Fabulous First Week! Looking forward to Week 2

You'd have to be a teacher to know how quickly a roomful of strangers can become "your" kids.  My '16 Salamanders have already won my heart.

Week one is full of rules which isn't that interesting - but my students are learning and demonstrating the classroom expectations and bringing in the dojo points*.

Behavior is key to setting the environment for learning.  I am CON- SIS-TENT!  That's a little intimidating for new students.  It's not personal, it's efficient.  The more quickly we master transitions to the carpet, getting out or putting away materials etc., the more time we have to do fun activities.

Your kids probably haven't come home saying it's the best year ever (it will be) or that their teacher is hilarious (Oh, I am) but they shouldn't have come home saying they hated school or that they felt anything but valued and cared for.  Please email me if you have ANY concerns.

Sept. 1 is our Back to School night beginning at 6:00pm.  I would love if parents could attend.

What you need to know:

1. Kids got their first 3rd grade homework packet, it will be due Friday 9/2.
2. Students will have a quiz on their PBIS vocabulary 9/2.  We've been studying these concepts in class, but the vocabulary list is in the "Other handouts" folder.
3. Kids will be the first spelling unit on Monday 8/29 which will be tested 9/9.  For these two weeks we will be modeling activities in class.  After that students will choose their own spelling review activities.

Dismissal Routines

Parents/Guardians:

We had a fabulous first day and the only point of confusion was at dismissal.  We have a very short amount of time to move a large number of kids, they have to know where they are going.  If their dismissal changes, send an email or call the office.

GYMMERS - This is where most daycare kids go and kids that get picked up by parents to walk or drive.  Some kids were confused because they walk home ... but not independently.  If your child is meeting another sibling before walking home, they should go here.

At dismissal, these kids line up in the courtyard with Mrs. Miller

WALKERS/BIKE RIDERS** - These kids are totally independent and are not picking up a younger sibling.  They go straight out the front door.  At dismissal, these kids line up against the chain link fence with Mrs. Coats and Ms. Troxel

**BACK WALKER/BIKE RIDERS - Kids are totally independent.  They go straight from the back entrance home.

At dismissal, these kids meet at the foursquare curb and walk with Mrs. Couture.

FRONT CAR RIDERS - Purple Tags.  Grades K, 3 and 5 go to the front UNLESS there is a younger sibling.  At dismissal, these kids line up against the chain link fence with Mrs. Coats and Ms. Troxel

BACK CAR RIDER - Green Tags.  Grades 1, 2 and 4 go to the back, so a 3rd grader would only go as a Back Car Rider if they have a sibling in 1st or 2nd grade.  At dismissal these kids meet at the foursquare curb and walk with Mrs. Couture.

BUSSER - You ride the bus.  You know what bus number you ride.At dismissal, these kids meet at the foursquare curb and walk with Mrs. Couture.

YMCA - You go to the cafeteria for YMCA care.  At dismissal, these kids meet on the sidewalk next to the main building with Mrs. Russell.

SPECIAL Programs:  When choir begins and special after school opportunities are announced dismissal routines may change.  If you inform the teacher, we can tell you definitively where your child will line up to dismiss.

Please make sure your kiddo knows where they are going.  It is a measure of independence and the best way to have students moving efficiently from one place to another.

Thank you,

Susan

Week 1

Week 1 will be jam-packed as we get to know each other and build our classroom community.  

Behavior:
I will be introducing Class DoJo to the kids.  This is a primarily positive reinforcement based site to monitor behavior.  For a while, all points will be distributed class wide.  Once our expectations for transitioning and learning times are established, each child will be gaining their own dojo points.  Parents will be invited at that point to monitor their child's daily behavior.

Social Studies:
Students will be learning key vocabulary included in the HOWL motto and how it applies to 3rd grade learners.

Math:
We will jump right in with a review of graphing which is always a favorite of students.  After we master frequency tables and the graphic representations of bar graphs and pictographs we will be focusing on how that information can be manipulated in problem solving.

Science:
After reviewing basic science safety and equipment we will delve into a study of matter from physical properties to states of matter.

Reading and Writing:
Third grade marks a change in our focus for reading.  While we still support students in becoming fluent and capable readers, we will be reading for understanding.  To this end we will be practicing different comprehension strategies that will contribute to the student's success in all academic areas.
This first week we will be monitoring our understanding as we read and making connections.  In our writing we will remember the non-negotiables from previous years:  Capital letters, punctuation and complete thoughts.

Parent Homework:
Make sure you have given me full contact information (Check out the Aug. 18 post that links to a Google form, AND remember to sign up for Remind101)

There is no kid homework ... this week : )

Mrs. Torres' Class Information Form

Shogan Salamanders '16-'17 Contact Form

School is starting! I have been in the classroom preparing and am looking forward to meeting my new "Salamanders". Meet the teacher night is Thursday August 18th beginning at 4:00. Stop by the cafeteria to find out whose class you are in before coming by the portable to drop off your school supplies.