General Information
PHILOSOPHY
It’s my goal to create the most effective learning environment to promote growth in every child. I believe that all children have the right to learn at their own pace, that learning is a continuum rather than a series of steps, that diversity is not only a reality but is something to be embraced, and that a classroom is a family of learners. My classroom is created with an atmosphere of nurturing rather than one of competition.
I’m looking forward to sharing a stupendous year with your child. This year will be a great year of growth and change for all of us. Here is some important information to make this year a good experience for you and your child.
SCHOOL HOURS – Monday through Friday 8:40 a.m. - 3:40 p.m.
ATTENDANCE
Your child will marked absent for a ½ day if he/she comes after 10:30 a.m. or prior to 2:30 p.m.
ABSENCES
If your child is absent from school, please send along a note of explanation when he/she returns to the school. This is for our recordkeeping and very important that you do this. With the new attendance policy, you will be notified after 5 absences. After 10 absences you will be asked to attend a conference and after 15 absences you will be sent to truancy court. If it is an extended absence, please contact the office at 989-343-2250 or myself at 989-343-2250 ext. 6012.
BREAKFAST
Our school provides breakfast free of charge every day for all students. Students will eat breakfast in their classrooms.
LUNCH
Our class will eat in our classroom this year at 12:35 each day. Your child is welcome to bring their own lunch to school or get a free lunch from school. A menu will be sent home each month stating the meal choices for each day. Our school lunches are FREE this year to ALL students.
Each child has a lunch card in the cafeteria so you can put money on your child’s account. The money may be used to buy an additional main dish, snacks or desserts. The school will let you know when the account needs more money. If you would like to write a check, please make it payable to West Branch-Rose City Area Schools.
SNACK
Please send a snack to school with your child each day. The snack should be healthy. Nutritious snacks that are low in sugar and/or high in protein (brain food) are recommended. If you decide to bring a snack that requires silverware, please provide that as well. Please do not send any drinks with your snack. I will keep extra snacks in the classroom for students who forgot to bring one. If your child has any allergies, please let me know. We do not have a refrigerator close by so keep that in mind when purchasing snacks.
MEDICAL PROBLEMS
Please keep me informed of any medical problems your child may have. We have a form in the office that must be signed by a parent and a physician before we are allowed to give students medication. We can also make special accommodations for children with any medical issues.
KING or QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE
As a way to showcase each member of our class and learn more about each other, we will have a King or Queen of the Jungle every week. The King or Queen of the Jungle will bring home a poster on Friday to write on and decorate then return on Monday, and they can bring in favorite photos as well. Each day of the week the King or Queen of the Jungle will be able to bring in something to share with the class.
Monday – Poster & Pictures
Tuesday – Favorite Book
Wednesday – Stuffed Animal
Thursday – Favorite Snack (Please bring enough to share with the whole class - 19)
Friday – Favorite Outfit
BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays are special occasions. If you would like to send in a special treat you may. Please do not send birthday party invitations to school unless the entire class has been invited. Although it may seem convenient to distribute invitations this way, it can result in hurt feelings for those not invited.
Other Celebrations
Throughout the school year we recognize most of the holidays and seasonal events by incorporating activities, literature, music, and special traditions in our day. If you have a holiday or special tradition you would like to share with the class, please let us know and we will arrange a special time for that.
BUS NUMBERS
Please help your child learn his/her bus slot number. This will help your child feel more comfortable about riding the bus. If you don’t know which bus your child rides, we will work together to figure it out the first day of school.
PICKING CHILDREN UP AT SCHOOL
Parents are not allowed in the building hallways without a pass prior to 3:40. All doors will be locked throughout the day. This policy is put into place to keep all students safe. Please wait in the gymnasium across from the main office if you’re picking your child up from school. A teacher will walk the pick-up kids down to the gymnasium after the dismissal bell rings.
If you plan to pick up your child from school or to do something different than you normally do, you must send a note or call the school to let us know. If there isn’t a note or you haven’t called the school office, I will send your child home in the usual manner. You can call the office 989-343-2250, our school secretary will give me the message.
