Mrs. Sunderland’s ABC Handbook

2010 - 2011

Attendance – Daily attendance is necessary to have a successful first grade experience.  Our day begins promptly at 8:00 and the dismissal time is 3:00.  Please make sure you have your child at school on time every day, unless he/she is sick.  If your child is going to be out, please call to let me know why your child is out.  Upon returning to school, your child still must bring in a signed excuse for each absence.  I have to keep all of these excuses on file for documentation. Please refer to your school handbook if there are any questions.

Agriculture – Mrs. Sanford (we know her as Miss Agi), from the Knox County Farm Bureau, will be a special visitor each month in our classroom. A different topic each month will be presented that is related to agriculture. “We can’t have a day without Ag” is Miss Agi’s motto. 

Backpack – Your child needs a book bag for transporting folder, books, etc. to and from school.  Please do not send rolling book bags.  They are a safety hazard and we don’t have room for them on our hooks.

Birthdays – We love to celebrate birthdays in 1C. You may send treats for the classroom. If your child’s birthday happens to fall in the summer, they can pick a day during the school year to celebrate.

Book Orders – I will be sending home monthly book orders from Scholastic Book Club.  If you would like to order any of these, please mark your selection on the order form and send it back with a check for the correct amount.  Please make your checks out to Scholastic.  You can also order online – scholastic.com/bookclubs

Curriculum – Our LA/Reading curriculum is Scott Foresman. We are also incorporating The Daily Five with our reading basal. The Math curriculum is from Saxon. 

Discipline – Good conduct is vital for optimal learning in first grade!  We begin to learn the school rules on the very first day of school.  After the first week and orientation, we implement our behavior plan. A behavior calendar is sent home daily so you know how your child’s day was. Praise your child when they have great days! Please initial and return this calendar on the next school day. A referral to the principal will also be made immediately for severe disruptions – threats, bullying, fighting, biting, etc.

 E-mail – If you need to reach me at school, you may e-mail me at msunderland@abingdon.k12.il.us. I check my e-mail periodically throughout the day.  If you call, please leave a message and I will get back with you as soon as possible.  My phone number at school is (309) 462-2363 ext, 307.

Field Trips –

First Grade – First grade is a joy to teach!!!!

Folders – Please check your child’s homework folders nightly. Red Reading Folders are sent home on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a book at your child’s reading level. Return all folders on the next school day.

Healthy Snack Ladies – Miss Angel and Miss Amy, from the U of I Extension Office, visit our classroom each month. We learn about different parts of the food pyramid each month. Special recipes are sent home for you to try.

Homework – We have homework almost every night.  This homework is meant to reinforce what your child is learning in the classroom. We will have Math Homework on Monday – Thursday. We will have a homework book on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Spelling words are sent home on Mondays and should be practiced all week for the test on Friday. Please let me know if your child struggled on homework; so, I can reteach the concept. Homework should take no longer than 30 minutes.  If you ever have a question about your child’s homework, please feel free to give me a call or send me an e-mail.

Illnesses – If your child is sick, please keep him/her home.  We love to share in first grade, but we don’t want to share our germs. J Please don’t forget to send in a written excuse on your child’s first day back at school.

Journals – We will begin journal writing on the first day of school.  We will start with a review of our names and sentences with sight words learned in kindergarten.  By the end of the year, you will be amazed at the stories your child will be able to write on his/her own.  At the end of the year, we will send these journals home with your child, so you will have a journal of their writing skills from first grade.

Knox Reading Buddies -  The Knox College Student Athletes visit our classroom once a month. They read a story to our class and help the classroom teachers with a follow-up activity. In May, the athletes invite us to the college for field day!

Library – We will visit the library every week.  After the first your child will be allowed to check out a book to be taken home.  Please make sure that your child takes very good care of these books.  A new book may not be checked out until the old one has been returned.

Lunch – We will be sending home menus each month.  Lunches cost $2.00 each day.  You may also send your child’s lunch.  We are not allowed to heat or refrigerate any lunches. Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their child. Please let me know if you are coming so I can add you in our daily lunch count. 

Medicine – If your child requires medicine to be taken at school, it must be taken to the nurse in its original container.  She will give you the necessary paperwork to complete.  No medicine will be given to your child without signed permission. Cough drops and tums need to be given by the nurse as well!

Newsletter – I will send home a weekly newsletter each Monday.  This will let you know of any upcoming events. It will also inform you of the skills and themes we will be working on that week.

Outside time (Recess) – Your child will get thirty minutes each day for outdoor recess (weather permitting), throughout the year.  Please make sure you dress your child appropriately, as the weather changes.

Parties – We will have four parties in the classroom this year: Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Spring. A sign-up sheet is posted at Open House. 

Questions- If you ever have any questions about our program, please feel free to either call me or e-mail me.  I will get back with you as soon as possible.  We will always try to respond in a timely manner. Email is the best way to contact me!

Reading – It is my goal for every child to leave my class reading and writing fluently this year.  We may be at different levels- but we should all be reading and writing independantly!  We will be working hard every day, and you can help so much by reading to your child every night.  We will send home a reading log so you can record all the books you read to your child or later your child reads to you.  Our goal is to read 100 books by the end of first grade.

Report Cards – Report cards will be sent home every nine weeks.

Sight words – It is expected for all first graders to learn 200 sight words. We check the students weekly. They keep track of their progress by coloring a graph. If your child masters all 200 first grade words, we will continue with the 200 sight words from second grade.

Skyward– Grades are posted on Skyward so that you can keep updated on your child’s progress.

Supplies – Please refer to our suggested first grade list of supplies.  If your child runs out of something, we will notify you so that you can send in a replacement.  If you would like to donate something to our classroom, we are always in need of the following: treats for the treat jar, treasures for the treasure chest, Ziploc baggies, craft supplies, etc.

Toys – Please don’t allow your child to bring toys to school.  These can become a distraction in our classroom and are often misplaced. I will collect toys and keep them until the end of the week.

Units – We teach many of our skills and concepts through thematic units.  We will inform you of the units we will be teaching each month.  If you have something to contribute to our classroom regarding these themes, please let us know!

Volunteers – We love to have volunteers to help us out in the classroom.  We will also need volunteers who can help us out at home by stapling, cutting, etc.  Please let me know if you are interested in these opportunities.  We appreciate your support!

Web site – Our web site for our classroom is http://www.abingdon.k12.il.us  I try very hard to keep the information and announcements current.  Please let me know if there is something extra that you would like for me to post on the web site.

Word lists – Each child has a word dictionary. Any word that is not in the dictionary can be added to the blank lines. By the end of the year, your child should have a full list of words for each letter of the alphabet.

 Excitement – It doesn’t actually begin with an x, but there is definitely plenty of excitement in first grade!!!!

Year – Your child’s first grade year should be a year they will always remember fondly and one that makes them love to learn.   Please remember to always contact us if you ever need anything. 

ZZZ’s – Please make sure your child goes to bed early each night.  We have such a busy day!!  

The End