WELCOME TO FIRST

GRADE!
Mrs. Desrochers
Rm. 108
2021-2022
Burrell Elem.
 ~Meet Mrs. Desrochers~
• *2007 Framingham State Univ. Grad (dual degree w/ Elem. Educ. Concentration)
• *Received my Masters in Elem. Educ. from American International College in 2013.
• My first position right out of college was a LTS for a half year maternity leave in a Gr. 3
classroom in W. Bridgewater in 2008.
• *Taught Elem. Spanish (K-5) at 4 Elem. Schools in Franklin Public for 2 years, followed by 1
year LTS Elem. Spanish here in Foxboro at the Taylor & Igo.
• Taught 4th grade for five consecutive years here at Burrell. (Then took full year Maternity leave)
• Taught 4th grade for two more consecutive years at Igo. Then transferred back to Burrell:
• This is my 3rd year teaching First Grade at Burrell.
• My daughter Fiona just turned 5 earlier this month! I celebrated my 7th Wedding Anniversary
in July.
• One of my very special memories of
teaching here in Foxboro, was
meeting some NE Patriots Players a few yrs
ago, who came
to Igo School for Teacher Appreciation
Week! Here I am with James White and
former Pats player Keion Crossen! Talk
about one of the best
Surprises ever!
 Homework
 *HW typically sent home w/ the students on Mondays; returned to school completed on Fridays. Travels between
Home & School in the labeled Orange Daily Folder in the labeled HW Pocket
 *Reading Log- Students must record the date and Title of their books Independently- Parents can assist in
determining & helping their child fill out the correct Genres. The Genres have been abbreviated but are also stated in
full on the page to help remind the students of each.
 *There is a Genre Reference Page that can stay in the orange HW folder all year through or keep in a safe spot at
home to refer to often. I strongly recommend reading a variety of genres.
 Please have your child get in the habit of transporting the Orange Daily Folder back & forth between home and
school daily.
 New components will be added- Math component for math fact practice- primarily through games/online practice.
Students record an “I Can” Statement and/or record the facts practiced for the week. For The I CAN STATEMENT:
the student uses as much Gr. 1 Math vocabulary as they’ve acquired to reflect on the targeted skill they practiced.
 * Phonics HW component as well for additional letter writing formation/handwriting practice. Parent Letters/Packets
will be sent home @ the beginning of each new unit.
Snack Break and Birthday
Celebration Non-food Policy
– In lieu of bringing in a food snack item to celebrate a student’s birthday, families can send
in a Non-food item for the class. This can be in the form of a book that you’re donating in
your child’s honor for our classroom library, or you can send in individual items for the
bday student to pass out to their fellow classmates: such as: Erasers, pencils, mini activity
books, colored pencils, bookmarks, key chain, etc. Sending something in to acknowledge a
bday is optional. 
– This classroom is NOT peanut/tree nut free this year. There isn’t currently a child in this
classroom with a food allergy. You are welcome to send in snack items that may contain
traces of peanuts/tree-nuts for this school year, or you can choose to send in
peanut/tree-nut free products. *Please note this may not always be the case in future
years, if your child is in a classroom with a classmate with a life-threatening food allergy.
 SPECIALIST SCHEDULE

 Day 1: SPANISH 11:50-12:30 w/ Senora Montione

 Day 2: LIBRARY/LAB 11:30-12:30 (Mrs St. Germain) and SPANISH 2:00-
2:40
 Day 3: ART 10:30-11:10 w/ Ms. Scotland
 Day 4: WELLNESS 9:40-10:25 (Remember your Sneakers!) and GUIDANCE
11:15-11:45
 Day 5: MUSIC 9:00-9:40 w/ Ms. Kerner
 Day 6: WELLNESS (Remember your Sneakers) 11:15-11:55 w/ Mrs. Aucoin
through mid-November, and Mrs. Ryle the rest of the year (Mrs. Ryle’s
currently on maternity leave and is our new permanent Wellness teacher)
 DAILY COMMUNICATION FOLDER
This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Please check for “Mail,” as it comes home on a regular

