Hi folks,

Welcome back to school. Are you ready for this year? I am very excited about having your child in my class this year. I believe learning can be fun, and try to bring that to the classroom everyday. Through study of the First Grade Curriculum, my goal is to help increase your child’s abilities to focus on a subject, and increase confidence and independence, while having a good time doing it.

School Hours

First grade has no early birds and late birds . Everybody starts school at 8:05 and leaves at 2:30. This schedule is for all days except Wednesday. On Wednesday, all students start at 8:05 and leave at 1:06. Some people have a hard time getting up in the morning, I know. But , please try to get your child here on time, because it does make a difference, especially emotionally, to your child.

What To Send

If you’re reading this note you probably already are aware of a myriad of forms which cry for your response. If you haven’t already, look for the blue, yellow, and white emergency cards, and the Field Trip Permission Form in your Back to School Packet. Fill them out and send them back to school tomorrow. Also, your child needs to have a pencil box, the kind that looks like an old cigar box; plastic or wooden is fine. Do not fill the box with crayons and markers. I’ll distribute all the materials they will need for the year (Pencil box is also worth a sticker!). Please make sure your child has one by Monday. Snacks are an important element to our morning routine. Three-and-a-half hours is a long to time for little bodies to go without a “fuel top-off.” Send a light snack even if your child “buys”; one item only is allowed at snack time. Since this time is also a work time drinks are not appropriate as a snack. Students may use the fountain at this time. Also, it has developed that some parents have seen fit to send “orphan snacks.” These are snacks, like a jumbo jar of cinnamon cookies, which can be distributed to those who for some reason did not bring a snack for that day. Usually buyers fall into this category. I try to acknowledge these contributions in the monthly newsletter.

Discipline Procedures

I believe it is important for behavior to be taught by leading, rather than pushing. I constantly look for students who are demonstrating a desired behavior, and give students a pat on the head (verbal or otherwise) when they are doing well. At the end of the day, a child gets a sticker on a chart to reward good effort. If the student earns five stickers in a week, they get a cool sticker to put on their name plate!

Sometimes positive reinforcement is not enough. After classroom discussion, each child will understand the consequences for miscreant behavior. They will know that if their name is written on the board, they are being warned and should check their behavior. If their behavior continues to be a problem a check is placed by their name. Each check costs the student ten minutes of their free time. If three checks are given in a day, a note is sent home to be signed by the parents and returned the next day. A fourth check (this has happened one time) results in a visit to the principal. If a child gets a check, they do not get a sticker for the day.

Homework

My blanket statement on the subject is that I don’t believe in it, too much. Six-year-olds still need some play time. They grow and explore their world in ways which are most meaningful to them; in ways in which we cannot fathom. This is natural and good. However, we as parents can really help our children by modeling enthusiasm for their school experience. Math can be engaging. Say, at the dinner table, make a game of challenging your child with a story problem. You’ll get a very good sense of the growth of your child’s mathematic understandings. Don’t forget word play or memory games. They’re fun and enriching, too. Read to them everyday. Make it a warm, special time. Demonstrate that reading is fun. Let them see you read for your own enjoyment. Soon they’re going to start reading to you! With that in mind, soon your child will be bringing home a baggy with a book in it. They’ll want to show you how well they can read it. When they fall down, be gentle. Pick them up and dust them off with the reminders we use in class, found attached to this note.

Special note: Books will be taken home every day, except Fridays. Your child is responsible for bringing the book back (in a baggy, please) daily. If the book is not returned, a new book will not be issued. Most books are returned the next day. Occasionally, a parent ends up having to pay for a book which cannot be located.

Later on in the year, around December, we will start spelling. A new list of words will come home every Monday. It is the parents job to help their child find the most effective method of study. Also I encourage kids to bring any kind of work which they have done themselves (showing good effort!) to school. For this “Work From Home” a child can earn a coveted sticker or baseball card. Classmates see good efforts rewarded, and some great ideas are shared. We are going to explore Public Speaking this year. Look for an assignment to come home with your child.

Problems or Questions?

You will find that I am most flexible when it comes to helping you solve a problem. If you have a scheduling problem, temporary or otherwise, see me. If there is something you need to speak to me about, my door is always open. Your child’s First Grade experience is greatly influenced by your attitude. We both want their experience to be wonderful, therefore, I’m always available to answer your questions, listen to your concerns, offer advice, or help in any way I can. I want this year to be a good one for all of us.

Back to School

I encourage you to attend Back to School Night . tomorrow , Thursday, September 5. This is a good way to get more information on the above, or just get a feeling for who I am. There will be a short introductory PTA program at 7:00 in the multi-use room, and classroom presentations at 7:30.

Thanks for your time,

Pat Riley