Dear Parent,
Third grade is a time of rapid growth and change. The students will work toward increased responsibility and independence in their learning. In an effort to help your child have a successful year, we have established third grade guidelines. Please read the following guidelines and discuss them with your child. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher. We want to work with you to ensure that your child has a positive and productive year in third grade. Thank you for your support and cooperation!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Bartelt
Mrs. Getka
Mrs. Garty
Discipline
An assertive discipline plan will be used. Disruptions in teaching and learning will not be tolerated. Positive behavior that enhances the learning of other students and the classroom environment will be rewarded according to the individual classroom teacher’s discretion. Our classroom rules are:
Follow directions
Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself
Have materials ready to start class
Respect others
Consequences for not following the rules are left to the individual classroom teacher’s discretion.
Assignment Notebook
Assignment notebooks should be signed every night by a parent or guardian after discussing the assignments with your child. If you and your child do not understand an assignment, please write your child’ s teacher a note in the assignment notebook. Sometimes students will use abbreviations in their notebooks and should be able to explain what they mean. There will also be times when students have completed their work in class, therefore the assignments will already be checked off. If the assignment notebook is not signed three days in a row, the student will owe a recess.
Accelerated Reader
Third graders will be expected to read most nights. The following suggestions will be helpful at home if your child is not interested in reading, or is having difficulty reading (sheets attached at the end of this packet). The students will also participate in the Accelerated Reader (AR) program at Slinger Elementary. Each quarter the students and teachers will set goals. If the students reach their goal while maintaining an 85% accuracy rate, then they will receive a reward at the end of each quarter. Students are expected to get their AR log signed each night.
Homework
Students will most likely have about 30 minutes of homework each night. The students are given time in class to work on homework, however they may need to finish assignments at home. Homework is due the day after it is assigned unless otherwise noted in the assignment notebook. Late homework results in a loss of recess time until homework is completed. It is helpful to stress the importance of setting priorities and using time wisely during class work time and at home so late homework will not even be a possibility.
Grading
Grades are figured as a percent. For example, if a student has 10 out of 12 problems correct, he or she would receive an 83%. The third grade teachers will follow the grading scale below.
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
Below 59% F
Please not that – and + grades will be given if a percentage is on the high or low end of the grading scale.
Math Facts
Students are expected to have already mastered addition and subtraction math facts by the time they enter 3rd grade. They will still be required to correctly answer 100 problems in five minutes. The goal is to build speed and accuracy in math facts so that more difficult concepts can be done correctly without simple addition or subtraction mistakes. Students should also work on mastering multiplication and division facts. Flash cards and memorization are the best means to ensure mastery of the facts. We recommend daily practice on math facts in order to achieve success.
Recess
The third grade students have a 20-minute lunch recess and a 10-15 minute morning or afternoon recess. Students should dress appropriately for the weather, especially in the winter. If students do not have boots, they will not be allowed to walk in the snow and will be required to stand against the wall for recess. Students will not be allowed to come inside the building during recess unless they are injured or have a note from the doctor.
School Hours
The students are allowed to enter their classrooms at 8:30 A.M. Students are required to wait in the designated spot for the third grade and should not enter the classroom until the bell rings at 8:30. School is dismissed at 3:30 for walkers and pick ups and 3:40 for bus riders . The students that do not take the bus should meet their parents/babysitters by the office area.