Welcome to Our Blended learning Community! August 19, 2013 Welcome to Our Blended learning Community! While you wait, please write a note to encourage your son or daughter!

Welcome to a new year at Barr I am so excited to have each and every one of the wonderful learners that will be with us this year. I look forward to everyone becoming active learners who are responsible for what and how they learn.

Questions? Please write your questions on a sticky note and then we’ll address them at the end! Thank you!

Miss B. Thomas Graduated from KSU in education, with a masters in education phycology along with a gifted education endorsement. This is my Second year teaching ¾ blended I am excited about what this year has in store! Contact: thomasb@plainlocal.org

Safety First Before your child can learn they need to feel that they are safe. Barr has many procedures and routines that are put in place to make sure you and your child feel safe while they are here at school. Locked doors, adults wearing ID badges at all times, office check in and out for all visitors, and a staff that is attentive and cares about each and every child here.

Curriculum Your child has a great opportunity to receive individualized learning at a pace that is right for them. We also offer quality art, music, library, PE, and technology classes.

Curriculum Language Arts Novel Studies covering key skills. Reading and Writing Workshop. Students can be mixed according to interests and what they like to learn as well as how they learn best. College of William and Mary. We do most of our language arts using the reading and writing workshop format. Students will use Reading Streets but it will be for centers and homework more than class work. By using novels we can go beyond the normal skills that the students are expected to learn, and really push them to grow in a way that is creative and just right for them. More information about reading and writing workshop is provided in your yellow folder, any questions that you may have please feel free to e-mail me. The college of William and Mary provides wonder resources for gifted education, which will be used by the entire class.

Curriculum Math Everyday Math Gifted Enrichment Projects When will I ever use this again Our goal with everyday math is to have the students work at a faster pace. The students in this class should be able to work through their own grade level work into the next years work. This provides the students an opportunity to work more in depth with material that they have already mastered. As with everything that we do in this class the goal is for the students to be able to see how what they are learning is going to help them in the future.

Curriculum Science 2 year cycle 3rd Grade Science Life Cycles (Plants and Animals), Rocks and Soil, Matter and Energy. 4th Grade Independent Study Done with guidance. Matter and Energy, Earth’s Surface, Measurement, Earth’s History. Our science curriculum works on a 2 year cycle, this way we are only learning one grade level curriculum at a time. 4th graders who where in the class last year will be the go to’s to help with the independent study students.

Curriculum Social Studies 2 Year Cycle 3rd Grade Social Studies Communities 4th Grade Independent Study Done with guidance Ohio History

Curriculum Eagle Time Plus More Time Junior Great Books The Giraffe Project Eagle Time and Plus More Time are district wide times where students who need intervention can get what they need, this does apply to our higher ability students. Eagle Time will be used as a way to enrich our higher level students. Because you had to test into this class you will all be receiving enrichment. Plus more time is new to the district. It is a way for students to receive more intervention time, we will be using this time to do a wonderful service learning project (more information will be coming home about the project at a later date).

Grading Scale 92-100 A 82-91 B 70-81 C 0 – 80 N

Forms of Communication Newsletter sent home every two weeks. Blended community website E-Mail Phone Call Note

Dismissal/Checkouts Bus Riders Walker Parent Pick Up Special Pick Up All bus riders will line up in the hall till their bus in called for dismissal. Walker All walkers will be dismissed at the same time. Parent Pick Up Dismissed to cafeteria. Special Pick Up Note sent in, parent call, parent arrival. Car Riders Dismissed at the same time.

Rules & Procedures Details can be found in your handbook. We will review and practice all classroom and building rules and procedures during the first few weeks of school.

Our Classroom Schedule 9:10 morning welcome 9:20 morning work, classroom attendance 9:45 Specials 10:20 Restroom break 10:25 Reading and Writing workshop

Our Classroom Schedule 11:50 4th grade to recess, 3rd grade to lunch. 12:30 4th grade junior great books, 3rd grade math. 1:05 3rd grade junior great books, 4th grade math.

Our Classroom Schedule 1:40 Restroom break 1:45 Science or Social Studies 2:25 Plus More Time 3:05 End of Day Reflection, Pack Up, Read Aloud.

Conclusion I look forward to seeing you all and having you be actively engaged in your child’s learning, but 24 hour notice is required for visitation in our classroom. We have a lot of wonderful things happening in our classroom this year, but my first goal is to keep your child safe and to ensure your child is successful in life, not just here at Barr.

Questions?

Thanks for coming! Please take and review all the information in your packet. Return all forms that need returned. Make sure you have signed the sign in sheet. Take a look at donations that would be helpful for our class.