1. Mrs. Brown’s Third Grade Back To School Night 2014 - 2015

2. Meet Mrs. Brown  I am so excited to be your third grade teacher!  I love to teach, read, scrapbook, and spend time with my wonderful family!  We love to go to Lagoon and the Syracuse Fun Center and have family movie or game night.

3. Fun Fridays In Third Grade!  This year in Third Grade, we will be having Fun Fridays! If all of your work is complete, you can choose which fun activity you would like to participate in.  If you have any missing assignments, you will be going to study hall to complete them.

4. Fantastic Fieldtrips!  We will be going on some fantastic, fun fieldtrips this year! One this fall, and then one in the spring. Watch for more information to come!  Students with excessive missing assignments or behavior problems will not be invited to go on fieldtrips.

5. Daily Schedule 8:40-9:00Morning Work 9:00-9:15Phonics/Word Work 9:15-9:25Vocabulary 9:25-10:00Reading Comprehension 10:00-10:15Morning Recess 10:15-10:45Writing 10:45-11:00Fluency 11:00-11:30Guided Reading 11:30-12:15Lunch 12:15-1:00Computer Lab 1:00-1:40Math Lesson 1:40-1:55Afternoon Recess 1:55-2:05Gumball Math 2:05-2:30Math/Science/Social Studies 2:30-2:40Clean Up 2:40-3:25Teacher Prep Time (Music & Art, P.E., Computers, Library)

6. Lots Of Learning  We are learning so much in Third Grade! Your student will be learning more reading comprehension skills, how to write longer pieces, and many new math concepts! There is a lot to learn, and not much time to do it in. It takes a lot of practice, and one-on-one time to master all of these skills!  YOUR CHILD NEEDS YOUR HELP! Practice makes perfect, and most of the individual practice takes place at home.

7. Daily Homework  At Home Reading  Your child should be reading a book on their exact reading level! I will help them figure out what this is!  They will be reading for comprehension, and will be completing a book report to be shared with the class  Please sign the Reading Calendar that will be sent home at the beginning of each month.  Fluency Passage  We work on reading a passage MANY times per day!  They will bring it home DAILY to read to you two times.  Please record the time it took your student to read the passage, initial the bottom, and return to school the next morning in the Homework folder.  We will usually complete the comprehension questions in class. If they are unfinished, please have your student complete them at home.  A fluency passage will be coming home the first day of school!!

8. Weekly Homework  Tuesday Folders  Tuesday Folders come home with important information EVERY TUESDAY.  Please send the folders back on WEDNESDAY (the next day).  Weekly homework packets will be sent home on Tuesday, and need to be returned the following Monday.  Weekly homework will come home, and be returned to school in the homework folders.  Please HELP your child with their homework, but please don’t GIVE THEM THE ANSWERS.

9. Attendance  Third Grade is FULL of hands on experiences. These experiences can not be recreated, or sent home, in case of absences.  THIS IS WHY ATTENDANCE IS SO IMPORTANT!  We understand that sickness, and emergencies happen. Please do not send your student to school sick. However, please make every effort to have them at school ON TIME, EVERY DAY!  If your student is absent for any reason, they are responsible for any work that they missed.

10. Weekly Assessments  FRIDAY ATTENDANCE IS VITAL!  We assess students every Friday in multiple areas that we have been working on during the week.  Language Arts Assessment  Spelling Test  The words that are sent home on Tuesday will be tested on Friday (3 days later).  Math Skills Quiz  Reading Fluency Timing  We include practice for these assessments in the weekly homework packet.  Weekly Assessments are almost impossible to make up. Please make sure that your student is in class ALL DAY on Friday.

11. Volunteers  WE NEED YOUR HELP IN THE CLASSROOM!!  This year we have VERY large class sizes! In order for your child to have the best experience in Third Grade, we need all of the help we can get!  Please let me know of any days and times that you can volunteer. We really appreciate it!  When signing up for a time, please be committed to coming at that time every week.

12. Standardized Testing  Standardized Testing will take place the last part of April and the Beginning of May.  We will announce the dates AS SOON as we know!  IT IS IMPERITIVE THAT YOUR STUDENT IS IN SCHOOL AND ON TIME FOR ALL TESTING DAYS!

13. Third Grade Behavior Expectations  Listen when others are talking  Follow directions the first time they are given.  Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.  Work quietly and don’t disturb others.  Show respect to students, teachers, and school property.  Work and play safely.

14. Behavior Management  Positive Individual  Kid Bucks  Students collect Kid Bucks to purchase classroom prizes.  Positive Classroom  Work towards classroom/table points for rewards  Behavior Clip Chart  Students have the opportunity to move up and down the chart. If they are in the following zones, the following punishments will be given.  Think About It! -- Warning  Teacher’s Choice -- five minutes of recess is lost (usually).  Parent Contact -- whole recess is lost to fill out a note that will be sent home. This note MUST be signed and returned the next day or the student will miss an additional recess.(See following slide.)  Multiple verbal warnings are given before students will be asked to move down the chart.

15. Behavior Notes

16. School Wide Behavior Management  Syracuse Elementary has a school wide aggressive behavior management plan. This can be found on the school website.  This behavior management plan will be used for aggressive behavior and override our card system.  The Syracuse Elementary Aggressive Behavior Management Plan is generally handled by the administration.

17. Communication  Weekly newsletters will be sent home in the Tuesday Folders and can also be found on my websites.  E-mail kabrown@dsdmail.net (This is the best in most cases. Please try this first.)kabrown@dsdmail.net  Phone (801-402-2600)  We are at the school from 8:15 - 3:45 if you need to contact us.  You may be asked to leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

18. Student Supplies  Your student will need the following supplies for the upcoming school year. If you are unable to provide these supplies, please let me know as soon as possible. If you are able to donate supplies for another child in our class, please notify me as well.  3 composition notebooks  2 1" Binders  1 Package Wide Ruled Filler Paper (the reinforced kind is AMAZING!)  2 Portfolio folders (2 pocket folders)  50 Sheet Protectors  2 Pink Erasers  12 pencils (These will go into a class "pot" to be distributed throughout the year as needed. I prefer Ticonderoga brand, as they tend to last longer.)  2 Post-It Note Pads

19. Thank You!  Thank you for all of the hard work that you have already put into your child’s education!  I look forward to joining your team and working with you and your student this year!  By working together, we will achieve our higher standards!  I am super excited for a fantastic school year in Third Grade!