Grade 1 - What to Expect

Off To Grade One!

A handy guide for Grade Ones and new students of any age!

Welcome to Grade One at Mountview! Here are some tidbits of information which we hope will help you and your child to prepare for grade one.

How To Prepare For Grade 1 Over The Summer:

• Spend some time talking to your child about Grade One, which could include: going to school all day and eating lunch at school (practice opening containers that you would be including in your child’s lunch).
• Visit the school playground.
• Purchase school supplies on the School Start website (click here for the Gr 1 school supply list).
• Be calm and positive with your child - they are going to love grade one!
• Ensure that a consistent bedtime routine has been started about a week before school starts. Students are often quite tired during the first few weeks as they adjust to longer days in school.
• Eat a healthy breakfast every day before school.
• Information to apply for Charter bus transportation is here. All charter bus applications are due now and are completed online in Powerschool. Go to School Engage to apply. Late fees apply if applications are received after June 15th.
• The First Rider Program will be available this summer! This event introduces young students & parents to school bus safety. This event is important for students taking the bus for the first time. Click here for more information.

What To Bring On The First Day 

• School supplies
• One pair of non-marking, indoor running shoes which are left at school to be used at school
• Sturdy backpack to carry items to and from school, large enough for a lunch, library book, homework bag (and snowpants in the winter).
• Petit sac/Homework Bag or your own homework bag - we sell these online through your PowerSchool parent account or at the office for $11.00 and they last for years.
• Outdoor clothing for the weather conditions - we love going outside!
• A change of clothes in a labeled ziploc bag, including socks (just in case).
• Food - healthy snacks for recess, and mid-afternoon as well as a healthy lunch. Please send only non-microwavable lunches to school. 
• Please note: We are a nut aware school. Please do not send nuts, peanut butter, etc. in your child’s lunch.

Please be sure to label everything your child brings or wears

Mabels Labels Online Fundraiser (new & on-going): Multi-use labels for school supplies, clothing and home! 

This Canadian company gives our school a percentage for every purchase made online! Our School YETI logo has been uploaded to the site to allow you to create labels with our school mascot! 

Visit mabelslabels.ca: Click on Support a Fundraiser, Enter our School’s Name & Start Shopping!

What NOT to bring to school:

• tie-up shoes if your child cannot yet tie laces. Velcro or elastic laces work great. Learning to tie shoes is a great skill to practice over the summer before school starts.
• Toys that are not part of a school activity or project. These often get lost or broken.

What To Expect On The First Day of School:

Follow the regular bell schedule above.

• Before the first day of school, parents will receive a phone call or email from their child’s teacher with 1st day of school information.
• Your child’s class will have a designated door and boot room which they will learn about from their teacher. There will be a 2-day staggered entry, half the class will come one day & the other half on the 2nd day and students will enter by their designated door.
• Each day, Language Arts and Math are generally taught prior to morning recess so it is very important to be on time for school.
• Children will be outside for recess all year long, weather permitting. Please dress your child in clothing appropriate for the weather conditions.
• We would like parents to wait outside for drop off and pick up. We have a sign-in policy at the office for parents and other guests so we can control who is in our building and keep our students safe.
• Staff will be outside at the end of the day to help children who are taking the bus. Children who are riding the bus for the first time should have an older student as a buddy to help them find their stop.

Staying In Touch With The Teacher And The School

• Link book/agenda - this will be sent home every day for a parent signature and to communicate information between school and home. You may wish to use this as a way to write a message to the teacher or you can send them an email if your child has an appointment or is to meet someone different after school.
• Teachers are not available during the school day but can be reached by email or by phone call after school.
• If your child will be absent, please call the school at 403-346-5765 to leave a message or you can enter your child’s absence on the Mountview School App (see below to download). We have an automated system that will phone all parents who have not reported their child’s absence. Be sure to press “2” to verify the absence or the computer will continue to call all of the phone numbers listed as contacts for your child.
• Please attend parent-teacher conferences in October, December and March to discuss your child’s progress in person and feel free to communicate more regularly with your child’s teacher by email, phone call or meeting. 

Our school is mainly paperless in terms of communication with parents. We have the following ways to stay informed:

• You will find daily updates of our school information including access to PowerSchool Parent Portal.
• Mountview App - Click this link and add to home screen or scan the QR code to install. Enter student absences here & access school info. 
• School Messenger SMS: our school uses SchoolMessenger to communicate important information to our families.  To improve our communications, we have implemented the option to send text messages.  If you would like to OPT IN in for this service please text Y or YES to short code 978338.
• Weekly Mountview Messenger: weekly news and links sent out every Friday to the primary email you indicated on your registration.

Follow us on Social Media!

• Twitter: @ecolemountview 
• Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ecolemountview
• Instagram: @ecolemountview