SECOND GRADERS ARE A SHARP BUNCH
The ABC’s of First Grade!
Family Information Packet
2013-2014
Mrs. Ashley Sborz
1st Grade
Horizon Elementary
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Dear Parents,
Hello and welcome to another school year. I’m happy to have your child in my first grade class. This year we will learn many new things, do a lot of work, all while having fun and growing as individuals! This packet will explain how our class will be functioning throughout the year and contains a lot of important information.
THE ABC’s of OUR CLASS PROCEDURES
ABSENENCES: Horizon operates on a call-in program. If your child will be absent or tardy, please call 571-434-3261 or e-mail at hrzabsentee@
AT HOME: Each evening please set aside the time to take a look in your student’s Daily Folder. All important information is in this binder daily.
BEHAVIOR PLANS:
Our Class Plan:
Good behavior is a choice that the children make. When a student chooses to not follow classroom or school rules they will move their clothes pin. If a student needs to move their clothes pin parents will be notified by the student’s daily behavior calendar in their Daily Folder. Parents should initial the behavior chart every night so the teacher knows you are aware of how your child is behaving at school. If a student moves their clothes pin to red for a repeated behavior, parents will be notified by a phone call from the teacher. Depending on the continued behavior of a student a conference might be requested. If a student demonstrates behavior that is harmful to other students, the student will be sent directly to the office and parents will be notified immediately by e-mail, note, or phone call.
How the clothes pin behavior chart works:
• All students will start their clothes pin on GREEN (Ready to Learn) for the day.
• Students who are following class rules will have the opportunity to move their clothes pins up to BLUE (Good Work), PURPLE (Great Job), then PINK (Outstanding).
• Students who are having trouble following directions and remembering class rules will move their clothes pins down to YELLOW (Slow Down), ORANGE (Think About It), then RED (Contact Parents).
• Students will earn class money for having their clothes pin on green, blue, purple, or pink at the end of a school day. Every other Friday student’s will be able to use their class money to buy reward coupons that can be used in our classroom.
Our School Plans:
The school has our compliment board in effect as well. This allows the children to receive a compliment from other teachers who catch them being good. When they fill the compliment board they earn a class reward such as pajama day, extra recess, stuffed animal day, class pet, or lunch in the class room.
Students will be able to earn individual blue tickets from their classroom teacher and other teachers in Horizon. Students will be given these blue tickets if they are showing an outstanding behavior of our school’s 3 C’s. Students will place their blue tickets in a jar in our classroom and a name will be drawn each week to be announced on HTV. All of the tickets will be placed in a large jar outside the main office.
BIRTHDAYS: If you would like to send party invitations to be passed out at school, you must send enough invitations for the whole class, all the boys, or all the girls. Students are not allowed to bring in any kind of birthday treat. (Loudoun County School Policy)
COMET CONDUCT: The 3 C’s of our Comet Conduct are Courtesy, Care, and Cooperation. Please try to encourage these behaviors at home so students know what they are about at school. These traits are what teachers look for when passing out “blue tickets”.
COMMUNICATION: I will communicate with parents through your student’s Daily Folder, a monthly newsletter, our class webpage, and e-mail. Please make sure I have your e-mail address before you leave Back to School Night. If you have something you want to “discuss” with me I recommend e-mail or a phone call.
CONFERENCES: If a conference is needed; I will notify you by note, email, or phone. Please do the same if you wish to request a conference outside of our fall report card conferences.
CURRICULUM: The curriculum for first grade can be found on our class webpage.
DIMISSAL: Dismissal is at 2:35 every day. Please send in a note if your child’s dismissal changes at any point during the school year. Students will not be allowed to go home a different way unless there is a written note or you have personally contacted the main office before 2:00 pm.
EMERGENICES: Please be sure that I have any updated information so I know where to send your child during early releases.
Please call the school if an emergency takes place during the day. I do not have time to check my e-mail towards the end of the day so it is not a reliable system to depend on in emergency situations.
E-MAIL: Please remember that my number one job is to take care and educate your children. I only have time to check my e-mail before school, during my lunch break, and right after school. I do not check my e-mail from home because this is my precious time with my family. Therefore, if you e-mail me after 3:00 pm I will not respond until the next morning.
FALL CONFERENCES: Fall conferences will be set up through a website called SignUp Genius. I will be sending out an e-mail with the link needed and I will be placing the link on our class webpage. I would love for ALL parents to set up a fall conferences so we can get to know each other better.
FIELD TRIPS: We will go on one field trip during the school year. Information will be sent home regarding payment and chaperones. We ask if parents want to chaperone then we have a class raffle to select the parents who get to go with us for a day of fun and learning.
GRADING: In first grade, students receive letter grades of B, P, M, and E. Please be aware of what each letter represents:
1 = B’s – Below Standards – demonstrating knowledge of the “standard” with assistance
2 = P’s – Progressing Towards Standards - demonstrating knowledge of the “standard” independently, but not consistently
3 = M’s – Meets Standards - demonstrating knowledge of the “standard” consistently and independently
4 = E’s – Exceeds Standards - demonstrating knowledge independently by going above the “standard”
HOMEWORK: First graders are expected to spend about 30 minutes per night on homework, with an additional 15 minutes spent reading. Homework will consist of Word Study, Math, and Reading. All homework will be located in the student’s Daily Folder. All homework should be returned everyday so we can review the previous night’s work.
Math: Students will receive a homework packet on Monday that will be completed throughout the week and will be checked daily in class. Please only complete the homework for the assigned night, and avoid working ahead. Students should also practice math facts throughout the week.
Word Study: Students will receive a homework packet on Monday that will be completed throughout the week and will be checked daily in class. Students will have the same word study homework weekly.
