Curriculum Night at Whitlow Elementary WELCOME!!!! 4th Grade Curriculum Night at Whitlow Elementary Miss Grindle, Mrs. Mahoney, Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Ridings, Mrs. Vaughan, Mrs. Whitlatch, and Mrs. Willingham

Index Cards For all individual questions about your child, please fill out the index card found on each child’s desk. Please include: Name and your question. I will get back to you as soon as possible!

BEFORE YOU LEAVE…. SIGN UP FOR A CONFERENCE TIME! Sign up sheet is on the table! Week of Oct. 17-21. Write your child’s name in the slot!

Meet Mrs. Willingham Graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2006 & the University of Alabama with my Master’s degree in 2009. I am currently back in school at Georgia Southern working towards my EdS! This is my 6th year of teaching and 4th in 4th grade. Born in Hartwell, GA and raised in Gwinnett County.

Grade PLUS 4th Grade is very excited to be part of the Grade PLUS reporting system again during the 2011-2012 school year! Take a look to learn how your child will be graded this year. Grade Plus 2011-2012

Grading and Reporting We will use two types of classroom assessments: formative and summative. Formative grades are daily grades that will receive a 1, 2, 3, or 4. Summative grades are percentage grades that are strictly based on county-wide assessments. Sample Report Card

Summative Assessment Retests Allowed ONE retest for each summative assessment (Math, Reading, & ELA). Not Science and Social Studies! Students eligible for a retest must participate in re-teaching and re-learning sessions. Students who receive a 70% or lower are automatically eligible for a retest. Students whose summative grades do not reflect daily grades will also be eligible for a retest. Students will receive the higher of the two grades, not the average of the two. The purpose of allowing a retest is to ensure mastery of standards.

School and Class RULES Be Ready! Be Respectful! Be Responsible! Be Safe! Hands and feet to yourself One behind the other Walk silently

Consequences Each time a child breaks a rule in the classroom, he/she receives a verbal warning. The next time the child breaks the rule, a tally is given. 1st tally mark – 2 Wisdom Walks 2nd tally mark – 4 Wisdom Walks 3rd tally mark – 4 Wisdom Walksd and parent contact. For each missing homework assignment, a tally is given One lap per missing assignment.

HOMEWORK Homework will be assigned Monday -Thursday. Homework assignments should take approximately 40 minutes each night. Homework not completed will need to be completed the following night in addition to all other assignments. A “Loose in the Lab” science experiment will be used to motivate students to complete all assignments for the month! Check out the 4th Grade Website for homework information. Whitlow Home Site

AGENDAS Each student should have an agenda to keep track of daily assignments. Check agenda every night to help the students learn responsibility for completing homework.

Friday Folders Your child will bring home a Friday Folder at the end of each week with graded work, a brief conduct report, and any notes/fliers. Important work that needs to be signed and returned back to school will also be sent home in the folder. Please sign on the line and return to school on Monday. Sign and return the conduct sheet on the left side of the folder each Monday. Do not remove it from the folder! This will help me to know that you’re aware your child’s behavior report and graded work for the week. If you would like extra pages to practice, please let me know and I will send items home.

DAILY SCHEDULE 7:50 – 8:30 Morning Work/Announcements 8:30 – 9:15 HOWL Time 9:15 – 9:45 Science/SS 9:45 – 10:00 Math 10:00 – 10:45 Specials 10:45– 11:50 Math 11:50 – 12:00 Grammar Skill 12:00 – 12:20 Recess 12:30 – 1:00 Lunch 1:00 – 2:20 Reading/Language Arts 2:20 – 2:55 Writing DAILY SCHEDULE

Specials Session 5: January 26 – March 5   Session 5: January 26 – March 5 PE, Tech, PE, Tech, PE Session 6: March 6 – April 18 Art, PE, Art, PE, Art Session 7: April 19 – May 25 PE, Music, PE, Music, PE  Session 1: August 11 – September 16 Technology, P.E., Technology, P.E., Technology   Session 2: September 19 – October 21 Counseling (each day) Session 3: October 24 – December 5 PE, Art, PE, Art, PE Session 4: December 6 – January 25 Music, PE, Music, PE, Music

School Hours School will begin dismissing at 3:00 P.M. 8:20 AM - 3:00 PM Students may be dropped off in the rear of the building in the car rider line no earlier than 7:50 A.M. After 8:20, parents must take students to the front office to be signed in. No check outs after 2:45 P.M. School will begin dismissing at 3:00 P.M.

