Class Schedule
8:30-8:45 Attendance, lunch count, calendar
8:45-9:00 Number Corner/Calendar
9:00-9:30 Fundations
9:30 Bathroom Break
9:45 - 10:45 WIN Reading/Centers
10:45 - 11:45 Lunch/Recess
11:45 -12:00 Read Aloud/Haggerty
12:00 - 12:30 Whole Group Math
12:30 - 1:00 WIN Math/Centers
1:00 - 1:15 Snack/Wonders Comp Stories/Geodes
1:15 - 1:45 Writing
1:45 Bathroom/Pack up
2 - 2:40
Specials
Day 1 Art/Computers
Day 2 Lower Gym
Day 3 Health
Day 4 Music/Library
Day 5 Upper Gym
Day 6 Enrichment
*Please be sure your child wears proper shoes on gym days so they can participate.
Snack
We have an afternoon snack break at 1:00 p.m. each day. Please send a snack and drink for your child.
I encourage you to provide your child with a bottle of water each day, which will be kept at his/her desk. (No juices please, just water)
Absences/Tardies
I hope to see your child everyday. If your child is out for an extended time due to illness I am happy to work with you to leave a packet of missed work to be picked up at the office.
Dismissal
- If you child’s end-of-day dismissal will be different that what we have on file in the main office you are required to send in a note. Otherwise I cannot send your child home with a friend’s parent, etc. Please specify such things as who will be picking up your child, at what time, and please provide the date and my name. *You can purchase a booklet of special notepaper in the office for a very small fee to make this process easier.
- If you wish to dismiss your child early for any reason a note is also greatly appreciated by the main office and myself. This also allows me to provide your child with any necessary paper work and have him/her ready for your arrival. (Otherwise you may be waiting quite a bit).
- A bus pass is required if your child will be taking a different bus, as the bus company has to be notified, call Wendy #347-8940.
Lunch Money
Lunch is free this school year
Parent Communication
There are several methods in which we can stay in touch. I check my email several times a day. My email address is: [email protected]. I also have a phone in the classroom, the number is 508-347-7041 x3605, please leave your full name along with the best number to call you back at. My mine way of communication is through the Remind app. Please email me for the class code.
Reading
We have a reading program this year called Reading Wonders by McGraw-Hill. The reading block is split between several different strategies to ensure success for all students. There are whole group lessons, small group lessons, guided reading groups, word work-studies, and a variety of reading strategies (such as reading to self, reading to a partner, and listening to reading). We also have a phonemic awareness program called Haggerty. This consists of a 7-10min daily video with many wonderful ways of learning how to hear sounds. Our phonics program is called Fundations. I send home a packet before we start every unit to show you what we will be learning on and this packet has a few things to work on if you would like at home.
Math
We also have a new math program this year, Bridges. I will be piloting this program along with 2 other first grade teachers.
Homework/Homework Folder
I start the year with a monthly homework sheet that works on a variety of skills. I will also do a bag of books program. This is a weekly bag sent home that contains books your child can read independently with little to no help. The homework I require is reading with your child as often as possible! I send home information throughout the year and am also happy to help anyone with supplying more books at their child's level.
Birthdays
We love to celebrate birthdays!! However, please be aware that we, at Burgess, no longer celebrate birthdays with food items. We are more than happy to have you provide other “goodies” such as pencils, stickers, erasers, bookmarks, or any other little item of interest. If you wish to have your child pass out invitations to his/her birthday party Burgess only allows this if the invitations are either for everyone in the classroom or for all of one gender (ex. your son has to invite every boy in the class/your daughter has to invite every girl in the class). I am not allowed to give out addresses or phone numbers of any of the children in the class.
School wide Expectations
Burgess practices a school wide philosophy known as the ABC's of Life. The "ABC's of Life are the skills we all need but were never taught", stated by authors of the book ABC's of Life Jon Oliver and Michael Ryan. The children are taught the skills sequentially, and most importantly tangibly through experimental games and activities. The goal is to create an environment where the children feel safe, cared for, and respected. The environment begins in our classrooms and carries over throughout the school. It is amazing to watch as children learn how to problem solve, cooperate, and use self-control on their own. The children feel good about themselves and understand situations that occur around them better. The philosophy behind the program is that we are creating a solid foundation of basic life skills from which the children will grow from and take with them throughout their adulthood.
