Hello and Welcome!  My name is Mrs. Lorinda Wallace.  I have been teaching the first grade at Holy Cross Catholic School for the last 39 years, and I was privileged to attend Holy Cross School as a child in Grades 1-8.  As you can tell, I am so proud of this wonderful school in Fort Branch, Indiana!

Our First Grade themes are: "A smiling face makes this a happy place" and "We will not hurt anyone on the outside or the inside."  Hurting someone's feelings-hurts them on the inside.  We stress making good choices and having good manners throughout the school year!

We are very busy in the First Grade!  The students will be reading many little paperback books along with their 5 hardback Readers.  They also enjoy several "self-selected" reading times during the week to help encourage individual reading and particiaption in our school's Accelerated Reading Program.

The students will get a "spelling list" on Mondays.  They will have a practice tests on Wednesdays and a final tests on Fridays.  We get to attend Mass on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We have Show & Tell on Friday mornings.

In addition to all of our textbooks, I also have 1 to 3 "special" themes of study each month using books, posters, activities, models, games, puzzles, videos, songs, etc.  Some examples of these extra topics include:

Religion-special saints, angels, the Rosary, Pope Benedict XVI, the Mass, individual prayers, Stations of the Cross, and Holy Week.

Science/Social Studies-Johnny Appleseed, Fire Prevention Week, Red Ribbon Week, Columbus Day, Great American Smoke Out, Inventors, Chinese New Year, Presidents, History of Our Flag, Dinosaurs, Earth Day, and The Solor System.

Language Arts-Study of Authors: Frank Asch, Norman Bridwell H. A. and Margaret, Dr. Seuss (Theo Geisel), Eric Carle, National Young Reader's Day, Fables, and NIE Week, traveling class journals, and Young Author Books, etc.

Health-the senses, dental health, bike safety, stranger danger, making good choices, etc.

WE ARE ALWAYS BUSY AND HAPPY!!!