You're Invited to Our Writing Celebration

Wednesday, December 21^st is our writing workshop celebration! The wonderful authors of room 404 have finished their second published stories, and we are eager to share them! Family and friends are invited to come to our classroom at 1:55 PM on Wednesday to read our stories and enjoy some refreshments.

Please remember to sign in at the security desk before coming to our room. If you arrive early, please wait at the security desk until 1:55 PM when our student messengers will come to invite you in. The celebration will begin promptly at 1:55!

Thank you and I hope to see you on Wednesday at 2:00 PM!

Mrs. Horeis

Reminders about tomorrow

Field trip money and forms are due tomorrow. If you do not bring in your form by tomorrow, your child will not be able to attend the field trip. If you cannot afford to pay the $9, please talk to me by tomorrow and I will see if I can make arrangements for your child. If you will not be attending the field trip, your child needs to come to school anyway. The field trip is only one small part of the day, and your child can stay in another classroom until we return.

Pajama day is tomorrow. Students (and teachers!) are welcome to wear pajamas to school all day. Please make sure your child is warm enough for inside and outside.

There is a very important parent meeting tomorrow from 9-11AM in the gym. It is the annual holiday meeting, so there will also be refreshments. If you are available at that time, I highly recommend that you attend. It will be a key opportunity for parents to provide input on how you want the longer school day to be structured next year.

Homework and Computer Support

Yesterday, you received a letter from Ms. Kargas regarding homework and computer programs to use at home. Grades 2-8 take the NWEA test every fall, winter, and spring. Compass Learning is a program that uses that data to provide appropriate learning activities for the students in those grades. RAZ Kids will be available to all students in grades K-1 very soon, and I will send home the login information as soon as I have it.

In the meantime, please make sure that your child is doing his or her homework each night. The packet we send home each Monday includes some reading, math, and writing activities to work on, but it is most important that your child spend 10 minutes every night reading, 10 minutes every night on math, and 10 minutes every night on writing.

Reading:

Your child needs to spend at least 10 minutes each night reading. You must record the books they read on the reading log that is attached to the homework packet. I expect to see at least one entry for every day of assigned homework. This is how I know what they are reading!

Math:

There is usually a math page included in the packet, and sometimes there are additional math pages sent home from our workbooks. These can be used for math practice. If your child finishes these pages early in the week, they still need to be practicing math for 10 minutes every night. Making addition flash cards to use at home would be a great way to spend this time.

Writing:

Each week the homework packet includes a book report. They may use one of the books they took home from school or a book from home. As this is a writing activity, please encourage them to write the report. Help them by asking what they want to write, and repeat it back to them if necessary. Help them say difficult words slowly to hear the sounds, and then they can write down the letters for the sounds they hear. Sometimes the homework packet also includes other worksheets that involve writing. If your child completes all the writing work early in the week, they still need to practice writing for 10 minutes every day. Keeping a home journal is a great way to spend this time.

Spelling:

The spelling test is the last day of each week. Please make sure that your child is practicing the words throughout the week. Please also review old words so your child does not forget them. The week of December 16^th will be a review week, so no new words will be introduced and students will be tested on words from previous weeks.

The homework packets are always due the last day of each week. If your child is absent, he or she must hand it in the next day they come to school. I look for three things as I check homework: that initials are in every box on the cover page, that the activities are complete, and that there is at least one reading log entry for every day.

As Ms. Kargas said, we want to work together to help your child succeed! Please ensure that reading, math, and writing are being done every night and that homework packets are being returned complete and on time. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Picture Day and Popcorn Sales

Picture Day is this Wednesday! If you have not yet returned your picture day form, you must do so tomorrow (Tuesday) in order to receive photos. Please put the form and money in your child's homework folder. If you no longer have the form, you can get an extra copy in the office.

Tomorrow is also the last day to bring money from popcorn sales. This is an important fundraiser that will help buy much-needed books for our school, and so far only one  student in our class has returned their form. If you sold any popcorn, please return the form tomorrow!

