Attendance/Tardiness:
Children of primary age thrive on consistency. Thus, We expect every child to attend 90% of the school year. Excessive tardiness or absences will result in a meeting between parents and teachers and if needed the principal. Please let us know of any planned absences and alert the office if your child is going to be out due to illness. Students will be considered tardy after 8:00 a.m.
Homework:
Homework folders will be sent out on Mondays and are due on Fridays. No homework will be sent over holiday breaks and modified for short weeks. The idea behind homework packets is to instill work ethic and to practice academic skills. Students will receive worksheets to support our math program and a weekly spelling list. These lists will contain priority words and “key” based words. Please create flashcards of each priority word and weekly key. These flashcards are to be stored in index card boxes, which will remain at home.
Please review these flashcards on a regular basis as this will help reinforce literacy skills. Spelling tests will be given on Fridays and cannot be made up unless prior arrangements are made.
Home Reading/Reading Olympics Program:
Young readers must practice daily to be successful. Students will receive a leveled book to practice with nightly. Please return daily. Young readers need continual reinforcement to read. Each month a reading goal will be set. Recording sheets will be changed monthly to communicate goal and date due. Reading logs MUST be handed in by due date. If your child completes that goal and hands in reading log on time, they will be invited to participate in a monthly reading treat. Parents who are willing to provide this treat are greatly appreciated. Some suggestions may be popsicles, pizza, cookies, cupcakes, etc. There is a sign up sheet for those willing to provide a treat posted on the refrigerator.
At our end of the year celebration the children who have surpassed all monthly goals by 5 books will receive a gold medal. Students who have met all reading goals will receive a silver medal. Students who have met all but one reading goal will receive a bronze medal.
Grade Level Reading Expectations:
First Grade: Review flashcards (at least 15) and leveled book or 10 minutes of reading. 2nd Grade: Review flashcards (at least 20) and 20 minutes of reading.
I am willing to provide appropriate books for your student, however, feel free to use the leveled collection at the library or other chapter books, which may interest your child.
Expeditions/Field Work:
Our school curriculum is based on expeditionary learning. This means we deliberately use narrow science and social study topics to
teach standard based skills. One tenant of this program is to use outside experiences to cement knowledge. We strongly encourage attendance to these events. However, there is typically an extra admission and extra transportation costs in order for us to facilitate these educational experiences. This fall we are studying forests and Africa.
Friday Trips:
At N.R.C.C.S we value the importance of personal wellness and the education the outdoors provide. Which is why we provide frequent Friday outdoor excursions. Each student is given a Wellness, Outdoor Education grade. After each experience students are expected to reflect in their classrooms. If you choose to take your child home early please get a reflection form to complete by Monday.
Enrichment:
We are providing enrichment opportunities 2 days a week. Each student will be rotated through art, music, Spanish and community building classes throughout the school year.
Lunches:
Keep in mind we have 15 min. lunchtime. We do not mind reheating items, but please do not send items, which take more than a minute. Otherwise, your child may have a long wait to eat. Please provide filled water bottles.
TIP: EASY MAC and CUP OF NOODLES are very time consuming. Any preheated meals in thermoses make all staff happy.
Communication With Ms. Katrina:
email: kmachut@yahoo.com
Work: 871-6062
Home: 870-8651
Cell: 846-7764