Our Classroom Handbook Jackson Elementary School Mrs. Rosholt Grade 1
Purpose The purpose of this handbook is to inform you about your child s classroom this year, to make you aware of classroom policies, and to introduce you to some of the things your child will be doing and learning about in first grade. I firmly believe that communication between home and school is vital to your child s success in the classroom. It is my hope that this handbook will help you better understand what your child will be experiencing this year and enable you to communicate with your child and me about these experiences. If you have any questions about anything presented in this handbook, please feel free to contact me. If at any time during the year you have questions or concerns about your child s education, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to working with you and your child this year. With your help, we can make this a successful year for your child! Sincerely, Mrs. Jane C. Rosholt
Your Child s Teacher My name is Mrs. Jane Rosholt. This is my 14th year of teaching. I am a graduate of Delano High School. I earned my Bachelor s degree from Northwestern College in Saint Paul, MN. I earned my Master s degree in Teaching and Learning from Saint Mary s University in Winona, MN. I also completed my K-12 Reading License from Saint Mary s University, and graduated in December 2010. My husband, Kirk, and I have two children. Our son Evan is 8, and our daughter Hannah is 5. My school phone number is 952-496-5802. My e-mail at school is jrosholt@shakopee.k12.mn.us Our School website is http://shakopee.schoolwires.net Please speak directly to the secretary when you call the school if your call concerns picking up your child or medication, etc. Although you may leave a message on my voice-mail or e-mail, I may not check it until after the students leave for the day, and sometimes at the beginning of the next day. If you have an early dismissal, appointment or an absence, please call the attendance line at: 952-496-5803
Expectations Parents: *Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. *Please keep me informed of any information which will help me better understand the needs of your child. *Please review and reinforce skills as needed with your child. This can be done simply by going over your child s weekly papers. *Please empty your child s round trip folder each night and return papers to school that are necessary. *Please fill in your child s Reading Log, and make sure it is signed and returned at the end of each day. Students will be bringing home books to read from school each day beginning sometime in October. Students: *Students are expected to be the best that they can be at all times. *Students are expected to follow classroom and school rules. *Students are expected to be responsible and accountable for their own grades and actions. *Students are expected to follow Jackson pride by being respectful, responsible, positive and safe. Classroom Expectations In order to guarantee your child and all students in our classroom the excellent learning environment they deserve, I adhere to a firm discipline plan. Our school has adopted a school-wide behavior management system called Positive Behavior Intervention System. We refer to this as PBIS. This means that all students will be taught expectations for various parts of our school building (halls, cafeteria, playground, bus, classrooms, etc) and be rewarded for following the positive expectation. For example, the expectation for the halls is that all students will walk silently. When you are walking silently, any teacher at any time can reward you for following the expectations set forth. In the cafeteria the students are expected to speak quietly, therefore they can be rewarded for that behavior if a teacher catches them following the expectation. These are just some examples of our school-wide discipline plan. If you want more information, let me know and I can print you the policies and expectations for these areas in
the school. I follow this discipline plan closely and use it every day to manage behavior. Students are expected to follow the classroom code from the very beginning of the school year. Every Friday I have an activity called Friday Fun and my class gets to have free choice time in the classroom. This is only for those students that maintain positive behavior for the week. Your child will have a planner inserted into their round trip folder that will be checked every day before they head home. I will initial and report to you any concerns. I believe that every student can manage his or her own behavior. Your child deserves the most positive educational climate possible for academic growth; therefore I will not tolerate any student who prevents teaching and learning to occur. Classroom Guidelines: 1. Follow directions the first time. 2. Respect one another s feelings, property, and learning time. 3. Raise your hand for permission to speak. 4. Keep your area clean. 5. Walk silently in the building and restrooms. Classroom Discipline Plan I strongly believe that rules and consequences should be related and logical. If a student chooses not to follow a classroom rule, they will first be given a warning. If the behavior continues to occur I will usually mark the behavior concern in our daily planner so you are aware. Once students have been reminded 3 times for the day, I will contact a parent and fill out a Discipline Referral Form that is sent home and signed. I often label this as a minor infraction, but sometimes it will be considered a major under the category of Chronic Disruption or other. I will circle each day how that child s behavior was for the day, write a note if necessary, and will have the homework for the week listed on the planner. Please check this paper every night and initial in the correct place that you have
reviewed it. You will always keep this in the folder for the student, and you will receive a new planner every Monday morning. Here is what this will look like: All students are expected to follow the rules and procedures. In return, they will be part of a pleasant learning environment and a positive classroom community. All students will be praised for their strengths and encouraged to build upon their weaknesses.
