Dear parent(s) and student:

Welcome to third grade! I am looking forward to a great and exciting year with all of you. I want to make sure that all parents and students are kept well informed about everything going on in the classroom and the procedures and activities that we use. This letter will give an overview of some of these things.

Newsletters

Each week I will send home a newsletter on Monday. The newsletter will list important dates, upcoming tests, and also what we are covering in each subject area. The reading log is on the back of each newsletter to return on the last day of the week. I will also post the newsletter each Friday on our class website, which can be found through the school website.

Homework

I may occasionally assign homework to reinforce a classroom skill. Also, any school work not completed during the day is considered homework. Any assignment not finished and returned the following day will be completed during the second recess time. (This is the 3rd grade policy). All students will go to the first recess. I do encourage reading at home, as well as at school. Students are required to read 15 minutes daily Monday through Thursday. A reading log will be sent home every Monday (on the back of the newsletter) and is due on Friday. This log is worth 10 points for students’ English Language Arts grade. If the log is not returned on Friday they will be given a chance to return it on Monday. If it is not returned on Monday, they will stay in Monday through Friday at their second recess so they can earn those 10 points (except Wed. when there is not a scheduled 2nd recess).

Spelling Tests

Every Monday a Spelling List will be sent home on the newsletter. Each full week of school we will have a pretest on Wednesday and a posttest on Friday. If 100% is received on the 10 spelling words on the pretest, the posttest does not have to be taken on Friday. The first week of school is an exception with only having 5 words. The following weeks will have 5 new words and 5 words that are review words.

Supplies

Most of your child’s supplies will remain with him/her. However, I will be collecting some of the supplies from students to use in a community setting such as loose leaf paper, Clorox wipes, Kleenexes, etc. Also, please note that often pencils end up becoming community supply.

Agenda

Each student will have an agenda where daily assignments are to be written. This allows the students to begin learning organizational skills and time management skills. If you have a note for me, you may put it in the agenda. I will also write notes in them. In the notes box, the students will also set behavior point goals and record actual points earned to go along with our Class Dojo. (see behavior and rewards)Each day after the assignments are written in the agenda, I will sign it. Additionally, the agenda is to be signed by one parent daily. This is to make sure parents know what we are working on in the classroom, how the student’s behavior was for the day, and whether or not student has homework to be done.

Behavior and Rewards

In addition to the school-wide behavior program, my classroom will use a classroom point system. I will be using Class Dojo to track student progress and behavior. This is an online application that allows me to add and take away Dojo points. There is a student and parent login that allows you to access this at home. (These logins are included in your packet.) You are able to see how many pointsyour child had on a certain day or for a distinct period of time. You are also able to change the student’s avatar when you login. Students will be responsible for setting a realistic goal every morning on how many Dojo points they want to earn throughout the day. This goal will be recorded in the agenda. At the end of the day your child will record the actual points earned. If your child meets his/her goal, he/she will receive 1 ticket. If he/she goes over the goal, he/she will earn 2 tickets. Every 2 weeks, starting in September, the students will be able to cash in their tickets for rewards for the following: 25 tickets=line jumper or choose brain break; 30 tickets=choose something from the fidget box for the day or lunch with a bud; 35 tickets= Cool Cat in a Hat (wear a hat for a day) or Pet Shop (bring a stuffed animal for the day); 40 tickets= Free Homework pass or Stinky Feet (shoes off in the classroom); and 50 tickets=Chew a Piece of sugar free gum in the classroom or sit anywhere in the classroom for the day. These rewards may change throughout the year to better meet the “wants”of the students. Below is a list of consequences for hurtful or disruptive behavior:

  1. Warning
  2. Safe Seat and name comes down
  3. Buddy Room
  4. Focus Room
  5. Office

Students also have a group reward system for specials, recess, counseling lunch, and walking in the halls. Each time the class gets a compliment from their teachers or supervisors from these places, they earn a marble. When the container is full students will receive a reward that they vote on.

Book Orders

Book orders will be sent out throughout the year. Please DO NOT feel obligated to buy from the book orders. I send them out because they do have some amazing deals on books. Checks are the only form acceptable for payment and should be made out to Scholastic. You can also order and pay online using my classroom code, which I will attach to the book orders.

Birthdays

Birthdays are very special times for children. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday, please contact me and we can set up a time during the day to do this. Also, please refer to the Grandview Student Handbook about treats brought from home. Students with summer birthdays can celebrate their birthdays in May or at the beginning of the school year.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you may have. My email is and the school’s number is (660)584-7127.

I look forward to a wonderful year together!

Jennifer Wahn