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- BEE Binder
- Money (Honey Pot Pouch in BEE Binder)
- The Buzz (folder in BEE Binder)
- Homework (Busy Bees part of BEE Binder)
- Bee-utiful Work (folder in BEE Binder)
- Bee-tween Home and School (in BEE Binder)
- Poetry (in BEE Binder)
- Attendance
- Birthday's
- Contacting the Teacher
- Field Trips
- Library Books
- Lunch
- Report Cards
- Snack
- Scholastic Book Clubs
- Transportation
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BEE Binder
The B.E.E. Binder is a three-ring binder that your first grader will use everyday to develop
organizational skills and learn responsibility. First grade is a foundational year, and it is important
to teach children how to keep up with homework, tests, and important notes. This book is a way of
maintaining effective communication between home and school. It aims to eliminate lost notes,
calendars, completed work and homework as well as to keep parents and students informed of
important events and academic progress. The B.EE. Book should be checked and emptied each
night. Your child will receive their B.E.E. Book on the first day of school. They will also receive a
contract that you should go over with them, sign and return on the second day.
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Money (Honey Pot Pouch in BEE Binder)
The place where you will put any money that needs to come to school. Please do not put any loose
money into this zipper pocket. All money should be enclosed in an envelope (or taped paper pouch)
with your child’s name, amount enclosed and purpose of the money clearly written on the outside of
the envelope.
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The Buzz (folder in BEE Binder)
This pocket will be used for important notes such as school menus, upcoming PTA events and
fundraiser information, class calendars and field trip information. If anything needs to be signed and
returned to school, please use this pocket.
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Homework (Busy Bees part of BEE Binder)
In first grade your child will begin receiving homework some time around the second week of
October. They will receive a daily math worksheet to be completed on the day it is sent home and
returned the following day. A weekly spelling list will be sent home on Monday's. These words
should be reviewed and practiced for a Friday spelling test. They will also receive weekly book bags.
This bag will contain familiar books that we have read in reading groups the week prior to being sent
home for review as homework. You and your child are responsible for the book bag and all books
contained within the bag. Book bags should be kept at home and read/reviewed throughout the
week, they should be returned to shool on Friday's.
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Bee-utiful Work (folder in BEE Binder)
This pocket will contain graded schoolwork that may be kept and admired at home. Display your child's
work on the fridge, in the bathroom, or another special home art and schoolwork gallery. Please check
this section daily and remove all items from the pocket.
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Bee-tween Home and School (in BEE Binder)
From time to time, I will write comments about your child. I encourage you to write comments to me
as well. Please put a date next to your comments so that I can be sure to respond as soon as
possible. This is also where you should indicate any changes in transportation, doctor’s
appointments or other information that will be helpful. Please keep all entries in this section as a
record of your child’s progress throughout the year.
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Poetry (in BEE Binder)
This section will contain top-load sheet protector pages of poems we have been reading and
practicing in the classroom. Your child should be familiar with and able to read these poems on their
own. They will have practiced reading them in a large group, in small groups at their table and with
a partner. They will also have highlighted all word-wall or spelling words in the poems. Please keep
all poems in this section throughout the year and re-read them often. If your child is looking for
extra work they can: practice reading these poems to someone at home, write these poems on their
own, write a poem and then cut it apart like a puzzle and put it back together again.
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Attendance
Your child should be at school every day unless he/she is sick or
observing a religious holiday. If your child is sick, or misses school
for any reason, please send a note so that we determine if it is an
excused or unexcused absence. If your child is not feeling well, has
had a fever during the last 24 hours, or is in any way contagious,
PLEASE allow him/her to stay home from school as we want your child
and the rest of the class and teachers to stay healthy. If you take
your child to the doctor, please ask the doctor for a school excuse
note.
