On The Road To Responsibility

““On the Road to Responsibility”On the Road to Responsibility”

Mrs. Leachman’s ClassMrs. Leachman’s Class2009-20102009-2010

[email protected]@hoover.k12.al.us

THE HANDBOOKTHE HANDBOOK

►Rocky Ridge HandbookRocky Ridge Handbook – Please – Please review the guidelines in the handbook review the guidelines in the handbook regarding Arrival/Dismissal, regarding Arrival/Dismissal, transportation, and medications. Be transportation, and medications. Be sure and send a note following an sure and send a note following an absence so it may be recorded absence so it may be recorded accurately. Please make sure you accurately. Please make sure you sign and turn in pages 51, 55, and 57.sign and turn in pages 51, 55, and 57.

LunchroomLunchroom

►Menus are sent home the first of each Menus are sent home the first of each month. Please talk to your child about month. Please talk to your child about food selection. You are always food selection. You are always welcome to join your child for lunch. welcome to join your child for lunch. Students will be able to purchase extra Students will be able to purchase extra items snack items on Fridays. If you items snack items on Fridays. If you have any questions regarding your have any questions regarding your child’s lunch account please contact child’s lunch account please contact the cafeteria manager. You may also the cafeteria manager. You may also sign up to pay for your child’s lunch sign up to pay for your child’s lunch online. www.paypams.com online. www.paypams.com

Snack TimeSnack Time

► Please send something filling and nutritious Please send something filling and nutritious for your child at snack time. Some good for your child at snack time. Some good suggestions include cheese and crackers, suggestions include cheese and crackers, breakfast bars, prepared fruit, popcorn and breakfast bars, prepared fruit, popcorn and dry cereal. Try to avoid less healthy snacks dry cereal. Try to avoid less healthy snacks such as chips, snack cakes, cookies or snacks such as chips, snack cakes, cookies or snacks that cannot be eaten without forks or spoons. that cannot be eaten without forks or spoons. (We do not always have these available.) (We do not always have these available.) Water is always available in the classroom, Water is always available in the classroom, but your child can also bring in a water bottle.but your child can also bring in a water bottle.

MoneyMoney

►Please send any money in an envelope Please send any money in an envelope with the child and the teacher’s name. with the child and the teacher’s name. Please identify what the money is for. Please identify what the money is for. I will send book orders home I will send book orders home throughout the year. If you plan to throughout the year. If you plan to purchase books, send a check purchase books, send a check made made out to the club. Please do not out to the club. Please do not send cashsend cash. .

CommunicationCommunication

►– – A newsletter will be sent home each A newsletter will be sent home each week in your child’s Thursday folder. week in your child’s Thursday folder. Please feel free to contact me through Please feel free to contact me through email, note, or call the office and leave email, note, or call the office and leave a message. I will return your call ASAP. a message. I will return your call ASAP. I believe teacher/parent I believe teacher/parent communication is extremely communication is extremely importantimportant

BirthdaysBirthdays

►Please feel free to send a treat on their Please feel free to send a treat on their birthday. We will also recognize their birthday. We will also recognize their birthday in class. However, we cannot birthday in class. However, we cannot set aside time for a party. Your child is set aside time for a party. Your child is welcome to pass-out party invitations if welcome to pass-out party invitations if the the entire class is invitedentire class is invited. It is our request . It is our request that you have the snack item in the office that you have the snack item in the office by 8am. I will take care of passing the by 8am. I will take care of passing the special snack out to the students. special snack out to the students.

Field TripsField Trips

►We will go on 2 field trips throughout We will go on 2 field trips throughout the school year. All forms must be the school year. All forms must be returned in advance. We will usually returned in advance. We will usually need two chaperones per trip. Also, no need two chaperones per trip. Also, no younger siblings are allowed to younger siblings are allowed to accompany parents on fieldtrips since accompany parents on fieldtrips since this would provide a distraction from this would provide a distraction from the supervision of our students.the supervision of our students.

DisciplineDiscipline

► Our classroom guidelines include: Our classroom guidelines include: respectrespect everyone, everyone, the school and personal property, be prepared, work the school and personal property, be prepared, work and play safely and always do your best. and play safely and always do your best.

► A daily report will be sent home each day in their A daily report will be sent home each day in their homework binder. If students do not follow classroom homework binder. If students do not follow classroom rules, he/she will be given a verbal warning. rules, he/she will be given a verbal warning.

