At Roxbury Elementary School Solon, Ohio

1. Welcome to 3rd Grade! At Roxbury Elementary School Solon, Ohio

3. How to get in touch with me: Voicemail: 440-349-7757, ext. 5861 If calling about a bus change or pick-up change, please call the office directly instead of leaving me a voicemail. 440-349-6220 *Email: susanarmentrout@solonboe.org (preferred) I check email throughout the day Fall Conference: Please sign up at the end of the presentation for a conference time. I will remind you on the first quarter report card. Additional Conferences: As needed, please call or email to schedule a time to meet.

4. Behavior Expectations Roxbury Rules: • I choose to follow directions • I choose to do my best • I choose to use kind words, kind hands and kind feet Rewards: • Rocket Rewards • Individual, Table and Class • Maximum learning, good grades and good friends Consequences: • Clip Down on behavior chart (warning, consequence, parent contact) Growth Mindset Roxbury is a growth mindset school. “When students and educators have a growth mindset, they understand that intelligence can be developed. Students focus on improvement instead of worrying about how smart they are. They work hard to learn more and get smarter.” http://www.minsetworks.com

5. Family Information System The Family Information System is a vital parent-teacher link. On my classroom website, you will find: • Calendar: • Upcoming assessments • Holidays • Field trips • Homework (we also fill in a planner page daily) • Special events • Class News and Photos • Useful website links that can support your child’s learning • Email access to the teacher

6. Homework • Students are to be reading an average of 30 minutes nightly – should be completing their reading log nightly. • Math homework nightly • Students are to practice math facts 3 times a week for 10 minutes. Expectation that students will be fluent in facts by end of third grade. • Please check over your child’s homework. • Occasional content area (science and social studies) homework.

7. Mrs. Armentrout’s Schedule 2014-2015 7:45 - 8:00 Bellwork 8:00 - 9:10 Math 9:10 – 10:00 Specials 10:00 – 11:00 Reader’s Workshop 11:00 - 12:00 Writer’s Workshop and Word Study 12:00 - 12:55 Lunch/Recess 1:00 - 1:50 Science or Social Studies 1:50 - 2:00 Prepare to go home 2:00 - 2:30 No New Instruction-Differentiated Math Activities 2:30 Dismissal

8. Snacks and Birthday Treats • We snack between after specials at 10. Snacks must be healthy – no candy, cookies or cake, please. Only water is allowed. • You are welcome to send in individual birthday treats on your child’s birthday. These do NOT have to be healthy. (24 students) • Napkins and treats that are all the same are appreciated! • We typically enjoy the treats during NNI time. • If your child has a food allergy, please let me know. We do have a student with a peanut allergy.

9. Reading Workshop Mini-Lesson - Daily, brief, whole group lessons about how reading works or how readers work. Independent Reading – daily, silent, sustained reading from a self-selected text. Students are expected to read “just right” books from a variety of genres, stay on task, and analyze their thinking, completing a daily reading log Guided Reading - Students are grouped according to needs and appropriate focus. Book levels are based on Developmental Reading Assessment results given in the fall, and January.

10. Word Study Word Study – looking at spelling generalizations Grouped according to needs, based on DSA given in September How can parents help their children with spelling? • Encourage your child to reread his/her work. Have your child identify words that do not look correct. This is the first step to better spelling. Encourage your child to apply the spelling patterns he/she knows.

11. Writing Units of Study • Crafting True Stories • The Art of Informational Writing •  Information Writing: Reading, Research, and Writing in the Content Areas • Changing the World: Persuasive Speeches, Petitions, and Editorials • The Literary Essay: Equipping Ourselves with the Tools to Write Expository Texts that Advance an Idea about Literature • Once Upon a Time: Adapting and Writing Fairy Tales • Poetry: Writing, Thinking, and Seeing More • Revision

12. Math • New math series – enVision math • Aligned to the Common Core, • Daily “Quick-check” at end of each day – corrective instruction provided during No New Instruction time • Enrichment for students as needed Third Grade focus: • Operations and Algebraic Thinking • Numbers & Operations in Base 10 • Numbers & Operations in Fractions • Measurement and Data • Geometry • Fluency in all facts by end of year!

13. How can I help my child in math this year? • Tell time and count money together. Ask real-world questions such as: “What time is it? What time will it be in 15 minutes?” “How much time before soccer practice begins?” “How much change should we get after we buy these pencils?” “How much more money do you need before you can buy ....?” • Check over math homework together. • Check over math assessments together. • Let the teacher know if there is a concept that is particularly difficult for your child.

14. Science Units • Plants and Animals Life cycles adaptations • Matter • Earth’s Resources Rocks and soil Renewable and non-renewable resources

15. Social Studies Units of Study • Citizenship and Problem Solving • Solon History & People in Societies (Culture) • Geography • Economics

16. Third Grade State Testing Fall Reading OAA will be given October 7th. Students who do not get 395 or above in the fall will retake the Reading OAA in the spring. 3rd Grade Guarantee – if Developmental Reading Assessment 2 is not at benchmark the diagnostic will be given. If a student doesn’t pass the diagnostic, they will be placed on the 3rd Grade Guarantee. Parents will receive a letter and students will be closely monitored in our Response To Intervention (pyramid) process with a reading intervention plan for 1 year with parents coming in on a monthly basis.

17. PARCC Assessments • Assessments will be online. • End of Year Expectation is 1 typed page double spaced in size 12 pt, per writing workshop session composed on computer. • Type to Learn – practice at home, also during library time • Students will have access to these types of assessments as we go through the year Performance Based Assessments (March) • In ELA/literacy, this will involve analyzing literature and a narrative writing task. Students will read texts and write several pieces to demonstrate they can read and understand sufficiently complex texts independently; write effectively when using and analyzing sources; and build and communicate knowledge by integrating, comparing and synthesizing ideas. • In math, students will be asked to solve problems involving the key knowledge and skills for their grade level (as identified by the CCSS), express mathematical reasoning and construct a mathematical argument, and apply concepts to solve model real-world problems. End of Year Assessment (April) • Students will demonstrate knowledge by answering computer-based, machine-scorable questions. Visit our school website under News and Notes to learn more about PARCC.

18. Specials Monday - Music – Mrs. Scott Tuesday -Art – Mr. Booth Wednesday -Physical Education – Mr. Atienza Thursday -Media / Library – Miss Armstrong Friday – please see rotational schedule

19. ImportantUpcoming Dates • Picture Day – September 11 • Topic 2 Math Assessment – September 17 • Plants & Animal Assessment – Week of October 6th • Fall OAA – Tuesday, October 7

20. Important Reminders Security – please remember to enter through the front doors. If you are dropping an item off, it must be dropped off in the office, not brought to the classroom. Eforms –Please go directly to the computer lab to complete if you have not done so. Planned absences – parents must complete a Planned Absence form. Forms are in the office, or you can email Mrs. Piscura or me.

21. We are a team! • Together, we can make this a positive, successful year for you child! • Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.

22. Reminders • Please write a note to your child and leave it on or inside his/her desk • Send in headphones for computer work • Complete forms for PTA and return as soon as possible • Sign up for conference times • Sign up to help with parties and/or field trips

23. PTA Announcements

24. Thank you for coming tonight! I look forward to seeing each of you at our fall conference.