Mrs. Moore’s Third Grade Class Handbook

Please leave your handbook inside of your FISH Binder.

You will need it in school during the day and should take it home each night.

Index

Topic / Page
About the Teacher / 2
F.I.S.H. / 3
Abbreviations for Behavior Chart / 4
Behavior Policy / 5
Homework / 5
Graded Student Work / 5
Elementary Grading Scale / 6
Grading Policy / 6
Homework Policy / 7
Academics / 7
Birthday Treats / 7
Water Bottles / 7
Absences / 8
Supply List / 8
Wish List / 8

About the Teacher

This will be my third year at Whiteland Elementary and my first year teaching third grade. I have previously taught second grade and am excited to be ‘moving up’ to third.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Franklin College in 2005. While at Franklin, I worked with numerous teachers and various groups of students ranging from first graders to fourth graders. This summer, I taught summer school to a great group of kindergarteners and first graders.

I have been married for 2 years and currently live in New Palestine. My husband, Matt and I love to spend time with our spoiled golden retrievers. Winston and Madison have become the subject of many writing topics and the students are always interested to hear about what kinds of mischief they seem to get themselves into.

I believe that communication between home and school is essential, so please do not hesitate to contact me at school. Email is usually the fastest way to reach me and I will usually be able to respond fairly quickly.

Your child and I will be counting on you to help. Please check and initial their agenda each night and send your child to school well rested and ready to learn. Breakfast is available at school in the morning, if you find this hard to fit in your routine at home.

I am looking forward to working with you and seeing tremendous growth in your child this year as a result of our partnership. Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. This is going to be a great year for your family, and a great year filled with much progress.

Thank you,

Mrs. Kindra Moore 

535-5025 Ext. 5401

FISH Binders

“FISH” stands for Family Involvement Starts Here. Your child’s FISH binder will be provided and will contain the following materials in order:

1

Front pocket—HW and Forms -For parents and students to check EACH night

1 Agenda- Homework assignments will be written each day by student, behavior notes in comment section, reading log on monthly calendar, word wall words for the week, parent signs off EACH night

2 Word Wall Chart -This will be for your reference, but should stay in the FISH after you are finished studying each night

3 Newsletters - Class newsletters and Whiteland newsletters will be kept in this section

4 Class Handbook - Please keep handbook in this section at all times

Lunch Money/Supplies Pouch - Plastic pouch for students to store supplies and ANY type of money coming to school

Back pocket: Keep at Home -HW is reviewed and returned daily; please empty this pocket each night

Abbreviations for Behavior Chart:

I will write on all students’ agendas for the entire year to note when a student has any missing or incomplete class work or homework or other behavior issues. However, in order to check each student’s agenda EACH day I will use the following ‘codes’ for writing comments.

If there are no comments or letters written, just my signature, then the student has turned in all work that day and demonstrated appropriate behavior.

Category
/ Abbreviation / Meaning
Work Habits/Social Growth
/ P / Playing around
T / Talking
D / Directions
H / No Homework
O / Out of Seat
L / Not Listening
U / Name Calling/Unkindness
M / Rude Manners
S / Shouting Out
K / Not Keeping Hands/Feet to Self
R / Restroom Behavior
C / Cafeteria Behavior
N / Needs Supplies/Books
F / Disrespectful

Behavior Policy

Class Rules:

  1. Be respectful.
  2. Be prepared.
  3. Be on task.
  4. Ask permission to use others belongings.
  5. Keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself.

We will use a behavior chart system to track behavior in the classroom. When students choose to misbehave, they will have to write their name and their offense in the behavior notebook. (Some offenses, such as fighting, lying, stealing, and extreme disrespect automatically will be dealt with on an individual basis.)

Parents will be expected to initial his or her child’s agenda EACH night. This will be checked as part of the morning routine.

I will be using a ‘token’ system to encourage positive behavior. I allow students who have turned in ALL work during the week to participate in Fantastic Friday, a thirty-minute time of centers and learning games on Friday afternoon, while non participants will work on missing and incomplete assignments or will rest quietly with their head down. If at all possible, I will send students out to recess because I believe ALL students should have the opportunity to exercise daily.

Homework

Homework will be used as a form of practice. Students will be expected to complete any homework assignments that are issued. The homework assignments will be reviewed but the grade will not count toward the student’s final report card grade unless otherwise indicated (such as a special project).

