Hello! My name is Mrs. McKinney and I am delighted to welcome you and your child to fourth grade. I am excited that your child is in my class and I am eager to learn more about them. Please be assured that my mission and goal, as your child’s teacher, is to help them reach their fullest potential while raising their self-esteem and belief in their self. Parental involvement plays an important part in your child's success. We are counting on you to check their binder each night, assist with homework, and send them to school well rested, fed, and ready to learn. I ensure that procedures and routines are well established so that transitional times, routine tasks, and behavioral issues do not consume the time we need to accomplish our goals. Attached you will find “behind the scenes” information about your child’s school day. Please read over this information, sign it, and return it to your child’s binder. There the information will be accessible if you need to refer to it during the school year.
I am looking forward to seeing tremendous growth in your child this school year as a result of our partnership. Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and please do not hesitate to contact me at any time with questions or concerns. I can be reached at school, 824-6810, from 8:00-3:45 or email kathleen.mckinney@sumnerschools.org. I am looking forward to sharing this fantastic fourth grade year with you and your child.
Sincerely,
Mrs. McKinney
McKinney’s
Movie Stars
Behind
the Scenes
A
ABSENCES
Please send a note from home or a doctor’s note when your child is absent.
ACCELERATED MATH
In addition to our math textbook and workbook instruction, we will also be using Accelerated Math. This is a computerized program in which students can work at their own pace and level. Any score below 85% will require the student to rework the problems missed so I know they understand the skill and what mistakes they made. Students are required to complete one AM Math test per week (scoring 85% or above) for a participation grade. If students complete more than 3 AM tests in a week, they will be rewarded with extra credit and a small prize the next Monday.
ACCELERATED READER
Students will take the STAR reading test to determine their personal reading level in regards to comprehension and fluency. Students will also conference with me in setting all of their nine weeks AR goals. The goals are set lower on the first nine weeks to allow students to get back into the swing of things and experience success. Sometimes their STAR reading scores are a little lower when coming back from summer break.
Students understand that as they read and achieve high comprehension scores we will adjust their reading levels. Making an AR goal encompasses three steps:
- Meeting
the set number of points
- Reading
within your set reading range
- Achieving
an 80% or higher on comprehension*
*Students who fall under an IEP may have a higher/lower percentage requirement based on their individual needs. The teacher will let the student know if this applies to them and what their personal percentage goal will be.
As a homework assignment, your child is to read their AR book for a minimum of eighty minutes a week. The students that diligently adhere to this have more success meeting their AR goals and are generally stronger students in all academic areas. Sometimes students wish to read a book that is higher or lower than their reading level. They may do so AFTER they have met their goal. Additionally. Students may NOT read 1 pt. books in their reading level until they have met their AR goal.
If a student has not met at least 50% of their goal by the mid-way point of the nine weeks, they will have to read their AR book during half of their recess time.
ARRIVAL
School starts at 8:30 a.m. and dismisses at 3:30 p.m. Students report to the cafeteria each morning and sit with their grade level. If you need to speak with me before school, please arrive between 8:00 – 8:15 am. Once the students arrive in the classroom, I will be unable to give you the attention needed.
ASSIGNMENT BOOKS
All students are issued an assignment book, which is kept in their binder. I have students write their classwork in their assignment book. Any unfinished class work will be completed as homework and turned in the following day. Students will also use the agenda as a calendar to schedule home and school events, upcoming tests, and project due dates. Since students in fourth grade are expected to have a certain level of independence, I do not check agendas daily, but I do require students to have their agenda signed nightly and I will check on occasion for it to be signed and will give a participation grade for this. Students with behavior notes are required to write such in their agenda.
B
BEHAVIOR
At Indian Lake, we have started using the PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support) system. The 3 main rules throughout the school building are Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful. Expectations of behavior are posted throughout the school. In the classroom, we use a clip chart for behavior. The students get rewarded for good behavior and clip down for breaking rules. If students move up the clip chart, they will earn WOW tickets. Students that clip down will lose a WOW ticket and will also have recess consequences.
BIRTHDAYS
Your child’s birthday is a very special day. During the school day they will feel like a superstar by receiving the Celebrity Birthday song and a small treat from me. You may bring birthday treats to the lunchroom during the last half of lunch.
C
CHANGE IN TRANSPORTATION
Please send a note if there is a change in how your child will be going home.
CLOTHING
Students need to wear appropriate, comfortable clothing to school. Please put names on coats, sweaters and book bags. Rubber soled shoes are required on Fridays for PE.
COMMUNICATION
Communication is a key ingredient in a successful classroom. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to write a note, email or call. In addition, my website is a great form of communication, and is updated frequently with important upcoming dates and announcements. If you have online access, please check mrsmckinneys4thgrade.blogspot.com to be most currently informed. If you wish to call, I prefer calls before 8:00 am and after 3:30 pm. However, feel free to leave a message with the office staff, during the school day, and I will return your call during planning or after school.
