WELCOME TO



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WELCOME TO

2015- 2016 SCHOOL YEAR

Dear Parents,

Welcome to fourth grade for the 2015 - 2016 school year. So that all of us, teacher, parent and student, may work as cooperatively and successfully as possible and start the year out in the right direction, we would like to provide the following information concerning our academic and behavior management policies and procedures.

We firmly believe that for a student to be successful in the classroom, as in life, he/she must act with kindness, respect, honesty and personal responsibility. These virtues form the basis for all of our policies and guidelines and we like to support them with positive reinforcement. It is our sincere desire, that by the end of the year, the high expectations in our classrooms, although shared by parent and teacher, are fostered by the students themselves through kindness, respect, honesty and personal responsibility.

Fourth Grade ~ High Expectations !

High Expectations is our theme for the fourth grade. We have high expectations for all of our students and we will strive, with your help, to provide opportunities for the students to develop and succeed in their academic activities, behavioral responsibilities and social skills. We always want our students to be at their best.

We have found each of the following to be a key ingredient in achieving these goals:

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1. Communication tops the list

2. Homework needs to be complete and on time

3. Discipline is crucial to great behavior

4. Supplies are needed everyday

5. Procedures help to keep each day running smoothly

6. Responsibility is a must

7. Parent involvement and support is key

Please note that teachers may vary a little in how they achieve these goals. However, we do try to keep our procedures similar so the students have consistency throughout their day.

1. Communication

We believe that, as with all ventures in life, communication is vital. Therefore, we will provide several types of classroom and academic communication. These include:

~ The 4th Grade Caring Community newsletter. This newsletter is published on our websites (Mrs. Hill – twinsburg.k12.oh.us/chill, Mrs. Magnes – twinsburg.k12.oh.us/hsavage) every Monday or the first day of a new school week. This newsletter contains pictures of the VIPs and MVBs of the week, comments from Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Magnes, important announcements, deadlines, subject goals for the week and a classroom calendar. This on-line newsletter may be printed at home and contains many additional classroom pictures. Students who do not have access to the internet at home may ask for a printed copy of the newsletter each week. Necessary papers will come home each week. These may include spelling words, reading logs, study guides for content areas (Science and Social Studies) and also guidelines needed for up-coming projects. Please check with your child for these papers each week.

~ Student Agenda Assignment Book. Dodge Intermediate School provides each student with a Student Agenda Assignment Book. Parents should check this book daily for homework assignments and/or comments from Mrs. Magnes or Mrs. Hill. Parents may also write comments in this book and are requested to initial it daily to show recognition of assignments and/or any notes written by the teacher for the day. Please check your child’s agenda each day, to see if any work is missing.

~ One-on-one Contact. Parents and caregivers may individually contact either Mrs. Hill or Mrs. Magnes via:

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1. Voice Mail Message: Mrs. Hill - 330-486-2242

Mrs. Magnes - 330-486-2241

2. E-mail: Mrs. Hill - chill@twinsburg.k12.oh.us

Mrs. Magnes amagnes@twinsburg.k12.oh.us

3. Web pages: Same as listed above

4. Notes from home or school

2. Homework Expectations

Homework has a definite place in the educational process. It is an extension of the learning experience children have during the instructional day. Homework is designed to aid the student in achieving classroom and school goals.

We believe homework is important because it helps students make the most of their experience in school. It reinforces what has been learned in class, prepares students for upcoming lessons, teaches responsibility and helps students develop positive study habits.

Homework will be assigned Monday through Thursday with occasional assignments over the weekend. All students have a standard Language Arts assignment which involves a minimum of 80 minutes of reading each week. Students may work in the 80 minutes based on individual schedules. Students also have a standard assignment in math which involves daily practice of math facts of at least five minutes each day.

Homework should take an average of 40-45 minutes to complete. Some days may take longer and some may not take as long. Students will have several days notice to study for all tests. Most projects will be assigned at least two weeks-to-a month in advance. The students need to be able to plan and budget their time for both short and long-term assignments.

Our homework falls into one of these five categories:

1. Remedial Drill: This is an extension of work that has been introduced in class. This

homework is an individualized drill activity designed to help strengthen students’ weak areas.

(EX: Math facts, spelling words)

2. Research: This is work which involves the use of reference materials. It is often given on an extended time basis.

3. Unfinished Work: This is work that is not completed in class and is within the student’s capability to finish at home.

4. Review: This is time spent at home studying and preparing for tests.

5. Projects: This is work of a creative nature which allows students to show their understanding of material learned. Students are given extended time to complete this work.

