4th Grade2014

Meet your child’s teacher!

Mrs. Katie Ulishney• Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Seton Hill

University

• Elementary Teaching Certificate from Seton Hill University

• Master’s degree in Literacy from Indiana University of PA

• Currently in my 10th year of teaching • 1 year of 3rd grade in Greensburg Salem School District• 3 years of 1st grade at Mt. View Elementary• 6th year in 4th grade at Baggaley Elementary

Contact Information:Email – katie.ulishney@glsd.us

Phone – (724)539-4531 Available between 11:25 and 12:00 / 3:45 and 4:15

In 4th grade, we have three simple rules:-Respect others.-Take responsibility for your actions.-Take pride in all that you do.

We believe that if students maintain these three guiding principles, we will create a positive environment in which to learn.

Each 4th grader, along with his or her parents, signed a contract to show understanding of, and agreement with, our rules and their consequences.

In addition to having rules in place, we have created a positive behavior reward system. Each student in 4th grade has received a “Positive Paws” punch card. Teachers can award a punch for exceptional displays of respect, pride, responsibility, kindness, and cooperation. Full punch cards are placed into a drawing, and each month a winner is chosen. The winner receives a special prize, such as a gift card to Barnes & Noble. Every time a student puts a card into the drawing, he or she gets to choose a prize from my prize container.

A year of transition . . .

Fourth grade is a year of great transition. Students, for the first time, have different teachers for different subject areas. They are now a part of the “intermediate” grades, and will face high expectations. During the first quarter especially, many parents observe their child working harder at homework, spending more time preparing for tests, and encountering more challenging academic material. Please know that this is normal. As teachers, we are doing our job to prepare your student for success, and this means holding each of them to a high standard for organization, responsibility, and effort. Your support is important as students learn what is expected in the upper elementary grades, and how to be more independent learners and workers.

A Excellent 92-100

B Above Average 83-91 C Average 72-82 D Below Average 61-71 F Failing 60 or Below

O Outstanding S Satisfactory U Unsatisfactory

Parents & Teachers are partners in a child’s education!

Home/School Connections:• Take home folder• Homework assignment book• Remind 101• Teacher websites• Email

Teacher Websites

www.glsd.us1)Select a school (Baggaley)

2)Click “Teachers”3)Choose a teacher page

• Includes teacher lesson plans and learning objectives

• Displays teacher contact information

• Links of interest

Think CentralYour online resource for math, reading,

and science!

www.thinkcentral.com

• Electronic versions of student textbooks and workbooks

• Audio reader to read aloud to your child

• Animated math models

• Access to printable homework pages

New to Baggaley . . .

• New guidance counselor – Miss Paula Brindle

• New secretary—Mrs. Mary Koluder

• New learning support teacher—Ms. Monica Tenerovich

• Deadline for parent volunteer clearances (Sept. 30)

• Transition to the PA Core Standards, including the PSSA

Language Arts

• Teachers – Mrs. Frescura & Miss Wisyanski

• Students will utilize a binder for organization and weekly lesson packets in place of workbooks

• www.thinkcentral.com is our online reading component

• Reading tests will be given bi-weekly

• Homework will be daily and will ALMOST always be based on the following schedule:

Monday – spelling page Tuesday – vocabulary page / read “paired selection”Wednesday – grammar pageThursday – skill page / study Friday – none (spelling lists will be available for the coming week)

• Expectations (writing conventions, homework, testing)

Language Arts, Continued

• Language and Spelling are now 1 grade.• Categorized under “Language” on HAC and

report card.

• Spelling tests will be given on Wednesdays.• Students will get the new list on Wednesday

after the test.• Tests will include writing the words in a

sentence. (2 to start)

Math

• PA is transitioning to the PA Core Standards --> Shift in instructional focus

• Targeted Areas of Instruction: Numbers & OperationsMeasurementGeometryAlgebraic ConceptsData Analysis & Probability

• Think Central

• Expectations (math facts, homework, showing work on assignments/tests, Math Mania Packets)

Science• New series: Harcourt Fusion, textbook, ThinkCentral,

combination of kits and new series

• Units of study: scientific process, animal studies, space, electricity, weather, land & water

• PSSA

• Very academic—Science is a letter grade!

• Expectations:• Content—lots of nonfiction reading• Assessments—a lot of content• Homework—Will have homework many evenings• Projects—Following directions imperative

• Test/Quiz corrections—1/2 credit back for corrected answers, MUST BE RETURNED THE NEXT DAY, students must choose to do them—no teacher prompting to do/hand in

Social Studies

-Units of study:Map skills reviewGovernment States & Regions

-Expectations (homework, projects, assessments)

Thank you for attending! Together we will make it a successful and productive

year for your child!

Before you go, did you . . .

• sign in? • sign up for a conference time if needed?• sign up for “Remind 101” cell

notifications?• complete the parent quiz at your child’s

seat?• Get the materials from the file folder?

Thanks for coming!