G
GRADES
To simplify the grading system so that students can better understand their scores, I prefer to include the letter grades with the percentages when assessing most assignments. Please note that many assignments are NOT given grades because they are for practice purposes, not assessment. I frequently use stickers, stamps, or check marks to indicate to parents that the assignment was checked by me for understanding and completion. I check to make sure the work is completed; directions were followed, and note any inaccuracies so that I can address specific problems with students in small group settings or individually as needed.
*Tests will be graded on a 100 point scale. Tests are doubled in the grade book, as they are a reflection of the student’s independent knowledge, as opposed to class or home assignments that may be aided.
**During the first few weeks of school the students will be continually reminded to make sure their work is neat, include their name and number, headed correctly and followed all directions. Following directions is a skill that is very important for students to master early in the school year. After the first weeks of school, all papers without names will be penalized 3 points. Students who miss questions due to lack of following directions will have the opportunity to re-do the assignment correctly and will receive partial credit for correcting their mistakes. Turning in accurate, timely work is an important life skill. I appreciate your support in this area as we work together to instill a solid work ethic in your child.
****Progress reports will be sent home every 4 1⁄2 weeks and Report Cards will be sent home every 9 weeks.
GRADES ONLINE
Grades are accessible online through the Sumner County Parent Portal. Information regarding the Parent Portal will be made available sometime during the 1st few weeks of school.
H
HOMEWORK
Homework is practice, and practice makes perfect
Homework is typically assigned Monday through Thursday. The following is the basic homework schedule we will be using.
Monday – Thursday
Math: Math homework is required to be completed daily. Students are given a minimum of 40 minutes to complete their math classwork. This should be adequate time to complete the assignment. If math classwork is not completed it will become additional homework. Math in 4th grade can be a bit complicated; however, with enough practice and effort each child can be successful. If I feel your child did not finish classwork due to difficulty understanding the skill, their classwork will be modified and a note will be written on the top of the assignment.
Reading: We will be reading the story from the text on a daily basis, but on Thursday, students are required to take the book home and read the text in order to get ready for the test on Friday. Students are also required to read a total of 80 minutes by Friday.
Study Island: Students will have one Science and one Social Studies Study Island lesson to complete each week. This will count as a Homework grade each week. Students must receive an 85% or above in order to have full recess on Friday. If an 85% is not obtained, students will stay in from recess on Friday until they reach 85% or until half of recess is over. After recess on Friday, I will put the grades into the grade book.
In the case that homework is not completed the student will be required to clip down and pull a yellow card. In addition, the missing homework is to be completed at home that evening as well as the homework for that night. You will be notified by phone if your child is consistently not having their homework. The homework assignments have purpose and will aid in your child having a successful year of learning.
Homework Bingo
If students turn in their homework in the morning, they get to write their name on any square. On Fridays, I will pull out a bingo chip and whosever names are on that square will be rewarded.
L
LUNCH
Lunchtime is 12:00- 12:30. You are welcome to join your child at lunch any day. If you arrive early, please wait in the office or lunchroom until we are ready for lunch. Lunch money should be sent to school in an envelope or baggie. Please always label the envelope/baggie as follows:
Child’s name, McKinney, Lunch money
LEARNING TARGETS
Learning targets are simply what your child is expected to learn and master in 4th grade. Each Monday students will check the Script board to discover our objectives (or learning targets) of the day. We refer to these objectives throughout the school day to clarify our learning. At the end of each school day we re-visit our Script and share our new learning and understandings. All of our 4th grade learning is connected to these objectives. Be sure to ask your child what the Script was for each week.
M
MAKE-UP WORK
In the event a student misses class time, any missed assignments need to be completed. Many of the activities we do in class are hands-on, involve class discussion or teamwork, or are otherwise unable to be duplicated at home. For these assignments, I simply mark the student in my grade book as having had an excused absence so they are neither penalized nor credited for it. Make-up work for excused absences is due two days after the student returns to school. Make-up work will be sent with a list of missed lessons to be completed at home and school. Please complete all assignments and return, with the cover page, by the required date.
*If your child is absent more than one day you are encouraged to make arrangements to pick up their make- up work. If requested, make up work will be left in the office after 3:30p.m.
**Please be aware that our class routine and instruction begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. Please do your very best to have your child to school on time every day. When the student arrives late, they have a hard time getting into the daily routine and tend to feel they are playing catch-up the remainder of the day.
MATH
Fourth graders will continue to develop various math skills through the use of the Envisions math program. We will study place value, geometry, measurement and more. We will also focus daily on data analysis, problem solving, and basic facts. In addition to homework, your child will have a “Drops in a Bucket” sheet to be completed daily in class. Often students may not finish the assignment in class and it will be homework for that night. It will greatly benefit your child for you to go over the work with him/her.
Multiplication facts are so important to students mastering other math concepts. My hope is for the whole class to master all the multiplication facts by Thanksgiving. Students will be asked to practice their facts nightly. If your child does not already have a set of flashcards, I have several sets or you can even just make your own. There are also many games on our class math page online that help students memorize their facts.
