1. Welcome to 1st Grade! Gulf Shores Elementary School 2013-2014

2. School-Parent Compact: School Responsibilities  Provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the participating children to meet the State's student academic achievement standards  Hold registration and parent-teacher conferences annually during which this compact will be discussed as it relates to the individual child's achievement  Provide parents with frequent reports on their children's progress  Provide parents reasonable access to staff  Provide parents opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child's class

3. School-Parent Compact: Parent's Role  Make sure my child arrives on time every day and limiting checkouts  Make sure homework is completed and signed by a guardian  Make sure my child is wearing the correct uniform  Listen to my child read 15 minutes every night  Make sure my child goes to bed at an appropriate time  Keep contact information updated with the school office and teacher when changes occur  Stay informed about my child's education and communicate with the school by promptly reading all notices from the school or school district and responding, as appropriate, and utilize the school website  Support my child by volunteering to serve on Title I advisory committees, parental involvement committees and school activities

4. School-Parent Compact: Student's Role  Always do my best  Complete weekly homework and return it on time  Wear my uniform correctly every day  Read an extra 15 minutes each day  Bring my "Home Folder" to school every day  Once at home, give my guardian all important papers from my "Home Folder"  Attend school regularly arriving on time unless I am sick  Follow the rules in my school and my classroom  Treat all electronic devices with care and respect and only as instructed

5. Homework Homework packets will come home every Monday. Packets include reading homework and math pages. Homework packets are due each Friday. Please make sure you sign the appropriate spots. Your child must complete and return the entire packet in order to participate in Fun Friday. Please make sure your child reads to you EVERY night!

6. Homework Bulletin

7. Weekly Take Home Reader Example

8. Weekly Reading Homework Example

9. Reading Goals Our goal in first grade is FLUENCY! That means we would like for the children to read smoothly, accurately and quickly with ease. Another big goal in first grade is COMPREHENSION! Comprehension is the ability to understand the meanings communicated in stories/texts. We measure and monitor reading progress using the DIBELS test. During the test, a student reads 3 passages they have not seen before. The middle score of the passages is recorded. The December goal for a first grader is to read at least 20 words per minute. The May goal is 40 words per minute. READ! READ! READ! Research proves that volume reading increases fluency and comprehension.

10. Math Goals Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction Fact Fluency: Add and subtract within 20 Extend the counting sequence Understand place value Measure lengths Tell and write time Represent and interpret data Reason with shapes and their attributes We use the Investigations program which involves hands on activities and the use of tools (manipulatives).

11. Grades First graders earn letter/number grades for: Reading Spelling Grammar/Language Math Science Social Studies First graders earn performance grades for: Handwriting Conduct Health Music Art PE

12. Grading Scale A=100-90 B= 80-89 C = 70-79 D = 60-69 F = 59 and below G = Good S = Satisfactory N = Needs Improvement U = Unsatisfactory

13. I-Now at Home You can monitor your child's grades from home via I-Now. https://inow- baldwinco.asc.edu/informationnow Usernames and passwords will come home soon.

14. Positive Behavior Rewards  At least once a month, students who have stayed on green and have returned ALL homework, will be allowed to participate in Fun Friday.  In addition, if a student does not "strike out" (move to red 3 times) during each 20 day school period, he/she will get to participate in special event planned by the principal. (The strike outs include bus and PE referrals.)  Parents will be notified when a "strike" is earned.

15. Thank you for coming!!! 1 st Grade Gulf Shores Elementary School 2013-2014