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Linda Owens |
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year. We hope each of you had a terrific summer! We would like to take this time to mention our policies and goals regarding your child’s fourth grade year.
Religion Fourth graders will
change classes for Religion, Science, and Social Studies.
Science Mrs. Owens will teach Religion,
Mrs. Daschbach will teach Science, and Mrs.
Social Pabst will teach Social Studies.
Each homeroom teacher will teach her own
Studies Math and Language Arts- Reading, Writing,
English, and Spelling.
Supplies We expect our students to be prepared to learn; therefore, your child needs to bring the necessary supplies and books to and from school every day. Please check with your child periodically to see if he/she needs any supplies. Valuable time is wasted and disruptions occur when supplies are not at school.
Books All textbooks must be covered at all times. Please check with your child and get him/her to bring these books home to be covered as needed or you may send cloth book covers to school.
Binder Upcoming events and letters will be sent home periodically; therefore, please check for notices daily and remove them. All class work and homework sheets belong in the correct labeled slash pocket of the binder, which will avoid loose sheets in the desk or locker as well as in the book sack. Periodically, we will clean out binders in class. Therefore, please do not remove any subject related sheets.
Heading All assignments in the math notebook should include date and page number. All assignments on loose-leaf paper must include full name, date, subject, and homeroom teacher. Students must put their first and last name and date on all tests and work. Points will be deducted from each test and/or work that does not include a name and/or date.
Handwriting Handwriting grades will be based on G for good, S for Satisfactory, and N for Needs Improvement. Students will be expected to write in cursive. Your child’s handwriting grade will be derived from all written work including daily practice sheets which are graded weekly and sent home in the Conduct Folder. Handwriting grades can be effected by not completing these practice sheets.
Spelling Students will take a weekly spelling test derived from the story spelling list or assigned list. Students are required to write their assigned spelling words on loose-leaf paper three times each, which is due the day of the test. Your child’s spelling grade will come from homework, assignments, activities, and tests. It is customary to call out spelling words for spelling tests. However, we feel your child should have the opportunity to become familiar with the Spelling Terra Nova format. Therefore, your child will be exposed to both types of tests throughout the school year. Sometimes your child will be required to take a written test. Other times your child will be given a multiple choice test where he/she will have to identify the correct spelling and bubble in the answer. By giving both tests sporadically throughout the school year, we feel your child will become comfortable with both test formats.
Accelerated Reader Your child will be responsible to read chapter books within his/her ZPD zone from an accelerated reader’s list and take AR tests. Each student will read 15 minutes a day in class. It is your child’s responsibility to read at least 15 minutes at home every day. A grade of 30 possible points will be given each nine weeks based on a rubric. A progress update will be sent home around the middle of each nine weeks. This will let you know where your child stands and will give him/her the opportunity to meet his/her goal. You can also be notified every time your child takes an AR test by registering online with Renaissance Home Connect. Please look online to read the AR guidelines with your child. Please print, sign, and return the AR form to your homeroom teacher the first week of school.
Book Reports Your child is responsible for completing one book report each semester. Instructions for each book report will be given in advance. It is very important that your child follows all of the directions. Book reports will be used as a Language Arts grade.
Assignment Pad Upcoming tests, projects, and homework will be posted on the classroom assignment pad in the classroom for the students to copy. Tests are posted on Friday for the following week and remain posted until each one is taken. Students are required to write daily assignments Monday through Thursday and the test schedule on Friday in their own assignment pad. The test schedule will include the day each test will be given and what is covered on each test. Therefore, Monday through Thursday, your child will only have to write the word “test” and the day it will be given as well as the daily assignments because he/she should have written what is covered on the test on Friday’s assignment sheet.
Homework Points will be given for homework assignments. Please call us with any concerns about homework. Weekly assignments are posted online each Monday. However, your child is still responsible for copying the information on his/her assignment pad every day. In the event there is a difference between the assignment pad and Quia, please adhere to the assignment pad.