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Birthday's
I know how special birthdays are for you and your child. We will
recognize birthdays at school in an appropriate manner. Please let
me know ahead of time if you wish to send in a special snack for
the class on your child’s birthday. Since it will be enjoyed during
our regular morning snack time, muffins, nutrigrain bars, granola bars
and fruit make wonderful treats. Please do not send in cakes, cup-
cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. (July – August birthdays will be
celebrated with a birthday breakfast during the last week of school in June).
Thank you for your cooperation.
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Contacting the Teacher
If you need to contact me you have three options:
1. Notes: Please place any notes in your child’s BEE Binder. This is the easi-
est way!
2. Email: agriffin@menands.org, I will check
my email daily, but please do not email me if you need an IMMEDIATE
response as I often check my mail in the first thing in the morning and again after school so
I may not get your message until the next school day.
3. Phone 465-4561 X144 : Please leave
a message and I will return your call as soon as I can.
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Field Trips
Throughout the year, we will schedule trips into the community to
enhance our curriculum. Permission slips and cost information will
be sent home prior to each trip. Transportation is provided by
the school. We will let you know as plans are finalized!
You will have the opportunity to volunteer to be a chaperone for a field
trip. Due to space requirements, the number of chaperones will be lim-
ited for each trip. When the field trip permission slip is distributed, if
you are interested in chaperoning please let us know as soon as possi-
ble. Chaperones will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. If
we have more volunteers than spaces, we will take out names of parents
who have already chaperoned a trip and then draw names. Please un-
derstand that we will make every attempt to give each parent the op-
portunity to go on at least one trip.
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Library Books
Please help your child find a safe place to keep his/her library book at
home. Please ensure your child returns his/her book each week so that
he/she is able to check out a new one.
Your child will visit the school Library once each week.
He/she will be permitted to check out one book during each visit.
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Lunch
The cost of student lunch is $1.75 per day. (*Please follow the
money procedures outlined above). You can prepay for your child’s
lunches online (Information to follow)
Menus are sent home every month and are available online at
menandsschool.nycap.rr.com/files/menu.pdf Please help your child se-
lect his/her choice before coming to school each day.
If your child brings his/her lunch from home, please label the box or
bag. Milk may be purchased for $.40 or you may send a non-
carbonated, low-sugar beverage from home.
You are always welcome to join us for lunch.
When you arrive, please sign in at the office and meet us at the en-
trance to the dining room at 11:22 lunch or 11:42 recess.
Our lunch period is 20 minutes long.
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Report Cards
1st graders receive quarterly report cards (usually in November, February, April and June). We will have
the opportunity to meet for a conference to discuss your child's progress when report cards go home.
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Snack
We have a short 10 minute snack break every morning.
Please provide a small, nutritious, self-serve snack for your child
daily. I ask that you refrain from sending in cookies, chips,
lunchables, candy, or similar snacks.
I suggest choosing from the following snacks:
• sliced vegetables/fruit
• nuts or dried fruit
• dry cereal
•pretzels/crackers
• granola bars/low-sugar breakfast bars
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Scholastic Book Clubs
Each month, I will try to send home a catalog from
Scholastic Book Clubs. This program provides parents an inexpensive
way to add books to their children’s home libraries while benefiting our
class. With each purchase, our class earns Bonus Points, which can be
exchanged for books for our classroom.
A more detailed description of the program will be sent home with the
first catalog. Please keep in mind that you are under no obligation to
purchase materials from Scholastic Book Clubs.
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Transportation
Please remember to NOTIFY ME IN WRITING if there are
changes in the way your child will be going home from school.
Without written instruction from you, I will send your child home
or to the YMCA in the usual manner (I cannot accept verbal changes
from your child or a sibling). PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL TRANSPORTA-
TION CHANGES!!!! I cannot guarantee that I will have an opportu-
nity to check my email prior to dismissal. Additionally, substitutes do
not have access to my email account. If a last minute transportation
change arises, please call the front office BEFORE 2:30 and they will
notify me.
Don’t forget, your child must be in the classroom by 8:15 to avoid tar-
diness. Dismissal is at 2:55. If you pick up your child at the end of the
school day, please wait in the lobby where your child will meet you.
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