Happy fall! Autumn officially arrived last week, and our first graders are settling nicely into their routines: reading, writing, counting on, and singing.
Thank you to everyone who sent in healthy snacks for Thursday's first Birthday Celebration. Our August and September birthday kids had a wonderful time, and we can't wait for the next one on October 29.
This Friday, October 2, Colombia, España, and Cartagena have their first Community Meeting, where the whole school comes together to sing and celebrate one another. Keep practicing the Bancroft song at home! And save the date for the schoolwide Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration on Friday, October 9. We hope to see your family there.
First Grade
Weekly Newsletter
Week of September 28, 2026
Hello 1st Grade Families!
School Year at a Glance
6/44
Week
155
school days remaining
This Month's Strong Start Theme
Everyone Has a Place at Bancroft
Coming Up
- Oct 2 Community Meeting — Friday, October 2 for Colombia, España, and Cartagena. Keep practicing the Bancroft song!
- Oct 9 Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration — Friday, October 9, 6:00–7:30 pm. A schoolwide family celebration at Bancroft. More details to come!
- Oct 12 Indigenous Peoples' Day No School
- Oct 13 Parent-Teacher Conferences (No School for Students) No School
- Oct 29 1st Grade Birthday Celebration — Thursday, October 29, 2:45 pm. We celebrate our October birthdays! Healthy snacks to share are welcome (no candy, please).
- Oct 30 Professional Development Day No School
- Nov 2 Records & Wellness Day No School
- Nov 3 Election Day No School
Specials Schedule
1:30–2:15| Monday Day A | Tuesday Day B | Wednesday Day C | Thursday Day D | Friday Day E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartagena | 🎵 Music | 🔬 Science | 🏀 PE | 🏀 PE | 📚 Library |
| Colombia | 🔬 Science | 🏀 PE | 🏀 PE | 📚 Library | 🎨 Art |
| España | 🏀 PE | 🏀 PE | 📚 Library | 🎨 Art | 🎵 Music |
| DR | 📚 Library | 🎨 Art | 🎵 Music | 🔬 Science | 🏀 PE |
| Managua | 🏀 PE | 📚 Library | 🎨 Art | 🎵 Music | 🔬 Science |
| Venezuela | 🎨 Art | 🎵 Music | 🔬 Science | 🏀 PE | 🏀 PE |
Math News
This week your child uses counting on to find the total of an addition expression, such as 8 + 3, even when there are no objects to see. They say the first number, then count on with their fingers or a number path. They also discover that we can add in any order (8 + 3 and 3 + 8 have the same total), so starting with the larger number is faster. On Thursday we add 0 and 1 to any number, and on Friday Topic D begins as we decide whether number sentences are true or false.
Key terms: expression (numbers and a + sign, with no equal sign), count on, number path
Try this at home — More and Some More:
• "I have 5 socks in this pile. Count on from 5 as you put more socks in the pile."
• "I see 4 mailboxes. Count on until you see 10 mailboxes."
For more details and at-home activities, see the Eureka Math Family Math letter: Topic C: Count On to Add
Module Module 1: Counting, Comparison, and Addition
Topic Topic C: Count On to Add
Lesson Lessons 13–15, 17–18
Literacy News
SLA: This week we zoom all the way out to answer the question: What does a map of my world look like? We read ¿De dónde eres?, a story in which a grandfather tells his granddaughter where her roots come from, and each student writes about where they are from. We also compare maps and globes and label the continents on a world map. In word study, we keep reviewing consonant blends. At home, tell your child where your family comes from. Their own story is a wonderful starting point for their writing!
ELA: This week we travel to Calle Defensa, a historic street in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Students learn how it got its name, take a virtual walking tour, and compare life there with life in our own Mount Pleasant, using the word but to describe differences. On Friday we visit Istanbul, a city that sits on two continents!
Reading at home: Please have your child read to you for at least 20 minutes a day, in both English and Spanish, and ask questions about what they read.
Ask Your Child About...
What is 3 + 8? Which number would you start from to count on? Why?
¿De dónde eres? Where does our family come from? Can you find it on a map?
How is Calle Defensa the same as Mount Pleasant? How is it different?
Words of the Week
Math
expression expresión count on contar hacia delante number path camino numérico add in any order sumar en cualquier orden
SLA
mundo world continente continent globo terráqueo globe raíces roots rasgo feature
ELA
neighborhood vecindario street calle culture cultura same igual different diferente
ROARS
Congratulations to this week's ROARS students for showing outstanding character!
Cartagena Gloria O. G.
Colombia Julian S.
España Alma F.
DR Naomi K.
Managua Cora S.
Venezuela Owen H.