2015 - 2016

The 3rd Grade Team STEM – Math and Science Mrs. Sarah Gonnella, Mrs. Tanya Glass,

andMs. Jaclyn SmithHumanities – ELA and Social Studies Mrs. Mary Mechalske, Mrs. Leah Offutt,

and Ms. Jaclyn SmithSpecialized InstructionMs. Jennifer Katherman– ELA SpecialistMrs. Carey Sneska – G & T Mrs. Miki Fitzgerald – Math ResourceMrs. Demetria Hensley – Resource

Teacher

Our Schedule

8:55- 9:20 Homeroom9:20-11:00 AM Rotation11:00-11:30 Recess11:35-12:35 Specials12:35 – 1:05 = Lunch1:05-1:30 AM Rotation1:30-3:35 PM Rotation3:35-3:45 Pack-up3:45 Dismissal

We are committed to creating and maintaining open lines of communication and partnering with parents to better meet the needs of our students. If you have a concern, please contact the school.

Academic Concern – speak with your child’s teacher

Safety or Bullying Concern – speak with an administrator

Our Commitment To You

Please do not expect that school personnel will respond to concerns aired via social media, however we are eager to problem solve any issue brought to our attention through a written communication or a phone call.

Our Commitment to You

You can be sure that we will:•Respond to a concern in a timely manner•Listen to a concern to better understand your perspective•Investigate or gather needed information to make an informed decision or •Develop a plan of action•Follow board policies related to instruction and discipline•Maintain confidentiality for everyone•Partner with you to problem solve an issue•Maintain open lines of communication between school and home

What can you expect from us?

All parents picking students up as car riders have been issued a “car number” that will be displayed in your windshield when driving through the pick-up lane at the end of the day. If you plan on picking your child up as a car rider and have not signed up, please stop by the office and complete a registration form and we will issue you a number.

New Parent Pick-Up Procedures

We will follow the same traffic pattern as in past. PLEASE turn RIGHT when entering the campus. Once our special education buses have departed, parents picking up students in a car will be directed into the “pick-up” lane.

The staff member on duty will call your number into the nearby Pre-K classroom (where all car riders will meet at the end of the day) and your child will be sent out the side door to the pick-up lane.

New Parent Pick-Up Procedures

Parents should remain with their vehicle at this time. Students will not be dismissed to family members who walk to the daily car rider lane. Walk-ups will be directed to the office to sign out children (if you do have to enter the building to pick up your child, please refrain from parking in the bus loop or pick-up lane).

Please review your car number with your child. This will help dismissal for our car riders go quickly and smoothly.

New Parent Pick-Up Procedures

B ring Your Own DeviceParent must give written permission to participate•Guard device against loss, damage, and theft – student is responsible for his/her device at all times•Device must be fully charged•Device must be silenced during the school day•Device is to be used for learning purposes only during the school day•Student must learn to troubleshoot problems with his/her device•With adult permission devices may be used:

• On the school bus• In the classroom, media center, and on

field trips•Devices may not be used, unless permission is given by school staff:

• In hallways, restrooms, cafeteria, during assemblies, and at recess

• Call Runnymede 410-751-3203• Email RUEattendance@carrollk12.org• Written note with parent signature• Faxed note with parent signature to

410-751-3930 • All absences must be reported by

parent or guardians. Day care providers, Grandparents etc. should not be reporting absences.

• Please note that communication via email or phone with individual teachers cannot be accepted. Please contact the school office to report all absences.

• Vacation/family emergency days off must be submitted in writing to administration for approval prior to the absence.

Reporting An Absence For A Child:

•Dismissal changes must be in writing from a custodial parent/guardian via a hand written note or fax to 410-751-3930 signed by parent/guardian

•Dismissal note cannot be accepted via email for security purposes

•Please arrive to the school office before 3:40 pm with your ID if you plan to sign your student out at the end of the school day.

Changes In Dismissal:

Supplies

•Tissues and Ziploc bags•Dry Erase Markers•Please Visit our Lending a Hand Board•Third Grade Memory Books – Gift Cards to Wal-Mart for photo printing

Playground Fundraisers

All Playground Committee fundraisers and events will come home on Kelly Green Paper.

All proceeds will go directly into our playground fund. Volunteers will be needed for many of our fundraisers.

Scheduled Fundraisers:All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast at Applebee’s –

September 26th

Golf Tournament- October 4th Designer Bag Bingo – April 9th RUE CREW Dance CampMANY MORE!!!

Field Trips• FIELD TRIPS ARE ALIGNED TO THE

CURRICULUM & ARE CONSIDERED PART OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL TIME….ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND!!!

• We are not allowed to accept post dated checks.

• In order to chaperone, you MUST have completed a volunteer training at least 7 days prior to the trip – THE SOONER YOU GET IT DONE THE BETTER

Field Trips

• We will try to accommodate as many chaperones as we can for each trip

Tentative Trips/Dates• Camden Yards/Sports Legends

Museum• Thursday, November 12, 2015

• Baltimore Museum of Industry• Friday, April 15, 2016

• Colonial Days (in house field trip) • Friday, June 10, 2016

Agendas

• Homework Assignments• 20 minutes of reading

(Strive for 25)• Comprehension

practice• Math practice

• Communication Source• Code of Conduct • Clip Chart Behavior Log

Report Cards

This is the first year that you children will receive letter

grades on their report card.

