Wednesday September 11, 2013

Dominican International School Policy Change:

Starting immediately, elementary students will be spending their time after school in the rear play area. In order to help keep the office more organized, elementary students will leave their classroom and will go directly to the back of the school to play. Students who take the bus home will go straight to the buses.

Nothing will change for parents. If you drive to pick up your child, staff get your child from the playground once they see you. If you park and come into the school, we will also help you retrieve the children.

This policy change will help all of us, parents, the school, and most importantly, the students. 

  Thank you for your understanding and support as we make this change.

Hi everyone, 

Thank you for your patience and understanding this week. I know that blog entries have been shorter and posted later in the day than usual. I hope to have my computer back up and running by next week.

A few things to note:

1. You may have noticed that communication books are being sent home daily again. I have decided to send them home so that you have a daily record of student behavior and also so that if there is anything you want me to know, you have the opportunity to write in the book each night. That being said, communication books will only be marked for behavior, and any individual notes I need to make to parents. Homework, general class and school news will continued to be posted on the blog.

2. Students had their first pop quiz in math and did a fantastic job! I was very impressed. Hopefully most of you saw the tests last night as students were asked to do their corrections and get a parent's signature. For any that were missed, I will send them home again tonight so please take a look.

3. Stay tuned for senses science presentation photos! Technology permitting, I will have those up for you as soon as possible.

4. Grade One Homework Policy

Students will be assigned approximately 10-15 minutes of homework each night. As much as possible we will try to stick to the homework schedule listed below. Depending on the flow of lessons, extenuating circumstances, and schedule changes, however, this is subject to change.

Monday: Reading & Phonics
Tuesday: Language & Spelling
Wednesday: Science
Thursday: Math
Friday: Social Studies

Each morning students are expected to hand in their homework books in a designated area in the classroom. Homework that is done properly, and handed in on time, will be awarded two points. This will work towards students final participation grade.

Please encourage students to do their homework independently. I will always spend time going over the homework in class and we will always do examples together to practice before I send it home for student's to do on their own. The homework is generally always going to be a review of a lesson that has already been taught. Should students hit the fifteen minute mark and be struggling to finish it means they might need extra help. Please write a short note addressed to me to let me know their homework will be incomplete so that I don't take away their points and I can give them extra practice the following day.

Thank you for your support, you have all been great!

That's all for now but I will post tonight's homework assignment later in the day after Math class.