Curriculum We will be learning many exciting things this year in all of the curriculum areas. I would like to highlight just a few concepts which we will be covering in each subject. Language Arts: Shared Reading-During this whole group time students will be reading from a big book, reader s theater, or a shared poem. We will be learning different strategies and concepts related to the poem or big book of the week. Typically the concepts we learn have to do with social studies, science or health. Guided Reading-During this time students will be reading, discussing, and be given mini-lessons in small groups according to their group s book and reading level. Independent Reading - My primary goal during this time is to develop a love of reading. This is an opportunity for students to make positive choices and achievements independently. The students will also spend this time silently reading self-selected and teacher-selected books. Read-Aloud-Reading aloud is an important part of our daily reading program. During Morning Meeting, I will often read a picture book and we will discuss it. Each afternoon I will read from a chapter book. I encourage you to read aloud to your child at home. Your child is never too old to be read to, and research has shown that this is one of the best ways to improve a child s reading skills. Poetry-Each student has a personal poetry notebook. Choral reading of these songs and poems, which contain much rhyme, rhythm, and repetition, is a great way to build vocabulary and reading fluency. Spelling-Students will bring home a spelling list. These words are high-frequency words that are important for first graders to learn. We will work on the spelling words throughout the week. We will also test on these words each Friday. Students will also be responsible for spelling High Frequency Words correctly in their daily work. These words are the words on the first grade sight words list. The list is available for you on our first grade website.
Phonics-Phonics lessons will be active and hands-on for the students. Phonics will be incorporated into spelling, poetry, and reading lessons. We will apply patterns and skills into our daily reading and writing. Writing-Students will write on lined paper and create a monthly journal, make class books, and write their own stories (we will be learning the steps of the writing process). Topics will be assigned or self-selected. Centers Students will be involved in a length of time each day for some independent work while small groups are pulled out to read with a teacher. The students will be responsible for independent work and go through a rotation of various activities which have been pre-taught and are familiar to the students. This gives them more independent practice and working with others. We will begin the center time in mid-october. Math: The following are themes that your child will be learning about in this year s Math Expressions curriculum: * Unit 1 Early number activities * Unit 2 Operations and Simple Equations * Unit 3 Story Problem Strategies * Unit 4 Basic Ten-Structured Concepts * Unit 5 Ten-Structured Applications * Unit 6 Comparisons and Data Formats * Unit 7 Fractions, Circle Graphs, and Clocks * Unit 8 Money and 2-Digit Addition * Unit 9 Analyze Story Problems * Unit 10 Measurement
Science: In Science we will be learning about the STEM process of design through inquiry. We will do three STEM units this year using this process. We will learn about the Sun, Moon and Stars, The Human Body, and Animal Adaptations. Social Studies: In Social Studies we will learn about being a good citizen, rules and laws, family history, Geography, scarcity and goods and services.
Health: In Health we study bus safety, fire safety, dental health, germs, stranger danger, nutrition, healthy body, and managing our emotions. Specials Schedule/Lunch and Recess Special Schedules run on a cycle day schedule. The entire school district follows these cycle days as well. The days are numbered from the very first day of school up to cycle day 10, and then they continue again with cycle day 1. Because of this, you will not have book check out, media, art, music and gym on the same days each week. When there is a day off of school, you will begin on the next cycle day scheduled. No cycle days are skipped unless there is a snow day in the district. Since we will check out books from the library every 10 days during Media, you will also be scheduled for another book check-out time five cycle days later. The Media center will charge if books are missing or damaged. Please see the lunch menu to check which cycle day we are on. See our cycle day schedule in upcoming news in September. For a few years now, Jackson Elementary has been compacting students into sections. Our school district requires us to have a common prep time, as it is essential for all grade level teachers. Because of this, students will follow a schedule with a group on Cycle Days. There are groups A, B, C, D and E. Five classes will have a regular schedule and we will split the other class(es) among those classrooms. There should be more information coming during the first week of school so that you will know where your student is going for specials each day. If you would like to join your child for lunch other than a birthday, please do not bring McDonald s or another special meal. Our Jackson School policy is that you check into the office and then meet your child outside of the cafeteria as they come in with their class from recess. Our school has recess first, and follows with lunch. Once you meet your child, you are welcome to sit with them at their designated lunch table. If you want to take your child out for lunch, you would need to get them from school and sign them back in upon your return in the school office.
