ABC's of First Grade

See below for the ABC's of First Grade. This gives information about first grade and some information about school procedures. Please take some time to read through this information.
 
Absences – If your child is going to be absent or late (arrival after 8:20), a parent must call the school in the morning.  When your child returns to school after an absence, he or she must have an absent note.  Absent note slips will be provided by the school and are available on the school website. Please note, 3 sicknesses in a row must be accompanied with a doctor's note.
 
 
Arrival – There will be a staff member in the gymnasium starting at 8:00 each morning.  For your child’s safety, please do not drop off earlier than 8:00 unless you are registered for CARES.   Students are considered late if they are not in the classroom at 8:20.
 
Art – Our class will have Art with Mrs. Rowland every Tuesday (Last names A-H) and Wednesday (last names J-W)
 
Backpacks – Students should bring a backpack to school every day.  Please make sure the backpack is large enough to accommodate the take-home folder.  Backpacks should not have a lot of unnecessary items inside.  A lunch box, snack, take-home folder, and Homework books and copybooks should be in the backpack.  Please mark your child's name inside his/her backpack. 
 
Belongings - Please mark all belongings (backpack, lunch box, sweat shirt, etc.) with the first name and the last name of the student.
 
Birthdays – First grade birthdays are very special times.  Children love to be the center of attention on their day.    The birthday child will be recognized during morning announcements and will receive a N.U.T (NO UNIFORM TODAY) Pass to be used on a day that you wish as long as we are not going to Mass. Parents can send a small class snack (that is easy to pass out) to school to celebrate their child. Please keep in mind....SNACK SHOULD NOT HAVE PEANUT OR ALMONDS in them as we have a student with allergies. 
 
Book Orders - Every month you can order books for home at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class activation code: LJHHZ 
When you purchase books our class is credited with points which I use for additional books for our class library. Please know you are not obligated to order! 
  
Classroom Behavior - We will be following a schoolwide PBIS Program which stands for  Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. This is an evidence based, tiered framework for supporting students' behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. We are going with a three strike policy. Students will be reminded of our school expectations throughout the school year. If a child continually struggles to follow our school expectations, I will either follow up with a note,  a phone call, or I will schedule a parent/teacher/student conference to come up with a plan to help the student to follow our school expectations. 
 
Church - Please make weekly attendance at Mass a family priority.  I can always tell (by church behavior) which first graders have been attending Mass regularly.  They will not behave better if you don't give them the opportunity to practice.  To say nothing of the beautiful gift of being able to visit with the Lord! Also, those who are Catholic will be receiving two sacraments next year in second grade. 
 
Conferences – Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled during the first trimester. Each family is scheduled for a ten to fifteen minute conference.  This is the only scheduled conference for the year.  However, conferences can be arranged any time the parent or teacher feels they are necessary.
 
CARES – MPRCS has a before and after school program.  Information regarding the CARES program can be found on the school website.  Details can also be requested from the school office.
 
Dismissal – Car riders will be dismissed from the gymnasium at around 3:00.  Your child will be dismissed when the first 15 cars in all three rows reach the gymnasium door.  Please place a sign with your child’s last name on it in your car window so the teachers can read it.
**** If there is a change in your child’s normal method of transportation at dismissal, a note must be sent into school.  For example, your child is a bus rider.  You will be picking him up by car.  I must have a note or email stating that change in writing. We can not rely on a First Grader to be responsible for how they are leaving school. 
 
Early Dismissal – If your child needs to leave early for an appointment or due to sickness, there are a few school procedures that must be followed.  When you enter the school to pick your child up, you must first go to the office to sign your child out.  The office will call down to the classroom and we will have your child packed up for dismissal.
 
Emergency Procedures – If an incident should occur, school will first contact the parents.  If the parents cannot be reached, they will contact those people you have designated on the information sheet filled out in September.  Be sure to update any phone number changes as needed throughout the year.
Occasionally minor accidents happen during the day.  If I feel that a situation was handled properly, I will not call you at work.  Examples: applied bandage, cleaned a cut or scrape. All head injuries will require us to notify you.

Grading System for First Grade to Third Grade
O = Outstanding                        Equivalent to A+
VG= Very Good                         Equivalent to A
G = Good                                   Equivalent to B
S = Satisfactory                         Equivalent to C or Average
I =  Improvement Needed          Equivalent to D
U = Unsatisfactory                     Equivalent to F or Failing  
 
HASA – The Home and School Association organizes a number of programs that benefit both the school and the families of MPRCS.  There are at least three membership meetings during the year.  There are also many ways for parents to become involved at MPRCS through HASA. Please be sure to pay your Yearly dues.
 