Graded Student Work

Most graded student work will be sent home in Friday folders. If you have a comment about your child’s work sent home in his or her Friday folder please contact me. The folders will need to be returned on Monday with all papers kept at home.

Elementary Grading Scale:

A 93 – 100

A – 90 – 92

B + 87 – 89

B 83 – 86

B - 80 – 82

C + 77 – 79

C 73 - 76

C - 70 – 72

D + 67 - 69

D 63– 66

D – 60 - 62

F 59 and below

*Please remember NO grade will be recorded that is lower than a 50%. If you have any questions about the grading scale, please let me know.

Grading Policy

I will place a percentage, along with a letter grade on each graded assignment. This will help the student better understand his or her scores. Many assignments will NOT be given letter grades because they are just for practice. I check each assignment to make sure that work is completed and will note difficulties in my grade book, so I can help each student. The only assignments that will be graded are those assignments in which students are to have developed ‘mastery.’

It is our goal at Clark-Pleasant to have students really learn the material that is taught and for their letter grade to reflect what they really know. Students will have a chance for reassessment of the skill (with the exception of the nine week common grade assessments).

There maybe special circumstances where the opportunity for student redoes will need to be a collaborative decision between the principal, teacher, and parent. The student’s grade will reflect the highest of the grades.

*Please note that no student will be given a percentage below 50% in my grade book. On their graded paper, the ‘true’ percentage will be reflected but the lowest possible percent recorded in my grade book will be a 50%.

Homework Policy

Homework will be typically assigned four nights a week. Third grade homework will change considerably from what you and your child are accustomed to from second grade. Students will receive a lettergrade in all subjects beginning in third grade. Students will have reading, math, science, and social studies homework. Word wall words will be practiced in class, but it is recommended you review the word wall words with your child.

Please know that students will not be able to participate in Fabulous Fridays or the daily reward if homework is not turned in on a daily basis.

Make-up work will be due two days after the student returns to school. (i.e., for a Monday absence, the student returns to school and gets the make-up work on Tuesday and must turn it in by Thursday)

Homework will be marked in my grade book as ‘Complete,’ ‘Incomplete,’ or ‘Missing.’ If homework is done with an excessive amount of careless errors, I will typically send it home for students to re-do.

Parent signatures are REQUIRED on agendas each night!! I use these agendas to communicate about work and behavior issues each day and it is VERY important to maintain communication.

Academics

Please know that in third grade, students will receive a letter grade for Language Arts, Math, Spelling, AND Science and Social Studies. Third grade is a big jump for many students, so additional practice and review before tests will be necessary.

Birthday Treats

You are welcome to send in birthday treats, but they must be store bought. Please let me know at least one day in advance if you are planning on sending in treats. We usually enjoy these treats at the end of the day.

Water Bottles

Since there is not a drinking fountain in the classroom, students are permitted to bring a water bottle from home each day with PLAIN water. Please do not send in flavored water.

Absences

It is essential that your child be in school EVERY day that he or she is not ill. We complete many in class activities that cannot be completed at home. Make-up work will be due two days after the student returns to school. (i.e., for a Monday absence, the student returns to school and gets the make-up work on Tuesday and must turn it in by Thursday)

Supplies

These are the materials required for our class this year. You will be asked to replenish these supplies throughout the year.

1)Small Art Box

2)Regular Notebook Paper – Not Spiral

3)4 Glue Sticks

4)Erasers

5)12 pencils – PLAIN wooden only

6)Crayons (box of 24)

7)Scissors (Fiskars Recommended)

8)Colored Pencils

9)Markers (Optional)

10) 1 Yellow Highlighter

11) 2 Dry Erase Markers (Not Yellow)

12) 3 – 2 Pocket Folders

13) 1 Box of Kleenex

14) Ziploc Bags – Boys- Large Size Girls- Small Size

15) 2 Spiral Notebooks

Wish List

Our classroom is always in need of the following items. Anything you can donate is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for thinking of us! 

- toys and small items for our treasure box

- hand sanitizer

- disinfectant wipes (to help keep the spread of germs low )

- 3x5 index cards

- 1 inch binders with a clear front

- children’s books and magazines

- board games and educational games

- learning games and materials of all kinds

- flash cards: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

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