I am excited about this school year and look forward to working with your child in fourth grade. Please take time to read the following information concerning both our school and classroom procedures at Carver.

 Our School Day

The school building opens to students at 8:45 (with the exception of Before Care). Students arriving during this time between 8:45-9:15 prepare for their day and work on practice & enrichment activities. If possible, it would benefit your child to arrive in the classroom by 9:00. Students who come in, unpack, and turn in their homework before the bell rings seem to get their day off to a better start.

School dismisses at 3:45 and it is important that you child attend school the entire day. To ensure the safety of your child, the school must be notified in writing or by phone if there is any change in the way he/she normally goes home from school. If the school does not receive a note or phone call, your child will be sent home his/her usual way. Please inform us of any changes as soon as possible to avoid any confusion.

Class Newsletter

A class newsletter will be issued monthly beginning the second week of school. Please read each newsletter carefully, as they will include important information about the classroom & school.

Monday Folders

Folders containing graded work and important information will be sent home every Monday. Please look through your child's work, sign/initial the sheet stapled inside the folder, and return the folder as soon as possible.

Snack

If you choose to do so, please send a HEALTHY sncak (fruit, veggies, crackers, juice, etc.) to school with your child. It is preferred that students do not bring candy or soda for snack.

Birthdays

If you would like to send in a special snack for your child's birthday, please notify me in advance. Food should be purchased from the store and not homemade. If cupcakes, cake, brownies, etc. are provided a healthy alternative (carrot sticks, grapes, apple slices, etc. need to be provided as well.

Breakfast & Lunch Prices

Breakfast Price: $1.00 (per day)    Lunch Price: $2.00 (per day)

Medications

If your child is taking a prescribed medication, a form must be completed by the doctor and filed in the front office. Over-the-counter medications, including cough drops, must be taken at home.

Visitors

I openly welcome visitors into our classroom! However, as a safety measure within our school, all visitors must check in with the office and obtain a visitors pass before entering the classroom. This policy also exists when coming to eat lunch with your child and conferences. Please understand that this policy is not in effect to inconvenience you, but to help ensure the safety of the students and staff at Carver.

Conferences

I am pleased to announce that this year I will be doing student-led conferences. Student-led conferences empower students to direct and report on his/her progress at school. During the conference process students will report on their academic progress, assessment data, and share examples of their work.

The student-led conference process is much different from the traditional parent teacher conference in which the teacher does most of the talking and the parent does the listening. My role in the student-led conference are as coach, mentor, and advocate. Often several conferences will be taking place at one time within the classroom. I will circulate and be present for specific questions on issues that the students may not be able to answer.

Traditional parent teacher conferences can also be scheduled at any time to discuss any questions or concerns when needed. I will not be available to stop teaching and conference with you if you just stop by.

Homework

Typically, students will be assigned homework in both math and reading nightly. This homework will be specific to objectives being taught in class. This will not be work that has not already been covered in class.

Homework should only take 40 minutes per night. If it is taking longer than 40 mintues, please contact me so we can discuss what we need to do to modify this situation.

On PTA nights and special school nights, your child will not be assigned homework.

Texbooks & Library Books

Students are required to keep up with all assigned textbooks, library books, and calculators. In the event your child loses or damages a textbook, library book, or calculator, you will be required to pay to replace it.

Cell Phones

I understand that many parents prefer their child have a cell phone at school for emergency purposes. If you are on of these parents, please know that the cell phone must be turned off and in your child's book bag during school hours. If the cell phone is on, in their pocket, or being used during school hours it will be taken.

 EOG

The Fourth Grade End-of-Grade Test (EOG) is a multiple-choice test designed to measure the knowledge and skills of the reading and math goals & objectives taught in 4th grade.

Students are required to score a level 3 or 4 on the EOG to be considered for promotion.

Reading Project Achieve

WCPSS provides grades 3-5 with what are called Reading Focus Lessons. These lessons are to ensure all NC Reading Standard Course of Study Goals & Objectives are being taught. A 15-20 minute Reading Focus Lesson will be taught everyday. After several Reading Focus Lesson units are complete, the students will take a Blue Diamond Assessment to assess their knowledge of what was taught. I will use this information to determine which students need continued support and/or enrichment.

Discipline Policy

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is our school wide discipline system. Expectations have been developed and posted throughout the school. Students will be taught these expectations throughout the first six weeks of school and will be held accountable for them throughout the entire school year.

Major and minor descipline infractions have also been established. Minor infractions will be written up for documentation; however they will not be referred to administration. If a student receives three of the same minor referrals within one quarter a major referral will be written and administration will intervene. If a major referral is written, the student will go directly to administration.

You will be notified any time a minor or major referral is written.

Car Riders

There will only be ONE carpool lane! Cars, vans, trucks, and SUV's will be in the same lane next to the curb. You will be provided a tag, with your child's name, to be placed on the rear view mirror of your vehicle. Staff members will be recording names and calling the multi-purpose room via Walkie-Talkie to request your child. Your child will the be escorted out to load. For the safety of all students, wait for the vehicle in front of you to pull away! DO NOT go around!

Important Dates for 2011-2012

July 25 ~ First Day for Students
August 19 ~ Early Release
September 5 ~ Labor Day - No School
September 16 ~ Early Release
September 26-October 7 ~ Fall Break
October 21 ~ Early Release
November 11 ~ Veterans Day - No School
November 23-25 ~ Thanksgiving - No School
Decmeber 19-January 2 ~ Winter Break
January 13 ~ Early Release
January 16 ~ MLK, Jr. Day - No School
February 17 ~ Early Release
February 20 ~ Presidents' Day - No School
March 12-23 ~ Spring Break
April 6-9 ~ Easter - No School
April 20 ~ Early Release
May 25 ~ Last Day of School

Supply List for 2011-2012

Backpack
1 - 2inch Binder w/ CLEAR front cover
1 - 1inch Binder w/ CLEAR front cover
2 - 1 Subject Spiral Notebooks
2 Packs - Wide Ruled Notebook Paper
2 - 2 Pocket Folders without Designs
1 Pack - Clear Page Protectors (25 pack)
1 Pack - Large Expo Dry Erase Markers
1 Pack - Small Expo Dry Erase Markers
1 Pack - Highlighters
2 Packs - Regular #2 Pencils (NO MECHANICAL)
1 - Plastic Pencil Box (NO PENCIL BAGS)
2 Boxes - Kleenex (anti-bacterial)

Additional Supplies (optional)