Dear Parents/Guardians:
Thank you for the opportunity to teach your child. We welcome you to our classroom. We are very excited to start this year and are looking forward to getting to know you and your child. While we feel we are organized and well prepared, we are sure this year will be an adventure with many twists and turns that we have not planned for. We ask for your patience as we begin this school year and get settled into a new routine. Holy Family School is ever evolving with many new standards and methods of teaching so we are excited to bring a refreshed approach to many of the things we do at Holy Family. We have worked hard to stay abreast of new strategies and methods of teaching to give your child the best education possible.
First grade parents, there is always a lot to get used to when moving to a new classroom. If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. There will be some work sent home for the students to do, but by mid-year they should be able to do it by themselves. This will also allow you to see exactly what we are doing in class.
Second grade parents, I am looking forward to the return of the students! They will be expected to be the leaders of the classroom and set good examples for the first graders. Our expectations of them will continue to grow and their independent skills will be a priority. For the most part, I will be following the same procedures and policies as last year.
Inside this packet are several items that will explain some things we will be doing this year. Communication between parent and teacher is one of the biggest assets we have while molding your child into a successful person. I encourage communication, especially by email, but if you have any questions please feel free to contact me by phone. We also have a web page at www.school.holyfamilyfreeburg.com under the heading “Our School” and then “Mrs. Woodruff”. I do my best to put weekly newsletters and other helpful information on this site. I check email often, even at home, and consider this the best way to contact me. In case of an immediate emergency or you don’t have access to email, you can call/text my cell at 573-338-2449.
Mrs. Angie Woodruff- [email protected]
Sister Linda- [email protected]
Person of the Week
This year for “show and tell” we will be doing Person of the Week. A student will be assigned a week to tell about themselves and tell important things that they have experienced. Within the classroom is a bulletin board that each student will be allowed to display pictures, awards, favorites, and other interesting information about them. The board should focus on the child and what he /she enjoys or finds interesting. The student will then present their information to the class. If the child chooses, he/she can bring in additional items or a favorite snack. I encourage you to make this a parent-child project. I will send home the poster to be filled out about 2 weeks before the presentation. Typically, we will be doing the presentation on Fridays.
Behavior System
We will be using Green (Great), Yellow (Caution), and Red (Behavior needs to Stop) cards. Every student will start the day on “green”. If a behavior issue comes up, I will first give a verbal warning. If further warnings take place, the student will then be issued a “yellow” card. The student and I will talk and make sure she/he knows to change the behavior. If the behavior doesn’t change or another behavior becomes a problem, she/he will be given a “red” card. As a consequence the student will be told to walk and think about his/her behavior at one of the recesses. The next day the student will be restored to “green”. The rules of the classroom will be posted, and we will be going over them the first couple of days of school. It is important that we work together in supporting each other, and if you have any questions about your child, please let me know. I will also have the students color in a spot within their planner to tell you what color they are on. This Behavior System is used in all first and second grade classes, including specials.
In conjunction with this we will also be using “Class Dojo.” Class Dojo is a free app that you can download onto your phone or computer. It will send you immediate information if something happens within the classroom. Information on how to use this app will be sent home. This will also help us in tracking Christian and Social Development for Report Cards and Building Up the Kingdom.
We will also be using “compliments”. If the class receives a compliment from another staff member on their behavior, we will keep a tally and once we reach 10, we will earn 10 extra minutes of recess.
As you can see there are plenty of incentives for students to do their best while in the classroom and playground. As always, if you have any questions about this, please let me know.
Renaissance (STAR, Accelerated Reading)
I do begin the Accelerated Reading program in 1st grade. My second graders should be familiar with it, and I will only be making minor changes. First graders and their parents should be aware that I will be expecting students to read assigned books and be able to test over them on the computer. In the beginning, first graders will have their books read aloud and their questions read aloud for the test. The students will be taking home at least two books per week and testing over that book when they feel they comprehend what is being read to them. I usually want them to have read the book at least two times. I will need a Parent Signature in the child’s planner that they have read the book before they will be allowed to take the test. They will have to show me the signature. Please print the title within the planner. This will ensure the student has read the book and not guess at the questions. An attainable goal would be to test over one-two books per week. I give class time to use the computer to take the test. I will be sending home quarterly reports showing how your child has done on each test they take. AR is NOT a part of their report card, but used as an enrichment tool to increase your child’s reading ability and comprehension. Goals are as follows:
Grade 1: 8, 10, 12, 14 books per quarter
Grades 2: 10 ,12, 14, 16 books per quarter
I do have an icon called AR Book Finder on my web page under resources that will allow you to look up a book that you perhaps have at home to determine whether or not it is an AR book.
