Welcome to Mrs. Baldwin and Mrs. Brown’s Class

2019 - 2020

A Journey Through First Grade

©The Knitted Apple

©The Knitted Apple

Attendance• Classes begin at 7:40• Attendance is taken at 9:00• All absences will be unexcused unless a

written note is sent within 3 days.• Dismissal is at 2:50• Please send a note if your child needs to

leave early.• The latest “leave early” time is 2:15• Attendance will be reflected on the report

card.

Perfect Attendance• Attendance incentive – Super Stellar

Picnic – Students eat with their teachers. No absences, no tardiesand no leaving early.

• Bush goal is 98%.• Even excused absences count

towards our attendance rate.

• If a change in dismissal occurs, please call the office or send a written note in the red folder. Your child cannot let us know of a change. We will send them to their regular dismissal spot.

• Discuss with your child the dismissal procedure.

• We highly encourage the carpool lane for safety purposes.

Dismissal

• Breakfast is served from 7:15 – 7:30 in the cafeteria.

• Your child will line up outside the cafeteria by the bus lane.

First Class Breakfast

• If you come to eat lunch with your child, you will need to eat outside.

• If your child has dietary restrictions, please make sure they know what the restrictions are so they do not accidently chose the wrong thing in the lunch line.

• You can load lunch money on your child’s lunch card by going through the HISD website on the parent portal.

Lunch

• Project Class – Teaching Social Skills1. Follow Instructions2. Pay Attention3. Get Teacher’s Attention4. Ask Permission5. Accept “No”6. Accept Feedback

Classroom Rules

• Conduct marks will be recorded in the red folder.

• Red folders will go home everyday. Please check behavior chart and sign daily.

Behavior Chart

• In most cases, warnings are given first.• A conduct mark is given and the student

will sit out 5 minutes of recess. This is not taken out of their 30 minutes of recess for all.

• Additional conduct marks will be given if the infractions continues.

• Conference with the parents.• Visit to the office.

What Happens When Rules are Broken?

Hallway Restroom CafeteriaSilent at all times Silent at all times Line up quietlyWalking, not running Restroom etiquette Use soft voices

(flushing, washing hands, Need permission topicking up paper) leave the table

Check to see that you have everythingbefore you sit downHelp keep thecafeteria clean

School Behaviors

• All classes, regardless of whether they are regular, Vanguard or ESL, use the same curriculum. The difference is in the pacing and rigor.

• All first grade teachers plan their lessons together. The same concept is taught in each class.

Curriculum

Read to Self Math by MyselfWork on Writing Math with SomeoneRead to Someone Math WritingWord WorkListen to Reading

Daily Five Daily Three

• Content will be in the weekly newsletters which go home Monday in the green homework folder.

• Tests will be sent home on the following Wednesday in the RED communication folder.

• Please review tests with your child and have them correct any mistakes.

Tests

• Students will be given the opportunity to retest for grades below 70.

• Tests will be averaged together for the final grade. The highest grade put on gradespeed for a retest is 75.

• You will only see the averaged score on gradespeed.

• Spelling, sentence dictation, reading comprehension, cumulative and Fact Fluency Tests.

Reteach and Retest

• Reading, Science and Social StudiesClasswork/Tests 100%

• LanguageClasswork/Tests 75% (sentence dictation/

Grammar mechanics

Spelling 25%

• MathClasswork/Tests 100%

Gradespeed

• Homework will be assigned on Monday in the green folder and should be returned on Friday.

• Homework completion will be reflected on report cards. Three or more missing assignments, in a 9 week period, will result in an “N”.

Homework

• Progress reports will be sent home the 5th week of each grading period.

• Remember to check gradespeed often. It can be set up at home using your child’s ID number.

• Report cards will be sent on Oct. 25th, Jan. 10th, March 27th and May 29th .

Progress Reports/Report Cards

• SOLID red, navy or white collared shirts• Bush t-shirts• Khaki or navy bottoms• SOLID red, navy or white jackets or sweaters• No design or logos• Lydian apparel• Leggings and undershirts must be red, white or

navy. Leggings are not pants and can only be worn under a skirt or dress.

• Please wear tennis shoes everyday.

Dress Code

• All volunteers must be approved!• Please consider joining the PTO. They

provide our children with the high priced items needed to better Bush Elementary.

Joining does not mean you • must volunteer your time.

Volunteering/PTO

• 2 field trips per year• Only 2 chaperones per

class and they must ride the bus. No siblings allowed.

• E or S average conduct for the five weeks leading up to the field trip.

Field Trips

• Cookies or donuts• Meet your child in the cafeteria ten

minutes before the end of lunch. NO sharing with other classes. There are students with food allergies.

• All invitations to “non-school” functions must be mailed through the U.S. mail. Invitations will not be passed out at school.

• No treat bags or candy may be passed out. We will lose one month of federal funding.

Birthdays

• SuppliesParents will be notified if a student

needs additional supplies

• Book OrdersOrders will be sent home throughout the yearNot mandatory

• PartiesOnly 2 – Holiday and End-of-year

• ClothingPlease label all clothing with your child’s namePlease practice tucking in shirts and tying shoes

Miscellaneous

• Track and Recess

Jog the track every day for 10 minutes

• MedicineOTC drugs cannot be dispensed per a parent’s request.All medication MUST have a doctor’s note and a Medicine dispersal form.

• Insect repellant cannot be applied at school.

• Boxtops = $$$ so please send to school.

More Miscellaneous

• Conferences will be held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30 – 10:00. Please notify us 2 days in advance so we can gather important information. We would also appreciate an idea of your concerns.

• The best way to communicate with us is through e-mail.

• dbaldwin@houstonisd.org• rbrown17@houstonisd.org

Communication