Dear Parents,

It’s hard to believe that summer has come and gone… and now it is time to go back to school!  I am very pleased to have your child in my classroom this year.  I look forward to meeting you, and working together to ensure that this will be a productive school year. 

Below, I have compiled an important list of information that you and your child will need to know about our classroom.  Please take the time to read all of this information carefully.  Feel free to contact me at any time if you have questions or concerns.

- Communication: I strongly feel that parent-teacher contact and cooperation are essential.  The best way to contact me is by emailing at school at cbala@spring-ford.net.  I check my email early in the morning and throughout the day.  If you do not have access to email, you can write a letter in your child’s homework book or call my school voice mail (610.705.6006 x3543). 

- Homework Book: Every morning your child will write down the daily homework in his/her homework book.  Please sign this book every night to verify that your child’s homework is complete.

- Day 5 Schedule: Spring-Ford School District operates on a Day 5 schedule.  The intent is that no specials will be missed due to school closings.  The cycle began on the first day of school, Day 1.  Your child is required to write the cycle day in his/her homework book daily beside the date.

Monday Aug. 31 = Day 1            Tuesday Sept. 1 = Day 2

Wednesday Sept. 2 = Day 3      Thursday Sept. 3 = Day 4

Tuesday Sept. 8 = Day 5           Wednesday Sept. 9 = Day 1

etc…

- Absences: A lot goes on during day here in Room 17!  If your child has a planned absence, please request work in advance.  If your child is absent due to an illness, I encourage all parents to pick up school work in the office before the end of the day or notify the office of another child in the building that I may send missed assignments home with.  Your child may have two days to complete all assignments missed while he/she was absent (this includes weekends).

- Birthdays: I am happy to share in the celebration of your child’s special day.  Please let me know at least one day in advance if you plan to send in a birthday treat for the class.  You may send the treat in with your child or drop the treat off before lunch in the office.  Depending on specific food allergies in our classroom, you will need to have treats approved when you drop them off.  Please do not send in private birthday party invitations to be distributed in school.

- Behavior Plan:  I use a tally system to help monitor students’ daily/weekly behavior.  The rules, consequences, and rewards specific to my classroom will be introduced to your child during the first week of school.  All tally marks will be recorded in your child’s homework book on a daily basis.  If more than one tally mark per day is received, a Good Choice Form will be filled out by your child and myself, and sent home for you to review and sign/return.

    Consequences: 
        1.  When a rule is broken the first time in a day, the child will receive one tally mark. This is a warning. 
        This tally will be recorded in the child’s homework book. 
        2.  Second rule broken in a day - student will receive a 2^nd tally.  The student will lose 10 minutes of recess
        and complete a Good Choice Form.
        3.  If a student needs to be spoken to a third time in a day, he/she will receive a 3^rd tally, lose 15 minutes
        of recess, and complete a Good Choice Form.
        4.  If a fourth rule is broken in one day, the child will receive his/her fourth tally, lose 1all of recess,
        complete a Good Choice Form, visit the Principal’s  office, and parents will receive a phone call from the teacher.

    Rewards:  Good behavior is rewarded weekly.  If a child receives less than 5 tallies total in a week, he/she
        will take part in Good Choice Team on Friday!  The Good Choice Team occurs during the last 30 minutes of
        the day on Friday.  Students may be watching a movie, having extra recess, playing various board games inside,
        etc. If a child receives 5 or more tallies in a week, he/she will not take part in Good Choice Club and will
        write a note home explaining why he/she was unable to attend Good Choice Club that week.  We will    
        encourage improved behavior for the following week and another chance at Good Choice Club.

- Scholastic Book Club: I will be distributing book orders to the students throughout the school year.  This is a wonderful way to build a home library.  Please note that your participation is voluntary.  If you choose to buy books, simply fill out the order form your child brings home, include your payment by check made out to “Scholastic”, and return both to me in an envelope by the date posted on the order form.

- School Supplies:  Please be sure to write your child’s name on any supplies he/she brings to school.  An art smock needs to be sent in for Art class and sneakers must be worn on the day of Physical Education.  Please note that binders and Trapper Keepers do not fit in our desks so they should stay at home.  If we need additional supplies throughout the year, I will contact you.

- Snack:  We will take a short break each morning for a snack.  You may send in one small, healthy snack each day with your child if you wish.  Students will be eating their snack during instruction, so please send in a snack that can be easily and quickly eaten (granola bars, pretzels, etc.)  Please do not send a juice box with snack as students are not permitted to have them in the classroom. 

- Donations:  I will always be happy to accept donations of the following items throughout the school year
        -Tissues
        -Hand soap
        -Dollar store prizes for our “prize box”

- Toys: No toys are permitted in the classroom unless your child is the Student of the Week and is sharing a special toy with the class. 

- All About Me: Each week one student from the class will be our Star of the Week.  I have an interactive bulletin board titled “All About Me” hanging in the classroom that your child will get to complete.  When it is your child’s turn to be the weekly star, he/she will bring home a manilla envelope full of directions and supplies needed to complete our bulletin board.  This will be sent home on Thursday, and need to be returned on Monday.

- Newsletter: Each month I will be posting a newsletter on our classroom’s website.  I will also send home a hard copy of this newsletter with the students.  The newsletter will give you a detailed overview of the content your child will be learning that month, dates of upcoming events, birthday announcements, and often a brief letter from me about classroom happenings.