Parent Info

Communication

Email and phone are the main ways to get in contact with me.  

I highly encourage you to check your child's planner each night.  Students will fill out any assignments they have to complete that night, details about when tests will be, and any reminders about upcoming events.  This can also be a place where you can write short notes to me.  I check their planners each morning as I ask them to get a parent/guardian signature each night.

To help communicate your child's academic progress, students will be managing a data folder.  Students will graph the results of their content tests and track which math facts have been mastered.  I will update the progress of their AR reading.  This folder will come home roughly twice a month to be shared with you.

Communication is so important to me and is so important to a successful year!  If you ever need to contact me, please do not hesitate.

Birthdays

We will celebrate your child's birthday in our classroom.  Summer birthdays will be celebrated on their "half-birthdays."  Because of our district wellness policy, food items cannot be sent for birthday celebrations.  Your child is welcome to bring some type of non-edible treat to share with the class, however it is not required.  Some non-edible ideas are erasers, pencils, silly straws, play dough, a special craft for us to do, or even a book to donate to our classroom.

Water Bottles/Snack

Water bottles are highly recommended to have in the classroom.  Please make sure the water bottle does not leak if it is knocked over.  Water bottles will be kept on the counter and students will have access to them during work time, not when the teacher is teaching.

Because our lunch is right in the middle of the day (11:45), we will NOT have a snack time.  This is for the whole fourth grade.  Please make sure you child eats breakfast to help them make it to lunch.

Class Schedule

Behavior Management

I have high yet reasonable expectations for your child’s behavior.  These expectations allow us to function as a class, help the students feel safe and comfortable and eliminate behavior issues that keep other students from the right they have to learn. Respect, responsibility and honesty are the three key words in our classroom.

• I expect every child in my classroom will show respect to themselves, to me, to classmates, to other adults in the school, to other students in the school and to the school property.

• I expect that every child in my classroom acts responsibly.  This includes following the classroom and school rules.  It means taking responsibility for doing school work, filling in assignment notebooks, completing homework and getting a parent signature.  It means admitting mistakes, accepting consequences and learning to make better choices.

• I expect the children in my room to know the difference between right and wrong. When wrong choices are made, I expect them to be honest about what happened.  Through this learning experience, better choices can be made in the future.

I use an app called Class Dojo to monitor progress in the above areas.  It is an excellent communication tool to help keep parents updated about their child’s behavior. The program is based on points, and students can be given positive points for things like being on task, being respectful, participating, or working hard. On the other hand, points can be taken away if students are off task, talking out, or unprepared.  

After students have been added to the system, there is a student access code I will give to each student so that s/he can log on to the website. On the site, students are able to see how many points they have, which positive behaviors were noted, and which negative behaviors they need to work on. At the end of each month, students will be able to “cash in” their points for different prizes and coupons.

As a parent, you may create your own account using the parent access code which will be sent home at the entrance conference.  You can check in whenever you want (on your lunch break, after school, before supper) to see how you child is doing or did do for the day.  You can even contact me right on the app if you have a question about why your child might have lost a point or even something like a change in your child's schedule like a doctor's appointment.

Homework

I know how much happens in the few hours between after school and bedtime for our children.  I do not believe in piling lots of homework, but there will be some.  Tests in social, science or math require extra review of the materials. It is important to check your child's planner as that will be where I have students write the test dates down.  Part of your child's homework is to show you his/her planner and to get your initials stating s/he has checked in with you.  

The biggest factor in how much homework a child has seems to be how well time is used in class.  Time is given in class to get started on assignments, allowing me to see that the students are on the right track before it is sent home.   With good study skills and time management, most of the daily work could actually be completed in school.  If you child seems to have a lot of work, please talk to them about how they are using their time during class.

• Reading - Students will be expected to read both at school and at home.  Please make sure your child finds a quiet spot to read 20-30 minutes every night.  Please make sure the book comes back to school each day so they are able to continuing reading the same novel during our AR time.  Students cannot become better readers if they don't read.

• Spelling - Your child will have a spelling test each Friday.  They will have worksheets to help practice during the week.  I encourage your child to find other ways to practice such as having a parent or sibling give a "spelling test," write the spelling words 3 times, etc.  When we return from winter break, students will slowing transition to the spelling test being written in cursive.  Modifications will be made for those who need them.

• Math - Math facts are huge.  I often see students struggle with math because they have to stop and solve a simple addition or multiplication problem.  They are then confused when they go back to the original problem to continue.  Please make sure your child practices all math facts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  Students will complete timed tests at least twice per week to inform me of where your child is on with their facts.  A few days a week, there may be a homework worksheet to go with the core math lesson we completed that day but they will be given time during class to start and possibly finish.

• Social/Science - The main homework for both Social and Science will be to prepare (study) for upcoming tests.  I will share a variety strategies with students to prepare for a test but ultimately, it will be what works best for your child.  Some students do well studying independently and some need a parent's help.  

Late Work

The habit of completing work on time is not just important for your child’s success in school.  Time management and meeting commitments/deadlines are a regular part of the future your child is preparing for.  If an assignment is not finished, your child will work on it at school if possible.  If it is not completed, it will go home again the next night.  If it still does not get finished, your child will miss the Fun Friday Free-time.  This is a time for those students to complete missing work if they have it or have some free time if they got their work done.  Late work does not affect grades.

Field Trips

Fourth grade students have a wonderful privilege of attending a field trip to a water park in May.  Students need to understand that this is a privilege and not a right.  Students must show they are responsible and respectful students throughout the year.  As we get closer to the field trip in the spring, I will review how the beginning of the year went and have discussions with students who are not showing 4th grade expectations.  These conversations will happen all year if it is an on-going problem but students will be reminded of this privilege in the spring.  In the past, I have had to ask students who have turned in little to no homework to stay back.  Please make sure they are staying on top of their homework.