Mrs. Hollar's Class Handbook
Dear Families,
Welcome back to school! I hope you had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to a great school
year. I will do my absolute best to ensure your child receives the best education possible, and I know that your support will make all the difference this year! Please don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected] or call the school with any questions that you may have. I hope this handbook will answer some of those questions. It is my goal for your child’s year to be a time filled with learning, laughter, and love!
Sincerely, Mrs. Hollar
Contents…
Communication / Transportation Notes / Attendance, Tardiness, Dismissal / Lunch Money / Snacks /Homework /Birthdays/ Scholastic Book Orders/Library
Communication
Each day your child will bring home a green O.W.L. (Organized Weekly Learning) folder. A homework packet for the week will be in this folder. I will also send home a weekly newsletter on Friday. Please check your child's O.W.L. Folder DAILY read about what’s happening in our class.
Notes for transportation changes or excused absences should be written on a separate sheet of paper and put in this folder.
Transportation Notes
If there are ANY changes in transportation going home, please send me a dated and signed note. You can send them in your child’s OWL folder. I check these in the morning, so if I have any questions I’ll have plenty of time to call. If it is a last minute change, call the school as early as possible. Don’t forget your car rider ID flyer for parent pickup.
Attendance/ Tardiness/ Early Dismissal
Every minute of the day is important to us. There’s not a minute wasted! In order for your child to receive the best education possible, it is necessary for your child to be on time and present at school. Please keep your child at home if he/she is sick and send an excuse note in the OWL folder. Please schedule appointments in the afternoon, if possible. Each month the students with perfect attendance will receive a special award or fun activity.
Behavior Expectations
Class Rules
1. Follow directions quickly.
2. Raise your hand for permission to speak.
3. Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat.
4. Make smart choices.
5. Keep your dear teacher happy.
Consequences
1. Take a reminder card to recess and copy the rule to help remember it.
2. Take a note home to practice the rule you forgot at home.
Daily Behavior –Whole Brain Teaching
Each child will be taught the classroom and school rules as well as the expectation of following the rules daily. When all students understand the expectations, they are held to them. If a student does not follow the classroom rules, he or she will have to take a practice card which states the classroom rule they were breaking. Then the student will have to sit out at recess and copy this rule, because “practice makes permanent." If your child had trouble following the classroom rules, you will find a note home in his/her OWL folder explaining the rule they forgot and asking you to practice it at home. Please discuss this note with your child and return it the next day with your signature. If there are no notes in your child’s folder then he/she followed all the classroom rules that day!
Lunch Money
Your child will take money directly to the cafeteria. Please mark your check “breakfast” or “lunch” because they are separate accounts. You may wish to pay for the year, month, week, or day. You will be notified when your child’s balance is low.
Snack
Snack time is cherished by first graders. We get hungry from so much work!!! Send a healthy snack (no drinks unless water) each day that is quick and easy to eat. Please do not send candy, cookies, or any other junk food. Healthy food is brain food! We take our snacks out of our lunchbox and book bags and place in a basket so label if you wish.
Homework
First graders get so excited about homework! I realize how busy some nights are so homework will be sent home daily but may be returned on Friday. I do not, however, suggest having your child do all of the homework on Thursday night. On Friday morning I will check all student homework for completion, staple together, and send home for you to do with as you please. Your child should be able to complete homework within 30 minutes. Keep in mind, your child is expected to read at least 20 minutes each day in addition to homework. Please fill out the weekly reading agenda indicating you read with your child each
night. Reading comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling tests will be given on Fridays. If you know in advance that your child will be absent, please try to make arrangements to have him/her take it the day before.
Weekly Reading Agenda
Your child will have a weekly reading agenda to keep a record of the books he/she has read at home. I will send home one or two books on Monday that are on your child’s level. Your child will keep this book all week to practice for fluency and to prepare for an Accelerated Reader Test. Accelerated Reader Tests are taken on the computer and are not graded, but children love to get “points” for correct answers. Please return the book in your OWL folder each day. When they have filled out their reading log they get a reward!
Birthdays-
You are welcome to send a treat on your child’s special day! It would be great if you could come and have lunch with your child that day. My policy is to serve the treat during the last 10 minutes of lunch in the lunchroom. I don’t want any feelings to be hurt, so if you can’t invite the whole class, please explain to your child not to talk about the party to the class. You can send the invitations in your child’s CARE folder so I can discreetly put them in the others’ folders. Thanks!
Scholastic Book Orders
I will send home a book order pamphlet periodically. Scholastic has great books at affordable prices! Please visit Scholastic Book Clubs to order online. Use this link: https://orders.scholastic.com/H6LFM to place your order and you will earn extra bonus points and free books for our class when you place your order. If you wish to order by mail, please send checks made out to the book order club (Scholastic SeeSaw) if you wish to order. Just include the form with your child’s name and your check in the OWL folder.
Library Books
Your child may check out one library book at a time from the Media Center. Students will be taught how to choose a book that is their appropriate level, not too easy and not too hard. After they have read the book three times at home, they may bring it back to school and take and Accelerated Reader Test on it to earn points. Then they may return the book and get a new one. When everyone in our class earns four points in one month (that means reading and testing on 8 books) we will have a popcorn and movie party!
