Grade One Gazette
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow.
August 2, 2014
Welcome To First Grade!
A Little About Me!
First, I feel THRILLED and PRIVILEGED to be your child’s teacher this year and partner with you in your child’s education! I graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2013 with my degree in Early Childhood Education. I was an Instructional Assistant here at R.E. Baker last year so I feel fortunate to have already established relationships with many of my students and parents.
I live in Bella Vista with my husband Mike and our beautiful, busy, blended family. My youngest son, Ronan, is here at Baker in 2nd grade. My other children range from 6th grade to 11th grade. I enjoy biking, baking and anything related to education!
Communication
I invite you to contact me anytime! I will also keep you updated with a weekly newsletter and send out other emails, texts, or notes home during the week. Your child will have a daily folder that he/she will bring home and a “Tuesday” folder with larger amounts of information. Please look through these folders and return the next day. Of course, you are always invited to come into the classroom anytime! Please email, call, or text.
Amanda Dodge:
Phone Number: 479-715-9874
Schedule
Although the daily schedule might change slightly, here is a summary of what our day will look like.
7:25 – 7:40 Meet and Greet / Brain Breakfast (aka Morning Work)
7:40 – 8:15 Intervention/Enrichment
8:30-9:20 - Reader's Workshop / Word Work
9:30 - 10:30 - Math
10:40 – 11:10 Lunch
11:10 - 12:10 Writer's Workshop
12:10 - 12:40 - Science/Social Studies
1:05 – 1:25 Read Aloud/Pack & Stack
1:25 – 2:20 Specials
2:20 – 2:40 Chapter Book Read Aloud / Daily Wrap Up Discussion
2:40 Dismissal
Specials Schedule
Monday : Spanish
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: PE
Thursday: Art
Friday: Library
* We will also attend Computer Lab each Friday at 8:15 a.m.
Food and Drinks
•Students can bring a water bottle to fill throughout the day. Please bring WATER ONLY to keep our kids hydrated.
•Pack a snack for your child. Please send only healthy snacks to give our kids the energy to do their best!
Classroom Behavior System
What a short and simple way to sum up expectations that everyone, kids and adults alike, should honor!
Our class behavior system includes our Rock Star Behavior Chart. This allows students to monitor their behavior with a “clip up” and “clip down” system. All students begin on “Ready To Learn” each morning. Students that make good choices will “clip up” on the chart. Students that need to reconsider some of their choices (it happens to us all!) will be asked to clip down. Always know that clips can move up and down and won’t stay in one place throughout the day. This gives everyone the opportunity to end the day on a high note! Students can earn Baker Bucks for good behavior and exchange them for rewards: show and tell, no shoes in the classroom, eat with the teacher, iPad time, etc.