Welcome to the Reese Pieces 3rd Grade Class 2015-2016!

1. Welcome to the Reese Pieces 3rd Grade Class 2015-2016! • Brentwood Elementary – Where We Always Do Our Personal Best. • Mr. Reese – Portable 4A

2. About me… • 18th year at Brentwood, 20 years as an educator • Committed to our class and student success and encourage your support from home • Parents/families are kids’ first teachers and vital to student success in school • Have a son who went to Brentwood, Lamar, and McCallum and know the challenges and rewards of being a (single) parent.

3. Our 3rd grade classroom goals for 2015-2016 • Keep STAAR stress low for everyone! • Help students become fluent problem-solvers who are able to work in cooperative groups. • Develop students’ ability to use technology efficiently. • Develop learners who are independent, responsible and self-directed and who take initiative to think about the choices they make. • Improve/enhance overall academic and social skills • Develop content skills for success on the STAAR assessment. • Foster Lifelong Learners who value school and learning. • Develop responsible young citizens for our community via Lifelong Guidelines and Lifeskills.

4. STAAR • Increased rigor compared to TAKS • Increased number of questions • 4 hour time limit • Student performance will be defined in 3 categories: • Level III: Advanced Academic Performance • Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance • Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance • Spring dates: Math May 9, Reading May 10 • Homework will include practice material • Info at www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar

5. “These (STAAR) results should be considered as one of many instruments used to measure your child's growth, not the end-all of your child's learning for the year.” “Our students are much more than a once-a-year pencil and bubble sheet test. Your child means immeasurably more than just a number generated in Austin. There is no test that can assess all of what makes each child unique.” “Your child's achievements must be measured by a multitude of accomplishments throughout the year. Your individual child's academic growth is what is important, and we assess your child's growth from the start of the school year to the end of the school year. In contrast, your child is assessed by the state with a criterion-referenced test (STAAR), which assesses how your child performs on a single day...” “We all know students do not master skills at the same rate; each individual child has their strengths and weaknesses. This single test cannot measure what we know about your child. Many of our students play sports, play musical instruments, dance, sing, speak multiple languages, write and perform poetry or songs, and create amazing works of art.” “Although the data from this assessment will help us know when to offer enrichment or intervention, we will use the state assessment for the purpose the original assessment system was created--a diagnostic tool for identifying areas of concern as well as strengths.” “Our students, not the state assessment, will be our main focus and top priority. Our instructional goals are to prepare each child to be college and/or career ready for the 21st Century.” “So, yes, we live in a time when standardized test results are a reality. However, let's not let the STAAR test overshadow what is truly important--each individual child.”

6. District/Classroom Assessments • Monitors student progress throughout the year • Preparation for STAAR test and academic progress • Build stamina for STAAR • AISD Benchmarks – Early Nov. Reading & Math • Flynt-Cooter – Reading Fluency and Comprehension • DRA – Reading Fluency, Comprehension, and Rate • AIMSweb – Reading Fluency & Math Skills • Teacher-made - Reading & Math

7. Math • Read/write numbers to 999,999 • Mult. Facts to 12 memorized • Name/Compare Fractions with denominators of 12 or less • Add/Subtract whole numbers thru 999,999 with borrowing/regrouping • 2x1 Digit Multiplication, division with no remainder • Round to nearest tens or hundreds place • Identify patterns in tables • Simple Measurement Conversions/ Standard units of measurement • Simple 2-D and 3-D Geometry • Use number lines • Tell time and temperature • Use problem solving steps to solve word problems with above skills embedded • Use math vocabulary

8. Language Arts • Writing Process, Writing Genres, Conventions, Mechanics, Grammar • Increased Reading Fluency & Comprehension via phonics, syllabication and whole-word identification • Comprehension of text, theme, and genre • Summarize, compare and contrast, inferencing in context, draw conclusions • Vocabulary development, context clues, antonyms, synonyms, homophones, homographs, alphabetize to the 3rd letter, use a dictionary • Cursive

9. Science • Inquiry and reasoning • Matter and Energy • Force and Motion • Sun, Earth, and Moon System • Changing Earth • Organisms & Environments • Natural Resources

