WELCOME TO
Dear Parents,
Welcome to our classroom! I am so excited to have you and your child as part of
our learning community! This year is going to be full of hard work and lots of fun.
Together we are going to learn so much! Please take the time to read through this
information packet and familiarize yourself with our classroom policies and
expectations. As always, if you have any questions at all do not hesitate to ask!
Sincerely,
Beth Dunning
First Grade Teacher
Parent-Teacher Communication:
I believe a good parent-teacher relationship is important. Throughout the year I will
communicate with you through notes, telephone calls, weekly newsletters, six weeks report
cards, e-mail, and parent-teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you have any
questions or concerns. You can contact me by phone or by e-mail. The school number is 972347-7400. My room number is 972-347-7418 (please call during conference time or after school
only). My conference time is from 12:30 - 1:15 daily. My email address is
bduning@dentonisd.org. (Email is the most efficient method of communication.)
Attendance:
Just a reminder school begins at 7:50 A.M. It is very important for children to get to school on
time so they do not feel rushed or left behind. Students will be counted tardy after 8:00am.
Children may enter the classroom at the 7:40 bell. Those arriving before 7:40 must wait in
the gym. As you know, eating breakfast is essential to help children to learn and function well in
the classroom. If you would like, your child may buy breakfast in the cafeteria when they arrive,
but they must arrive early enough to be served by 7:45. If your child is going to be absent
please call the office at 972-347-7400 to let us know. Also, please send in a note once your
child returns so that we can keep that information on file. If we do not receive a note within 48
hours, it is automatically unexcused. Verbal explanations and/or e-mails are not accepted.
Dismissal:
Buses will begin loading at 2:40 in the afternoon. Walkers will begin dismissal at 2:45. If you are
meeting your child to walk home, please be here a couple of minutes early so they can find you
when they come out. Car riders will begin dismissing at 2:50. You must be in your car, with your
car tag for your student to be released through the car rider lane. Please do not ask for your
child to be a “walker” and then pick them up by car in front of the school. This contributes to
traffic congestion and slows down the process. Once students are used to dismissal
procedures, all car riders should be released to vehicles in less than 15 minutes. If your child
is ever going home by a different method of transportation you must send a note or call
the school by 2:00. (Please be aware that an e-mail is not always a sure thing. If I were
absent, the substitute would not have the correct information. If I do not reply to you, please
assume I did not receive the message. Phone calls or written notes are best for this
communication.) We will not allow a child to go home with someone else unless we have a
written note from a parent or a telephone call to the office. This is district policy.
 Please also note that I DO NOT answer the phone during dismissal. I can’t answer the
phone and get the kids where they need to be at the same time. This is why it’s VERY
IMPORTANT that you notify me BEFORE 2:00 if your child is going home a different
way than they normally do.
Lunch:
Our lunch time will be from 10:55 - 11:25. If you would like to eat lunch with your child please
wait by the bench outside the cafeteria. Then you may join our line when we walk by. Be sure to
sign in at the front office anytime you visit the school. You may sit with your child at the parent
table in the cafeteria. Other children are not permitted to eat with you and your child; they must
stay with their class.
Snacks:
Each day we will have a short snack time in the afternoon. I ask that you please send a
healthy snack with your child each day. Please remember how important it is that your
student has food in their tummy in order to be more attentive in the classroom. It is important
that the snack be healthy. Students who bring sugary items, such as candy, will be asked to put
them away until after school. Students are also encouraged to keep a water bottle in their
cubbies. This is helpful since there is not a water fountain close to our room. Drinks other than
water are not permitted at any time other than lunch.
Special Areas:
Our class will go to special areas each afternoon. We will have P.E., Art, and Music. Your child
must wear tennis shoes on our P.E. days. I will notify you of our PE days as soon as we know
them.
Library:
Your child will start checking out books from our school library in a few weeks. These books are
his/her responsibility. If they are lost or torn, you will need to pay the fine necessary to replace
that book for the library shelf. They will check out the books on a regular basis and will be
allowed to take them home for reading pleasure. Your child’s library books need to be returned
each week.
School Colors:
The Savannah school colors are blue and orange. Students are encouraged to wear their
school colors on Friday to promote school spirit. Our mascot is the GATORS.
Birthdays:
Whenever your child has a birthday at school you may send a treat on that day if you would like.
We’ll serve the treats during our recess time or at the end of the day depending on what
activities we have going on that day. Please notify me in 48 hours in advance if you are
interested in doing this.
Parties:
Throughout the school year we will have three class parties. These parties will be the Winter
Holiday Party, Valentine’s Day Party and the End of the Year Party
Extra Clothing:
Please make sure your child has an extra pair of clothes in their bag at all times. Sometimes the
kids may fall in the mud, fall in a puddle or have an accident. By having an extra pair of clothes
you are not having to leave work to bring them new clothes and your child is not sitting in wet,
dirty clothes for the rest of the day.
Book Orders:
I will be send home book orders about once a month. This is strictly a voluntary program. You
do not have to participate. If you choose to place an order, the most convenient method is to
setup an online account and online. This is a great option that makes the ordering process
easier for everyone!  I will send home more information about online ordering with the first
book order. If you send in a paper order, please send a check or money order for the exact
amount of your child’s order. Please make the check or money order payable to the book
company. I am not able to accept cash.
Tuesday Folders:
These folders will go home every Tuesday. In these folders you will find notes and flyers from
the school and the PTA .Please empty these folders and return them to school on Wednesday.
We will use these same folders throughout the year. It is important for you to review all the
information included to ensure you do not miss any important announcements, dates, etc.
