PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT

WELCOME!

Back-to-School-Night (2014-2015)Mrs. Gisonna

kourtney_gisonna@nplainfield.org

1st gradeRoom # 10

WELCOME TO 1ST GRADE! This is an important year for you and your child.

We want to remind you that this time is not to ask or talk about your child. It is strictly an information session about 1st grade and Room #10.

This PowerPoint will provide you with an overview of first grade and our routines and expectations.

If you have any questions please write them down on the index card and hand it to me when we are finished.

ALL ABOUT ME Mrs. Gisonna currently resides in Bridgewater, however,

grew up in Gillette and attended Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren, NJ. She went to The University of Rhode Island and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. She then furthered her education and received a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Ed. (Advanced Curriculum and Teaching) from Kean University in Union, NJ. This is her 11th year teaching at West End. Her hobbies include, going to the gym, shopping, going to the beach, and spending quality time with friends and family.

I recently got married (August 1, 2014) and had an amzing nine day honeymoon in Greneda. I am formerly Miss Karl incase some of you don’t know.

WE WILL BE LEARNING MANY WONDERFUL THINGS THIS YEAR!

We will cover all the subjects and topics that our state and school district believe are important for your child to learn during 1st grade. We will be using several new programs this year to address the Common Core Standards. *play video*

MATHWe follow the University of Chicago Everyday Math

Program.

Spiral approach Hands-on learning Games Explorations Differentiated Instruction

(Readiness, Reinforcement, Enrichment) Refer to Unit parent letters for support

READINGThis year we will be focusing on…

Shared Reading (class reads together)

Read Aloud (teacher reads)

Guided Reading (reading in groups)

Buddy Reading (reading in pairs) Independent Reading /Read-to-Self (students read

alone)

Phonics/Words Their Way

Daily 5 (read-to-self, buddy read, listen to reading,

word work, writing)

LANGUAGE ARTSOur new writing program, Good

Habits, Great Readers, will focus on the following areas in 1st grade…

Organization

Ideas and Content

Grammar

Sentence fluency

SOCIAL STUDIESThis year we are focusing on…

My class/My Community Cultural Traditions Making Changes: past & present Our Place in the World Character Education/ P.R.I.D.E.

(Personal Responsibility In Daily Experiences)

WE SHOW PRIDE!!

SCIENCEThis year we will be focusing on…

Physical Science: Motion & Energy, Matter

Earth Science: Earth, Weather & Sky

Life Science: Plants and Animals

SPECIALSMonday- Health 1:00-1:30, Gym 1:30-2:00

Tuesday- Computers 1:00-1:30, Art 1:45-

2:30

Wednesday- Library 1:00-1:45 Gym 2:00-2:30

Thursday- Gym 2:00-2:30

Friday- Music 1:00-1:30, Gym 2:00-2:30

FIRST GRADE INFORMATION Snack- Please make sure your child has a

HEALTHY snack everyday. Lunch this year is at 12:15 so snack will be around 10:00. We will have snack on 4-hour days!

Birthdays- Birthdays will be celebrated during snack time. Please feel free to send in a treat, juice boxes, and some napkins. Please no cake or candles! Also, please be aware that we have peanut allergies in our classroom.

Report Cards- Report cards are sent home four times a year- November, January, April, & June.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held

November 19th 25th. Please be sure to sign-up on the circulating clipboard to reserve a convenient meeting time. I have included several mornings and one late evening on my schedule to hopefully accommodate everyone!

Please be aware that these are all 4-hour days. School ends at 12:25 and your child still needs a snack on these days. A reminder will be sent home regarding your specific day and time of conference.

HOMEWORK JOURNAL Please be sure to check and sign your child’s

homework journal each night. Please help your child complete their homework and feel free to write me notes in the homework journal as well. Please check the behavior calendar/folder each night which will be colored based on your child’s behavior color for that day (correlates with our clip chart).

As a parent or guardian, please encourage the importance of positive behavior at school.

HOMEWORK Children will have homework each night to practice skills and reinforce concepts learned at school. Please

provide a quiet place and time for your child to do his/her homework each afternoon or evening. Frequent late or “lost” homework will affect your child’s grades.

If your child does not have time to complete a particular homework assignment due to family

commitments, please write a note to me and I will allow extra time. Students DO have extra time to make up

missed work due to an absence.

Homework is given each night except for Fridays! There is usually one or two papers. Some common assignments are: Phonics, Math, Sight words, Spelling, Reading, Grammar, and Family Homework!

(Weekly Spelling lists/tests will begin late November)

GRADING Grading is based on assessments, homework, class work,

observations, participation, and special projects. First graders still have a developmental report card, therefore, you will not see percentages on assessments. Our report card is based on a number scale (1-4) which will be discussed in further detail at parent-teacher conferences in November.

Classwork/Daily 5 work is marked with check marks

I have included a copy of the 1st grade Report Card in your packet.

All classwork will be sent home on Fridays in a “Friday Folder”. Please keep the work, sign, and date the folder so I know it has been reviewed. Then, send the folder back to school every Monday.

WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING (WBT)

Whole Brain Teaching is a research based system that targets all areas of the brain, keeps children engaged and helps them retain much more information than the traditional teacher lecture.

Research has shown that children retain more information when they have an opportunity to put it into their own words and use gestures to highlight key instructional points. Furthermore, it’s super fun! For more information about Whole Brain Teaching please visit: www.WholeBrainTeaching.com.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND……“THE WHOLE BRAIN”

PLEASE HELP YOUR CHILD BE ON TIME TO SCHOOL!!

It is very important your child comes to school on time! Students are marked late if they arrive after 8:30am. Excess tardiness will be addressed by the office!

It is also very important that your child is picked up after school at 2:35pm. We walk the children outside but often have meetings and can’t wait outside. If your child's ride is NOT on time I will send them to the library to wait. I don’t feel it is safe to allow first graders to wait outside by themselves without supervision. Please arrange pickups to be at West End promptly at 2:35pm. This is the safest option, thanks for your help!

LET’S HAVE A GREAT YEAR!

PLEASE TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN YOUR CHILD’S

EDUCATION:

-JOIN PTA.-HELP YOUR CHILD BECOME RESPONSIBLE FOR

HIM/HERSELF.-READ TO AND WITH YOUR CHILD.

-PLAY WITH YOUR CHILD.-ATTEND SCHOOL FUNCTIONS.

-ASK YOUR CHILD ABOUT SCHOOL.-GET TO KNOW OTHER PARENTS.

-DON’T HESITATE TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER.

Thank you in advance for your support and dedication, I anticipate

a wonderful school year!