*Welcome to Open House*August 13, 2013

Mrs. Beames’sFirst Grade

Please fill out the forms at your child’s desk

All About Mrs. Beames

• Married for 9 years• 4 year old daughter named Cassidy, 2 cute cats, and too many fish!• Education

• Bachelors from UGA (go DAWGS!)

• Masters from KSU• Teaching Experience

• Taught every grade level except K• This is my 13th year teaching!

Communication Information

• Daily Folders- Allows 2 way communication• Please send all transportation changes/notes in here (this includes after school clubs)• Daily Reading Log- 20 minutes per night. Complete weekly reflection• Specials Calendar- Sent every month.

Please make note of PE days (TENNIS SHOES!)• Fridays- Student work from the week.

• Please look through work, complete and return any unfinished papers

“Beames’ Bulletin Board”Our Class Blog

Will be updated each week (usually Monday). I will send an e mail notifying you of updates.

What’s on the blog?- Upcoming Dates

- Class and school wide news - Weekly Curriculum Overview

- Websites and activities

http://kempelementary.typepad.com/mrs_beames_bulletin

/

8:00-8:20 Number Talk & Problem Solving8:20-8:40 Word Work (Phonics / Spelling)8:40-9:20 Shared Reading & Integrated Content Studies9:20-10:10 Reading Workshop (Centers & Guided Reading)10:10-10:49 Writer’s Workshop (Writing, Grammar,

Handwriting) 10:49-11:19 Lunch11:19-12:20 Math Workshop (Centers & Guided Math)12:20-12:40 Content Studies12:40-1:00 Recess1:10-2:00 Specials

Classroom Schedule

Our Class ExpectationsRules to live by…

• Philosophy is to provide a safe and secure learning environment

while encouraging children to become responsible citizens• Five basic character traits are emphasized…See wall

• Active Listening• Personal Best• Truthful• Trustworthy• No Put Downs

• Not “classroom” rules, but rules for living• Class Meetings are held each Friday

• Treasure Box: Students will earn blue tickets when they are caught being good. These tickets are drawn every Friday for a chance to go to the Treasure Box. When students earn 10 tickets, they can trade them in for an automatic trip to the treasure box!• STAR Student: Students will earn Star Student based on behavior in class. They are the classroom helper for the week and get to spend time with Kempy!• Weekly Behavior Sheets: Students will receive strikes for breaking classroom rules. Please sign and return by Monday!• Fun Friday: Students who receive less than 3 strikes in a week will earn a FUN reward on Friday!

Classroom Management

Curriculum Standards• 1st Grade Common Core Standards can be found on the salmon-colored brochure inside your folder.

• Emphasis on going “deep” not “wide”.

• Throughout the year, first grade will be posting videos, etc. to

communicate to you how some standards are being taught in the classroom. Here is an example:

Make a ten subtraction

Phonics• Words Their Way, Word Sorts and activities• Making Words- decoding skills

• Shared Reading• Writer’s Workshop

mini-lessons • SMARTboard

activities

Writing • Handwriting- Zaner-Bloser Manuscript • Writer’s Workshop• Mini Lesson - Teach grammar, language arts skills, writing skills• Shared Writing - model/instruct skills and strategies - think-aloud, provide support • Independent Writing• - students have the opportunity to work independently or in small groups to apply and extend writing skills taught in mini-lesson and shared writing - Differentiation: Individual Conferences• Writing Genres (narrative, informational, opinion)

ReadingShared Reading: Read orally, think-aloud, comprehension skills, modelstrategies (whole group with student participation)Guided Reading:Direct instruction on skills/strategies to createstudent-sustained reading. Students will work oncomprehension, vocabulary, retelling, and fluency skills. Reading Workshop: (example of workshop plan)Students will work in small groups or independently on reading, writing, phonics, grammar, and word work activities to extend and reinforce aspects of language arts skillsSocial Studies/Science Integration:Informational books will be integrated into reading to help students generalize their reading skills while making real world connections.

MathNumber TalksStudents investigate and discuss what numbers are and find smaller patterns that create larger numbers Problem SolvingStudents will take a wide range of word problems and use multiple strategies to solveMath WorkshopWhole Group Instruction: Teacher models multiple strategies and students are walked through guided practice of skills using manipulativesWork Session/Guided Math: Students will work in groups, independently, and with teacher to reinforce skills

Content Overview• Please refer to the

standards flyer for science, social studies and health curriculum.

• We will be integrating content into reading and writing this year!

• Switches between science and social studies

Grades and Rubric Style Report Card

• Can your child show consistent knowledge of the skill?