*The diagram to the left is the ecosystem used to promote success at school, home, and within the community.
*More information regarding the ABC's of Life can be found in the book as stated above ABC's of Life by Jon Oliver and Michael Ryan or you may visit the website http://www.lessonone.org.
Class Expectations
In the classroom we will sequentially learn the ABC's of Life as stated above under school wide expectations. The children learn these skills through tangible games and activities. I also like to incorporate them into our classroom meetings. Classroom meetings are times when we address an issue that has occurred in the classroom or within the school setting. During a meeting we verbally share our ideas and write them on chart paper. Then we decide as a group how we could best resolve the issue. Next a plan is put into place and followed through for several days. The final piece is when we reconvene several days later and reflect on the plan and whether we feel the issue has been resolved or if we need to make further adjustments.
Early on in the year we have our initial classroom meeting to discuss how our classroom belongs to each of us, it is not just my classroom, it is our classroom. Therefore, as a class we will articulate our classroom rules. We will discuss the expectations we have for the year and we will discuss the actions that could hold us back from reaching our goals. I will create classroom rules with the students, post them, and have them sign their names in agreement.
First grade is a very exciting and rewarding time for you and your child. I am looking forward to a terrific year!
My behavioral system is based on positive reinforcement. I have created a clip chart where every student has a clothespin with their name on it. There are three colors on the clip board; green, yellow and red. Every monday each child begins on green, throughout the day depending on choices made and the circumstances they may be moved to yellow "slow down and think about it" or red "stop and talk about it". They are encouraged to discuss what has happened and how they are going to make a change when on yellow and even more so when they are on red. As I see them making better choices they are asked to move their clip back up towards green and on Friday afternoon we have "Fun Friday" which is their reward for working hard and having good behavior toward me, their classmates and themselves! Last year "Fun Friday" was a huge success and all of the children had a wonderful and successful year!
First grade is a very exciting and rewarding time for you and your child. I am looking forward to a terrific year!
8:30-8:45 Attendance, lunch count, calendar
8:45-9:00 Number Corner/Calendar
9:00-9:30 Fundations
9:30 Bathroom Break
9:45 - 10:45 WIN Reading/Centers
10:45 - 11:45 Lunch/Recess
11:45 -12:00 Read Aloud/Haggerty
12:00 - 12:30 Whole Group Math
12:30 - 1:00 WIN Math/Centers
1:00 - 1:15 Snack/Wonders Comp Stories/Geodes
1:15 - 1:45 Writing
1:45 Bathroom/Pack up
2 - 2:40
Specials
Day 1 Art/Computers
Day 2 Lower Gym
Day 3 Health
Day 4 Music/Library
Day 5 Upper Gym
Day 6 Enrichment
*Please be sure your child wears proper shoes on gym days so they can participate.
Snack
We have an afternoon snack break at 1:00 p.m. each day. Please send a snack and drink for your child.
I encourage you to provide your child with a bottle of water each day, which will be kept at his/her desk. (No juices please, just water)
Absences/Tardies
I hope to see your child everyday. If your child is out for an extended time due to illness I am happy to work with you to leave a packet of missed work to be picked up at the office.
Dismissal
- If you child’s end-of-day dismissal will be different that what we have on file in the main office you are required to send in a note. Otherwise I cannot send your child home with a friend’s parent, etc. Please specify such things as who will be picking up your child, at what time, and please provide the date and my name. *You can purchase a booklet of special notepaper in the office for a very small fee to make this process easier.
- If you wish to dismiss your child early for any reason a note is also greatly appreciated by the main office and myself. This also allows me to provide your child with any necessary paper work and have him/her ready for your arrival. (Otherwise you may be waiting quite a bit).
- A bus pass is required if your child will be taking a different bus, as the bus company has to be notified, call Wendy #347-8940.
Lunch Money
Lunch is free this school year
Parent Communication
There are several methods in which we can stay in touch. I check my email several times a day. My email address is: [email protected]. I also have a phone in the classroom, the number is 508-347-7041 x3605, please leave your full name along with the best number to call you back at. My mine way of communication is through the Remind app. Please email me for the class code.
