Hoot 2 -- Partial Eclipse - Total Success!

Remarkable artwork of first grade viewing the Great American Eclipse (I am not sure why it's labeled "American?") Thank you, Phil for the groovy (and safe!) eclipse viewing glasses!

Please check your notes for the following items:
income form, extra clothing, school supplies, labeled lunch box and water bottle. If your child is missing any of them, please bring them in this week.

Thank you for volunteering to give your time and effort for the following functions.
PTA: Sherree and Susan
Laundry: Andrea
Drinking water: Lorenzo

If you are able to help with classroom activities, recycling or miscellaneous jobs that you can do at home, please let me know. THANK YOU!

Upcoming events
Aug 29: learning lab (children involved will receive individual notices)
Aug 29, 2 pm: Student of the month assembly. Congratulations to Derek Pacheco and Rowdy Carlson! They are the first grade students of the month in August. They deserve to be honored for their hard work and their positive attitude. They are both wonderful new friends in first grade.
Aug 30, 9-12: Brass Project -- TCA music concert
It will be a walking field trip. After the concert we will have recess and lunch at Kit Carson Park. Then we will walk back to school.
Aug 30, 3:45-4:30: Outdoor Games club starting for kinder and first students. Sign up available in class.
Aug 30: Teach and tell item due
August 31: homework packet due. The second homework packet went home in backpacks on Thursday. Please see blog entry, "Homework 2" if you need more info.
Sept 5: Library visit in the afternoon. Please provide a library card for your child. Chaperons welcome. Books will be kept at school until each student has their own card.


Thank you to Owie's family for our new sparkly bingo daubers! They were a hit!

Homework 2 (due Aug 31)

Homework packet #2

Homework packet due: THURSDAY  (Aug. 31)

Teach and tell item due: WEDNESDAY

Congratulations, first grade families! The children who did their homework were super proud. Your support makes a world of difference! Here is this week’s packet.

This week’s homework assignments:

1-2  Math Family Letter and MATH homework (Unit 1)

3  Family Letter: Reading (short vowels) and homework page (“Change the letters to make new words.)

4  Reading Response page (bring in when front and back are completed)

5 Student Reader One (lap, lag, lag, etc.)

6. Teach-and-tell item: bring in an object that represents a number (1-10) OR Make a collage/assemblage of objects up to number 10 (e.g. 7 paperclips or 4 tomatoes cut out of a magazine). Bring your work to school.

7 Reading log (15-20 minutes of reading a day) Please bring in the reading log when it’s completed. Check it off on this week’s homework log if you 8 Extra credit item: review spelling lesson 1 (please complete this page if your score is lower than 7 on the spelling quiz, or if your child was absent that day).

Also, please find this week’s spelling quiz attached to the packet. Feel free to practice spelling words that your child needs support with.

Thank you.

Assignments due on Aug. 31	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Date of completion
Parent initials
Student initials
Parent comments
Student comments	J  L	J  L	J  L	J  L	J  L	J  L	J  L
Time Spent working	Less than 10 10 minutes More than 10	Less than 10 10 minutes More than 10	Less than 10 10 minutes More than 10	Less than 10 10 minutes More than 10	Less than 10 10 minutes More than 10	Less than 10 10 minutes More than 10	Less than 10 10 minutes More than 10

HOMEWORK in first grade

HOMEWORK IN FIRST GRADE

Homework in first grade will be given with the intention of reinforcing skills and concepts learned in class. It will also serve to establish consistent study habits. Doing homework in first grade should be approximately 10 minutes a day.

Weekly Work Schedule

A weekly homework packet will go home once a week. It will have a variety of assignments to complete. (Make a chart) The assignments can be completed in any order. I suggest that your kiddo does one assignment each day, along with the tried-and-true family reading time (15 minutes a day).
After an assignment is completed, please enter it on the homework log (date, initials, comments).

A weekly homework sample agenda might have assignments like this:
reading passages (initialed by parent on homework log)
student writing prompt to work on (add something each day)
student writing/work to be edited by parent (Yes, you got it right! Parents across the country are being increasingly involved in helping with learning through editing and revision. Your child's work will be edited by me, a peer and YOU.)
phonics work
spelling words (10 words and 2 sentences each week)
handwriting practice
Teach-and-tell item to bring in
Math practice
Reading log (15 minutes of reading a day)

Homework packets will be due on THURSDAY.
We will have a weekly spelling quiz every THURSDAY.

Wednesday: bring in your teach-and-tell item (details to follow)
Thursday: bring in completed homework packet and reading log, assigned the previous Thursday
Thursday: take home homework packet for the following week along with weekly newsletter reviewing the activities of the past week  
                                                                                                   
We have a new school-wide homework policy this year. Students who are not completing their homework or need support with their studies will be required to stay in reading lab after school. TISA is going to have learning lab sessions Tuesday through Thursday.

Thank you for supporting your children with their important learning milestones this year!

Hoot 1 -- Welcome back to School!

Dear First Grade Families,

We had a fantastic first week! It was such joy to welcome the kiddos back and see them beaming with confidence, kindness and curiosity about first grade. They are so grown-up!!!

