Galaxy Day

This Wednesday will be our first galaxy day.  On galaxy days, your student will be traveling to a different classroom to complete a lesson with his or her galaxy teacher.  Each classroom will have a mix of kindergarteners, first graders, second graders, third graders, and fourth graders.  Our lessons will focus around the habits of mind skills that our entire school is learning.  Your student will return to our classroom after about a half hour.  Your student will be receiving a school t-shirt that we would like him or her to wear on each galaxy day.  Your student will only receive one t-shirt so please make sure that he or she takes care of it.  Additional t-shirts will need to be purchased.  I will notify you before each galaxy day so that your student knows when to wear his or her shirt.  

This Wednesday is an early release day.  The students will be dismissed at 1:50pm.  There is no school this Friday.  Please make sure that your student wears his or her athletic shoes on Monday and Thursday of Kinetics.  Library books should be returned on Wednesday and are due back Thursday.

Math Test

This week your child will be taking their first math test online.  Please look for the chapter review to come home on either Wednesday or Thursday of this week.  Please review the problems with your child so that he or she is prepared for the math test.  Typically, the questions on the review are similar to the questions on the actual math test.  I will then be sending home a score sheet with your student so you can see which questions he or she answered correctly.  If you would like to view the questions that your student missed, I will be sending home a Think Central sheet that will explain how to access your child's account.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to message me or email me. 

This Wednesday is a full day of school.  Please remember to have your student wear athletic shoes on Thursday for Kinetics.  Library books should be returned on Wednesday and are due back Thursday.  

Class Dojo

If you have not logged into Class Dojo yet, please do so as soon as possible using the access code that was sent home in your child's binder on the first week of school.  This system is a way for me to continually communicate with you regarding your child's behavior.  Class Dojo also is a wonderful tool for me to post pictures of what we are currently working on in class.  I also use this application to communicate with you in a form of  messaging.  This allows you to message me with any questions that you may have regarding your child's homework, behavior, or learning.  You can also customize your child's account by changing your child's Avatar.  Many of the students have expressed how they would like to change their Dojo Avatar.  If you are having difficulty viewing your child's account because it is logging you into last year's teacher, use the access code that I sent home to make sure that you are accessing our classroom's Dojo instead of his or her class from the previous year.  If you need another paper for the access code, please let me know.

This Wednesday is a full day of school.  There is no school on Friday of this week or Monday of next week.  Please remember to have your child wear athletic shoes on Monday and Thursday.  Library books should be returned on Wednesday and are due back Thursday.

Open House

What a great first week!  The students have had such a successful start to learning rules and classroom procedures.  I have enjoyed every minute of being with your children.  Let's have another great week!

This Tuesday, Sycamore will be having an open house and a back-to-school picnic from 5:00-7:00pm.  This is a great time to get to know the Sycamore staff and to also ask any questions that you may have about first grade.  At 5:00pm, I will be available in our classroom.  The students will complete a scavenger hunt with you where they can show you all about our classroom. I will also be available to answer any questions that you may have as you are pondering about what happens in first grade. The open house will take place in our classroom, room 104. If you have not dropped off your students supplies (dry erase marker, tissues, binder, crayons, and glue stick), you may do this at the open house.  The picnic is also a great time to meet other families from Sycamore.  I hope to see you there!! 

This is the first week of homework.  I sent home a homework packet and a reading log on Friday.  Reading homework will be due each week on the following Friday.  All homework must be turned in to receive homework credit.  Remember to initial at least three of the activities on the Family Times that you have completed before returning it to school.  Readers will also be coming home this week with many of the students.  Advanced readers will receive a reading passage instead of readers.  Please add these books to your child's reading log along with any other books that your child has read to you or you have read to him or her.  Reading logs will also be turned in every Friday and then returned.  Please make sure to be reading with your child on a daily basis.  Math homework will also be coming home this week.  Math homework should be returned daily.  Only the first page must be completed unless your child has been absent.  Thanks for your support! 

Your child will also be assessed on his/her reading and math this week.  However, it will be a couple more weeks before I will have a complete picture of your child's reading and mathematical needs. 

This Wednesday is an early release day.  The students will be dismissed at 1:50pm.  Please remember to have your child wear athletic shoes on Monday and Thursday for Kinetics.