FINALLY!

Thank you all for being so patient as we get things caught up from a very busy start to the school year. 

Here you will find information regarding the curriculum content that your child be learning this year as well as important classroom information. Most pertinent information will be found in the weekly first grade update sent to your email. If you aren't receiving those, please notify us via email so we may add you to the list. 

We have had a great time meeting with many of you and chatting about your child's glows and grows during our parent conferences. If we've not met yet, please be patient as we get more days/times added to our conference schedule. 


We've had a successful start to the school year and we can't begin to tell you how much we appreciate you dropping off your kiddos on the blacktop in the morning and picking them up there at the end of the day. They've fallen into the routine of first grade quite quickly. It's important to keep in mind that as much as we'd like to chat with you about your child at the end of the day, dismissal can be rather crazy. Our first priority is making sure kiddos are picked up and going with the correct person, and we must see who they are going with. If you need to chat with us about your child, please send an email and we can make time to chat at a later time.


Just an FYI, on the rare occasion kiddos will see movies in class (Field Day--it's a great way to relax after a busy morning, whole class reward done on a chosen Friday, or a class party). We also show short videos--Magic School Bus or BrainPop Jr. videos, that help us teach some curriculum content. If you do not want your child to view these, please let us know and we can find an alternative for your child.


As many of you know, your child will take a Reading and Math iReady diagnostic three times a year. These assessments can be rather challenging and lengthy. Studies have shown that chewing gum can help maintain focus and can help improve concentration. If you do not want your child to have sugar-free gum, let us know so we can make note of it. 

This also means we celebrate birthdays in the class and sweet treats are often brought in. You are more than welcome to bring in your own snacks if you don't want your child eating too many sweets. This also goes for classroom parties, although we try to balance out the sweets with healthy alternatives. 

Keep in mind that there is no school this coming Friday, Monday and Tuesday for kiddos--teachers must be there on Tuesday. We'll see you back on Wednesday, October 24th. 


With Gratitude,

Ms. Hernandez and Mrs. Bryan-Doherty






Classroom Update for week of April 9

Image result for funny kid school memesHello! We hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing Spring Break! Now back to school and only 39 days left. Yikes! This year is flying by and we can't believe the short amount of time we left with your children. We will keep the blog up to date with information these last couple of months and, as always, reach out with any questions or wonderings. Thanks!

Here is what you need to know for the upcoming week and beyond....

1. Thursday,  April 12th 1st Grade Specials Showcase!!! 6:30-7:30 in the cafetorium :) Students need to arrive 15 minutes early!

2. Thursday, April 19th: Primary Variety Show 6:30-7:30pm 

3. Friday, April 13th: Creek Kid Assembly for March Honorees 10-10:25am (teachers will reach out via email to let you know the kiddos who will be honored).

4. May 3: Jump Rope for Heart Movie Night!   All Jump Rope for Heart participants may attend- 5:30-8pm with Ms. Katie at WCE

5. Student-Led conferences will be held the evening of Thursday, May 17th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. More information to follow.

6. May 31st: Last day of school for all students!!! This is a full day!
    June 1st: First day of summer vacation 

7. April's Personal Success factor is GRIT!!

We have grit at WCE because we persevere and have passion for our long term goals.

Consider defining the following terms with your student: persevere, passion, persistence, persist.

Westerly Creek Wolves do the following:
*We finish what we begin--even if it's hard!
*We stay committed to long term goals.
*We work hard always, even if we feel like quitting.
*We stick with projects for a few weeks until we get it right. 


8. Summer Math Tutoring:
Ms. Burgett (2nd grade teacher) will also be holding math tutoring sessions over summer break. Each session will be 55 minutes long, one-on-one instruction and will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. 

Please sign up below if you are interested!

9. Summer Literacy Tutoring with Mrs. Stromberg (2nd grade teacher)

Looking for some one-on-one literacy tutoring for your kiddo?  I'm offering multiple sessions every Tuesday and Thursday throughout June and July.  Please click on the link below to learn more and check out the schedule.  Please feel free to share this information with other families as well!  Thank you!

Well, hopefully this wasn't toooooo much information!! Please let us know if you have any questions!!
May the force be with us:)

Mrs. Bryan-Doherty and Ms. Hernandez


1st Grade Classroom Information for week of April 2nd

Hello 1st grade parents!

Thank you so much for everyone that was able to make it to Math and Literacy night! It was amazing to see so many parents and the students engrossed in sharing their learning environment!!

Over the break, please have your kiddo continue to work on iReady lessons. There will be a new April Tic-Tac-Toe board sent home today. Some fun and educational things for your child to do:)

Reminder: NO SCHOOL on April 2nd (teacher work day)

Student-Led conferences will be held the evening of Thursday, May 17th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. More information to follow.

We will be updating the content tabs on the blog during break:)

Have a wonderful Spring Break! We look forward to seeing all of the kiddos after break!!

Mrs. Bryan-Doherty and Ms. Hernandez


March 16-23, 2018

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Just a couple of updates for you to help you plan ahead. 

Spirit Week!
Monday, March 19: Dress-up as your favorite Movie Star or Book Character!
Tuesday, March 20: Come to school as a Superhero!
Wednesday, March 21: Wacky Backwards Day–use your imagination!
Thursday, March 22: Crazy Socks, Crazy Hat, Crazy Hair–show you care!
Friday, March 23: It’s up to YOU! Be creative about your spirit wear.

If your child dresses up, please make sure they are also dressed for the weather and can play in their outfit. No weapons allowed. 