SENDING MONEY TO SCHOOL
When your child has money for anything, please send it in an envelope or plastic zip bag with this information:
Student’s First and Last Name
Teacher’s Name
Amount
On occasion it will be necessary for your child to bring money to school for lunch treats, field trips, fundraisers, book orders, etc. With many students to keep track of and several reasons to collect money, this helps us out tremendously and reduces the likelihood of errors. Also, if the envelope is left on the bus or dropped in the hallway, this information will help the money to be returned to my classroom.
NEWSLETTERS
I will be sending home a Newsletter at least once a month. Please take a few minutes each time to read it. It will inform you of what we have been learning, what we will be learning and upcoming events that you should be aware of. These letters may include requests for special materials, field trip information, and/or reminders.
BOOK ORDERS
Your child will be bringing home a form to order books once a month. If you wish to order, simply order online or fill out the form and send a check made out to the book company, for example Scholastic Book Clubs, in an envelope. These orders are provided as a convenient way for parents to buy quality books for their child at a low price. The book orders are geared for the emergent reader to fluent reader. We provide this option for you to stimulate your child’s interest in reading. You do not have to purchase any books, however, the items are usually offered at bargain rates. As an added bonus, for every dollar that is spent on books, we earn bonus points which are used to purchase books for classroom use. This is a win-win situation! Of course, you are never under any obligation to order.
FUNDRAISERS
There are several fundraisers in our school year. In some cases, the money goes directly to our classroom. We depend upon these monies for our field trips and special activities. You may participate in all, some or none of the fundraisers. You may also make a cash contribution to our room for special activities.
FIELD TRIPS
We go on a variety of field trips throughout the school year. Hands-on and on-site learning are important parts of your child’s education. Some of the places we have visited in the past include our local post office, a farm, the fire station, the library, the police post, a greenhouse, a zoo, a veterinarian’s office, a pumpkin farm, a museum, and many more places. Depending on the location of the field trip, we may walk or take a bus. The field trips are planned to coincide with a current theme in our classroom to demonstrate practical, real world experiences, which add to the learning process. Students find them to be enjoyable, educational, and memorable experiences. Parents are always welcome on field trips. I will keep you posted on upcoming events. If you have any interest in going on the field trips, please fill out the ICHAT Volunteer Application as soon as possible.
COMPUTERS
We will have computers once a week. Students will participate in various activities following technology standards. Mr. McGregor is working hard to integrate the first grade curriculum into his technology program and prepare students for our technologically advanced world.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECESS
The children will be going to physical education four times a week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. We will have recess every day. Children will most likely be going outside for a good portion physical education and recess each day unless it is raining or extremely cold. Please keep this in mind when your child selects clothing for the day. In winter, make sure your child comes to school with not only his/her coat, but also snow pants, hat, mittens and boots. Please label all clothing clearly. All children go outside unless they have a note from a physician. For the most part, if your child is well enough to be at school, he/she is well enough to participate in physical education, if properly dressed. In fact, the germs that cause colds thrive more readily in the heated indoor air and it is beneficial to go outside and get some fresh air.
MUSIC/ART
Mr. Andersen is our music/art teacher. He will be incorporating creative ways for students to express themselves once a week. We are looking forward to having this special to diversify our week. Our students will have music or art once a week.
LIBRARY
Students will be going to library every week starting soon. Your child will be checking out a book, which he/she may take home. In order for your child to check out another book, he/she must return the book they had previously checked out. Mrs. Devine will take students to the library on Wednesday mornings.
BACKPACK
Your child will need to have a regular sized backpack to carry papers, library books and other “valuables” to and from school. I will be sending home folders daily. Please try to label everything, this is especially important as thing sometimes get left on the bus or lost along the way to school.
TAKE HOME FOLDERS
We provide all our students at Rose City with a take home folder, this year my class has silver folders. This folder is our major form of communication. Please use it to send notes, questions and/or concerns you may have about your child or school. It will also have important school and classroom news and homework. We will be sending them home every day. Please return them daily!
LABELING
Please label all of your child’s belongings that they may bring to school, this includes outerwear. Labeling helps prevent the confusion of losing something or things being sent home with someone else.
