Welcome to the new school year. I am looking forward to talking with you and working with your child.
This year I am going to be sending home weekly folders. Each week your child will be bringing home a “Friday Folder” with that week’s work in it. A newsletter summarizing the week’s activities will usually be included. I would like you to return the folder, initialed, so we can use it the following week. Space will be provided for your comments. Please feel free to comment on any concerns that you might have. This Friday Folder provides a good opportunity for your child to share their school experiences with you. It is in your child’s best interest that we work together, and communicating frequently through the Friday Folder is one way that we can do that. Also since we have phones in the rooms, feel free to give me a call if you have any concerns. Yet another way to communicate would be via e-mail. My school address is: lywilson@mid-prairie.k12.ia.us. My home address is: johnw@netins.net. Feel free to write me at any time. I check my email several times a day. The first grade will also have a classroom webpage. The address is: http://wtfirstgrade.blogspot.com/ Another way to communicate would be to visit your child’s classroom. I would like to encourage you to visit your child’s classroom at any time.
We’ve had a busy first few days of school. We have been getting to know each other and doing many introductory activities. If you hear them talking about Busy and Betsy Bear then you will know they have been paying attention during our listening skills unit. If they mention Jasper Germ, Velma Virus, Baxter Bacteria, Captain Clean, or Sudsy Sue, then you will know they have been paying attention during out handwashing unit.
If your child would like to bring a water bottle to school to have on their desks they are certainly welcome to do so.
On the side is a schedule for special classes. Mid-Prairie elementaries have adopted a five day rotating schedule last year. Specials will follow the rotation rather than being on a specific day of the week. One of the very important skills first graders will be learning is responsibility. I tell the children that it is their responsibility to be sure they have their PE shoes on PE days and their library books on library days.
This week you are receiving both a hard copy and an email copy of the newsletter. Please let me know if you received the email copy okay. In an effort to be more conscious of paper of both paper and ink use, and because I like to include a lot of pictures in my newsletters, I will be sending them via email to those of you that have email addresses. Be sure and check each Friday afternoon for the First Grade News. The newsletter will also be available through the first grade blog.
http://wtfirstgrade.blogspot.com/
Monday morning we had a very special visitor. Mr. Schneider, Mid-Prairie School Superintendent, came and visited our classroom. He introduced himself, read a book to the children, and talked about what it takes to be a good first grader, and then answered some questions.
