WELCOME TO 3 RD GRADE!

WELCOME TO 3RD GRADE! Mrs. Moyer’s Class for 2013-2014

In this session • A little about me • Specials schedule this year • Rules and expectations • PSSAs • Communication • Homework • Dress Code • Attendance • Powerschool Parent • Forms to be returned • 3rd grade content areas

My career here at NL • This is my 9th year of teaching • I spent 5 years in the middle school as a learning support teacher • Then I was moved to EH as a 6th grade teacher to combat a very large class size • After two years of teaching 6th grade, I was moved to 3rd grade • This is my second year in third grade

Schedule for this year • With the retirement of one of the district’s music teachers, we will now have music for half the year (3rd and 4th marking periods) and we will have library for the other half • The specials schedule will be posted on my website • Day 1 – Music (MP 3 and 4 only) • Day 2 – No special • Day 3 – Gym • Day 4 – Art • Day 5 – Library (MP 1 and 2) Computer Lab (MP 3 and 4) • Day 6 – Book Exchange/Computer Lab • Recess for grades 1, 2, and 3 – 11:20-11:35 • Lunch – 12:10-12:40 (We are the last lunch)

Rules and Expectations • Rules • I follow the rules in the student handbook • We also have school wide rules posted • On the first day we also come up with some basic classroom rules as a group • Expectations • My expectations are high – there is a big difference between can’t and won’t • During the first month or so there will be a lot of learning new procedures and ways of doing things • Use of the planner – we will use the planner every day to record homework assignments and upcoming tests/quizzes • Literature circles – there are no centers in 3rd grade, we do small reading groups using stories from our textbook and novels

Behavior System • First offense is a verbal warning • Second offense is a warning and the clip is moved to the warning section of the chart • If the behavior continues, then the clip is moved to 5 minutes of recess • The next step is whole recess • If a child breaks a rule with severity (kicking or punching another student, cursing at someone, etc) they can be moved directly to the bottom • A red card is given, parents are contacted, and the student must fill out a think sheet about the offense • *Red cards received at lunch are at my discretion depending on the offense

PSSA’s • 3rd grade is the first year that PSSA’s are given • There is a Reading part and a Math part • The tests will be given in the spring • I will send a note home detailing what you can do to help prepare your child for the testing • Tests last for about 2 hours per day for 4 days • These tests are extremely important as they represent me, the school, and our district

Communication • I do not do a weekly newsletter • I try to get a newsletter out once per month on what we’ve been working on in class • Because we’re trying to save some paper, I post all of the newsletters on my website which has a link from the EH home page • If you don’t have internet and would like a paper copy, please let me know • Email is the best way to contact me, phone calls during the teaching day go straight to voice mail • lmoyer@norleb.k12.pa.us • I do my best to check my email in the morning, during lunch and at the end of day so I should be able to get back to you within the same day, unless I’m absent

Homework • Homework is very important • Students who consistently do homework, score better on tests and retain content information longer • Homework is written in the planner and checked by me at the end of the day. Homework is not completed at school so if your child says it’s done (maybe they finished it on the bus) ask to see it so you know for sure • If you have a question about a particular item on the homework, write a note or circle it – I’m looking for effort, if you tried to do it, you get credit • I use a sticker chart and a reward system to monitor homework • Completing all homework for one week earns a sticker • After 3 stickers are earned, the student gets a homework pass that can be used on any 1 assignment • Every 3 stickers earns an additional homework pass except at the following numbers • At 12 stickers, the student will get an ice cream bar at lunch • At 24 stickers, the student will get a full week of no homework

The Planner is Your Friend • It is a great tool for communication • Spelling lists will be pasted inside the planner in the beginning of the week so that the list is with your child every night • We write upcoming tests/quizzes in the planner as well as nightly homework • If there is no homework, your child will write NONE in the blocks indicating that there really is no homework • Using the planner early on helps to keep your child organized and hopefully the habit of using it will continue straight through high school • I check planners every day – I don’t check book bags • If you find that your child is consistently leaving their homework at school let me know and I will address it • I use the planner to write notes to parents if there is something important to tell you, feel free to do the same if you need me to know something. Just don’t write anything that needs to be turned into the office in the planner because I can’t rip the pages out.

Dress Code • As a result of the survey given last year, the dress code has been updated • You can find the full dress code in the student handbook which you will have on the first day of school or you can find it on the district website • Err on the side of caution, if you’re not sure about it, don’t wear it • Two that may be new are: • 1.) No shorts/skirts that are more than 4 inches above the knee (I have a ruler, please don’t make me use it) • 2.) No tank tops, halter tops, tube tops, cut-off shirts, crop tops, tops with straps, see-through or mesh tops, muscle shirts (shirts with no sleeves for boys), or off-shoulder tops

Attendance • Please make every attempt to get your child to school on time every day • Missing days regularly puts holes in the information presented and can lead to frustration and poor test scores • When your child is going to be absent, please call the hotline and be sure to send in a note within 3 days of your child returning to school (you may staple it in the planner if you’re concerned about it getting lost)

Grades and Powerschool • I do my best to grade things within a reasonable window of time • However, most of my grading is done on the weekends so don’t be surprised if you see three or four graded assignments put in for the same day • Powerschool is a great tool to use to keep track of how your child is doing • Don’t panic over one bad grade – panic when you see many bad grades • If you have a question about an assignment or a grade – please contact me • I am human, I do make mistakes no matter how hard I try not too • I go over all tests/quizzes with the class to make sure that I have the assignment graded correctly – If I made an error, I fix it on the test and in Powerschool

Forms to be returned • Now that you’re child is in 3rd grade, I’m sure you’re a professional when it comes to the forms, but as a reminder, we need: • Emergency Card • Student Handbook center page • Internet Form • Transportation Form • Medication form (if applicable)

Content Information • Feel free to look through our textbooks for each subject area • Science uses FOSS kits in addition to supplemental materials from the Science book • Social Studies has two books – the Communities book as well as the Pennsylvania Story book • Health is graded only in the 2nd and 4th marking periods • Spelling is done weekly (unless it is a short week or otherwise noted) – tests are on Friday • Math uses the Pearson program that was used in lower grades so it should be something you are familiar with • Reading, Spelling, and English are taught from the Houghton-Mifflin series • Handwriting – we practice cursive and lots of it. I grade handwriting sheets based on O – Outstanding, S – Satisfactory and NI – Needs Improvement.

Whew that was a lot of information! A few important reminders before you go • If you have other questions, just ask. I will do whatever I can to answer your questions. • Work with me. As a team, there is no way your child won’t be successful. • Be flexible. I do my best to keep to the schedule and get through what I had planned for the day, but sometimes things take longer or take less time than anticipated and I have to adjust. Nothing is ever perfect, but I still keep trying. • 3rd grade is a big transition year. Many kids complain that there is a lot of work and not nearly as much movement. This is true. We are working toward 4th grade where you are expected to do a lot of things independently and sit for longer periods of time. There may be some growing pains along the way. • Finally, if you’d like to donate to our classroom, we are always looking for tissues and Band-Aids (we go through A LOT!), as well as general supplies like lined paper, dry erase markers, crayons, etc.)

WELCOME TO 3 RD GRADE!