Math/Literacy Night --Wednesday, March 21st from 5:30-7:00. Visit your child's classroom and see what he/she is  learning about in Math and Literacy. 

Spring Break --March 26-April 2 Students return on Tuesday, April 3rd.


5th Annual WCE Variety Shows! 

  • K-2 Primary Variety Show- Thursday, April 19th 6:30pm cafeteria
  • 3-5 Intermediate Variety Show- Thursday, April 26th 6:30pm cafeteria
  • Completed permission forms due by WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4th
It is a 3-step process to make it in the show, students/families must:
1. Review the rules and guidelines below, and have a parent/guardian complete and sign the permission form attached.  ALL PARTICIPANTS NEED TO TURN IN A PERMISSION FORM BY WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4th to the designated box by the library!
2.  YOU WILL AUDITION FOR THE SHOW.  Turn in permission forms in the designated box by the LIBRARY to get an audition time. Only students who have returned completed permission forms will be permitted to audition. You must be fully prepared for the auditions.  We will use a rubric to score each audition based on preparedness, and competition is tough for the Intermediate Show. You will be assigned an audition time within the week of APRIL 9th either before or after school.
3. After you audition, you will be notified whether you made it in the show or not.  We love you all, but the show can only be so long.  30 acts will be permitted to each show. If you make it in, you MUST come to the MANDATORY dress rehearsal the night before the show.  Primary dress rehearsal- Weds. April 18th 6:00pm cafeteria;  Intermediate dress rehearsal Weds. April 25th 6:00pm cafeteria

RULES FOR VARIETY SHOW ACTS:
  • A student can perform in ONE ACT only. EACH PERSON IN ACT NEEDS A PERMISSION FORM TURNED IN
  • All acts must be NO longer than 2 minutes.
  • We look for a VARIETY of acts: singing, dancing, acting, playing an instrument, gymnastics, magic, comedy, martial arts, etc.  Also, turn in a permission form if you would like to be considered to MC (host) the show!!
  • All music, lyrics, dances, and performances MUST be appropriate for our Elementary School community
  • Students must BRING their own music and props for the audition performance. It is best to email a copy of your music  to Mrs. Stacy. Megan_Stacy@dpsk12.net  Karaoke/background versions are to be used for singing performances.
  • Completed permission forms due by WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4th

Student Led Conferences -- Thursday, May 17th from 4:-00-6:30. This is done open house style where your child will show you what he/she has learned this year. 

Warm regards,
Ms. Hernandez and Mrs. Bryan-Doherty

March Update March 8-14, 2018

Families,

Just a reminder that report cards came home today so make sure to check those backpacks. 
There are many concepts and skills your child learns and the information you see on the report card can seem quite confusing.
BEL-Below level       ATL-At level       ABL-Above level
GL-1st grade level content 

Below you will find the learning standards, with an examples of what each looks like, that are taught in 1st grade English/Language Arts. 
Not all standards are taught at once and, at this time of year, students are not expected to master some standards. To see more about the standards and access the 1st grade math standards you can click on the link CCSS ELA/Mathematics.








WCE Galaxy Gala
It's that time of year to start thinking about our biggest fundraiser of the year, THE AUCTION! You do not want to miss a fun night hanging out with your child's teachers! We are pretty crazy, just in case your child hasn't already told you. Hah! 
Get your early bird tickets here WCE Galaxy Gala.

If you signed up to bring an item for the 1st grade auction basket, feel free to bring those items in any time. You can also give a monetary donation. Just make sure to put it in an envelope marked for the auction. We can't thank you enough!! 

Warm regards,
Ms. Hernandez and Mrs. Bryan-Doherty

March Update 2018

Hello Families,

Can you believe it's already March? The months are flying by and we are seeing so much growth in these kiddos. However, the last few months are full of LOTS of learning so it's important that your child is here each and every day--except in the case of illness. 

Don't forget to stop by the Scholastic Book Fair next week and pick up some terrific books all while supporting WCE!

Many, many thanks for our Valentine's Party organizers. We so appreciate your help and the kids had a blast!!

Homework

We have started a new way to do homework that gives your child some choices on what he/she can work on 


Just a few things to make note of:

  • The top middle square should be an addition or subtraction STORY problem. 
  • The center square should be 2 iReady Reading and 2 math lessons, not one. 
  • Kiddos can turn in any written pieces in their Thursday folder as they complete them. We'd love to display their work in and out of the classroom! 
  • The signed tic-tac-toe grid should not be turned in until the due date noted at the top of the sheet.





The photo is just an example of the 4 ways kids can make tic-tac-toe, and if they want to complete all tasks that's even better!











Important dates to keep in mind.


End of Trimester:  February 26
       (Report Cards will go home after March 5)​
Creek Kid Assembly (for February recipients):  Friday, March 2 @ 10:00
Jump Rope for Heart Assembly:  Friday, March 2 @ 2:00
Spirit Week: March 19-23 (More details to come)
Spring Break:  March 26 - April 2  (students return on Tuesday, April 3)
WCE Galaxy Gala Auction: April 28 Purchase tickets here
Every Friday:   Show your school spirit with WCE spirit wear



Warm regards,

Ms. Hernandez and Mrs. Bryan-Doherty





Update for February 2018

Hello Families,

Many of you have asked for a class list so kiddos can fill out their valentines.

Here is the list for each class. 
Ms. Hernandez's homeroom is listed as Line-Up Order AM 
Mrs. Bryan-Doherty's homeroom is listed as Line-Up Order PM