Welcome to Room 19!
 

Enjoy your child's message
on the red school house.

Please write a short message
on the other side
and leave it on the table
for him/her to find tomorrow. 

About Mrs. Polay

I do not check email during the school day.
​I will check it once a day, but I cannot always return emails promptly.
​If it is urgent, better to send a note in the homework folder or call the office.

Some Quotes that Influence My Teaching

Current Class Schedule

​

Social and Emotional Learning

• ​​​Positive reinforcement throughout the day
• Responsible decision-making is emphasized, Flexible Seating​
• Growth vs. Fixed Mindset: Bubblegum Brain vs. Brick Brain
  • Challenges make me stronger.
  • Mistakes help me learn.
  • I grow my brain by learning hard things.
  • I can always improve.
  • When I work hard, I get better.
• Mindfulness
• Restorative Justice, Bucket Filling, Teamwork
• Health and Social Studies Curriculum

Critical Thinking and Metacognitive Strategies

• Icons of Depth and Complexity
  • Created by Dr. Sandra Kaplan for work with students identified as Gifted and Talented, but they are great for all learners
  • Helps to frame student thinking and allows them to dive deeper into content
• ​​Teacher think-alouds help model and teach the thought process
• My goal is to teach students to think and to problem solve

Math

Student of the Week

 • Everyone will get a turn, but students have to earn a chance to be picked.
 • Names are chosen randomly in a fun way on Friday.

 • Pasta the Pig – goes home on Friday. Return on Thursday.
 • Journal your adventures. Due Thursday.
 • Student poster – homemade or use the poster I supply. Open due date.

Behavior

–Positive reinforcement throughout the day
–Superstars (5 = Prize Box)
–Class marble jar

​Not following our class rules?
1. Redirection
2. Warning
3. Noticing break (Students take a moment outside of our circle/rug area/working stations to get themselves back on track. Once they are ready, they return to the group.)
4. Lose p.a.t. time (during which, teacher and student conference)
5. Letter home

Westwood Charter Pen Pals

–We will write to our pen pals every few weeks. The assignment will be sent home on Wednesday (letter and picture) and should be returned no later than the following Monday.
–Our pen pals will visit us at Roscomare in May for a celebration.

Homework

Lexia:

• The program has been updated. Information is in your packet.
• Logins remain the same as last year.
• The goal is to complete at least level 9 by the end of the year. Lexia homework should take about 40 minutes each week, depending on your child's level. Consider doing multiple short sessions instead of having your child do the minutes in one sitting. 

ST Math: 

• If you are using a tablet, you will need to download the clever app. Use the QR code to access your child's account.
• If you are using a computer:
  • Access the program at https://clever.com › lausd. 
  • Click "Log in with Active Directory" not the Clever Badge log in. 
  • Enter your child's full email address and password, and sign in.
  • Click the ST Math icon to begin.​

• LAUSD email address will stay with students through 12 grade, so have your child start to learn the address. 
• The goal is for your child to complete the 1st grade curriculum by the end of the year. ST Math homework should be done about twice a week. 

Spelling:

• Packets are sent home on Friday and returned Tuesday.
• Students should study for Friday's test throughout the week.
• A practice test is Thursday night's homework.

Nightly reading (independently and with an adult)

Other homework will include things such as fluency practice, pen pal letters, science observations, math and language arts sheets. Homework should take no more than 20 minutes each night, not including reading and Lexia/ST Math. Please let me know if it is taking longer.

Attendance Matters!

It is important that your child comes to school every day and arrives on time. Many of our learning experiences cannot be replicated at home. Try to minimize school interruptions as much as possible. Routine is important. This includes leaving early.

Please understand that I cannot stop teaching to prepare work to send with your child. If you let me know a few days in advance, I can prepare some things, but they will not take the place of being at school. 😀  

Birthday and other Celebrations

–Birthday celebrations will be held at the end of the day. If there are multiple birthdays a month, we may have to celebrate as a group. 
–Each child will be individually recognized in class.
–All food must be nut free. When bringing birthday treats, please bring something simple to pass out (all of the same thing is preferred).
–Sign up sheets will be posted on Shutterfly for other class celebrations.

Volunteers

Must be approved by LAUSD.

​My goal is for students to do the thinking and problem solving, so parent volunteers should respond to questions with that in mind. For example, if a child asks, "How do you spell...?" the parent should say, "What do you think?" In fact, most questions can be answered initially this way. Sometimes kids just need to be reminded that they know a lot!

I will need volunteers during reading time who will blend in with the class. Talk with your child beforehand and tell him/her you are there to work with other kids.