Special Events This Week

Report Card Pickup

Please visit the school on Wednesday from 12:00-3:15 PM or from 4:00-6:00 PM to meet with me and receive your child’s report card. I will meet with parents on a first come-first served basis, but during this meeting you will be able to sign up for a specific meeting time for the next parent-teacher conference.

Food Drive

The student council is conducting a food drive this week. Please bring in donations of non-perishable food items on Tuesday.

Book Fair

This week is Goethe’s Book fair! Today students had the chance to peruse the fair to get a sense of what they might want. Please support Goethe School by sending visiting the book fair on Wednesday or sending money with your child on Thursday when we will return to the fair as a class to purchase books.

Six Flags Read to Succeed

Yesterday students took home a packet of information from Miss Gallagher, Goethe's library teacher, about Read to Succeed. Read to Succeed is a free educational program from Six Flags and Discovery Education that inspires K-6 students to engage in recreational reading. Students who complete six hours (360 minutes) of recreational, non-school-related reading are eligible to earn a free admission ticket to a participating Six Flags theme park.

Part of the packet included a reading log. All Read to Succeed reading logs must be turned in to Miss Gallagher by FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012. Six Flags tickets will be distributed in May 2012.
Click the link for more details about the Read to Succeed program:
Six Flags Read to Succeed Program

Please feel free to contact Miss Gallagher if you have any questions!
Megan Gallagher, K-8 Library Teacher
mngallagher@cps.edu


Please understand that the Read to Succeed reading log is separate from the room 404 homework reading log. Homework packets must be completed as usual. You may include homework reading on the Read to Succeed log, but I will not be checking Read to Succeed to ensure students are doing their homework.

Happy Halloween!

On Monday Goethe School will celebrate Halloween! The assembly for first grade is from 9:05-10:05 AM, and the parade is from 10:05-10:25 AM. Our class party will be in the afternoon from 1:30-2:20 PM. I would welcome one or two parent volunteers for the party!

The students may bring Halloween treats to share with the class. There are 16 students in our class, so if you bring something please make sure there is enough for everyone. All students should bring a bag to collect treats (if you do not have a special treat bag, a regular grocery bag is fine).

Have a wonderful weekend and a happy Halloween!

Writer's Workshop Celebration

Tomorrow is our writing workshop celebration! The wonderful authors of room 404 have finished their first published stories, and we are eager to share them! Family and friends are invited to come to our classroom at 1:40 PM tomorrow to read our stories and enjoy some refreshments.

Please remember to sign in at the security desk before coming to our room. If you arrive early, please wait at the security desk until 1:40 PM when our student messengers will come to invite you in.

Thank you and I hope to see some of you tomorrow at 1:40 PM!

Field Trip Chaperones

We are in need of 2 more parent chaperones for our field trip to Wagner Farm this Thursday! Chaperones ride in the bus with us and are admitted to the farm for free. Please contact me if you are available to join us!

If you have not yet brought in your money or permission slip, please do so right away. I need to know final numbers so we can make alternate arrangements for students who cannot come. I am really hoping that everyone will be able to participate!

Goethe's New Wiki Space

In case you missed it in the newsletter this week, Ms. Simensen in the technology lab has created a Wiki Space for parents, teachers, and students to communicate. The site will be used for general communication for the entire Goethe community until the new Goethe website is created.

http://goethetech.wikispaces.com

Reminders and Upcoming Events

A lot of exciting things are coming up, so I wanted to post this bulletin with some reminders and some new information!

Progress Reports

Please sign and return the bottom part of the form so that I know you read it. If you would like to meet with me to discuss your child’s mid-term grades, please email or call me to make an appointment.

Field Trip

Please fill out the field trip permission form (sent home Wednesday) and return by Friday. Please also bring $14 for the field trip. If you have family circumstances that prevent you from being able to pay, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss options. All students must be present at school that day at the usual time (8:40 AM).

Field Trip Chaperones

Three parent chaperones may come on the field trip with us for free. Please contact me right away if you are able to volunteer!

Writing Workshop Celebration

We are almost finished our first writing unit, and we will be ready to publish and celebrate next week! Family and friends are welcome to join us for our author’s circle and refreshments on Wednesday, October 19^th at 1:40 PM!

