DOUGLASS

 First Grade is PAW-sitively Awesome!!!                  

Hi! I am Marci Roberts. This is my 8th year of teaching at Seal Elementary. I am married to Mark Roberts. We have four grown children, two grandchildren and one grandchild on the way.  We enjoy traveling and going to the beach is our favorite! We are huge Kansas Jayhawk fans and go to many football and basketball games. We enjoy going to concerts and movies!  I look forward to helping your child be successful and watching them grow as a reader and a mathematician! If you ever have a question, please let me know. I can be reached at 316-747-3350 or mroberts@usd396.net.  

Behavior – We will use links  to recognize good behavior.  Your student will have the opportunity to trade in their links for a reward when they have earned 10 of them. Links can be taken for inappropriate behaviors by any adult throughout the building.

Behavior Page- This will be in the yellow communication folder. It will tell you how many links your student has each day. Please initial this each day and leave it in the folder. If there is a major behavior issue, a note will be attached to the page. 

Conduct Card – Every student will have a conduct card to track “strikes” The goal is to not receive strikes during the month so they can attend our extra recess. If they break a rule, they will get a warning and pay links to me.  If a behavior continues, they will get a strike on their conduct card. After 3 strikes, they will be “out”.  Every 9 weeks we will have a “Mystery Bash” for those students who have attended all of the extra recesses.

Math- We use the “Bridges” curriculum. It is VERY heavy in Number Sense. We will be sending homework pages for extra practice at times. When your child completes it and brings it back, they will earn links. We will also be using Dreambox as an online math component.

Reading – In first grade we spend a lot of time on phonemic awareness (hearing/manipulating sounds in words), and phonics (writing all of the sounds in words). We will be using “Pathways to Reading '' to teach your child. 

   Spelling – There will be spelling words to practice. These words will go with our phonics skills each week. This won’t start until the second 9 weeks. The words will be on the newsletter every week.

Sight Words- We will be working with a new set of sight words every week. They will be a mixture of “HEART” words (words that they need to know by heart because they can’t be sounded out) and “FLASH” words (words to sound out and know in  a Flash). These words will be in the weekly newsletter.

Time Capsule – This is a 1st grade project that we do throughout the year.  You can help with this later in the year. Find a large shoe box and put mementos of 1st Grade in it.  We will keep some things also. It will be sealed at the end of the year, only to be opened upon graduation of their senior year. More information will be sent later.  

Seesaw – This will be our main form of communication. I will post classroom information here. As well as, send individual messages about your child.

Birthdays- We would love to celebrate at school.  Please feel free to send treats with your child.  Summer birthdays are important too!  We will celebrate summer birthdays with one big party at the end of the year.  Please send me an email or write a note to let me know if you will be sending treats.

Newsletter – I will send a NEW newsletter home in the front of the yellow communication folder every Monday. Please read over the newsletter so you can help your child with Spelling Words (2nd 9 weeks), Sight Words, Math Facts,  and other important activities. 

Teamwork – Educating a child is only accomplished by students, parents and teachers working together as a team.  By working together, we can give your child the best possible start in school.

Specials- The kids will go to Music/Library M-W-F and PE/Computer Lab/Art on T-Th for the 1st semester. Then it will switch for the second semester. Please remember to send a pair of PE shoes and maybe an extra pair of socks to keep in their locker! 

Snack – We will have a snack break in the afternoon.  We would LOVE it, if you could send snacks items such as: cereal, animal crackers, and Goldfish!

Bring Everyday – Please make sure your child brings their backpack, water bottle, and folder everyday.

Absences – If your child is going to be absent, please call the office to let us know. 

Security –Parents please enter and check in through the office.