Grading in First Grade:
Grading in first grade is based on a 1,2,3 system. A grade of 3 is meeting expectations. A grade
of 2 is progressing. A grade of 1 needs improvement. Number grades are reserved for
assessment purposes, i.e. the report card. Class work will have feedback from me regarding the
student’s progress in lieu of a grade. I grade almost every night, and send work home the next
day in the student binders. Please go over these pages with your child. If you have questions
about any of your student’s work, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Newsletters:
I will create and send home a newsletter for each week throughout the school year. You will find
the newsletter in the binder. It is very important that you read these notes in order to stay on top
of things. It is designed to let you know about upcoming events and what we are studying so
that you can make a home and school connection.
Binder:
Binders are to go home each day and be returned the following day.
Inside your child’s binder you will find:
 Conduct calendar - Please sign this each night. This calendar is used to show what kind
of day your child had at school.
 Left inside pocket - Parent Communication. This is where you will find things like
permission slips and letters from me. This is also where you may place any notes for me
to review.
 Math Homework pages - This is where you will find your student’s math homework.
 Reading/word work logs and sight word sheets - These are explained more thoroughly in
the “HOMEWORK” section of this packet.

Right inside pocket – graded papers. Please review these with your child. You might
see “messy” copies of our writing. These are probably the rough draft version of project
we are in the process of publishing in class.
If you have any questions about your child’s binder, please feel free to ask me. PLEASE
make sure you are checking your child’s binder each day. The binder will be one of my best
forms of communication with parents.
Medication:
We are not allowed to give medication at school unless you have completed the medication
form. ALL medication must be taken to the nurse and must be in a clearly marked
prescription bottle for the nurse to administer. Please check with the school nurse if you have
any questions.
Sending Money:
There will be times that it is necessary for your child to bring money to school, so I’ve included a
plastic zip pouch at the front of your child’s binder. Please place the money inside and send a
note to let me know what the money is for.
Our Homework Schedule:
***HOMEWORK IS MANDATORY & FLEXIBLE***
Reading (40 minutes minimum per week)
After literacy testing has been completed, your student will bring home a bag with specifically
selected Guided Reading books. Please use these books to meet your student’s 40 minute
reading requirement. In order to provide some flexibility with busy schedules, the reading may
be spread out however you choose Monday-Thursday and may even include reading over the
previous weekend. However, if your child receives a new book, please make it a priority to
read that book the same evening to prepare for their next reading group. At least two of
the logged reading sessions should include school days. Any student who has not met the
40 minute minimum by Friday will be expected to make it up during the day on Friday and may
miss fun activities. Students will be recognized for their accumulated reading minutes
throughout the school year. Each evening, please log the total number of minutes your student
read (even if it is ZERO) and initial in the “reading” column of the reading/word work log. ALL of
their reading minutes will count towards their rewards, so the more they read the better! More
detailed information about reading logs and rewards will be sent home during the first six weeks.
It is so important that your child reads their books with an experienced reader regularly. It will
help your child improve fluency and practice skills learned at school. This is also a wonderful
time for family sharing. The more support you provide in the beginning, the less dependent they
will be later. Books should be returned to school daily. We cannot properly conduct our groups
without these materials. Each child will be allotted one warning per six week period for
forgetting his/her books. After this, forgotten books will result in a color change. If your
child misplaces or loses a book it will cost $15.00 to replace it as these books can only be
bought in sets of 6. Please help them to be responsible for these school materials.
Spelling (Monday-Thursday)
I will be teaching spelling through poetry and excerpts from books. Students will be sent home
with a “dictation” each week and a list of activities they should do with that particular dictation.
On Friday, I will choose 1 – 2 sentences from the dictation and they will be expected to apply
the skills we have been working on and write it. This correlates to the ELI that we give students
3 times a year.
Math (4 activities per week)
Your child will have one math review problem every day. This problem will review skills we have
worked on in class. You will find a monthly math calendar in the binder. Each week a homework
sheet will be sent home. Your student will record the appropriate week and complete all 4
problems on the sheet. Math homework is flexible and may be completed on any day as long as
it is ready to be turned in by Friday. I will check it each day and provide feedback. Please check
this to see if there is something your student needs to look at again before Friday. 
Students will be given one warning per six weeks regarding incomplete homework (math,
reading, and word work). Further late/incomplete homework may result in a color change
for the student.
Mrs. Dunning’s
Daily Schedule
2015 - 2016
7:50-8:10
8:10-9:40
Morning Work
Daily CAFÉ
Shared Reading
Literacy Mini-lesson
Centers
Guided Reading
9:40-10:20
10:20-10:50
10:55-11:25
11:25-11:45
11:45-12:30
Science/Social Studies
12:30-1:15
Specials/Conference
1:15 – 1:25
1:15-2:35
2:35-2:40
2:40-2:50
Snack /Story
Writer’s Workshop
Target Time
Lunch
Recess
Math Workshop
Pack Up
Dismissal
IMPORTANT!
Please Read and Sign Below.
Thank you for taking the time to read through our classroom policies and
information packet. Please go over this packet with your child so they
understand what is expected of them at school. Please refer to this packet
throughout the school year if there are any questions you may have. I look
forward to a great year and having your student in my classroom.
If you have any questions at all about these policies, please just ask! 
Please sign the form below and return it to school by Friday. Thank you!
***I have read and gone over Mrs. Dunning’s 2015-2016 classroom policies and
information packet.
Child’s Name: ____________________________________________
Parent’s Signature: ________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________________
***I have read about the guided reading program and how important it is. I
understand that my child will be bringing home two books per night in order to
participate in this program. I understand if we lose or damage these books it
will be $15 to replace each book that is lost or damaged.
Parent’s Signature: _____________________________ Date: ________