August 30, 2016

Thank you to those of you who were able to attend curriculum night this past week! I enjoyed connecting with you and working together to ensure a successful year for your child. If you were not able to attend or would like more information, please don't hesitate to contact me.

We have been so busy in first grade getting to know each other and our classroom routines and expectations! Routines are so important at school so these next few weeks we will build our understanding in our literacy and math routines. We will also be working on our beginning and end of the day routines as well. 

What's going on in literacy? 

In our shared reading time we've been reading different stories that link to the common theme of friendship. Stellaluna and Frog and Toad are two stories that we've spent some time on. After reading each story, students are asked varying levels of comprehension questions to get them thinking deeper. We have focused on retelling this week and will continue to work on how to retell a story by including the character's names, setting, and sequenced events. Retelling may also include character's feelings or inferences made while reading. Inferences are conclusions we come to by using what we read in a text and what we know about the world around us. For example: "She did not get a lot of sleep last night." I know that she is probably tired from getting little sleep. 

                                        Spelling & Writing

This past week we took our baseline spelling test for Words Their Way. This assessment is used to place students into their first spelling sort group. We will begin Words Their Way next week by learning the process and different ways to sort. Differentiated word sorts will not begin until the middle of September. We also wrote our first narrative story about a favorite summer memory. This week we will continue to focus on narrative writing by talking about the planning process. We will be writing about a playdate we've had with a friend or family member. 

                                            Math

We began math by taking our first pre-test for Unit 1. In this unit students will be asked to add numbers up to 10,  subtract single digit numbers, solve one step word problems for addition and subtraction, and determine if number sentences are true or false. We began this week by reviewing what the +, -, and = symbols mean as well as how to tell if an equation is true (equal) or false (not equal). 

Friendly Reminders

**Homework will begin this week! Please be on the look out for any math papers labeled as "homework" and the first monthly reading calendar coming home September 1st. Words their Way sorts will not begin until mid September. Homework is a great way for you to connect with your child on what we're learning in the classroom :)

**If you would like to order Ivy Hall spirit wear please place your orders before Friday, 9/2. Orders will be passed out by September 23rd. Please click here for the direct link to order. You can also click the link in the Ivy Hall Virtual Backpack. 

Please check the Ivy Hall School Calendar for other events that may not be listed below.

September 5 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

September 7 - Picture Day 

September 13 - PTO Special Lunch

September 27 - Early Release 2:00PM

October 3 - NO SCHOOL

Welcome Back to School!

We survived our first day of first grade! Parents, students, and myself included :) We had a fun filled day learning about our new school, our classroom, and meeting new friends. Below are just a few reminders...

If your child is having lunch at school, it may be helpful to discuss with them what they are having prior to coming in the morning. You can find the school lunch menu here or on the district's website.

Please remember we will have snack every afternoon. If your child eats snack it MUST be from the approved snack list (you can find that here). If it is not, I will send it home with a note attached and your child will have to get an approved snack from the nurse. 

THANK YOU for all your patience with first day dismissal! Just as a reminder we have four dismissal areas. Please see Mrs. Gluck's principal message for more information. (It seems like there is some confusion between parent pick-up and walkers. Parent pick-up is for car riders only. If your child is a walker, you may still pick them up at the walker door but they are not labeled as parent pick-up students). Any changes in transportation must be communicated to the office in writing - note or email.

For your knowledge, our behavior management tool is a color coded system. You can find more about this system under the Behavior Expectations link. On top of using the color coded system I pass out "bee bucks" to boys and girls making good choices. You will see a lot of bee bucks over the next few weeks to promote positive behavior. Each bee buck will earn them a sticker on their behavior punch card. When a child receives 20 stickers, they can pick a reward from our behavior binder. Rewards include prizes from the treasure chest, sitting at the teachers desk, extra iPad time, teacher's helper, etc. You may also have noticed a behavior chart in your child's folder today. I use this as a communication tool so you can see how your child's day was. Please keep this in your child's folder for the week. I would appreciate your help in praising your child for green and blue days and providing small consequences for yellow and red days. This will help keep consistency in the classroom and ensure that the system works the way it's intended :) 

If you are looking to get involved at Ivy Hall this year please reference the district website. There are a lot of fun ways to get involved through the PTO! You can also follow their blog here.

I can tell we are going to have a great year ahead of us! I'm sure we will all sleep well tonight. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me - kschutt@kcsd96.org. Have a great night!

Miss Schutt

Welcome to First Grade!

Hello and welcome to our classroom blog! My name is Miss Kendra Schutt and I'm excited to be joining the Ivy Hall team this year. I'm even more thrilled to be beginning this journey with you!

This year will be my sixth year teaching, but my first at Ivy Hall. I spent the past five years teaching mostly kindergarten and I taught one year of first grade in Shorewood, IL. I graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2010 with a B.S. in Elementary Education and obtained my ESL certification in 2012. I love watching my students grow and am looking forward to doing the same this year!

First grade is an exciting time as children embark upon new adventures in the world of learning. This year your child will continue to grow as readers, writers, mathematicians, and so much more. I hope to make your child's learning experience a fun and exciting one while instilling a love of learning that will last a lifetime. With so much going on it is extremely important that we build on small successes. Each child will progress at his/her own rate, acquiring skills as they are developmentally ready. Maintaining each child's self-esteem and building a secure foundation for future growth with always remain a priority in my classroom.

Throughout the year I will be posting updates on curriculum goals and important events happening in first grade. I plan to keep an open line of communication with you and hope you will not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns that may arise throughout the year. The easiest and most immediate way to reach me is through a note or email, but I can also be reached before or after school over the phone. I am looking forward to a great school year and working closely with you to ensure nothing but the best for your child!

 Miss Schutt

Below are a few reminders and things to consider....

Meet the Teacher - Tuesday, August 16th, 8:30AM-9:30AM
Please come see our classroom, drop off supplies and get to know me! I look forward to seeing you!

Curriculum Night - Thursday August 25th, 6:00PM-7:00PM
Please join us for curriculum night to hear all about first grade. From curriculum, to birthdays, and homework - we will discuss it all! I look forward to seeing you there!

**We will have snack each day. Please send your child with a nutritious and delicious snack each day. Please note that ALL snacks MUST be off of the approved snack list. Please click here to see the approved snack list.

**Birthday treats are allowed but they MUST be off of the approved snack list. Please drop your treats off in the AM to the school office so the nurse can check them before we pass them out. Please note that if the treats are not from the safe snack list we will not be able to pass them out. 

**We will have P.E. (gym) every day. Please make sure to send your child to school in gym shoes or you may leave an extra pair in their locker for them to change into. Students are required to wear gym shoes to keep them safe.

**Spare clothing in lockers is not required, but preferred. Accidents can happen - naturally or by nature!

Please also check our School Calendar 
for other events that may not be listed below!

August 16 - Meet the Teacher  8:30AM - 9:30AM

August 17 - First Day of School  Early Release 2:00PM

August 22 - September 2 - District MAP Testing (during school hours)

August 25 - Curriculum Night 6:00PM - 7:00PM

August 30 - Early Release 2:00PM

September 5 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

September 13 - PTO Special Lunch

September 25 - PTO D96 Dash

September 27 - Early Release 2:00PM