SPARK Back to School Night 2019: 4th Grade Expectations & Curriculum Highlights

1. Back to School Night 2019 -20204th grade 4th Grade Team Susie Tulloch–Math and Science Karina Canup-Reading, ELA, Writing, Social Studies Samantha Mickens–Math and Science Katie Steigerwalt–Reading, ELA, Writing, Social Studies Whitney Naman–Math and Science Pamela Rowe–Reading, ELA, Writing, Social Studies Principal – Terry Harness Assistant Principal – Dr. Jennifer Toney

2. SPARK Rules & Expectations • SPARK School Rules • Be Respectful • Be Responsible • Be a Good Citizen • Be Green

3. Teacher Expectations • We expect every student to come to school prepared, on time and ready to learn each day. (Pencil pouches need at least 2 sharpened pencils, an eraser, a pen, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick.) • We expect every student to put forward their best effort each and every day. • We expect 4th graders to always complete and turn in their work on time, unless an acceptable excuse has been provided by the parent/guardian. • Attendance is critical to student success. Please try to schedule doctor’s appointments for after school.

4. Teacher Expectations We expect parents/guardians to: • Check agendas daily • Monitor Homework Completion • Check the 4th grade Website Weekly http://spark4th.weebly.com • Check Infinite Campus Weekly • If there is an issue, reach out to the teacher via e-mail. The administrative team has committed to refer all concerns back to the teaching staff first.

5. BehaviorPlan • We are committed to giving positive reinforcement to students with individual praise and in cooperative groups. • Individual behavior issues will be handled in partnership with parents and will include opportunities for students to reflect on their choices. • As of last year, online bullying is considered to be a 3rd level offense. Even if the online bullying occurs off campus, if the children know each other from SPARK, it is then within SPARK’s parameters to discipline the children accordingly.

6. Curriculum Highlights Instructional Resources – Textbooks: • ELA – Journeys and Wordly Wise • Math –EnVisions math workbook • Science - Harcourt textbook and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt textbook • Social Studies – Social Studies Weekly • We use the Science and Social Studies texts inside the classroom. • If you want a home copy of the Science or Social Studies texts, you can make arrangements with Dr. Toney to check out those texts for your child.

7. Curriculum Highlights Instructional Resources: • Accelerated Reader - Students may take AR tests in the morning before morning announcements and during their reading block. It is the student’s responsibility to take tests and monitor his or her own progress. • IXL – Used to reinforce skills in Math • Reflex – Build fluency with multiplication and division • Lexia – Reading support for struggling readers • Google Classroom – This is our third year with Google Classroom and we’re all learning the benefits of going paperless! • Chrome Book Cart-two per grade level containing 30 laptops

8. Curriculum Highlights Advanced Math • Placement in this course is optional. Fourth grade math is already a challenging subject. The advanced course will be fast paced and rigorous. Success will require extra independent effort. • If your child did not qualify for Advanced Math this year, it is our goal for him or her to qualify for Advanced Math in the future. In 4th grade, all advanced curriculum will be available to any student who can keep up with the advanced group. However, students will not receive transcript credit.

9. CurriculumHighlights • Science • Earth Science • Solar System: Earth, Moon, and Sun • Solar System: Planets and Stars • Water Cycle and Weather Forecasting • Life Science • Food Energy in Ecosystems • Physical Science • Balanced and Unbalanced Forces • Sound • Light

10. CurriculumHighlights • Social Studies • Geography • The American Revolution • The New Nation • Westward Expansion • Civil War • Economics

11. Specials-CurriculumHighlights • Library • The children visit the library with their Humanities teacher every week. • Environmental Science • The children will learn about gardening, composting, and recycling from Ms. McCloskey every other week. • Spanish • This year, Spanish will follow an exposure model where the children will have Spanish once a week for the first nine weeks.

12. Grades Atlanta Public School Grading Scale • 90% - 100% = A • 80% - 89% = B • 70% - 79% = C • 0% - 69% = F Weights • Classwork 40% • Tests 35% • Quizzes 20% • Homework 5%

13. Grades • We are firm with due dates. We want to teach the students how to plan ahead and be responsible. Points may be deducted or late work may not be accepted depending on the assignment. • If a student completely fails a test, an opportunity for recovery will be provided. Students can correct the test with the highest possible score being 70%.

14. Grades - Infinite Campus • The Infinite Campus Parent Portal allows parents and guardians access to their students' schedule, attendance, and grades. • Info about the portal can be found at http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/Domain/7741 • (Show My Backpack) • Please check Infinite Campus weekly to remain abreast of your child’s current grades and assignments.

15. Homework Based on research, we made a school-wide best practice policy of assigning 10-15 minutes of homework per grade level, outside of the required nightly reading. • 4th- 40 minutes, plus nightly reading • Homework will be assigned on Monday and will be due Friday for paper-pencil work and Sunday night for electronic homework. Special exceptions may occur. • In some cases students will be allowed to use the weekend to finish previously assigned tasks.