basis in their Daily Communication Pocket.
Includes: Paperwork/Flyers from the office,
(corrected) student work, any additional
handout/notices from me.
Students are expected to bring their Orange Daily Folder
back and forth between home & school daily.
 First Grade Curriculum
Daily 5: ELA Block (90 min.) daily Math: (75 min.) daily
Researched based learning approach for Taught in the Guided Math structure (4
teaching literacy. (4 days out of 6) days out of 6)
• Build reading stamina & • Whole group Mini-lesson
independence in the areas of reading • Small Groups are then engaged in
& writing. various math activities- partner
• Read to Self, Listen to Reading, games, computer games, purposeful
Writing, Word Work, and Read to practice assignments, use of
Someone. manipulatives, etc.
• Allows teacher to meet in guided • Small group instruction-
reading Groups/Confer. Heterogenous groupings
• Fundations program- systematic • Must-Do Component
sequential program for phonemic • May-Do Component
awareness is taught daily for about • Math Specialist is in 1x/cycle for a
20 min. to enforce Phonics skills- long block.
promotes spelling. (Taught in gr. K-3) • Mini Assessments Monthly- address
• There are mini lessons, anchor
This Photo bycharts, power
Unknown Author is licensed under CCstandards
BY-SA-NC
and mentor texts. * Dedicated Fact Fluency block.
• Reading Specialist in 5 x 40 min. • Number Talks
• Promotes Flexible thinkers who can
manipulate numbers & defend their
responses
 Curriculum:
• ELA Reading/Writing Block: 90 min. daily (Rding Spec. Mrs. Alicia Sham (new to
Burrell, but certainly not new to District) will join us 5x/cycle. We will at times
co-teach writing lessons once a cycle. Daily 5 model implemented.
• Math: 75 Minutes Daily; Math Workshop Model: typically 4x/cycle. Mini-Lesson,
Choice, student-centered, rotations/centers, partner work, small group,1:1,
independent practice, computer practice, games, Strategies.
• Science &/or Soc. Studies: 4 x 30-40 min./cycle.
• Math Mini Assessments: (Given Monthly) 10 Questions (Power Standards) to
assess current content, as well as a Spiral Review of previous content. Aligned
to Standards. Helps drive our instruction for flexible grouping. There are end of
Unit assessments too throughout the year.
• Fact Fluency Assessments- Given at the end of each term. We typically offer 2
options: 1:1 Oral recall Version with use of an iPAD, or Trad. pencil & paper.
• Writing Assessment w/ District-wide Gr. Level common Prompt: 3x/yr for
Personal Narrative Genre.
 Morning Meeting: As part of Responsive
Classroom
• Morning meeting is a DAILY gathering where we get to come together in a circle and
share our lives. We start every single day in our classroom with morning meeting, so
students are set up for success first thing in the morning. This is a time when we greet
each other, we talk about what’s happening in our lives, we get to do a fun
activity/share and we learn what is planned for our day so we can focus on what’s ahead
and what we’re learning about! It typically lasts around 10-15 min. *Sets the TONE for
the day.*
• Morning meeting: “The FOUNDATION of everything that happens in our classroom. The
academics, the relationships, the behaviors, the fun. It all is built on morning meeting. The
reason this time of day is so important is simple: It’s all about building COMMUNITY. By
focusing on the community in our classroom, the students know they belong to something
special and that they are valued as unique individuals. This sense of belonging helps behaviors,
helps engagement and creates the sense of family in our classroom.”
• Source: www.thekindergartensmorgasboard.com
 ~Contact Me:
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed
under CC BY-SA

 MyTeacher Gr. 1 Weebly Page: Burrell Gr. 1 Classroom Pages under Burrell school (click on
Room 12- which was my former room number), which can be accessed from the main
Foxborough Schools home page under “Our Schools.”
 www.Mrsdesrochersgradefour.weebly.com
 Email is my preferred method of contact: I check it routinely
 and often answer within 24 hours.
desrochersb@foxborough.k12.ma.us
 Phone:please allow atleast a full 24 hours for a returned phone call during the school
week, as we do not take phone calls during the school day, unless you’ve scheduled a
pre-arranged call lined up with me at a mutually agreed upon time. (508) 543-1605
x52108
Would you care to donate a cleaning
supply item for our classroom? 
 If you haven’t yet sent in a cleaning product donation, Room 108 is frequently in need of:

 Rolls of Paper Towels

 Tissue Boxes
 Clorox/Lysol brand Antibacterial wipes. I find these brands to
be most effective, but I will gladly accept any brand you come
across.
 Hand Sanitizer
 Thank you for your thoughtful consideration in advance.
Did you remember to…

- Sign up for a November Parent-Teacher Conference

– Grab a pamphlet handout about First Grade cognitive
development. (distributed by the District)
– **Due ASAP: Review & Sign the 2nd side to provide Consent on the
Internet /Gr. 1 Website Usage form. And If you haven’t returned the
Parent Survey I sent home last week, please do so.
– Grab a hard copy of these Power Point slides.
Thank you so much for attending Open House and seeing our
new state of the art classroom. It was a sincere pleasure meeting
everyone. Here’s to a great school year ahead! Happy Autumn. 
Sincerely, Mrs. Desrochers