Welcome to Curriculum Night! Remember to Sign-In please!

Welcome to Mrs. Conkel’s 4th Grade Class! SCHOOL HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday- 8:35 a.m. (tardy bell rings) – 3:05 p.m. (Dismissal bell rings) Wednesday: 8:35 a.m. –2:05p.m. LUNCHES: –$1.90per day –$9.50 per week Our lunch break is scheduled from 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR CLASS Pencils (at least 2 per day) Crayons (not more than 24) A backpack Glue sticks (2 to begin with) Colored pencils Box of tissues One set of Dry-erase markers (large tip please) One package of copier paper Clipboard Pencil box

Class Rules BE RESPECTFUL: Follow directions the first time given. Listen carefully. Be kind in what you do and say. Work quietly. Walk straight and silent in line. BE RESPONSIBLE Take care of all personal belongings and respect school property. Complete assignments on time. BE RELIABLE

DRESS CODE The dress code at SSES is the same as last year. Students should wear proper, comfortable attire. Please be aware that our classroom can be quite chilly. Jackets are frequently needed. Sneakers should be worn for safety reasons. T-shirts are for sale in the office.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS Birthdays may be celebrated at school by sharing cupcakes or cookies. (Brownies and Rice Krispie treats are always a big hit, too!) Please send notification at least 2 days prior. Your child will serve the treats at lunch. Remember to check in at the office first. You may deliver them to the office if you’d like, and someone will see that your child receives the treats.

Grades will be given in five subjects this year: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science. Recorded grades will be taken from tests/quizzes, projects, daily work, written essays/reports, and participation. Your child will receive a minimum of seven grades in each subject area. If a paper comes home which has a numerical grade on it, the grade has been recorded. Some work will be graded, but will receive only a “smiley face”, stamp, etc.- this grade will not be recorded in the gradebook.

GRADING SCALE A = 90 – 100 B = 80 – 89 C = 70 – 79 D= 60 – 69 F = 0 – 59

HOMEWORK POLICY Homework is important because it reinforces skills learned in class. Homework can prepare students for upcoming class topics. It also teaches students to work independently. Homework will be assigned only on Monday through Thursday nights. It should take students no more than 45 minutes to complete their assignments each night. Spelling tests are given on the last day of the week. Students are expected to study for spelling tests even though it may not be given as a specific homework assignment. Homework should be neatly done and completed on time. Students should ask for help only after they have given it their best effort. Parents should check work after completion.

How much television is okay??????? Having a TV in your child’s bedroom has been linked to lower scores on standardized math, language, and reading tests. Children who watch the most TV between the ages of 5 and 11 are less likely to graduate from college. Excessive television viewing among children has also been linked to a greater risk of obesity and violent behavior. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine HOMEWORK ROUTINE Decide together on a time and place to complete homework. Let kids have a break after school before settling into doing more “school work”. Allow some free time for active play and a healthy snack. Discourage video games and television, as kids need to be active, not passive after school. Be available to your child during homework time, but be careful not to get overly involved. Parents should be involved in their own tasks, but need to make sure their child knows that they are available if needed. Children must learn that parents cannot do the work for them. “Homework can be a journey of exploration.”

LET ’ S READ! Help your child develop language skills by including lots of words in your child ’ s world. Talk, read, and listen to him/her. Promote a love of reading and language by reading to your child and by listening to your child read to you. Get that library card and visit the public library. Be sure there is a variety of reading materials throughout your house appropriate for your child ’ s interest and reading level. Let your child see you reading-model it! Remember to ask about what your child is reading … think curious not interrogate.

Accelerated Reader (A. R.) Students are encouraged to read outside the classroom. Each student has a specific goal to reach at the end of each nine week grading period. Students may take A. R. quizzes at school. It is not available to complete at home. Once again, there will be a Superintendent’s Challenge to read a minimum of 25 books.

For Your Information The end of the first nine weeks is October 17 th ; however… I will be cutting off grades on October 10 th. The week of October 13 th will be reserved for retakes and make-ups.

RETAKES Students are allowed to retake any TEST within two weeks. Grades from both tests will be averaged. A grade of no higher than a 70/C will be recorded. If grade is lower than previous score, the original score remains. Retakes are for TESTS ONLY.

Are you receiving: Weekly newsletter? Weekly homework pack? Weekly grade sheets?

Parent Teacher Conferences I would like to begin scheduling parent- teacher conferences. You will be able to sign-up for three choices which will be convenient for you. I allow thirty minutes for these conferences. Please be prompt. Reschedule if necessary. Report cards will not be going out until the end of October.

Nuts and Bolts Curriculum/Textbooks –Lake County’s curriculum can be found at lake.k12.fl.us in the Curriculum Department page. lake.k12.fl.us –ELA – Wonders by McGraw-Hill –Math – GO! Math by Harcourt –Science – Interactive Science by Pearson –Social Studies – My World by Pearson

Seminole Springs Elementary's Web-site Click on “Teachers” to find me and updates about what is happening in our classroom.

Cutting into the Core! ELA (English Language Arts) Emphasis is on text complexity using grade-level texts to promote deeper thinking Writing to different purposes: opinion, explanatory, provide information from text, summarize, research Small group collaboration to increase effective communication skills Promote strong written communication skills

Cutting into the Core! MATHEMATICS Make sense of problems Developing a greater persistence in solving problems (stick to it!) Solve problems with models Reason abstractly Construct argument for answer (full explanation) Analyze, understand patterns, know that sometimes there is more than one answer

Why the Common Core? Collaboration: the standards create a foundation for your child to work collaboratively with their peers. Preparation: the standards will prepare your child for college and their career. Equality: the expectations are consistent for all students. Clarity: the standards are clear, consistent, and focused. Applicable: the standards are relevant to the real world, reflecting knowledge and skills your child needs to be successful. Students, parents, and teachers will share the same expectations for student learning across the country with the Common Core standards in place.

State Testing What will the Florida FCAT replacement test require my child to do? Information can be found at the Florida Dept. of Education’s Website ( in the “Online Portal and Resourceswww.fldoe.org for the Florida State Assessments” link.

State Testing Once inside the portal, click on “Training Tests”.

Testing Dates March Writing Exam (informational/explanatory/opini on) March Math Exam March English/Language Arts (Reading) Exam

Thanks for coming tonight! Looking forward to a great school year with your child. Sincerely, Mrs. Conkel P. S. Field trip to St. Augustine on December 12 th. Would you like to chaperone? Have you filled out forms to be a chaperone this year?