First Grade

NOTE: If you are interested in enrolling your student at Pacific School, please complete the appropriate Interest Form. More information about our enrollment procedures is Here.

Michaela O'Donnell ("Ms. O") teaches first grade and is assisted by Andrea Rabe ("Ms. Andrea"), classroom aide. The class meets from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., except on Wednesdays, when students are dismissed at 1:10 p.m. Independent study students attend on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays only, while five-day students attend Mondays through Fridays. After School Recreation is available Monday-Friday.

More information about Ms. O in English or Spanish.

Grade 1 Welcome Letter Fall 2025

Weekly Activities

The class has weekly hands-on science lessons using the FOSS Science Materials.
The class visits the school library in small groups. The librarian helps students check out books appropriate for their interests, studies, and reading level.
The class studies in the Life Lab garden each week. They learn earth science through a garden-based curriculum. They also work on planting, weeding, and maintaining the Life Lab garden beds.
In our weekly Reading Buddies program, students are paired with a fifth grader and they read aloud to each other.

Math
Math is taught at the same time in first through sixth grade. Students who are accelerated in math are evaluated and placed in leveled math groups as appropriate. Math Goals.

Homework
Please read with your child, or have them read independently, for 20 minutes each day.

Communication
Open communication between teachers and parents of enrolled students* is always of great importance to me, and it is paramount to our children’s success. Please reach out any time.

Emails: modonnell @ pacificesd.org

*To allow teachers to focus on the education of their current students, prospective families are asked to direct all questions to the office, not to teachers.

The first grade class hatched chicks and ducklings from eggs!

Mural painted on the side of the first grade classroom