Nuts & Bolts

Beginning of the Day

Our drop-off location is Room 6’s outer door located along Rex St. where it meets 34th Ave.  (There will be a “Munoz” sign.)  I’ll greet each student with a big smile and a squirt of hand sanitizer!  Next, kids will come through the classroom into the hallway where they’ll hang up their backpacks and jackets.  There will be two orange bins by the hallway door for lunch boxes.  Kids that arrive by bus are supervised in the cafeteria until entering with everyone at the door at 8:45.

End of the Day

If you’re picking up your child when school ends at 3:00, you can meet them at our outer door.  At 2:55, bus riders will be escorted to their buses by a helper and DAS kiddos will report to the cafeteria next door.  Thanks in advance for sending me a quick email if there is an upcoming change to your child’s regular after school plan (going home with a friend, someone new picking up, pickup instead of bus, etc).

Communication  

I send a daily “Ask Me About…” email – just like Mr. and Mrs. Vogel!   My goal is to support your conversations about school with your first grader at home by giving you a few questions or prompts that relate to what happened that day.  (If there is also important or time-sensitive news I’ll make it part of the email title so you don’t miss it.)  The principal sends a weekly newsletter and I hope you’ll make a habit of checking it out for schoolwide news and updates.

The kids will bring home their class paperwork about once every 2 weeks on a Monday.  I’ll prompt you to look for it in my daily email.

I hope you’ll get in touch if I can ever answer a question or you’d just like to have a conversation.  Here are the different options.

  • Email:  dmunoz@pps.net (Replying to the daily email is what lots of folks do.)
  • Konstella private messaging:  (They’re forwarded to my email inbox.)
  • Before or After School in person or on Google Meet: (We can definitely make it happen with about a week’s advance notice.)

If you need to get an urgent message to me during the day (last minute change to after school plan, for instance) please call Duniway’s main office.

  • Duniway School Phone: 503-916-6343
Specials 

For maximum fun, it’s important that your first grader wears appropriate, safe shoes on PE days each week.  The kids will have an opportunity to check out a book from the school library once a week.  Books are due back to school on the following week’s library day.  Students will also have a music class twice a week.  Although classroom art projects are integrated throughout all subjects and seasons, we’ll also have occasional artist-in-residence visits and classroom lessons to enhance the kids’ experience with art at school.  There will also be a media lesson in the library once a week.  See the “Daily Schedule” page to get more details.

Treasures

Even the smallest toys, cards, and stuffies from home can so easily become a serious distraction from learning at school.  “Keep your treasures at home” is our policy in general.   (I would even urge you to be mindful about jewelry and backpack keychains.)  Thanks for your help!

Birthdays

It’s become increasingly complicated to have birthday “treats” as an option for birthdays due to allergies and sensitivities.  Our first grade team has decided to keep birthday celebrations treat-less altogether.  Even non-food treats can become troublesome since not all families are equally able to purchase a whole class set of treats.  We have a really special ritual of giving compliments and wishes instead! 

Field Trips

We will need chaperones for our annual field trip to the Oregon Zoo this winter!  I’ll let you know via email when the time comes for giving permission and/or volunteering.

Lunch and/or Milk
  • Lunch recess for 1st grade starts at 11: this year.  (I’ll be checking on our class during the first week to help them get used to the cafeteria procedures.)
  • Kids will drop off their lunches from home in the orange baskets at our hallway door first thing in the morning.
    • Please be sure to pack a drink in your kiddo’s lunch box in addition to the water bottle they’ll keep in the classroom.
  • If you would like for your child to buy a school lunch or milk, you can add money to their account here on the School Cafe website.
Water Bottles
  • I recommend the kids bring a fresh, full water bottle from home each Monday morning. I’ll send them back home at the end of each week to be washed and refilled.
  • Kids will be encouraged to fill their water bottles first thing in the morning from the water coolers in the hallway.
Snacks
  • Kids can choose to eat a snack at morning recess and/or afternoon read aloud break time.
  • It’s faster and easier for kids to keep snacks in their backpacks (separate from their lunch bag/box).
  • Snacks that have worked out in the past:
    • cheese sticks
    • granola or cereal bars
    • crackers
    • fruit