Grade 1

Meet Miss Wotton

Tell me about yourself.

I grew up in Rockland and graduated from Rockland District High School in 2010. I began at Wheelock College where I also played on the school’s soccer team. I then transferred to the University of Maine at Farmington. I completed my student teaching here at Lura Libby in second grade. In December 2013, I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and a Mathematics concentration. After spending the spring as a long-term substitute in a Kindergarten classroom, I am very excited to be a first grade teacher!

Why do you like to teach first grade?

I love the energy of first graders. There is so much that is new and exciting to them. They constantly make me smile with their stories, compliments, and honesty.

What are your favorite student units?

First grade is a big year for students. They really get a chance to develop their reading and writing skills. Math has always been my favorite subject. I love to see the moment when something just clicks.

What is your plan for parent contact?

I plan to send home a weekly newsletter to keep families informed. Email is the best way to contact me. My email address is hwotton@rsu13.org. Students will also have Home-School folders that are checked by parents and me daily.

What are your homework guidelines?

I will send home most homework on Mondays to be returned on Fridays. This is meant to be completed a little bit each night, not all at once. I may also send home some books or assignments during the week as we reach a topic in class.

Meet Mrs. Howard

Tell me about yourself.

My name is Melissa Howard, and I teach First Grade at Thomaston Grammar School. I have been with RSU #13 since 2006.

Why do you like to teach first grade?

I like to teach first grade because it is an exciting year in a child’s academic career, when reading and writing skills emerge, and it is fun to be a part of that. I also like this age because learning is so dynamic with singing, moving, and doing hands-on activities.

What are your favorite student units?

My favorite student unit is The Gingerbread Man. This unit ties in various literature forms of the famous folktale, as well as math, reading, and writing. Butterflies is another of my favorite units. This is another multi-disciplinary unit that involves science, literature, writing, reading, and art.

What is your plan for parent contact?

You can email me at mhoward@rsu13.org or call Thomaston Grammar School at 354-6353. I send home monthly newsletters and parent information.

What are your homework guidelines?

Students are expected to read 10 minutes per evening, 4 days a week. This should be with familiar books practiced at school to increase reading fluency, expression, and memory. Students are also assigned 10 minutes of math computation homework 4 days a week. Other assignments may be sent home from time to time.