WELCOME!!!!

4th GradeCurriculum Night at Whitlow

Elementary

Miss Grindle, Mrs. Mahoney, Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Ridings, Mrs.

Vaughan, Mrs. Whitlatch, and Mrs. Willingham

Index Cards

• For all individual questions about your child, please fill out the index card found on each child’s desk.

• Please include:–Name and your question.– I will get back to you as

soon as possible!

BEFORE YOU LEAVE….

• SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!!

• We need parent volunteers to come in and help during our reading centers!!

• 1:30-1:50

• The kids LOVE it!!!

Grade PLUS

• 4th Grade is very excited to be part of the Grade PLUS reporting system again during the 2011-2012 school year!

• Take a look to learn how your child will be graded this year.

• Grade Plus 2011-2012

Grading and Reporting

• We will use two types of classroom assessments: formative and summative.

• Formative grades are daily grades that will receive a 1, 2, 3, or 4.

• Summative grades are percentage grades that are strictly based on county-wide assessments.

Sample Report Card

Summative Assessment Retests

• Allowed ONE retest for each summative assessment (Math, Reading, & ELA). Not Science and Social Studies!

• Students eligible for a retest must complete a retake practice assignment.

• Students who receive a 70% or lower are automatically eligible for a retest. Students whose summative grades do not reflect daily grades will also be eligible for a retest.

• Students will receive the higher of the two grades, not the average of the two.

• The purpose of allowing a retest is to ensure mastery of standards.

School Hours• 8:20 AM - 3:00 PM

• Students may be dropped off in the rear of the building in the car rider line no earlier than 7:50 A.M.

• After 8:20, parents must take students to the front office to be signed in.

• No check outs after 2:45 P.M.

•School will begin dismissing at 3:00 P.M.

ATTENDANCE• An absence must have a written

excuse within 5 days to be excused.

• Students will have 5 school days to complete missed work or 3 days per day for multiple day absences.– Example-If a child is absent 3 days,

he/she will have 9 days to make up work.

• The attendance line is 678-965-5091 or e-mail hromano@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Breakfast and Lunch Money

• Students may eat breakfast at school every day. Breakfast is $ 1.25.

• Students will have six choices for lunch most days. Lunch is $2.15 and $3.25 for guests.

• Money in a student’s account can be spent in any way the child chooses unless you put a block on the account.

Ice Cream

• Unless you have a block on the account, your child may purchase ice cream daily.

– The cost for ice cream this year is $0.75.

– If you have a block and would like your child to buy ice cream, please send in money on those days.

Guests for Lunch• According to the Forsyth County Wellness Policy,

all snacks and food brought to school for a class must be commercially prepared. We have many students with allergies and need to be able to verify ingredients in food products.

• Parents should enter and exit from the door located next to the front office. You may wait for us by the stage. Please do not wait outside the classroom.

• You may only have your child sit with you at the parents’ table. Sorry…no friends allowed!

Birthday Celebrations• All birthday celebrations will take place

during lunch time.

• The items can be brought up to the school and dropped off or you can bring them to lunch.

• No homemade items. Must be INDIVIDUALLY PACKAGED and store-bought.

• Please no pictures!!!

Class Parties

• We will be having 2 class parties this year.

–Winter break and end of the year.

– I will be in need of volunteers to help at these events.• You will receive more information from

me and our room mom about the parties and activities.

Volunteers• School Volunteer Policies:– No more than 1 hour per day and should be

scheduled with the teacher in advance.– Younger siblings should not accompany volunteers

to classrooms.

• Volunteers I Need:– I need volunteers Monday-Thursday from 1:30-1:50

for reading.– Please email me if you would like to volunteer one

day or SIGN UP tonight!!!

No volunteers on Early Release or Testing Days. Hours are from 9-2:30.

DAILY SCHEDUL

E

• 7:50 – 8:30 Morning Work/Announcements

• 8:30 – 9:15 HOWL Time

• 9:15 – 10:00 Science/SS

• 10:00 – 10:45 Specials

• 10:45– 12:00 Math

• 12:00-12:10 Independent Reading

• 12:10 – 1:05 Recess/Lunch

• 12:30 – 1:00 Reading Response

• 1:00 – 2:20 Literacy

• 2:20 – 3:00 Writing

Specials  

•Session 5: January 26 – March 5

Art, PE, Art, PE, Art

•Session 6: March 6 – April 18

PE, Music, PE, Music, PE

•Session 7: April 19 – May 25 Tech, PE, Tech, PE, Tech

 Session 1: August 11 – September 16 Counseling (every day) Session 2: September 19 – October 21 PE, Art, PE, Art, PE Session 3: October 24 – December 5

Music, P.E., Music, P.E., Music Session 4: December 6 – January 25

PE, Tech, PE, Tech, PE

Snack

•We eat snack daily after Specials. Please send your child with a “healthy” snack each day.

•Please leave candy and soft drinks at home.

School and ClassRULES

1. Be Ready!

2. Be Respectful!

3. Be Responsible!

4. Be Safe!

Hands and feet to yourself

One behind the other

Walk silently

Consequences• The first time a child breaks a rule in the

classroom, he/she receives a verbal warning.

• The next time the child breaks the rule, a tally is given.• 1st tally mark – 2 Wisdom Walks• 2nd tally mark – 4 Wisdom Walks• 3rd tally mark – 4 Wisdom Walks and parent

contact.

• For each missing homework assignment, a tally is given• One lap per missing assignment.

AGENDAS• Each student should

have an agenda to keep track of daily assignments.

• Check agenda every night to help the students learn responsibility for completing homework.

HOMEWORK• Homework will be assigned Monday -Thursday.

• Homework assignments should take approximately 40 minutes each night.

• Homework not completed will need to be completed the following night in addition to all other assignments.

• A “Loose in the Lab” science experiment will be used to motivate students to complete all assignments for the month!

• Check out the 4th Grade Website for homework information.

Whitlow Home Site

Friday Folders

• Your child will bring home a Friday Folder at the end of each week with graded work, a brief conduct report, and any notes/fliers.

• Important work that needs to be signed and returned back to school will also be sent home in the folder.

• Sign and return the conduct sheet on the back side of the folder each Friday. Do not remove it from the folder!

• This will help me to know that you’re aware your child’s behavior report and graded work for the week.

SCIENCEEarth Science - Solar System - WeatherPhysical Science - Force & Motion - Simple

Machines - Light & SoundLife Science - Water Cycle - Ecosystems

SOCIAL STUDIES• Map skills/Geography• The Ancient Americas• Explorations and

Encounters• Our Colonial Heritage• The American

Revolution• The New Nation• Our Nation Grows• War Divides the Nation

MATHHoughton Mifflin program includes:

• Place Value & Rounding

• Multiplication

• Division

• Algebra

• Geometry

• Problem Solving

Reading & ELA

Curriculum that will be covered:

• Leveled Readers

• Spelling

• Grammar

• Reading comprehension

• Literature Circles

• Vocabulary

• Fluency

The integration of reading,

writing, listening,

grammar and speaking are

fundamental to learning and

thinking.

Students will be involved in Writer’s Workshop daily. During this time

student will work on writing activities to boost their skills as thinkers and

communicators.

Creative Writing

Journal Writing

Writing Process

Writing Across the Curriculum

Modeled Writing: mini-lessons on narrative, persuasive, informational and

response to literature.

Writing

4th Grade Practice Writing Test

• Will be held in March.

• We will use the Early Release Days of each month to prepare the students for both this and the 5th Grade Writing Test.

• Timed sessions for Brainstorming, Drafting, Publishing, etc.

4TH GRADE ACTIVITIES

• Chorus

• Art Club

• Spelling Bee

• Technology Fair

• Girls on the Run

• Girls/Boys Scouts

For More InformationVisit the county web page

(www.forsyth.k12.ga.us)There you will find helpful information

about Forsyth County’s Grading and Reporting.

Also visit my website and the grade level

website!!!Whitlow Home Site

We commit to making a

HIGH

InvolvedMeaningfulPositiveAdvancingCollaborativeTeam

in the lives of our Students, staff, community members, and their families.