Parents are truly Thank you for coming tonight!

1. Parents are trulyThank you for coming tonight!

2. Our School’s Mission • Thomas Jefferson Classical Grammar • School - A Challenge Foundation is a • college preparatory school. • Our aim is to broaden your child’s learning experiences to include many topics that are not currently taught in most public schools. • As a result of our challenging curriculum this may entail more homework, and extra study time at home as compared to what you have been used to. • Also, your child is now in the process of getting closer to the middle school age where organization is key to their success. • While this may take extra time and effort from all of us, we are confident that the rewards will far outweigh the hard work it will require!

3. Our Schedule • Instruction begins at 8:05 and ends at 2:50. • No morning assembly for grades 3-5. If arriving after 7:50 your child should come straight to the room. • Daily Schedule • 11:30-12:00 Lunch • 12:00-12:30 Recess • 12:45-1:30 Specials ***Please be aware that the 2019-2020 school calendar has incorrectly listed December 20th as a holiday. This is in fact a half day of school. The Christmas holiday goes from December 21st thru January 3rd.***

4. Core Knowledge • What Your 4th Grader Needs to Know • Core provides students with rich content covering various topics in science and social studies. • It allows teachers to work across the curriculum and to be creative. • If you and your child are new to Thomas Jefferson, we recommend buying What Your Third Grader Needs To Know.

5. Core Knowledge Language Arts Our language arts instruction includes grammar, spelling, morphology, writing, and reading comprehension. These skills will be taught through Core Knowledge novels, poems, stories, and content based units. • Pollyanna • Robin Hood • Robinson Crusoe • Poems • Empires of the Middle Ages • American Revolution • Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle • Presidential research paper • Treasure Island

6. Grammar • Grammar instruction will be taught from Sadlier’s Grammar Workshop. This text is designed to offer students’ many opportunities to learn, practice and write the rules they are taught.

7. Science Topics • Electricity and Magnetism • Meteorology • Circulatory System • Respiratory System • Geology • Chemistry

8. Social Studies • Using Maps and World Mountains • Europe in the Middle Ages • Spread of Islam • Early and Medieval African Kingdoms • China: Dynasties & Kingdoms • American Revolution • Making a Constitutional Government • Early Presidents and Politics • Early American Reformers • American Symbols and Figures

9. Math • Singapore Math takes a slightly different mathematical approach than what you may be used to. • Word problems are solved using model drawing. This helps students visualize what a word problem is saying so they can understand the meaning and thus how to solve the problem. • Importance of knowing multiplication facts

10. Lunch/Snack • Please refrain from dropping off lunch daily during lunch time. • The front office will not allow students to call requesting lunch for that day. Students need to come prepared for lunch. • Snacks should include food that is quick and not messy. • Please send appropriate food with your child for lunch and snack. • No soda or candy! • Water bottles (for water) are allowed. • This type of lid is preferred to avoid spills  • $3.00 a meal • Please keep up with your child’s account. Review the Parent Handbook regarding the lunch policy. If you have questions about lunch accounts, please email lbottomley@tjca.org.

11. Attendance and Tardies • If a student has consistent tardies, a parent-teacher conference will be scheduled. • Students are picked up from the gym by 7:50. • Instruction begins at 8:05, so punctuality is very important. • Students missing over 18 days (excused or unexcused) will receive an automatic failure for the school year. • Prior to 2:30, students must be checked out from the front office. After 2:30 students can only be picked up from the car line at regular dismissal time.

12. Homework Planner • Homework planners are $5 and must be purchased. Cash or checks can be made out to the TJCA Forum. • Students are required to write their homework each day. • Parents can find the homework on my website. • The planner will be used to communicate homework and notes.

13. Absences and Late Work • Students have 2 days per day absent to make up work without being penalized. • All missing assignments will have to be made up. Due to lack of time throughout the day, with your permission, parts of recess will be used as time for students to complete the work. • Points will be deducted for late homework. • No late projects will be accepted.

14. Communication • Please make sure I have your current e-mail address. • Check your e-mail and my website frequently. • We send a weekly update so you know what to expect for the upcoming days. • If you need to talk with me, we will need to schedule a meeting instead of impromptu meetings. • All important classroom dates, school events, and everything we will be studying in class can be found on the weekly update, my website, and each student’s planner.

15. Weekly Work Folders • Go over work to be returned to school that night & the other work to be left at home at your convenience. This is critical to your child’s success! • Please make sure you sign the back of the Weekly Work Folder next to the assigned date. This is the way I know you saw your child’s work. • If you have any questions, then you may write those in the space provided on the sign sheet.

16. Teacher Webpage • School Website • www.tjca.teamcfa.org • Weekly Update • Homework • Events • Study tools • Additional resources

17. Uniforms • Please be sure to read the Uniform Policy in the Parent Handbook as it has been updated. • Students who do not follow the Uniform Policy will be written up.

18. PowerSchool/Signature Page • Please make sure you have your PowerSchool login information. If you are unsure what your login is, please contact Kim Earle at the upper campus. kearle@tjca.org • You may check your child’s grades at any time. • You will need to complete the 2019-2020 signature page online. Handbook Signature Page

19. Field Trips This Year • Low-income assistance paperwork is available in the front office. This is kept confidential—this is only available for day field trips, not overnight field trips. • Scheduled Field Trips: • Colburn Museum in Asheville • North Carolina Outer Banks (April 29-May 1) • We will have a meeting to discuss this in further detail on Tuesday August 27th at 6:00pm. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MEETING. • Kings Mountain Battlefield

20. Wish List Items • Clorox wipes • Paper towels • Tissues • Hand sanitizer • Band-Aids • Plastic utensils • Paper plates & bowls • Dry erase markers • Post-it notes • Heavy duty page protectors • Ziploc bags (all sizes) • Colored paper & cardstock • Envelopes (any size) • Recess equipment