Dear Families, August 2010
Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year! My name is Christine Christensen and I look forward to being your 1st grade teacher this year. Listed below this letter you will find some general 1st grade information, the 1st grade school supply list, and an information sheet for parents to complete.
A little about me . . . I live on a small farm with my husband Scott, five horses and two dogs. My children, Paul and Cara, are adults now but come home when they can. I have grandchildren too. Jonah, Samuel and Catherine Grace, who are the cutest children in the world except yours, of course. I graduated from the University of Puget Sound and have been a life long learner. I look forward to this being one of the best years yet!
We have a very exciting year ahead of us! First graders will learn many things this year, from becoming readers and writers to developing friendship skills that will last a lifetime. Students will have opportunities to learn one-on-one, in pairs, in small cooperative groups, and in whole class groups. We will work hard on creating a warm, respectful classroom environment.
Having the support of your family this year will hugely impact the success of our children. Families can support their children by reading together for at least 10 minutes every night, doing the nightly homework associated with our new math program, reviewing the practice papers that are sent home, and contacting me about any concerns or celebrations that arise. If you would like to work in or out of the classroom you can let me know when I send home a volunteer interest survey toward the end of September.
We would love for you to join us at the Back-to-School Parade, BBQ and Open House .
After the BBQ you will be able to tour the building and our classroom (Room 8). Students are welcome to bring their school supplies to Open House, or on the first day of school.
Please be sure to look through your child’s notebook starting on the first day of school for letters from me and/or the office. There are often beginning of the year forms sent home early on, and it’s important that they are filled out and returned promptly.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to meeting you and having a successful 1st grade year !
Sincerely,
Mrs. Christine Christensen
Conway School: (360) 445-5785
Conway 1st Grade!
Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Allen and I are looking forward to meeting and working with you this coming school year. The following are the supplies needed for Conway 1st grade students. You may bring them on the first day of school or to Open House.
- A 1”, 3-ring notebook. (The nylon ones are too bulky for storage in 1st grade desks. Please bring an unpadded style notebook with pockets.)
- A pee-chee folder with pockets. (These will be used as desk folders.)
- A small, sturdy pencil box with a lid.
- A large pink eraser.
- 2 packages of Post-It notes. (We will use these for learning to read, write, and spell words.)
- 2 packages of yellow #2 pencils. (We will pool these as a class.)
- 2, 70-page wide-ruled spiral notebooks.
- A box of crayons (no larger than 36 count).
- A box of colored pencils (no larger than 24 count).
- 5+ purple (or other color) glue sticks. (The color helps students see where they have put glue more easily.)
- 1 pair of Fiscars child-sized scissors.
- 1 bottle of white glue (such as Elmers).
- 2 packages of baby/hand wipes. (Each child needs a total of at least 180 wipes . . . more is better!) These are for times when we aren’t able to wash our hands before lunch.)
- One family-sized box of tissues. (We share these as we need them, and the thicker they are, the better they help us avoid spreading germs.)
- A small backpack.
- A refillable water bottle with a lid. (This reduces long lines at the drinking fountain. These will be sent home periodically to be washed.)
- A pair of PE shoes. (Please do not purchase new shoes...gently used shoes are fine. We will store our PE shoes in the classroom.)
Please DO NOT send:
- Mechanical pencils, felt tip markers, ball point or ink pens.
- Toys of any kind (including Beanie Babies, stuffed animals, dolls, trading cards, or electronic toys).
Please DO:
- Put your child’s name in permanent ink on all supplies prior to the first day of school (except on the pencils, tissue, & hand wipes as these are shared items).
- Make sure your child can be independent in the clothes s/he wears to school (e.g. shoelaces, zippers, snaps, and overalls). This saves accidents and embarrassment.