August 27th, 2012

There are just a couple of things I want to let you know about this week:

Open house is on Wednesday from 6-8pm. I hope to see you all there!

Almost everyone turned in their homework packets completed last week! Thank you for your help with this. Please continue to make sure you or your child fill out the reading log for 4 days and have your child write their sentences. Please make sure your child is the one writing the sentences and completing the packet.

The book fair is going on this week. Your child can purchase books from the book fair after school Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The book fair will also be open during open house. There will be more information about the book fair in the Link that is sent home this week.

Have a great week and please be sure to let me know if you have any questions or concerns. My e-mail address is jcochran@lpatucson.org.

Thank you!
Jenna Cochran

Spelling Words

Here are the spelling words for the week of August 27th:

1. stop
2. list
3. plant
4. so
5. of
6. blue

August 20, 2012

Dear Families-

I just have a couple of things to mention this week.

Thank you so much to everyone who turned in homework last week. Please make sure you are having your child write their sentences and fill out the reading logs as part of homework. Their homework is not considered complete unless all parts of it are finished. If their homework is not completed they will miss out on our Fun Friday activities. I know writing can be a struggle at this time of the year, but the more they practice the easier it will get! In class I will not tell them how to spell words but I will help them sound out the word by saying slowly and in parts. I definitely do not expect perfectly spelled or punctuated sentences, I just want to see that they are practicing! I know writing can be a frustrating and difficult thing for many students at this time of the year so thank you for your help with this!

The entertainment book sale is still going on. If you do not want to sell the book please return it to school. 

Book orders are due on August 24^th! If you are interested you can place an order online or return the form and money to school anytime between now and Friday. If you would like to pay with a check please make the check out to Scholastic Book Clubs. If you need any help ordering online please let me know. 

So far everyone has done a fantastic job of following the dress code. Thank you! We will have a special spirit dress down day on August 23^rd in honor of our first home football game! There is more information about the dress down day and the football game in the Link. Come out and support our team!

Every Friday your child will be given a math and spelling test. They will be sent home in your child’s homework folder the following Monday. Some weeks additional tests may be given if we have finished learning about a certain skill or completed a unit. These tests will also be sent home on Monday. 

As always if you have any questions or concerns please let me know! The easiest way to reach me is via e-mail. My e-mail address is jcochran@lpatucson.org. I will typically respond within 24 hours. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for any reason!

Thank you for your support,

Jenna Cochran

August 13th

August 13, 2012

Dear Families-

We had a great first full week of school! We are continuing to practice our routines and procedures as well as remembering the school rules. The kids are doing a great job! Here are a few announcements for the week:

Entertainment books are coming home today. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year so I ask your cooperation on a few things.

·         If you do not want to sell the book please return it to school! These books are sent home for you to look at so you can decide if you would like to purchase it. They are not meant as a freebie.

·         If you would like to buy or sell the book the cost is $35 per book. If you sell more than one book, please return your order to school and we will fill the order and give you any additional books you may need. 

You may have noticed some worksheets coming home in your child’s folder every day. These are typically worksheets we have completed together as a class. It is just meant to keep you updated on what we are working on each day. They do not need to be returned to school. 

The first homework packet was sent home on Friday. This packet is not due until this Friday. Your child will also get a new homework packet on Friday. I send them home on Friday because every year I have a few parents who prefer to work on homework over the weekends. I know families are very busy so this way you can choose which days work best for you. Please make sure your child is completing their homework packet every week. Homework is not meant to be difficult but it is meant to reinforce things learned in school and to teach responsibility. 

Book orders are being sent home today! This is a great way to get inexpensive books at your child’s level. These are completely optional and you are welcome to order from any of the forms. If you would like to order anything please return the form and money to school on or before Friday, August 24^th. You can send in one check even if you order off multiple forms. Please make checks out to Scholastic Book Orders. You may also send cash. There is also an online ordering option. I have attached a note with more information on that and I have posted a link on my blog.

Mark your calendars! Open house will be on Wednesday, August 29^th, from 6-8pm. I hope to see you all there! 

So far in first grade we have been reviewing kindergarten concepts and doing lots of writing! It would be helpful if you would read to your child every night and review letter names and the sounds they make! This is important for all of the kids. Thanks for your help with this!

Don’t forget that you get my newsletter as well as spelling words and other announcements on my blog. The address is misscochranlpa.blogspot.com. 

If you ever have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress, behavior, or anything else please let me know! You can send a note in your child’s folder or e-mail me at jcochran@lpatucson.org. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for any reason at all! 

Thank you for your support,

Jenna Cochran

Book orders!

 

Book orders will be sent home on Monday. This is a great way to get affordable books for your child to practice their reading skills. You can fill out the order form and return it to school with cash or a check, or you can order online. Whether you order through the order forms or online, the books will be delivered to school. If you choose to pay by check you can make the check out to Scholastic Book Clubs. Our class code for online ordering is HF6DD. You can click on the link above to be taken to the online order form or you can go to scholastic.com and under the parent tab click on "order from book club flyer." The orders need to be placed online or the forms and money returned to school by Friday, August 24th in order to be included. If you have any questions or problems please let me know!

August 6th

Dear Families-
 

I wanted to give you an idea of what our daily schedule is like and some things you can expect this year.

Our Schedule:

8:30-Breakfast and Journal

8:50-Calendar/Read Aloud

9:00-Phonics

9:45-Reading

10:50-Lunch

11:30-Read Aloud

11:45-Writing

12:15-Math

1:00-Literacy/Math Stations

1:45-Recess

2:05-Science/Social Studies/Character

3:00-Read Aloud/Clean up

3:15-Dismissal

Our specials schedule:

 P.E.-Tuesday and Thursday

Music-Thursday

Computers/Library-Friday.

I will pass out homework on Fridays and it will be due the following Friday. It will be a packet of work and will get longer as the year goes on. It is not meant to be time consuming or difficult, rather it is a review of the concepts we have been learning in class. If your child is struggling with homework, they are probably struggling in class as well. The first homework packet and spelling list will go home this Friday. It will be due and the spelling test will be given the following Friday, August 17^th.

First grade is a challenging year. We are learning how to read and write at a higher level as well as learning a variety of math concepts. The absolute best thing you can do for your child is to read to them and have them practice their reading at home. Throughout the year I will send home tips on helping your child with reading at home. Although we read quite a bit at school, nothing can replace that extra attention at home.

We are very busy in first grade and are working all day! Please make sure your child is arriving to school on time and is not being picked up early. They miss valuable learning even if they just miss the first or last 30 minutes of the day.

If at any time during the year you are concerned about your child’s progress or have any questions about anything please let me know! I am more than happy to answer questions or talk with you about your child. The best way to reach me is via e-mail. My e-mail address is jcochran@lpatucson.org. I will get back to you within 24 hours. You can also send a note in your child’s folder, I check these daily.