Hyalite First Grade - August/September News

Welcome to a new school year!  Our team is thrilled to welcome you to the first grade community and to be a part of your child’s learning journey.  We are looking forward to a terrific year filled with many exciting learning experiences and lots of fun!  Below are helpful tips about some of our first grade procedures and routines we will be following throughout the school year.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email your child’s teacher.  

Pick Up & Drop Off:

• School hours are Monday-Friday 8:15-3:15.
• There is supervision on the playground beginning at 8:00am. We will meet our students at the four-square area when the bell rings at 8:15. Please have your child look for their teacher.
• Parents/guardians have just the first week of school to escort their children in the morning to their grade level drop off zone.  After that, drop off will be at one of the playground gates.
• If you are picking up your child after school, they will need to stay with the teacher in the four-square area  until the teacher has made eye contact with their pickup person. This is for safety purposes.
• Only individuals who have custody of your child may pick them up. Please notify the school office or your child’s teacher if you have another individual with your approval.
• First grade students not picked up by 3:20, will be placed in the school office for pick up as teachers have after school meetings to attend.
• Students going to Eagles (after school program) or taking the bus home will be escorted to these areas by school staff.

Volunteers:

• Classroom volunteers begin in October.  Your child’s teacher will send home sign up information at this time.

Curriculum:

• Each first-grade teacher is responsible for the same curriculum.  However, we don’t all follow the same sequence or use some of the same materials and/or methods in teaching that curriculum. No two teachers are alike and all of us will agree that our style of teaching is uniquely our own.

Take Home Folder:

• Please check your child’s take-home folder each evening as it will contain classroom and school informational papers, practice sheets and completed work. These folders need to go home and come back to school every day.
• Please take out all papers that stay at home. Having a neat and tidy take home folder is something we encourage for all our first graders.

Clothing/Belongings:  

• Please be sure all your child’s belongings that go to and from school are labeled with his or her first and last name (lunch box, backpack, coat, and snow gear).

Contacting Teacher:

• If you need to contact your child’s teacher during the school day, please call the office as we do not answer outside calls on our classroom phones while teaching nor do we check school emails. We will respond to any messages within 24 hours.

Water Bottle & Extra Clothing:

• Please send a water bottle with your child each day.  Please make sure the water bottle does not get placed inside the backpack as it could spill and damage library books. A change of clothes kept in your child’s locker would be greatly appreciated as accidents do happen.

Extended School Absence:

• The first-grade teachers appreciate as much advance notice as possible if your child is going to have an extended absence from school.  We will try to collect some work that needs to be done and send it home.  Also, please keep in mind it is often difficult to plan exactly where we will be in each subject area, so some projects/assignments will need to be completed when your child returns.

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Front Door Security:

• Raptor School Safety System is the visitor management system our district is using to enhance school safety.  The first time you enter our building through the front doors, you will need to show your driver’s license so office staff can enter you into the system. Once cleared through the system, you will no longer need to show your driver’s license as a visitor badge is produced.

Breakfast and Lunch:

• Breakfast and lunch are available this school year for all students.  Breakfast will be available at 8:00am in the school cafeteria.  First grade lunch is from 11:40-12:00.  Please check with the school office if you are interested in free and reduced lunches for your child.

Specials:

• Each class will have Health Enhancement (physical education) and music twice a week and library once a week. Please have your child come prepared for Health Enhancement days with VELCRO strap gym shoes.  Please feel free to leave an extra pair of gym shoes in your child’s locker at school.

Home to School Connection:

• The first grade team believes it is important for us to work together with families to provide the best learning experience possible for your child.  Each teacher has their own method of communicating regularly with families. Please email your teacher throughout the school year with any questions or concerns you may have.  We will respond within 24 hours.

Allergies/Special Concerns:

• Please let your child’s teacher know of any allergies your child may have.  If you have any special concerns about your child at any time during the school year that may affect him or her at school, please let your teacher know right away.

Birthdays: 

• Birthdays and 1⁄2 birthdays are special events and may be celebrated in our classrooms.  Edible birthday treats are NOT  allowed due to the high number of food allergies in our classrooms.  Please check with your child’s teacher for any special birthday instructions.

Class Parties:

• Classroom parties are a special part of first grade memories.  Kids love to take a break from their usual school routine.  Each teacher does parties a little differently and will communicate with parents when it’s time to begin planning.  Typically we do a harvest party (October), holiday party (December) and a friendship party (February).

Snacks:

• There will be a morning snack break in first grade each day.  If you would like your child to have a snack, you must send your child to school with a snack from home.  Please consider snacks that are low in sugar and high in nutritional value.  Please do not send a snack that requires a can opener or utensils as we do not have those items in the classroom. 

September Parent Tip and Tidbit:

 Read to Your Child Every Day:  

By reading together every day, you stimulate and strengthen your child's language and literacy skills. It is that simple. By reading and talking with your child each day, you bond with them and model the love of reading, which will benefit them in school and throughout life.

The Hyalite First Grade Team

             Ms. Hattendorf, Mrs. Abbey, Ms. Walker & Mrs. Delaney

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