Our Routine

                                                                                 August 24, 2011
Dear Parents,
Welcome to third grade!  There is a lot of information in this letter, so be sure to read it carefully.  Hopefully this will answer many of the questions you have about our routines and expectations.  If you have any questions, I will try to answer them at our open house on Sept. 14th, or drop me a note and I will get back to you.   

ANY MONEY sent to school should be in an envelope, clearly marked with student's name and what the money is for.  Please send only money pertaining to your child to our class.  Sibling lunch money should be kept separate. Also, please send a separate check for each item.  Milk money and lunch money must be kept separate.  Please label your entire child’s sweaters, hats, boots, etc., especially gym sweaters.   

MASS The children will attend mass every Tuesday. The girls need to wear their dress uniform, not pants, and the boys are required to wear button down shirts and ties.

XTRA MATH  Your child has been given a code to use on the XTRA Math web site.  If you have access to the internet, your child should be using the program to practice math facts at home.  I check often to see each child's progress.  I also give a math facts speed test on Fridays and this program will help your child to do better.  When your child masters the addition and subtraction facts, he/she will be given multiplication facts. Since there is only one computer in the classroom, access to the program during the school day is limited.  

BI
RTHDAYS ARE SPECIAL.  Feel free to send in a special treat for the class on your child's birthday.   We do have a student with a peanut allergy so PLEASE check labels.  Do not send items without an ingredient label, if possible, without also sending in a peanut free treat. We presently have 19 students in our class.  (Please let me know if your child has any food allergies that we should be aware of.)  If you must send in invitations for your child’s birthday party, they will
only be passed out if there is an invitation for ALL the girls if your child is a girl, or ALL the boys if your child is a boy.  They will only be passed out in the Wednesday envelopes so please plan accordingly. There will be no exceptions.

BOOK-IT READING CARD    
This is considered homework each day and will be taken into account when grades are done!   Each 
night as you read to your child, or your child reads to you, sign your child's card.  Even though your child is in third grade, he/she still benefits from hearing you read to him/her.  I cannot stress enough the importance of having your child hear YOU read.  Children need a model to imitate. Choosing a book above your child’s reading level is a wonderful way to learn new vocabulary and improve language skills.   When the paper is filled, send it back to school.  Your child will earn extra "Class Coins" when the card is turned in.  This will also be tied in with the Pizza Hut Book-It program in October. 
CLASS PET   Our hamster has arrived!  Each child will have the opportunity to take it home for a week-end on the week that your child is chosen to be Student of the Week.  We try to give you enough notice, especially if your child takes the bus because pets are not allowed on the bus.  In addition, your child will have the chance to trade in "class coins" to bring the hamster home on a school night. 
 
BOOK REPORTS  Students will be assigned a book report monthly, usually due at the end of the month.

HOMEWORK  In addition to the homework listed in your child’s assignment book, the children should be reading at least 15 minutes each day.  (This may be recorded on the “Book-It” card.)  Please check and sign your child's assignment planner every night!  Daily practice speed tests should be handed in at the end of the week.

UNIFORMS   Please check the school policy handbook for the appropriate uniform.  Boys must wear belts this year and sneakers should be worn only on gym days.  The school policy handbook is very clear so check out the uniform policy page  if you are unsure of what is acceptable.

PAYDAY    Your child will be earning "Class Coins" for math games,  good behavior, etc.  Pennies are traded up for nickels, then dimes, etc.  The coins are then traded in on “Payday”, which usually occurs once a month.  Likewise, your child can lose coins for poor behavior, lost, incomplete or messy homework, etc.  As they trade coins in, the children are also learning addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, money values and decision-making.  Donations for the prize box are always welcome; it gets expensive to keep it filled.  Suggested items include: special pencils, pens, erasers,  stickers,  or any items you think your child would like to trade for.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK     Each child will be chosen once during the year to be Student of the Week.   Your child may get extra privileges, choose to be first in line at any time and may be asked to go on an errand here or there if needed. The Student of the Week also may take the gerbil home for the week-end without paying coins.

CAR PATROL   For those picking their children up by car, please display your family sign and stay in your car and your child will come to the car. 

SCHEDULE     Our schedule for this year is as follows:
Monday: Library and computers,  Tuesday: Mass and art, WednesdayMusic and Phys. ed., Thursday:  no specials, & FridaySpanish.

SOUP KITCHEN:  During the year our class will be collecting change for the soup kitchen in Manchester.  If you find yourself with extra change, please be generous and send it to school for the poor.  We will invite a representative from Manchester’s Soup Kitchen to come in to speak to the children in the spring.  It’s important for the children to see that they can make a difference. 
 
SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS  are given out monthly.  You can order directly on line or send the order to school.  Go to the Scholastic Book link on my web site.  The class user name is: mrsmarblesclass and the password is marble, and the new Class Activation Code is:  GQ3XW

FIELD TRIPS:  The children will be going to the Amoskeag Fishways some morning this fall.  If you would like to join us, please sign up at the open house. 

Please check out our class web site often for pertinent information.  I will 
try to keep it up to date but the children should not rely on the web site for homework assignments.  They are still responsible for the assignment even if the homework is not up to date on the web site.   There are word searches, etc. for the children to do if they want to earn extra coins throughout the year.  
The site is:
  http://www.teacherweb.com/NH/StCatherine/MrsMarble/
   Sincerely,
Mrs. Marble