Teacher: Ms. Tia Lucchese
Teaching Assistant: Mrs. Bertha Cooke
Welcome to First Grade! I am so excited to be back at St John the Baptist this year. Originally from Texas, I grew up going to a small Episcopal school and know and love the community such a school brings to one’s learning experience. I moved to California to attend UC Berkeley, receiving my BA in English and a minor in Music. I then attended SF State where I completed both my Multiple Subject and Special Education credentials. I am looking forward to a great year – blessings!
-Ms. Lucchese (“Loo-K-Z”)
The ABC’s of First Grade:
Allergies: Please notify me if your child has any food allergies that we should be aware of – with your help I aim to keep your child safe in my classroom.
Birthdays: We will celebrate all the birthdays of a month the last week of that month. Let me know in advance what you would like to do to celebrate your child’s birthday. Please see attached list of all the students’ birthdays. Note: Just a reminder that if you are giving out birthday party invitations please invite the whole class or mail them privately. Thank you!
Discipline: Classroom Expectations: respect yourself and others, contribute to the learning environment, and follow procedures. These echo the St John’s student learning expectations to be Christian leaders, academic achievers, and responsible citizens. There will be positive feedback if these expectations are met and consequences if they are not followed: 1) warning 2) reflective time out 3) missed recess 4) visit to office. The goal of this discipline plan is to foster self-discipline and responsibility in students.
Each student will have a name card, and if they are not following classroom expectations they will recieve a clip. One clip is just a warning, two clips means they will receive a time out for reflection, three clips will result in a loss of some recess, and after four clips they will be sent to the office. If they have a clip free day they will get a star, and after ten stars they will get a prize from the prize box.
Friday Folders: In the folders every Friday, I will send home the weekly newsletter, corrected work, and other important notes. PLEASE READ and return the folder on Mondays. Feel free to include a note with any questions or concerns you may have. Note: please send folders in backpacks every day, in case there is a school note or flier that needs to be sent home.
Homework: In First Grade homework should not take more than 20 minutes a night, if your child is consistently taking longer please let me know. Homework Packets will go home in the folders every Monday, and must be returned on Friday. Homework will include the week’s spelling list and a small practice packet. In addition, children should be spending 15 minutes every night reading to or with a family member. This one-on-one reading time is invaluable to your child!
Language Arts: In First Grade, Language Arts includes phonics, reading, writing, and oral language. We will be spending time every day on these skills, whether it be in reading groups, writing poetry, doing sharing at community circle, or as integrated into another subject area.
Math: First Grade Math encompasses many building blocks: simple addition and subtraction, telling time, money, measurement, graphing, patterns, even fractions and geometry! We will start every day doing some calendar math, but will also have group instruction and hands on experiences involving manipulatives.
Parent Help: There will be many opportunities for parents to pitch in – field trip chaperones, helping at school events, assisting in the classroom, donating items for the Endowment. Please refer to the family handbook for more PPP information and stay tuned for events!
Religion: In First Grade our Religious Studies center on the idea of being a part of the family of God and what it means to contribute to that community. We will learn about people of faith by studying saints. We will also be leading the Palm Sunday Liturgy later in the year.
Science: First Grade Science focuses on two main units: starting with Air and Weather, and ending with Solids, Liquids, and Gases. We get to explore the world around us through very hands-on experiments and explorations.
Sharing: Once student will share every Friday, on a rotating basis. Look in the Friday Folder for the sharing schedule. Sharing is a part of the Oral Language curriculum, it is also a way for the classroom community to learn more about each student. Please encourage your child to bring an item with an interesting story or significance.
Social Studies: In First Grade the focus is on a child’s place in time: comparing how people used to live to how we live now, learning about the symbols of our country, discovering where food and goods in our lives come from, and experiencing what it means to be a responsible citizen.
Specialized Staff: I will be integrating Art and Music throughout the curriculum, as these are two of my passions. However, First Graders also study Music with Mr. JM, PE with Coach Mike, Spanish with Mrs. Curtis, and Computer with Mr. C. We are blessed to have such wonderful specialized staff to supplement our year! Also, Mrs. Cooke is our fabulous assistant, my right arm.
Spelling: Spelling lists will be handed out every Monday in the Homework Packet. Throughout the week we will do word work to give students the chance to manipulate the words. We will have Spelling Tests on Fridays, please review words with your child during the week.
Uniforms: Please consult the family handbook for guidelines on the uniform policy.
