OF FIRST GRADE

If your child is going to be absent, please call the office at 268-

4961. If you know ahead of time that your child will not be in
attendance (doctor or dental appointments, vacations, etc.), you are
required to fill out an “Advance Approval” form. This may be
obtained from the office.

Please let me know of any allergies your child has, including food-related.

We have art with Mrs. Alexander on Day 5.

Our cafeteria serves breakfast beginning at 7:30am each day.

If you would like to send a birthday treat with your child on or near
his/her birthday, please feel free to do so. The treats must be
commercially prepared, packaged, and labeled snacks, which are now
required due to health and safety reasons. All treats must be provided in individual
servings. We will recognize summer birthdays in May. Please do not send birthday
party invitations to be distributed at school unless all children receive an invitation.

I will send home book order forms for you and your child to look over monthly. Book
clubs offer books at reduced prices. It's a great way to build your child's home
library and encourage reading at home, but do not feel obligated to buy! If you wish
to purchase books, please fill out the order form and send it along with your money in
an envelope with your child’s name and “Book Order” on it by the deadline given.

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 26th

and Friday, October 27th. Look for more information in the monthly
newsletter and your child’s Friday Folder closer to that time.

Communication is important. You can reach me by school phone, by

email ahudson@arcolaschools.com or by note in your child’s backpack
or Folder.
 Discipline is simple. We work hard as a class to make the classroom a
positive and safe place for all. This year we will use a behavior clip
chart.

Appropriate dress for all students is explained in the Arcola

Elementary Student Handbook. Please read this section to know what is acceptable
and what is not.

My school email address is ahudson@arcolaschools.com. I check email

daily. If you have an email address that you’d like me to be aware of,
please let me know in a note or email so that I can receive and send
messages from/to you.

Early Dismissal Days will take place occasionally throughout the

year. On some of these days, the students will be dismissed at 11:30am; on other
days they will be dismissed at 2:00pm. Information will be sent home regarding any
changes in scheduling in our weekly classroom newsletter.

Our first grade field trips will be in May. More information will
come home in their Folders closer to that time.

Folders help keep us organized. The Folders will be sent home

everyday and need to be returned each day. Look for important notes from me or
from the office, as well as work your child has done at school that week. Papers that
need special attention will be placed at the front.

Our grading system is as follows:

 A = Excellent 100% = A+ 92 – 99% = A 90 – 91% = A-

 B = Good 88 – 89% = B+ 82 – 87% = B 80 - 81% = B-
 C = Average 78 – 79% = C+ 72 – 77% = C 70 – 71% = C-
 D = Below Average 68 – 69% = D+ 62 – 67% = D 60 – 61% = D-
 F = Failing Below 60%
 Please watch for letter grades on papers in your child’s Folder. In order to be
considered for promotion at the end of the year a student must earn 60% or
higher for the yearly average in reading and math.

Homework will include reading and phonics practice.

Students will bring a “reading bag” home nightly and are expected to
practice their stories and phonics words. The student is responsible
for returning the reading bag with the reading books to school each day. Phonics
word lists will be sent home on Day 1. Students will be tested over the weekly
phonics words on Day 5. In addition, the students will be bringing home one page of
math homework to practice each night. When students return their completed
homework page, they will earn a Rider Buck!

Independence is an important goal for students because it builds self-

esteem and self-confidence. 1st Graders are very capable of doing many
things on their own and I encourage them to do as much as they can for
themselves in the classroom 

We are very excited to be using iPads in our class this year! The iPads will help us
learn and practice skills in reading and math. Please refer to the iPad handbook you
received at registration for more information about your child’s use of the iPad.

When the weather starts to get cold please be sure to send your child
with a jacket!! We will go outside for recess as long as it is not raining
and the temperature is above 25°F.

Keep updated by reading the classroom newsletter and checking the

Folder each day for other notes and information.
 Our class will visit the library on Day 1 and Day 5. Your child will be able
to check out 2 books when we visit the library and will need to return
them the following week. If your child forgets to return the books, they
will not be allowed to check out new books until they are returned.

