Need to Know

Welcome to 3^rd grade!  I am so excited for this school year and all the fun things we will be learning.  Below is some information that can help you get familiar with what will be happening this year.

Communication:  Feel free to contact me at any time.  My door is always open for any questions, comment, or concerns.  The best way to get ahold of me is through email, which is checked daily.  I also have a class blog that will have current homework assignments and important information.  My main form of communication is through email (saving trees and eliminating the possibility of “missing papers” at the same time J) and I will keep you updated with important events or assignments going on in class.  If you do not have email, please let me know and I will print off a paper copy to send home.

Class Website:  sandsthirdgrade.blogspot.com

Email:  ssands@alpinedistrict.org

School Phone: (801) 768-0335

Students will have a planner page in their homework folder that they will fill out every day.  They will record homework for that night and any other important reminders.  I will check in school to make sure they are filled out before they go home, but you do not need to sign it at home.

School Schedule: Monday early out day (1:25 p.m. early birds)   (2:40 p.m. later gators)   

Daily starting time (Monday through Friday)

Early Birds    8:00 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Lator Gators  9:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Tardies and Absences:  Much of our learning takes place at school and because of this it is extremely important that your child is at school and arrives on time. If you are an early bird please try to schedule activities and appointments in the afternoon. If you are a later gator please try to schedule activities such as doctor and dentist appointments before 9:15 a.m. or after 3:30 p.m.  

If you plan to take your child out of school for an extended period of time, please let me know.  I will save the assignments that need to be made up and send them home the day your child returns to school.  Please return the assignments as soon as they are complete.  If you know ahead of time that your child will miss school, let me know and I can get you school work for them to complete.  A weeks notice is best.

If your child is absent, please send a note or inform the office at 801-768-0335.

Birthdays:  If your child would like to share a treat with the class for their birthday they can bring treats purchased from a store.  Summer birthdays will be celebrated on half birthdays.

In place of treats, your child can share and then donate a favorite book to the class.  You may wrap the book if you would like.  If it is wrapped your child will unwrap the book, we will read it as a class, and then it will become a permanent addition to the class library.  Your child’s name will be placed in the front cover to show who donated the book. This is a fun gift for the class, one that will be enjoyed throughout the school year.

School Supplies: Your student will be provided with all of the supplies needed in the classroom, including a pencil box.  If they want to have a large box of crayons, markers or a pencil sharpener, please keep them at home in a special study area.  This will help to keep our desks and floors clean. Thank you for your help on this matter.

If you would like to help by donating items, you can send them to school with your child.  Possible donations items that would be greatly appreciated include:

Pencils

Notebooks (wide ruled)

Post-it notes

Expo markers

Glue sticks

Coloring supplies (markers, crayons, colored pencils)

3^rd grade books

Hand sanitizer

Clorox cleaning wipes

Kleenex

Cups, paper plates, utensils

Volunteers:  I love having parents and guardians come into the classroom and help with various activities! If you would like to volunteer in our class please request a volunteer form and return it to school with your child.  I will have a sign up sheet at Back to School night for different options to volunteer for.    

Homework:  Students will have a homework folder that they will use to get their homework to and from school.  The planner page will be in the folder. Homework will be sent home daily, but all homework will be turned in on Friday.  A homework reminder will be sent home on Thursday (it will also be emailed) so that your child knows what needs to be turned in at the end of the week.

If students complete their homework and it is turned in on time they will have the chance to play Homeworkopoly.  They can earn prizes, free homework passes, and class money by completing their homework each week.

Homework will mainly consist of reading and math.  Occasionally there may be vocabulary/spelling or other projects but information will be sent home about those things as they come up.

Reading is a crucial part of learning.  Students are required to read 30 minutes, 5 days a week for a total of 150 minutes a week.  I send home a monthly reading log that will be turned in at the end of each month.  I know life is busy and 30 minutes a day isn’t always possible, so students may read whichever days they would like and for how long they want as long as they reach the 150 minutes a week.  Reading logs must be totaled and signed by parents.  (Your child can add the total for extra math practice!)  The total number of minutes will be recorded and used as part of the reading grade.

Spelling and Vocabulary:  This year, Alpine School District will begin implementing the National Common Core curriculum.  Spelling tests are not part of this curriculum.  Instead, we will be working more diligently on teaching vocabulary and the actual usage of words, rather than rote memorization, which often does not transfer to the students’ writing anyway.  We will have a list of vocabulary words to learn for the week and we will have a test on Friday.  The students will be expected to spell and use the vocabulary words correctly.  

Class shirts:  We will be purchasing class t-shirts.  The shirt will say your teachers name and include hand drawn self-portraits of each student.  These shirts can be worn on Friday for spirit day and also during field trips.  The cost of the shirt is $7.  I would love for each student to have a shirt, however I understand if you are unable to afford one at this time.  These make great keepsakes for your child and are adorable!  An example will be displayed at Back to School night and the open house.

I hope you are as excited for this school year as I am!  I appreciate the opportunity to teach your child and want you to know this is a responsibility I take very seriously.  I’m excited to work with you all to help educate your child!