P
PTO
Your involvement in our classroom and school helps tremendously! Take time during the first few weeks of school to join our PTO! Your support of ILE means a lot!
S
SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES
Students will explore many new and interesting concepts this year. In science, we will use many hands-on activities to experiment with electricity, cells, energy and more. Social Studies will lead us to investigate maps, and explorers, as well as, Tennessee’s history. The steps leading to the American Revolution and the events following will be our greatest focus. Study guides for Science and Social Studies tests/quizzes will be sent home, at least, 3 days prior to all major test and quizzes.
We have 30 minutes a day scheduled for both Science and Social Studies this year. This is not a lot of time, so in order to expand our time, we will start promptly at 8:30 with Science/Social Studies. It is vital that your child be at school on time or early in order to get as much out of this time as possible.
SNACKS
Children are encouraged to bring a daily, small, HEALTHY snack that is not messy to eat, such as one from the list below. Please send these snacks in a small zip lock bag. No large bags or containers as this takes up a lot of desk space and can cause a distraction.
Suggested Healthy Snacks:
peanut butter crackers granola bars cheese crackers goldfish crackers fruit dry non-sugary cereal
veggies and dip pretzels yogurt
nuts raisins trail mix
Please do not send soda, candy, chips, or other snacks with little nutritional value and high sugar/fat content. These items will be saved until lunchtime.
It is absolutely acceptable and encouraged to send a water bottle to school with your child. These bottles must have a SECURE top that will not spill easily. Unless it is an emergency, I do not allow students to go to the water fountain during class times. Please do not send in bottles of flavored water, carbonated drinks, or breakable bottles.
Students whose snack or water bottle serves as a distraction to their learning or the learning of others will no longer be permitted to bring them.
SPELLING
Students will receive a copy of their spelling words on Monday. Please help your child study for the spelling test each week. Our classroom website has a great spelling link (Spelling City) to create activities to practice your words. I will upload every week’s worth of spelling words for the year and your child can play many reviews games for practice. Spelling test grades are doubled.
STUDY GUIDES
When a test is coming up, you will find a Study Guide in your child’s binder. Students will be required to study at home. Parents will need to assist their child in preparing for the test and sign the Study Guide for proof that you have seen it. Your signature will also provide your child with bonus points on the test.
S.T.A.R. BINDERS
Students Taking Action& Responsibility S.T.A.R . is a special notebook that your child will carry to and from school everyday this year. This will help your child stay organized and keep you in touch with our classroom.
Please encourage your child to take great care of their binder. Replacement binders are not available from the school.
SUPPLIES/COMMUNITY
Community supplies are SHARED supplies in the classroom. They are those supplies which are “consumable,” meaning they get “used up”. This method will help us build cooperation, social skills and responsibility with in our classroom. It is so important for students to have a sense of belonging and ownership in the classroom setting. The supplies are located in an area accessible to all students. Students have access to all supplies needed during the school day: paper clips, post-its, hi-lighters, staplers, tape, glue sticks, markers, crayons, and more. Students are encouraged to use supplies responsibly.
T
TARDIES
If your child is late for school, please sign them in at the office before sending them to the classroom. Any assignments missed will be sent home that night for completion.
TESTS
You will always be given a tentative test date notice and study guide at least three days prior to the test. This way your child can study a little each night and be well prepared. Please be aware that I always have extra copies of study guides available and they can be emailed if necessary.
V
VISITORS
ILE has a policy that ALL GUESTS are required to check in at the school office. The purpose is to eliminate interruptions during classroom activities or instructional time. The office will contact me if your child needs to leave early, come to the office or if you need to speak with me. Typically, it is difficult for me to speak with parents during instruction time. It is best to contact me prior to 8:00 am or after 3:30 pm.
VOLUNTEERS
I feel that it is very important for a child to know that his or her parents support their education. As such, I will try to provide many opportunities for parents to volunteer and visit our classroom. Your support can be exhibited in a number of ways. These include helping with parties, assisting with special projects, sending in treats or party goods, chaperoning field trips, and preparing materials at home. In addition, I will not have an assistant to help with classroom preparations. If you are ever interested and/or available to make copies, laminate/cut, etc.. please let me know.
W
WEBSITE
As mentioned earlier, our website provides you and your child with a wealth of information. It allows you and your child to find homework information, and provides many educational websites. I also post snapshots and slideshows so you can catch a peek of what your child experiences throughout the year. It also allows you to see upcoming dates, announcements, student's published work, and answers probably 99% of your questions! Please check weekly for updates. You can now access our website easily by using the web address mrsmckinneys4thgrade.blogspot.com
WEDNESDAY FOLDERS:
Graded papers will be sent home once a week in our Wednesday Folders. All graded papers need to be left at home and the folder signed and returned. Please remember that your signature is the only way I know you’ve received your child’s papers that week.
Z
Zzzz!
Make
sure that your child gets plenty of rest. Setting a bedtime routine
is a wonderful gift you can give to your child. It will help them to
be their best at school.
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