Welcome to first grade at Saraland Early Education Center! An exciting year is ahead of us as we work together to make learning and growing a positive experience for your child. In order for your child to reach his or her full potential, your involvement and consistent monitoring of progress is required. I encourage you to take an active role in his/her education and behavior. Your child should find school to be an exciting place for building a lifelong love of learning. Together we can make this time a successful step for your child. The following pages contain helpful information about our first grade classroom. Please read this letter thoroughly to inform you on classroom procedures and rules. 

Take Home/Homework Folder 

Your child will be bringing home a red folder each day. He/she will be responsible for bringing home and returning this folder to school. Please check your child’s folder DAILY to ensure their success! This folder is the main communication between the teacher and the parent. This folder will contain the following:  

·        Weekly Newsletter – You will receive a newsletter each Monday that will provide information about homework, spelling words, important information, and upcoming events. 

·        Homework – Homework is designed to reinforce the skills taught in the classroom. Most homework assignments will consist of a reading passage. Homework is optional!! 

·        Daily Conduct – See attached discipline plan. Please sign and return. 

·        Parent Communication – Please use this folder to send in any notes, absence excuses, forms, field trip money, snack money, lunch money etc. 

·        Class Work - Class work will be sent home in your child’s folder. I will check all students’ papers for understanding; I might not get the chance to check every problem. Please review this work with your child. This will keep you informed of your child’s progress. All class work papers in this folder are to be kept at home.

Progress Reports

Your child will receive a progress report twice a quarter to keep you informed of his/her grades. The first progress report will not be issued until the middle of first quarter. Please sign this report and return it the next day. I encourage you to schedule a conference at any time. My planning time will be posted later for your conferencing needs. 

Snack & Snack Money

Please send an appropriate snack for your child. Carbonated drinks, candy, and gum are not allowed. Juice box drinks or drinks in small plastic (non-breakable) containers are preferred. Students will be allowed to purchase ice cream or chips each morning for $1.00. If your child wants to order a snack, please send the money in his/her homework folder. All money should be placed in an envelope or plastic bag labeled with your child’s name. Snack must be purchased by 8:10. Please send a snack if your child arrives after this time.

Lunch Money

It is recommended you send lunch money on a weekly basis. Money sent in will be added to your child’s account. If you wish to send in lunch money, please do so on Monday. All money should be placed in an envelope labeled with your child’s name and his/her lunch number. The envelope should be placed in their homework folder. 

Checks

If you are sending a check to pay for things such as lunch money or field trips please make them out to Saraland Early Education Center. All checks should include a driver’s license number and 2 phone numbers. If a check does not include both of these items it will be returned.

Attendance 

In the case of a student’s absence, a note should be sent on the day the student returns in order to be excused. You have only 3 days following an absence to send an excuse. If after 3 days we have not received an excuse the absence will automatically convert to an unexcused absence. It is your responsibility as a parent to send this note. Students are allowed only 10 parent notes if absent. The law requires attendance and frequent unexcused absences are not acceptable. Absences hinder your child’s academic progress. A child is considered tardy if he/she is not in the room at the time of the late bell (8:10 am) and will be sent to the office for a tardy slip. Attendance is essential to your child’s learning! 

Good communication between parents and teachers is a key to a successful year. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your support. I know this will be a great year for all of us! 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Rhoads