Welcome to 4th Grade!!

Arcade Elementary Miss Bracikowski

All About Me Hello, my name is Miss Bracikowski. This is my second year teaching at Arcade

Elementary. Last year I was the Reading and RTI Specialist.

I am certified in Early Childhood and Childhood Education from Birth – Sixth Grade. I have concentrations in Social Studies and Literacy.

I am 25 years old and from Depew, NY.

I have a lot of family members who are also teachers throughout WNY. My younger sister is teaching 5th – 8th grade Math at a Catholic School in Elma.

I am the Pool Supervisor where I lifeguard every summer back in Depew. This past summer was my 8th year. I also worked at a daycare for 6 years.

I love playing sports and doing activities outside.

Things to do: Grab some snacks.

Please fill out the four forms on the left pocket of your child’s folder and turn into me by the time you leave today. The other forms you can fill out tonight and put in your child’s folder to bring back tomorrow.

Sign up for class parties and parent conferences on the horseshoe table in the back.

Bring in school supplies tomorrow if you did not today.

Attendance: There is a new state regulated attendance policy that

started last year. We are required to monitor what the students are learning and for how long each day.

Therefore there will be tardy slips, early leave slips and absence slips that are required to be filled out to help us keep track.

Attendance is important to ensure learning and helping the students prepare so they can meet the expectations that they are being asked to perform at.

Dismissal Procedures:

All students are to report to the cafeteria. Parents will not be allowed to stand in the hallways or come up to the classroom.

Any changes in students transportation must be in written form and go through the office as well as myself.

Safety for the school: Everybody in the building must sign in at the

front desk and be given a visitors name tag.

Classroom doors will be locked at all times.

We have various safety procedures that we will go over and practice with students throughout the year.

Common Core StandardsNew York State has changed to new and

improved standards in which our students need to be able to perform at.

Our curriculum has changed to better fit the expectations for the students on the state tests.

A great online resource for more information is: www.engageNY.org

Some messages from Commissioner King:

• http://www.engageny.org/resource/video-for-parents-and-families-about-the-common-core-assessments

• http://www.engageny.org/resource/common-core-assessment-video-series-what-should-parents-know-about-the-new-common-core

State tests: Math:

3 days -

Wednesday, April 30th Thursday, May 1st Friday, May 2nd

ELA:

3 days –

Tuesday, April 1st Wednesday, April 2nd Thursday, April 3rd

Science:

2 days-

Performance – 1 day from May 21st to May 30th

Written – 1 day Monday, June 2nd

6 Shifts in Math

Focus: learn more about fewer, key topics

Build skills within and across grades

Develop speed and accuracy

Really know it, Really do it

Use it in the real world

Think fast AND solve problems

Math Topics: Critical Thinking Problem solving Data Analysis

Addition with multi-digits Subtraction with multi-digits Multiplication

Division Fractions Geometry

Measurement Money Place Value

6 Shifts in ELA

Read as much non-fiction as fiction

Learn about the world by reading

Read more challenging material closely

Discuss reading using evidence

Write non-fiction using evidence

Increase academic vocabulary

ELA Topics: Shared Reading: The class is reading the same text as a whole together. These texts are on grade level.

Read Aloud: The teacher is reading a story to the class which is two grade levels above their skill level.

Guided Reading: Students are grouped with a few students who are at the same level to help focus on their individual needs. I will meet with each group everyday.

Reading Workshop: Students read a self selected book in which we will be focus on reading different genres and skills to practice while reading. I will conference with each student at least once a week on a one on one basis.

Writers Workshop: Students will choose different topics to write about while we are focusing on mini lessons to incorporate into their writing each day. We will write for different purposes, responses, compare & contrast, critical analysis and to explain our thoughts and feelings. I will conference with each student at least once a week on a one on one basis.

Social Studies Topics:

Geography & Map Skills

Native Americans Explorers Colonial America

New York State Government & Citizenship

Revolutionary War 20th Century

Science topics:

Energy & Motion

Electricity Plants Simple Machines

Animal Adaptations

Life Cycle Food chains Measuring & Matter

Matter Apple A Day: Healthy Choices

Homework: • I will be giving homework Monday – Thursday. Most of the time, they will have time to

start their homework at school. The new standards require us to teach in ways that most of us did not learn ourselves. Please write me a note in their agenda if they are struggling with a concept at home or if you would like a detailed explanation on how the concept works.

• I know everybody’s schedule is unique and busy so reading homework is assigned on a weekly basis, I expect students to read 100 minutes a week. They will have a calendar in their folders to fill out. Our goal this year is to each read 50 books. We can do it!

• Homework will always be written in their agenda.

• I would like a signature on their agenda every night so that I know somebody looked at their agenda and is aware of what is going on in the classroom and what is coming up. We also will be recording their behavior color each day.

• Missing or late homework means that they will have to complete in class during free time or Fun Friday.

Extra support: AIS in school: Academic Intervention Services - Extra support given by the

teacher and grade level assistant to help students better understand the current material they are learning in class.