VOLUNTEERS
Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school. I also encourage you to come into our room and volunteer. I always appreciate help from parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.! I will be sending home volunteer forms after this new group of students gets settled into a routine.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Establishing good classroom management is essential to each child’s success, confidence, and well-being. Every child should feel that the classroom environment is safe and secure; free from all threats of physical or emotional harm. In addition, it is important that each child learns to develop self-discipline and good work habits, to resolve conflicts peacefully and to think independently. For these reasons, the classroom management plan I have chosen has several components.
First, the children will learn the purpose of classroom rules and develop the idea that our classroom is a community with the common purpose of learning, growing and becoming friends. Through class discussion, we will compose a list of classroom rules that protect each student’s right to safety and respect. The rules will outline the responsibilities that each child has in maintaining class order.
The second aspect of the classroom management plan includes the logical consequences that will occur when class rules are broken. The idea is for the consequence to be related to the misbehavior and act as a solution or restitution for the problem. If classroom rules are severely or persistently broken, parents will be contacted by note or by telephone. A visit to the principal’s office is a rarely used last resort.
We will be using a color-coded behavior chart in our classroom. All of the students will begin their day on Green - Ready to Learn. When students make good choices and display positive behaviors they will able to move their clips up to Yellow - Good Day, or Orange - Great Job, or Red - Outstanding. When students move their clips up for positive behaviors, I will hole punch their punch cards. Once the student has 10 hole punches they will receive a prize from my prize box.
The behavior chart also addresses negative behaviors. If a student makes a poor choice they will be asked to move their clip down. Depending on the severity of the behavior, students may be asked to move their clip to Blue - Think About It, Purple - Teacher Choice, or Pink - Parent Contact. If a child moves their clip to Think About It, they will need to take a break and think about why their behavior was wrong and what they can do to change it. The Teacher Choice consequence will be related to the behavior and will require the student to fill out a think sheet, either at school or home depending on the child’s emotional state. If a student visits the Parent Contact portion of the behavior chart, I will call or email you that day or have your child call you to discuss the behaviors being displayed.
BEHAVIOR CALENDAR
Your child will have a blank calendar in the back of their take home folder. They are to color each day in the calendar to reflect where their clip was at the end of the day. Please ask to see your child’s calendar every day and discuss their classroom behavior with them. Positive behavior should be recognized and praised. Poor choices should be discussed with a plan to make better choices. I would like behavior calendars signed on a weekly basis.
HOMEWORK
Please check your child’s daily folder for homework. If there is an unfinished page or homework page it will be in the Return to School side of the folder. Homework will be sent home as needed for extra practice. I encourage students to read every night and practice their math facts. We learn great things every day in school, and your support at home benefits your child in many ways. Homework should not be stressful or take too much time, so try to limit homework to 25 minutes a night, depending on your child’s willingness and ability. See me if you run into homework problems.
PARENT COMMUNICATION
Parent/teacher communication is essential for the growth of your child. Parents often feel that teachers only call when something is wrong and I do not want you to feel that way. I would like consistent communication with all families. I will message parent groups on a regular basis, do my best to update my website and try hard to make monthly phone calls to each family. Please sign up for my Remind101 messages, it’s the best way to directly contact me. To sign up, text @a4kca9 to the number 81010
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at school: (989) 343-2250 ext. 6012 between 8:00 am and 8:30 am or 3:40 pm and 4:00 pm. Remind101 and email are also wonderful ways to reach me [email protected]
DONATIONS
We appreciate and welcome any donations! I will always have a section for donations in my classroom newsletter.
Thank you so much for your support and taking the time to read this letter. My goal this year is to establish positive channels of communication with all parents to ensure a successful year for each child, so please talk with me about any of your concerns or questions. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Mrs. McGregor
Contacting Me
I always welcome calls, notes, and/or emails from parents.
Maggie McGregor
School Email: [email protected]
School Phone: 989-343-2250 ext. 6012
Website: http://mrsmcgregor1.weebly.com/
*The classroom website is currently under construction*
Look for Updates in our Newsletters!
