Lori Schillace 3rd Grade Syllabus / Class Requirements

Welcome to the 2007-2008 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 third grade year.

Religion         Third graders will change for Religion, Science/Social Studies,
Science         and math.  Mrs. Zewe will teach Religion, Mrs. Pisciotta will 
Social             teach Science and Social Studies, and Mrs. Schillace will teach
Studies          Math.  Each homeroom teacher will teach her own Language 
Math               Arts- Reading, Writing, English, and Spelling.

Supplies        We expect our students to 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.

Books            All textbooks must be covered at all times.  Please check with your 
                   child and get him/her to bring these books home as needed, or you
                   may send cloth book covers to school.

Home             Upcoming events and letters will be sent home often.  Please check 

Folder            your child’s folder daily. 

Heading         All assignments in math notebook should include date and page
                   Number.  Each reading story vocabulary should be written in the
                   reading folder each week.  The title of each story should be at the
                   top of each list.  All assignments on loose-leaf paper must include
                   full name, number, date, subject, and homeroom teacher.  Students
                   must put their full name, number, and date on all tests and work.  
                        one point will be deducted from each test and/or work that does not 
                   include a name.

Handwriting  Students will review cursive letters and will expected to write in
                   cursive by the third nine weeks.  Your child’s handwriting grade will
                   derive from all written work.  Handwriting grades will be based on G
                        for good, S for satisfactory, and N for needs improvement.

Spelling            Students will take a weekly spelling test derived from the story
                     spelling list including challenge words 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. 
                     Test formats will be either written tests or multiple choice.

Accelerated    Your child will be responsible to read books within his/her ZPD zone
Reader           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.

Assignment    Upcoming tests, projects, and homework will be posted on the class-
Pad                   room assignment pad in the classroom for the students to copy.  Tests
                          are posted at the beginning of each week.  These will remain
                     posted until the test is taken.  Students are required to write daily
                     assignments in their own assignment pad.  Please check your child’s
                     assignment pad daily and initial so that we know you are aware of all
                     assignments and tests.  Your child will also record any card changes 
                     for the day in their assignment pad for you to see and initial.   This is 
                     our most important line of communication.  Students will be rewarded 
                     each day for having their assignment pads signed.

Homework      Your child starts with 100 points for homework per nine weeks in
                          each subject.  Five points will be deducted each time your child 
                          does not have his/her homework.  Recess time will be lost until the
                     assignment is completed.  Periodically, chosen homework assignments
                     will be graded.  Weekly assignments are posted online each Monday. 
                     However, your child is still responsible for copying the information on
                     his/her assignment pad every day.  Online assignments will not be
                     as detailed as the assignment pad.  In the event there is a difference
                     between the assignment pad and Quia, please adhere to the
                     assignment pad.

Math                  Your child will have weekly graded timed tests on basic addition and
Timed                subtraction facts.  The timed tests are daily grades.  We will add
Tests                  multiplication and division timed tests as we learn these facts.  By
                      having these timed tests throughout the entire year, we feel that
                      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, shaving cream),
                      computer games, recording them on a tape recorder, CDs, and various
                      websites listed online.

Daily                  Daily grades come from homework, assignments, worksheets, activities,
Grades               participation, and timed tests.

Tests                  Please check assignment pads daily for scheduled tests.  Encourage
                      your child to make sure he/she copies the scheduled tests 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 at the end of each story.  It is important that your child
                      keeps any practice sheets or worksheets given on each skill as a study
                      tool.  In other subject areas, your child is responsible for learning all of
                      the information on study guides, notes/sheets given in class, studying
                      highlighted material, and reviewing the chapter.  A point will be
                      deducted for each misspelled word on tests if a word bank is provided.

Incomplete       It is very important for your child to review his/her work and tests
Items                 before turning them in.  All items left blank will be marked wrong. 
                      There will be a few weeks grace period before this will begin.

Complete          In order for your child to improve his/her communication skills we are
Sentences         requiring your child to write in complete sentences.  The five
                      components to a complete sentence include subject, verb, capital letter,
                      correct end mark, and it must make sense.  A point 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             All graded papers will be returned in the conduct folder each week.
Folder                Please review each paper with your child and correct any wrong
                      answers on a piece of loose-leaf paper.  This should be written neatly
                      and labeled by each test.  Return this in the test folder along with the
                      test papers.  The sheet inside the folder will indicate the number of
                      papers and the conduct grade for the previous week.  The number of
                      papers will have a top and a bottom number.  The top will indicate the
                      number of papers your child has turned in and the bottom will indicate
                      the number of papers he/she should have.  We will indicate under the
                      comment section the papers were not turned in.  This will immediately
                      inform you if your child did not turn in work or has tests to make up.
                      It is your child’s responsibility to turn in the missing work.  You and
                      your child will have two days to review the folder and make corrections.
                      A consequence will be given if your child continues to turn his/her
                      conduct folder in late.

Dress                We know that all students will adhere to the dress code at all times.
Code                 However, if a students chooses not to follow the dress code, he/she
                     will be issued a dress code violation form.  For every fifth violation, a
                     detention will be issued.  Three detentions for dress code violations
                     lower the conduct grade by one letter grade.

Phone               If you need to contact a third grade teacher, please leave a message
Calls                  at the school office (985-345-0977) or leave a message on our
                     Voicemail.  We will return your call as soon as possible.  We will more
                     than happy to make an appointment to meet with you during our planning
                     period or after school.

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:

·  To help your child grow academically and spiritually

·  To help your child realize his/her own potential and worth

·  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 the school year.  Please keep this policy letter as a reference throughout the 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.