Welcome Letters

[BriarRose]

As a new teacher I am not really sure what to put in the welcome letters to the parents. Als if I should address the letters to parents or also should include "parents or guardians". I wanted to include some information about me in the letter but i don't want to say that this if my first year teaching..... any ideas???

[JenL]

i attached my parent letter....let me know if you have any suggestions for me. i took things from other letters i have seen and then added some important information for the beginning of school...
i also include a parent questionnaire about them for instance....email, phone number, how their child will get to school and home, allergies. so i have it all on one sheet.


August 14, 2006
Dear First Grade Families,

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Jen Laughlin and I am honored to be your child’s first grade teacher. This is my third year of teaching but first year at Marlin Elementary and I am so excited to be here. I previously taught third grade and sixth grade at Childs Elementary.

I am looking forward to working with you and your child in reaching his or her full potential. We will have many wonderful experiences and opportunities to learn and grow in the days ahead.

I believe that communication is the key to a great parent-teacher relationship. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns at any time. You can send me a note, email me at EMAIL REMOVED - Send PM to This User Instead or call me at (telephone # entered here). I will also do my part by sending out a newsletter each week to update you on what we have been doing in class as well as things that are up coming. For individual concerns, I will contact you by phone, send a note home, or email you (if an email address is provided).

Please feel free to participate in your child’s first grade year as much as you are able. Helping hands are always needed. Whether it is reading a story to the class, helping with field trips or class parties, or any other participation will enrich our classroom experiences.

I am looking forward to a wonderful and exciting year with you and your child!

Sincerely,

Jen Laughlin

Some important information to start off the year:

***These first weeks of school we will be getting to know one another. Creating community is a large part of the beginning of a new school year. Each week we will have a Star Student. The Friday before your child is chosen you will receive a letter informing you about the project. I am starting off the year by being the first Star Student. Check out the poster I have created when you get a chance.

***Every day your child will take home his/her Important Folder. Please try to check this each day. It may contain important announcements, homework assignments, or completed work. It is very important that your child brings this back to school each day. This will help to create a routine and continue the communication between home and school. Also, use this as a way to communicate with me. For instance, if your child is doing something different from their normal schedule (going home with a friend, being picked up from by another family member, etc) please send me a note to let me know the change of plans. I will check this folder each morning.

***We love to celebrate birthdays. Please let me know in advance if you plan on bringing in a treat for your child to share with the class. The ideal time for the party would be at the end of the day (2:45-3:15). However, in order to not hurt any child’s feelings in our classroom, please do not distribute party invitation in our classroom unless every child in our classroom is invited to the party. This ensures that children in our class will not be placed in an uncomfortable situation or get their feelings hurt.

***Homework will require some parental involvement at this level. Your cooperation is essential in developing a positive homework habit. First and foremost, you can encourage your child by showing interest and demonstrating helpful attitudes toward homework.
Some additional suggestions for homework:
• Provide a noise-free, well-lit place to work
• Establish a regular "homework time" in the home and have a special place free from excessive noise.
• Help your child organize adequate time to complete activities neatly and carefully.
• Encourage your child to ask for help when he/she doesn't understand something or is frustrated. Teachers, like parents, can help only if they know there is a need.
• Decide if it becomes too frustrating of a task to stop and take a break. Any work done under duress or frustration is not a positive or healthy learning experience.


***Toys and personal valuables should not be brought to school. If they are, they are at school at the child’s risk. All personal belongings should be clearly labeled with your child’s name.

***Attendance is important in first grade. What we do in class involves active participation, it is very important that your child attends each day. However, I do realize that sickness, family emergencies, and doctor’s appointments do occur. Whenever possible, your child’s schoolwork will be saved for him/her to complete upon their return to school.

That is it for now! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns as the school year gets started.

[Miss W]

I do a brochure that has one of the pages as my introduction letter. That way I can put other important information in with it. I usually don't put any personal information in it, besides my school email.

[TeacherRW]

I too do a brochure instead of a letter. I do not include personal information except for my school email and voicemail numbers.

This what I have included in mine...



The information contained in this brochure is intended to be a brief overview of procedures and expectations in Mrs. W.’s Room. The following information will be reviewed at length with students during the first several days of school. I look forward to working with each and every one of you. By working together (parents, students, & teachers), we will have a wonderful year.


Arrival Procedure…
Students should not arrive to school before 8:00AM as there is no supervision until then. Upon arriving at school, students are expected to enter the NW doors by the music rooms or the NE doors by the playground. They are to proceed into the Multi-Purpose Room area to wait until they are dismissed. Students are not allowed to enter the school through the main doors nor are they allowed to enter through the preschool/first grade wing until after 8:10 AM. Students will have time to take monies & notes down to the office during our morning procedures’ time period.

Dismissal Procedure…
My students will be dismissed at 2:50 PM through the main doors by the office. Please tell your child how s/he will be returning home from school before s/he comes to school. If you have several children at Bennett, please help them to determine a pre-arranged place to meet located outside of the school building. As all students have different dismissal exits, it is not possible for students to walk freely throughout the building to “pick-up” others. It is with this procedure that we are able to keep traffic moving smoothly through the hallways.

