August 22, 2011
Dear Families,
Welcome to 1st grade! I would like to extend to you and your child my warmest welcome into our classroom.
This year we will experience many fun and exciting learning activities. During the first couple of weeks we will be learning more about each other and discovering how our differences are our strengths. I am looking forward to teaching your child this year and helping him/her to achieve their full potential in all academic areas.
Parent-Teacher Relationship
I believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success. Throughout the year, I will communicate with you through notes, telephone calls, weekly folders, progress reports, and parent-teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you should have questions or concerns at any time. You can also email me at valerie_woodard@dpsk12.org .
Discipline
Establishing good classroom discipline is essential to each child’s success, confidence and well-being. Every child should feel that the classroom environment is safe and secure. In addition, it is important that each child learns to develop self-discipline, good work habits, how to resolve conflicts peacefully, and to think independently.
The children will learn the purpose of our classroom expectations and develop the idea that our classroom is a community with the common purpose of learning, growing and becoming friends.
Our Classroom Expectations
1. Treat Each Other with Respect.
2. Listen with our Ears, Eyes, and Heart.
3. Use quiet voices.
4. Treat our property with Respect.
5. ALWAYS DO OUR BEST!
Homework
A homework packet will be sent home on a weekly basis. Students will be expected to read thirty minutes each night, and record the title of books read into a reading log. Homework is due on Monday unless there is a holiday.
Money
On occasion it will be necessary for your child to bring money to school. Please, always send money in a sealed envelope with the following information written on it:
1. Your child’s name
2. The amount of money
3. The purpose for the money (Book order, fund raiser, field trip)
4. My name
With over 20 students to keep track of and several reasons to collect money, this helps me out tremendously and reduces the likelihood of errors.
Book Orders
Your child will be bringing home a Scholastic book order about once a month. If you wish to order, simply fill out the order form and send a check made out to the book company in an envelope. These orders are provided as a convenient way for you to purchase quality books for your child. As an added bonus, for every dollar that is spent on books, I earn bonus points, which are used to purchase books for our classroom library. This is a win-win situation, because you get quality books at a low price, and you are helping to provide quality literature for our classroom library. Of course, you are never under any obligation to order.
In closing, I would like to say that I am looking forward to a outstanding year with your child.
Warm regards,
Val Woodard