Dear Parents,
Third
grade promises to be an exciting and challenging school year. Third graders are becoming more independent
and expectations are getting higher.
This is the first year these students will be experiencing the
End-of-Grade tests. We will be working
very hard all year in preparation for this test.
In an effort to make a smooth
transition to third grade and to establish an understanding of expectations
this year, I have put together this packet of information for you. I am looking forward to this school
year. I am excited about teaching your
child. Please feel free to contact me
with any questions or concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Southerland
Students
are allowed to be dropped off at 8:50.
The tardy bell is at 9:20.
Carpool pick up is at 3:40 in the afternoons. Please be sure to drop off and pick up your
child on time. If your child arrives at
school late or if they leave early, you must sign them in or out in the school
office. If your child is ill you may
phone our school office at 557-2770 and leave a message. When your child returns to school please send
a note to excuse your child’s absence.
Car rider signs are the same from last year. If you lost yours they cost $2.50 in the
office.
Whenever possible, we will be
going outside for recess, so please dress your child accordingly. Our room seems to never be a perfect
temperature. At times it can get warm
and is more often too cold. So wearing
layers or bringing an extra long sleeve shirt/sweater/jacket would be helpful.
If your child will be getting
home a different way than they normally do they will need a note from you. If I don’t have a note, I will have to send
them on their regularly scheduled bus if I can’t get a hold of you.
Lunch is from 10:45-11:05 every day. You are more than welcome to
come eat with your child!
Homework
Policy
Homework
will be assigned each week night, Monday through Thursday. Weekend projects are given rarely, but
occasionally. Homework is designed to
reinforce and enrich the skills and information presented in the classroom, and
will serve to maintain cumulative skills.
Homework is valuable in that it helps your child to establish
independent study habits and self-discipline.
It also keeps parents aware of the topics and skills being taught in
class. Homework should not take more
than an hour nightly. Children work at
varying paces, so for some children it may take more than an hour, and others
less.
Failure to turn in homework
will result in loss of classroom privileges.
Students who do not complete their homework will have a working lunch to
complete the assignment or move their clip.
Please remember that homework
is the responsibility of your child. You
are welcome, and encouraged, to check it over, but please allow your child to
complete the work independently. This
will give me a better idea of those skills I need to reteach.
Snack/Water
Bottle/Bathroom Breaks
Please
be sure your child remembers to bring in a healthy snack each day. We will be
having snack during the day. Students
are not allowed to share snacks. With so
many allergy concerns at our school it would be very unsafe to have this
occur. Each student may bring in a water
bottle to fill up in the morning if they wish.
Please make sure to label the water bottles with your child’s name. We only take water breaks with our bathroom
breaks before lunch, after specials, and after recess. We do take 3 scheduled bathroom breaks. I discourage students to go during
instructional math, reading, and writing times.
Birthdays
We
love them and are happy to celebrate them!
If you wish to send a special treat for everyone that is fine with me. The food policy at Willow Springs Elementary is NO home
prepared treats. Food items need to be
bought and wrapped from a store. It is
however my policy that no birthday invitations are brought to school unless everyone is invited. Imagine how hurt a child would be if he/she
did not receive one and saw them being passed out. Thank you!!
AR
As
third graders the AR goal is going to be individualized this year. At the first quarter conference we (teacher
and parents) will set up a point goal for each student to reach by the end of
the year. If they meet their
individualized goal, then they will receive a quarterly surprise.
Student Planner
Each student will have a student planner
(agenda notebook) in which they will record their assignments each day. It is the student’s responsibility to copy
the assignments into their agenda and take the agenda home. Time is set aside each day to do this. There is also a place in the agenda for
parents and teacher to communicate. I
have found this to be very effective.
Classroom
Management
My
classroom management is a color system with consequences for bad choices and positive
reinforcement for meeting and exceeding expectations. If a rule is broken, warning is given. If a
second rule is broken, the child’s clothespin will move from green to
blue. Clothespins will continue to move
in this fashion until the behavior is corrected. Consequences are as follows:
- Green
– Great!
- Blue- 3 minutes structured recess
- Yellow-
6 minutes structured recess
- Red-
9 minutes structured recess
- Extreme,
harmful behavior will result in an immediate removal from classroom.
The planner/agenda is where students will write each
time they move a clothespin explaining why they had to move their
clothespin. Please read and sign by it
so I know you are aware of what is happening at school.
Good
behavior is also given. Students earn
class dojo points for their positive behavior.
Once they earn 50 points they get to pick a reward.
My goal is for your child to
have a positive, safe, and fun learning experience in my classroom. I will do my best to create a positive
atmosphere. I hope I will have your
support from home with discipline.
Friday Folder
This folder will be coming home
on Fridays and this is where all the school mail and students’ work will be
placed. The paper will let you know how
your child did for the week on AR, homework, behavior/work habits. Underneath the date is the special they will
have for that week. So be sure to look
at the following week’s date to see which special they will have for the
upcoming week. If it is Gym please make
sure you wear tennis shoes and not flip-flops.
Specials are from 1:05-1:50.
Please initial or sign the planners and Friday Folders. Thanks!
Volunteering/Contact
Me
We
love them and are happy to have them!
In order to volunteer, you do need to complete the registry. Even if you just wanted to come in and read a
book aloud to the students that would be wonderful. If you don’t have the registry completed you
can’t even come read to students.
If
you are interested in completing the volunteering registry at a later time,
please see the office about the procedure for becoming a volunteer. If you have volunteered in the past, you
still have to go through the registry to renew your status starting in October.
It
is my hope that we can work together as a team this year. As we progress through the year I encourage
you to contact me with your comments, concerns, or questions. If you need to reach me, you can call the
school at 557-2770. The office will take
a message and put it in my mailbox. If
it is an extreme emergency, the office will be able to reach me right
away. Any message I receive, I will get
back to you as soon as possible. I check
my email at least once a day if you want to communicate that way. You can also do it the old-fashioned way and
just write a note in their planner. The email on Class Dojo sends me an alert on my phone when I receive a new message. I tend to respond to those quicker since my phone is usually by me so I can give students Dojo points. We
are a team working together for the success of your child. I am looking forward to a fun and exciting
year with you and your child!
Love,
Mrs. Southerland
Teacher Tips for Parents
·
Hug your child every day. All too soon they will think they are too big
to be hugged.
·
Read with your child. They love to be read to and to read aloud to
someone. You both will be richly blessed
with this time of quiet sharing.
·
Ask them questions about their school
day. Be specific. Don’t stop with “How was your day?” Be aware of what’s happening.
·
Set aside a time and a place for
homework.
·
Encourage your child to make thoughtful
decisions and choices, and give them positive reinforcement for making good
choices.
Wish List
Equipment for outdoor recess
·
Basketball
·
Kickball
·
Soccer Ball
·
Jump ropes
Small
prizes for the prize box
·
Individually wrapped candy
·
Stickers
·
Colored Pens
·
Cool printer paper
·
Decorative Computer Paper
·
Fun Post-Its of all sizes
·
Band-Aids
·
Extra Tissues (We run out every year)
·
Baby Wipes
Thanks
for all your help!!