Reading
We have a reading program this year called Reading Wonders by McGraw-Hill. The reading block is split between several different strategies to ensure success for all students. There are whole group lessons, small group lessons, guided reading groups, word work-studies, and a variety of reading strategies (such as reading to self, reading to a partner, and listening to reading). We also have a phonemic awareness program called Haggerty. This consists of a 7-10min daily video with many wonderful ways of learning how to hear sounds. Our phonics program is called Fundations. I send home a packet before we start every unit to show you what we will be learning on and this packet has a few things to work on if you would like at home.
Math
We also have a new math program this year, Bridges. I will be piloting this program along with 2 other first grade teachers.
Homework/Homework Folder
I start the year with a monthly homework sheet that works on a variety of skills. I will also do a bag of books program. This is a weekly bag sent home that contains books your child can read independently with little to no help. The homework I require is reading with your child as often as possible! I send home information throughout the year and am also happy to help anyone with supplying more books at their child's level.
Birthdays
We love to celebrate birthdays!! However, please be aware that we, at Burgess, no longer celebrate birthdays with food items. We are more than happy to have you provide other “goodies” such as pencils, stickers, erasers, bookmarks, or any other little item of interest. If you wish to have your child pass out invitations to his/her birthday party Burgess only allows this if the invitations are either for everyone in the classroom or for all of one gender (ex. your son has to invite every boy in the class/your daughter has to invite every girl in the class). I am not allowed to give out addresses or phone numbers of any of the children in the class.
School wide Expectations
Burgess practices a school wide philosophy known as the ABC's of Life. The "ABC's of Life are the skills we all need but were never taught", stated by authors of the book ABC's of Life Jon Oliver and Michael Ryan. The children are taught the skills sequentially, and most importantly tangibly through experimental games and activities. The goal is to create an environment where the children feel safe, cared for, and respected. The environment begins in our classrooms and carries over throughout the school. It is amazing to watch as children learn how to problem solve, cooperate, and use self-control on their own. The children feel good about themselves and understand situations that occur around them better. The philosophy behind the program is that we are creating a solid foundation of basic life skills from which the children will grow from and take with them throughout their adulthood.
*The diagram to the left is the ecosystem used to promote success at school, home, and within the community.
*More information regarding the ABC's of Life can be found in the book as stated above ABC's of Life by Jon Oliver and Michael Ryan or you may visit the website http://www.lessonone.org.
Class Expectations
In the classroom we will sequentially learn the ABC's of Life as stated above under school wide expectations. The children learn these skills through tangible games and activities. I also like to incorporate them into our classroom meetings. Classroom meetings are times when we address an issue that has occurred in the classroom or within the school setting. During a meeting we verbally share our ideas and write them on chart paper. Then we decide as a group how we could best resolve the issue. Next a plan is put into place and followed through for several days. The final piece is when we reconvene several days later and reflect on the plan and whether we feel the issue has been resolved or if we need to make further adjustments.
Early on in the year we have our initial classroom meeting to discuss how our classroom belongs to each of us, it is not just my classroom, it is our classroom. Therefore, as a class we will articulate our classroom rules. We will discuss the expectations we have for the year and we will discuss the actions that could hold us back from reaching our goals. I will create classroom rules with the students, post them, and have them sign their names in agreement.
First grade is a very exciting and rewarding time for you and your child. I am looking forward to a terrific year!
My behavioral system is based on positive reinforcement. I have created a clip chart where every student has a clothespin with their name on it. There are three colors on the clip board; green, yellow and red. Every monday each child begins on green, throughout the day depending on choices made and the circumstances they may be moved to yellow "slow down and think about it" or red "stop and talk about it". They are encouraged to discuss what has happened and how they are going to make a change when on yellow and even more so when they are on red. As I see them making better choices they are asked to move their clip back up towards green and on Friday afternoon we have "Fun Friday" which is their reward for working hard and having good behavior toward me, their classmates and themselves! Last year "Fun Friday" was a huge success and all of the children had a wonderful and successful year!
First grade is a very exciting and rewarding time for you and your child. I am looking forward to a terrific year!