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Today the students learned how to use the word wall.  We placed our names on the word wall based on what letter our name started with.  Instead of expensive boarder the students made their own boarder for our word wall!



The students had a terrific day.  Thank you to all the parents that stayed to help with breakfast and read with the kids!

Leander did come to visit us. He will be gone for two weeks because his full time nurse needs to be trained. ALL the students wanted to talk to him and say, in sign language, "I am your friend".  

As a class, we came up with line rules:
1. Arms folded
2. Stay quiet
3. Stay in your spot.  (My line leaders were excellent helpers in holding up the signs!)

We also learned bathroom rules:
1. Stay quiet
2. 1 squirt of soap
3. 2 waves (2 pulls of the paper towels)
4. Do your business and come out!

The students also heard a story about a monster who came to school.  Ask them to tell you about it. 

At the end of the day, Mr. K came to our room for technology.  He did wonderful warm up exercises with the students and played a game to learn their names.  The students are very excited about using iPads and chrome books in the future!

I wish I had pictures to share of our first day!  If you took pictures of your child, please email them to me (if you want), so I can post them here on the blog.

This is Lauryn reading in the morning.  She was so patient while I tried to figure out breakfast in the classroom!



What a great start to the year!


This will be sent home on Monday.  Please return it on Tuesday.  


Using Diversity to Teach Students
If any way you are not comfortable filling this out, please don’t. I am asking these questions so that I can add to my teaching so it is more relevant to your child.  Also, other students learn from each other, especially through differences. 
Student Name_________________________________Languages spoken_______________________
Parent(s)/Guardian(s)_________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
                Languages Spoken: _________________________________________________________
Where was your child born, city and country if different from US ?_____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
How many brothers or sisters do they have? And how old are they? ____________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Where were you the parent(s)/guardian(s) born? Country and City_____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What holidays do you celebrate (federal and/or religious) ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Is there any type of food/item/clothing/jewelry that your family has that is unique?_________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Please share any other additional information that you think would help: _________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What are your hopes and dreams for your child? (Now and or in the future)
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

**************PLEASE RETURN ON TUESDAY!*************



Please click here for the welcome back letter. 
It has the following information:
A Little Bit About Me
Teaching
Behavior/Rules
Communication with me
Homework Expectations




Typically, this is what your child's homework will look like. And it is also the first week of homework. We will be adding spelling later.  Homework is always due on Fridays.  Reading Logs are always due the following week. We will always try to keep the reading on a pink paper so it is easy to find.  If you have any questions, please let me know!


(This was sent as an email to all families that have an email on file.  If you did not get this, let me know so I can add your email to my list)

Dear Families,


Thank you very much to those of you that attended the Popsicle meet and greet.  It was wonderful to meet you all.  I cannot wait to begin this year!

On Monday, please bring your child to the back of the building near the playground around 8 or a little before.  I will be holding a large yellow sign saying, "Ms. Feinman 1st Grade, Room 116". I will be bringing students inside at 8:05.  
This is the first year that we will be having breakfast in the classroom (it is optional, not required).  However, it is still part of the instructional day, so your child will have to be there.  

When we walk into the building, I will have students find their name on a hook outside our room.  They will hang up their backpack and school supplies.  We will enter the classroom and students will eat breakfast (if they want to). There will be books on tables for students to read and look through.  I will be taking attendance and finding out how everyone is getting home.  I already have one volunteer who offered to help during breakfast (thank you!).  If you would like to stay until breakfast is over (8:30) to help students clean up and or read with them, that would be greatly appreciated.  

At 8:30, I will then be sharing a book about a special student who will be joining our class.  You may want to stick around for that as well.  If not, information will be sent home about this student on Monday.

A few reminders:
-If you have not brought in school supplies, please do so.  The list can be found on our classroom website http://feinmandoramoore.blogspot.com 
-I request that you write your child's name on their crayons, markers, white glue, plastic folders, hightlighters and scissors.  I have plenty of permanent markers if you want to do this in the hall.  
-If you pick up your child, they will be taken to the back of the school at 3pm.
-PLEASE GO THROUGH YOUR CHILD'S FOLDER MONDAY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There will be a lot of information.  If you have not filled out registration paperwork, you must do this and return it Tuesday.  One of the papers going home will be about http://www.classroomdojo.com.  I use this as my behavior system.  You can check your child's behavior online daily once you have used the code I will be sending home.  
A copy of our schedule will also go home on Monday. 

Another paper I will be sending home is a questionnaire about your family's culture, traditions and celebrations.  We are such a diverse school and I always want students to learn from each other.  I would love to know where your child was born, and where YOU were born.  We have one family from India and I am so excited for the students to learn a few Hindi words! :D If you would like to send me pictures of traditions and celebrations, please do so (especially around the holidays).  Last year, I discovered a Bulgarian holiday I never knew before called Baba Marta. 

