First and Second Grade Back to School Night

September 22, 2009

This is what we talked about last night.  If you have questions about any of these, please talk with me (Brian).


Communication

• Blogs
• Mailboxes
• Please provide correct email and contact information
• Conferences in November and March, report cards in February and June.  Schedule additional conferences as needed for a mutually agreeable time.
• Liasons, each class has a liason or two that helps facilitate communication and improve the climate of the classroom

Volunteers

• Sign-up sheets
• Math and Literacy in the morning is for skills development.  More math focus.
• Reading workshop – parent help for “Read Well” program that helps kids with decoding skills.  Important for kids to have one-on-one experience with specific strategies learned during each session.  Would like to have one meeting per week for kids with the need.
• Writing workshop – parents to help with conferencing on written work.
• Morning help – supervise kids in the classroom who get to school between 8:15 and 8:30.  Gives kids a less hectic place to meet before school.  Activities will be out for the kids, just supervise them so they’re safe.
• Criminal background checks required for all people working with kids.  Please get them done as soon as possible.  If you have one on file from last year, no need for a new one.

Sleep Under

• For the class members only, not a family activity.  A couple of parent volunteers per class would be great.  Will have Pizza dinner, talent show, crafts, games and dancing.  Time is 6:00 to 8:30 next Thursday, Oct. 1^st.
• Breakfast the next morning is 8:15 till done. Parent helper would be great.
• Please let us know about food allergies; complete the form, please.

Writing Curriculum

• Using the book “About the Authors” for focus. 
• Please encourage children to be brave spellers and use inventive spelling.
• It increases what is written rather than having kids stressing out about spelling correctly.

Reading Curriculum

• “Reading Workshop” curriculum
• Reading at home is important, use the forms to keep track of the reading that they do.
• Check the strong readers list for traits to help kids with.

Math Curriculum

• “Investigations” curriculum foundation.
• Play math games and help kids create connections.
• Avoid teaching algorithms that have no connection to actual numbers.  Let kids explain how they think about numbers instead.