Fall Festival

Come celebrate the fall season at Goethe School this Saturday from 11 AM to 3 PM. I will be manning the photo booth and would love to see you all there!

Progress Reports

Today the first grade teachers sent home progress reports for the first quarter. As you look at your child’s grades and discuss them with him or her, please keep in mind the meaning of each letter grade.

• A means that your child’s work is consistently exceptional. Unlike in the past, A’s will not be given to very many students. We are trying to set the proper expectations now so that there is not such a big change when the students get to second or third grade. It is a common misconception that anything less than an A means a child either has not been working hard or is doing poorly in school. This is not necessarily the case. 

• B means that your child’s work is usually excellent. This is work that exceeds the standards.

• C means that your child is meeting the standards, but is making some errors.

• D means that the student is behind the average group. Please make sure to spend extra time working with him or her at home in these areas.

This understanding of letter grades will be particularly true for writing, as you can see on the writing rubrics that are also being sent home today.

Some of the assignments given in reading are completed with partners or with teacher assistance, so the reading grades are representative of your child’s in class work rather than only his or her reading level. Please note your child’s Fountas and Pinnell reading level (sent home today) for a broader view of your child’s reading performance. I also sent home a chart to show the reading level expectations for September, February, and May, when we do our testing.

I hope this helps you to better understand your child’s progress report. I also encourage you to check the online Parent Portal to see each of your child's individual grades and the average percentage they received. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Pumpkins Everywhere!

This week we started our science unit on plants. Today we had lots of fun dissecting a pumpkin to see what is inside! We found the pulp (the thick edge part that people eat), the fibrous strands (the stringy stuff inside), the seeds, and the empty space in the middle! Then we made our own pumpkins that are now hanging in the hallway so all the other Goethe students can see what's inside a pumpkin!

Tomorrow we will split open some lima beans and record what we see!

Homework Packet

The first homework packet was sent home today! Please make sure to work with your child every night for 10 minutes of reading, 10 minutes of math, and 10 minutes of writing! The packet is always due on the last school day of the week.

Thank you!

Weekend Reminders and Announcements

Homework:
Read, read, read! Listening to your child read is always homework! Ask your child about the characters, discuss the beginning, middle, and end of the book, and point out features such as the title, author, illustrator, and table of contents (if there is one).

In October the first graders are making weather calendars! Each day during the month students will check the weather around 12:00PM and record it on their calendar. On days when they are not in school, please help them observe the weather outside at noon and complete the weather homework page. They will transfer this data to their weather calendars when they return to school.

On Monday all first graders will receive the first homework packet. From now on a packet will be sent home on the first day of every week and must be returned on the last day of the week. Please see the "Homework" section of this blog for a reminder of the homework policy.

Uniforms:
Please remember as the days get colder that students must adhere to the uniform code while at school (except for the last day of each week). Your child will not be permitted to wear a non-uniform sweater in class, so please make sure they have solid white or blue clothing that is warm enough for indoors on a chilly day.

Gym:
For the next two weeks, the first graders in 404 will have gym on Monday AND Tuesday. This is due to the NWEA testing for grades 2-8 that will take place in the computer lab. Please make sure the first graders are wearing a gym-appropriate uniform both days.

Water bottles:
In an effort to increase instructional time and decrease time spent away from class to use the drinking fountain, I would like to invite students to bring a water bottle to school, which they may keep on their desks. The bottle must have a cap that seals properly so if it tips over when not in use there won't be any spills. Only fill the bottle with water -- no juice please. Each night the students will take their water bottles home to be washed and returned the next day. I have high hopes that this will allow for students to stay hydrated without needing to leave the room during class, so let's see how it goes!

Toys:
The students are not permitted to bring toys to school. When toys come to school they tend to be a distraction during class and can get lost or broken. Please help remind them each morning to leave all toys at home!

Thanks and have a fantastic weekend!