Our first week at school was full of life. Rolly polly babies hatching, black swallowtail take flight, cocoons wiggling, spiders and a house centipede were all eagerly met with voracious curiosity, along with red ants, wasps and bees (ouch!) We even had a third grade visitor, Hammie, the hamster go from hand to hand in the circle.

We had our open house on Thursday. I provided an overview of the fist grade curriculum, homework policies, and daily routines. Please pick up the information packet and the first homework packet in class if you were not able to attend that night.

During the first few weeks we will be focusing on classroom routines and reviewing kindergarten academic skills. We are starting our first unit of fairy tales with animal stories. The children are especially looking forward to dragon studies. Our first read-aloud is The Adventures of Despereaux. I can't wait to share the magical illustrations created by the children.

Tomorrow will also a unique opportunity for us to jump-start our solar system studies, apropos of the solar eclipse. The students will have the opportunity to experience the rare event using safe pinhole eclipse boxes (I created 16 of them on Sunday!) and eclipse viewing safety glasses thanks to Phil, Rowdy's dad. If you would like your child not to be involved in the activities, please send a written note to me.

Last but not least, welcome to our new classmates, Tiana, Khloe, Rowdy and Derek!

I look forward to another magical school year with your child!
Jutka

WELCOME TO TISA!

Dear Fabulous TISA First Grade Families,

WELCOME TO A YEAR OF NEW ADVENTURES AT TISA!

If this is your first message from me, here is a warm welcome to our first grade class community at TISA! Hope you are enjoying the last bit of yet another luscious summer in Taos. Please read this message attentively as there is much to share.

First off: CELEBRATE AUGUST 14, the first day of school!

There will be many milestones and moments to cherish on your child's path every school year. To ease into first grade, why not make the first day a precious memory for all? 

How about

• going on a special walk/hike 
• making first day "jitters-away" goo 
• looking at your old school photos and sharing a family school story
• starting a scrap book of the school year
• tucking in a special lunch box note for the first day
• planning on a fun activity after the first day of school
• taking an "off-to-first grade" photo

THE NIGHT BEFORE ...

• Prepare lunch box and snack together (include utensils and washcloth/kitchen towel/cloth napkin)
• Set out first day of school clothes+shoes together
• Relax with a favorite book/bubble bath
• Tuck in early! For a happy first day, get a good night's sleep (my prescription: start bedtime routines by 7:30, snuggle in bed by 8:30pm, get 10 hours of shut-eye)

COMMUNICATION


Jutka's cell: 575-779-1952 (Please text me and I will respond as soon as time allows.) Please send me a message from your cell phone and mention your name, so I can enter your family on my phone.
Jutka's email: jutka@tisataos.org 
You are receiving this post in an email format as well, just to ensure you don't miss out! Please shoot me an email if you are new to TISA just so I know you received it.
First Grade on Fire (that's the dragon spirit!): tisa1.blogspot.com This is your hotline. Kinder newsletters and announcements will be published here regularly. I suggest that you bookmark it right now.
TISA home page: http://tisataos.org/
Follow us on Facebook: TISA on Facebook 

TISA'S CAMPUSES (just for another few weeks)
office phone: 575-758-7755
Lower elementary: K-3 campus (building by DRAGON FOUNTAIN downtown, near Enos Garcia), 119 Manzanares St, Taos, NM 87571  
Middle school and main office: 4-8 campus, 212 Bendix Dr, Taos, NM 87571

MONDAY 

• drop off: 8:00-8:15 That is as early as you can drop off. Please be on time. 
• pick up: 3:30-3:40
• aftercare: 3:45-5:30 (free of charge) Monday through Thursday

ABSENCES

TISA's tardy policy is as follows. If your child is arriving after late, please stop by Miss Patsy's room (third grade) to get a tardy slip. You will be asked to present the tardy slip when your child enters the first grade room. Three unexcused tardies 

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

Please mark your calendars for August 17 (Thursday) from 5:30 to 6:30. I will be discussing first grade curriculum, TISA policies, homework and art integration. Look forward to collaborating with you all this year!

WHAT TO BRING ON MONDAY
Please refer to the "school supplies" entry on the blog for detailed information
We will need a sketchbook as soon as you are able to bring it (please label)
Have a full set of extra clothes and long sleeves labeled in backpack (and tuck in a wash cloth too)
lunch, snack, and water bottle (labeled)
any paperwork you might have for the office
photos of your family/adventures to share 

WHAT YOU WILL BE ASKED TO FILL OUT ON MONDAY
family contact info
pick-up contact info
volunteer functions

PARENT VOLUNTEERS: I am setting up our classroom and posted chores on the supply list page (here on the blog). I need volunteers to help, especially with classroom activities. Your support will make a world of difference.

TISA Clubs

We are currently working with teachers to come up with a schedule of clubs. Clubs will start on the week of August 21 (during the second week of school). Once a schedule is in place, an electronic copy will be sent out.

See you on Monday, Aug. 14!

Miss Jutka  (say: you-t-kah)