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Grades: Grades are a measure of a child’s understanding. I try to explain to my first graders that a poor grade means they did not understand the material being taught. It tells me that I need to go back and help them with that particular skill. I do my best to always give the benefit of the doubt when I grade papers. If I make an error or you do not understand a particular grade your child received, please call it to my attention. I take at least one grade per subject each week. Graded papers will come home each Wednesday unless I state otherwise.

Discipline:  I will be following the school wide discipline program.  Each child will have a clothespin in which they will have to “move” if a rule is broken.  Most of you are familiar with this as the same method was used in Kindergarten.  The consequences are as follows:  Green=Warning, Yellow=Sad Note, Orange=Sad Note/Punish Work, Red=Recess Detention, Black=Paddling OR Office Referral.  Good behavior is rewarded with a weekly treat.  Each nine weeks there will be a good behavior party for those students with exceptional behavior.  The clothespins are all moved back up to the top each morning so everyone gets a fresh start.  A weekly behavior report is sent home each Friday.  Please sign and return on Monday.  If you do not want your child paddled, please send me a letter stating that.  I rarely paddle, but we need to be clear on discipline techniques. 

Library: Our library day is Friday. Please help your child remember to return his book.

Book Club: I send off a book order once a month to Scholastic Book Club. Through participation in the club, we earn free books, tapes, computer programs and other things for our classroom. Choosing books of their own is a great incentive to read for fun. The more a child reads, the better reader he/she becomes. I will be sending home our first order form in the next week or two. Checks should always be made payable to Doyle Elementary.