Nutrition Break…
Students have the option of having milk or juice for a mid-morning break. This will need to be ordered through the office for either semester or both semesters. Snacks are allowed during this time as long as they are nutritious in nature. I strongly urge you to send fruits or vegetables with your child for this break. Our growing bodies and learning minds need optimal fuel… and fruits-n-veggies have it! During the first couple days of school, students will learn to read food labels with assistance from a certified dietician. In this way, they will know what is an “OK” snack option--if fruits or veggies are not selected.

Water Bottles…
I do allow and encourage students to bring water bottles into the classroom. Studies show that our children do not drink enough water to keep their bodies fully hydrated. Students should bring their bottles home a couple of times a week to be washed and sanitized.

Birthday Treats…
Birthdays are still celebrated in 5th grade. Students may bring in a treat to share with the class on their special day or on their “half”-birthday. During this celebration, the healthy snack policy is not enforced. Please include any utensils or paper products (napkins, plates, glasses) necessary for the treats. For ease of distribution, I strongly suggest getting individually-portioned treats or pre-packaged treats. Please also keep in mind that in school we try to build a family of support and inclusion. I will not allow students to bring in and distribute party invitations to select members of the classroom. Unless the whole class is invited, please distribute invitations in a different manner outside of the school environment.

Supplies…
I trust that you were able to find the school supplies requested for our classroom. Please contact me if there are questions or concerns regarding them. As supplies are depleted (especially pencils), please replenish them for your child as it is essential to complete schoolwork in a timely and efficient manner.

Parent Signatures/Initials…
You will see that I frequently ask for parent signatures/initials. It is not intended to make more work for busy parents. The request is made so that I *know* you are getting vital information and/or are aware of expectations & upcoming events. It helps to open the line of communication between parent & teacher as well as parent & student.

Planners…
Students will receive a schoolwork/communication planner just as in the previous years. Students will be responsible for bringing their planner to & from school on a daily basis. All activities/tasks assigned or worked on during the day will be written in the planner. Homework will be highlighted so that parents know what needs to be completed. Upon completion of the work, I ask that parents verify it by initialing the planner on a daily basis. You may choose to initial each individual task or initial/sign at the bottom of the column.

Schoolwork vs. Homework…
On a daily basis, students will be practicing their skills through a variety of means. One way to check individual progress is through the assigning of schoolwork. Schoolwork is work that is assigned at school to be completed partially, if not fully, within the classroom setting. In some cases, a student will not get his/her schoolwork done; that work then is sent home as homework. The math and spelling curriculums that have been adopted for use in our district have several key components. The most powerful component is the homework/parent involvement piece, I believe. The worksheets that are sent home are to be completed with the help/supervision of a parent. I ask that parents sign/initial these worksheets (Study Links-math and Take Home Tasks-spelling) to verify that the work was completed at home and with a parent. There is a “Study Link” (math) for every lesson that is taught so you should see these pages coming home almost every night as it is my goal to work through an entire lesson each day. There is only one “Take Home Task” (spelling) per unit of study; you will see that coming home once a week typically. On all schoolwork and homework, D’Nealian cursive is typically required. Schoolwork/homework is due the following day unless otherwise noted in your child’s planner.

Leaving School for Appointments…
Please make sure that you send a note or call in to the school to notify us of any absences during the school day. Students can not be released until they have been signed out by a responsible adult. Upon return to school, it is asked that you bring your child back into the building & sign him/her in.

Student Phone Calls/Messages…
Students will not be allowed to make phone calls to parents during or after the school day to make arrangements or clarify after school plans. Please make sure that your child is aware of afternoon/evening plans before coming to school. I ask that you not call the office and leave messages for your child except in cases of dire emergency. When the office staff receives these calls, they need to interrupt the classroom to pass on the message. This results in a disruption of learning time for all children in the classroom. Please note: I will have students call home if they have forgotten something of extreme importance such as conference slips or lunch money.

Absences…
If you know of planned absences due to family events, please notify me as soon as possible. We can work out an arrangement for missing schoolwork and activities so that your child does not fall behind.

Contacting Mrs. W.…
Should you need to initiate contact with me, please do so in one of the following ways:
• Email me at _______________ ,
• Send me a note by placing it directly in your child’s planner or on another piece of paper, or
• Call & leave a voice mail. My voicemail number is xxx-xxxx. I am available during school hours from approximately 7:45AM- 3:30PM.
• Please refrain from calling my home residence as calls will not be accepted. Thank you for your understanding on this matter.


Thank you for being a TEAM player!!!

[krisaustin]

I too am working on my introduction letter. This is my first year teaching. Should I include in my letter that this is my first year teaching and where I graduated from?

[TeacherRW]

Personally, I wouldn't put anything "extra" in there for parents to ponder. They can ask about your credentials if they are inclined to. In your letter, introduce yourself with the basics.

"Welcome to our classroom! I am excited to be your ___ graders' teacher at ______ Elementary. I look forward to hearing from you... blah blah blah

We have discussed this within the last month, I believe. Do a site search on here for intro letters and see if you find more.

[krisaustin]

thanks so much for your help.
Kristal

[SeattleGal]

Thanks JenL and TeacherRW for posting your letters. (Especially Robin as your grade is the grade that I will be teaching.) It is great to have a reference!