Saddle up for Success

1. Saddle up for Success Mrs. Gale Mrs. Dodge In 3rd grade!!!!! Mrs. Sellier Mrs. Whittington

2. Switching Classes • This year, your child will have four teachers that they will rotate through each day. • Mrs. Gale- Mathematics • Mrs. Dodge- Reading/ELA • Mrs. Whittington- Science and Writing • Mrs. Sellier- Social Studies and Language

3. Grades • On your child’s progress reports and report cards, your child will have a grade that is called ELA. • This grade is a combination of Reading, Language Arts, Writing, and Speaking and Listening skills. • These subject areas are averaged together in order to have one grade rather than a grade in each area.

4. Behavior Chart Your child will start on green every day. Silver and Gold mean that your child had an exceptional day! - If a student is on silver or gold and gets in trouble, he/shewill clip down to yellow, not green! • Your child will receive one light per day. The child’s color on the behavior chart will travel with them from class to class. • Example: If James clips down once in his first block and once in his third block, he will go home with an orange in his planner. GOLD SILVER GREEN YELLOW ORANGE RED BLUE Students with silver will receive one pirate buck/dojo point, and students on gold will receive two pirate bucks/dojo points. Initials will be signed in these colors. Students with light changes will walk at recess. Yellow- 5 minutes Orange- 10 minutes Red- All of recess Blue- All of recess A Blue light is an automatic infraction form or referral.

5. Planner • Planners are used to keep communication open between the teachers, students, and parents. • Homework and assessments will be written in the planner weekly. The planner is the way to know your child’s homework. There will not be a homework sheet sent home weekly. It is your child’s responsibility to correctly write down any homework and assessments. • Lights from the behavior chart will be signed in the planner daily. • Parents MUST sign planners nightly!!!!

6. MKAS 2 3rd grade reading gate assessment • The STAR assessment is given 3 times a year. This is a great indicator for whether your child is prepared for the MKAS2 assessment. If your child is reading below grade level on the STAR assessment, you will be notified each time the STAR assessment is given. The MKAS2 assessment is given towards the end of the year for the first time. This assessment is meant to determine your child’s reading readiness. Your child will have three opportunities to take the MKAS2 assessment. If your child does not meet the required score from the state, he/she will automatically be retained to the 3rd grade no matter what their grades on report cards state. The best way to help your child succeed on the MKAS2 assessment is to read with them NIGHTLY for at least 30 minutes throughout the school year!!!!!

7. PBIS • PBIS is our school wide positive behavior incentive. • Students are given pirate bucks and Dojo points for positive behavior choices throughout the day. • They can receive these from all adults on campus from teachers to administrators, to cafeteria workers, to bus drivers. • The students have opportunities to turn these tickets in to receive rewards and prizes such as classroom coupons, classroom drawings, school drawings, Pirate Palooza parties, and more. • Please help encourage your child to make positive choices every day.

8. Teacher contact • If you need to contact one of us, please feel free to send a note, call the school at (228) 452-5200, or email us at the addresses listed below. • Mrs. Dodge- ddodge@pc.k12.ms.us • Mrs. Gale- mgale@pc.k12.ms.us • Mrs. Sellier- jsellier@pc.k12.ms.us • Mrs. Whittington- awhittington@pc.k12.ms.us

9. Transportation • Students must have a note from a parent in order to change transportation. Students are not allowed to change transportation by simply telling the teacher. • Please make sure notes are on a sheet of paper that can be sent to the office, not written on the child’s planner. • Transportation notes need to have the date, the child’s full name, homeroom teacher’s name, and a parent’s signature. • The Boys and Girls Club will be closed Thursday, August 6th and Friday, August 7th. Please make sure to fill out the transportation section on the sign-in sheet.

10. Absences • If your child is absent, you have two days to submit an excuse. • Once the two days have passed, the absence goes on record as unexcused. • Check-outs and check-ins do take away perfect attendance. • Students are not allowed to be checked out after 2:00.

11. School times • School drop off begins at 7:15 • The first bell rings at 7:35 and the tardy bell rings at 7:40. • Dismissal begins at 2:25.

12. Focus Areas in 3rd grade Developing critical thinking skills (Students are required to complete a science fair project) Multiplication and Division fluency Improve reading fluency and comprehension throughout the year (AR-Accelerated Reader) Vocabulary in context Constructing well written opinion pieces, informational writings, and narratives.