First Grade Information

2016-2017
Welcome to First Grade! I am very excited to be working with you and your
child this school year. Chapman Elementary, as many of you already know, is an
exciting place to learn due to our excellent staff and families.
I am lucky to be officially welcomed to the Chapman staff this school year. As
some of you already know, I spent some time at the end of last school year covering
for Mrs. Johnsons maternity leave in Kindergarten. This group of first graders is
special to me since I have already had the pleasure of meeting many of them! This
will be my second year teaching in Gibraltar Public Schools. Before coming to
Chapman Elementary last year, I spent 7 months teaching 4 th Grade and
Kindergarten at Weiss Elementary. The year prior I completed a year-long student
teaching program in Detroit Public Schools. I have received my degree in
Elementary Education from Michigan State UniversityGo Green! (I know this
causes some friendly rivalries with a few of the staff and family members ).
I have always loved learning and have so many interests that I need to share
themwith YOU. These are a few of my favorite things:

Colorturquoise
Animalotter
SubjectScience
Foodpizza
AuthorJohn Green
Hobbybaking (and crafting!)

I cant wait to get to know the First Graders and their families! Please continue
reading to find out the ins and outs of our year.

Contacting Me
Please contact me whenever you have questions or concernsno matter how
small! Communication is extremely important to ensuring your childs success. Our
relationship is also important for your child to develop a positive school outlook. I
am available most days after school. The easiest way to reach me is through email.
If there is an emergency and you need to get a hold of me, contact the school office
and they will direct your call to me. Im looking forward to a great year and working
with each of you!
tapellk@gibdist.net
(734) 370-6380

Drop Of
School begins at 8:48 am except for Mondays, in which we will begin at 9:48
am. Arriving on time helps your child prepare and set the tone for a great day. The
school breakfast program is also available at 8:40 am. Our Champions program is
available to any students needing to arrive before this time. I will greet the students
in the gymnasium five minutes before the start of the school day. Please help your
child start the day right by getting him/her to school on time!

Attendance
Please make sure your child attends school regularly. The majority of our
learning takes place in the classroom while engaging in hands-on minds-on
activities that begin at the start of the day. Limited homework may be available to
make up on days your child is absent. However, there are days in which the
homework will not be available. In the case that your child will be absent, make sure
to report it to the school office in order to excuse the absence. Unreported
absences are marked unexcused. Tardies are also noted.

Pick Up
We dismiss students at 3:53 pm through the Kindergarten hall and out the
doors to the front of the school building. Students will only be released to people
listed on your emergency card. Please make sure that proper identification is
available until we get to know you and your family. If there are any changes to
your childs normal dismissal routine, PLEASE send a note. A students
notification will not be sufficient for a change in dismissal. Students who ride a bus
home will be escorted to their bus by an upper-grade safety.

Snack Time
We have two snack times each day: morning and afternoon. Please send your
child with two healthy snacks. Healthy snack suggestions include such as yogurt,
granola bars, crackers, fruit, vegetables, cheese, veggie straws, or pretzels. Fruit
snacks, sweets, chips, and pop-tarts will not be permitted at snack time. Beverages
are not permitted during snack time, with the exception of water. Snack is a time to
reenergize the brain and provide the needed nutrients for proper brain function.
Thank you for your cooperation!

Water Bottles
Water is also important for proper brain function. Water bottles
are acceptable in the classroompreferably one that will not spill if
accidentally tipped. Other beverages will not be permitted, including
flavored water due to stickiness. Water only please!

Lunch Time
Our lunch time is at 11:50 am. Protein is a great way to keep the brain
working and ready for learning throughout the day. School lunches can be
purchased on a daily basis. When sending in lunch money for your child, please
make sure that it is in a marked envelope with your childs name and lunch
money. If your child is running late to school, please let the kitchen know his/her
lunch choice by 9:30 am if they are purchasing lunch. Monthly lunch menus are sent
home prior to the first of the month.

Birthdays
Here at Chapman we follow the districts Wellness Policy. This is the result of
growing concerns about food allergies and dietary needs for children throughout the
district. This means that students are no longer able to bring in food or treats of any
kind for their birthdays. However, this does not mean that we will not acknowledge
your childs special day! If your childs birthday falls on a day that we are not in
school, I will coordinate a special day for him/her.
***PLEASE do not send invitations with your child to be passed out unless
you have one for EVERY student in the class. If you need to make
arrangements for something else, please contact me.***

Supply List
Here is a suggested supply list and some items that your student may need.
Please label all items with a * with your childs name.
1st Grade Supply List
Quantit
y
Item Needed
10 Count Standard Size
1 box
Washable Markers-No larger!
24 Count (or less) Crayons2 boxes Regular or Mini-Twistable
8 Large Glue Sticks

Description
Crayola or Rose ArtStandard colors only please!
Crayola or Rose ArtStandard colors only please!
Any brand that dries clear

Two-Pocket Folders:
3 5-hole Punched--no brads
1 pair
Blunt End children's scissors
6 Dry Erase Markers
2 Large Pink Erasers
3-Ring Binder: 1-inch with 2
pockets
1 (no larger than 1-in please)

Plain or with designs.

