Reminder and Notes

Reminder: Please remember that we've have had our last early dismissal Tuesday for the year. Starting next Tuesday dismissal is the regular time of 2:04.

This past week we took our Topic 18 math test. Results are forthcoming. We also took our final district writing test. Those not passing will write to another prompt in a few weeks for another chance to pass.

Your child now holds the last reading log of their 1st grade year.

Notices of Unsatisfactory Performance will be sent home next week. Those students in a position to end the year with a grade of 1 or 2 in a major subject will receive a notice. Students not passing the last district math exam or the writing LPA will automatically receive a notice if they have yet to pass a classroom equivalency test. If you have not already been informed of the possibility of your child being retained in 1st grade, your child will be advancing to 2nd grade next year.

Unsatisfactory Notices

Notices of unsatisfactory performance (unsat) will be going home shortly. They will not include notice of science or social studies grades not meeting standards as we have yet to have had significant assessment this reporting period in these subjects. Information on these subjects will be available at parent conferences. With regard to writing, several students may receive an unsat despite passing our last writing assessment due to an initial struggle with the assignment.

Seventy-Seventh Day

We took a writing assessment today. Exactly 50% of the students passed. After some follow-up instruction, those students not passing will be allowed to retake the exam before second reporting period unsatisfactory notices go home.

We have also begun testing fluency and comprehension for this reporting period. Students must read 45 wpm and pass a comprehension test, and read 108 sight words fluently in order to get a 3 on the next progress report.

Twenty-Seventh Day

Two students were brave and ready enough to take on seminar today. We've been concentrating on initial consonant blends with 'l' this week (cl-, sl-, etc.). We listened to a Puerto Rican story about a naughty boy and his pig and analyzed that for story structure. We used Along Came Toto as a model for descriptive language and tried our hand at some as well.

You should find our Topic 4 test results in backpacks along with some student's unsatisfactory notes. Please sign and return to indicate you received the notice. Conferences will be scheduled the week of the 24th of October. There were a few students who were just barely borderline in a subject or two so I sent a notice as simply a 'head's up." Again, your child needs to know nothing about the contents of the unsatisfactory notice at this point. We can keep the particulars between the teacher and the parent.

In science we put are hands on and used our senses with various samples of solids to observe properties (vocabulary) including temperature.

Week Preview and First Home Project Idea

This week we will look at how we change as we grow. We will take a look at how animals change as they grow as well. Our robust vocabulary words are: change, adult, learn, imitate, and practice. We will continue our work with constructing descriptive sentences.

Unsatisfactory notices are due to go out this week. Students who are in danger of earning a 2 in district identified high-priority subjects (math, reading, writing) will be receiving an unsatisfactory notice. At this point in the year, it is unnecessary for first grade students to be made aware of the contents of an unsatisfactory notice. They are just to inform parents where a possible deficiency in performance may be. If you receive a notice, please review and return the signed bottom portion of your copy. Conferences will be scheduled soon.

Children not passing one or more math tests will automatically receive an unsatisfactory notice as well as those students not reading at least 30 WPM with comprehension on grade level material.

A reminder: Please make sure your child wears appropriate footwear for active physical education movement every day. A child wearing boots fell during PE last week. Boots are not appropriate footwear for first grade physical education activities. Shoes should also be secured with laces or Velcro straps.

Elementary picture day will be Monday the 10th.