First Week down... now onto the next week!

     Our first "week" (if we can really call it that!) was a success!  We have all 34 students' names down, and I believe they have our names set, too!  They have learned a few helpful songs, including the famous First Grade Rules song, the how to spell "because" song, and the song that reminds us that there is no A in "they".  Ask your child if they remember any of those songs = )  We will be singing them ALLLLLL year long!  
     Next week will be a little more traditional.  We are back to full days, so please pack your little ones a morning snack and a lunch.  We will begin our week with an assembly to kick off the Magazine Drive, followed by PICTURE DAY on Thursday the 6th.  Just a little head's up,Picture Day falls on our PE day, so feel free to use extra hair spray and hair gel!  
    The students will be starting Computer class, Music Class, and possibly Spanish Class this week.  Library will not start right away, but we will let you know when that is happening as soon as we know! 
We will also be starting Homework this week (I can just picture the look on my Firsties' faces).  Look for the RED folders coming home in their backpacks.  We send home all of their homework on Mondays, but we label the homework sheets with dates on which they need to be completed.  For instance, the sheets labeled "Tuesday" need to be completed Tuesday afternoon and returned to us on Wednesday.  We don't typically recommend jumping ahead in their homework, especially since the worksheets reflect the lessons taught to the class that day.  However, if your week is particularly busy, feel free to do so, but do not return the sheets all at once.  Please ONLY return the sheets on the days they are due.  This helps us avoid confusion and/or loosing track of the sheets. 
     Part of the homework this week involves parents covering a few books each night.  We HIGHLY recommend using a clear contact paper to cover these books.  The method I used as a child, good ol'brown paper grocery bags (or even wrapping paper), just doesn't last long (sometimes less than a week!), comes undone, and then causes a little bit of chaos in the middle of your child's day- you'd be surprised at how upset a child can get when their book cover comes off!  If you cannot find the clear contact paper, sticky shelf liner paper is great, too (Target has a great variety of these).  Please help us out label the book with the subject of the book so your child can clearly and quickly find that book in their desk (i.e. MATH, SPELLING, etc).    You'd also be surprised at how confusing locating the correct book can be for a Firsty!  
     Finally, I've had a few kids ask me about using book socks to cover books.  We love book socks, but they tend to not work too well with the workbooks we are sending home to be covered since they are not hard-covered books.  If you are set on using book socks, please insert a piece of cardboard or cardstock into the cover and back of the book to keep it from bending.  
     Thank you so much for all of your hard work- we know how tedious it can be to cover all of these books (Mrs. Coulter worked so hard to cover all 34 of the new Religion workbooks we ordered this year!) which is why we are only sending home 3 at a time.  We are planning on working in these workbooks this week, so if for some reason you cannot cover the books that evening, please send them back with a note letting us know when you'd like them back to be covered. (I'll be including a letter in our homework folder to explain everything regarding how homework "works" in First Grade- not to worry!)  
     First Grade is a wonderful year in your child's education, filled with remarkable growth in each student, and we are here to facilitate that growth in the best way possible for each individual student.  As the Parent Handbook states, "Parents are the primary educators," and if we work together, your Firsties will shine, shine, shine! Thank you for all that you do, and I look forward to working with you this year! 
 ~Ms. Hudson
PS- Please spread word to other parents to look at this blog every week!  This will be my "weekly letter", rather than using paper.  It's our little way of helping out our beautiful planet. Thank you!