We have high expectations for our students and expect them to do their best job on their homework. Homework should be neat, legible and turned in on time. Further, we request that students do their own work and only ask for help after they have given it their best effort.

Parents are the key to making homework a positive experience for their children. Therefore, we ask that parents make homework a top priority, provide necessary supplies and a quiet homework environment, set a daily homework time, provide praise and support and contact us if a problem is noticed.

Please use the “Getting on Track” checklist on page 12 to help your child establish responsible study habits. If the students follow this list, step-by-step, until it becomes habit, they will experience success with their homework assignments throughout the year.

If students are missing assignments at the time of progress reports or report cards, a grade of zero will be given. A zero can greatly affect a student’s grade. Please help your child understand that it is very important to do his/her best on all work and that turning it in late is better than not turning it in at all.

The status of your child’s homework will be written in your student’s agenda notifying you of missing work (CAS, completed at school, or NTI, not turned in). A sticker or stamp mark indicates that all work was turned in that day. Students are to return the agenda the following day with a parent signature along with the completed assignment if it is not finished at school.

If there is a legitimate reason as to why a student is not able to finish homework, please send a note (with parent signature) to us on the day the assignment is due, stating the reason why it was not completed.

If your child is ill, he/she will be given additional days to complete assignments. The number of additional days will be equivalent to the number of days your child was absent. Students returning after an illness will find either a ”Missed You” folder on his/her desk with work covered during their absence or their work will be on their teacher’s desk, which will be covered with the teacher. If your child is ill but able to do schoolwork at home, we will be happy to prepare assignments that can be done without direct teacher instruction. Reading and math facts review are always encouraged when a child has extra time at home. Please call the school (330-486-2200) by the start of the school day to make arrangements for work to be picked up that afternoon. Working together we can teach the students to be responsible 4th graders with positive study habits which will contribute to a successful school year.

3 . Behavior Management Policy

We strongly believe that both students and teachers work together to make the school year a success and that a solid discipline plan insures that all students are treated with respect and tolerance and given an equal opportunity to succeed. We will discuss the attached discipline plan for classroom and school behavior with your student on the first day of school.

We offer several positive classroom and individual rewards which our students can earn. Each week a student from Mrs. Hill’s and Mrs. Magnes’ classes will be chosen as “Most Valued Behavior” (MVB). As a class, students can work toward earning movie parties during the year. In addition, raffle tickets may be passed out to students who are following directions, focused and on task, as well as for random acts of kindness shown to a peer or an adult. These tickets earn them a chance for a prize from our prize box.

4. Supplies

Students need the following supplies each day: (Some of the supplies may duplicate those on the general 4th grade supply list. Please only purchase those additional supplies not listed on the 4th grade list you received in your child’s report card last June.)

~ One 3” view binder (comes with a plastic sheet protector on the front and back outside cover and 2 inside pockets) for STAR Binder and one-1”

view binder for Reader’s Notebook

~ Five, two-pocket folders with holes, no brads, for binders with the following colors: yellow for math, green for science, blue for language arts, red for social studies and orange for homework. You may want to purchase two of each color to replace folders as they wear out. Plastic folders are preferable in that they are much more durable and will last a lot longer.

~ 2 red pens or pencils for grading

~ Loose leaf paper (wide-ruled)

~ Pencils (not mechanical) ~ students need to have 2-4 sharpened pencils in their pencil pouch each day

~ Ruler (inches and centimeters) with holes to fit in their binder zippered pencil pouch with holes for S.T.A.R. Binder

˜ Head Phones in a baggie for computer lab

To be shared:

~ Scissors, glue sticks, crayons, markers, erasers

~ 12-color pack of colored pencils

~ Box of Kleenex

~ Donation of a bottle of Purell for classroom use and also Clorox wipes

~ Ten plastic -sheet protectors to donate for class

~ Yellow highlighter

(Boys)- One box, gallon-size Ziploc bags, (Girls)-One box, sandwich-size Ziploc bags

~ Individual pencil sharpener and a small baggie for shavings.

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** Please write your child’s name on everything (even pencils) with permanent marker. It will help to easily identify missing supplies.

Please note: It is very important that your child has all these materials. It is a good idea to purchase extras of everything while they are on sale but please do not send an excess of supplies with your child. Also, please ask periodically throughout the year if any materials need to be replenished.

Also, parents, if you would like to share any information about your child such as specific allergies or special needs we need to address, please write us a note so that we may incorporate that information in our daily plans.

5. Procedures help to keep each day running smoothly!

Daily Schedules

Students will switch classes daily between Mrs. Hill, for language arts and social studies and Mrs. Magnes for math and science. Our daily/weekly schedules include:

Lunch and Contact time: 11 – 12:00 (Used for student make-up work, extracurricular activities, small-group remediation, extension, achievement test practice or recess.)

