Class Policies

Parent Volunteers

I truly believe "it takes a village" to prepare a child for their future. Because of that, I welcome volunteers as long as your volunteer visit is pre-planned and you obtain a visitor badge from the front office. If the parent is volunteering once a week or more, they must have an up-to-date TB test on file in the office. These TB tests are provided free of charge by the district at specific locations. Please check this website and your email for volunteer opportunities.

Forgotten Items (ie: lunch, homework, ect)

If a student leaves an item behind at home, it can be dropped off at the office if it is labeled with the student's name and teacher's name. Students who have forgotten their lunch, project, etc. are responsible for going to the office during snack or lunch to check for forgotten items that may have been dropped off for them.

Water/food policy

Particularly during the warm weather months, it is important that the students stay hydrated. I want to support our students' healthy intake of water and for this reason, I allow students to have a water bottle at their desk. Please note that this water bottle should be reusable (or a reused disposable bottle), and should be insulated so as not to "sweat" water onto the desks and student work. Also, the bottles need to be able to close completely. Only plain water is allowed. No sparkling water, flavored water, juice, sodas, etc. will be allowed in the classroom. Students are free to drink these other beverages during recess and lunch outside of the room.

No food (ie: snacks) will be allowed in the classroom on a typical basis. In cases of inclement weather when students have their recess inside, accommodations will be made. Please make sure to send only healthy food to school with your child. Your child MAY NOT share food with any friends at snack time or lunch time. This is to prevent possible allergic reactions.

Absent work

If a student is absent due to sickness, I am in favor of them spending their energy home sick from school on resting and getting better. No work or homework will be sent home for students that have missed one day of school due to illness. These students can catch up on classwork upon their return to school. Students are, however, welcome to check the classroom homework and complete anything that they have access to (in physical or digital form). If a student is gone from school for more than one day of school, parents may request, via email to the teacher on the morning of the second day (before 9:30am), any school work that the student missed. In this case, every effort will be made to send this work to the office to be picked up by a parent/sibling/ etc. at the end of the school day. Since much of our daily homework will be online, students are encouraged to complete online work if home for two or more days. For any absence due to sickness, the student will have that many days to complete any work that they missed while away from school (ie: if a student is ill at home for three days, they will have the three days after their return to complete all of their work). Any work incomplete after this time will be marked incomplete. Upon return to school, students will be assigned and expected to complete all independent practice (homework) as it is assigned.

Late Work

One of the integral components of fourth grade is the building of student responsibility. To foster this responsibility, students are expected to complete assignments on time. Since daily homework is new for our students, the fourth grade teachers will accept one-day-late work (only) for 50% credit during the first trimester. After the first trimester is over, no late work will be accepted. Any work not turned in on time will receive a 0% and the student will still be expected to complete it to ensure they remain "caught up."

Absences During Tests

If a child misses a test due to an absence, they will be asked if they are ready to take it when they return to school. If they do not feel ready, the student will have the number of days that they were absent to prepare for the test. For example, if a student misses a test on Tuesday because of a two-day absence (Monday and Tuesday), that student will have until Thursday to take their test. Weekend days do not count, so a missed test on Friday will be made up on Monday.

Test Revisions

All math tests will be sent home for revisions and a parent signature. It is not about the grade; it is about the learning!

Extended Absences

If your child is going to miss school for five or more consecutive days, please register them for Independent Study through the front office.

Student Writing

Nearly all writing assignments will be completed in class. Major writing assignments will not be assigned as homework so students can practice their self- pacing and independent writing skills in the classroom environment.

Birthdays

White Oak has a new birthday policy: students may not distribute ANY kind of food for their birthday. If you would like to celebrate your child's birthday in another way, here are some ideas:

  • Donate a book or ball to the classroom
  • Buy something special for the classroom: a new playground ball, a game for the game cabinet, jump rope, ect.
  • Have your child bring in a "show and tell" item
  • Bring in a special item that the class can autograph for the birthday student (like a ball, sweatshirt, tote bag, pillow case, stuffed animal, plain white shoes, ect).
  • Ask the class to wear your child's favorite color on your child's birthday.
  • If you have another idea, please submit it to the teacher in writing (via email) for approval at least two days prior to your child's birthday.