Useful links: ONLINE PAYMENTS

All cash donations can be paid to the Q1 Office on or before Back to School Night, or you can pay online here: ONLINE PAYMENTS marking “other” and typing what the donation is for such as: Strain Supplies, or Strain Parties, or Strain Field Trips.

Please click the link to e-sign the class disclosure after reading it: Class Disclosure E-Sign

1st grade Disclosure

Welcome the beginning of a new school year at Quest Academy!  I am so very excited to have the opportunity of working with you and your child!  I look forward to helping your child experience an exciting and very rewarding academic year.

I truly believe that learning should be fun and rewarding, with each child having the opportunity to learn.  There are a few things that are necessary for that to take place.  All students and parents/guardians need to be made aware of and agree to adhere to the items outlined in the disclosure.

Key elements, rules, policies, and guidelines are in place to help our classroom to function at its greatest potential are as follows:

Rules: Our class rules will be presented and are posted in the classroom, and each student will be expected to follow the classroom rules, all Quest Academy school rules, as well as all classroom procedures.  Class rules include:

1. Listen when someone is talking.
2. Follow directions the first time they are given.
3. Treat everyone with kindness and respect.
4. Take care of our school and classroom.
5. Be safe, be kind, be honest.

All students will be expected to be prepared with necessary materials for learning, completed schoolwork, homework, and a positive attitude for learning.

Curriculum:  We will be learning exciting new things together as we focus on the new Common Core curriculum. The curriculum includes ideas, concepts, and skills to provide a foundation for later learning.  More information can be found at www.corestandards.org or click on the link found on the Core Standards page on our class blog.  At Quest we also have Technology Standards that we will be learning.  Both the Common Core Standards and our Technology Standards are on our blog.

Take-Home Folder (blue plastic 3 prong 2 pocket folder):  Please have your child return the blue folder every Friday.  It will be refilled with any information and reading passages for your child to use throughout the week.

Since we are a technology school, much of our school-work is technology-based.  In addition, my teaching strategies include the use of very hands-on, engaging, or manipulative-based learning strategies, including singing for reading, math, etc.  Please do not be alarmed when you do not see a lot of paperwork coming home – please be assured that your child is definitely learning!!  While we will be using worksheets, etc. to some extent, this is not our primary method of learning, and you will not be receiving a lot of paperwork from school.  In addition to checking the Take-Home Folder, please check the blog regularly to stay updated on current classroom events and other updates.

Classroom News:  Classroom News will be posted on the blog, which is how we will update you on any upcoming events, reminders, etc. Please be sure that a parent reads the notes EVERY WEEK.  Very few notes will actually be sent home – most communication will be done via the blog.

High Frequency Words:  First graders at Quest are required to read, write, and spell 125 high frequency words.  We will learn them each week.

Math:  In first grade we work on Addition Fluency, so your child will be practicing Math fluency daily and we also use Ready Math and I-ready Math.  Math homework is assigned for review and so that you can see what we are doing in class.

Reading:  Every child is to read 20 minutes a day.  In class, we will be leveling your child to their independent and instructional reading level.   We use the Wonders Language Arts program curriculum.

Projects:  The vast majority of our 1^st grade projects will be completed in-class, but if any projects are sent home, please, please, PLEASE! Resist the temptation to do the project for your student, even in part! Answer questions, give guidance, provide directions, but please allow your child to do his/her own work.  Doing the project for your child takes away from the learning process and robs your child of the necessary sense of accomplishment.  Additionally, doing a project for your child makes for unfair comparisons between students’ work.

Discipline:   Our school wide policy for discipline is a love and logic based system based on sad or smart choices.  If sad choices are made in which consequences must be given, they will have a consequence that fits the sad decision.  Making a sad choice means they have broken a rule and had multiple verbal reminders about choices.  They may need to visit the reset spot and get their body and mind back on track before rejoining the class.  If they have continued with this behavior, and we still have a problem, then we may need to meet together to help the child find a solution with the behavior taking place.  Any serious behavior issues, such as fighting or abusive behavior, will result in your child going directly to the principal’s office.  (See Parent Handbook for additional information on behavioral discipline.)

Rewards:  We are firm believers in positive reinforcement.  Our class will be earning rewards in multiple ways for following the rules.  Individually, students can earn  Gear Points when they are being a good example to others by following directions quickly.

Gears Points:    In addition to our school-wide discipline system, our classroom will also be using a Gear Points reward program based on the classroom theme of Let’s get those Gears turning. In our classroom we will be using Gear points.  Your child will earn Gear points for good behavior (helping others, being quiet in the hallways, completing homework, etc.),  There will be many opportunities to earn Gear points throughout the week.  At the end of the week, your child may trade in his/her earned Gear points for a variety of prizes, particularly incentive coupons.  This program works very well by providing your child with tangible incentives for making Great choices.