All specials -art, music and physical education - will be one hour long. We will be following a 5 day rotation schedule so that no special will ever be missed due to holidays or snow days.

Computer lab and library are also part of our regular schedule. During student contact time, students will have an opportunity, if they choose to do so, to participate in extracurricular activities and various clubs during the year, providing all class work is complete. Otherwise, this time will be used to address students’ academic and behavioral needs on a more individualized basis as deemed necessary during the year. Other programs and field trips will be added during the year.

Students will use the computer program, “Study Island,” this year. The students may have access to this program at other times during the day as well as at home.

Daily Procedures

Daily procedures are designed to organize and support each student’s academic effort and success. The fulfillment of these procedures permits each student, through responsible action, to get into a routine of proper action. This action includes access to required materials, organized personal belongings and a neat and clean classroom environment. This daily procedure includes:

A. Students, each day, need to have a chapter book. This book, of their choice, will be used for Sustained Silent Reading periods. At the end of each day, as the students are dismissed, they are permitted to either work on homework or read quietly at their desk.

B. All students are required to take home their S.T.A.R. Binder. This book is taken home nightly and contains the planner, where students record a list of all homework that is due and is initialed by the student’s teacher. Parents also need to initial this agenda daily as acknowledgment of review with your student. The planner will also indicate if the child turned in the homework for the day with a sticker

C. Since students, due to limited desk storage space, will keep many of their personal belongings in assigned lockers, they need to have all materials labeled. In addition, students should not have an excessive amount of personal belongings at school. Book bags should be small enough to fit into the lockers. Book bags with wheels are discouraged.

D. We strongly urge each student to take pride in their workspace. Students therefore, are responsible for keeping their workspace clean and organized.

In addition, at the end of the day, each student should leave nothing either on top of or under his/her desk. Unfortunately, we cannot be responsible for items left on the floor which may be swept or thrown away by our custodial staff.

E. We also expect each student to take pride in the overall appearance of their classroom and to help, whether asked or volunteered, keep the classroom generally neat and clean. Any student may suggest creative ideas for both classroom decorations and appearance. In addition, each week, students will be randomly chosen and asked to complete classroom jobs.

F. Students are no longer permitted to bring treats to celebrate their birthdays. This is due to the many allergies within our school population. Students are, however, permitted to bring small prizes like pencils, erasers, etc. to share. To avoid any child from having hurt feelings or feeling left out, any outside party invitations need to be distributed from home and not at school.

G. As will be noted in our first 4th Grade Caring Community on our web sites, a different student is chosen each week to be our Very Important Person (VIP). This is an opportunity for your student to share things about themselves such as accomplishments, trips, favorites times etc.

H. Students will participate in P.A.S.S. Time at the end of the day while waiting for their buses. They have three choices of areas on which they may work: homework, reading or organization of desk, and materials. If the students choose to use their time wisely, they should be able to complete most of their homework for the next day.

Parents, as we have stated, a proper learning environment is one that is founded upon kindness, respect, honesty and personal responsibility. In order to provide a just and fair opportunity for all students, academic and behavioral discipline must be respected and maintained. The policy and guidelines we have set forth in this booklet are ones that are both required by the Twinsburg School System and based upon our own personal experience. We thoroughly enjoy our chosen profession and sincerely look forward to working with your child.

WELCOME

Congratulations and welcome! You are now the parent of a fourth-grader at Dodge Intermediate School Fourth grade is an exciting time as children embark upon new adventures in the world of learning. Fourth grade is the biggest growing year since the first grade and you will be amazed at how much your child will grow.

This should be both a busy and rewarding year for the students! In order for them to get the most out of class, it is important that the students are prepared for class daily and are ready to learn. If they keep an organized S.T.A.R. Binder, ask questions in class, take good notes and study the material covered in class, they will be successful.

This is a year of important transition and one in which the acquisition of new skills is accelerated. Your child will be exposed to more emphasis in content areas such as science and social studies. The focus will change from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” I hope to instill a love of learning that will last throughout your child’s education. It is also my goal to foster positive self-esteem for each child and to continue to build a secure foundation for future growth.

We, student, teacher and parent, are a team. We work together for the benefit of your child. Staying involved in your child’s education is the key to a successful year. You can do this in several ways. Engage your children in conversation about his/her day, keeping in mind that children won’t always give you much information. I will have a weekly newsletter, on my website that will detail activities from your child’s classes for the week. You can use this as a springboard for discussion (Oh, I see you're learning about... What did you find out?”).