Third Grade Commitment to Parent and Students

Parents will receive regular communication:

LettersData BindersAgenda BooksQuarterly Progress ReportsPhone calls

Math Homework

•Math Resource Folders

•Basic Fact Bags

•Homework Labels

•Nightly Assignments and Unit Reviews

• If your child is stuck, write a note!

Mathematically Speaking Newsletters

• Inside your child’s Math Resource Folder, you will find a plastic page protector. This page protector will house all of our Mathematically Speaking Newsletters.

• The Mathematically Speaking Newsletters are a tool we use to communicate with parents about the curriculum expectations and standards. These newsletters will include parent-friendly language and examples.

Online Resource for Parents at Home

•Carroll County Teachers with the help of Donn Hicks (Elementary Mathematics Supervisor) have made this resource to help parents at home.

http://video.carrollk12.org/ElementaryMath

•X-tra Math is a basic fact website that you will be receiving a letter about in the future to help your child practice his/her basic facts.

STEM Data Binder• Means of tracking student progress

• Way for student to take ownership in his/her learning

• Form of communication with parents

• Periodically you might see a label in your child’s data binder with an updated grade. Please contact your child’s STEM teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

• In the data binder you will find a bright piece of cardstock that says “New STEM Data”. This divider will mark the new work samples in the data binder.

• Work in the data binder is used when determining report card grades

• STEM Data Binder Samples will include:

• Unit Check-Ups (Post Tests)

• Quizzes and Basic Fact Quizzes

STEM Grading Policy•Work in the data binder is used when

determining report card grades

•Math report card grades consist of an average of all of the samples in the STEM Data Binder

•When determining an overall letter grade, the specific indicators are used.

•At the top of each assessment, you will find an indicator box that includes what your child has earned for each of the included report card indicators as well as an overall letter grade.

•Fact fluency is an indicator on the report card but it is not used to determine the overall letter grade.

STEM Grading• Tests & Quizzes from the

data binder. • Grading Scale• 90% - 100% O = A• 80% - 89% S = B• 70% - 79% S = C• 60% - 69% N = D• 59% & Below N = F

Third Grade SpecificsUnit 1: Foundation of Multiplication,

Division and AreaUnit 2: Strategies for Addition, Subtraction,

and MeasurementUnit 3: Equal Partitioning and Naming

FractionsUnit 4: Multiplication and DivisionUnit 5: Multiplication, Division, and AreaUnit 6: Equivalence and Comparing

Fraction, Measurement and DataUnit 7: Geometry and MeasurementUnit 8: Computational Fluency

What about high ability learners?

In Grades K-5, CCPS teachers will utilize

the Progression Documents to meet the

needs of our high ability students.

Flexible Groupings •This year in math we will be using

flexible groups to meet the needs of all students. This means depending on the concept or skill your child may work in a different math group or classroom.

•We will assess the children’s knowledge and Mrs. Glass and Mrs. Gonnella will make groups to meet the needs of all learners.

•SO just because your child is currently assigned to one of our classes this does not mean that they will not be working with both of us.

Fact Practice• Your child will bring home a

Basic Fact Bag each night. Please help your child review his/her facts at least three times per week.

• The facts that your child will practice will include any addition and subtraction not yet mastered as well as all of the multiplication division facts to 100.

Science

Living ThingsRoad Trip Through MarylandSTEM Unit A work in Process

Physical Science

Ways to contact us with ANY questions or concerns:

• Good times to call us: before school (8:00-8:45), during planning (11:35-12:35), or after school (4:00-4:15)

• Written notes or notes on the homework

• Email

Questions for STEM Teachers

REMEMBER...This is not a

conference; please refrain from asking

questions specific to your child.

Third Grade Instructional Materials

Social Studies Alive! McGraw-Hill Wonders Connect Ed

Determining Reading Levels

• CCPA – Carroll County Phonics Assessment

• Running Records (comprehension, fluency & decoding)

• Scholastic Reading Inventory (comprehension and vocabulary)

• The Comprehension Benchmark Assessment CBAs - reading comprehension and writing

• Writing samples

• Daily classroom performanceQuarter 1 – Level N

Quarter 2- Level O

Strive for 25 - Optional

Students who read daily will grow as readers and be much more successful when readingStudents read books on their

independent reading level.Students will write a brief letter discussing their reading Teachers will be sure that students are selecting books appropriate for their reading levelQuarter 1- Fiction (Focus on story elements and examining characters)

Please be sure your child brings a book to school every day

Comprehension HomeworkStudents will have weekly

homework that will consist of different engaging assignments

that reinforce reading comprehension strategies that

align with our state standards. A direction sheet will go home

weekly.

Cursive Handwriting

Why teach cursive?

Fluent, spontaneous handwriting makes more working memory available to focus on higher level thinking.

The lack of an automatic command of handwriting can inhibit a student's ability to write, affect his self confidence and encourage him to avoid writing,

Gradual transition from manuscript to cursive in January

Social StudiesEconomics

Carroll County

Regions

Instruction will be integrated into ELA. Parent letters will highlight learning objectives and key vocabulary.

Data Binders

• Means of tracking student progress

• Form of communication with parents

• Way for student to take ownership in his/her learning

Data Binders

E.L.A. Sample work:•Wonders assessments

•Writing piece

•Responses to literature

•Graded class work

•Social Studies assessments

Questions for Humanities Teachers

REMEMBER...This is not a conference;

please refrain from asking questions specific

to your child.

Thanks for coming!