It’s my goal to create the most effective learning environment to promote growth in every child. I believe that all children have the right to learn at their own pace, that learning is a continuum rather than a series of steps, that diversity is not only a reality but is something to be embraced, and that a classroom is a family of learners. My classroom is created with an atmosphere of nurturing rather than one of competition.
I’m looking forward to sharing a stupendous year with your child. This year will be a great year of growth and change for all of us. Here is some important information to make this year a good experience for you and your child.
SCHOOL HOURS – Monday through Friday 8:40 a.m. - 3:40 p.m.
- Bell to enter building: 8:40
- Bell to start class: 8:45
- Bell for dismissal: 3:40
ATTENDANCE
Your child will marked absent for a ½ day if he/she comes after 10:30 a.m. or prior to 2:30 p.m.
ABSENCES
If your child is absent from school, please send along a note of explanation when he/she returns to the school. This is for our recordkeeping and very important that you do this. With the new attendance policy, you will be notified after 5 absences. After 10 absences you will be asked to attend a conference and after 15 absences you will be sent to truancy court. If it is an extended absence, please contact the office at 989-343-2250 or myself at 989-343-2250 ext. 6012.
BREAKFAST
Our school provides breakfast free of charge every day for all students. Students will eat breakfast in their classrooms.
LUNCH
Our class will eat in our classroom this year at 12:35 each day. Your child is welcome to bring their own lunch to school or get a free lunch from school. A menu will be sent home each month stating the meal choices for each day. Our school lunches are FREE this year to ALL students.
Each child has a lunch card in the cafeteria so you can put money on your child’s account. The money may be used to buy an additional main dish, snacks or desserts. The school will let you know when the account needs more money. If you would like to write a check, please make it payable to West Branch-Rose City Area Schools.
SNACK
Please send a snack to school with your child each day. The snack should be healthy. Nutritious snacks that are low in sugar and/or high in protein (brain food) are recommended. If you decide to bring a snack that requires silverware, please provide that as well. Please do not send any drinks with your snack. I will keep extra snacks in the classroom for students who forgot to bring one. If your child has any allergies, please let me know. We do not have a refrigerator close by so keep that in mind when purchasing snacks.
MEDICAL PROBLEMS
Please keep me informed of any medical problems your child may have. We have a form in the office that must be signed by a parent and a physician before we are allowed to give students medication. We can also make special accommodations for children with any medical issues.
KING or QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE
As a way to showcase each member of our class and learn more about each other, we will have a King or Queen of the Jungle every week. The King or Queen of the Jungle will bring home a poster on Friday to write on and decorate then return on Monday, and they can bring in favorite photos as well. Each day of the week the King or Queen of the Jungle will be able to bring in something to share with the class.
Monday – Poster & Pictures
Tuesday – Favorite Book
Wednesday – Stuffed Animal
Thursday – Favorite Snack (Please bring enough to share with the whole class - 19)
Friday – Favorite Outfit
BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays are special occasions. If you would like to send in a special treat you may. Please do not send birthday party invitations to school unless the entire class has been invited. Although it may seem convenient to distribute invitations this way, it can result in hurt feelings for those not invited.
Other Celebrations
Throughout the school year we recognize most of the holidays and seasonal events by incorporating activities, literature, music, and special traditions in our day. If you have a holiday or special tradition you would like to share with the class, please let us know and we will arrange a special time for that.
BUS NUMBERS
Please help your child learn his/her bus slot number. This will help your child feel more comfortable about riding the bus. If you don’t know which bus your child rides, we will work together to figure it out the first day of school.
PICKING CHILDREN UP AT SCHOOL
Parents are not allowed in the building hallways without a pass prior to 3:40. All doors will be locked throughout the day. This policy is put into place to keep all students safe. Please wait in the gymnasium across from the main office if you’re picking your child up from school. A teacher will walk the pick-up kids down to the gymnasium after the dismissal bell rings.
If you plan to pick up your child from school or to do something different than you normally do, you must send a note or call the school to let us know. If there isn’t a note or you haven’t called the school office, I will send your child home in the usual manner. You can call the office 989-343-2250, our school secretary will give me the message.
