~Welcome to First Grade~

Welcome to first grade!  I hope you all had a fabulous summer!  I spent my summer hanging out with my three beautiful daughters, reading, we spent tons of time at the pool, went on a trip to Seagrove Beach in Florida, and had lots of fun outside and inside just enjoying each others' company.  The school year is upon us and while I'm sad that the long days of summer have come to an end, I'm also super excited about the coming school year. 

I am in my thirteenth year of teaching first grade (wow!) at CES.  I was raised in California my whole life and graduated from CHS in 2001.  I then graduated Summa Cum Laude from The University of Central Missouri with my Bachelors in Elementary Education.   I became a first grade teacher at CES and then went back to school and got my Masters from Southeast Missouri State University in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).  I am married to my college sweetheart, Kelly.  We have three amazingly beautiful and bright little girls, Lily, Elly, and Karly.  In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family.  I also enjoy photography, reading, and walking.

It is my goal to create a warming and welcoming environment for my students. I hope my classroom is an extension of home and that my firsties love stepping into our room everyday.   It is also my mission to instill a love of reading and learning in all of my students.  I strive to make learning fun and enjoyable.  I also aim to differentiate all of my lessons based on each child's individual academic needs.  I promise to give 120% of myself all of the time.  I love my job and my students truly are an extension of my "family."  It is with great pleasure that I will be serving you this school year.

Welcome to first grade...it's going to be AWESOME!

*If your child will be in my classroom for the 2018-2019 school year, please go to the link below and fill out our open house Google form.  This form includes the information that you would typically fill out during open house and return to school.  Therefore, filling out this form will help open house move more quickly and efficiently.  It will also help reduce the amount of paperwork for you to fill out and return to school.  Thank you!

Open House Google Forms

Camping Out in First

Welcome to all my fabulous firsties!!  Back to school we go!  I have been busy creating the BEST classroom learning environment for all of you and I can't wait to share our awesome space together.  Our classroom will be your home away from home.  I want you to be comfortable in our living space and feel right at home here in our room.  Teachers went back to work today. We have been busy with very important meetings, but I have managed to spend some time putting the finishing touches on our room and getting lesson plans for the first two weeks planned and ready to go.  I am soooo excited to meet all of you.  I hope you all take the time to join me for Open House on Tuesday, August 14th from 5:00-7:00 p.m.  During this time, you can come and get acquainted with your new teacher and classroom, find your seat before the first day, and bring in your labeled supplies (this will save tons of class time on the first day).  You will also leave Open House with a packet of information to thumb through, fill out, and return, plus you can come and get your lunch accounts set up.  After Open House, I encourage you to stick around for the PTO meeting that starts shortly after 7:00 p.m.  PTO does so many wonderful things for our students, teachers, and school.  Your support in creating a successful year for our PTO is greatly appreciated.  The work you put forth in taking care of our elementary school is phenomenal.   Take a look at our camp out space for the year.  Can't wait to meet you!!!!

Welcome to Our Classroom

Welcoming Bulletin Board

Classroom Happenings board

An overview of our room minus our cutesie curtains.  They hadn't been hung yet (they are finally up now so I'll have to put a new pic up soon so you can get the full effect.)

Schedule

Giving Tree for Open House

Baskets with labels for Open House

Baskets for Open House

Calendar (I use this for reference only because we conduct Calendar time on our Mimio interactive board.)

Student mailboxes

CAFE board (We will add reading strategy cards on this throughout the year.)

Writing Menu (We will add writing strategies throughout the year.)

Student "book shelves" This is where they will house their books for reader's workshop.

Class Library pic #1

Class Library pic #2

Class Library pic #3

Class Library pic #4

Class Library pic #5

Leveled labels for our library

Interest labels for our library.

Interest labels for our library.

More labeled baskets for Open House.

Our "book nook"

My current "messy" desk.

My one and only filing cabinet.

This is how I organize my copies for the day.

Behavior Clip Chart for the year.

Class Handbook ready for Open House.

Welcome letter for Open House

Student "goodies" for Open House.

 I still have a few finishing touches to put on our classroom before Open House.  But, this gives you an overview of what our classroom looks like.  I hope to see all your faces tomorrow night at Open House.  Let's make this a FAB-U-LOUS year!!!