Morning AIS: Before school – this takes place after Christmas break to help support kids to prepare for the NYS tests, this is completely optional.

RTI: Response to Intervention – Students across the grade level take two Math benchmarks and two ELA benchmarks to see how they are performing at their grade level. Based on their score, students will be placed into RTI Services which is an extra pull out support services for 40 minutes a day. I will discuss this more in detail after we have our first meeting in September.

I am also willing to help students before and after school as well as sending home extra practice work or online resources to Help with reinforcement.

Expectations: Students will follow our district expectations of showing

respect, responsibility and being ready at all times.

Show respect for other students and adults in the building and on the bus.

Be responsible for actions, words, materials, belongings and learning.

Always come ready to learn and have fun!

Behavior Management: We will have the purple, green, yellow and red behavior management system.

Each day everybody will start on green, and will achieve to make good choices which allow them to stay on green. They will receive 2 tickets for each day they end in green.

If students make great choices they can move up to purple. Moving to purple is setting the bar even higher and will be exceptional if they achieve. They will receive 5 tickets if they end the day on blue.

If students are not following our 3 R’s of Respect, Responsibility and being Ready they will be warned once and then ask to move their cards to yellow if their behavior continues. Students will receive only 1 ticket if they are on yellow at the end of the day.

If students are having continuous behavior problems, they will be given a warning when on yellow and then will have to flip their card to red. If they end the day on red they will have to fill out a checking my behavior sheet in order to reflect on their behavior that day and how they can change it.

Behavior Management continued: We will mark their agendas at the end of each day so you will know how your child did that day. This is also another reason why it is important that you are checking their agenda each day and signing off on it.

At the end of the day we will have free play if our schedule allows it. If anybody ends up on yellow that day, they will miss out for 5 minutes. If they end up on red they will miss out completely and have to fill out the “Checking my behavior form.” A copy of this form will also be sent home with your child that day.

If students have 2 reds or 3 yellows at the end of the week they will not be able to participate in Fun Friday that week.

BONUS: If I catch a student making good choices, or their table working extra hard there always is a chance to earn extra tickets.

Tickets will be worth different prizes, that they can exchange in at anytime. Some examples being: my prize box, free homework passes, green tickets, eating lunch in the classroom and more.

Bullying: I have a 0 tolerance policy for bullying. Consequences will take place if it

occurs. This includes actions that take place in my classroom, specials, lunch room, bus and outside of school.

We as a class will spend time in the first few days as well as throughout the year learning what bullying looks like and how to prevent it.

I have an open door policy, students and parents/guardians can always talk to me if you see this happening so we can do something about this ASAP.

I will be recording any incidences that happen. The link below is a confidential report sheet on the school website that anybody can fill out if they are being bullied or witnessed it happening.

http://www.pioneerschools.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=355

Team Work: I believe team work is essential for success in my classroom. On top of

students managing their own behaviors with the colored system we will also have a goal as a class.

We will decide on a prize as a class to work towards. Examples: extra free time, popcorn party, lunch in the classroom, ice cream party, silly sock day etc.

For each day that we get everything accomplished, work hard and work together as a team, they will get a scoop in the class bucket. When the bucket is completely filled then they will receive that prize the following day. We then will pick a new goal to work towards as a team and start again.

Field Trips:

There are many learning experiences that we participate in throughout the year: virtual field trips, school functions and field trips that we need to travel to.

4th Grade travels to: Mumford on October 4th, Niagara Power Authority in May and the Erie Canal on June 12th.

Parent volunteers needed:

I would love to have any parent volunteers come in throughout the year. Some of the opportunities to help:

– In the classroom on a weekly or monthly basis helping with centers, reading, extra practice or anything else you feel comfortable doing.

– Field trips– Classroom parties

Snacks:

We will have a time designated to have a snack each day. I encourage kids to often bring in a healthy snack. I have a fridge in my room to keep snacks that need to be kept cold such as yogurt, fruits and vegetables.

Celebration snacks are more than welcome, just be sure to make enough for the whole class to enjoy.

My contact information: • Room: 305

• Phone: 716-492-9300 Ext. 3305

• Email: abracikowski@pioneercsd.org

• Website: http://abracikowskifourthgrade.wordpress.com/

• Definite working hours that I will be at school: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. I know I will be in well before and after those times listed above, but I know meetings and such come up.

Please feel free to contact me at anytime. I believe in strong parent/guardian and teacher communication.

There are so many things that affect students inside and outside of school. The more everybody is on the same page, the greater success we will have all together.

I will be sending home a weekly newsletter as well as posting it on my classroom website.

I check my email before school, during my lunch break, after school and at home – please limit calls during the actual school day unless it is an emergency. I am more than willing to talk on the phone or meet before or after school. Writing notes in your child's agenda is another great way to communicate.

Thank you for coming in today!

I am highly looking forward to a great year on this new adventure together

in 4th Grade!