Much of this information will be posted on our website.  For reassurance, I never use last names.  I encourage you to go to our website and help your child make a comment on this post: http://feinmandoramoore.blogspot.com/2014/08/welcome-back-to-school.html.  You can also look through the website to see how students have used it in the past.  

If you would like to call me tomorrow you may do so anytime before 9pm.
cell phone: 336-577-0315
home phone: 303-362-1488

Have a wonderful Sunday!  I am looking forward to talking to familiar students and meeting new ones!  It is going to be a wonderful year!

Thank you for all the supporting your child's education.  
Ms. Feinman
1st Grade

I can't wait to meet all the new first graders!  

It has been a very busy summer.  I went to North Carolina to visit my best friend.  My favorite part of the trip was canoeing.  We didn't really know how to do it when we got in the canoe.  But with a little effort and problem solving we went all over Salem Lake in Winston-Salem.




While In North Carolina, I thought I would experiment with my hair.  I LOVED the turquoise color! And I loved cutting about 8 inches off!!

From Winston-Salem, I drove up to Williamsburg, Virginia to see my grandparents.  While we were there, they took me on a "mini" tour of Colonial Williamsburg (I have been many times).  I was shocked to discover my Uncle Bill LIVES in Colonial Williamsburg!  He works for them, so he gets to live on the property.  This is a picture of the house he lives in.  It was originally the cook's house.  At that time in history, kitchens were known for large fires that could bring down a whole house.  So they separated the master house from the cooks house.  He said it gets very cold in the winter.  But he likes living there.  You can walk right around the corner and suddenly you bump into somone dressed from that time period!  He often gets goats and cows that wander through his yard.  And tourists who think his house is part of the tour.  




Here in Denver, I went to Comedy Works to see my favorite comedian, Bobby Lee.  I was so thrilled to have my picture taken with him.  He noticed the shirt I was wearing and said, "Namaste".  Very funny guy.  I hope I get to see him again.

My boyfriend, Eric, my dad and step mom all went to the July 4th Rockies game.  Although the Rockies lost we still had fun munching away at peanuts, sunflower seeds and of course watching FIREWORKS!


After returning from Florida it was back to work!  Literacy teachers went to a week long training in July.  I gained a lot of valuable skills, ideas, books and advice to help me even more in my teaching practice.


Eric and I also took a trip to Florida (our first plane ride together), where I met his step-mom, dad, half brother and half sister.  We watched their big fancy house while they went out of town.  I spent most of the time in the pool, while Eric worked.  I fell in love with their cat, Cesar and their dog Pepper.



I spent a lot of time creating art work and participating in Trading Cards.  Jerry Simpson is "the man" of trading cards in Denver.  I was able to submit artwork to the Denver County Fair and volunteer at his booth.  I had a wonderful time!  Can't wait to do it again next year!!


I also spent a lot of time giving love to our three cats, Melby, Shoey and Harley.  I never imagined owning that many cats, but they bring so much joy to our lives.

Currently, I am dog sitting for my parents.  Hadley and Smokey keep me alert!  They are very playful and love barking at motorcycles.  I've been trying to teach Hadley how to "play dead".  We are getting closer every time!

I've spent a few days at Dora Moore this week.  I am "weeding" out all the things that I don't need.  It is a long, hot, dusty process!  I can't wait to see everyone for the Popsicle Social. Thursday, August 21st from 2:00 – 3:30pm Bring in your school supplies!  If you have any questions about school supplies, please send me an email : sarah_feinman@dpsk12.org.

If you would like to meet with me privately before school starts, please contact me.  You can also reach me on my home phone at 303.362.1488.

Please help your child respond in the comments section (first names only).  I would love to hear about what you did over the summer!

Students will be using this blog A LOT.  Check back often!!




I am always looking for ways to communicate with parents better, motivate students and track behavior.  I started using Class Dojo last year.  I had great success with it.  The students and parents loved it.  Parents were able to check their smart phone at the end of the day to see how their child did.  I use my smart phone throughout the day, easily giving points, or taking away points based on certain categories such as:
Line Behavior
Bathroom Ettiqute
Participation
Perserverance
Carpet Behavior
Helping Others
Team Work

As long as you have access to the internet, you can track your child's progress.  And if you do not have internet, I have the ability to make printouts of the reports so you can view them.  I am can chat live with you via our smart phones.  It is a wonderful tool.  I hope you will join me in using this tool to help better your child's education.

More information will be given on the first day of school so that each family can sign up.  (It is FREE!) You can also visit classdojo.com for more information.

Here is a video that might provide more information: