WELCOME TO MRS. JONES’ OPEN HOUSE

Look for your child’s desk by finding their folder or name tag.

While we are waiting for everyone to arrive,take a few minutes to:

Look through your child’s folderFill out the student information sheetLook for the volunteer sign-up sheetCheck out the Helping Hands on the board

PBS The four school wide expectations are:

Be PositiveBe SafeBe ResponsibleBe Respectful

Students are rewarded for following these expectations with Star Bucks and end of the quarter lunches.

Consequences for those who do not follow these include white slips for minor infractions and office referrals for major infractions.

CLASSROOM RULES, CONSEQUENCES, AND REWARDS

Rules:

Keep our hands and feet to ourselves.Treat other’s belongings with respect.Keep our desk neat and tidy.Find something quite to do when our work is done.Work hard and do our best work.Walk safely and quietly through the halls.

Behavior Plan: Fishing for good behavior

Green Fish - $5.00 Bayou Bucks * Bayou BucksYellow Fish – 2nd Warning * PraiseRed Fish – Top = loss of recess * Treat Jar

Bottom = white slip * Note/Call Home

CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE This year, we are again using the Responsive Classroom philosophy. The objective of this program is to build a community; a family of students responsible for their own behavior and learning. The environment is one of kindness and respect. It is important that each child demonstrate self-discipline, work cooperatively, and take responsibility for his/her actions and learning experience.

GRADING POLICY Letter grades of A, B, C, D, or F will be assigned in the following subjects: Reading, Math, Language, Spelling, Science, and Social Studies. The letter grades (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0) for each nine weeks shall be averaged for a final grade. Students will receive an E, S, N, or U in P.E., Music, Art, and Handwriting.

Classroom grading will be based on various methods including oral and written quizzes, projects, reports, oral presentations, and written cumulative tests (chapter or unit tests.) In addition, when a project is assigned a grading guideline (rubric) will follow to show how points will be distributed.

PROGRESS REPORTSAt the mid-point of each nine weeks, each student will receive a progress report detailing grades on all assignments in each subject. This report must be signed and returned. This will let you know where your child stands half way through the nine week period.STI Once a week, your child’s grades will be updated on the computer so that you are able to access this information at all times. You are able to obtain this information by using the password that was sent to you recently by Central Office. This will allow you to know your child’s academic standing throughout the year.

HOMEWORK POLICYHomework is not given on a daily basis in all subjects. Any class work that is not completed during the given class time frame should be completed at home. Students will normally have homework Monday-Thursday and occasionally over the weekend. All homework is recorded in the agenda everyday and should be kept in the binder. Most of the time, homework is graded for completion and not accuracy, unless I feel the assignment warrants a grade. If you notice that your child is having difficulty with a particular concept, please let me know and continue to review at home.

HOMEWORK, CLASSWORK, & PARTICIPATION CALENDAR

This calendar is found at the very front of your child’s binder. Points are deducted from each subject if class work, homework, or participation in class is not shown. CHECK THIS ON A WEEKLY BASIS to ensure that your child is doing and turning in their homework. This is a great visual to see if your child is doing their work. At the end of the 9-week period, the calendars will be collected and the students will be given a grade based on their point total. This calendar is used to calculate a homework grade in all subjects. Not all homework is recorded on this calendar.

INTERRUPTIONS

Please be aware that the secretaries will not interrupt instructional minutes to relay phone messages, pick up snacks, money, papers, books, etc.  Messages, books, papers, etc. will be placed in teacher boxes. Please make sure that your child knows how he/she is getting home in the afternoon each morning before they leave for school.

Drill Tests Your child is expected to know his/her math multiplication facts. We will be learning/reviewing these often, but please use flash cards to study regularly. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THIS YEAR!! The students will be learning long division and multiplication and MUST know these to be successful. Timed drill test will not be graded, but regular drill tests will be graded.

BINDERS AND BEE FOLDERSThe binders were set up with dividers and labeled for each subject. The students are responsible for keeping the papers for each subject in the correct section. Your child’s agenda is also to be kept in their binder. All assignments and upcoming tests are written in the agenda everyday, as well as your child’s behavior for the day. The agenda must be signed by a parent or guardian each night. This is THEIR responsibility! If a student continues to NOT have their agenda signed, a consequence will follow.Please be sure to go through the binder at the end of each nine weeks in order to keep it manageable. I will tell them when it is time to throw away papers from the binder, otherwise, ALL PAPERS are important.Bee folder should stay in the front pocket of the binder. This will contain a pocket for their class money and Star Bucks, class newsletter, monthly lunch menu and any papers that need to be send home to you. Put any papers or notes that you want me to see in here as well. This way, the students have everything they need in one place.

