First
Grade Handbook
2016 – 2017
Welcome to the first grade! This handbook contains information that you will need to know throughout the year, so please keep it handy.
About the Teacher
Hello! My name is Mrs. Jill Higgins, and I will be teaching your first grader this year! I have taught Kindergarten through sixth grade Spanish for 8 years, two years at Jackson Arts and Technology, and the last six years at Queen’s and St. Mary’s schools. I am working on my Master's Degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and I will have my degree this December. I am working on my Advanced Catechist Certification in the Diocese of Lansing. My husband, Bill, and I have been married for three years. We have five children total, he has two, a son and a daughter, and I have three, two sons and a daughter. All of our children are older and live on their own in various areas around Michigan. We live in Jackson and we enjoy reading, hiking, and camping. I truly believe chocolate is the most important food group, along with coffee! I am excited to be part of your child's education this year. I look forward to a fun-filled year, and welcome the opportunity to talk to you about your child. If you have questions or concerns throughout the school year, please contact me at school 784-8811, e-mail me at [email protected], or during the evening call my cell at 517-745-6601. No calls after 9p.m. please. Newsletters and other important information can be found on my webpage at jhigginsstmarys1stgrade.weebly.com or you can access it from the St. Mary home page.
Arrival/Dismissal
Drop off begins at 7:45. Students are to report to St. Mary Meadow and remain there until school starts at 8:00. In inclement weather, students will go to the prayer room until 8:00. Please see the handbook for consequences that will result from being tardy. Dismissal is at 3:05.
Snack
We eat snack each day around 9:20. Please send in a nutritious snack for your child. If your child has any food allergies, please let me know. He/she may keep some snacks in the classroom for days when we have treats that he/she may not be able to eat.
Birthdays
Your student may bring in a treat to celebrate his/her birthday. Just let me know when you wish to celebrate. Students with summer birthdays need to let me know the date they wish to celebrate. Please do not send in treats with red frosting, or treats that need to be cut or scooped! Also, napkins help contain the crumbs. If you send in a drink, please make sure it does not need to be poured.
** Please do not send birthday party invitations to school unless they are for the whole class. This prevents hurt feelings and classroom interruptions.
Assignment Headings
Each student will be issued a student number at the beginning of the year. He/She needs to include the student number on all assignments along with the student’s first and last name in the right hand margin. *Papers without a name and heading at the top may be recycled, and the student may be given a zero or asked to redo the assignment.
Homework
Students will be given paper packs each week to be worked on for about 30 minutes every night. This includes spelling words, flashcards, reading minutes, skills worksheets, projects, and work that was not finished in class. If your student is spending too much time on homework, please contact me. If for some reason your child isn't able to finish his/her homework please write me a note explaining the situation.
Late/Missing Assignments
If your child needs extra time on a homework assignment, I need a note, an email, a text, or a phone call from a parent. Otherwise, incomplete/missing assignments may result in a zero for the assignment, and/or a lunch detention. Students having a lot of incomplete and/or missing assignments may receive a 7:15 morning detention or a Saturday detention. Please check PowerSchool frequently to see your child’s progress!
Grading Scale
100-90= A
89-80= B
79-70=C
69-60=D
59 and below=E
You can track your student’s grades and missing assignments on Powerschool at https://jacs.powerschool.com/public/home.html . If you do not remember your log in and password information, please see Cindy Clark in the school office.
Make-up Work
When a student is absent, the assignments will be written on a make-up work form. I try to send work home with a sibling at the end of the day. Otherwise, the work may be picked up in the school office at the end of the day. We do many hands-on projects and experiments in class, which may not be able to be made up so please keep absences at a minimum! See the school handbook for our policies regarding extended absences and vacations.
Classroom Rules/Consequences
The students will help draft the classroom rules, which will then be signed by each student and posted in the classroom. They will be expected to uphold these rules and to follow The Golden Rule. We will also have class meetings to deal with recurring issues. I use Class Dojo www.classdojo.com to keep in contact with you about your child’s behavior. Please create an account using the sign up information provided at parent night.
Consequences for negative behavior:
1. Nonverbal signals
2. Verbal warning
3. Time away from the group
4. Loss of some or all of recess
5. Given a loss of some or all of a recess, and the parent may be contacted.
6. Conference with parents and behavior improvement plan established
Reading Minutes
Students will bring home a weekly reading minute sheet in the paper packs. Students need to read for 30 minutes at home each week. They will record the number of minutes read each day. The sheets need to be signed by a parent, and returned the following Thursday.
Flashcards
Students will bring home a weekly flashcard sheet. They need to practice flashcards for ten minutes, three times a week. The sheets need to be signed by a parent, and returned on the following Thursday. Failure to turn in the sheets will result in a lunch detention. Three missed sheets in a quarter will lower their grade.
Timed Tests
The students will take timed math fact tests in class. They can also practice their math facts by using the I-pads and the Xtramath app to practice. Your child can log in to Xtramath at home and practice, too. To log in go to: https://xtramath.org/#/home/index and use log in information given at Parent Night.
At-Home Projects
The students will have at least one at-home project to complete each quarter. Projects may be in the form of math projects, book reports, dioramas, creative writing, grade appropriate “reports”, etc. Look for the directions and due dates in the Thursday paper packs. Unfinished projects affect report card grades!
Prayers For Memorization
Morning Offering Prayer Before Snack Grace Before Meals Glory Be
Grace After Meals Apostles Creed Our Father Memorare
Hail Mary Prayer of St. Francis Act of Contrition
Textbooks
Handwriting-Handwriting by Zaner-Bloser
Math-Progress in Mathematics by Sadlier-Oxford
Religion-We Believe by Sadlier
Reading/Phonics and Spelling- Collections for Young Scholars by Open Court
Science-Science by Harcourt
Social Studies-Various resources
Specials
12:40 – 1:10 Mon. Art Mrs. Frew
1:20 - 1:50 Mon. Gym Mrs. Hamay
12:40 – 1:10 Tue. Spanish
1:20 -1 :50 Tue. Music Mrs. Malewitz
1:20 – 1:50 Wed. Gym Mrs. Hamay
12:40 – 1:10 Thu. Spanish
1:20 – 1:50 Thu. Music Mrs. Malewitz 2:00 – 2:50 Thu. Library/Computer Mrs. Penn & Mrs. Haynes
9:00-10:00 Fri. Mass Fr. Tim Nelson
*Note: In first grade students will not change into gym clothes this year. We found the students were wasting too much of their gym time in the locker rooms.