Welcome to Back to School Night!September 22, 2015

•Please sign up for a conference at the back table.

•GUESS WHO! While you are waiting, see if you can guess who your child is from their drawing on the back wall. Need a clue…read what your child’s talent is. The answer key is the last page of your packet.

•Please use the pink paper on your child’s desk to write them a brief note.

•Write anything you feel I need to know on the index card.

All About Miss King• I graduated from Bloomsburg

University with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education and Special Education.

• I have my Masters degree from West

Chester University in Reading.

• This is my fourth year teaching at Aston Elementary School. Before Aston, I taught Special Education at

Pennell Elementary for six years.

Our Class Schedule• 8:50-9:10 Morning Meeting

• 9:10-9:30 Spelling

• 9:30-9:50 Shared Reading (whole group)

• 9:50-10:20 RTI (Begins in October)

• 10:20-11;10 Guided Reading (small group, centers)

• 11:10-11:35 Writing

• 11:35-12:30 Recess/Lunch

• 12:30-12:45 Read Aloud

• 12:45-1:45 Math

• 1:45-2:25 Special

• 2:25-3:10 Content Area (Science or Social Studies)

Specials Schedule• Monday: Library

• Tuesday: Music

• Wednesday: Physical Education (wear

sneakers)

• Thursday: Art

• Friday: Guidance- 1st Trimester

Technology- 2nd/3rd Trimesters

Spelling~Journeys~

• Monday: Students take a pre-test and learn the weekly skill.

• Monday-Thursday: We will work on

skills and practice the spelling words in preparation for the test.

• There will be spelling homework assigned Monday-Thursday.

• Assessment: Students will take a test on Friday.• Check on my teacher webpage for

flashcards and helpful hints.

Whole Group Reading

~Journeys~• We use textbooks in first grade, targeting specific

skills and reading strategies found in the short stories.

Students will meet in a large group at the front of the

classroom and/or at their desks. The class will read

the story together and work on strategies and skills as

a large group. The strategies taught during shared

reading instruction will be applied by the children

during guided reading.

RTIResponse To Intervention

• This year, Aston Elementary will be implementing RTI. The purpose of RTI is to provide interventions or enrichment to every student at their current reading level.

• Each child will be placed in a group that will receive instruction on their level.

Small Group Reading• Teacher works with a small group of students at a similar

developmental stage of reading. The goal is for students to learn and use reading strategies independently and to read for meaning.

• Students will continue to progress, moving towards more challenging books as the year goes on.

• When students are not meeting with the teacher, they will be working in literacy centers with their small groups. These centers will reinforce skills taught at their guided reading groups and during shared reading lessons.

• Assessment: The students will be assessed using unit assessments and teacher observations in their guided reading groups. Throughout the school year, the teacher will monitor the students’ progress and make adjustments to their reading level.

Writing~Being a Writer~

• Writing is focused on building a classroom writing community. The students will work with partners in order to communicate strengths and needs in writing.

• Trade books and mentor text will be used on a weekly basis to enhance students writing.

• The daily lesson begins each day with a mini-lesson. The students are then encouraged to explore this skill while writing in their journal.

Math~enVision Math~

• Important concepts we will learn in first grade include:

– Operations and Algebraic Thinking– Number and Operations in Base Ten

Blocks– Measurement and Data– Geometry

• Assessment: Students will take a test at the end of each topic to assess their understanding of the concepts learned. They will also be assessed based on their daily class work.

Social Studies• Units:

– Time for School– In my Community– Work! Work! Work!– Our Earth, Our Resources– This is our Country, Our World

• Assessment: Students will take a test at the end of each unit to assess their understanding. They will also be assessed on daily class work in their workbook.

Science

• Weather• Organisms • Butterflies

• Assessment: Students will have a Science workbook. They will be assessed on daily class work in their workbook, participation in the experiments and activities, as well as an end of the unit test.

Take Home Books• Monday-Thursday your child will read at home. The

children will chose a book on their level each night. Students will bring the book and a journal home each night in a zip-lock bag.

• Each night, after reading, parents will fill in the journal to record student’s work in progress. Please list the date, title of the book, any comments you may have.

