Welcome!

Greetings from the Memorial School!  I am writing to welcome you to our classroom and provide some initial information to help get us started this year.

This is the first of many informational posts.  Please stay tuned for lots more information as our year gets underway.  Many children wonder about the kinds of things they need to bring with them on the first day of school.  To start, a small snack (including a drink) for the morning and a backpack are “must-have” items each day.  You should have already received information detailing the supplies that each first grader should bring at the start of school.  These supplies will be used as needed by everyone. 

The first grade teachers will eat lunch with the students on the first day of school.  With the help of the lunch staff, we will spend time getting the children accustomed to this routine  -  how to line up, where to sit, what kinds of food they can buy and how to go about paying for it.  For those of you new to the lunch program, the cost is $2.35 to purchase school lunch, which includes milk or water.  Milk can also be purchased separately for $.50.  Your child will need a change purse of some kind (even a ziploc bag), labeled with his/her name on it, to keep the money safe and in one place.  I will ask the children to bring their money to me on the days they are buying lunch.  I will have a designated bin in the classroom to store the money and will pass it out to them when it is lunch time.  Our class will have lunch at 12:15 each day, followed by recess.

Our classroom schedule for the year will vary slightly from day to day.  The children will, however, have special instruction in specific areas on a set schedule as outlined below. 

Monday                     Physical Education

Tuesday                     Music

Wednesday              Physical Education

Thursday                    Library / Health (alternating weeks)

Friday                         Art

The first few days of first grade will be full of many new and exciting things to learn.  We will work together to make sure everyone settles in, knows where things are and what our days will be like.  I will help the children find their seats, coat hooks, cubbies and mailboxes.  We will take lots of time to adjust to our new room, schedule, friends and activities.  Our classroom is in Room 10.  When children come off the buses on the first day of school they will simply walk straight down the hall in front of them.  They will find me in the last classroom on the right.  There will be lots of adults helping to direct children the first few mornings so that everyone finds their way.  No worries!

Enjoy these last days of summer.  I hope you’re as excited as I am to meet and learn about the many friends we’ll make together in first grade.  I look forward to seeing you all on August 27!

Mrs. Ravinski