Another way is to celebrate your child’s successes, no matter how small they may seem. This will keep your child enthusiastic about learning and proud of his/her work.

An important way to stay involved is to check your child’s agenda and take-home folder, EVERY evening. You’ll find it’s packed with homework, project notices, study-guides and occasional notes from me. Please take a few minutes each day to sort through them with your child. The next day, your child should return a fairly empty folder---just completed homework and any notes to me!

HOMEWORK

Homework is given each night and is expected to be completed and turned-in on time. All homework assignments will be listed in the Assignment Planner. Parents are encouraged to check their child’s agenda daily for assignments and review the child’s homework as often as possible. The planner should be signed by a parent everyday. If an assignment is missing, a note will be sent home with your child, in his/her agenda, informing you of the missing work.

The assignment should be completed and turned-in the next day along with your signature indicating your knowledge of the missed assignment. All homework assignments are expected to be written in complete sentences. Each Friday, students will bring home a folder with returned/graded assignments. After looking-over their completed work, please sign the parent signature sheet inside the folder and return the folder with your child on Monday. (If there is no school on Monday, please return it the next school day.)

SUSTAINED SILENT READ (SSR)

Each student is required to have a book of his/her choice in class daily. Students are encouraged to find books by the same author as the class novel and/or books that follow the current science topic. In addition to SSR, the students may read when all class work is complete.

CLASS DISCUSSION

Students are encouraged to take part in class discussions. Participation shows interest and actively engages the student in the learning process. Students may also receive points toward their grade by contributing in class.

ABSENCE

Attendance is very important. If a student is absent, he/she is responsible for all missed work. Work will be due in the same number of days as the absence. A, “We Missed You,” folder containing work covered during the absence, will be on the student’s desk upon return.

In order for these policies to be successful, your support and cooperation are needed. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to call, e-mail or write a note.

Why I Can’t Skip My Twenty Minutes of Reading Tonight?

Student A reads 20 minutes every night.

Student B reads only 4 minutes a night...or not at all!

Multiply minutes a night X 5 times a week.

Student A 20 minutes X 5 = 100 minutes.

Student B 4 minutes X 5 = 20 minutes.

Multiply minutes a week X 4 weeks a month.

Student a reads 400 minutes a month.

Student B reads 80 minutes a month.

Multiply minutes a month X 9 months.

Student A reads 3600 minutes in a school year.

Student B reads 728 minutes in a school year.

Student A reads the equivalent of ten whole school days in a year.

Student B reads the equivalent of only two whole school days a year.

By the end of 6th grade Student A and Student B maintain these same reading habits....

Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days and Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days. One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably so, undoubtedly, will school performance. How do you think Student B will feel about him/herself as a student?

Which student read better?

Which student would know more?

Which student would write better?

Which student would have better vocabulary?

Which student would be more successful in school and life?

Dear Students and Parents,

Welcome to fourth grade! We hope that you had a fun and relaxing summer and are ready for an exciting year at Dodge. In order to create an environment where learning can take place as pleasantly as possible, we expect students to follow these general expectations.

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GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS FOR THE CLASSROOM

AND THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL

1. Be responsible

2. Be respectful

3. Be safe

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

1. Listen and follow directions the first time given.

2. Respect the rights of others and keep hands, feet and other objects to yourself.

3. Raise your hand and wait to be called upon before speaking

4. Work quietly during all work times so you do not disturb your classmates.

5. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

STUDENTS WHO BEHAVE WILL EARN:

1. A good education

2. Rewards or free time

3. Verbal praise

4. Most Valued Behavior Certificate; acknowledgment in the weekly newsletter

5. Raffle tickets

IF A STUDENT CHOOSES NOT TO FOLLOW CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:

Every morning each student will start with a clean tally chart for Responsible Behavior. The goal is for the students to behave in a manner so as not to receive a tally mark. If a student chooses not to follow classroom expectations, he or she will receive one mark.

1. The first two tally marks given - Student receives a verbal warning.

2. The third tally mark - Student will be required to stay-in at contact time and fill out a reflection sheet about his/her behavior

3. The fourth time a tally mark is given - Student must make a call home and involve a parent to help modify behavior.

4. The fifth tally mark - the student is in danger of receiving an after-school detention or office referral. (Students start out with a clean slate each morning.)

Continuous behavior problems could also result in privileges being removed. Although we prefer to focus on the positive, there are consequences when students break the rules. We are looking forward to a successful and productive year. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Magnes

GETTING ON TRACK AT SCHOOL

1. Copy all assignments in your agenda daily.

2. Review each item and take out all materials

from your desk to complete each one.

3. Carefully pack your backpack with all

materials necessary to complete your homework.