10. Technology • Keyboarding Skills, Word Processing, Multimedia Projects, Research Skills, Software Applications, and Online Safety

11. Homework • On M, T, W, Th • Helps develop effective study habits when supported and monitored by parents/caregivers • Helps in becoming more responsible and organized • Parents and Caregivers actively participate in child's learning • Please establish HW as a top priority and set aside a consistent time • Spelling, Language Arts, Reading, Math • Nightly reading 20 mins. in addition to homework activity • Reading/HW log in Planner • HW schedule pushed back one day when Monday is a holiday

12. Unfinished Class Work • Unfinished class work will be sent home for completion • Students are given time to complete assignments in class • Students are present during the lesson, and are accountable for knowing what needs to be finished • Work must be returned the next day for credit • Textbooks sent home become “checked-out” to the student • Email or send a note for occasional special circumstances

13. Grades and Tests • Not all work will be formally “graded”. On these, a check indicates I have seen the work and student showed acceptable understanding of the content or skill. Errors may be circled. A minus indicates lack of understanding and improvement is needed • Grades will be taken from test practice sheets, Teacher-made tests, Student work products, Curriculum/District tests, observation, anecdotes, homework completion, and overall effort/participation • Classroom test retakes are allowed one time. An average of the original and make-up scores is the final grade • Please sign and return work that is below expectations • S’s will grade some of their OWN work (HW for example) • Grades are kept in my gradebook and entered into the system each 9 weeks as an average of assigned work. Parents are notified if grades fall below a 75 average • PK–2nd grading vs. 3rd–5th grading…1 2 3 4 vs A B C F • “…but my child is an A student…”

14. Parent/Caregiver & Teacher Communication • The Home Folder and Planner are our primary home-school links so please check them daily and send notes for me in the Planner or Home Folder if needed. • Please sign Planner each homework night. • The Wednesday Folder will come home Wednesday and has school & district-wide and community information. • reesespiecesclass.weebly.com will be our “Classroom Newsletter”, please sign up for the email notification feature. • Other reminders/updates are sent home from time to time so always check/sign the Planner • Phone: 841 - 9007 portable 4A, 414 - 2039 office • E-mail: john.reese@austinisd.org

15. Attendance & Tardies • Please arrive on time and wait in the gym • Pickup time from the gym is 7:35 • Students need a tardy slip to enter the room after 7:45 • Call the office to report an absence 414-2039 • Sign in & out of the office anytime you come to school to visit • Students may not be dismissed early from the classroom, they must first go to the office to be signed out

16. Lifeskills & Lifelong Guidelines • Are our primary behavior expectation and management tool • We’ll have popcorn parties when the class earns enough popcorn “scoops” for using Lifeskills • The AISD Code of Conduct will come home soon, please read, sign, and return it. • Students are given classroom opportunities to resolve issues on their own via teacher discussion, reflection sheet, and Lifeskill review. • For repeated non-compliance a Lifeskill sheet is sent home to be filled out by student and parent, signed, and returned • After a Lifeskill sheet has been sent home, issues are referred to the office (especially if the issue is disturbing to the learning of others)

17. Parent Conferences 2013-2014 • Fall – Mon. Oct. 13 • Spring – Mon. Feb. 16 (unless it’s a bad weather make up day) • Sign-up sheets will be sent home about 2 weeks prior • Phone conferences available as well

18. Miscellaneous • Bus & daycare van riders will be dropped off & picked up in the front of the school. • If you bring your child to school, please pick up and drop off your child in the back of the school ONLY! • We will have 3 parties this year, a Winter holiday, a Valentine, and an End of Year party, dates TBA. Healthy treats please! • We will only distribute personal birthday invitations in class if there is an invitation for each student. • Don’t forget the AISD dress code (ask office for a copy)! • Students should wear closed-toe athletic-type shoes to school, especially on PE days. • Jacket or sweater may be needed, the a/c in the portable makes it either super cold or super hot….

19. Thank you • I look forward to a successful year. • Join the PTA! • Consider being a Reese’s Pieces Homeroom Parent for the year • Visit reesespiecesclass.weebly.com