First Grade A to Z

From A to Z, here is where you'll find information about many of the procedures and routines in our first grade classroom.

Aa is for...

Attendance: There is a strong correlation between faithful school attendance and academic success. If your child is absent, please send a written note on the first day that they return to school. For your convenience I have included a form for this purpose in your child's FROG Book.
Accelerated Reader: Shepherd of the Hills uses this online reading software to personalize reading practice for each student. Students read a book at their appropriate reading level and take a quiz that assesses their progress. One goal of AR is to build a lifelong love for reading and learning. Our school participates in the Lutheran School AR Challenge with other Lutheran schools around the United States. Grade levels compete to earn the highest number of AR points. It's a great way to get excited about reading!

Bb is for...

Birthdays: We welcome the opportunity to celebrate each child's birthday in class. Please give one or two days advance notice if you plan to send a ready-to-serve treat with your child. We will enjoy these treats after lunch. Please avoid snacks that have been made wtih peanuts or peanut oil or that have been prepared in facilities that use peanut products. If you are planning a birthday celebration outside of class, I would be glad to hard out the invitations if all children in our class are invited.
Book Orders: Several times throughout the year a Scholastic book order will be sent home. You will have the option of placing your order online or you may send the order and payment to school and I will place the order. Purchasing books is optional. Our classroom benefits by receiving free books when parents order.

Cc is for...

Chapel: Each Wednesday at 8:15 our school gathers for chapel. You are invited to join us!
Chapel partners: At the beginning of the school year our class meets our third grade chapel partners. We look forward to sitting with them on the last Wednesday of each month during chapel. We extend this special friendship by participating in activities together. Some of the special times we have shared include: stacking Oreo cookies during the O.R.E.O. project and making holiday cards for Pastor Chris to deliver to shut-ins. Our chapel partners even helped us learn how to take AR tests on the computer.
Communication: Staying in touch with you and communicating about what we are learning is very important to me. Through FastDirect you can access our monthly calendar and bulletin board. A weekly newsletter is sent home and can be viewed on the class page also.
Conferences: Shepherd of the Hills schedules formal parent-teacher conferences in August, October, and February. If at any time you would like to meet, please contact me through email or in the FROG Book.
CrossWalk: This special worship experience is for the young and young at heart. It happens on the second Sunday of each month at 11:00 a.m. in the school gym.

Dd is for...

Daily Notes: This page is located in your child's FROG Book. If will include information about homework, spelling words, behavior, and a reading log. Parents are requested to review and initial the page daily.
Dress Code: Students are "dressed for success" each day by following uniform dress. Dress code information is available in our school handbook beginning on page 25.

Ee is for...

Email: I check email daily before and after school. You can reach me at cmiller@shlutheran.org. If you need to get a message to me during the school day, please contact the school office.
Enrichment: Through field trips, collaborative learning projects, an extensive classroom library, Accelerated Reader, service learning, and technology integration I am always exploring ways to provide an enriched learning experience for each child.

Ff is for...

Field Trips: Our field trips complement classroom learning and provide enrichment opportunities for all first graders. We tour the San Antonio Museum of Art to learn more about ancient Egypt. We attend a musical presentation called Bodyology which teaches students how the body works and encourages students to make good health choices. We visit the Witte Museum and attend an interactive presentation on the states of matter. To develop our love and understanding of literature we attend a play at the Magik Theatre. To encourage learning to help others we collect cans of soup and deliver them to a community food pantry.
FastDirect: Our school uses this web-based school information system. Features available to you include online viewing of your child's grades, our classroom calendar and bulletin board, and a school-wide messaging system. Please contact the school office for log in and password assistance.
FROG Book: Each first grader uses a special binder to help them develop organizational skills. They will bring their FROG to school everyday. Homework and decodable books are kept in the FROG as well as a list of high frequency words, handwriting guidelines, the Daily Note, and a list of math facts.

Gg is for...

God: The foundation upon which our day begins, progresses, and ends. I look forward to sharing with your child about God the Father who create us, God the Son who redeems us, and God the Holy Spirit who is God dwelling within us.

Hh is for...

Homework: Homework is a time for your child to "share and shine" about what they are learning in school. Homework helps children learn responsibility and develop organizational skills. It also reinforces skills and concepts taught in class. There are several websites on the resources page that can guide you in establishing a positive homework time. First graders will have homework Monday thru Thursday each week. Homework includes studying spelling words and Bible verse, reading 15 minutes, and completing a math practice page.

Ii is for...

Illness: It can be hard to decide whether or not to keep your child home. As a guideline, please remember that a child should be kept at home if they have had a temperature, vomiting, or diarrhea within the last twenty four hours. This school policy helps to keep your child comfortable and prevents others from getting sick.

Jj is for...

Journal: At the end of each week, students will write and draw in a special journal. They will bring this Family Weekend Journal home to share with you. A family member is invited to write a response back to the child. We share the responses during morning meeting. At the end of the school year, your child will have a wonderful keepsake of their first grade year.

Kk is for...