4. Pack your agenda in your backpack.

GETTING ON TRACK AT HOME

1. Establish one central location at home for doing homework

2. Place your backpack and materials at your

“study station” when you arrive home

from school.

3. Establish a specific study time each night,

such as when you arrive home, after

dinner, or early evening.

4. Review your assignment agenda at the

beginning of your study time.

5. Mark an x in front of each assignment as you

complete it.

6. Check through your completed assignments and

your notebook with a parent. Be sure your parent initials it.

7. Carefully re-pack your backpack with your completed

assignments and your materials.

8. Place your backpack by the door through which you will leave for school in the morning.

Here are a few suggestions your child can use at home to organize school materials and complete assignments on time. Read through the ideas with your child and display the list in a prominent place. Please spend some time with your child establishing good study habits and the school year will be a great success.

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HOMEWORK HOUR -- A SUGGESTION

Written by a 4th-grade parent in Mustang, Oklahoma

Published in Redbook, October 1987

When my son Brian started the fourth grade, he suddenly had homework assignments almost every night. It wasn’t easy to get Brian to do his homework. He complained about having to work alone, and he became easily distracted by anything else going on in the house. So to encourage Brian to do his homework, my husband, Eldon, and I agreed that, at the same time, we would do ours. From 7 to 8 p.m. every weeknight, we turn off the television and sit together at the kitchen table for the “Homework Hour”. While Brian does his schoolwork, my husband and I each work on our own little jobs--balancing the checkbook, paying bills, writing letters, or reading a book. Now, even when Brian has no schoolwork, he’ll bring a book to the table and read quietly while Eldon and I do our work.

Something to consider as your child enters the 4th grade.

Ten Ways to Help Your Child Get Organized

From Family Education Network, Inc/CCLD

Developing good organizational skills is a key ingredient for success in school and in life. Although some people by nature are more organized than others, anyone can put routines and systems in place to help a child “get it together.”

1. Use checklists.

Help your child get into the habit of keeping a “to-do” list. Use checklists to post assignments, household chores, and reminders about what materials to bring to class. Your child should keep a small pad or notebook (the daily agenda) dedicated to listing homework assignments. Crossing completed items off the list will give him a sense of accomplishment.

2. Organize homework assignments.

Before beginning a homework session, encourage your child to number assignments in the order in which they should be done. She should start with one that’s not too long or difficult, but avoid saving the longest or hardest assignments for last.

3. Designate a study space.

Your child should study in the same place every night. This doesn’t have to be a bedroom, but it should be a quiet place with few distractions. All school supplies and materials should be nearby. If your child wants to study with you nearby, too, you’ll be better able to monitor his progress and encourage good study habits.

4. Set a designated study time.

Your child should know that a certain time every day is reserved for studying and doing homework. The best time is usually not right after school--most children benefit from time to unwind first. Include your child in making this decision. Even if she doesn’t have homework, the reserved time should be used to review the day’s lessons, read for pleasure, or work on an upcoming project.

5. Keep organized notebooks.

Help your child keep track of papers by organizing them in a binder or notebook. This will help him review the material for each day’s classes and to organize the material later to prepare for tests and quizzes. Use dividers to organize the material later to prepare for tests and quizzes. Use dividers to separate class notes, or color-code notebooks. Separate “to do” and “done” folders help organize worksheets, notices, and items to be signed by parents, as well as provide a central place to store completed assignments.

6. Conduct a weekly cleanup.

Encourage your child to sort through book bags and notebooks on a weekly basis. Old tests and papers should be organized and kept in a separate file at home.

7. Create a household schedule.

Try to establish and stick to a regular dinnertime and a regular bedtime. This will help your child fall into a pattern at home. Children with a regular bedtime go to school well-rested. Try to limit television-watching and computer play to specific periods of time during the day.

8. Keep a master calendar.

Keep a large, wall-sized calendar for the household that lists the family’s commitments, schedules for extracurricular activities, days off from school, and major events at home and at school. Note dates when your child has big exams or due dates for projects. This will help family members keep track of each other’s activities and avoid scheduling conflicts.

9. Prepare for the day ahead.

Before your child goes to bed, he should pack schoolwork and books in a book bag. The next day’s clothes should be laid out with shoes, socks, and accessories. This will cut down on morning confusion and allow your child to prepare quickly for the day ahead.

10. Provide needed support while your child is learning to become more organized.

Help your child develop organizational skills by photocopying checklists and schedules and taping them to the refrigerator. Gently remind her about filling in calendar dates and keeping papers and materials organized. Most important, set a good example.

**Students who are organized are happier students. They have more self-confidence and tend to be more successful in school.

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