Teacher: Mrs. Patti Cohoon de Buitrago
Teaching Assistant: Mrs. Bertha Cooke

First Grade Information

Dear Parents: Welcome to First Grade! Young children love to learn, and it is our responsibility to keep the desire for learning alive. You are your child’s first and most important teacher. I will do all that I can to help in the education of your child. I hope the following information will make the transition to first grade a smooth one.

School Handbook: Please read and refer to your handbook for important school policies and general information. Communication: Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about your child, classroom rules, procedures, or curriculum. The information folder is sent home every day. Please have your child return it every morning. I am available in the mornings before school, except Tuesday (Traffic Duty), and in the afternoons, except Wednesday (Faculty Meeting). If you need to conference with me, please send a note, or leave a message in the office, and I will schedule a conference. Discipline: Please continue to discuss the class rules with you child. The idea of discipline in the class is to teach the children to follow the rules using consequences, not punishment. I use a four star system as follows: 1. Positive rewards: It is important that children receive positive reinforcement both at home and at school. At school students will receive praise, certificates, stickers, and little prizes. 2. Each student begins the day with four stars. 3. Students lose stars if they do not follow the rules. 4. The first two stars are warnings. 5. Upon losing the third star a student receives a time out and a note home. 6. If a student loses a fourth star, the student goes to another class for ten minutes. 7. Severe clause: if a child does something that is harmful to another student, or is extremely disrespectful, he or she will be sent to the office. 8. On Mondays you will receive your child’s star chart for the previous week. Please discuss your child’s behavior with him/her.

Homework: Parents read to their children, or listen to their children read for at least 15 minutes a day. Fill in the reading log, and when it is complete return it in the information folder. Homework packets go home on Friday and are returned the following Friday. Students will also complete one book report each month. Periodically, students may have a long term project to complete. At this age parent support and help in completing homework is essential. Please check your child’s homework and sign. I highly suggest getting your child a timer to help him/her to stay on task. If you feel your child is spending too much time on homework, please let me know. Homework should not be a burden.

Corrected Work: Some work will be corrected as students are working on it in class. Corrected work will usually go home on Wednesdays. Please sign off that you have seen the work, and return the sign off sheet in the information folder.

Lunch and Snack: Please make sure your child has a nutritious, filling lunch.

Bathroom: Please remind your child to go the bathroom before school, at lunch and recess. Remind your child of the importance of washing hands after using the bathroom.

Sharing: Every Friday during the morning activities we will have sharing. This is an important part of Oral Language development. Please have your child bring in something of interest, not just a toy. Let your child practice telling you about the object.

Birthdays: Birthdays will be celebrated once a month, usually on the last Friday. I will send home a birthday list so that you can plan with other parents. I would like to keep the birthday celebrations simple. We will have the celebration the last twenty minutes of the day. Bringing something to celebrate a birthday is a choice, not an obligation. Please bring items that are simple to pass out and don’t need to be cut, scooped, or poured.

Birthday Invitations: Unless you are inviting the whole class, please do not send invitations to be passed out at school. We do not want any children to feel left out.

Uniforms: Please write your child’s name on his/her uniform. Please refer to handbook for uniform policies.

Scholastic Book Club: This is a great program because the books are inexpensive. Another place to buy inexpensive books is a second hand store such as Good Will. Free books are available to check out at your local Library. All students should have a Library card.

Parent Help: Opportunities for participation include chaperoning field trips, assisting in the classroom, being a guest speaker, and lending a hand during holiday celebrations and special school events. In order to help in the classroom, you must have your safe environment papers on file in the office. If you are interested in helping in the classroom, or helping with preparation that can be done in your home, please let me know.

Field Trips: The First Grade and Kindergarten will go on some field trips together. Information will be sent home prior to the field trip.

Curriculum

Language Arts: Phonics: Students use the Open Court phonics program. The goal of instruction in phonics is to provide children with the tools they need to read with fluency.

Reading: Houghton Mifflin reading program is used in first grade. Students read and comprehend simple stories. Oral fluency is emphasized. Students are learning to compare and contrast, and to predict what will happen in a story. Appreciation of literature is encouraged through silent reading and the teacher reading to the class.

Spelling: Students will learn to spell high frequency words from their reading books.

Oral Language Skills: Through circle time, calendar, sharing, class discussions, singing, and poetry, oral language skills are practiced and refined.

Writing: Students write in their daily journal. Students will have an opportunity to write stories and learn to write a letter. Students learn to use capitals and periods in a sentence. Students also complete a simple book report once a month.

Math: First Grade uses the Scott Foresman-Addision Wesley series. Students learn simple addition and subtraction, graphing, and counting patterns. Students also study place value, money, time, measurement, fractions and geometry. Besides whole group and individual instruction, students have the opportunity to work in centers using manipulatives.

Social Studies: The first grade uses the Houghton Mifflin Social Studies series. Students study history, geography, economics, culture, and ethics and belief systems at a level appropriate for first graders.

Religion: In a Catholic School, religion is integrated into all that we do in first grade. The students are learning to be “Christian leaders.” Besides daily prayer, good deeds, and participation in the mass, first graders use the series Blest Are We to learn about the Catholic Faith. They also learn about Family Life using the Beziger series.

Science: Students will use Foss Kits developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science. These kits give students an opportunity to learn science through hands on experience. Our units include Solids, Liquids and Gases, and Air and Weather.

Art: The students will have a chance to express themselves creatively through the use of different art materials. Seasonal themes will be tied in to many art projects. Art will also be integrated into other areas of the first grade curriculum.

Computer: Class is taught on Tuesday by Mr. Clifton Noble.

P.E: Class is taught on Monday and Friday by Mr. Mike Leite.

Music: Class is taught on Monday and Wednesday by Mr. Bill Allums.

Spanish: Class is taught on Mondays by Señora Norma Santiago.

Teacher Assistant: We are fortunate to have Mrs. Cooke to help with small group and individual instruction.

Thank you for your support and cooperation. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

God bless you,

Patti Cohoon de Buitrago First Grade Teacher