Welcome to 4 th Grade!

Thank you for being here this evening. Please find your child’s desk. The presentation will begin soon! Welcome to 4th Grade!

Our School Priorities Are: • Your child’s safety and well being • Communication • Positive experiences Thank you for your partnership in your child’s education!

About the teacher Professional Teaching since 1998 Education and University Degree:I have a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Texas at El Paso & a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Northern Arizona University. Personal • Born in Texas • Have lived in Arizona for almost 20 years. • Married with two sons • Things I enjoy: traveling to new places, learning, teaching, boating, beaches, reading & shopping 

Curriculum • Math • Curriculum: Saxon • 5th grade text, 5th grade standards • Expectation: 100 facts in 3 minutes for +, -, X and / • Grammar: • Curriculum: Spalding and Journeys • Spelling tests are on Friday • Words dictated on Monday & Tuesday and can be found in your child’s Spalding notebook as well as online at Spelling city.

Curriculum cont. • Reading • Curriculum: Journeys (basal) • AR-100% of pt. goal with 90% accuracy each quarter • 5 points for Non-fiction tests each quarter • Goal based on reading at home 30 minutes/day • Literature studies at the end of each quarter • Writing • Curriculum: Write from the Beginning • 5 paragraph essays • All cursive, all the time, regardless of subject area! (homework too!) • Research reports with research gathered at home

Take note! • Last October, the state adopted new Science and Social Studies standards that CUSD will begin to implement this year. • We now will combine the two content areas, and we will refer to them as “Social Sciences” (you will still see two content areas on the report card) • Arizona History is now a 3rd grade standard, but we will squeeze in the important info, since the students didn’t get this last year! • This may affect our “Wax Museum” and field trips, so stay tuned for more information!

Social Sciences (Science + Social Studies!) Curriculum: the district has created units of study, integrating Science and Social Studies. Topics: Mesoamerican Civilizations Natural Disasters Native Americans Forces & Energy European Explorers and early Colonization (up to American Revolution)

Curriculum Resources • You can access the Math and Reading books online at Think Central (instructions will be sent via email) • Students are also allowed to bring home their text books as well • Spelling words can be accessed at Spelling City-use CHOMBAH as teacher name (regardless of your child’s teacher) • CUSD website has lots of online resources • My website has learning support and practice links

Behavior System Our Levels of Social Development Students earn tickets for no warning cards. 1-2 Warning Cards is okay D Deciding to be Responsible on your own Highest level of social development *Develops self-discipline *Shows kindness to others *Does good because it is the right thing to doC Cooperation Appropriate and acceptable level of behavior *Listens *Practices *Cooperates 3 or more Warning Cards is no Fun Friday B Bossing/Bothering Neither appropriate nor acceptable level *Bosses others *Bothers others * Breaks classroom goalsOnly obeys when confronted with greater authority.A Anarchy Lowest level of behavior *Noisy *Out of control *UnsafeNo one is safe or happy!

Daily Homeworkshould be no longer than an hour and 15 mins total-will get quicker with time • Homework is assigned Mon.-Thur. and consists of: • 30 minutes of Reading (more if needed to meet AR goal) • Math (about 15-20 problems) should take about 15-20 minutes • Spelling– practice Spelling words (about 10 minutes or however long is needed –Spelling City doesn’t count in this class as spelling HW except the day before the test (Thursday night) • Grammar worksheet once a week • Having an adult sign their planner Note: Fun Friday is for students who have all their class work and homework turned in. It is also for students with good behavior all week. This will be the time to make-up missing HW or class assignments.

Binders • All graded work goes home on Fridays. • All papers from the office go home as needed. • Homework is collected & not returned. • Classwork does not have a score on it.

Grades • Test papers scoring less than 70% require corrections and a parent signature. • Parent portal-directions will be sent home. • EVERYTHING is electronic! No paper copy of progress reports or report cards will be sent home! • NOTE: Students can also log-in to show you their grades as well. • Student username: s+student ID # (ex: s55576) • Password: lucero

Specials (10:00-10:30) Except library & technology • Day 1 & 4 – PE • Day 2 & 5– Music • Day 3 – Technology (9:15-10:00) • Day 4 – Library (9:00-9:30) Our lunch and recess is 11:30-12:10

Tips for Success • At home: • Discuss a plan for paperwork your child brings home! • Have a quiet spot and dedicated time for homework. • Break it up! If your child struggles to stay focused during homework/Reading, have them do it in chunks! (10 minutes working, 10 minutes of break etc.) • You can also try giving your child a break BEFORE starting HW. • Mornings might works better for some • Partnership! We are on the same team! Please do not hesitate to contact me with ANY questions or concerns! I’m here for you and your child!

Other Business Staying in the loop! Please check your child’s agenda daily! • 4th grade monthly newsletter-emailed by the 1st of each month • School-wide: Sign up for electronic newsletter “School Wires” Contacting me: email is fastest! • AR: You should check your child’s progress online weekly (link will be in grade-level newsletter) • Check the class newsletter I emailed last week for more info on class line #, policies on snack, water bottles, birthdays etc.

Campaigns CashForClassrooms Campaign August 25th-September 1st Money invested back into classrooms Online or through cash/check donations A portion of each site donation is returned back to the site Teacher/grade level or school grants

Campaigns Winner’s Choice Car or Cash Raffle $20 Raffle tickets sold for chance to win choice of $20,000 cash or $27,500 off the MSRP for a new Toyota Tickets sold at each site Funds scholarships for graduating CUSD students

Note from PTO There is a PTO flyer in your paperwork tonight with how you can help the PTO and the school. • Thank your continuous support of our amazing school by attending events, volunteering and donating! • Facebook: please join our group to keep up to date with all things Freedom! • New Fundraising plan this year! • Check-a-thon: 100% of proceeds will go towards our school! • Another way to support PTO without spending any additional money is to link your Fry’s card to our school! We only had 162 families linked last year, and we raised around $4, 500! Imagine if everyone linked it! • Please stop by PTO in Library today to make a donation, purchase Friday Sprit Shirts, Spalding Phonogram cards, books and CD’s and other school gear. Thank you for supporting PTO! EVERYONE is welcome! We hope to see you at an upcoming event: • PTO Meeting: Tuesday, August 20th – 3pm • Mother/Son Event: Friday, September 20th- 6pm • PTO Meeting: Tuesday, October 22nd – 3pm • Fall Festival: Friday, November 1st – 5pm • Holiday Shop: Monday, December 1st – Friday, December 6th • Events continue in the New Year as well!

Thank you for coming! • Parents: See you for conferences the week of Aug. 27th & contact me anytime! Any general questions? If there’s something private you’d like to discuss or that doesn’t pertain to the whole group, please email me!

Welcome to 4 th Grade!