Mrs. Horeis

Home Book Bags

Dear Families,

This week on either Monday or Tuesday your child will have a "Home Book Bag" in his or her homework folder. The bag contains a book that your child selected from our classroom library at his or her independent reading level. (The level will be more accurate after I finish giving the reading tests next week.) If your child struggles with a word, please don't just tell them the answer right away. Encourage him or her to check the picture to see what makes sense and think about the letter sounds in the word.

Please listen to your child read this book every night. Beginning next week, we will be sending home the homework packet which will include a reading log to record how many times your child reads this and other books each night. Repeated readings really help students grow as readers. As your child becomes an expert at reading this book, challenge him or her to read it more fluently and with more expression.

Please always keep this book in your child’s homework folder so that he or she will be sure to have it at school when it is time to change books (either Monday or Tuesday). If you have any questions about the book bag, please let me know!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Horeis

Second Week Reminders

September 12, 2011

Dear Families,

This Wednesday is our Open House night. I am really looking forward to seeing you all and sharing information about our classroom and the wonderful things the first graders will be doing this year. As outlined in the note that went home last Friday, the Open House will begin at 6PM with information about the special classes and an amazing new opportunity for tutoring at Goethe School. At 6:35, the first group will meet in room 404 to discuss our class.

If you did not bring in pictures today for writing workshop, please make sure to do so tomorrow. It is very important that the students fill their notebooks with things to inspire them. Please put the images in the “return to school” side of their homework folders.

This week your homework is to read with your child every night! Ask him or her questions about the characters in the book and what happens in the beginning, middle, and end. Two nights this week the students will also have a math page to take home. On Wednesday at the Open House, the first grade teachers will provide information about the weekly homework packets that will begin in October.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Horeis

Fantastic First Week

September 9, 2011

Dear Families,

Congratulations on a fantastic first week in first grade! The students have been doing a wonderful job practicing the routines and procedures we will use in our classroom and school throughout the year.

Next week we will start delving into the curriculum. Students will begin receiving homework in their blue homework folders, and a note will go home on Monday explaining the procedure. It is very important that you help your child remember to bring their homework folder to school every day. If your child loses their homework folder, there will be a $1.50 replacement fee.

On Monday, we will begin writing workshop. Please help your child collect a few photographs of family and friends, magazine clippings of things they like, or images of places they have been. We will use these to personalize our writing notebooks so that we can look at them to generate ideas for our writing all year long. Put the images in the “return to school” side of their homework folders.

Thank you to those families who returned all their forms to school this week. If you still have some forms to return, please do so as soon as possible. The lunch form is especially important, as it is tied to funding for our school. Even if you do not think you are eligible for free or reduced lunch, please return the form anyway. The emergency contact form and the medical information forms are also crucial, as I need to know how to contact you and whether your child has any allergies.

As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact me by phone, email, or through the form on this website.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Horeis

Welcome to First Grade!

September 6, 2011

Dear Families,

My name is Mrs. Horeis and will be teaching the wonderful first graders in room 404. I hope you all had a great summer and are looking forward to the new school year as much as I am!

I can already tell we have a great group of students this year and I can’t wait to get to know them and their families. If you see me before or after school this week, I would love for you to introduce yourselves. The Goethe Open House will be on Wednesday, September 14^th at 6pm, and I hope to see you all there as well.

Thank you to those who brought in their school supplies. If you have not yet brought them in, please do so as soon as possible. I have attached another copy of the list for anyone who needs it.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of the first week of school are non-uniform days. Starting on Monday, September 12^th, every Monday to Thursday your child must be in proper uniform. If he or she is not, the office will call home and ask someone to bring uniform items to school.

Each day, your child will bring this blue folder home. It is very important that you check your child’s folder every day to make sure you are receiving communication from the school and me promptly. On the back of your child’s folder is a behavior chart. Each day, the students make choices about their behavior. When they make good choices all day, they stay on “green”. When they need a few reminders to make good choices, they move to “yellow”. When they continue to make poor choices, they move to “red”. At the end of the day, the students color their behavior chart the correct color. Please take a look at your child’s behavior chart each day and talk to him or her about the choices they made.

If you have any questions, please let me know. I am looking forward to getting to know you all and to a fantastic year in first grade!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Horeis