Welcome to 3rd Grade!!!!

2014-2015

We are looking forward to an exciting third grade year with your child! Here is some information to help you get acquainted with our grade level. Please take a few minutes to read over this packet, sign, and return the back page to your child’s homeroom teacher.

Arrival

  • What time does school start?7:45 (students are released from the gym to go to the classrooms at 7:35)
  • Where does my child go if they are early for school?Gym
  • When will my child be considered tardy?7:45
  • If my child is late when can they arrive and still be counted present for the day?9:00
  • If my child forgets something at home can I bring it to school?Students will not be allowed to call home for forgotten items, per Mrs. Pels.

Lunch

  • What time is lunch?12:35 – 1:05
  • Can I eat lunch with my child?Yes, please check in at the office first.
  • How much is lunch?Student/$2.65Adults $3.25 Milk/$.65
  • How much is breakfast?Student/$1.40 Adult/$1.60
  • What do I do if my child can’t eat certain foods?Contact Ms. Katy Swift(cafeteria), Nurse Maestas and inform your student’s teacher.

Snacks

  • Is there snack time? Yes, we will have a snack each morning due to our late lunch time. If you have not signed up for snacks this year, please contact your teacher or room mom to help out.
  • All snacks need to be individually packaged.
  • No peanut products, please!
  • Please use the suggested snack list as a general guideline.
  • Your child is welcome to bring his/her own snack if they do not like what is provided for the day.

Clinic

  • What happens if my child gets hurt at school? You will be contacted by school personnel.
  • If a child needs medication due to an illness can I send it to school?Yes, it must be in its original container with specifics printed out. Please give to NurseMaestas. Teachers are prohibited to administer medication.

Discipline

Since most success in life is achieved through self-discipline, we will be using a discipline plan that we feel will give every student an opportunity to manage his or her behavior while also learning to interact with others. Each of our students deserves the most positive educational climate possible for academic growth. Therefore, the two rules that stand in our classes are Be Respectful and Be Responsible. 

  • What are the classroom rules?
  1. Be respectful 2. Be responsible
  • What happens if my child breaks a rule?
  • Your child will be given a warning, then…

1st—Student gets a number on the behavior clipboard

( Student loses 10 minutes of recess and a “tag” form will be sent home.)

2nd-Student gets another number on the clipboard (20 min. of recess and a tag form will be sent home.)

3rd- Studentgets another number on the clipboard.(Student loses all of recessand a tag form will be sent home.)  Parents will be notified.

If your child receives a tag throughout the day, they will mark it on their daily agenda as well so that you can know on a daily basis.

Please understand that an occasional number on the clipboard is understandable. We do not expect perfection from the children-Tomorrow is a new day to try harder. 

CONDUCT GRADE GRADING SCALE

Your child’s conduct grade will be a calculated based on how many times he/she had to get a number on the clipboard in a given 9-week period.

E(Excellent) = 0-2 times

S(Satisfactory )= 3-5 times

N(Needs Improvement )= 6-8 times

U(Unsatisfactory) = 9 or more times

  • What are the positive reinforcements used in the classroom?

Mini Mall $ to be used at Mini Mall, Tickets, Stickers, Praise, Privileges, etc.

  • Late work?

Late work is accepted, however, each day that the assignment is late there will be 10 points taken off of the earned grade.

Academics

  • How will I know what my child is learning at school?

Tuesday Folders, Newsletter (Emailed weekly), Website, Agenda, Conferences

  • Projects? How many?

Yes!

1. Can A Character (book report)

2. Science Fair Projects (optional)

3. Spring Research Project

***We will send home additional information at a later date explaining in detail each one of these projects. ***

  • STAAR Tutoring?

STAAR Readingand Math tutoring willbegin later in the school year after we administer the first benchmarks.

  • Binder?

Each student will have a binder that is to be taken home with them each night. In that binder they will have an agenda with homework assignments listed, homework, important notes home, etc. Please look through the binder each night with your child and initial the agenda. This is an irreplaceable form of communication. Students will be given a new agenda form each Monday.

  • Tuesday folders

Each Tuesday your student will be coming home with a folder that contains graded work from the previous week and important notes. Any work that is below a 70, needs to be corrected, signed by a parent, and returned to their teacher by that following Friday. We encourage all students to correct both daily work and assessments to help better understand concepts; however, only daily work grades can be changed. The original grade will be improved by 10 points up to a maximum of 70. Test grades cannot be changed. This Tuesday folder needs to be signed by the parent and returned to the teacher each week.

  • How often will my child have homework?

Your student will have about 30 minutes of homework each night (Monday-Thursday). It will include studying spelling words, math, and reading for at least 15 minutes.

  • What is the grading system?

We use the standard numerical grading system.

90-100=A

80-89= B

70-79=C

***Below a 70=failing

  • Will my child be tested?

Yes, students in the third grade will take the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) and the COGAT in the Fall. In April, they are required to take the STAAR Reading and Math.

In addition to the state required assessments, we will be assessing throughout the school year with weekly, unit, and benchmark tests.

  • When can I expect the first report card?

October 23rd

Parent Conference Day is October 8th.

Dismissal

  • What time is dismissal?

2:45 Buses

2:50Carline

  • Where can I pick up my child?

1. Carline- Please drive to the back of the school carline and a staff member will assist your student into your vehicle.

  • Who do I notify if someone else needs to pick up my child?

Please call the front office at 940-464-0564. The front office personnel will get the message to your child’s teacher. Other options are to email me or send a note with your student that morning. If I do not reply, assume I did not get the email.

Other

  • When is your conference period?1:10-1:50
  • When can I schedule a conference?

October 8th is scheduled forteacher requested conferences. We will be happy to meet with any parent that would like to meet, but if you are not contacted by your teacher, a conference is not required at this time. If you would like to schedule a conference before then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

  • Birthday Parties?

Birthday parties will be celebrated at recess (2:00). Please let your child’s teacher know ahead of time what day you would like to schedule the celebration.Cakes can be difficult and time consuming to cut and pass out, so please choose a birthday snack that is classroom friendly. Cookie cakes need to be precut!

PLEASE do not send in birthday invitations for your student to pass out unless all of the students in the class are invited. If you are planning on inviting only a selected few, we ask that those be mailed.

  • What is the school phone number and address?

Hilltop Elementary

1050 Harrison Lane

Argyle, TX76226

940-464-7241 District 940-464-0564 Hilltop

We are looking forward to a great year! Third grade is a big transition year, and we are excited to see the

growth and progress your child will make. Don’t

hesitate to contact us with your questions or

concerns.

Thank you!

Third Grade Team

Laurie Downe – Reading, ELA, Social Studies

De Fife – Reading and ELA

Anita Gumbert -Math

Robin Higgs – Math and Science

Nancy Nytomt – Science and Social Studies

Kelley Roberts – Math and Science

Stephanie Sanchez – Reading, ELA, Social Studies

I have read and understand the policies and procedures packet for 3rdgrade.

______name (please print)

______signature

______date

______student’s name