Welcome to Fourth Grade!

September 2020

Dear parents,

Welcome to Mrs. Dobish's fourth grade! We have a busy and exciting year in store for us. This will be my 18th year at E. H. Bryan School, and I consider myself very fortunate to be among such a professional faculty, wonderful students, and involved and interested parents.

I realize that teaching your child is a privilege, as well as a tremendous responsibility. I will do my best to ensure that each student has a motivating and safe learning experience in the classroom. I will also need your help. We both need to be partners in the learning process. I need you to encourage your child at home by helping to ensure that he/she has completed his/her assignments and encourage him/her to study for quizzes and tests.

The students in fourth grade read for 30 minutes each night Monday through Thursday and complete a reading log that is due on Friday. As the year progresses, the students will read for 35 minutes and lastly 40 minutes. A parent needs to initial the log in order for the students to receive credit for the assignment. In reading, the students will also complete reading responses and write various skill-based post-its each month. In writing, the students will be asked to write entries that coincide with the type of writing we are studying in class. In math, there is usually a Homelink page each night, they receive study guides, take facts quizzes, and have unit math assessments. For social studies, the students have a textbook in school and an online subscription at home. This year there is no language arts period, and the students will study grammar in writing and study vocabulary with the Wordly Wise workbook during reading. I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year.

Sometimes even with careful planning, students do not complete homework or remote class work. After I have spoken with your child and seen if there are any extenuating circumstances, I will contact you by email. I will keep you informed of our daily assignments by posting them to Google Classroom. The students need to record their assignments in their agendas daily noting short-term and long-term assignments. To begin the school year, the students will have a reading log and a math Homelink for homework. After the students have adjusted to the routines of school, I will notify the parents of any changes in the homework assignments.

I realize that this is a unique year and that everyone needs to adjust to different schedules and remote learning. Please contact me by email with any concerns or questions. Communication is the key to success.

Best regards,

Mrs. Patricia Dobish