George B. Weatherbee Elementary School

Dear Parents,

​

It is our pleasure to welcome you and your child to Third Grade!  The beginning of the year is always such a busy time.  Usually there are many questions concerning expectations and daily routine.  We hope this letter answers any questions you may have.  It’s a good idea to keep it in a safe place as you may need to refer to it from time to time throughout the year.

 

Our Team

We are Ms. Richardson and Mrs. Hussey.  We will be working together to bring your child the best possible educational experience.  Ms. Richardson will focus on teaching Math, Science/Health.   Mrs. Hussey will focus on  Reading, Social Studies,  and Grammar.  This means that your child will transition to each teacher for those subjects.  They will return to their homeroom for Writing and Spelling.  We are excited about this teaming model as it allows us to really getting to know your child as a mathematician, reader, and writer.  

 

Encore Classes  

The time for our Encore Classes (formally referred to as “Specials”) will be the same each day:  9:45-10:25.  We are on a rotating schedule this year which means that we refer to each day as an “A Day” or “B Day”, etc.  That means that some encore classes will fall on different days each week depending on the “Day” we are on.  For instance, our school year begins on Tuesday, so “A Day” (Library/Guidance) will be on Tuesday.  We will rotate days A-F and then start the rotation over again.  So Library/Guidance will be the first Tuesday, but the following week they will have Music on Tuesday.  A copy of the A-F Day Schedule is enclosed for you to keep posted on your refrigerator.  A copy of this schedule is also on the backside of their homework folder.  In addition, at the end of each day an announcement will be made reminding students what “Day” our next day of school will be.

 

Mrs. Hussey's Encore Schedule:         Ms. Richardson's Encore Schedule:

 

A Day PE

B Day Guidance/Library

C Day Spanish

D Day PE

E Day Art

F Day Music

 

Lunch:    11:30-12:00    Recess:  12:00-12:30

 

Citizenship Program

We incorporate an interactive behavior management program called Class Dojo. This is an online program that encourages students to take responsibility for doing their best each day.  It’s also tied directly to our school-wide behavior expectations fondly known as the  “Weatherbee Way”.   A letter is included in this packet that will give specific information on how to log on and register.  More information about Class Dojo will be presented at Curriculum Night (September 15th).  For now, here is a list of our classroom rules and expectations that they can earn points for:

 

Our Classroom Rules:

 

Do your morning jobs as soon as you arrive.

 

This means:

• Unstack your chair.

• Sign up for lunch

• Turn in your homework.

• Get a drink of water.

• Go to the bathroom.

• Quietly do your morning assignment.

 

Listen attentively.

 

This means:

• Look at the person speaking.

• Listen carefully and think about what they are saying.

 

Follow directions immediately.

 

This means:

• Stop what you are doing immediately.

• Look at me.

• Listen to the direction(s) carefully.

• Follow the direction(s) quickly and quietly.

 

Raise your hand and wait to be called on.

 

This means:

• If you have something you want to say, raise your hand and wait patiently to be

     called on.  This takes a lot of self-control!!

 

Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.

 

This means:

• Keep your body in your own space,.

 

Do your afternoon jobs quickly and quietly.

 

This means:

• Stack chairs and and get backpack quickly and quietly.

• Get papers from your mail box and put them in your homework folder.

• Put homework folder, agenda and lunchbox (if you have one)  in your backpack.

• Leave backpack on your desk and sit quietly on the rug.

• Be ready to listen to the afternoon announcements (WORDS OFF!)

• Wait until announcements have ended before leaving the room.

• If your group is called, get your backpack and WALK down the hall.

• Those who have not been called yet, read a book quietly on the rug.

• When you hear your group called, put book where it belongs, get backpack and WALK down thehall.

 

We also give points for:

 

• Helping others

• Doing your best

• Persistence

• Working hard

• Teamwork

• Participation

• Being on task

• Following Work Station Expectations

 

Homework

 

Math - Ms. Richardson

 

My philosophy is that homework should just be practice of what we learned during the day.  This year I will be asking students to use technology for their daily practice.  Students will log on to IXL, Moby Max, or Extra Math to practice specific skills that I will assign every night.  Occasionally, I will send work home if it is a new and more challenging skill or if your child did not complete their classwork during the day.  If your student does not have access to technology at home, please let me know asap so that I can make separate arrangements for them.  Fact practice with the use of flashcards, math games, and manipulatives will be emphasized.

