10/16-10/20 First Grade Newsletter

Dear First Grade Families,

I hope everyone is well. Here is all the information that you and your child will need for this week, 10/16-10/20. I want to keep you informed about the exciting things happening in our first-grade class. Please take a moment to read through this week’s updates to avoid questions that are clearly stated on all emails/ reminders. I would greatly appreciate it!

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support, thoughtful messages, and the generous gifts I have received from you and your children. Your kindness has truly touched my heart, and I feel blessed to be part of such a caring and supportive community. Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Homework
If you missed my email last week, you can check out my school blog and click on the links related to the homework. http://www.stanthonygardena.org/first-grade/

Please make sure to follow the daily assignment on our weekly homework list that will be sent on Monday. Kindly sign the homework list and your child’s behavior chart daily

• Math- Please see weekly homework list (Please don’t do advanced pages)
• Word Study- 4 Word Study decodable on Seesaw (listen, read, record & highlight words with r-blends (br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr)
• 4 Sight words notebook activities- Week 7 (Students must use their October menu, and choose DIFFERENT activities every day)

Week 7

1. can
2. said
3. there
4. use
5. an
6. each

 TESTS
Students will be tested weekly on Word Study/Phonics & Fluency/Sight Words every Friday. Parents can help their child by reviewing the topics we learned for that week.

• Word Study- Words with r-blends
• Sight Words- Week 7
• Vocabulary- Lesson 7 (words and definition will be sent home)
• Comprehension- How Animals Communicate (copy of story will be sent home)
• Religion- Oral prayer (The Lord’s Prayer/ Our Father)

Sugary Drinks & Sodas in school

I noticed that some students are still bringing sugary drinks and sodas as part of their lunch. I kindly request your cooperation in making healthier beverage choices for your child during school hours. If you are bringing your child lunch, please make sure not to bring any SODA with your child’s food.

Students’ Absences/Early leave during school hours

I’ve been noticing that students are being pulled out during the school day. Moving forward, I will implement a new policy to ensure that students do not miss out on essential classwork, tests, and activities without a valid reason.

If a student is pulled out of class during school hours, whether for a medical appointment or any other reason, I will kindly request for doctor’s note or an official excuse is provided either before or after the student’s absence.

If a valid doctor’s note is not presented, any missed classwork, tests, or activities will be marked as “INC” (incomplete) or as a score of 0. This policy is being implemented to encourage regular attendance and to emphasize the importance of maintaining continuity in a student’s education.

I understand that there may be legitimate reasons for students to be pulled out during the day, but it is crucial that these absences do not become a barrier to their academic progress. Providing documentation for such absences ensures that I can help your child catch up on missed content and maintain their educational progress.

If you know in advance that your child will be absent due to a scheduled medical appointment, I kindly request that you inform me as early as possible, providing the necessary documentation. This will enable me to make arrangements to help your child stay up to date with their coursework.

Halloween costumes
To ensure that all costumes follow our School’s Halloween costume guidelines, I would like to ask everyone what costume their child is planning to wear on October 31. Please be sure costumes meet all these guidelines. They must be appropriate and pre-approved, or a student may be sent home to change. Please let me know what your child is wearing by clicking this link: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M3VW8FcFhJgLGnXCwFAaZsPXOgvg4cg23ODmT40fWSw/edit?usp=sharing

• Costumes should be child-friendly. No inflatables, no gory or scary clowns, no devils, or scary costumes
• Costumes Should Not:
  • Be obstructive, offensive, inappropriate for a Catholic school (skimpy or revealing), gory, evil, or violent
  • Drag on the ground
  • Contain sharp objects, pointed objects, or materials that may accidentally strike another person.
  • Contain any weapons that resemble or could be mistaken for an actual weapon.
  • Encourage cross-dressing. Boys dress up like boys, and girls dress up like girls
• Students must bring their own Halloween buckets/bag for trunk or treat. All students and adults volunteering may dress in their favorite appropriate Halloween costume and must follow these guidelines. The events are for students only. Adults working at or volunteering on campus for Trunk or Treat may earn up to 4 hours for decorating their trunks and helping to pass out candy. More information for volunteers will be given to parents by Lorena Lakey, our Room Parent PLC lead and Trunk or Treat Lead.

Saint Plate Project & Report DUE on Oct 30th
Instructions, template and report sheet was sent home Friday, Sept. 29th (1 month of prep for project.
Each student received the following materials:

1. Ziploc
2. Report instructions & rubric
3. Report sheet
4. Saint stencil
5. Paper plate

Please read the instructions below.

1. With the help of a parent, student will research about their assigned Saint (catholic.org, usccb.org)
2. Complete the attached report sheet. (Paper plate & Ziploc will also be provided)
3. Include a photo or drawing on report sheet.
4. Cut out the report and glue them onto one side of the plate provided.
5. Using the stencil, create your Saint and glue it on the other side of the plate.
6. Students will bring their project to school and submit on Oct. 30^th  

* Please involve your child in making their own projects. *

Attached below are some example projects from the previous class.
Please use these as a reference, the reporting will be done in the classroom not on Seesaw.
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
Sample 4
Sample 5
Sample 6

Dress-Up
On November 1st, Students may come to school dressed up as ANY Saint.
Saint costumes do not need to be elaborate! Students will process in Mass with the school in their costumes. Costumes should go over your child’s school uniform, as we will be changing after Mass. This will be part of their Religion participation grade. 

UPCOMING EVENTS
School calendar can be found (clicking here)

• October 25- K-5 Sound of Music Field Trip 8:30 am-1:30 pm
• October 27 – All monies due for Fall Candy Sale
• October 31 – Halloween Trunk or Treat (NOON DISMISSAL), Daycare till 3pm ONLY, 8th grade fundraiser at 11am (pizza sale), Daycare only from 12-3pm today (follow all Halloween dress up guidelines. Jr high to wear Formal Mass uniforms to daily Mass, then change into costumes)
• November 1 – All Saints’ Day: 8am All School Mass and Dress up, K-8  procession before 8am Mass (in saints’ costumes)
• November 2 – All Souls’ Day: 8am All School Mass
• November 9 – Fall Chocolate Sale: Magic Show for qualifying families, lunch and show provided in Hall
• November 10 – All School Ice Skating Annual Event (Sports PLC fundraiser) Toyota Center

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. I will try my best to respond as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support in your child’s education. I look forward to another wonderful week of learning and growth.

Thank you & God Bless!

Warmly, 
Ms. Martinez