Our class eats lunch from 10:55-11:15. You are welcome to come eat lunch with your
child, just check in with the office when you arrive. When lunch money is sent to
school, please send it in an envelope with your child’s name, teacher’s name, and
“Lunch Money” on it.

The children will have music class with Mrs. Reinhart on Days 1 and
3. We will also incorporate music into many classroom lessons to
enhance our learning as well.

The 1st Grade math curriculum provides students with

mathematical experiences that help them develop number sense and a positive
attitude towards mathematics that will continue throughout their school careers and
lives.

A monthly newsletter will be sent home on Fridays to keep you

informed about what is happening in our class.

There will be other special days when you will be invited to share in a
celebration or program with our class.
 If you need to pick up your child early please sign him/her out at the
office. After you sign your child out, the secretary will call the
classroom and ask the student to come to the office. Teachers will not
be allowed to release students to parents who come to the rooms
unannounced.

We have class parties throughout the year to celebrate special occasions. Watch our
class newsletter for upcoming events. Parent helpers will be needed for the
Christmas and Valentine parties. Please sign up to bring one of the following:
cupcakes or cookies, drinks, paper products, or treat bags. You may send the party
items with your child or drop them off at the office. You are not expected to attend
the party but everyone is invited! First grade will have a Christmas gift exchange
and Valentine cards exchange.

Our class has P.E. (Physical Education) with Ms. Kennell on Days 2 and 4. Please
make sure your child wears or brings proper athletic shoes on these days.

Questions? Please feel free to call, email, or send a note ANYTIME.

1st Grade report cards will be sent home every quarter and at
midterms to update you on your child’s progress in school.

We will be learning responsibility by having assigned jobs and

procedures in our classroom.

Rider Rules include our classroom rules as well as the school wide rules.
 Be Respectful
 Be Responsible
 Be Safe
 Be a Problem Solver
 If a Rider Rule is broken, students will be given strikes and have to move
their clip. We will use a clip chart system. The first strike is a warning
and no clip will be moved. However, if the offense is severe, punishment
can vary.
Clip Chart Color Code:
Pink= Excellent- Receive 4 Rider Bucks for the day.
Purple= Outstanding- Receive 3 Rider Bucks for the day.
Blue=Excellent Effort - Receive 2 Rider Bucks for the day.
Green=Ready to Learn - Receive 1 Rider Buck for the day.
Yellow= Think About It - Payment of 1 Rider Buck or 5 minutes seated at recess.
(Student’s Choice)
Orange= Teacher’s Choice - Payment of 2 Rider Bucks or 10 minutes seated at recess.
(Teacher’s Choice)
Red= Parent Contact - Principal’s office and parent notification. Punishment can vary.

The focus of our 1st Grade science/social studies curriculum is on developing an

awareness of the world in which we live. Science and social studies concepts and
skills will be explored utilizing a literacy based, hands-on approach.

If your child has any changes in their transportation please

let me know in writing prior to, or the day of, the transportation
change. Calling the office is the best way of letting me know about
last minute transportation changes.

Students need to be prepared to have PE on any day of the week

depending on the scheduled rotation. Therefore, it will be important to have tennis
shoes at school every day in case your child gets confused. You can either leave a
pair of tennis shoes at school or send your child wearing tennis shoes every day.
Volunteers and visitors must register in the office and pick up a badge.

We love volunteers. I will have a sign up sheet if you know right away you like to
volunteer. If throughout the year, any time, you decide you would like to do any
volunteering just let me know via note, email or in person 
Volunteering could include chaperoning field trips, helping out with class
parties, or working with students one-on-one or in small groups.

Writing takes place every day in 1st Grade. Encourage your child to write at
home for a variety of purposes.

Parents and family members may eXit and enter via the main school
entrance by the elementary office.

Your ideas…and suggestions are welcome!

Zzzzzz – Make sure your child gets plenty of rest!

I am SO excited to work with you and your child this year! I know it will
be a great year in 1st grade. Do not ever hesitate to contact me if you
have any questions/concerns :D

Mrs. Ashlyn Hudson

ahudson@arcolaschools.com
(217) 268-4961