WELCOME to Fourth Grade Parent Orientation Tuscany Heights Elementary

1. WELCOME to Fourth Grade Parent Orientation Tuscany Heights Elementary

2. Attendance/Tardies • Students are picked up by their teachers in the gym at 7:30 a.m. • Instruction begins at 7:50 a.m. • Tardy bell rings at 7:50 a.m. & front doors are locked • Parents will need to walk their child into the front office if you arrive after 7:50 • Students are considered absent at or after 9:15 a.m.

3. Dismissal Procedures • Dismissal time is at 2:55 p.m. • Students can only be picked up as a car rider from the front of the school • If students need to leave early, parents must pick up before 2:30 p.m. • Only Summerglen residents can be Summerglen walkers and will be dismissed at the gate

4. Communication A tool we find useful in communicating between school and home is through the use of B.O.B. (BE ORGANIZED BINDER) and Agenda Book. Both the BOB binder and Agendawill be brought to school each day and then taken back home each night. You will find: • a record of activities and assignments • graded papers • corrected papers that need a signature Please check and initial the agenda every night!

5. Communication Another tool we find useful in communicating between school and home is through Class Dojo. Please be sure to download the app and use the code from your teacher to sign up. It is a great way to receive instant feedback on how your child is doing in class throughout the day.

6. Behavior See handout for specific codes. (found on the Tiger’s Code of Conduct page in the B.O.B. binder) Your child’s conduct grade is derived from the Tuscany Code of Conduct. 0-3discipline comments = E 4-6 discipline comments = S 7-9 discipline comments = I 10+ discipline comments = U

7. Agendas PLEASE PURCHASE AN AGENDA BOOK Your child will need it on day one!!!

8. Grades Grades are based on the following configuration: A 100%-90% B 89%-80% C 79%-75% D 74%-70% F 69% and below Check your child’s B.O.B binder for graded papers or reviewed assignments.

9. Grading Policy • Grades are based on the quality of the student’s work. • Any student who earns a failing grade (69%-below) will have the opportunity to correct the assignment and material will be reviewed • The maximum grade earned for corrected assignments will be a 70%. • Graded papers will be sent home in the B.O.B. binder See NEISD website for further information on grading policy at www.neisd.net

10. Skyward Please use Skyward Family Access to: • check grades • student progress • cafeteria balance • attendance • library books checked out • provides multilingual support (20 different languages) • online forms available • email alerts for events for academics and discipline

11. Specials This year specials classes include: P.E., Music, and S.T.E.A.M. lab The P.E. coaches, Ms. Kaufman & Mrs. Fonger, are requesting that all students wear tennis shoes on their assigned P.E. days.

12. Departmentalized classes This school year your child will have three teachers each teaching a specific subject. These include reading, math, and writing. Science and social studies will be taught by your homeroom teacher.

13. Lighthouse School Habit 1: Be Proactive Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind Habit 3: First Things First Habit 4: Think Win-Win Habit 5: Try first to understand, then to be understood. Habit 6: Synergize Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw Habit 8: Find Your Voice The leadership binder is where students keep track of their academic and personal goals and their progress throughout the year. This will be combined with the B.O.B. binder. You can view your student’s goals and progress.

14. STAAR TESTing (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) In fourth grade, the students will be tested on Writing, Math, and Reading. Testing dates: Writing – April 7 Math (HAM) - April 8 Math – May 11 Reading- May 12

15. Library The library will have a flexible schedule allowing students to return/check-outbooks (up to 3) as needed. A set library time is scheduled once every week. Ms. Johnson, the librarian, will help us withresearch projects. Parents may set up a library account and check out 5 books at a time. Visit the Tuscany Library website to download ebooks.

16. Texas Bluebonnet Books Reading five Bluebonnet books will allow your child to vote winner Battle of the Books competition is held in the spring SSR (Self-Selected Reading) during class is great timeto read these books

17. Transportation Tags All students need to have a transportation tag attached to their backpack to indicate how they go home. Please be sure that your child’s backpack has the appropriate tag for the entire school year. If you lose your tag, let your homeroom teacher know. • If your child will be a car rider, you will need to get your tag. • If you lose or forget your car tag you will have to wait until 3:15 p.m. to get a new tag and check out your child. • KIN, Walkers, Daycare, and Bus riders will have their tags attached to their backpacks on Monday by their teacher.

18. Transportation If there is ever a change in the way your child will be going home at dismissal time, please send in a written note with your child or email your teacher. If you have to make a change after the school day has started, please call the office at 407-8200 before 12:00 p.m. This will ensure that your child gets home the correct way.

19. Homework Homework will be assigned as needed in each subject. Some projects may require extra time to complete. Please check the B.O.B. binder for homework assignments. Students should read and practice their math facts for at least 15-20 minutes each night.

20. Lunch The lunch menus for each month are given to the students to keep in their B.O.B. binder. The menus are also available onlineon the NEISD website. Pre-payments may be made by sending in a check written in either black or blue ink and made out to Tuscany Heights Elementary Students will be required to punch in their own lunch number (student ID) every time they buy a meal from the cafeteria. Please remember: If anyone other than the parent or guardian wishes to eat lunch with a student you need to send a note to the office by 10 a.m. Also, another student can not eat with you unless we have received a note from their parents prior to lunch.

21. Clinic We use a Clinic Flow chartin every classroom to decide if visiting the nurse is the best solution at the time of the request. Our ultimate goal is to make sure everyone is in the best of health. However, we prefer students learning in the classroom.

22. Attendance & Absences School goal is to have 97% students present daily!!! • If your child is absent, please inform the school before 8:30 a.m. • Send a note with an explanation when your child returns to school. • Please check the school calendar when scheduling vacations. • In order to be organized for a productive day, please try to bring your child to school by 7:25 a.m. • Parents will be notified of excessive tardies and absences.

23. Visitors & Volunteers Please sign in at the office to receive an ID badge that must be visible as you travel within the school. When bringing lunches and other items, please leave them at the office in order to limit classroom interruptions. Volunteers and field trip chaperones must be cleared through D.P.S. (Department of Public Safety). To applyfor volunteer status, simply go to the NEISD website and fill out theapplication.

24. Thank you. Your involvement in your child’s education is greatly appreciated.