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Welcome to first grade! I am Mrs. Tyler-Cochran and I am thrilled to work with your child this year. This is my 8th year teaching first grade! I have lived in Coweta County for six years. Please take the opportunity to read through the following information so that you are well informed of classroom procedures.

Communication Folder

Your child will receive a purple communication folder.  It will be sent home each Friday and should be returned to school each Monday.  One pocket will contain weekly work.  The other pocket will contain important parent information and assessments.  These items should be reviewed and removed each week unless otherwise indicated.  Please check this folder each Friday so that you may stay current as new information becomes available.

Homework Folder

The homework agenda will remain the same each week with the exception of a few changes throughout the year.  Each child will get a homework folder.  Inside the folder will be an assignment sheet.  The sheet should be useful in helping you and your child establish a nightly homework routine.  Homework will be sent home on Monday.  Your child will have all week to complete the assignments (as I know schedules can sometimes be hecticJ.)  On Friday, your child will bring the folder back with all the written assignments inside. 

Communication

I strongly believe that close parent/ teacher communication is imperative to the success of each student.  The most efficient way to contact me is through e-mail.  My e-mail address is catherine.tyler@cowetaschools.org    If you do not have e-mail, notes may be sent to school in your child’s folder, or I can be contacted at school after 2:30 at 770-254-2860. Please contact me with questions and comments as they arise. 

Reading/Language Arts

The reading book is a phonics based series by Harcourt Brace. The vocabulary and spelling words are taken from the stories each week. We will work on phonics and decoding skills in class. We will also work on developing sharp comprehension skills and writing skills.

 

The first grade teachers at White Oak implement 45 minutes of “Flexible Reading” time each day. Students may go to another first grade teacher during this time to receive reading instruction.

Your child will be required to read the assigned weekly Language Arts story on Monday and Wednesday night each week. Tuesday and Thursday nights they should review their weekly vocabulary words in order to prepare for the oral vocabulary assessment on Friday.  They will be required to read the words and use them correctly in sentences.  Later in the year, they will also be taking an Accelerated Reader (AR) test on Friday which will assess their understanding of the assigned weekly story. Your child may take home their reading book each night but it should be returned to school each day.

Reading Log

As a component of weekly homework, your child will be required to read a self-selected picture book OR read a chapter book for 15 minutes each night to an adult. After reading, the title and author of the book should be recorded on the log. This reading is in addition to the weekly story. These books can be obtained from the school, public library or a personal/home library. Your child will be given an opportunity to visit the school library each week. An example of the weekly reading log is included in this resource packet.

Accelerated Reader

Our class will soon begin a computer- managed reading program called Accelerated Reader.  It is a tool to help monitor your child’s ability to comprehend that which they read. Your child will be familiarized with the program and it will be used regularly to ensure they are reading books on an independent level. We will also set goals each grading period and students who reach their goal will receive an award based on the classroom’s incentive program. Eventually, every student will take an AR test on our weekly Language Arts story. Once we begin taking the weekly AR quiz over the story, you will receive a computer printout of their AR progress report each week so that you are able to see your child’s progress.

Sight Word Boxes

Your child will begin to bring home a sight word box containing 220 sight words divided into five color- coded levels:  Pink, Yellow, Orange, Purple and Blue.  They should begin working on the level in which they are trying to master about 10 minutes each night until he or she can recall each “on sight.”  I will listen to children say sight words each Friday.  Upon completion of all five levels your child will excel to a new set of words called “Frequent Phrases.” Learning these words and phrases will dramatically increase his/her reading fluency and you will begin to see confidence levels soar!  They may excel to higher levels of words once the first 220 words and frequent phrases are mastered.  

Spelling/ Phonics 

Each Friday your child will be tested on a list of spelling words that will be introduced during reading instruction.  They will encounter these words during daily phonics instruction and through the use of phonics practice in class.

Math

Each day we will reinforce math concepts with facts practice on our Mountain Math board. A math sheet will be assigned for homework each week and will be collected on Friday in the homework folder. The homework sheet for the week will reflect the concept(s) covered in that week’s chapter of the math book.

In Math this year, students will work on:

1.       Number order and recognition to 100

2.     Number word recognition to twenty

3.     Measurement

4.     Greater Than, Less Than

5.     Simple addition and subtraction problems using one and two digit numbers

6.     Telling time (hour and half hour)

7.     Identifying coins and values of money

8.     Counting and adding money

9.     Identifying fractions

10.  Reading and interpreting information on a graph

11.   Rounding off numbers to the nearest 10

12.  Place Value

13.  Solving story problems

Science/Health and Social Studies          

Each month we will study different units in science or social studies. Listed below are some of our units in the curriculum.

Science/Health: Magnets, Plants, Animals, Weather and Seasons, Light and Sound, Dental Health, Nutrition, and the Human Body.

Social Studies: Map and globe skills, topographical features of the Earth’s surface, and historical figures in American history.