► The next time a rule is not followed; The student will The next time a rule is not followed; The student will move their clip to warning. Your child will have to sit move their clip to warning. Your child will have to sit out of recess for 5 minutes. If the behavior is not out of recess for 5 minutes. If the behavior is not corrected they will then be asked to move their clip to corrected they will then be asked to move their clip to Time-Out. They will have to sit out for 10 minutes of Time-Out. They will have to sit out for 10 minutes of recess. If this is not effective, parents will be recess. If this is not effective, parents will be contacted by a note or phone call.contacted by a note or phone call.

AssessmentsAssessments

►Our goal is to capture a grade every Our goal is to capture a grade every week/week and a half in each area. week/week and a half in each area. Your child will usually bring home a Your child will usually bring home a signed paper folder every week signed paper folder every week (Thursday). Progress Reports are sent (Thursday). Progress Reports are sent in the middle of each nine weeks. in the middle of each nine weeks. Report cards are sent home every nine Report cards are sent home every nine weeks weeks

GradingGrading

►Some grades are based on class work Some grades are based on class work and class participation. Other grades and class participation. Other grades are based on testing which reflect are based on testing which reflect good study habits, memorization, good study habits, memorization, inferential-higher level thinking, and inferential-higher level thinking, and decision-making. Class work is usually decision-making. Class work is usually not taken as a grade. The children are not taken as a grade. The children are learning and practicing through these learning and practicing through these assignments.assignments.

Signed PapersSigned Papers► Thursday Papers will be sent home regularly. Grades for the Thursday Papers will be sent home regularly. Grades for the

report card are based on these evaluations. Each year, this report card are based on these evaluations. Each year, this seems to be one of the more stressful events for third seems to be one of the more stressful events for third graders. We review these as a class but your child may have graders. We review these as a class but your child may have additional questions. So, I suggest you review these with your additional questions. So, I suggest you review these with your child. If your child usually does well and doesn’t perform as child. If your child usually does well and doesn’t perform as well on a particular assignment, please explain that with work well on a particular assignment, please explain that with work and practice they can always pull up his/her grade. I never and practice they can always pull up his/her grade. I never share grades of students with other students. I like to stress to share grades of students with other students. I like to stress to them this is private information even if you do really well. them this is private information even if you do really well. Please take the time to discuss with your child the importance Please take the time to discuss with your child the importance of privacy in this area. of privacy in this area.

► After you have reviewed the papers, please sign the stapled After you have reviewed the papers, please sign the stapled page in the folder and return with the signed papers. It is page in the folder and return with the signed papers. It is your child’s responsibility to return the folder to class. your child’s responsibility to return the folder to class.

HomeworkHomework► Homework will be assigned on Monday and will be due Homework will be assigned on Monday and will be due

on Friday. Homework should take no more than 30-on Friday. Homework should take no more than 30-40 minutes a day. If your child is taking longer than 40 minutes a day. If your child is taking longer than this amount of time, please contact me. Students will this amount of time, please contact me. Students will have no written homework over the weekend. have no written homework over the weekend.

► ******Special Note – Most Third Graders cannot be ******Special Note – Most Third Graders cannot be sent to their room to do their homework. We have to sent to their room to do their homework. We have to guide and show them how to study. I will give them guide and show them how to study. I will give them guidance and hints in class. They should be able to guidance and hints in class. They should be able to complete most written assignments independently. complete most written assignments independently. Please allow students to try assignments on their own. Please allow students to try assignments on their own. If they ask for help, try to be more of a guide ~ rather If they ask for help, try to be more of a guide ~ rather than solving the problem for them. One of our goals than solving the problem for them. One of our goals for our Third grade students is to lead them in the for our Third grade students is to lead them in the direction of being independent thinkers and learners. direction of being independent thinkers and learners.

VolunteersVolunteers

►We love having volunteers and We love having volunteers and appreciate your help. When appreciate your help. When volunteering, remember to sign in at the volunteering, remember to sign in at the office and get a visitor’s pass. If you office and get a visitor’s pass. If you would like to help in the classroom and would like to help in the classroom and are not scheduled, it would be helpful if are not scheduled, it would be helpful if you could send a note with your child on you could send a note with your child on that morning so I can be expecting you. that morning so I can be expecting you. We want to make the most of your time We want to make the most of your time and assistance! and assistance!

