Welcome to a New School Year!

Arrival Procedures• Doors open at 9:00 a.m. Students

should not be on the premises before 9:00 a.m. because there is no adult supervision.

• If you are dropping your child off you must use the front parking lot and walk around the outside of the building to your child’s appropriate entrance.

Dismissal Procedures

• Dismissal time is 3:40 p.m.• Mr. Daniel has organized a specific

dismissal plan. Students riding buses will be dismissed first. Then the teacher will walk to the front of the building to dismiss all parent pick-ups. This ensures all students are accounted for and safe.

Change of Plans!!• If a child is going home a different way,

whether it be with a friend, riding a different bus or with another pick up, the office must be informed.

• For the safety of your child, we need a written note on these days indicating how your child is getting home. You may also call the office with this information.

• If there is not a note, email or phone call, your child will be sent home the way they are everyday.

Breakfast & Lunch• Breakfast is $1.50 • Hot lunch is $2.75 • Milk is 50 cents.• In order to receive free or reduced lunch an application

needs to be filled out and turned in for approval. The application is with the student handbook. (You will need to provide lunch money until the application is approved.)

• Please remind your child to bring his/her lunch daily. If a student forgets his/her lunch they will receive a lunch for that day and be expected to pay for the lunch the following day.

• Each student is assigned a six digit number which will be used to purchase breakfast and lunch. These numbers are very important for all students to memorize. Please have your child practice typing and memorizing their number.

• In order to add money to your child’s account you may send in money with them or go online to: https://www.mymealtime.com

Dear Families,Your student has been assigned a six digit student number. He/she uses this number when purchasing school lunch and to access our Accelerated Reader program. This number will be your child’s ID number throughout all of his/her elementary school days within any Auburn schools. Your child needs to memorize this number and practice typing it on a key pad. Right now when we go to lunch your child’s number is written on a clothespin which is attached to his/her sleeve. Eventually they’ll have their numbers memorized and we won’t have to take the clips with us. This will greatly speed up the lunch line. I am attaching a key pad to the bottom of this letter. Please keep this letter and have your child practice typing (and memorizing) his/her ID number every day until your child has mastered the task!!!! When pressing the numbers on the key pad the child’s finger needs to “bounce”(press the key quickly then release) rather than hold the key down for a lengthy time—so please work on that in your practice sessions too! If you have a computer at home your child can practice on the key pad on the right side of the keyboard.

Reading

All grade levels at AJ utilize the same reading model. Each grade level will receive 60 minutes of

individualized reading instruction. This 60 minutes may include word work, echo reading, partner

reading, small group work, individual work, and hands on activities to engage all learners. This

means students will be placed in groups according to their skills and will receive instruction to fulfill

their needs. These groups will be flexible and students may be changing groups and instructors

frequently.

Primary Learning Specialists:Erica Covey-Monday

April Jackson-Tues, Wed & Thurs Kellyn Penoncello-Friday

All first grade students will attend a 40 minute session 5 days a week. The subject areas that will be taught by the learning specialists are writing and spelling.

The primary specialist will provide grades for first grade students.

Contact information: ajackson@auburn.wednet.edu kpenoncello@auburn.wednet.edu ecovey@auburn.wednet.edu

Rotations• Students will be rotating between all four first

grade teachers five days a week. • Mrs. Cox & Mrs. Covey will be teaching science,

social studies and computer lab. • Mrs. Nelson will be teaching math.• Mrs. Huiras will be teaching math.• This will ensure all students are receiving

identical instruction in these subject areas.• Reading, Art, Music and PE will be taught by all

teachers.

Computer Time• Students will visit the computer lab weekly.

• Students will work on various programs including IXL, Mobymax and Star Fall. All of these programs are individualized math/reading programs to meet the needs of your child.

• Students will also practice basic computer skills using a variety of programs.

Specialists

• All first grade students will have library once a week.

• Remember to turn in library books on your library day!

Library: Mr. Spencer

Recess• Students should dress appropriately

for the weather throughout the year. They need to bring coats, umbrellas and other outer wear during inclement weather.

• All students will go out to recess. There are no facilities or supervision available inside for students during recess time.

• First grade has two daily recesses: 11:10-11:40 and 2:30-2:45.

Star of the Week• Every week there will be a new star of

the week. • At the beginning of the year your child

will receive a Star of the Week packet. Please help your child complete the poster. Be creative—use drawings, photos, craft materials, etc. to creatively complete the poster. This information will be hung on the Star of the Week bulletin board.

AJ/Classroom Expectations

• Be Courteous• Be Safe• Be Responsible

Think Time• We will be using our school wide discipline

plan known as Think Time to create a positive and safe educational climate.

• This researched-based technique emphasizes the seriousness of education, respectfulness of the classroom environment, and the importance of students taking responsibility for their own behavior.

• More in-depth information about Think Time can be found in the student handbook.

Homework Information• First grade homework

will consist of a math activity, spelling activity and a weekly reading log.

• Homework will not start immediately because students are practicing homework skills in the classroom at this time.

• Homework will come home on a Monday in your child’s folder and be due on Friday.

• More information will come home with the first homework sheets.

Once started the reading log will be sent home

every Monday.

Report Cards

Birthdays

• We celebrate birthdays at lunchtime. • If your child wants to bring in birthday

treats they must be store bought (this is an Auburn School District policy) and have enough for the entire class.

• If your child has any food allergies, please make arrangements to send in special treats that they can have instead.

Book Orders• Book orders will be sent home

throughout the year. • We are not allowed to accept cash.

Please make your checks or money orders to Scholastic.

• Not only is this a great way to build your child’s home library, but it earns us Bonus Points we can use for free books and learning materials for our classrooms!

Parent Volunteers• All parent volunteers must have completed a

Washington State Background Check. (This is good for two years, if you are unsure if yours is still current please check with the office.) You must have this completed in order to go on field trips.

• There are a variety of activities that you can help out with inside the classroom as well as at home. Some of the activities include prep work, working with students, monthly memory books and testing.

• If you are interested please sign up in your classroom. Some of the jobs will begin as soon as possible.

• Mr. Daniel will be hosting a parent volunteer training if you are interested.

School Supplies • School bag or backpack (no wheels) • 1 Box Ziplock bags, 1 gal size• 24 Yellow #2 Pencils• 1 box Facial Tissues• 1 box 24/package Crayons• 4 pocket folders (pockets across the bottom)• 8/pkg Watercolor Markers• 10-12 Glue Sticks (NO Elmer’s Liquid Glue)• 2 Fine Point Black Sharpies• Pink Eraser• 2 large bottles hand sanitizer• Pointed Scissors• 2 Spiral Notebook (wide ruled)• 3-4 Black Dry Erase Markers• Pencil Box—Plastic• 3 Container of Sanitized Baby Wipes • Miscellaneous Supply Fee $5.00• Optional—Ream of colored or white copy paper

Contact Information• Please do not hesitate to contact any

of us if you have a question or concern. I can be reached by note, phone call or e-mail. – Phone: 253-630-2441

If I am unavailable you may leave a voicemail and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

– E-mail: » marcher@auburn.wednet.edu -- Mrs. Cox» ecovey@auburn.wednet.edu -- Mrs. Covey» thuiras@auburn.wednet.edu -- Mrs. Huiras» mdnelson@auburn.wednet.edu -- Mrs. Nelson

Before you leave today…

•Fill out the student information page•Make a “How to Get Home” tag for your child. This guarantees that your child will be leaving the school tomorrow the correct way.

Thank You!

We look forward to sharing this year with your child. There’s lots to do and lots to come! If you ever have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us.