Homework – Homework is an excellent opportunity to develop good work and study habits.  It also allows parents to see what we do at school and gives the student practice on skills that are being developed.  Homework is assigned nightly Monday - Thursday. Please do not go ahead of each night's work. 
 
Hot Lunch/Drinks – we have a free hot lunch program that is available to all students daily. Occasionally, the hot lunch program is unavailable or we have an unexpected change in what is being served. If we know of it in advance,  you will be notified ahead of the date to prepare a lunch from home. 
 
Jewelry – No jewelry is to be worn with the school uniform except for a cross or a religious medal.  Earrings must be post-type earrings- no HOOPS. Please refer to the MPRCS Handbook for specifics.
 
Late Arrival – A student is considered late if he is not in  the school gymnasium at 8:20. If your child is late arriving to school, he/she must be signed in at the office.  The student may come directly to the classroom, but the parent should go up to the office and sign the child in.
 
Library – Our class will have Library with Mrs. Jennings on Thursdays.
 
Medication – If your child needs to be given any type of medication, you will need to come to school to administer it or the school nurse will administer it if she has prior knowledge.  Please contact the office with questions.
 
Music – Our class will have music on Thursdays with Mr. Azzolina
 
Physical Education – Our class will have P.E. with Mrs. Meehan every Wednesday
 
Report Cards and Progress Reports – Report cards are issued three times a year. Progress reports are issued in the middle of each trimester as needed.
 
Snack – We will have a short snack time every morning.  Please send in a snack that your child can eat in a short period of time (five or ten minutes).  Make sure the snack is nutritious (no candy, please).  We will not be having any drinks with our snacks.  We will drink water after our snack and bathroom break. There is an option of ordering a pretzel for snack.  The pretzel order is for the upcoming few months. We also have the option of having a free breakfast item from what Mrs. Washel calls the “Snack Bar” in the cafeteria.
 
Spanish- Our class will have Spanish class with Senora Kate on Mondays  
 
Student of the Week - Each student will have the opportunity, over the course of the year, to be Student of the Week.  The student's pictures and info page gets hung up in the first grade classroom.  Students are recognized during morning meeting on Monday and throughout the week. They will also be the line leader for the week.
 
Take-Home Folder – This is a Light Blue communication folder.  This folder must be brought to school every day.  Please make it a habit to check this folder every day because it will contain work, notes etc.  Please be sure to empty your child’s folder of anything on the “Keep at Home” side. Your child will be responsible for checking for notes for me in their take-home folder. We will check this folder every morning, so please put notes, money, and anything that needs to be returned to school in the folder. When sending in money, please put the money in an envelope in the folder.  Also, please mark the envelope with your child’s name and what the money is for.  Do not send any money loose in the folder.  
 
Tattoos and Nail polish – As per the MPRCS Student Handbook, no student is allowed to wear any tattoos or nail polish.  If temporary tattoos or nail polish are applied over the weekend, please remove them before they return to school on Monday.

Technology Class – Our class will have Computer with Mrs. Pry on Tuesdays (last names A to H) and Wednesdays (last Names J to W)

Teddy and Tedderina- Teddy and Tedderina are our class pets. They like to visit the first graders over the weekend. They come in a backpack with spare clothes and a journal to write in and to be  shared with the class. They will go home with a different first grader every Friday and they must be returned to school by the following Tuesday. Children should record their events from the weekend in the journal and include pictures. A sample from last year's class will be in the backpack for you to see how it is done. 

Test folders - Red Test folders will come home every Tuesday. Please sign each of your child's tests at the top of the page and RETURN them in the Test folder each week so that I know you have seen their grades.
 
Uniforms – Please refer to the MPRCS handbook for information on what first grade girls and boys should wear for the Summer and Winter uniform.  No jewelry is to be worn, except for small post earrings on girls (no hanging earrings). Be sure your child has the proper shoes. Brown or black school shoes should be worn on days that are not gym days. The only day sneakers are allowed is Wednesday for gym class.
 
Volunteers – There are many opportunities to volunteer in both the school and the first grade classroom.  It is Archdiocesan policy that all volunteers have clearances before they can work in the school.  Please contact the office for a list of the clearances needed to volunteer.