1. Welcome Families!

2. Meet the First Grade Team Laura Martin – lmartin@nisdtx.org lmartin@nisdtx.org – (817) 698-7248 – Room 514 Christine Benson – cbenson@nisdtx.org cbenson@nisdtx.org – (817) 698-7249 – Room 513 Joanna Wilson – jwilson01@nisdtx.org jwilson01@nisdtx.org – (817) 698-7247 – Room 515

3. Meet the Specials Team Visit their Websites Sarah Ascher, Art Teacher sascher@nisdtx.org Stacie Breckley, PE Teacher sbreckley@nisdtx.org Kayla Gentry, Music Teacher kgentry@nisdtx.org

4. Cox Elementary Mission Statement. Cox Elementary is committed to creating a culture of high achievement and performance for all learners, both students and staff, while fostering positive relationships within our school community.

5. What is Love and Logic? Love allows children to grow through their mistakes. Logic allows children to live with the consequences of their choices. The Love and Logic process is as follows: Shared control: Gain control by giving away the control you don’t need. Shared thinking and decision-making: Provide opportunities for the child to do the greatest amount of thinking and decision-making. Equal shares of consequences with empathy: An absence of anger causes a child to think and learn from his/her mistakes. Maintain the child’s self-concept: Increased self-concept leads to improved behavior and improved achievement. To learn more about Love and Logic, please visit their website at: www.loveandlogic.com.

6. Wayne A. Cox Elementary Cougars’ Plan for Success We will treat each other with respect. If you have or create a problem, you will be asked to solve it. If you have trouble solving the problem, or choose not to, we will do something. What we do will depend on each person and the unique situation.

7. Elementary Student Dress Code According to the NISD 2013-14 Student Handbook and Code of Conduct, students are required to have safe shoes for physical education and recess every day. Sandals must have a strap on the heel; flip flops do not meet dress code. (Page 36) Flip flops, open-toed shoes, platform shoes, crocks, and boots are unsafe for PE and recess. Elementary dress and grooming guidelines can be found on pages 35-36 of the NISD Student Handbook and Code of Conduct.

8. Grades Online A letter will be mailed home for each student with a Home Access Center (HAC) login and password. Progress reports and report cards for students in grades 1-5 are viewed online through the HAC, unless requested by the parent. If you have not received a HAC letter, please email us at: coxelem@nisdtx.org.

9. Grades The grading system for NISD is as follows: 100 – 90AExcellent Progress 89 – 80BAbove Average Progress 79 – 70CAverage Progress 69 – 0FUnsatisfactory Progress (Failing) Other areas of study such as art, music, PE, work habits, social behavior, and student progress are marked as follows: E = Performs consistently at excellent/above standard expectations S = Performs consistently at standard expectations N = Performs slightly below standard expectations U = Performs consistently below standard expectations

10. TEA Website TEA website: www.tea.state.tx.uswww.tea.state.tx.us - Select “T” from A-Z menu; - Select “Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills” - Scroll down to first grade

11. First Grade Schedule Doors Open at 7:20 Tardy Bell: 7:45 Recess: 10:45-11:10 Lunch: 11:15-11:45 Specials/Conference: 11:55-12:50 Dismissal: 2:45

12. Communication Student Handbook and Code of Conduct at www.nisdtx.org/studenthandbook Class websites at www.nisdtx.orgwww.nisdtx.org -Select Cox Elementary>Staff>Teacher Name Pay lunch account online: Parents>Menus/Food Services Transportation changes must be emailed to the front office at coxelem@nisdtx.org by 2:00 p.m.coxelem@nisdtx.org Parent/Teacher fall conferences

13. Writers’ Workshop Teacher directed opening mini-lessons to model, encourage, and guide children to become writers Independent student writing related to topics of choice, retells, expository, nonfiction, and a variety of genres Student goal setting and guidance through individual conferring and small group work Students share work in response group and author’s chair Student writing portfolios held at school

14. Readers’ Workshop Teacher directed opening with mini-lessons that teach strategies for becoming a better reader Independent reading, partner reading, and readers’ theater that include a variety of different genres and leveled books Student goal setting and guidance through individual conferring and small group work Readers’ Response Notebooks Guided Reading Books

15. Social Studies Citizenship Families Communities Laws and Rules Historical Figures Time Lines Maps

16. Science Students will explore: Food chains Heat, light and sound Plants Force and motion Weather Living and Nonliving things Magnetism Rocks, soil, and water

17. Math Units Patterns Two and three dimensional shapes Counting money Telling time (hour and half hour) Addition and Subtraction Measuring Fractions Place value Graphs Problem solving strategies We love Math!

18. Make-Up Work Make-up work may be requested only if a child has been absent for more than two days. Parents may email the front office before 9:00 a.m. to request homework on the second day of an absence. The make-up work will then be available at the front desk at 3:20 p.m. on the second day. Work will not be sent home with siblings, neighbors, or friends. Teachers often need to work with children when they return to school, so not all work will be sent home.

19. Birthday Celebrations Parents may provide a treat for a child’s birthday that will be served during the last hour of the day. Please provide individual servings for the celebration (i.e., cupcakes, cookies, etc.). Napkins must be provided. Treats are to be dropped off at the front office, or the student may bring them to the classroom in the morning. Parents are not to be in attendance at this time, and we do not take pictures of this celebration. Personal party invitations may not be handed out during the school day. The child, however, may stand outside the classroom door as students are leaving for the day to pass out party invitations.

20. Special Events Boosterthon Fun Run Field Trips Winter Party Valentine’s Party Field Day (May)

21. Daily Folders Your child will take home a yellow daily folder every day. Important information, homework, and more will go home in this folder. If you have any notes for the teacher, please place these in the folder in the clear pouch (coming soon). Any notes regarding behavior will be noted on the calendar.

22. Getting Involved at Cox Elementary Join the PTA –Email: weathers_stephanie@yahoo.com Dads…Become a Watch DOGS Dad –Program kicks-off in October. Information will be forthcoming. Volunteer in the Library –Contact Ms. Savage at csavage@nisdtx.org Assist in the lunchroom –Email: coxelem@nisdtx.org Assist the Room Parents To check the status of your background check, please email coxelem@nisdtx.org.

23. Room Parents for First Grade -Mrs. Martin’s -Mrs. Wilson’s Erin BellowsMandy Knight Pate 682-605-4254 817-914-4092 Erin.Bellows@sabre.comErin.Bellows@sabre.com mandyknight@sbcglobal.netmandyknight@sbcglobal.net -Miss Benson’s Nichol Lippert 682-936-0112 Nichol.lippert@gmail.com

24. Thank You for Your Partnership! Remember to check district, school, and teacher website for current information. Be sure to keep your email, phone, and address information updated with the front office at Cox Elementary. It will be an extraordinary year at Cox Elementary!

25. Questions or Concerns?

26. Meet the First Grade Team Laura Martin – lmartin@nisdtx.org lmartin@nisdtx.org – (817) 698-7248 – Room 514 Christine Benson – cbenson@nisdtx.org cbenson@nisdtx.org – (817) 698-7249 – Room 513 Joanna Wilson – jwilson01@nisdtx.org jwilson01@nisdtx.org – (817) 698-7247 – Room 515