FISHing for Success!
- General Information--Contacting Mrs. Novak
- FISH! Philosophy Principles
- Group Expectations
- The Behavior Plan
- Homework
- Late Work
- Absent Work
- When Will Graded Work Come Home?
- Grading Policy
- Who are my child's other teachers?
- Student Planner/Take Home Folder
- Wednesday Folder
- Band
- Snacks
- Party Invitation Policy
General Information--Contacting Mrs. Novak
Anytime you have a question or concern; please feel free to call or email me.
I believe that it is very important that we have strong positive communication
between school and home so that your child is successful in school. There are
several ways for you to contact me.
First is through e-mail. My e-mail addresses are NovakML@twc.k12.wi.us This
is the quickest method as I am able to check my mail throughout the day. If
you have a quick question, just jot it down in your child’s assignment
notebook. I check these in the morning and will usually just write a quick
note back in the assignment book. You may also call the school; however, due
to our hectic schedule during the day, I am usually not available for calls.
You may call and leave a voicemail and I will return your call either during
lunch or after school. The number at school is 862-2356.
FISH! Philosophy Principles
In our class there are the four principles from the FISH! Philosophy that will
serve as our guidelines throughout the school day. Please read the FISH!
Philosophy parent letter for an explanation of this philosophy and these
principles.
Be There
Make Their Day
Choose Your Attitude
Play
Group Expectations
Students will be held responsible for their actions and progress throughout
the school day. The following expectations were developed to allow students
to succeed in 4th grade.
Finish work on time
Include & encourage everyone
Show respect to others
Have high expectations
The Behavior Plan
In the classroom, there will be a set of fish bowls that have four different
colors. Everyday students will begin on green. Throughout the day, if a
student were to make a bad choice, he or she would move their fish up to a
different colored fish bowl. Students will receive a colored stamp in their
student
planner, showing their behavior at the end of each day.
GREEN-Great Job—Go for Green!
BLUE-Student has had 2 reminders; lose 10 minutes of next recess
YELLOW-Student is still not making good choices; note home to parents
RED-Student will call parent and may have to visit Mr. Gavlin
It is important to me that our classroom environment is one
that is positive, cooperative, and safe so that the children feel free to
learn and grow!
Homework
Homework is an integral part of your child’s education. In class, I
introduced new topics, concepts, and ideas. They are practiced as a whole
group and then the students are generally given some form of independent
practice. This independent practice (homework) is a chance for your child to
try their hand at the new skill on their own. Therefore, homework is a very
important part of your child’s education. If your child has difficulties with
completing an assignment due to confusion of a concept, please attach a quick
note. I will find time to explain the concept to them again.
If your child completed all his/her work at school that day, they should spend
time practicing spelling words or math concepts (facts, time, money, etc…) at
night.
Reading books of interest is a very important part of your child’s success in
school. When your child reads about topics that they really enjoy—it sparks
their imagination and
creativity. It also allows them to work on reading fluency (oral reading) and
their comprehension skills. As an incentive to read at home, our classroom
will participate in the Pizza Hut Book-It Program this year. This program
allows the teacher to set a certain amount of minutes to read. If the student
fulfills the requirement of minutes read, then the student receives a coupon
for a free Personal Pan Pizza. Our class will have a requirement of 50
minutes a week. I will send home a monthly calendar for your child to write
down the title of the book and the # of minutes read that day. Students will
be held responsible to fill this calendar out correctly & honestly and turn it
in on the due date. Please remember this is a reward program for our classroom.
Late Work
Homework that is not turned in the morning that it is due; is considered to be
late. Students will miss their recess that day until late work is completed.
If late work is still not
completed by the end of the day, then the student will have to complete it at
home besides his/her homework for that school day.
In the 4th grade, we expect homework to be turned in on time. As a reward for
turning in all homework for the entire week, we have a ‘Freaky Friday’ (an
extra recess) every Friday afternoon. If the student doesn’t complete all
work, then he/she will go with the teacher that is hosting ‘study hall’.
Students will be expected to work quietly on the missing work in this study hall.
I understand that emergencies come up at home and sometimes things need to be
put on hold. Please let me know if your child experiences a situation like
this. We will be able to come up with a plan to complete his/her work.
Absent Work
Students who are absent from school will have their work sent home upon
request. Students should try to complete this work as soon as possible.
When Will Graded Work Come Home?
Graded papers are returned throughout the week. Students are encouraged to
empty their mailboxes on Fridays.
Grading Policy
Student work will be graded using the following grading scale:
A+ (98-100) A (94-97) A- (91-93)
B+ (88-90) B (84-87) B- (81-83)
C+ (78-80) C (74-77) C- (71-73)
D+ (68-70) D (64-67) D- (61-63)
F (60 or below)
Students will receive a report card at the end of every quarter.
(Each quarter is nine weeks.) Parents will also receive a report at midterm
to inform them of their child�s progress.
Who are my child's other teachers?
LA-Mrs. Madison
Science-Mrs. Martin
Art-Mr. Wald
Computers-Mrs. Jilbert
PE-Mr. Ryzcek & Mr. Milz
Music-Mr. Schlict
Band-Mrs. Ledanski
Student Planner/Take Home Folder
Each day the student planner will be filled out for all subject areas. As
work is assigned, students will be given time to place work into their folder.
Please help your child review their homework and make sure that all work is
completed. Your child will receive a colored stamp that correlates to how
his/her behavior was for the day. See behavior plan section for more information.
Wednesday Folder
The Wednesday folder will contain important information from both the school
and the district offices. Some things to look for in this folder would be:
breakfast/lunch menus, a calendar of events, newsletters & notes from the
office, etc…. Wednesday folders are due back on Thursdays. If students lose
the school provided
Wednesday folder, the student will need to
provide a new one.
Band
During 4th grade, students are able to participate in beginners’ band.
Students attend a 20 minute ‘band lesson’ and a 30-40 minute ‘whole band’
session once a week. If your child decides to become a band member, he/she
will be expected to make up any missed work from the classroom.
Snacks
Our classroom will have time during the day for the students to have a snack.
I really encourage this opportunity, since it is very difficult to
concentrate on work, if you are hungry. If it is easier for your child, you
could send a box of prepackaged (sealed) snacks to keep in their locker.
Students may bring juice or water for snacks. Students are allowed to have water
bottles (filled with water only) in their lockers to drink from through the
day. Students will be encouraged to bring water bottles home daily in order
for them to be properly cleaned.
Party Invitation Policy
As a class policy, students are able to hand out party invitations at school
only if all of the classmates are receiving the invitation. Now, if you want
to invite only boys or only girls, this is okay as long as every boy or girl
in the class receives an invitation. If you are not inviting everyone, then
please hand them out outside of school.