First Grade Important Information  

 
Attendance    
School hours are 8:20-2:55. Regular school attendance is extremely important! Progress and 
success in school depends on regular and punctual attendance. Please be sure to have your child 
here EVERYDAY and ON TIME unless they are ill. We also encourage you to try and make all 
dentists and doctors appointments after school. If your child is sick or needs to leave during 
the school day, please notify the office. We realize that sometimes vacation opportunities 
arise throughout the school year; however, it truly does impede your child’s progress in school 
when he or she misses an extended period of time. If your child does miss school due to a 
vacation, homework will need to be made up ​after they return to school (school policy).   
 
Communication/Take Home Folders    
Communication between parents and teachers is extremely important to your child’s success in 
school. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call Mrs. DeCraene or Ms. 
Fedele at (630) 968-0294. If we are unavailable you may leave a message with the school 
secretary or on the school’s voice mail, which will be reviewed and addressed as soon as possible. 
You may also contact us through e-mail: jdecraene@dg58.org or sfedele@dg58.org 
 
Your child’s take-home folder is our daily parent/teacher communication tool. The folder will be 
sent home each day and should be returned​ ​every morning, even if it is empty.​ ​Please put 
all notes, permission slips, PTA communications,​ ​homework, lunch money, etc. in the 
folder. Send all money to school in an envelope clearly labeled with your child’s name and 
teacher inside the front pocket of the folder​. Mail and homework will be placed into the 
folder each afternoon. Please ​check​ and ​empty​ the folder ​each​ evening with your child at home. 
All important correspondence and documents need to come to school in this folder and ​this 
folder only​. First graders will learn organizational skills by using the folder. 
 
Arrival    
First graders will be lining up with the second and third graders in the morning on the 
playground/Belmont Rd. side. Staff members will let students into the building. Parents are 
not to enter the building with their children in the morning. ​When entering the building for any 
reason during school hours, you MUST first check in at the office.​ ​Late arrivals should always 
enter on the Haddow side and stop in at the office for a tardy slip.   
 
Departure 
First graders will be dismissed outside on the Haddow Ave. side. If you are meeting your child 
outside of the Haddow doors, you should park in a DESIGNATED parking spot in the Haddow 
parking lot. Parents who are walking will also meet their child on this side. Please remain 
outside the first grade doors until your child exits with his/her classmates.   
 
 
Play dates and changes in normal routine 
If your child has a play date, we need a note from ​both​ parents, which gives permission and lists 
how the children are going home. ​To insure your child’s safety, any changes in normal arrival and 
departure routines must be sent to the teacher in writing. This note will then be forwarded to 
the office so that the school is aware of the change as well. If we do not receive notes from 
both parents we will have to send the students home by their normal way of departure. 
 
Snack Time   
Each day we will have a snack break after morning recess. Please send a ​HEALTHY​ snack to 
school with your child each day. Please do not send a drink (juice, etc.). Snacks should be “user 
friendly”, i.e. easy to open, prewashed and cut, and easy to finish in ten minutes. Chips, cookies, 
sweet treats, and other ”junk foods” are not considered healthy snacks and are not allowed 
during snack time. Fruits, vegetables, fruit snacks, yogurt, applesauce, etc. make excellent 
snacks and provide a sustained energy boost to help the first graders make it through the 
morning. Please read ingredients of the snacks. Snacks with any types of nuts are prohibited in 
our classroom due to nut allergies. 
 
Water Bottles 
We will provide bathroom and water breaks for the students. If you choose to send a water 
bottle for your child, please make sure it has their name on it. Bottles will be kept in the 
designated location, especially during the warmer months. If it becomes a distraction we will 
then move the bottles to their lockers. 
 
Lunch Time    
Lunch is from​ 11:40-12:00​ and Recess for primary students is from ​12:00-12:20​. Students may 
bring their own lunch or order a hot lunch. Orders for lunch need to be placed one week in 
advance. A hot lunch order form will be sent home each week and ​must be​ ​returned by the 
beginning of the day at 9:00 a.m. each Wednesday​ in order to receive lunch one week after the 
order is placed. Please place the order form and money in an envelope marked “Lunch Order”, 
and write your child’s name on it.​ The price of lunch is ​$2.85 ​per day. Menus will be sent home 
monthly (attached to the Blue News). You may order lunch up to a month in advance if you wish. 
Milk will not be sold on a daily basis. In order for your child to receive milk everyday, milk​ ​must 
be purchased for the year. If you need further information, please call the school office. 
 
Library Time    
Both first grade classes will be learning library skills and checking out library books each week. 
You will be notified of the day that they have library so that they can return their library 
books.   
 
Birthdays 
Your child is welcome to celebrate his or her birthday at school. If your child’s birthday occurs 
on the weekend, we will celebrate the Friday before. Summer birthdays will be celebrated on a 
date that is coordinated with your child’s teacher; typically towards the end of the school year. 
You may send in a birthday treat if you wish. ​Treats need to be pre-packaged for each child. 
They will be sent home at the end of the day. Students are not allowed to eat them in school 
due to allergies. An alternative to food could be non-edible items, as long as there is enough for 
each child in the class. If you did not want to do individual items, a book for the classroom 
library would be greatly appreciated in honor of your child’s birthday. Please do not send 
drinks. ​We also ask that you do not send party invitations to school.​They need to be passed 
out or mailed (PTA publishes a family directory for this purpose) outside of school. The same 
rule applies for thank you notes. We appreciate your understanding.  
 
Scholastic News/General Activity Fund  
The school​ ​district does not pay for our class magazine subscription to ​Scholastic News​. We 
would also love to enrich daily classroom life through incorporating special crafts and projects 
that may require additional supplies/resources. A ​$5 ​contribution per child is kindly requested 
for these activities. (You may send cash or a check, made payable to Henry Puffer School.) 
PLEASE SEND THESE FEES to school AS​ ​SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALSO, REMEMBER TO 
LABEL THE ENVELOPE​ ​WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME AND TEACHER.   
 
Lost and Found  
If you can’t find it at home, your child’s locker, desk, pockets, etc. it’s probably in the Lost and 
Found! All “found” items will be placed in a box located outside of the lunchroom (small gym). 
Valuable items will be held in the office until they are claimed.   
 
Curriculum  
Curriculum information will be provided at Curriculum Night, which is Tuesday evening, 
September 11th. We hope to see you there! Watch for the flyer to come home soon regarding 
time. Bring your questions! 
 
Specials 
P. E. (30 minutes on Thursdays and Fridays) 
Art (40 minutes every Wednesday) 
Music (30 minutes on Thursday for Mrs. DeCraene, 30 minutes on Wednesday for Ms. Fedele)  
Library (45 minutes once a week on Wednesday for Mrs. DeCraene, on Monday for Ms. Fedele )  
 
 
Summary 
(Things to send to school) 
 
*​$5.00​ Scholastic News/ Activity Fund fee (cash or check made out to Henry Puffer 
School) 
 
*Daily healthy snacks  
 
*Student information sheet