Reading Renaissance Reading Renaissance, or AR as you might know it, is being used at our school. You child has been Star tested and has been given their “levels.” However, I will not be pushing my students to try to reach a point goal. Because I am trying to foster a love and desire to read, students will be encouraged to read various types of media such as magazine articles, newspaper articles, novels, and books that may not be on their “level.” I want them to understand what they read and enjoy doing it. With all that said, the students will still be allowed and encouraged to take tests on the book they choose.

READING CURRICULUM Students are encouraged to read materials that interest them and challenge them. They will be reading a variety of materials. We will be working in book clubs, reading novels together, and they will be meeting with me once a week to every other week. Grades will not be coming from a test on a story from the book! They will take a test based on vocabulary given on Monday, the strategy they are supposed to use while reading, activities completed from book club meetings, and comprehension questions from a fresh story they have never read.

Snacks / Water BottlesPlease send a healthy snack with your child daily. Students will not be allowed to eat candy or drink soft drinks. We will have snack time around 10:00 each morning. Students are allowed to bring a water bottle to school to keep out on their desk. Please do not freeze the water or put ice in it. The condensation makes a mess! Be sure the bottle has a top to help avoid spills. Only water may be in the bottle. All bottles need to be brought home daily to ensure that they are not thrown away by the custodial staff. We do not have extra snacks for those students who do not bring one in. If you would like to send in extra snacks, please send individually wrapped ones.

STUDENT ABSENCES

If your child is absent for any reason, a note from you or from the doctor must be presented so that the absence can be excused. The note that is written must include the child’s first and last name, date of absence, and reason for the absence. If a note is not received, the absence will be recorded as unexcused.

SCHOOL UNIFORMSThe only acceptable logo on the shirt is the Super Star. Shirts must be red or white, polo style with a collar and buttons, not a t-shirt. Bottoms must be a solid navy color and may not include any type of logo. Jeans, cargo pants, wind pants, jersey materials, etc., are not allowed. Undershirts must be tucked in at all times and should be school colors.

VISITORS / SAFETYParents must check in through the office when they visit the school. Please be sure to go to the office and get a visitor’s pass.Parents are not to come into the building to pick-up children in the afternoon. We do not want the students walking to cars during peak traffic times. The car circle must be used for student pick-up and drop off. This is for the safety of our students.

TechnologyTechnology is a large part of our learning.This past summer, I have won 4 different grants for technology for the classroom.We will use computers (7 desktop and 9 laptops), promethean board, iPods, digital cameras and camcorders, audio recording devices, and web cameras to complete various assignments.We will use a secure blog site, create videos and movies, review videos, use iPods to make up missed work and do research, keep electronic journals, and make presentations.

Fund RaiserThis was sent home with your child today.Raises money for the school and each individual classroom.Teachers get half of the profit, or about 25% of the total sales.This will be used to purchase more iPods, digital video cameras, and supplies for the students and classroom.Fund raiser is due Wednesday, September 9.Cheesecake and Cookie Dough.

RESPONSIBILITYOne of the biggest lessons your child must learn this year is responsibility.Assignments must be turned in on time and by the student.They have to study a little every night.Homework is not optional!!Binders must be brought home and to school everyday.The agenda has to be signed every day.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FOURTH GRADER

Arrive and unpack. Bring in binder and lunch, leave book bag in the hall.Turn in all notes from home and lunch money.Complete morning work. 5 -10 minutesTurn in spelling homework on Friday.Spelling test on Monday and Friday. 15 minutesReading – sit quietly on carpet and listen attentively. 15 minutesIndependently read for thirty minutes using strategy taught this morning.Workstation 20 minutesBook club meeting with group 20 minutes

Writing mini-lesson 15 minutesWriting 30 minutesMath lesson 1 hourEvery Day counts meeting for 15 minutesMath log 15 minutesLunch for 20 minutes!!Recess for 10 minutesSocial Studies 45 minutesSwitch classes 5 minutesScience 45 minutesArt, music, or P.E. 30 to 40 minutesWrite Agenda and pack up 15 minutesClean up desk and sit on carpet to be dismissed

COMING SOON THIS YEAR

Fourth grade field trip – We go to Baton Rouge and visit the capital building, a plantation, and the USS Kidd. We charter about 5 buses, leave before school starts and don’t come back until about 4:30. The price is about $25 per person, but well worth it! We will do this around the end of the 1st quarter.Entrepreneur Day – The fourth graders will learn about economics in social studies, create a product to sell to other students, and actually set up shop in the gym for 1 day. This is usually in early May.Fourth Grade Authors – Your child will write and illustrate a book this year! We will have awards and a presentation breakfast, usually at the end of May.LEAP – We will take the LEAP test in April, right after Easter break this year, April 12 – 16. Keep this date in the back of your mind as your child CANNOT miss school or be checked out on these dates.

THANK YOU !Thanks for coming tonight to learn about your child’s classroom procedures. I look forward to working with each of you so that your child has a successful year!