Grade 3

1. 2017 Grade 3

2. Teacher Introduction V a l s • Mr. Cushman • mcushman@stvalentineschool.com • 12 years teaching experience (6th year at St. Valentine) • I teach because I love working with kids everyday. It is extremely rewarding to see their progress throughout the year.

3. Values rooted in Catholic teachings V a l s • 3rd grade marks the year that students begin taking an active role in planning and carrying out the mass. • This year’s school theme is “Let all that we do be done with love.” • 3rd graders put on the Nativity Play at school and during the Christmas Eve children’s mass.

4. Academic Excellence V a l s • Multiplication and division leads the way in new concepts that are mastered in 3rd grade math. • 3rd graders also delve deeper into the writing process by writing and editing their own fables, compare and contrast papers, and research papers. • Reading class prepares students to navigate and utilize informational texts as well as provides students with strategies for comprehending fictional novels.

5. Academic Excellence (con’t) V a l s • Students are expected to come to class prepared each and every day with homework completed and the student planner signed. • 3rd graders are expected to have ½ hour to 1 hour of homework Monday – Thursday. Often, this will include 20 minutes of reading and 10 minutes of math fact practice. • We use Accelerated Reader in 3rd grade. Each student will receive an individualized goal for each quarter. This is part of each student’s reading grade. • IXL math is a required part of our math program. IXL math is to be completed each night Monday-Thursday. • The letter grading system begins in 3rd grade.

6. Love and Respect for All V a l s • Our classroom uses the “stoplight” behavior chart. Each student begins the day on green and strives to stay on green. Students move to yellow to signify that a warning has been given for behavior. If a student continues to exhibit negative behavior, they will be moved to red. Any student who ends the day on red will receive a note home to be signed by a parent. • Students who finish each day of the week on green will receive something out of the treasure box on Fridays.

7. Strong Community in Christ V a l s Parents are encouraged to communicate with me through email or through a note written in the planner. I also use these two methods of contacting parents. We will be using Class Dojo this year! This is a great way for me to send out quick reminders or notify parents of last minute changes. I will also be posting pictures of happenings in our classroom. To stay up to date on the latest going on in our classroom, please visit my website at: http://stvalentineschool.com/classpage.asp?FID=73

8. Strong Community in Christ (con’t) V a l s • Parents who would like to volunteer in our classroom or chaperone field trips must take the Protecting Gods Children class. This is offered at St. Valentine on October 7th from 8:30-12:00. • IOWA testing is the first two weeks of October. Please avoid making appointments during these two weeks as having to do make-ups for the tests can be stressful and taxing on 3rd graders. • Our first field trip will be to Greenfield Village on September 22nd.

9. Strong Community in Christ (con’t) V a l s • Looking ahead, you will receive a letter to connect to our Class Dojo if you haven’t already connected. Also, you should have received a letter for xtramath. Even though you are already signed up from last year you MUST sign up again to be linked with my classroom. • Student AR goals will also be sent home in the next two weeks following our reading assessments.

10. Strong Community in Christ (con’t) V a l s • As always, parents are welcome into our classroom to volunteer or check out what we are doing. Thank you for your support! • What now?- questions on material presented by email or visit at parent open house Sept. 21 at 6:30. • -Mr. Cushman