 

Reading - Mrs. Hussey

 

Students are expected to read for at least 20 minutes each night.  We will also be using a website called biblionasium.com to log their nightly reading.  This is a wonderful website that helps motivate and keep kids interested in nightly reading.  All along the way they can earn rewards, recommend books to their classmates, and keep track of how many books they are reading.  (A letter is attached that gives you the login information.)  A school-wide initiative called “The 40 Book Challenge” is a goal they can work towards.  Each time a student finishes 10 books we will have a celebration/recognition  in the classroom.  If they read 40 books or more this year, they will be given school-wide recognition at the End-of-Year School Assembly and honored with a certificate.  

 

Spelling - Ms. Richardson and Mrs. Hussey

 

Each Monday,  new words will be introduced in students’ homerooms.  A list of words will be sent home so that you know which words they should focus on for that week.  Nightly practice  will involve the use of a website called Spelling City where students will use their homeroom teachers login to access the weekly words.  On this website there are lots of fun and engaging games to help students practice their words.  Each Friday, students will be tested on that week’s words.

 

Home/School Communication

 

There are a couple of different ways to communicate with us.  

 

One way is through email.  Our email addresses are:

Ms. Richardson - trichardson@rsu22.us

Mrs. Hussey - dhussey@rsu22.us

 

We usually check our emails in the morning, once throughout the day, and at the end of the day.  We will do our best to respond to your email in a timely manner.  If you have a question or concern directly related to Math or Science you should send your email to Ms. Richardson.  If you have a question or concern directly related to Reading or Social Studies you should address your email to Mrs. Hussey.  Any other areas of concern should be addressed with your child’s homeroom teacher.

 

Another way you can contact us is through Class Dojo.  As mentioned earlier, information on registering is attached to this letter.  Once registered, you can send a message to us through that site as well.

 

In addition to email and Class Dojo, students will be using a Student Planner and Homework Folder.  The cost for these two items combined is $6.00 and we asked that you send the money in for these items during the first week of school.  The Homework Folder will be used to carry their classroom schedule, spelling words and any other assignments/special project information that we send home throughout the year.  They will also receive “Friday Papers” from the school office that will consist of various announcements and important notices.  Please check your child’s Homework Folder each day, but especially on Fridays so that you can stay informed.  The Student Planner will be for students to use to keep themselves organized.  They can write down upcoming events, due dates for assignments, tests and special projects.  It also has some fun activities for them to complete at their leisure.  They should get in the habit of bring both their folder and planner to school each day, although they may write in their planner only when there is an important reminder for them to jot down.

 

EXCEPTION TO EMAIL AND DOJO:  If your child is changing the way they go home you must send a note in their homework folder.  Students are instructed to give us any transportation notes first thing in the morning.  If it is a last minute change, please call the office so they can get the information right away and make sure your child goes home the way they should for that day.

 

Our Website is yet another way to stay informed.  While we cannot send messages back and forth through the website, it is a place where you can find valuable information about our classrooms, helpful links, postings of classroom happenings, homework expectations, etc.   We hope you find this helpful in staying connected with our classrooms.

 

Lunch Money

 

Your child is responsible for keeping track of their lunch money.  To help them with this responsibility, please send the money in a small change purse, baggie, or some type of sealable holder which is clearly labeled with your child’s name.  If they are purchasing a lunch from the cafeteria any time during the week, they will need to take the money to the office in the morning to pay for their lunch.  They can stop on the way into class that day.  If you know ahead of time that your child is getting a hot lunch all week it’s recommended that you pay for the whole week on Monday.   Monday morning is the designated day for collecting money to be deposited into your child’s account.  Someone will be in the Art Room each Monday morning to help your child with this.  If your child will be getting a hot lunch most of the time, it is suggested that you “deposit” a larger amount in their account and keep track of the balance through our school website. (Click on “parents” and then “nutrikids”.  This will take you to “myschoolbucks”).  You can also make online deposits to your child’s account as well.