• The child will bring the book back to school the following morning and exchange it for a new book.

• Every Thursday night your child will need to complete a writing assignment after reading his/her take home book.

Homework Policy• A homework assignment sheet will be given out

every Monday. It will usually be on yellow paper.

• The homework folder will go home every night. This is one way of communicating with you. Inside the folder, you will often find forms or papers you need to fill out. Please be as prompt as possible.

• I will also send home corrected homework

assignments and class work. If any work is sent home in the folder, that is for you to keep. Please be sure to periodically clean out your child’s folder. I may also send personal notes home to you if necessary.

It is essential that you check the folder every night and talk to you child about

the contents.

Notes on Behavior• Our class will earn weekly rewards for overall classroom

behavior. The class will earn scoops of popcorn for following the classroom rules and making good choices. When the jar is filled, we celebrate!

• On an individual level, each day the students will arrive with a clothes pin on our class chart set on “Ready to Learn”. The assumption is that each day is a fresh new beginning.

• The goal for each student is to stay on “Ready to Learn” or to move up to “Wise Choices” or even better, “Superstar”.

• The object is not to move DOWN! However, we all have times when we need to “Think About” our behavior. The

lower two consequences are “Recess” and “Parent Contact”.

Notes on Behavior• I try to RARELY take away the students entire recess.

My protocol is to discuss with the student how they can make a change, sometimes they will need to write a letter home, and then we move on. This usually lasts about half of the recess.

• Lastly, at the end of each day, the students will record where they ended the day. (See chart in packet). If you have any questions about a particular day or week, please don’t hesitate to write on the chart, send me a note/email, or give me a call.

• You will receive your child’s chart on Fridays. Some weeks, you may not get it until Monday, but for the

most part, please expect the chart on Friday. Sign the chart and return to school.

Other items…• From time to time, I may provide the students with a working

snack. Usually, this will take place on a Friday as a reward. Please take a look at the list below and note on the index card if you do not wish your child to have any of the following snacks.

– Pretzels - Sugar free popsicles– Goldfish– Popcorn– Animal crackers

• At the end of the month, we will discuss apples and have an apple tasting. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please record on the index card.

• Students are permitted to bring in a snack for their birthdays. The students typically hand the snack out in the cafeteria during lunch. Please see the Penn-Delco School District Wellness Policy Paper in your packet to see what snacks are permitted.

• Sometimes it is hot in Room 103 and other times it is cold! Please dress your child in layers. You can even have them leave a sweatshirt here in their cubby if you prefer.

Field Trips• First grade will take two field trips this year.

• In October, we will go to the Philadelphia Zoo.

• In May, we will go to Milky Way Farms.

• We will have a limited amount of chaperones permitted to go on each trip. Prior to our field trips, I will send a letter home about chaperoning. If you are interested, I will ask you to let me know by a certain date. If I have too many interested parents, I will pick out of a hat.

Volunteer Requirements

This year the state has issued a mandate that states that anyone who will have routine interactions with students or be potentially responsible for their care, the must have their clearances.

The page to the right is in your packet. Please refer to this to be sure you will be able to attend yearly events.

Go to www.pdsd.org and look at the bottom of the webpage under “Have you Heard” for more helpful information.

Scholastic Book Orders• Orders will be sent home about once a month.

• The quickest way to order books is to place your order online at www.scholastic.com. You can also write a check and send it into school. If you write a check, please write one check made payable to Scholastic Book Clubs even if ordering from multiple catalogues.

• When you order online you will receive a $5.00 coupon, every time, and you can use it towards your next order. In addition when you order books, our class earns points and we can order books to have in our room.

***Our classroom code is: LKX68

School SuppliesPlease ask your child periodically if any

of their school supplies need to be replaced. This will ensure that they

will always be prepared with the necessary materials to do their best

work.

LET’S HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR!

Teacher Contact Information

• Email: jking@pdsd.org

• Phone: (610) 497-6300 ext. 4103

• Teacher Website on the Penn Delco Website- www.pdsd.org

– Go to school- Aston Elementary– Staff– Jessica King