Frequently+Asked+Questions

Frequently Asked Questions What if my child is absent?  If your child is absent from school, please call the main office at 215-232-4892. Then send an excuse note on the first day your child is back stating the date(s) of the absence and the reason.

How can I enhance my child's learning at home? Here are a few ideas of things you can do with your child at home to further their learning and make it fun!
 * Read every night and ask questions before, during, and after reading the story.
 * Keep a bag of books in your car
 * Practice writing skills on dry erase white boards (You can purchase these in the $1 section at Target or at the dollar store)
 * Use 3x5 cards or post-it notes to make letter and word cards for practice and word games
 * Use popsicle sticks to create sentences to help with word order and sentence structure. Put a few words on each popsicle stick and have your child build sentences.
 * Use clothes pins for word practice and games
 * Create your own word wall for your child to study from and use while writing
 * Use magnets and cookie sheets for word building
 * Make reading fun! Purchase booklights, funny glasses, magnifying glasses, and reading fingers (witch fingers or finger puppets). These tools will encourage any child to read!
 * Think about visiting your local library or book store once a month. Also think about subscribing to kid friendly magazines such as Highlights to enhance your child's interest in reading.

What does your day look like? Attached is a copy of our Daily Schedule!

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">What if my child needs to leave school early or has a change in his/her dismissal plan? <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Please send a note if there is a change in your child's dismissal plan (not riding the bus, going home with a friend, etc.). A note will help us to have a smooth end to our day and make sure your child gets to the correct place. If your child needs to leave early, please send a note and place it in his/her daily folder. The office will call for your child to meet you in the office upon your arrival.

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">What will my child learn in first grade? <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">In first grade, your child will learn to enhance their writing with more descriptive words, learn how to write a paragraph and a story, and how to edit their own writing. They will begin to read and write an enormous amount of sight words, power words, and various other vocabulary words. First graders begin to develop a love of reading both in and out of school. Your child will build upon simple math skills learned in kindergarten. They will learn how to tell time to every 5 minutes, add and subtract 2 digit numbers, count all coin combinations, and develop number sense from numbers 1-100.

<span style="color: #f0622d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Will my child have homework in first grade? <span style="color: #f0622d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Yes! Homework sheets will be sent home each Monday. Math homework is to be completed in your child's Math Practice book and Literacy homework will be completed in your child's Practice book or Homework book. I will check homework every day, but homework must be completed by Friday for full credit. If you have any questions about homework assignments, please feel free to contact me by email, phone, or stop by my classroom between 8-8:25AM.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">How often should my child read? <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Your child should read for at least 20 minutes each night. They can read to themselves, to you, a sibling, or even a stuffed animal. The more your child reads, the better they will do in school and the more successful they will be.

<span style="color: #0090ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Can I volunteer in my child's classroom? <span style="color: #0090ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Yes! If you would like to volunteer in our class or be a guest reader, let me know and we will work out a time for you to come in. The children and I love to see a new face in our classroom and we would love an extra set of hands.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Does Room 204 celebrate birthdays? <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Absolutely! We would love to celebrate your child's birthday. Let me know what day you would like to celebrate your child's birthday and we can figure out a time. We encourage healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, Jell-o, yogurt parfaits, yogurt covered pretzels or raisins, frozen fruit pops, etc. We look forward to your birthday celebration!