STAR Assessments will be taken this year and this assessment will be able to tell how your child is progressing in Reading. Please take advantage of staying connected through the Renaissance Home Connect. You will need a login name and password. I have included a handout on how to sign up for this valuable tool in keeping up with your child’s progress.
Planners
I will be using the planners for both 1st and 2nd grade. This is another means of communication, but also teaches your child important skills. Inside the planner will be their spelling words for the week and any homework or reminders that need to be completed. I will also have them fill out their behavior color. This is also where you will be signing for their AR books in order for them to take tests. In the beginning, this is a hard skill for the students but with practice and encouragement at home, they become quite good at it. Please make a habit of checking their planner every night and asking them about it.
Passwords
Student’s passwords will be written down in their planners and they will use this to access their accounts at school. Parents should write down their passwords somewhere at home, too. If we have a virtual day and a student forgets to take their planner home, this will allow you to access everything they need online. This will also be useful in case planners get torn or misplaced by the end of the year.
Parent Signature (P.S. papers)
P.S. papers are papers that I send home and need a parent signature. P.S. is written on the paper by me. These are usually tests, homework, or skills that get recorded in my grade book. Please go over them with your child and RETURN them to me. You should also look for “Redo” or “Finish” on these papers. If you see these comments, please feel free to help the child complete the assignment. I keep them in a file and give them back to you at Parent Teacher conferences. Papers without P.S. can be kept at home, and I don’t need them back.
Red Take Home Folders
Students will have a red folder labeled take home. These folders need to be cleaned out every night and returned the next day. I will be putting papers in them almost daily. The P.S. papers will be in this folder. Periodically check to see if this folder needs to be replaced due to normal wear and tear.
Homework
There will be homework in first and second grade. Students should get in the routine of doing at least 10-20 minutes of homework Monday- Thursday. I will have papers from their reading series that need to be completed and returned. They will also have flashcards, memory words, and A.R. books. Returning homework is a part of the Building the Kingdom Academics pillar.
Grading
Below is the grading system for our Progress Reports and Report Cards. This will be explained in depth at Open House and Home and School Meetings. Please note that these are not to be equated with traditional letter grades. First and second grade is more about progress than percentages.
4-The student, with limited errors, understands key concepts, processes, and skills and applies them effectively.
3-The student is progressing towards understanding key concepts, processes, but demonstrates inconsistent application of concepts independently.
2-The student is demonstrating progress towards understanding and application of key concepts, processes and skills with additional time and support.
1-The student is not demonstrating progress towards understanding key concepts, processes and skills even with additional time and support
*-Not assessed at this time
Birthday Treats and Holidays
A big part of 1st and 2nd grade is sharing a birthday treat with their classmates. I would like to give a couple of reminders when deciding on what to bring to celebrate this special occasion.
As a general rule we try to celebrate birthdays in the afternoon. Please make sure all treats are prepackaged. Also if it requires plates, utensils, or napkins please send that in also. Holidays are treated the same as birthdays.
We have 20 students within our classroom. Please remember all of them when preparing treats.
Recess Snacks
Students can bring in snacks for morning recess as long as they are healthy and can be eaten in a 10 minute period. They will also have an option to choose from the Holy Family Breakfast. The student will need to let me know in the morning if they want the breakfast option. They don’t get afternoon snacks. Students that are in After School Care need to have their snack for that time in a separate container. We have problems with things like half eaten pudding cups being stuck in the back pack. Please consider this when choosing items.
UFLI
This school year, we will be using the UFLI Foundations program for reading and spelling instruction. This is a phonic/decoding program that we will use in conjunction with Superkids. Your child will be learning new concepts (sounds and letter patterns) to build their skills in reading and spelling words. The UFLI Foundations program includes Home Practice sheets to help families support their child’s learning at home. When we have our class meetings I will discuss how to help your child.