ReadingReading

► We incorporate Reading Workshop, Literature We incorporate Reading Workshop, Literature Circles, Reading Response Log and use of library Circles, Reading Response Log and use of library books. My goal is for your child to develop a LOVE books. My goal is for your child to develop a LOVE for reading if they do not already have one. for reading if they do not already have one. Therefore, I will use many different approaches and Therefore, I will use many different approaches and types of genres to do what is best and help your types of genres to do what is best and help your child individually.child individually.

► Please make it a priority to set aside three or four Please make it a priority to set aside three or four times a week to have your child read. (If not daily) times a week to have your child read. (If not daily) Also, set aside time to read to your child. We need Also, set aside time to read to your child. We need to read books that your child is not yet capable of to read books that your child is not yet capable of reading. This is an excellent way to increase your reading. This is an excellent way to increase your child’s vocabulary. child’s vocabulary.

► Ask your child questions about the story or article Ask your child questions about the story or article and discuss words the child might not understand. and discuss words the child might not understand. This is one of the best ways to encourage your child This is one of the best ways to encourage your child to be a life long learner and to be successful. to be a life long learner and to be successful.

WritingWriting

►Third grade is a big writing year. We Third grade is a big writing year. We will write regularly in their Writer’s will write regularly in their Writer’s Notebook. Please know that the Notebook. Please know that the students will work on most of their students will work on most of their writing assignments at school. This will writing assignments at school. This will ensure that the student is writing and ensure that the student is writing and revising his or her work. We will revising his or her work. We will publish throughout the school year.publish throughout the school year.

MathMath

►Various sources are integrated Various sources are integrated including Investigations, problem including Investigations, problem solving activities, and math strategy solving activities, and math strategy activities. Students will be exploring activities. Students will be exploring number sense and problem solving in number sense and problem solving in a variety of ways. a variety of ways.

LanguageLanguage

► I will combine the use of the English I will combine the use of the English Book, Word Study Skills, and Book, Word Study Skills, and Write Write TraitsTraits-a writing curriculum. It is -a writing curriculum. It is important to help the children gain important to help the children gain and apply grammar rules along with and apply grammar rules along with practice and application. I hope to see practice and application. I hope to see the application of these rules transfer the application of these rules transfer into their writing. into their writing.

SpellingSpelling

►The children will have a spelling list The children will have a spelling list each week. You may see words from each week. You may see words from the prior weeks if they continue to the prior weeks if they continue to miss these words in daily writing. miss these words in daily writing. Please go over these words with your Please go over these words with your child. They will be tested on Fridays. child. They will be tested on Fridays.

Social Studies and ScienceSocial Studies and Science

►The curriculum is based on State The curriculum is based on State Curriculum guides and Hoover City Curriculum guides and Hoover City Schools District. The children will be Schools District. The children will be evaluated on participation, their evaluated on participation, their notebook, and understanding of notebook, and understanding of content. Social Studies will be taught content. Social Studies will be taught during the 1during the 1stst semester and Science semester and Science will be taught during the 2will be taught during the 2ndnd semester. semester.

Make-Up WorkMake-Up Work

►If your child is going to be absent If your child is going to be absent more than one day, please notify more than one day, please notify the office as soon as possible if the office as soon as possible if you would like to pick up you would like to pick up assignments. I will try to have assignments. I will try to have these available by the end of the these available by the end of the day.day.

ConferencesConferences

► There are two scheduled conference days There are two scheduled conference days during the year in October and February. If during the year in October and February. If you would like to schedule an additional you would like to schedule an additional meeting, you may do so by calling me at meeting, you may do so by calling me at school, or writing a note and sending it with school, or writing a note and sending it with your child. I will be happy to meet with you. your child. I will be happy to meet with you. You may also e-mail me at school regarding You may also e-mail me at school regarding any questions or concerns. any questions or concerns.

►My address is: My address is:

[email protected]@hoover.k12.al.us

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

► In closing, thank you for sharing your In closing, thank you for sharing your most precious gift with me…your child. most precious gift with me…your child.

► I am so excited about this year and I am so excited about this year and look forward to being a part of your look forward to being a part of your child’s life. child’s life.

►Please let me know when you have Please let me know when you have any questions.any questions.