Nicole Bauer

About the Classroom
At St. Benedict School, the first graders learn in a classroom based around cooperation and collaboration.  Students work in small groups daily, which requires them to share ideas and materials freely.  The first grade classroom is a place where students feel safe and comfortable challenging themselves to learn more.  As the year progresses, students will focus more on guided and independent learning.  Because students do not always learn in the same way, or at the same pace, instruction and centers are differentiated to accommodate a variety of learning styles. 

Uniforms
Please make sure that when your child is ready to leave for school that he/she is dressed in uniform.  Please see pages the 2017-2018 handbook to locate the exact dress code.

Grade 1 Specials
Art:                                Thursdays 1:36-2:18 and Fridays 1:36-2:18
Computer:                    Mondays 10:09-10:48
Library:                         Tuesdays 10:09-10:48
Music:                           Mondays 8:45-9:24 and Wednesdays 1:36-2:18                                                                                                       

Spanish:                       Tuesdays 8:42-9:24
Physical Education:   Thursday 10:09-10:48 and Fridays 12:57-1:36

 

 

Homework/Home-School Communication (GREEN FOLDER)
Your child will be responsible for emptying their mailbox at the end of every day.  In this green folder you will find any important notices from school, any of your child’s completed work and your child’s homework.  Please empty this folder daily at home.  If you have any notes that you would like to send to me, they can be placed in this green folder.  If you notice that your child is just throwing their papers into their backpack, please take time to stress the importance of organization.  I will be working to reinforce the same concept at school.

One of the “extras” I teach in my classroom is responsibility.  My first grade students will be responsible for completing and returning their homework to school.  I encourage students to complete their homework and immediately put it right back into their backpack so that no homework is ever “completed, but left at home.”  As the year progresses, if homework is not turned in on time, students have to sit out of recess to complete the missed work. 

This is what the typical homework schedule looks like:
Spelling/Word Study: Word Study homework is given each night, except Friday.  The word study program is a spelling program which aligns to the students’ individual reading and writing abilities.  Therefore, your child may not have the same spelling words as other students in the class.  It is important to keep track of each week’s words, as they will be needed daily for homework.  To see the nightly homework, look at the inside cover of your child’s homework journal.
Reading: 15 mins. daily (including weekends)
Math: 
Usually every night.  Math homework can be located on the back side of your child’s green folder.

Classroom Behavior Management
I always talk about making good choices with students.  I have a color system in my room.  Every morning students start on green.  Occasionally choices are made which students need to learn from.  For each incorrect choice made, students move their colors down to yellow, then orange and then red.  For each change of a color, the student loses 5 minutes of recess.  Students may realize they made a poor choice and turn their behavior around, in turn, moving their color back up.  There is also purple for those students that “go above and beyond” the regular expected choices.  Students will color in a calendar daily to bring home in their green folder.  This calendar needs to be signed by a parent and returned to school.

Lunch/Snack
Our lunch is scheduled from 11:31-12:12.  Please remember to send your child with exact change for lunch or small bills.  Large amounts of change may not be available.  Lunch cards are also available and work like a debit card.  Thank you!

We will be having a snack time (either a small break or a working snack) each morning.  Please note that all classrooms are peanut-free. Please locate the St. Benedict School acceptable snack/treat list on the school website or contact me for a printed copy.

Recess
Our class will have a short recess time most days, either inside or outside if the weather is permitting.  Please make sure that your child has appropriate outdoor clothing for fall/early spring.  Outside recess in the winter will only occur if a note is sent home in advance.

Birthday Snack/Treats
Everyone loves a good birthday!  On your child’s birthday, we will take a quick break from our day to sing “Happy Birthday” and have a snack/treat that you send in.  If your treat requires spoons, forks or napkins, please send those in as well.  We have 20 students in the class this year.  The birthday snack/treat will replace regular snack for that day. *Birthday treats must also follow the St. Benedict School acceptable snack/treat list.  No homemade snacks*