Classroom Policies

Classroom Procedures & Policies:
 

Morning Routine –

As children enter the classroom, they should immediately go to their desks and begin unpacking independently. 

- notes from home – tray

- homework – checking table

- take home folders – emptied and put in desk

- lunch money – teacher

- lunch boxes – crates

- snack – remains in backpack until snack time

When they have finished unpacking, they should begin their morning work.  As they finish, they bring their work to the table to be corrected and then they file their papers away.  After morning work, the whole class will participate in the calendar.
 

Morning Message –


The children will read aloud the morning message, which explains something that we will be doing that day.  Then, the children will answer the question posed in the message.  We will then review what is happening for the day. 

Specials –

 

A copy of the specials schedule is sent home on the first day of school and in the Back-to-School Night packet.  Please help your child make sure he/she wears sneakers for gym and returns their books for library.
 

Lunch / Recess


The times for lunch and recess have been included on the specials schedule.  This year, lunch is free for
all students.  Children have the option of bringing their own lunch or eating the lunch provided at school.  Please check the menu to see what is being offered for lunch each day.  If your child is bringing their own lunch, please send in items / containers that your child can open independently. 

Recess is just before the lunch period.  On nice days the children play outside, but on inclement weather days, the children will remain in the classroom and play quiet games that are provided in the classroom.  Please do not allow children to bring in their own toys and games from home.  This is to prevent losing personal belongings as well as distracting the children during lessons.     

 Snack

Each full day of school, the children will have approximately ten minutes to eat a light snack in the afternoon.  We will not eat snack on early dismissal days.  I encourage children to bring a healthy snack that can be eaten in a short period of time, such as fruits, vegetables, pretzels, crackers, etc.  Please remember to send in any utensils that your child might need to eat his / her snack (i.e. – a spoon for yogurt or applesauce).  Please be sure that all snack and drink containers are not breakable and please send in items / containers that your child can open independently.  Please pack snack separate from your child’s lunch.

End of Day Routine / Dismissal –

 

Before the children pack up, we will go over the notices that are being sent home as well as the homework for the night.  The children will then get their mail, lunchboxes and backpack and pack up.  The children who ride the bus and go to aftercare will leave when the announcement is made for those students to line up.  The others will line up and walk outside door #2 with the teacher.  The children must show the teacher who they are going home with.  By 3:25, any children who have not yet been picked up will be dropped off in the office.

 

Bathroom –

 

Children can use to bathroom once in the morning and once in the afternoon, unless there is a need for more use.  All children are encouraged to go in between lunch and recess as well as during snack time.  When students need to use the bathroom, they will use the classroom signal to ask silently. 

Drinks / Tissues / Band-Aids –

 

I allow children to get tissues and Band-Aids as needed.  Every day after lunch and recess every child will get a drink during our “drink chain.”  Otherwise, children may get drinks as needed throughout the day as long as it does not become a distraction.  Children are always allowed to have water bottles on their desks to drink throughout the day, again, as long as it does not become a distraction.

Sharpening Pencils

 

If a child needs to sharpen his / her pencil, they put their pencil in the can that says “dull” and they borrow a pencil from the can that says “sharp.”  Children should not be using the classroom sharpener during the day.  If they have their own personal sharpener, they may use it as needed as long as it does not become a distraction.

 

Finished Work / Friday Folders

 

As children finish their work, they will bring their paper to the teacher to be corrected.  At that time, the teacher will discuss any errors and then the children will go back and fix their mistakes.  Then they get a star on their paper and they file their papers in their specific folder in the “finished work file.”  At the end of the week, all papers will be transferred from their finished work file to their Friday Folders.  The children will take home their Friday Folders every Friday.  Please empty the folder and go through the work with your child.  There is also a Friday Report that will be sent home in the Friday Folder that indicates your child’s work habits and behaviors for the week.  Please review this report, sign it and return it back to school every Monday along with the empty folder.

Notices to go Home –

 

The children will be taking home their take home folder every day, which may or may not be filled with notices from the office, grade level or classroom.  Some notices will need to be filled out and sent back to school - these notices will be on the side that is labeled "bring back".  All other notices can be kept at home.  Parents need to empty this folder daily and look through all the notices, filling out any papers that need to be returned to school. 
 

Book Orders –

 

Your child will be bringing home book order forms once a month.  If you wish to order, simply fill out the form and send cash or a check made out to“Scholastic Book Clubs” by the date indicated on the forms.  Also, please include your child’s first and last name on the memo of the check.  These orders are provided as a convenient way for parents to buy quality books at low prices.  As an added bonus, for every dollar spent, we earn bonus points which are used to purchase books and materials to add to our classroom.

Absences / Early Dismissals - 

If your child is going to be absent from school, please call the main office to let them know and also email me.  If you would like makeup classwork and homework to be sent home with a sibling or neighbor, please let me know by 10:00 am so that I have ample time to prepare a folder.  Also, send in a note or doctor’s statement upon your child’s return to school in order for the absence to be excused.  If your child is going to leave school early, please send in a note and/or email me so that your child is packed up and ready to leave school when you arrive to pick him / her up.  Please go directly to the office to sign your child out of school early.  I cannot send your child to the office until I am called by the office. 

Contact Information - 

If there is anything you need to let me know, please e-mail me at the school at [email protected] or write a note on a separate piece of paper and your child will put the note in the ‘notes from home’ paper tray that I check each morning.  If you call the classroom, please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible.  If there is a message that needs to get to me immediately (regarding dismissal or if there is an emergency) please call the main office so they can let me know immediately.