ATTENDANCE An absence must have a written excuse within 5 days to be excused. Students will have 3 school days to complete missed work or 3 days per day for multiple day absences. Example-If a child is absent 3 days, he/she will have 9 days to make up work. The attendance line is 678-965-5091 or e-mail hromano@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Breakfast and Lunch Money Students may eat breakfast at school every day. Breakfast is $ 1.25. Students will have six choices for lunch most days. Lunch is $2.15 and $3.25 for guests. Money in a student’s account can be spent in any way the child chooses unless you put a block on the account.

Ice Cream Unless you have a block on the account, your child may purchase ice cream daily. The cost for ice cream this year is $0.75. If you have a block and would like your child to buy ice cream, please send in money on those days.

Guests for Lunch According to the Forsyth County Wellness Policy, all snacks and food brought to school for a class must be commercially prepared. We have many students with allergies and need to be able to verify ingredients in food products. Parents should enter and exit from the door located next to the front office. You may wait for us by the stage. Please do not wait outside the classroom. You may only have your child sit with you at the parents’ table. Sorry…no friends allowed!

Birthday Celebrations All birthday celebrations will take place during lunch time. The items can be brought up to the school and dropped off or you can bring them to lunch. No homemade items. Must be INDIVIDUALLY PACKAGED and store- bought. Please no pictures!!!

Class Parties We will be having 2 class parties this year. Winter break and end of the year. I will be in need of volunteers to help at these events. You will receive more information from me and our room mom about the parties and activities. Jackie Sides is our class room mom this year.

No volunteers on Early Release or Testing Days. Hours are from 9-2:30. School Volunteer Policies: No more than 1 hour per day and should be scheduled with the teacher in advance. Younger siblings should not accompany volunteers to classrooms. Volunteers I Need: I need volunteers Monday -Thursday. You will work with 1 or 2 students at a time in the library on math and/or reading skills. Please email me if you would like to volunteer!!! Please include times, days, and how often. No volunteers on Early Release or Testing Days. Hours are from 9-2:30.

Snack We eat snack daily after Specials. Please send your child with a “healthy” snack each day. Please leave candy and soft drinks at home.

SCIENCE Earth Science - Solar System - Weather Physical Science - Force & Motion - Simple Machines - Light & Sound Life Science - Water Cycle - Ecosystems

SOCIAL STUDIES Map skills/Geography The Ancient Americas Explorations and Encounters Our Colonial Heritage The American Revolution The New Nation Our Nation Grows War Divides the Nation

MATH Math instruction includes: Whole group mini lessons 3 small group rotations for 15 minutes each, daily Math Master timed multiplication and division tests Math Journals Houghton Mifflin program includes: Place Value & Rounding Multiplication Division Algebra Geometry Problem Solving

fundamental to learning and thinking. Reading & ELA Curriculum that will be covered: Leveled Readers Spelling Grammar Reading comprehension Literature Circles Vocabulary Fluency The integration of reading, writing, listening, grammar and speaking are fundamental to learning and thinking.

Writing Across the Curriculum Students will be involved in Writer’s Workshop daily. During this time student will work on writing activities to boost their skills as thinkers and communicators. Creative Writing Journal Writing Writing Process Writing Across the Curriculum Modeled Writing: mini-lessons on narrative, persuasive, informational and response to literature.

4th Grade Practice Writing Test Will be held in March. We will use the Early Release Days of each month to prepare the students for both this and the 5th Grade Writing Test. Timed sessions for Brainstorming, Drafting, Publishing, etc.

4TH GRADE ACTIVITIES Chorus Art Club Spelling Bee Technology Fair Girls on the Run Girls/Boys Scouts

For More Information Also visit my website and the grade level Visit the county web page (www.forsyth.k12.ga.us) There you will find helpful information about Forsyth County’s Grading and Reporting. Also visit my website and the grade level website!!! Whitlow Home Site