Kindness: I want our classroom to be a place where children feel safe...a place where they feel that they belong and their opinions and gifts are appreciated and valued. For this to happen children will be expected to respect others in their words and actions. Unkindness will be addressed.

Ll is for...

Library: First graders visit the library on Thursdays. They can check out two books each week as long as both books from the previous week have been returned.
Lunch: We eat lunch at 11:25 a.m. Students may choose to purchase lunch or bring a lunch from home. The weekly menu is published in the school newsletter. Milk is available for purchase. You are always welcome to join us for lunch. On days when the weather is pleasant, you can even picnic outside with your child!

Mm is for...

Make-up Work: I will send home make-up work on the first day your child returns to school after an absence. If you would prefer, you can request make-up work by phone or email. It is usually possible for me to have make-up ready for you after 3:30.
Memory Work: Each week students will learn a Bible verse related to the Bible lesson for the week. At home, you can help your child to memorize the verse and where it is found in the Bible. If your child has their own Bible, help them locate the verse and highlight it.
Morning Meeting: We begin our day together with a meeting to help us focus on being a community of caring and respectful learners. In our meeting we will greet each other, show respect for our country, acknowledge our God, read a special message, and share news.

Nn is for...

Newsletter: Each Friday our classroom newsletter will be send home and published on the "news" class page. The newsletter includes information about what we are learning, special events and activities, spelling words, Bible memory verse,and reading tips.

Oo is for...

Organization: Even first graders can begin to practice organizational skills. Students will learn to organize their books and supplies so that they are always ready to learn.

Pp is for...

Prayers: Will you include our classroom in your prayers? Your prayer support is an important way that you can be involved in our classroom.
PE: First graders have PE on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On these days, students need to wear athletic shoes.
Parties: We will enjoy celebrating the following special days in our classroom: Christmas, Valentine's Day, One Hundred Days of School, and Easter.

Qq is for...

Questions: Positive communication between school and home is a priority to me. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Rr is for...

Recess: We enjoy daily recess after lunch. Recess helps children to grow socially and physically. Be sure to send a jacket on cool days so that we are ready to enjoy being outside.
Room Parents: Class room parents assist me in planning holiday parties, contacting other parents for special events, and representing our class for events like Ramfest and the annual school auction. Let me know of your interest in volunteering.

Ss is for...

Snacks: Students are welcome to bring a healthy, ready-to-serve snack each day.
Specials classes: Our curriculum is enriched by weekly classes in art, music, PE, computer, and spanish.

Tt is for...

Tardies: Class begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. Students who arrive at school after this time should secure a tardy pass from the school office before coming to class.
Toys: Bringing toys (including costume jewelry) to school distracts children from learning. Please remind your child to leave all toys at home.

Uu is for...

Us: It a privilege for me to be your partner in education. Together we will focus on the spiritual, academic, social, emotional, and physical growth of your child of God.

Vv is for...

Vision Management: This is our school-wide discipline management program. The goal of Vision Management is to teach students how to accept personal responsibility for both their learning and their behavior choices. Common questions in a Vision Management classroom are "What do you think you could do differently next time?" and "How can you solve this problem?" In a Vision Management classroom there is a balance between fairness, firmness, kindness, and consistency.
Volunteers: Do you like to be involved in your child's school and classroom? If you'd like to make copies for our class, assist in the library with book checkout, supervise our class at lunch, put together a bulletin board, organize AR books, or help us with special projects, please let me know. I can always find ways for you to be involved!

Ww is for...

Water bottles: Students may have a water bottle at their desks as long as it has a pop-up top. Bottles should only contain water. It is recommended that ice not be added to bottles because the condensation on the outside gets on our important papers.
Wish list: Donations of any of the following will bring bright smiles to our class: card stock in various colors or white, paper lunch sacks, large or small paper plates, dry-erase markers, dry-erase cleaner, playdough, AA batteries, Scrabble letter tiles, and gift cards to Walmart or HEB (for project supplies).
Writing Workshop: Writing will be taught using a workshop model. The writing workshop will include the following practices as outlined in No More "I'm Done!" Fostering Independent Writing in the Primary Grades by Jennifer Jacobson. Students will:
1. Write every day.
2. Choose their own topics.
3. Receive differentiated instruction during writing conferences.
4. Examine writing to develop a vision of success.
5. Learn from mentor texts.
6. Focus on one or two goals at a time.
7. Benefit from the rewards of authentic audience.
8. Revise.

Xx is for...

eXciting Activities: Field trips to museums and special performances enrich our learning. Collaborative online learning projects such as the O.R.E.O. project, Pumpkin Seed Count, and Holiday Card Exchange provide the opportunity for our students to participate with other classrooms both within our community and around the world. Visit the "shared learning" classpage to find out more about what's in store in the first grade year.

Yy is for...

There's a place for you and your family at Shepherd of the Hills. I look forward to sharing with you all the ways that your child can grow as a part of the Shepherd of the Hills school community.

Zz is for...

ZZZzzzz: Our days are busy! A regular bedtime and adequate rest are important in helping children be ready to do their best each day.