First Grade A Welcome Letter

Welcome to 1st Grade

Dear Parents,

Welcome to First Grade! I will be your child’s homeroom teacher for this year. My homeroom class is 1A (Room 7). As you know, at Cedar Hill Prep, starting in Grade 1, the children have specialized teachers. Mrs. Turkowsky will be teaching your child Language Arts and Social Studies, and I will be teaching Math and Science.

The curriculum (Science, SS, Math, and Language Arts) will be the same for both First Grade classes.

Both Mrs. Turkowsky and I are excited to be embarking on this journey with your child. Across all subject matter, the curriculum is engaging and participatory, and allows your child’s natural curiosity and creativity to flourish.

In the following pages, I have provided detailed information about supplies, lunch, snack, arrival and dismissal, and more. Please be sure to read through it all.

Lunch/Snack

Student Safety and Supplies

Student safety is our number one priority, so I request you to secure in your child’s backpack the following items:

1)All school supplies exactly as requested in the supply list. The supply list is reattached with the email.

2)Daily planner - This will be given to your child on the first day of school. Please fill out the information on the first page of the planner.

3)Masks - will be optional this year (If you choose to have your child wear one, please provide it yourself. Please remember to keep extra masks in the child’s backpack - front pocket).

4) Water bottle, lunch, and utensils. If you will be ordering hot lunch for your child, please visit:

September 2023 Lunch Menu

5) Please also pack a small morning snack (AM Snack). Make sure your child has a good breakfast before arriving at school as snack will be only a small bridge between breakfast and lunch.

If your child will be staying for aftercare, please send another snack separately packed and clearly labeled ‘PM Snack’.

Arrival/Dismissal Procedures

Students should be dropped off outside the main door between 8am and 8.20am. School teachers/staff will welcome your child and show him/her to the right classroom. If your child is enrolled in before care, you will drop your child through the side door under the portico (the area with the red pillared structure). This door opens into the lunch room. Before care staff will let your child in.

At dismissal, you will pick your child up from under the portico (the area with the red pillared structure) between 2.50pm and 3.00pm. If your child is in aftercare, please go to the main door. The receptionist will then call for your child.

1st Grade Schedule and Uniforms

Your child will have the 4 core subjects everyday - These are Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and Science. First Grade will have lunch at 11.30am and recess at 12pm everyday.

Other than the 4 core subjects, lunch, and recess, we will have specials classes as follows:

Monday - World Language (Spanish) and Drama

Tuesday - Gym and Technology

Wednesday - Gym and World Language (Spanish)

Thursday - Music

Friday - Art and Gym

Here is the corresponding uniform schedule:

Monday - Regular uniform with dress shoes/Mary Janes for girls

Tuesday - Regular uniform with dress shoes/Mary Janes for girls

Wednesday - Gym uniform with sneakers

Thursday - Regular uniform with dress shoes/Mary Janes for girls

Friday - Gym uniform with sneakers

Starting in Grade 1, students wear more of the regular uniform than the gym uniform. Hence, although gym is 3 days a week, students will be wearing gym uniform only 2 out of the 3 gym days. If you have ordered school uniforms and they have not arrived yet, please try and have your child wear school uniform colors - red and navy blue.

If you have any questions specific to the school uniforms, please email - administration@cedarhillprep.com

Summer Homework

Students should bring their summer homework with them on the first or second day of school.

Summer Homework Assignment

Please familiarize yourself with Gradelink. This will be your Parent/Teacher portal for academic grades and report cards. You can also set up parent alerts to facilitate your child’s optimal learning.

Click Here for Details

If you are unsure of your Gradelink account login details, please email - administration@cedarhillprep.com.

Upcoming Dates

Tues, Sept. 05, 2023; Town Hall Meeting via Zoom, 7:00 pm

Wed, Sept. 06, 2023: New Parent Orientation on-campus at 8:00 am

Thurs, Sept. 08, 2023: First Day ofSchool

Sat, Sept. 09, 2023: Welcome Picnic

Wed, Sept. 20, 2023: Back to School Night for Lower School

Please email both, Mrs. Turkowsky (jturkowsky@cedarhillprep.com) and myself (dpensack@cedarhillprep.com) regarding any changes you wish to notify unless you have a subject specific question. This is necessary because in case one of us is absent, the other teacher will have the information.

Finally, I request you to acknowledge receipt by replying to this email and providing me with following information so I am prepared for the First Day of school. Please know this information has already been provided to me.

I just need to confirm so there are no discrepancies and the First Day of school runs smoothly.

Your Name

Your child’s name

Your child’s date of birth

Does your child have any allergies?

How will your child be picked up?

Is your child in before and/or after care?

I look forward to meeting you next week!

Best, Ms.

Pensack