Reading: Students will complete a monthly reading log and a bi-monthly reflection activity. Both reading assignments will be checked on Fridays. There will also be sight words sent home that you can practice with your child.
If your child is having a hard time completing homework or it seems to easy, please inform me so we can adjust homework to meet your child’s needs.
Homework for Reading and Word Study can be found on our class webpage.
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: Students will have an identification number. This code is used in the cafeteria as a lunch code. It will also be used as a password in the computer lab. Please practice your child’s ID number with them daily. It is my hope that they can master their number the first two weeks of school.
The numbers on the key pad are set up like a calculator. You can use a calculator to practice at home or there is a fun interactive link on our class webpage.
JOBS: Students will be assigned a class job each week to help teach them responsibility in the classroom. Not every student will have a job every week.
LUNCH: This year lunch is at 10:45. You may prepay by coming to school, the cafeteria, or by sending a check made payable to “County of Loudoun”. Your child will get a reminder from the cafeteria when their account is below $5.00. You are welcome to come in and join your child for lunch at any time during the year. You may meet us at the cafeteria at lunchtime.
MONEY: Each child earns class money for every day their clothes pin stays on green or above. Every other week students will be able to shop at our “class store” with the money they have earned through good behavior. In the class store students can purchase coupons for activities such as wear your slippers to school, bring your favorite stuffed animal to school, sit in the teacher’s chair, lunch in the classroom, free homework pass, etc.
NOT ALLOWED: The following items are not allowed in the classroom - water bottles, hand held pencil sharpeners, markers, colored pencils, pencil “boxes”, and toys from home.
ORGANIZER: Your child’s Daily Folder is the red floppy folder provided by Horizon. In this folder students will keep their homework (word study and math), reading log, reading reflection, and behavior chart. Please send any notes for the teacher to school in this folder as well.
PARTIES – We will have three class parties throughout the school year. October – Fall, December – Winter, June – End of Year. Food for the parties must be store bought and packaged. (Loudoun County School Policy)
QUARTER PROJECTS: Students will be given one project each quarter. Projects are tied in with a standard of learning (sol). Directions and rubrics will be sent home at least two weeks prior to the due date of each project.
RUBRICS: Students will be graded using a rubric. This rubric will be sent home with the project so you know what the teacher is looking for. Generally the rubric will include a place for presenting the project to the class, neatness, and content.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS: Book orders will be sent home monthly. You can complete the form on the back of the Scholastic form and make checks payable to Scholastic Book Club, or you can place an online order on our class webpage. *For every online order our classroom receives a FREE book!
Please remember this is NOT a requirement. I send book orders home because Scholastic is a great resource for quality books at a cheap price.
SPECIALS:
Monday – P.E. and Music
Tuesday – P.E.
Wednesday – P.E. and Music
Thursday – Art
Friday – Library
*Guidance and Search will be every other week.
SNACK: We will take a break for a short snack once a day. Please be sure that this is a healthy snack and easy for the student to eat in a short amount of time. Candy is not allowed. No drinks should be brought in for snack. *Keep in mind that we could have allergies in our class, so please try to avoid sending a snack with peanut products.
TESTS: Science, Social Studies, and Post Tests for math should be signed and returned in a timely manner. All tests will be returned at the end of the school year.
VISITORS: If you are visiting your child at school, please remember to sign-in at the front office before coming to our classroom or the cafeteria. This is for the safety of our school.
VOLUNTEERS: Each Friday I will be looking for volunteers to read for our “Mystery Reader”. I will also be asking for volunteers numerous times during the year for small projects or help with small groups during reading and math. I will make sure to give plenty of notice so everyone who wishes has a chance to come into our classroom.
WATER BREAKS: I do not allow water bottles, but students are allowed to get up and get a drink whenever they would like.
X-PIERENCES! I know that the students will have many fun and interesting learning experiences this year! First grade is a time for students to enjoy school and become lifelong learners!!
The ABC’s of Our Curriculum
MATH: Math will be taught by the homeroom teacher. Students will participate in centers and small group instruction along with some whole group instruction. Our math program is very hands-on and students will use investigations and manipulatives to learn math skills.
Homework will be the same starting out the school year, but could be differentiated according to student’s scores on their pre test given at the beginning of each unit and the progress they show during the quarter. At the end of each unit students will take a post-test. The pre-test and post-test will be attached and sent home so you can see the growth your child has made throughout each unit.
READING: Students will be instructed in whole and small group settings. Students will work on skills to help them become a better reader, such as comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary. Our instruction will be based on The Pathways to Reading program. During guided reading time if students are not meeting with the teacher they will be using The Daily 5 program where students will work independently on different reading strategies, vocabulary, and writing. If you would like more information on The Daily 5 you can visit , and for more information on Pathways you can visit .
SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDEIES: We will alternate between science and social studies units. There will be a unit test after every unit, except for Scientific Investigations. The week of the test students will bring home a study guide to help prepare them for their upcoming test.
WORD STUDY: Your child will be bringing home a collection of weekly spelling words that have been introduced in class. This collection of words is known as Word Study. Word Study is a student-centered approach to phonics, spelling, and vocabulary instruction. Each night of the week your child is expected to do a different activity to ensure that these words and the spelling principles they represent are mastered. These activities have been modeled and practiced in school, so your child can teach you how to do them. *When completing homework please remember to use correct spelling and grammar.
WRITING: Students will participate in writer’s workshop. Students will be engaged in the writing process and produce pieces of writing in many genres.
If you need to reach me, you can send a note with your child, call the school and leave a message, or e-mail me at ashley.sborz@
I’m looking forward to a great year together!
Mrs. Sborz
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