PARENT ORIENTATION

2. PLEASE TAKE YOUR SYLLABUS HOME FOR FUTURE REFERENCE PARENT ORIENTATION

3. Dear Parents: I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you the classroom. I feel we will have a great year at Rillito Center! If you have any concerns about our class or your child, please feel free to contact me. My workhours are 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. You may call and leave a message on my voice mail. My voice mail number is 696-4469My e-mail address is ccramer@amphi.com. I am looking forward to working with every student. I’m sure we will have a great year! Sincerely, Mrs. Cramer

4. 1. Be a good listener and follow directions quickly. • 2. Raise your hand to share. • 3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself. • 4. Make smart choices. • 5. Keep your teacher happy. CLASS RULES

5. Individual Basis: At this time, I won’t be sending home a behavior chart. If you feel your child needs one, please contact me. If I have concerns about your child, I will contact you. I may move to a behavior chart in the future. Class Reward: The class rewards will vary throughout the year to maintain the students’ interest. We will have a movie or “Fun Friday” to celebrate good behavior. If your child’s behavior isn’t good all week, they won’t participate in the movie or Fun Friday. REWARD SYSTEM

6. I will be send home newsletters with updates via e-mail. If you don’t have email, please let me know and I can send home a printed copy. If both parents want a copy sent to them, please let me know. • Book order forms will go home throughout the school year. Book orders are an excellent way to motivate and enhance the students’ reading skills. I will send the forms home on a Friday and they will be due that Monday. Please order online using our classroom code number, GLHBB. These are wonderful books at a reduced price, however, you are under no obligation to purchase books. HOME NOTICES

7. READING We use a balanced reading program. The goal is to enable your child to be an independent reader. Instruction will be provided to enable your child to use a variety of strategies to gain meaning from print. Phonics, sight vocabulary, and context clues will be taught. Instruction will be presented in the “Four Blocks Model” which includes guided reading, self-selected reading, word study, and writing. Materials: Pearson Prentice Hall and Reality Central. WRITING In developing their writing skills the students will progress from simple sentence structure with inventive spelling to complex sentences in a story format. The students will be exposed to the Six Traits of Writing which includes Ideas, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice, Organization, and Conventions. We use the Writing program included in the reading program. . READING AND WRITING

8. Please see syllabus. Let me know if you have any questions. GRADING

9. There is no homework! Please encourage your child to read. Ask questions about the characters, plot and setting. HOMEWORK

10. Every Other Thursday: Students may check out three books per visit. Library

11. Lunch tickets and milk/juice/water tickets may be purchased by contacting the school cafeteria. Also, you may send money in a labeled envelope to the classroom. On the envelope please write your child’s first and last name, the words Lunch Money, and my name Mrs. Cramer. *Please don’t send in loose money! Finally, you may go online to purchase lunch tickets. Your child is encouraged to bring a healthy snack for morning break or afternoon recess. LUNCH TICKETS

12. Top Dog (Student of the Week) Each child will be featured during the school year as the “Top Dog”. The materials for your child need to be sent in on Monday of the week they will be featured. They can bring in five pictures, their favorite stuffed animal and a book. We will share their book with the class. The class will be making the “Top Dog” a special book which will be sent home on Friday. BIRTHDAYS If you choose to send in treats for your child’s birthday please let me know a few days in advance. Due to the state policy and food allergies, only certain foods will be acceptable. We will share the treats at our recess. Please do not pass out party invitations at school unless everyone in the class is included. This will avoid hurt feelings. HOLIDAY PARTIES Let me know if you are willing to help in class or send in items for these special days. CELEBRATING YOUR CHILD

13. As a tax payer in the state of Arizona you can make a tax credit donation to our first grade classroom. You can specify that the monies be used for field trips, guest speakers or as a gift or donation. In the past few years we have used our tax credit monies to take field trips to the Marana Pumpkin Patch and the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. Also, we have had guest speakers come to our classroom from the International Wildlife Museum and the Mad Science Program. We have been told that there are not any funds available for field trips this school year due to the educational budget and state of our Arizona economy. Therefore, we are asking for your support in these areas. If you are interested in donating to our classroom there is a form to download at the Amphitheater Public Schools website and a copy in this folder. Additionally, you may donate up to $400 per family. This then is counted as a direct TAX CREDIT on your Arizona state income taxes. You will have to pay the money in any case, but this option let’s you, THE PARENT, direct where and for what the state/public school system will use your money. If you don’t owe any state taxes, you get a refund! TAX CREDIT INFORMATION

14. Thanks for sharing your children with me. It is an honor. I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. I think we are going to have a great year! …and FINALLY FOLKS Connie Cramer (Rosie & Sadie)