WELCOME TO
THIRD GRADE
Dear Parents,
I am pleased to welcome you and your child to my class. A good learning experience is built on a cooperative effort between parent, child, and teacher. I look forward to the work we will accomplish and growth we will achieve this year.
My expectations for conduct and academic standards are high. With your participation both in and out of the classroom, we can enjoy a productive and creative year.
I welcome parental volunteer activity in the classroom that will provide more personal attention for the students who need extra help or enrichment or to take care of chores like bulletin boards, art projects, filing, field trips, etc. All volunteers must be cleared through the county office. I will be happy to send an application home at your request.
You can also help by providing me with any information that will assist me in better understanding your child. Also please let me know about events that occur this year that may affect your child’s state of mind (like a death in the family, a best friend moving away, loss of a pet, divorce, etc.), special medical needs (medications, allergies), and feelings towards school. Any of these things can have a great effect on school performance and motivation. Although I am interested in anything that could be affecting your child, it is not necessary for you to reveal any personal information. Please know that anything you do say will be kept in the strictest confidence.Following is the information that was requested during Open House or that will help you understand our classroom policies and procedures:
Supplies-
Non-rolling backpack Large eraser
Box of tissues 4 pocket folders with prongs (1 green, 1 blue, 1 red, 1 yellow)
2 Highlighter Markers Hand Sanitizer
Scissors Crayons/markers
#2 pencils (24) 3 packs wide-ruled notebook paper
12 inch ruler that includes metric markings
3x3 Yellow Post-It Type Notes 1 dry erase marker
1 sock (to erase dry erase marker)
Folders- Yellow folders will go home the last day of each week. They will include: a folder note (most weeks) that will update you on current and upcoming class activities, events, and all graded work (some reading work will be held in student portfolios). Please help your child correct and return any D or F work that is uncorrected (we may have already corrected some work in class). Review of this folder will keep you informed about what’s going on in our classroom and how your child is doing. Work that the students ‘grade’ will be marked in blue ink and will be in their backpack the day it’s checked. These grades are for practice and not recorded. The folders are expected back on Monday with a parent signature.
Daily Schedule-
9:00-9:30 Breakfast, Morning Work (Do-Nows/Journaling)
9:30-11:00 Reading *(There are five stories and six weeks in each Reading Unit. During the sixth week we have our Unit Tests. Unless the children request a spelling test that week, and sometimes they do, we won’t have one for that week.)
Note: Some students may be in another teacher’s reading class.
11:05- 12:00 Special Area
12:05-12:35 Lunch
12:35-12:55 Computers
12:55- 1:40 Math
1:40-2:00 Science
2:00- 2:15 Break
2:15 -2:45 Language Arts
2:45-3:15 Social Studies
3:25 Dismissal
Planners- Students will take planners home daily. All homework will be written under that day’s date and will leave class in their planner. (The students will also record important events and dates in their planner as well as upcoming projects and their due dates.) Please check and sign it daily. I will, when appropriate, write notes home in the planner. (Please initial any notes so that I know you have seen them.) Please feel free to write to me also. Replacement cost for the planner is $5.00.
Homework- Homework (usually Monday-Friday) is assigned to reinforce the day’s lessons and to foster a sense of responsibility. Most of the time homework will consist of spelling and math and is due the next day. Students are also expected to read at home for 30 minutes daily (My Reading group will have specific assignments). Missing homework will be made up during recess time.
Absent Work- Absent work is ready at the end of each day. It is due within (except for long term absences) one week of the child’s return to class but should be completed as soon as possible. 48-hour notice is needed for advance homework requests and will only cover work that has already been prepared. Any additional work can be made up upon the child’s return.
Fundraising- There are several different fundraisers throughout the year. You will receive notices and brochures as they occur. We also collect Box Tops for Education coupons from General Mills products. They are worth $.10 each and add up to hundreds of dollars each year for our school.
Behavior- Appropriate behavior (that which a third grader can be reasonably expected to achieve) is expected during the school day. Good behavior (and academic achievement) is rewarded with special privileges, chance tickets, drawings from the goody box and sweet treats. Consequences for poor behavior follow two warnings (one verbal, one written). There is no ‘break time’ for a third misbehavior during a single day and a pink slip in addition to loss of break time for continued inappropriate behavior. You will be notified about any pink slips issued to your child via the planner. Three pink slips within 30 days automatically incurs a visit to the Assistant Principle, Mr. Terry. A fourth pink slip in one month results in a referral and possible detention.
Birthdays- Birthdays will be celebrated in class with a song and ‘birthday’ pencil. Student may serve ‘birthday food’ during lunchtime in the lunchroom. All foods must be commercially prepared (i.e.: grocery stores).If it is something that the student cannot serve, like a sheet cake, please make arrangements to assist him or her. You are, of course, welcome to visit during lunch any day you wish.
Textbooks- Students may take their textbooks home as long as they bring them back the next school day.
Scholastic Order Forms- Every month there will be Scholastic Book Order Forms in the yellow folder. Points are earned from each purchase and I use them to buy books for the class. The students choose the books that are purchased. Please send exact change or a check made out to Scholastic Books with your order form. The books usually arrive within two weeks of the date I place the order.
Grading- There are two kinds of grading used on assignments. The first is the standard percentage correct followed by a letter grade and the second is with checkmarks.
Check-plus indicates above level work, check for on level work, and check-minus for work that is below level.
Temperature- Our classroom thermostat is not the most accurate and tends to be either a bit cool or very warm. I keep the temperature on the cool side because it helps keep us all awake! Please allow your child to put a light jacket or sweater in their book bag.
Special Area- This year we are on a five day schedule. The schedule is as follows:
Monday Music
Tuesday PE
Wednesday PE/Health Thursday Art
Friday PE
I’ll let you know if there are any changes or special requirements for the week.
Tests- Spelling tests will be on the last day of each week. Other subject area test dates will be recorded in student planners and/or in the Friday Note home. Tests receive a greater percentage value than daily work. Please see me if you would like to know the exact amounts.
Field Trips- We may have trips and in school events planned for this year. I welcome parent volunteers, but remember you must be cleared at least two weeks in advance. There are almost always space limitations on our buses and thus may limit the number of parents who can attend. Please let me know A.S.A.P. if you’d like to go with us.
That about covers it for now! Please, and I mean this sincerely, contact me with any questions about your child or their work. I am, of course, busy with the students from 9:00 until 3:30 but you can leave a message with Ms. Denise (our receptionist) and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. If you prefer to meet in person, please call and we can arrange for a time that is mutually convenient. Third grade marks the transition from primary to intermediate and is very challenging. Many children have adjustments to make and given time, will do just fine.
Again, welcome to and welcome back to Wadsworth Elementary!
Kind Regards,
Robin Evans
446-6720 (Wadsworth)
evansr@flaglerschools.com (Email)