Welcome back to school! I hope you had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to a great school
year. I will do my absolute best to ensure your child receives the best education possible, and I know that your support will make all the difference this year! Please don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected] or call the school with any questions that you may have. I hope this handbook will answer some of those questions. It is my goal for your child’s year to be a time filled with learning, laughter, and love!
Sincerely, Mrs. Hollar
Contents…
Communication / Transportation Notes / Attendance, Tardiness, Dismissal / Lunch Money / Snacks /Homework /Birthdays/ Scholastic Book Orders/Library
Communication
Each day your child will bring home a green O.W.L. (Organized Weekly Learning) folder. A homework packet for the week will be in this folder. I will also send home a weekly newsletter on Friday. Please check your child's O.W.L. Folder DAILY read about what’s happening in our class.
Notes for transportation changes or excused absences should be written on a separate sheet of paper and put in this folder.
Transportation Notes
If there are ANY changes in transportation going home, please send me a dated and signed note. You can send them in your child’s OWL folder. I check these in the morning, so if I have any questions I’ll have plenty of time to call. If it is a last minute change, call the school as early as possible. Don’t forget your car rider ID flyer for parent pickup.
Attendance/ Tardiness/ Early Dismissal
Every minute of the day is important to us. There’s not a minute wasted! In order for your child to receive the best education possible, it is necessary for your child to be on time and present at school. Please keep your child at home if he/she is sick and send an excuse note in the OWL folder. Please schedule appointments in the afternoon, if possible. Each month the students with perfect attendance will receive a special award or fun activity.
Behavior Expectations
Class Rules
1. Follow directions quickly.
2. Raise your hand for permission to speak.
3. Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat.
4. Make smart choices.
5. Keep your dear teacher happy.
Consequences
1. Take a reminder card to recess and copy the rule to help remember it.
2. Take a note home to practice the rule you forgot at home.
Daily Behavior –Whole Brain Teaching
Each child will be taught the classroom and school rules as well as the expectation of following the rules daily. When all students understand the expectations, they are held to them. If a student does not follow the classroom rules, he or she will have to take a practice card which states the classroom rule they were breaking. Then the student will have to sit out at recess and copy this rule, because “practice makes permanent." If your child had trouble following the classroom rules, you will find a note home in his/her OWL folder explaining the rule they forgot and asking you to practice it at home. Please discuss this note with your child and return it the next day with your signature. If there are no notes in your child’s folder then he/she followed all the classroom rules that day!
Lunch Money
Your child will take money directly to the cafeteria. Please mark your check “breakfast” or “lunch” because they are separate accounts. You may wish to pay for the year, month, week, or day. You will be notified when your child’s balance is low.
Snack
Snack time is cherished by first graders. We get hungry from so much work!!! Send a healthy snack (no drinks unless water) each day that is quick and easy to eat. Please do not send candy, cookies, or any other junk food. Healthy food is brain food! We take our snacks out of our lunchbox and book bags and place in a basket so label if you wish.
Homework
First graders get so excited about homework! I realize how busy some nights are so homework will be sent home daily but may be returned on Friday. I do not, however, suggest having your child do all of the homework on Thursday night. On Friday morning I will check all student homework for completion, staple together, and send home for you to do with as you please. Your child should be able to complete homework within 30 minutes. Keep in mind, your child is expected to read at least 20 minutes each day in addition to homework. Please fill out the weekly reading agenda indicating you read with your child each
night. Reading comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling tests will be given on Fridays. If you know in advance that your child will be absent, please try to make arrangements to have him/her take it the day before.
Weekly Reading Agenda
Your child will have a weekly reading agenda to keep a record of the books he/she has read at home. I will send home one or two books on Monday that are on your child’s level. Your child will keep this book all week to practice for fluency and to prepare for an Accelerated Reader Test. Accelerated Reader Tests are taken on the computer and are not graded, but children love to get “points” for correct answers. Please return the book in your OWL folder each day. When they have filled out their reading log they get a reward!
Birthdays-
You are welcome to send a treat on your child’s special day! It would be great if you could come and have lunch with your child that day. My policy is to serve the treat during the last 10 minutes of lunch in the lunchroom. I don’t want any feelings to be hurt, so if you can’t invite the whole class, please explain to your child not to talk about the party to the class. You can send the invitations in your child’s CARE folder so I can discreetly put them in the others’ folders. Thanks!
Scholastic Book Orders
I will send home a book order pamphlet periodically. Scholastic has great books at affordable prices! Please visit Scholastic Book Clubs to order online. Use this link: https://orders.scholastic.com/H6LFM to place your order and you will earn extra bonus points and free books for our class when you place your order. If you wish to order by mail, please send checks made out to the book order club (Scholastic SeeSaw) if you wish to order. Just include the form with your child’s name and your check in the OWL folder.
Library Books
Your child may check out one library book at a time from the Media Center. Students will be taught how to choose a book that is their appropriate level, not too easy and not too hard. After they have read the book three times at home, they may bring it back to school and take and Accelerated Reader Test on it to earn points. Then they may return the book and get a new one. When everyone in our class earns four points in one month (that means reading and testing on 8 books) we will have a popcorn and movie party!
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Text the number (843) 588-5572 with the message @hollar.