SENDING MONEY TO SCHOOL
When your child has money for anything, please send it in an envelope or plastic zip bag with this information:
Student’s First and Last Name
Teacher’s Name
Amount
On occasion it will be necessary for your child to bring money to school for lunch treats, field trips, fundraisers, book orders, etc. With many students to keep track of and several reasons to collect money, this helps us out tremendously and reduces the likelihood of errors. Also, if the envelope is left on the bus or dropped in the hallway, this information will help the money to be returned to my classroom.
NEWSLETTERS
I will be sending home a Newsletter at least once a month. Please take a few minutes each time to read it. It will inform you of what we have been learning, what we will be learning and upcoming events that you should be aware of. These letters may include requests for special materials, field trip information, and/or reminders.
BOOK ORDERS
Your child will be bringing home a form to order books once a month. If you wish to order, simply order online or fill out the form and send a check made out to the book company, for example Scholastic Book Clubs, in an envelope. These orders are provided as a convenient way for parents to buy quality books for their child at a low price. The book orders are geared for the emergent reader to fluent reader. We provide this option for you to stimulate your child’s interest in reading. You do not have to purchase any books, however, the items are usually offered at bargain rates. As an added bonus, for every dollar that is spent on books, we earn bonus points which are used to purchase books for classroom use. This is a win-win situation! Of course, you are never under any obligation to order.
FUNDRAISERS
There are several fundraisers in our school year. In some cases, the money goes directly to our classroom. We depend upon these monies for our field trips and special activities. You may participate in all, some or none of the fundraisers. You may also make a cash contribution to our room for special activities.
FIELD TRIPS
We go on a variety of field trips throughout the school year. Hands-on and on-site learning are important parts of your child’s education. Some of the places we have visited in the past include our local post office, a farm, the fire station, the library, the police post, a greenhouse, a zoo, a veterinarian’s office, a pumpkin farm, a museum, and many more places. Depending on the location of the field trip, we may walk or take a bus. The field trips are planned to coincide with a current theme in our classroom to demonstrate practical, real world experiences, which add to the learning process. Students find them to be enjoyable, educational, and memorable experiences. Parents are always welcome on field trips. I will keep you posted on upcoming events. If you have any interest in going on the field trips, please fill out the ICHAT Volunteer Application as soon as possible.
COMPUTERS
We will have computers once a week. Students will participate in various activities following technology standards. Mr. McGregor is working hard to integrate the first grade curriculum into his technology program and prepare students for our technologically advanced world.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECESS
The children will be going to physical education four times a week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. We will have recess every day. Children will most likely be going outside for a good portion physical education and recess each day unless it is raining or extremely cold. Please keep this in mind when your child selects clothing for the day. In winter, make sure your child comes to school with not only his/her coat, but also snow pants, hat, mittens and boots. Please label all clothing clearly. All children go outside unless they have a note from a physician. For the most part, if your child is well enough to be at school, he/she is well enough to participate in physical education, if properly dressed. In fact, the germs that cause colds thrive more readily in the heated indoor air and it is beneficial to go outside and get some fresh air.
MUSIC/ART
Mr. Andersen is our music/art teacher. He will be incorporating creative ways for students to express themselves once a week. We are looking forward to having this special to diversify our week. Our students will have music or art once a week.
LIBRARY
Students will be going to library every week starting soon. Your child will be checking out a book, which he/she may take home. In order for your child to check out another book, he/she must return the book they had previously checked out. Mrs. Devine will take students to the library on Wednesday mornings.
BACKPACK
Your child will need to have a regular sized backpack to carry papers, library books and other “valuables” to and from school. I will be sending home folders daily. Please try to label everything, this is especially important as thing sometimes get left on the bus or lost along the way to school.
TAKE HOME FOLDERS
We provide all our students at Rose City with a take home folder, this year my class has silver folders. This folder is our major form of communication. Please use it to send notes, questions and/or concerns you may have about your child or school. It will also have important school and classroom news and homework. We will be sending them home every day. Please return them daily!
LABELING
Please label all of your child’s belongings that they may bring to school, this includes outerwear. Labeling helps prevent the confusion of losing something or things being sent home with someone else.