 

Snack

 

Our class will have a morning snack each day.  Please send a healthy snack to school with your child.  (Examples of healthy snacks would be:   fruit, carrot sticks, celery sticks, graham crackers, cheese sticks, ets.)  Students may also bring a water bottle, but it must have a pull-top or flip-top lid to reduce spills.  Water only and not screw-tops, please.  Please note:  Weatherbee does NOT offer milk for snack.

 

Birthdays

 

In recent years, there has been an increase in student allergies to certain foods.  As a result, the nurse must approve all food items coming into our classroom to make sure that each food item does not contain an ingredient that a student is allergic to.  We want to make sure that all children are safe at school, and we also want to make any celebration we do equitable for all students.  We are asking that parents refrain from sending in food items to celebrate their child’s birthday.  We will recognize each student on their special day (or Monday or Friday if their birthday falls on a holiday or weekend).  Their birthday will be announced on the intercom that day and they will receive a special birthday pencil from the office.  In our classroom, we will sing happy birthday to them and classmates will give them handmade birthday cards.  In this way, everyone is recognized for this very special day in their life.

 

Please note:  Passing out birthday party invitations at school is only allowed if the entire class is invited.  Remember, as the year goes on we may get a new student or a student may move away.  It’s always a good idea to get an updated list from your child’s homeroom teacher before sending in the invitations.

 

Class Parties

 

We will have two parties this year; Christmas and End-of-Year.  We will also have a special treat and/or activity to help celebrate other holidays throughout the year.  The treats will not always be food but instead could be a treat bag with stickers, pencils, etc.  If there are any food items they will be approved through the nurse and I will ask for volunteers to help provide these treats.

 

Please note:  Classroom parties are for the students in our class.  Respectfully, siblings are asked not to attend as there will not be enough food, napkins, treat bags, etc. for additional children.  Thanks, in advance,  for your understanding.

 

Transportation

 

As mentioned earlier, any changes as to how your child will be getting home must be made in writing and given to the teacher first thing in the morning.  How a child gets home cannot be changed through a verbal message from the child.  If there is no note, they must go home the way they normally go home.  Of course, in an emergency, a phone call to the office will be accepted.  The office will inform us that you have called and a note of change will be given to the teacher.  We appreciate your cooperation with this so we can make sure that everyone gets home safely each day.

 

Student Daily Work

 

Please keep in mind that not all completed work will be sent home.  We keep some to display in the hallway and room.  We also keep some in their portfolio for documentation and assessment purposes.  This means that some weeks there may be a considerable amount and other weeks there may not be much.  It just depends on what we’ve been doing and what we’ve decided to keep and/or hang up.  When work is sent home, please be sure to look at the work with your child and offer plenty of praise.  Compliments and encouraging words can be quite powerful and motivating to children.

 

Volunteers

 

There are lots of ways you can be involved in your child’s classroom this year.  Here are a few things you might consider doing.

 

• Help out with parties at school.

• Send in items for a party or celebration (if your schedule does not allow you to be at school during the day).

• Send in donated items such as:

  • Clorox wipes

  • Tissues

  • Batteries © (Size C)

  • Check with teacher for any other special needs as they arise

• Assist with a special activity.  (This usually happens around the holidays when we may be doing a special project that requires additional help to complete.)

• Photocopy one day a week (or once a month).

• Tutor students that would benefit from some additional one-on-one.

 

At the beginning of the year, it’s very important that we focus on establishing routines with the students.  Once routines have been established, we will start a schedule for volunteers who would like to help out during the day with photocopying or tutoring.  There will be a sign-up sheet on Curriculum Night (Sept. 15th) for anyone interested in volunteering for any of the above activities.  Thank you, in advance, for your willingness to help out!

 

In Closing

 

We hope this letter has answered some of your questions and will help prepare you for the year ahead.   We look forward to working with you and your child and are excited about a great year ahead!  

 

Sincerely,

Ms. Richardson & Mrs. Hussey