16. Assessment:GeorgiaMilestones This year ELA and Math Assessments will be completed electronically. Fourth grade students will NOT have Milestones in Science and Social Studies. English Language Arts • Requires close analytic reading to construct meaning, make inferences, draw conclusions, compare and contrast ideas and themes across multiple texts • Requires students to write informative responses (for a total of 7 points) or narratives (for a total of 4 points), produce opinionswhile citing evidence from texts, and use standard grammar conventions Mathematics • Requires demonstration of conceptual understandings, fluency in procedural skills, successful problem solving strategies, and writing to demonstrate mathematical reasoning

17. Communication • The best way to communicate with your child’s teacher is through e-mail. We know that your concerns are urgent; teachers have two business days to respond. Please be as patient as possible. • If you have a transportation change it needs to be sent prior to 12:30 to the homeroom teacher and the front office at SpringdaleTransportC@atlanta.k12.ga.us (No play dates can occur through the APS bus system!) • Other communication • SPARK-e • Sent home weekly via e-mail • Must sign-up at the SPARK website • 4th Grade Website: http://spark4th.weebly.com • Instructional concepts that we are studying • Dates to Remember & Reminders

18. Attendance • If students are absent from school for an excused absence, they must bring a written note signed by the parent explaining the absence within three (3) days after returning to school. • Excused Absences: Excused absences are defined as illness when attendance would endanger the health of the student or the health of others; Quarantine; Death in immediate family; Medical/Dental Appointments; Court Proceedings; Religious Proceedings and/or holidays observed by the faith of the student. • Unexcused Absences: Unexcused absences are defined as the students’ willful absences from school without the knowledge of parents or guardians, or the students’ absences from the school without justifiable causes with the knowledge of parents or guardians.

19. Attendance -Make-up Work • Make-up work is only given for excused absences. • Students are responsible for completing all work missed when absent from school. Immediately upon returning to school, the student must arrange with the classroom teacher to secure the make-up work. • Students must complete all work missed in a timeframe that is equal to the number of days absent from school. • Some classwork is impossible to make up. To ensure that daily instruction is not interrupted, we respectfully ask that make-up work be obtained at the end of the school day.

20. Attendance -Tardies School starts at 8:00 A.M. Students are allowed to enter the room starting at 7:30 A.M. • Unexcused Tardy: An unlawful tardy is defined as arrival at school at any time after the official start time of the school day for that school site. • Excused Tardy: An excused tardy is defined as a tardy that occurs as a result of extenuating circumstances such as inclement weather, documented transportation delays, health related emergencies, etc.

21. Conferences • Conferences during the first quarter are reserved for parents of students who are having significant academic and/or behavioral issues. • Many parent concerns are able to be successfully resolved via e-mail. • Many student issues resolve themselves as students become more familiar with rotating classes and higher expectations.

22. Snacks and Wellness • Healthy, dry, utensil-free snacks are welcome. Snacks are eaten while students work around 9:40 A.M. • Teachers do not have a snack supply, so we will be unable to provide one for students who do not bring a snack from home. • Students are allowed to travel with a water bottle. • The 4th grade team is committed to the school wellness plan. A list of acceptable items for birthdays is listed on the SPARK website. • If you plan to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, you must coordinate with your child’s teacher.

23. ContactInformation • SPARK phone number – (404) 802-6050 • Front Desk for excused absences and transportation changes– SpringdaleTransportC@atlanta.k12.ga.us • 4th grade team • Susie Tulloch–fellowss@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Karina Canup- Karina.Canup@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Samantha Mickens-Samantha.Mickens@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Katie Steigerwalt–khsteigerwalt@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Whitney Naman–wnaman@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Pam Rowe-Pamela.Rowe@atlanta.k12.ga.us

24. ContactInformation • To find e-mail address for all SPARK faculty - Go to the SPARK website, click “Our School” and choose “Staff” • Specials teachers • Chorus – Brianne Turgeon – bturgeon@atlanta.k12.ga.us • P.E. – Jason Harrison and Jennifer Hagerty jxharrison@atlanta.k12.ga.us and Jennifer.Hagerty@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Art – Kimberly Muhlheim kimberly.muhlheim@atlanta.k12.ga.us and Sarah Sevier Sarah.Sevier@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Technology–Sherman McKie – smckie@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Band/Orchestra – Sandy Wade – slwade@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Spanish - Senora Waldman – mxwaldman@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Challenge teachers • Radiah Smith – Radiah.Smith@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Monica Slack – mslack@atlanta.k12.ga.us • Shenise White – rswhite@atlanta.k12.ga.us

25. The 4th grade team is looking forward to a wonderful school year!Thank you for your time!