The more durable the better!
No sharp ends please!
Black ONLYLow-odor please
Any brand

1 Standard size Pencil Box

10 Standard No. 2 Pencils

Hand-held Pencil Sharpener
1 *Optional
1 Headphones for Computer Lab
70-sheet Spiral Notebook (1
1 subject)
1 Composition Notebook

White with clear overlay for insert

Any color or brand.
Dimensions: 8in x 5in
No. 2 Only, yellow- no plastic covered
or decorated pencils please!!
They do not work in our pencil sharpener.
Thanks!
Must have an enclosure to catch
shavings-NO mechanical sharpeners
No wireless please
Wide-Ruled

If supplies need to be refilled as the year goes on I will notify you.

Items that will not be permitted (or needed) for classroom use:

Any item that is toy-like in nature

Pencil sharpeners that make noise
Crayons or markers in packs larger than indicated
Trapper Keepers or any organizational products other than the pencil box
specified

Classroom Donations

Plastic spoons
Post It notes of various sizes (from large to small)
Index cards
Baby wipes
Hand sanitizer
Tissues
Gallon size Ziploc baggies
Colored pencils
Skin tone colored pencils or crayons

Communication Sheet

Every Monday your child will receive a communication sheet for the week.
The sheet includes behavior, spelling words, reminders, notes, and a reading log.
Make sure to read both sides! I will collect the communication sheet the following
Monday for a homework grade based on the reading log.

Get Organized Folder

The GO Folder will be your childs communication folder between home and
school. Your childs communication sheet will be kept in the Keep at School
pocket. Notes can be written right on the communication sheet. Any money sent to
school should be in a marked envelope (with your childs name and purpose of the
money) then placed in the folder. Any work marked with a grade or a T in a circle
(which means it was completed together) should be kept at home. Please check the
folder daily and return it to school for the very next day. I will check the folder daily.
Thank you!

Homework
Homework will be sent in the GO Folder at different times throughout the
week. Homework is a review of daily learning and will include nightly reading,
spelling words, math, and occasionally a social studies or science project. Please
return the homework by Friday of that same week. The reading log is the primary
homework, however. It is located on the communication sheet. Each night the
reading log can be completed from reading the reading bag book or another book at
home; this is considered nightly homework. Reading is the foundation of learning
and the more children practice, the more fluent (proper pacing and voice) they
become. Each semester there will be a homework grade reported on the report
card.

Asking for Help/Fostering Independence

Students are greatly encouraged to ask for help once they have worked to
complete a task on their own. There will be a few times that I may not be able to
help him/her. These times are due to your child taking a test/assessment or when I
am working with a small group/individual child. Strategies will be taught to help
your child work through times of difficulty.

PBIS Behavior Chart

Students who make good choices during the day get to clip up
from the Ready to Learn space for positive behavior. Students not
making good choices will clip down from the Ready to learn space.
Students will have opportunities to clip up after a clip down. The final
behavior space will be reported on your childs communication sheet
by your child. Please make sure the behavior circle is colored in each
day.

Clip on Ms. Tapella= Absolutely wonderful! Your child has gone

above and beyond a model student for the school day.
Red= Wow! Your child has had an awesome day! He/she made many
good choices during the day.
Orange= Students are continuing to make good choices.
Yellow= Students are making good choices.
Green= Students start here every day.
Blue= Think About It= a warning.
Purple= Teachers Choice= a Think Sheet and loss of a privilege.
Pink= Parent Contact= an office referral and form that will be sent
home for parents to sign.

Classroom Expectations
As a class, we will go through the process of generating rules and discussing
the expectations that will help us reach our goals for the year. It is my expectation
that students treat each other and their environment with respect and kindness. My
philosophy is that we treat each other the way we would want to be treated. We will
learn how to respect and care for each other and our school environment. When
classroom rules are broken, there will be clear and logical consequences to help
learn from their mistakes. We will be working very hard to create a safe and
nurturing environment where all students can be successful! This will include class
meetings and community building activities.
Students who display positive behaviors will have opportunities to choose
coupons to redeem in class. Students will earn coupons from each clip up they
make. When students reach ten points, they will earn a coupon of their choice.
Some examples include: Cool Cat (wear a hat to school), Fluffy Friend (bring a
stuffed animal to school), or use Teacher Supplies (choose from teachers fun
supplies).
At Chapman Elementary all students are responsible for following the same
three rules in all areas of the building:

Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be Safe

Although these are general rules, we will be learning specific ways to follow
these rules in each area of the building.

Specials Schedule (Subject to Change)

MondayGym; Please wear gym shoes!
TuesdayMusic
WednesdayGym; Please wear gym shoes!
ThursdayLibrary and Computer Lab; Please return your library book!
FridayArt
I am hoping to have shared the majority of information here in this letter. Again, I
welcome you and your child to First Grade! If you have any questions or concerns,
please do not hesitate to contact me!!
Thank you for your time,
Ms. Kelly Tapella
tapellk@gibdist.net
(734) 379-6380