not review them periodically. It is individual information that I
can't practice with each child. For your child's safety, he/she should know
this info.
Be sure to send a nutritious snack and drink (not sodas or candy) each day.
We have only 15 minutes to eat it and go to the bathroom.
Important Numbers: Office 643-0674
Cafeteria 643-7876
Counselor 645-8668
I have recorded your child's lunch number in the front of the red
folder. Please send lunch money in an envelope
marked with your child's name, my name, and Room 20.Thank you for your help.