Math Timed Tests Your child will have weekly graded timed tests on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. The timed tests are daily grades. By doing this the entire year, we feel your child will improve his/her fact skills. Basic facts should be memorized. There are many tools to reinforce math facts including flashcards, writing them (paper, air, pudding, salt, and shaving crème), computer games, recording them on a tape recorder, CDs, and various websites listed online such as www.aaamath.com, www.aplusmath.com, www.gamequarium.com, and www.funbrain.com as well as www.timezattack.com for multiplication facts..
Study Guides Study guides should be completed as assigned by the teacher. Completion of the entire study guide is not required at one time. Please keep all study guides in the binder so that your child may check his/her answers, which will be reviewed in class. It is your child’s responsibility to check all answers as well as make the necessary corrections. Study guides must be completed and turned in the day of that chapter test. Points will be given for completed study guides. Points will be deducted each day it is late.
Daily Grades Daily grades come from homework, assignments, worksheets, stations, activities, participation, study guides, and timed tests.
Tests Tests for the following week will be posted on Fridays. Encourage your child to make sure he/she copies the schedule in the assignment pad. For Language Arts, your child is responsible for studying the vocabulary and spelling words; reading the story; and reviewing practice book pages, skill sheets, and comprehension questions found at the end of each story. A skill sheet and a vocabulary sheet will be given for every reading story. It is important that your child keeps his/her skill sheet in order to study the examples as well as be familiar with the test format. For Math, basic facts as well as addition and subtraction problems will be included on every Math test. As the year progresses, multiplication and division problems will be added to each Math test. Therefore, please practice these concepts throughout the year. In other subject areas, your child is responsible for learning all of the information on study guides, reviewing notes/sheets given in class, studying highlighted areas, and reviewing the chapter. Points will be deducted for not following directions, not writing in complete sentences, and not restating the question.
Incomplete Items It is very important for your child to review his/her work and tests before turning them in. All items left blank will be marked wrong. Each student will be required to use a checklist for the first test in each subject. Thereafter, the checklist will be optional.
Complete Sentences In order for your child to improve his/her communication skills we are requiring your child to write in complete sentences which includes restating the question. The five components to a complete sentence include subject, verb, capital letter, correct end mark, and it must make sense. Points will be deducted for any missing component on tests. We are asking that your child does not use the symbol + for the word “and” on any written work.
Conduct Folder All graded papers will be returned in the conduct folder each week. Please review each paper with your child. The sheet inside the folder will indicate the number of papers. The top number will indicate the number of papers your child has turned in and the bottom number will indicate the number of papers he/she should have. We will indicate under the comment section the papers that were not turned in. This will immediately inform you if your child did not turn in work. It is your child’s responsibility to turn in the missing work immediately. Points will be deducted each day for any late work. You may view your child’s grades as well as behavior notifications online. Please take note of the deducted points from your child’s conduct grade. Feel free to make comments, sign the folder, and return it to school within two days. If the conduct folder is not signed and returned by the time it is to be sent out again, an infraction will be given. Your child’s conduct folder with graded papers will not be sent home until the previous week’s conduct sheet has been signed and returned. You may be asked to bring your child’s signed folder to school if your child consistently does not return his/her folder.
Missing Papers When a student misplaces any work, he/she may look in the extra paper folder. It is better to turn work in late than not to turn it in at all. Your child will receive a “missing assignment” form, which must be signed by a parent and returned to school the next day. Also the missing assignment will be indicated under the Comment section on the Conduct Folder sheet.
Uniform Policy We know that all students will adhere to the dress code at all times. However, if a student chooses not to follow the dress code, he/she will be issued an infraction for every dress code violation.
Tardy Getting off to a good start sets the tone for the rest of the day. This is why it is so important to arrive on time. Students must be in their line in the gym by the time the morning bell rings. If not, students will be marked tardy. When a student receives the fifth tardy, an infraction will be given and every tardy thereafter will earn an infraction during that nine weeks.
Rules On the first day of school, all students will participate in the making of our classroom rules. Once these are established, a separate discipline letter will be sent home for your signature.
