September 17^th, 2009

Open House

Dear Parents,

 

            Welcome back to school! I am so excited to be teaching 3^rd grade again this year. I am looking forward to a year of tremendous growth and learning for your child. I just want to give you a quick outline of how thing will work this year in Room 13.

 

Team Teaching: As a third grade team we have designed rotations to team teach some of the subject areas. I will be teaching health and art, Mrs. Irving will be teaching science, and Mr. Adams will be teaching social studies to all 3^rd grade students. We look forward to getting to know all of our 3^rd graders at Cummings as a team.

 

Homework Folders: I will be sending home a blue folder on Mondays (or the first day of the week) and I would like them to be sent back to me on Fridays (or the last day of the week). I will include the homework for the week, flyers/letters/announcements from the office, corrected student work and a monthly newsletter from Room 13 to let you know how things are going and keep you updated. Please feel free to use this folder as a form of communication between home and school. If you have a note of question or concern you’d like me to receive I will be checking the folders for those on Fridays. Of course if something is more urgent please just call, email, or send a note in that day with your child.

 

Homework: It is my hope that your child will read every night for at least 20 minutes. Included in the homework folder each Monday will be a reading log for the week. It will include a place to record your child’s reading each night. There will also be a couple of writing prompts.  Please select one and have your child write on a separate piece of paper to turn in. Math is on the back and I encourage students to use words, numbers, and pictures to show their thinking. If homework is not turned in on Friday, the student will have to stay in and work on it during Friday Fun (an extra recess the last 20 minutes of the day).

 

Water/Snacks: Students are welcome to bring water bottles to school to keep on their desks and drink throughout the day. Please do not send any individual packets to be added into water bottles (such as crystal light). Water only J At this point I am not planning on having a snack tim. Be sure to eat breakfast. Our lunch time is at 11:35.

 

Classroom Volunteers: Please fill out your name and information on the sign up sheet tonight if you would like to volunteer. If you were unable to make it to our open house please just send a note back that you are interested in volunteering in the homework folder. Volunteers won’t be starting until October. It is my hope to come up with some kind of a weekly schedule for people that want to be involved in that way. If your time does not allow you to volunteer on a weekly basis but you are still interested please indicate that on the sign up sheet (field trips, donations for class parties, etc.)

 

 Classroom Discipline: I will be following the guidelines of the Cummings Way. I want every child in my class to be successful and given the chance to improve their behavior should there be a problem. Either Mrs. Sundseth or I will be in touch if there is a difficulty here at school.

 

Absences: If your child is sick please call in the office to excuse the absence. If your child is gone one or two days I will not send home any work. If they are gone three days or more you may call or email me and ask to have some work sent home if your child is feeling well enough. Otherwise, I feel the students are more than able to make up the work when they come back either in class or I can explain the work to them and send it home once they have returned. Please remember a lot of the work done in elementary school is cooperative, interactive and based on being in the classroom.

 

Birthday Parties: If you want to bring in snacks for your child’s birthday, 11:35 is the time. Please join us in the cafeteria to pass out the treats (if you aren’t here to pass them out, I am willing to do so). Remember that if you bring treats you need to also include napkins, cups, or anything else necessary for the treat. Also, everything must be store bought.

 

State Testing (OAKS)

Students begin both state and district mandated tests in third grade. The state test (OAKS) is given on the computer 2-3 times per year. The district test is given twice a year. Both tests include reading and math. Our first tests will begin around November.

 

 

Typical Day:

8:45 Math 4 Today- Review and practice skills

9:00 Writer’s Workshop

9:45 Music, Media, or PE

10:30 Math

11:30 Wash Hands

11:35 Lunch and Recess

12:20 Reading

1:35 Break

1:50 Science, Social Studies, Health, Art

2:40 Read Aloud

3:00 Bell Rings

*This will be our schedule most days, but will always be flexible to the needs of the day.

* Computers- Wednesday Morning

*Library Check Out- Thursday Morning

 

If you have any other questions or can think of something I forgot to mention, please ask. Feel free to email, call, or stop in before or after school. I look forward to a great school year.

 

Thanks,

Kristi Weathers

Weathers_kristi@salkeiz.k12.or.us