• Mastery is expected by the end of the marking period.

• No averaging

• Pay close attention to homework and classwork.

• Please use parent report card guide to know expectations for each 9 weeks.

• Academic Alerts sent at 4 ½ week mark if needed.

3+ Exceeds Standards- applies and inferences beyond expectations

3 Meets standards- consistently and independently

2 Progressing toward meeting the standard

1 Limited or minimum progress toward meeting the standard

Practice Work – stickers/smiley faces/checkmarks/comments

Graded Papers – 3+, 3, 2, 1

Please be aware that standards are performance based. Children will be assessed in a variety of ways,

which will include checklists, rubrics, teacher observation and

paper/pencil tasks.

Grades and Rubric-Style Report Card

Grades and Rubric Style Report Card

Learning Skills and Behaviors: (Refer to Behavior Sheet)

S = Successful P = Progressing N = Needs Improvement

First Grade Assessments• Developmental Reading Assessment

(DRA)(Decoding, fluency, and comprehension)

• 1st Grade Sight Words (200)• Primary Spelling Inventory• Writing Rubrics• Computation Test• Problem Solving • CogAT – September 18-20

Homework• Homework Journals will be sent home each week, DUE ON FRIDAY

• Homework cover sheet will include weekly phonics focus, reading, writing, and math activities. Select one assignment from each category to work on every week. Students will need to generate their own phonics focus words each week based on that week’s focus skill.

• Nightly Reading- 20 minutes, record on log. Complete short weekly reflection on reading log.

• Battles with Homework…If you are battling with your child try this…• First make sure your child understands how to do the

homework• Then set a timer for 30 minutes and let your child work • If they have still not completed it during that 30 minutes, put it

away….please see me• Homework should not take more than 30 minutes to complete

each night.

Absence and Dismissal Policy

• Please send a note from home if there is an absence or change in dismissal. Must be in writing

• If you have a change of dismissal during the day, please call the office!!!

• If a child is out, please send a note on the day they return. You are only given 3 unexcused absences.

• There will be no dismissal changes after 2:00 p.m.

• Regular attendance and prompt arrival are vital to your child’s success in first grade.

Carpool Policy Carpool Policy• PLEASE BE PATIENT when dropping off and

picking up. We have many car riders. Please consider riding the bus!

• Every student will be given a carpool number (even if they are not a regular car rider)

• Number will be in 2 places: on car mirror and child’s backpack.

• Students will be lined up and sent to cars using that number.

• PLEASE do not remove this number from your child’s book bag.

• If you do not have your car rider sign, you will need to go to the office and show ID to sign out your student.

Bus Policies• Children under the age of 9 must have an

adult to meet them at the bus stop. Any child that does not have an adult to meet him/her will be brought back to the school.

• All children under the age of 9 will have a bus tag attached to their book bags. This tag is an indicator for the bus driver that your child is under the age of 9.

Please do not remove this tag!

Cafeteria Information

• Menus are available on the Kemp website.• Prices• -Student $2.15• -Adult $3.25• Lunches may be pre-paid (encouraged)• Breakfast is served for $1.25• Extras may be limited by parents only • Fast food is not allowed in the cafeteria.• Students eating breakfast must be in line by

7:45• Birthday treats may be passed out in the

cafeteria.

Money Any money coming to school for PTA, lunch, field trips, ASP, etc. should be placed in an envelope labeled with the following:

- child’s name- teacher- money amount- purpose for the money

Clinic/Medication Policies• ALL medications must be sent to

the clinic in the original container.• Please send a note with all meds• Cobb County Policy- students

must be well for 24 hours before returning to school.

(medicine free with no fever, vomiting, or diarrhea)

Communication

• Daily Folders• Class Blog• PECS • Phone number-Kemp (678) 594-8158• E-mail: Heather.Beames@cobbk12.org• E-mail is the fastest way to get in contact with me. I will get back to you as soon as I can!

Helpful Contacts• Principal – Mrs. Mason• Assistant Principal – Dr. Campoli• Assistant Administrator: Mrs. Kale• Counselor – Michelle Stevens

• Small group library reading helper/AR helper• Special Center rotations (Fall Centers,

Thanksgiving Feast, Valentine’s Day, End of Year)

• Holiday Party• Preparing materials at home• Volunteer opportunities will begin once the

class gets in the rhythm and routine of first grade. This takes anywhere between 4 and 6 weeks. I will contact you when we are ready for volunteers!

• Please thoroughly read the Kemp volunteer form, sign and return if you would like to volunteer.

Opportunities to Help

*Thank you for coming*

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me an email.

I am looking forward to a WONDERFUL year!