Parties

Throughout the year, we will be celebrating various holidays and events.  You are always welcome to join in the fun!  If your child celebrates their birthday during the school year, I welcome you to bring special treats if you wish. Cupcakes are preferable as they are easy to distribute. Please do not send cakes, party hats, treat bags or other party paraphernalia. Please contact me in advance so we can plan a time to celebrate.  

Please remember that our goal is to maximize the use of instructional time. Party invitations may only be distributed if the invitation is extended to the entire class.

Lunch/Snack          

The cost of school lunch is $1.75 daily or $8.75 weekly.  Please send all lunch money to school in an envelope with your child’s name, teacher’s name, and the amount written on the outside.  Checks are made payable to White Oak Elementary. We eat lunch from 10:30-11:00. You are welcome to come and eat lunch with your child if you wish.  

 

Snack time will be in the afternoon around 12:45. Please send in a nutritious snack. Your child can purchase ice cream or bring a snack from home.

Ice Cream

Ice cream is $.75 Ice cream can be purchased daily with exact change. If purchased, ice cream will be eaten during snack time.

Recess/Specials

Our schedule is listed below.  Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately and they have proper foot wear on P.E. days.  We will go outside each day for approximately 15 minutes (weather permitting.)  Please do not send toys.  Toys that are brought to school will be confiscated. Specials will be from 12:00-12:40 each day. 

Monday- Art

Tuesday- P.E.

Wednesday-Counseling or Computer

Thursday- P.E.

Friday- Music

Volunteering/Classroom Visits

I know many of you work during the day so volunteering to help out is not possible and I understand. However, if you would like to help out, I am always grateful to have a parent who can come and donate their time to make copies or tear out workbook pages.  If this is something you would be interested in, please let me know ahead of time so I can prepare the materials for you.

Classroom Management

A plan for discipline is essential to create an environment conducive to learning making for everyone.  Classroom rules are written in the form of positive actions that are required of all students. If a child obeys the rules, they may earn rewards and retain full privileges.  If a child chooses to break a rule, they face consequences and a loss of privileges.  Conduct grades are based on overall conduct throughout the nine- week grading period. Below are the school wide expectations for all children. White Oak students are expected to  demonstrate the qualities that encompass the PRIDE characteristics.

School Rules=PRIDE

P Be Prepared

R Be Responsible

I Stay In Control

D Use Self Discipline

E Everyone Deserves Respect

Class Rules

Learn as much as you can!

Encourage others by using kind words. 

Always do your best! 

Respect others by keeping your hands and feet to yourself

Never lie, cheat or steal 

Each day your child will earn a conduct grade according to his/her compliance with classroom rules.  Each child will have a clip that is placed on a displayed poster.  Each child will begin on green each day.

Green=Excellent -Full compliance with class rules

Yellow=Satisfactory Behavior requires verbal warning

Red=Unsatisfactory Continued non-compliance with rules and teacher requests.

Rewards and Consequences

Consequences for misbehavior are as follows:

Green   full privileges

Yellow    verbal warning and 5 minutes of timeout  

Red   loss of playground or classroom privileges (free time/ centers, ect.) and a note home or phone call to parents.

Each student will have a new sticker chart each month in the classroom.  Everyday the student is on green, they will earn a sticker to put on their chart.  They can also earn stickers for “being caught doing kind acts,” for keeping a clean work folder, and for excellent work on their guided reading ticket.  After earning 5 stickers, they may choose a prize out of the “Good Stuff Bucket.”  At the end of the month, the student with the most stickers will earn a special prize.  A conduct report will be sent home each Monday in your child’s homework folder.  The conduct folder should be signed and sent back to school on Tuesday. 

Arrival and Dismissal

School begins at 8:00 a.m.  Please make every effort to be at school on time as this helps your child’s day begin with a positive start.

Dismissal will begin at 2:30 in the afternoon. Car riders will receive a number from Angela Ford in the office. This number should be displayed in the front windshield of your car. For the safety of your child, you may be asked to show identification to school personnel when picking your child up from school.  

Transportation Changes Please write a note any time your child’s transportation changes. If an emergency arises, you can fax a note to the office. Notes that are e-mailed cannot be accepted. This is county policy and ensures your child’s safety.  *NOTE: IN THE AFTERNOON, BUS RIDERS WILL LOAD IN THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND CAR RIDERS WILL LOAD AT THE SIDE ENTERANCE BY THE LUNCHROOM.

Grading

First grade will be fun and challenging. Your child will be expected to keep up with lots of books and papers. For the first time, your child will earn letter grades on the report card. Students will earn a letter grade and a numerical grade in reading, math, spelling, and conduct. Below is the grading scale:

90-100=A Excelling at grade level expectations. Completing assignments without assistance and totally independently.

80-89=B Meeting grade level expectations with a wide range of abilities.

70-79=C Needs Improvement Starting to grasp concepts, but requires individualized assistance. Learning does not transfer to written work.

69=D and below 69=F Unsatisfactory. Student does not grasp concepts even with assistance.

Thanks for taking the opportunity to read this letter.  I look forward to a successful and productive year working with both you and your child!  Please feel free to contact me with additional questions or concerns. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Tyler-Cochran