Phone Calls/Quia If you need to contact a fourth grade teacher, please leave a message at the school office (985-345-0977) or send an email through Quia. We will be glad to get in touch with you as soon as possible. We will be more than happy to make an appointment to meet with you during our planning period or after school. Please check Quia every Monday afternoon for important messages and announcements.
Your child will have the opportunity to improve his/her communication skills through reading, writing, speaking, and completing classroom/homework assignments. We will read and discuss the lessons in class, and we will have appropriate demonstrations and experiments when the occasion arises. We have several goals for this school year:
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To help your child grow academically and spiritually
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To help your child realize his/her own potential and worth
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To make learning interesting thereby educating your child through fun activities
This letter is not to overwhelm you but to inform you of our procedures at the very beginning of school. Please keep this policy letter as a reference throughout the school year. It is very important to your child that we work closely together. Each child must feel that we support each other. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. Together, we know the road ahead will be enjoyable as well as successful.
Sincerely,
Fourth Grade Teachers
I acknowledge receipt of the Fourth Grade Policy Letter and understand the procedures practiced in the fourth grade.
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Parent’s Signature
Date
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Student’s
Signature
Date
Dear Parents,
As we enter a new school year, we are mindful that your primary purpose in sending your child to Holy Ghost School is to receive a meaningful Catholic education. In fulfilling that purpose, it is our pleasure to guide your child’s fourth grade year of learning. To accomplish our mutual goals of productive learning, we ask for your cooperation, support, and a line of open communication through which together we can work in your child’s best interest. From our previous experience, we find that goals are achieved when students are committed to (a) learning in a well-programmed, spirit filled environment, (b) completing all assignments, and (c) following all rules of discipline (see attached discipline plan).
Students will be issued infractions for disobeying rules, not following uniform policy, and being tardy the fifth time and every tardy thereafter. Each student is responsible for giving his/her infraction to a parent upon receiving one. Each infraction is worth a set amount of points as indicated in the Handbook Section 8.4. All students will start each nine week period with 100 points for his/her conduct grade. As an infraction is administered, points will be deducted from his/her conduct grade. The weekly conduct folder will indicate the points deducted. Please note the points indicated are from the previous week. The points deducted each week will carry over to the following week until the end of the grading period. Other offenses as indicated in the handbook will result in a detention or suspension as well as the conduct grade being lowered on the report card. Please review online the list of violations with your child in the Parent/Student Handbook- Section 8.0 for detailed information regarding detentions and suspensions. Also note that Holy Ghost School will not tolerate any hurtful teasing.
Conduct grades are cumulative; therefore, your child’s conduct grade for the report card can be determined at any point throughout the grading period. You may view your child’s behavior notification online. It is our hope that your child will earn all good reports. Good behavior will be reinforced.
Please read the 2nd-4th grade handbook online containing rules and regulations of the school. You are to read the information, sign, and return the contractual agreement to school to be maintained on file.
We will work very hard with positive techniques to encourage every child to cooperate with wonderful behavior. If you need to contact a fourth grade teacher, please call the school and leave a message or send an email through Quia. We will be glad to get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Together let’s make the Fourth Grade Year memorable for your child.
Sincerely,
Fourth Grade Teachers
DISCIPLINE PLAN
1. The student will follow all directions.
2. The student will raise his/her hand for permission to speak.
3. The student will remain in his/her assigned seat.
4. The student will keep hands, feet, objects, and remarks to himself/herself.
5. The student will be respectful at all times.
6. The student will follow uniform policy.
7. The student will be in gym before assembly bell.
REWARDS
CONSEQUENCES
Praise
Infraction
Coupon
Mediation Time
Behavior Credit Card Note/Call
Home
Positive Note/Call Home Conference
Treasure Box
Meet with Administrator
Detention
GRADING SCALE PER NINE WEEKS
A 90 - 100
B 80 - 89
C 70 - 79
D 60 - 69
F 59 or Below
I acknowledge receipt of the Fourth Grade Discipline Plan and understand the contents stated therein.
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Parent’s Signature
Date
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Student’s Signature
Date