Assessments Report cards come home four times a year at the end of each quarter. Different curriculum areas are assessed during different quarters. The style of report cards that we use is called standards based report cards. This method measures an end of year expectation and students will be graded based on how close they are to the end of year goal. Subject area assessed on report card marks when the area is assessed on the report card Reading: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Accurately reads grade level text with purpose and understanding Reads and comprehends grade level literature Reads and comprehends grade level informational text Accurately spells grade level words Reads out of 150 HFW Writing: Composes Informational text Composes Narrative text Composes Explanatory text Composes Opinion text Mathematics: Solves addition and subtraction word problems Compare and represent whole numbers to 120 Create and identify growing and shrinking patterns using numbers and rules
Identify the missing number in an equation Find the value of a group of coins up to $1.00 Tells time to the hour and half hour Create and analyze bar graphs and tally charts Social Studies: Create a sketch maps to illustrate spatial information about familiar places Science: Use observations of the sun, moon and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted Recognize how an animal s or plant s habitat and attributes help it survive. Health: Create a balanced meal across food groups & explain how food is fuel for the body & brain Identify body parts and their functions. Personal Growth: Accept responsibility for own behavior Shows eagerness and curiosity towards learning Demonstrate safe behaviors Demonstates honesty Resolves conflict peacefully Interacts respectfully and appropriately with other students Interacts respectfully and appropriately with staff Respects rights and property of others Organizes work, uses time productively Turns in completed assignments on time Shows effort and commitment to quality work Shows initiative
Other areas that are graded on the report card are from specialist teachers. If you have questions about their grading or assessment system, please contact them. Round-Trip Folders Your child will bring home a Round-Trip Folder every day with completed and checked papers. The folder should be returned every day. You will always keep a daily planner inside this folder, and empty the contents out every night. The papers are yours to keep and review. Notes about absences, doctor appointments, early dismissal, pick-ups, or bus changes should be written on a separate paper and placed in the folder so that they can be sent to the office. Reading Logs Your child should be reading at home each night for 10-15 minutes. They will record what they have read on their Reading Log located inside their book bags. Books and book bags will be provided for each student from the classroom teacher. There are charges for missing books or bags. Homework Assignments will typically consist of the following: 1. Reading-(see above) 2. Math-Students will bring home letters that explain the assignments at the beginning of each unit. There will also be a glossary provided that will help you to understand what to do on each assignment. Assignments will be given 4 5 times each week. 3. Spelling-Students will study spelling words each week beginning in January. On Monday, students will bring home the list of words they have created in class, and will need to practice at home. Please read the words to them and have them write on paper. The Spelling test will be on Friday of each week. During short weeks, there will not be spelling tests. I encourage students to do these assignments every night, but I realize that we all have busy days and that this is not always possible. However, if I feel that a student is falling behind or habitually not completing homework, I will contact the parents to see if there is a problem or reason that the assignments are not being completed.
Snack Each day we will have a nutritious snack break. Students will be responsible for bringing their own snack to school. Please do not send sticky and/or messy foods to school as a snack. Great snack ideas include fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese, crackers, pretzels, etc. Fruit snacks, chips and high-sugar snacks are not allowed. Water bottles are permitted but they must be leak-proof and have a tight cap to prevent spills. The water bottles should only have water in them. Juice is not allowed in the classroom for snack breaks, but could be permitted on birthdays. Our snacks are stored in your child s desk, but if you d like to bring a larger size and keep it in the classroom, please ask as I have storage for such things. Please label your child s snack with a marker if possible, and limit them to one snack so as to be fair to everyone. Birthdays A small celebration of your child s birthday is something we can do in the classroom. Each child will get a small token of recognition from the class on that day, unless you prefer we do not. You are also welcome to send a store bought treat on that day. If their birthday falls on a weekend or holiday break, just decide whether the Friday before or the Monday after would be better for their celebration. For summer birthdays we will celebrate during the last few days of school, before their actual birthday. Conferences Conferences will be held in the fall and the spring for all students. You will need to sign up in advance if you have a time or date preference. Students will be scheduled back-to-back if there are siblings in other grades. Students will also be scheduled for interpreters on the days the interpreters are available. If you need an interpreter, you will sign up for one and be contacted with your scheduled time.
Morning meeting and Show and Tell Our class participates in a community building morning meeting each day. We discuss the day activities, changes in the schedule, have a read aloud, play a game, greet each other and really get to know each other. Our kids are welcome to bring a show and tell item one time each week. The item must fit in their backpack. This must be remembered on their sharing day, and will begin on the 2 nd or 3 rd week of school. Students will be welcome to write this in their planner as well if needed. If they forget to bring a sharing item they can share a story from their life or other event. Thanks for reading this to the end!! I am excited about first grade and getting to know your child this year. Jane Rosholt