Hello Room 112 Families!
I am very excited for this new school year! I am sure that your child’s experiences in 1st grade will be a year filled with learning and fun! I hope that the following information is helpful as we start the 2015-16 school year. Meet The Teacher I join Ray School this year as a First Grade Teacher. I proudly come from a long line of educators and have taught grades K-3 in CPS for the last six years. Prior to teaching, I was an Advertising Executive for over a decade in Chicago at Leo Burnett USA and DDB Chicago. I hold a Bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts and a Masters degree in Elementary Teaching & Learning from DePaul University. I am excited to be a part of the Ray School community. I am fascinated by the idea of bringing students from many diverse backgrounds and levels of English together in my class to grow as learners. For me, teaching is the best job in the world. Every day brings something new to the classroom, which is filled with a unique energy and drive in my students to succeed and discover more. I teach in an environment that honors and welcomes each child’s contribution, celebrates success and uses mistakes to learn from, and values efforts and not just results. I strive to make each school day full of song, play, wonder, and creation. I find that, most importantly, my students must participate in their own learning and not merely receive an education. I am excited to see where my first graders’ questions and curiosity will take them. My time outside of school is spent with my husband, two children, Graysen (4yrs old) and Cora, (1yr. old), and cat, Jade. Communication Each student will receive a Take Home folder. Important papers will be sent home in this folder every night. In addition to notes and announcements, this folder is where you will find our weekly newsletter and your student’s homework. Please check your child’s folder every night. This folder is an essential part of our communication so it must return to school every morning. The folders will be checked every day at school. I will be checking for completed homework assignments, a parent signature (or initials) on the monthly calendar, and any notes or money you have submitted. Homework Once we get into our routines, the students will receive homework every night Monday - Thursday. The students will have math homework every night, usually a “Home Link”. The students will also have language arts homework (reading comprehension activity, vocabulary, phonics work, etc.). You will be notified of all homework assignments through our weekly newsletter. A Little More About Homework in Rm. 112 Homework is meant to be an extension of what your child is learning in the classroom. It is not meant to be laborious, arduous, or frustrating for your child. If it is causing distress at home in any way, please let me know so we can work together to adjust homework expectations. As you will see, the homework can be completed in several different ways. It can be as simple as integrating in your after school conversations with your child, or reading with your child, which I know you already doJ Homework will be discussed the following day as a class. Whether in writing or integrating into evening conversation, it would behoove parent / child to “do” the homework so that your child can participate in the follow-up conversation the next day. A monthly calendar (stapled to the inside of each Take Home folder) should be signed or initialed every night after homework is completed and you have reviewed it together. School Fees This year the school fee for all students is $85.00. This fee does not include field trips. Please let me know if you are interested in paying in installments. Snacks Our lunch period begins at 10:45 am. Children will have a small snack in the afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Please send your child with an individually wrapped healthy snack. Arrival and Dismissal Please drop off and pick up your child on the north playground. Students should line up at the class number at 8:40 am. I will dismiss students from the class number promptly at 3:45 pm. If any child is still with me at 3:50, I will walk them back inside the building and to rm. 306. You will proceed there to sign out / pick up your child. Please keep in mind I also have children that I need to pick up from school. Thank you for your cooperation! In inclement weather, students should be dropped off in the auditorium. Attendance It is important for the students to arrive at school every day on time. Any student who arrives after 8:45 must get a tardy slip before coming to the classroom. When you know your student will be absent, a parent/guardian should notify the main office. Please remember that when your child returns to school, after being absent, you must send a note so the absence can be marked as “excused.” Birthdays There is a new Ray School policy regarding birthday celebrations. All birthdays for the month will be celebrated on the last Friday of the month. This year we will not allow any sugary treats. Please consider donating a book, pencils, etc. in honor of your student’s birthday! Otherwise, they will be made to feel special on their day! Parent Volunteers There will be many opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. If you are interested in volunteering in the classroom or school, please complete a volunteer packet, which is available in the Main Office and at the Ray School website. PTA The Ray School PTA does so much to support children and teachers. Please donate. The yearly membership is $20 per family. Please complete the membership form found in your child’s folder. Supplies:
Contact Information / Conference Requests Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your comments, questions, or concerns! The best way to reach me is via email. I access email several times a day and am most responsive to it during the day as it is difficult for me to be on the phone for obvious reasonsJ I prefer to use email for simple, straightforward notifications of early dismissals, changes in your child’s pick-up, etc. For questions or concerns regarding your child’s social emotional and/or academic progress in class, I prefer a face-to-face conversation and encourage you to request a meeting. I honor meetings before school between 8:25 – 8:40 Monday through Friday and after school between 3:50 – 4:10 Monday through Friday. You can request a meeting by sending a note along with your child or via email. Please ensure you have an appointment before coming in to chat. As always, thank you for your support! I look forward to working with you! Mrs. Woodbury [email protected]
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Mrs. Woodbury's Firsties
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June 2017
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