Welcome Parents! Norman Borlaug Back to School Night 2016-2017

Welcome to Fourth Grade! Team 3 Reach for the stars. Although you will never touch them, if you reach hard enough, you will find that you get a little star dust on you in the process! - Norman Borlaug

Our Team Teachers John McWilliams mcwilliams.john@iowacityschools.org Diane Burk burk.diane@iowacityschools.org Stacy Karr karr.stacy@iowacityschools.org Students and families!

Mary Gauthier School Secretary Celeste Shoppa Principal Office hours are 7:30 AM – 3:30PM. Phone number is 688-1155. Voice mail is available 24 hours a day. E-mail addresses: shoppa.celeste@iowacityschools.org gauthier.mary@iowacityschools.org Mary Gauthier School Secretary

Important Start/End Times 7:30 Breakfast 7:40 Supervision begins outside 7:50 First bell 7:55 Tardy bell 7:55 Class begins 2:55 School Ends, (1:55 on Thursdays) Please report all absences to the office. Mrs. McDonald: Breakfast begins at 8:10, as does adult supervision on the playground. The first bell rings at 8:25, allowing students to come to the classrooms, escorted by an adult. 8:30 is considered tardy. If your child arrives after 8:25 (and all the classes are inside), an adult will let them in the door. The first end-of-day bell rings at 2:55 (or 1:55 on Thursdays), when bus students are dismissed. All other students are dismissed at 3:00 (or 2:00 on Thursdays). If your child is going to be absent, please notify the teacher as well as the office.

A Typical Day Welcome and Morning Jobs Math Recess Language Arts (Whole group and Small group work, Writing, Spelling) Lunch – 30 minutes Specials (P.E., Music, Library, Art) Language Arts/Math Small Groups Science/Health and Social Studies Closing

Specials Schedule Specials Days Other Information P.E. 3-27 minute periods weekly * Bring tennis shoes! MUSIC ART 1-54 minute period weekly LIBRARY 1-27 minute Media; book check out; time in the computer lab * May check out 4 books.

Reading and Writing Our Curriculum Iowa Common Core on ICCSD website Our Materials Houghton Mifflin Leveled Texts Supplemental materials Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Our Assessments: FAST DRA2 Running Records District Writing Assessment Formative Assessments Curriculum – State Standards found online at link above. We use “I can” statements so students know the objectives of the lessons. Materials – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is an updated series that focuses on all important elements of literacy. The series has many built in differentiation options to help meet the needs of all learners. Leveled Texts – we use these in small group reading to help all students access grade level strategies and skills. Supplemental materials- extra materials provide us the opportunity to extend for students who need a challenge and support those that need more instruction in certain areas. Zaner-Bloser is our handwriting program. Assessments –We use many different kinds of assessments to give us information about each child so that we meet them where they are and move them forward. DIBELS, a screener we give 3 times per year that is used to predict grade level success in reading. DRA 2- a diagnostic assessment used to find strengths and areas of opportunity, 2-3 times per year. Running records are used an a weekly, bi-weekly basis to monitor students strategies, accuracy, text level etc. District Writing assessment is given 2 times per year to look at students abilities in certain writing genres. Formative assessments are used in reading and writing on a frequent basis to help teachers know how to help students move forward toward grade level expectations.

Reading and Writing Reading Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension Whole Group Small Group Writing Teaching the Craft and Process Whole Group Small Group Handwriting Spelling

Reading and Writing

Math Our Curriculum Iowa Common Core on ICCSD website Our Materials enVision Math 2.0 Our Assessments: Fuchs & Fuchs Benchmark Topic Post Tests Formative Assessments Curriculum- Found at the link above Materials –Every Day Math Assessments –Pre and post unit assessments help us determine what students already know and what they need to learn. Formative assessments are done daily by looking at math boxes in daily work, exit slips etc.

Math Topics of study Common Core Domains Large group and small groups Operations and Algebraic Thinking Number and Operations in Base Ten Number and Operations – Fractions Measurement and Data Geometry Large group and small groups

Math This math program introduces concepts, routines, games, etc. at developmentally appropriate levels and then continues to reintroduce those concepts at more sophisticated levels as students progress through the grades. The units we study are… Large and small groups allow us to teach concepts to the class and then pull small groups to work on reteaching, review, and extensions. This variety inables us to provide what each student needs, right at their level.

Science Units of Study Soils, Rocks, and Landforms Energy Environments

Social Studies Health Focus: New this year! Focus Mental, Emotional, Family, and Social Health - Growth and Nutrition Drugs and Disease Prevention Consumer and Community Health Puberty: The Wonder Years Focus Regions of the United States Our Materials Social Studies Alive Our Materials Health and Wellness

Homework Expectations Math- daily, Monday through Thursday Spelling- Lists given on Monday Students should study spelling words each night Final tests on Friday (12 regular words; 3 challenge words) Reading- at least 30 minutes most nights (minimum of 100 min. per week) HRA reading log kept each month Science and Social Studies- occasional projects or short assignments Please check your child’s assignment notebook for homework, as well as the skills that were taught each day. Parent initial/signature.

Home - School Connections Borlaug Website - Classroom Webpage - Calendars - Virtual Backpack Email and phone http://www.edline.net/pages/Borlaug_Elementary_School

Conferences Two formal conferences: fall & spring Reports will come home on the Monday before your conference. Read the report thoroughly and record any questions you may have. Bring the report and questions with you to your conference. During the conference: data and conversation! Please sign up tonight if possible!

Birthday and Celebrations 4th Grade Birthday Celebrations No food celebrations 4th grade acknowledges birthdays by… Choose a 10 min. activity for class Summer Birthdays: Celebrate ½ Birthdays Holiday Celebrations If food is served at class holiday parties, food items must adhere to the District Wellness Policy 507.9 Food items are limited to the approved Healthy Food Guidelines 4th grade is a peanut/tree nut free zone.

Volunteer Opportunities Helping at Borlaug: Volunteer Opportunities Email us to make arrangements: - Making copies - Reading with students - Working with students using teacher prepared activities -Sharing expertise on a topic we are studying -Field trip chaperone, as needed

P.B.I.S. at Borlaug Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Facts: Common language and expectations Positive reinforcements School-wide celebrations Weekly student recognition

Borlaug Staff School Counselor: Jamie Schneiter Classroom Counseling lessons Individual or small group meetings Resource for families

Borlaug Staff Student and Family Advocate: Megan Recker Acting as member of learning supports team School supplies and other basic needs Connecting families to community resources Supporting your family and child’s goals typo

Borlaug Staff Instructional Design Strategist: Amy Hartje Partners with teachers to: -create student centered goals -learn together -implement new learning Plans and leads staff professional development

Borlaug Staff Academic Support: Jennifer Renk Works with identified students, K-6 -Reading/math skills

Borlaug Staff English Language Learners: Abbie Jensen Speech and Language: Kassie Adams, GWAEA Extended Learning Program: Jodie Eilers Special Education Services: Jenny Whitters

learning with you this year! Thank you! We look forward to learning with you this year!