Mrs. Payton's Page
Hello Students and Families!
Welcome to the new school year!!! I am so excited to be your 1st grade teacher and am looking forward to getting to know you. First grade is a wonderful year filled with lots of learning, lots of fun, and lots of new friendships. Your child will grow tremendously this year and I am happy to be a part of that growth.
On this web page you will find much useful information such as school events, holidays, academic websites, forms and documents. My door is always open to you for any questions or concerns that you may have during this year. I can be reached via phone, email, or notes sent to school in your child's folder.
Thank you for entrusting your child to my care and for being my partner in his or her learning process!
It's going to be a great year! ~ Mrs. Payton
Monthly Pillar:
September is Enthusiasm - wear blue on Thursdays to show support.
October is Trustworthiness - wear orange on Thursdays to show support.
November is Respect - wear positive themed shirts on Thursdays to show support.
December is Caring - wear red on Thursdays to show support.
January is Positive Attitude - wear sports apparel on Thursdays to show support.
February is Perseverance - wear stripes or patterns on Thursday to show support.
March is Responsibility - wear green on Thursdays to show support.
April is Fabermirness - wear pastels on Thursdays to show support.
May is Citizenship - wear favorite color on Thursdays to show support.
Fast Bridge Assessments
We will take Fast Bridge Assessments three times during the school year. This is a computer--based benchmark assessment for reading and math. The assessments will be administered in the fall, winter, and spring. The fall Fast Bridge assessments will be on September 10th (reading) and September 11th (math). The winter Fast Bridge assessments will be January 14th (reading) and January 15th (math).
Erin’s Law 2024-2025
We are required by Erin's Law to provide lessons on sexual abuse and prevention education. On November 13th, November 14th, January 8th and January 9th, Grand Prairie Elementary School Social Workers will be teaching a lesson in your child’s classroom about the "Think First and Stay Safe" program. The lesson in November will cover the concepts of "Using My Built In Computer: Staying Healthy and Safe." The lesson in January will cover "Laws Help Protect Me: Kids Have Rights Too!" and "Listening to My Instincts: No Secrets".
Should your child have any questions, you may refer to the handout that will be provided to them on the day of the lesson. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact a School Social Worker – Morgan Cole, Rebekah Munch, Michele Anderson, and Diane Heimlich.
Bullying Presentations
The Second Step program teaches children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe, respectful place where everyone can learn. To further help our school be a safe and respectful place, we are also going to use the Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit. In the lessons, your child will learn specific skills to help stop bullying. Students will learn how to:
• Recognize when bullying is happening
• Report bullying to a caring adult
• Refuse to let bullying happen to themselves or others
• Be a bystander who stands up and is part of the solution to bullying
In addition, your child will bring home simple, fun activities called Home Links that will help you understand what your child is learning about bullying at school. They also give your child another chance to practice skills for handling bullying. This is not required homework. There is a spot for a parent signature on the home link page in which you can ignore. We are not requiring the home link to be returned to school.
