ABCs of Mrs. Fuller’s 3rd Grade for Families

Hello! I am so looking forward to working with you to educate your child. I can’t wait to meet you all at Open House, Monday August 14 at 5:30-7. Bring supplies and settle in! Here are some tips for this year in Room 111:

ABSENCES:Much of our learning takes place together in class. We do lots of hands-on activities and group work. Please plan to attend school every day, except in cases of illness or emergencies. If your child will be absent, please call Grandview Elementary at 660-584-7127. Please arrange make-up work ahead of time if you are having a planned absence.


ARRIVALat school begins at 7:30am, and students are released to class with me at 7:45 a.m. If your child does not eat school breakfast, the ideal time to arrive is 7:45-7:50.
BREAKFAST: If your child would like breakfast, please have them arrive by 7:30am.
BIRTHDAYS:We love healthy treats on birthdays! These treats will be eaten at the end of the day. If your child has a summer birthday, you may send in treats on his/her “half-birthday.” Please do not send party invitations to be distributed at school unless all children in our class receive an invitation.
BOOK ORDER FORMSwill be sent home for you and your child to look over every month. Book clubs offer fantastic deals! Checks should be made payable to SCHOLASTIC. There is also an easy online ordering option and my teacher code is NKT7J.
CONFERENCESare held at the end of the first and third quarter. Watch for information and reply accordingly. I am also available to conference as needed; however, we will need to schedule a time convenient for both of us.
COMMUNICATIONS BINDERShelp keep us organized. This 1” binder contains the Planner and notes as well as completed papers. Please check it nightly, sign the Planner, and return to school the following day.

DISCIPLINE: My goal is to form a close-knit classroom community in which all participants respect each other and the learning environment and enjoy reaching team and individual goals. There are 5 rules on our classroom:

1. Listen to and follow directions,

2. Raise your hand to speak during lessons,

3. Follow the flexible seating rules,

4. Keep your hands and feet to yourself, and

5. Respect your classmates and your teacher.

Consequences each day for not following the rules are:

1. Warning,

2. Safe seat time out for 15 minutes,

3. Letter home.

If your child gets a letter home, it must be signed and returned to school the following day. Of course, serious discipline issues will be handled immediately at the office according to the student handbook.
DISMISSAL: A note or phone call is required if there are any changes in home transportation.

DOJO is the communication app I use. It has a messaging component you can use to contact me. If you don’t have a computer or smart phone, you can use the Communications Binder to send messages. This year, Grandview also has a Twitter account and Facebook page. The link for Twitter is: @GVElementary and our hashtag is #GVElemrocks! Our Facebook page can be found at Grandview Elementary School.
EARLY RELEASE DAYSOn Early Release Wednesdays, students eat lunch at school and are dismissed at 2:05pm instead of 3:05pm.
EMERGENCY INFOshould be on file in our Tyler system. If anything changes, please inform the office (and me!).
FIELD TRIPS:We will be taking a field trip this year. Details will be announced in our Weekly Newsletter.
GRADING:Students will be assessed using letter grades (A, B, C, D, F) based on their performance in math, communication arts, science, and social studies. Third grade is moving to standards-based grading and we will let you know more about that when it happens.
HOMEWORK:

1.  Complete unfinished work.

2.  Read 100 minutes a week.

3.  Practice math facts 4 nights a week.

Parent signature is required on a reading and math log. Second recess is our work time, and students with late work over one day late or no/unsigned reading logs will have time to work on them then.


INDEPENDENCEis a goal for students because it builds self-esteem and self-confidence. Third graders are very capable of doing many things on their own and I encourage them to do as much as they can for themselves in the classroom. Please encourage them to think through and problem-solve in everyday situations.
KEEP INFORMEDby reading our newsletter every week and checking your child’s Communication Binder daily for notes and information. Check Dojo for messages.


LUNCHis at 11:55am. You are more than welcome to occasionally join your child and their friends for lunch in the cafeteria. Please “make a reservation” with me.
MAP:The Missouri Assessment Program is a statewide test your child will be taking in April. It assesses reading, writing and math concepts.

NEWSLETTERSwill be sent home every Friday in the Communication Binder to inform you of our focus of the following week. Important information is always included, so please read carefully.


PE:Students must wear sneakers on PE days. On non-PE days, we go outside for recess, so if your child likes to run or play on the playground equipment, it would be beneficial for them to wear sneakers daily.
QUESTIONS:Instead of asking your child, “What did you do in school today?” ask, “What book did you read during independent reading?” or “What did you learn in math?” or “Tell me what you wrote about during Writing Workshop!” Show that you’re interested, and ask specific questions. Most likely, your child will respond positively and more openly.
REPORT CARDSoccur every nine weeks. Please see the district calendar for specific dates. First quarter report cards will be given to you at fall parent conferences and third quarter ones at spring parent conferences.

SPECIALS: Day R: Art, Day E: Music, Day A: Computers, Day D: P.E. The district calendar at www.huskers.k12.mo.us has the Grandview READ schedule.
SUPPLIES: Please make sure your child is prepared for school every day with the items on the 3rd grade supply list. Your child should also have supplies at home (as well as a quiet place to work) to complete at-home assignments.


TARDIES:If your child arrives at school after the bell rings at 8am, he/she must go to the office to sign in. Chronic tardiness is a great detriment to your child’s learning. You know how you feel if you arrive late to an important meeting. You are behind from the beginning as well as embarrassed by your lateness. Your child feels the same way. Help your child get to school on time.
UNIQUE:Each student in my classroom is unique. I will do my best to differentiate instruction to ensure that all children get what they need to be successful in third grade.
VOLUNTEERS and VISITORSare welcome! There are many opportunities for you to be involved in the classroom this year. Be on the lookout for upcoming info. When you arrive at school to volunteer or visit, please register in the office and pick up a badge instead of coming directly to the classroom. This policy is for the safety of your children.
WATER BOTTLES: Please feel free to have your child bring a water bottle to class.
It isEXTRAORDINARILYimportant for your child to have a successful third gradeYEAR. I will do my best to make learning fun and exciting – you can expect a lot of growth in so many different areas. It will seem as if the 2017-2018 school year ZOOMsby!