Welcome to 4 th Grade

1. Welcome to 4th Grade 2013-2014

2. Our Team • Mrs. Anderson • Mrs. Firestone • Mrs. Dondlinger • Mrs. Meyers • Mr. Reineke • Mrs. Sharpe • Mr. Hachiya • Ms. Shemek

3. PTO Information • Introduction • PTO Who are we • PTO Committees • Volunteers are Vital

4. PTO Information 1. The Basket Auction for Maxey is important, especially since it is one of our only fundraisers.  You will not constantly be asked for money.  It is just this and Janet's Jungle.   The kids love to see all of the baskets displayed at Fun Night and love to bid on baskets to take home.  2. Any items that are purchased for the baskets  should be sent to your child's classroom with them.  Please include gift receipts. If donating gift cards, please write the value on with a sharpie. No worries if you are too busy to shop- It actually works great for PTO to get cash or check donations and we will shop for the baskets and fill in with what is needed.   3. Fun Night is on a Friday night this year- September 6th.  All donation items need to be turned in to your classroom by Friday, August 30th.4. Also, keep your eyes open for a Fun Night Raffle where we will be raffling off an iPad Mini and $300 in cash!

5. PTO Information Mrs. Dondlinger and Mrs. Reineke- A Girls Gotta Shop and A Boys Gotta Shop- You will bring gift cards to places that boys and girls like to shop.  Suggestions will be listed! Mrs. Anderson- Nuts Over You- You will bring a variety of unique nut mixes/ trail mixes/ candy with nuts from Trader Joe's/ Target- Archer Farms and others Mrs. Firestone- Date Night- There will be a list of suggestions for restaurants/ theater passes/ movie tix…for a fun date night Mrs. Meyer- Life in the Fast Lane- This class will be collecting cash and check donations to go toward 2 plasma cars and 2 ripsticks and possibly a surprise.

6. Maxey' s Mission and Beliefs * All students have  an equal opportunity to learn
*All students learn better when actively engaged
*All students will be held to high expectations for learning
*All students need a significant school relationship in order for significant learning to take place

7. Our Schedule 9:00 - 11:15 Literacy Block 11:15- 12:05 Specialists(Same on PLC’s) 12:10 - 12:40 Lunch(Same on PLC’S) 12:40 - 1:50 Math 1:50 - 2:45 Writer’s Workshop 2:45- 3:00 Recess 3:00 - 3:35 Unit Studies 3:35- 3:38 Dismissal

8. MATH • Math series (Houghton Mifflin) • 24 units(Range of time 5 days to 10 days) • Recommended Pacing determined by District guidelines • Basic facts (0-10) District requirement: By end of 4th Grade students are expected to get 45/50 basic facts 0-10 for Multiplication and Division in three minutes to be considered proficient. • District recommendation is that 4th graders will have math homework daily. Unit tests given after each chapter

9. Reading/Language Arts-McGraw Hill • New series McGraw Hill • More technology pieces • Higher text complexity • Conversations about their reading • Writing in response to their reading • Note taking and text evidence to answer questions • Increased emphasis on vocabulary and grammar

10. Spelling-McGraw Hill Materials • Will be every 5 school days. • This means it may not always be the same day of the week. • Tied to new McGraw Hill series in a 5 school day rotation • Regular lists and challenge lists, placement dependent on pre-assessment.

11. Six Trait Writing • Ideas • Organization • Voice • Word Choice • Sentence Fluency • Conventions

12. State Writing Exam January 29th and 30th 9:20-10:30

13. Specialists PE- Mr. Kosmicki Music - Mrs. Bailey Computer - Mr. Tebo Art - Mrs. Hergott Media- Mrs. Christen

14. Science • Aerospace • (Star Lab 3rd quarter) • Electricity • Prairie • Biomes of the World

15. Prairie Immersion • All day field trip • Sack lunches completely disposable • Can bring water bottle • Dress appropriately Dondlinger and Meyers– October 21st Anderson, Firestone, and Reineke- October 22nd

16. Social Studies • Nebraska Studies • Nebraska on the Map • Nebraskans and European Encounters • Nebraska Settlement and Displacement • Establishing Nebraska as a State

17. HeritageSchoolDate October 1st-Meyers October 2nd-Reineke October 3rd– Dondlinger October 4th- Firestone October 7th - Anderson

18. District/State Assessments Science and Social Studies Tests are given once a quarter to cover material taught throughout the semester. Reading and Math State Exams are in April specific dates to be determined

19. Homework • If your student misses one day of school, we will help catch them up the next day. • In the event that your child is absent 2 days or more, please call by 8:30 a.m. to enable us to get things together, our only opportunity to collect work is from 11:15 – 12:05 while students are at specialists.

20. Homework Policy • Homework builds good responsibility and study habits needed for future success in school. • Fosters positive attitude towards school. • Communicates to students the idea that learning takes work at home as well as at school.

21. Maxey Behavior Expectations Be Safe Be Respectful Be Responsible

22. Other Very Important Items

23. Planners • Please look at every night. • Help your child review the day by subject matter and plan for reports and tests. • Look for notes from teachers as a form of communication. • Students are responsible for completing the planner according to homeroom teacher expectations.

24. String’s Lessons • String lessons will be scheduled by Mrs. Ladman. She will notify students and parents of this schedule. • Students are responsible for making up work that is missed from regular classroom. • Students are expected to ask classroom teacher for work missed.

25. Dismissal • Students who are in 4th grade pod will exit through door #12 (southeast corner of building), unless they have made special arrangements with teacher. • Please follow carpool lane procedures. If someone new picking up or dropping off, please give them guidance on what to do.

26. Requests • No mechanical pencils or other supplies (erasers, fun pencils etc.) We will provide what is needed, too often these pencil boxes full of things become distractions for students. If an item comes and is taken away child will be given one chance to take home, if it returns, teacher will keep and return in May. • Silly Bandz ( NO!!!) This is a school rule. • Cell phones must be turned off and stored in backpacks throughout the day. • Students are responsible for items they choose to bring to school.

27. Websites http://maxey.lps.org/

28. Writer’s Workshop 101 For Parents • Come and join us for a more in depth look on how to help your child become a great writer. Date to be determined

29. Thanks for coming!!! • Thank you for the opportunity to work with your children this year. • Specific questions; contact your child’s teacher. • Email is an excellent communication tool.