Class Policy, as outlined on Back-to-School Night

Dear Parents,

Hello! Welcome to Chaparral's Back-to-School Night and Room 4. I am very excited about our new year and have spent the last couple of weeks getting to know your kids. They are a great group and I am enjoying watching them settle in to the "first grade routine." My goal this year is to provide a happy environment for them to grow and learn. Learning should be fun, and we will do our best to make it so.

Arrival and Dismissal

Thank you all for getting to school on time, not leaving your cars unattended at the curb and starting your children off with a smile each morning. We had a very smooth first couple of weeks because of your good morning routine.

There is supervision on the playground from 8:00 to 8:15 each morning. Students are not to be in the "quad" area until  8:00 when they can take care of their backpack, put their homework folder in the blue basket, and go to recess. At 8:15 the children will line up outside our door where I will be waiting to let them in to the class room and begin our busy day. If your child is later than 8:30, he/she will have to go to the office before coming to class.

Rules and Behavior

Rules:(As composed by your highly charactered children!)

Curriculum

For curriculum click on the link on left that says Curriculum.

Class work

We have work folders in the classroom. Finished class work will come home each day. Please go over these papers daily with your child. If work is not completed I will write hw(homework) on the top and would like them to finish it that evening, to go in the basket in the morning. If a child is absent, his work will be waiting on his desk on his return and can be completed and returned as he gets to it. Remember the green homework folder needs to go home and be returned every day.

Homework

Each Monday your child will bring home a homework packet,along with a newsletter letting you know what's going on that week.. This is their work for the week and should be completed and returned on Friday. If it’s been a particularly busy week and you need the weekend to complete it, that’s fine. We are just teaching responsibility here. There will be spelling, math, grammar, high frequency words, (which they need to learn to read, NOT SPELL), and writing practice. There will also be a RISE Reading card which you have seen already I’m sure. This is where you will sign off for each 15 minutes read. Please spread your child’s work our over the week if at all possible. They can not do it alone, so, please check it for them and read directions when appropriate.

There will be some reading books coming home, several in fact. One goes along with the reading series and there are three new stories each week.  That is the little green Phonics Reader for each theme.  I will also be starting a program with the old series that will have your child bringing home a book to read. They need to practice that book with you, (Most will be memorizing for a while.) and bring it back when they can read it to me. They will then get the next book in the series. We will only work through about 14 books in this manner.This is extra and simply for enjoyment, they are good stories.

  They will also be bringing home a book that their group will be reading, and you will have to sign off each night as they read it to you.  This is important.

Progress Report and Conferences

Your child will receive three progress reports this year. The first one will be given out at November conferences. The second will be sent home in March, and the third will go home on the last day of school.   There will also  be mid-term progress reports if a child is at risk. I would like to have parent/teacher conferences with you in early November.  Some of you have signed up already.  If you haven't, you will be contacted about a date in plenty of time to plan.

Odds and Ends

Classroom Volunteers- I would like to encourage each of you to volunteer in the classroom. Your child loves it and it gives you and opportunity to know what’s going on in room 4. You will be doing clerical work, project preparation, working with individual students, or working in small groups. If you would rather take projects home, we have a job for you too!! Thank you for taking advantage of this opportunity..

Library - We go to the library each Friday morning.The kids will be allowed to check out one book each week. Please make sure that they get back by the next Froday, or maybe even plan to return it earlier so it doesn’t get misplaced.

Field Trips - As of now we are working on several field trips.  On November 27th we will go on a trip to the San Gavriel Canyon.  There will be at least one or two more to look forward to.

Birthdays - We do celebrate birthdays in Room  4. There are new state district guidelines that must be followed if you intend to bring in snacks for the birhday child.  They must be nutritious snacks.  A class giftg book might be an easier idea, and that will be welcomed also.

I hope this answers most of your questions.  Feel free to stop in any time you have a question or a concern, or just want to see what's going on!  My home phone is listed and I don't mind if there is something important going on for you to call me there.  My email address is jmaciari@chs.cusd.claremont.edu.  That is the best way to reach me as I check my email at least twice a day. 

    I think we are off to a wonderful year and I look forward to getting to know you and your chld better and better and to sharing a great year with you.