Donations:  In order to enrich your child’s educational experience, we ask for voluntary donations of supplies.  Needed supplies are found on our class blog.  Additional donations for field trips may be requested at a later time, and we will give notification regarding field trips when they approach.  Additionally, donation of your time is critical to the class.  A sign-up sheet will be provided on back to school night.

Name Badge Violation: Each student at Quest Academy is given a name badge at the beginning of the year and is required to wear it.  These badges need to remain at school each day.  If your child forgets to remove their badge at the end of the day, please have them immediately put it in their backpack to ensure they will have it the next day.  If your child is missing their name badge, they will need to clip down on our clip chart and get a temporary badge at the office.  If the badge is lost or broken, a new one can be purchased at the office for $5.   If after three days the badge is not returned to school or a new badge has not been ordered, the student will receive lunchtime detention.

Availability:  I will be available at the school by appointment to help you and your child or to answer any questions you might have.  Please schedule this with me in advance, as our time away from the children is used to prepare for the school day activities.  Please refrain from discussing issues with us during class time; it is very difficult to be unexpectedly interrupted once class begins, and it takes away from valuable instructional time.  You may also e-mail me with any questions or for help on specific items that we can work with your child on during school.  I am usually very, very quick to respond to e-mails – even more so than to voicemail, etc., therefore, e-mail is usually the best way to reach me outside of the classroom.  My email address is: Jstrain@questac.org.  

Birthdays: Administration has asked that students not bring in any food-type treats.  Please do not feel obligated to have your student bring in anything for his/her birthday.  Your child’s birthday will definitely be acknowledged!  ( love to make a fuss over birthdays!)  If you do choose to bring something to school to celebrate your child’s birthday, please make arrangements with me prior to the school day on your child’s birthday – either the morning of your child’s birthday before class begins, or preferably before.  Once class begins, it is very difficult to be unexpectedly interrupted.  There are 28 students in class. Our birthday calendar is listed below for your review:

To avoid any hurt feelings, please mail any birthday invitations to classmates’ homes.  Please do not pass them out before or after school.  If your student brings birthday invitations to school, we will instruct him/her to place the invitations in students’ file folders, which students empty at the very end of the day, and I will ask that students not open the invitations until they are at home.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: Conferences are listed on the school calendar as SEP’s.

School Calendar:  Please check the school calendar for “early days” and “no-school days.” Early-day dismissal every Friday is at 1:10pm.  You can obtain a copy of the school calendar from the Quest Academy website under the Elementary tab (www.questac.org).

Uniform Policy:   Per Quest Academy policy (see Parent Handbook), please be sure your child is in compliance with the school uniform policy.  If your child is not dressed appropriately for cold weather, at recess or P.E. time your child will be asked to choose a coat from the Lost and Found, and will still be required to participate in recess of P.E. as per the school’s policy.  PLEASE be sure that your child is dressed appropriately for cold weather – this may include gloves, warm boots, hats, and snow pants or coveralls.

Grading:  Students will be assessed informally as well as formally.  Tests could be given on all days of the week.  The results of those tests will be provided at the parent teacher conferences. Quest’s Grading Policy is listed below in relation to mastery:

Technology:  Students will have access to both the PC and MAC lab, as well as use of laptops in-class.  Please be sure to fill out the Internet Usage form, otherwise your child will not have computer access. Your student will be assigned a specific computer#.  If any damage occurs to the laptop computer while they are using it the cost of repair will be the student’s.

Physical Education:  P.E.  is held in either the gym or outside.  We do exercise, run laps, practice P.E. skills, and play games.  Additionally, our class will often exercise to music in order to get out “the wiggles” and prepare for “mental exercise”.  Therefore, your child needs to wear appropriate clothing and footwear, as per the school Uniform Policy.  If you feel your child should not participate in P.E. activities on a particular day, please submit a short note, stating the reason, with your signature.  All students will be expected to participate unless excused.

Parent Volunteers:  I LOVE to have parent volunteers in the classroom!  Typically, parent volunteers either assist with activities during Centers or with reading activities.  We will have a sign-up sheet for Parent Volunteers at Back to School Night.  If you are unable to volunteer in the classroom, that is just fine.  I may have things to be sent home and worked on – please let me know if this is an area in which you can help. I am also looking for someone to be our Room Captain and co-Captain; these positions are liaisons between our classroom and POQA and oversee of 2-3 class parties during the school year.

Please click on the link below to acknowledge you have read and reviewed the class disclosure.  This link is also listed on our Welcome New Students Post and if completed there does not need to be completed again. Class Disclosure e-Signature

As a parent or guardian of a student at Quest Academy Charter School, I acknowledge that you have read and shared with your child the Disclosure Information for Ms. Strain’s First Grade Classroom.  You also acknowledge that you can access another copy on Ms. Strain’s blog if needed.

Please find the supply list for Ms. Strain’s class by clicking on the “Supply List” tab at the top of the blog page.