VOLUNTEERS
Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school. I also encourage you to come into our room and volunteer. I always appreciate help from parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.! I will be sending home volunteer forms after this new group of students gets settled into a routine.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Establishing good classroom management is essential to each child’s success, confidence, and well-being. Every child should feel that the classroom environment is safe and secure; free from all threats of physical or emotional harm. In addition, it is important that each child learns to develop self-discipline and good work habits, to resolve conflicts peacefully and to think independently. For these reasons, the classroom management plan I have chosen has several components.
First, the children will learn the purpose of classroom rules and develop the idea that our classroom is a community with the common purpose of learning, growing and becoming friends. Through class discussion, we will compose a list of classroom rules that protect each student’s right to safety and respect. The rules will outline the responsibilities that each child has in maintaining class order.
The second aspect of the classroom management plan includes the logical consequences that will occur when class rules are broken. The idea is for the consequence to be related to the misbehavior and act as a solution or restitution for the problem. If classroom rules are severely or persistently broken, parents will be contacted by note or by telephone. A visit to the principal’s office is a rarely used last resort.
We will be using a color-coded behavior chart in our classroom. All of the students will begin their day on Green - Ready to Learn. When students make good choices and display positive behaviors they will able to move their clips up to Yellow - Good Day, or Orange - Great Job, or Red - Outstanding. When students move their clips up for positive behaviors, I will hole punch their punch cards. Once the student has 10 hole punches they will receive a prize from my prize box.
The behavior chart also addresses negative behaviors. If a student makes a poor choice they will be asked to move their clip down. Depending on the severity of the behavior, students may be asked to move their clip to Blue - Think About It, Purple - Teacher Choice, or Pink - Parent Contact. If a child moves their clip to Think About It, they will need to take a break and think about why their behavior was wrong and what they can do to change it. The Teacher Choice consequence will be related to the behavior and will require the student to fill out a think sheet, either at school or home depending on the child’s emotional state. If a student visits the Parent Contact portion of the behavior chart, I will call or email you that day or have your child call you to discuss the behaviors being displayed.
BEHAVIOR CALENDAR
Your child will have a blank calendar in the back of their take home folder. They are to color each day in the calendar to reflect where their clip was at the end of the day. Please ask to see your child’s calendar every day and discuss their classroom behavior with them. Positive behavior should be recognized and praised. Poor choices should be discussed with a plan to make better choices. I would like behavior calendars signed on a weekly basis.
HOMEWORK
Please check your child’s daily folder for homework. If there is an unfinished page or homework page it will be in the Return to School side of the folder. Homework will be sent home as needed for extra practice. I encourage students to read every night and practice their math facts. We learn great things every day in school, and your support at home benefits your child in many ways. Homework should not be stressful or take too much time, so try to limit homework to 25 minutes a night, depending on your child’s willingness and ability. See me if you run into homework problems.
PARENT COMMUNICATION
Parent/teacher communication is essential for the growth of your child. Parents often feel that teachers only call when something is wrong and I do not want you to feel that way. I would like consistent communication with all families. I will message parent groups on a regular basis, do my best to update my website and try hard to make monthly phone calls to each family. Please sign up for my Remind101 messages, it’s the best way to directly contact me. To sign up, text @a4kca9 to the number 81010
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at school: (989) 343-2250 ext. 6012 between 8:00 am and 8:30 am or 3:40 pm and 4:00 pm. Remind101 and email are also wonderful ways to reach me [email protected]
DONATIONS
We appreciate and welcome any donations! I will always have a section for donations in my classroom newsletter.
Thank you so much for your support and taking the time to read this letter. My goal this year is to establish positive channels of communication with all parents to ensure a successful year for each child, so please talk with me about any of your concerns or questions. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Mrs. McGregor
Contacting Me
I always welcome calls, notes, and/or emails from parents.
Maggie McGregor
School Email: [email protected]
School Phone: 989-343-2250 ext. 6012
Website: http://mrsmcgregor1.weebly.com/
*The classroom website is currently under construction*
Look for Updates in our Newsletters!