September 6, 2008

Greetings to Room 20 Visitors:

   The following is our schedule for specials:    

Monday        10:20 - 11:00     Library

Tuesday       10:20 - 11:00     Music

Wednesday  10:20 - 11:00    P.E.  (appropriate gym shoes)

Thursday      10:20 -  11:00    Art

Friday            10:20 - 11:00    Chorus

Recess           11:05 - 11:35

Lunch              12:50 - 1:20      

If it is necessary to schedule medical and dental appointments during the school day, 10:20 - 11:35 and 12:50 - 1:20 would have the least academic impact on your child's school day.     

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          Please continue to check your child's planner each night and monitor his/her homework completion.  Students may finish an assignment and turn it in before they go home. However, you may request that your child takes all homework home so that you are able to check it before it is turned in. 

     Your child is expected to read an average of 30 minutes each evening from Monday through Friday.  More would be extra wonderful!  The goal for our class is 100 minutes each week.  Please monitor your child's reading.  Your child was told to record his/her minutes on a calendar in the planner.  Please sign the minutes once a month.  This will verify and validate the read-at-home activity of your child.

MATH

    We are working on unit 1 - geometry. 

    Please practice the multiplication facts with your child at home.  This is very important for success with the fourth grade math curriculum.  I am continuing to assign math boxes each day.  Math boxes reinforce the math skills your child learned from kindergarten through grade 3.  Nothing in a math box is new material.  Math boxes are homework assignments if your child does not finish them in school.  I am correcting math boxes in order to find areas of strength and weakness.

LANGUAGE ARTS:

     Most students are making great use of their silent reading time.  They are taking the opportunity to read "just right books".   It is very important that your child reads books that are "just right" for him/her (on the child's reading level).  It will not be helpful for your son/daughter to be reading books which are too difficult.  We are continuing to "turn and talk" in reading.  We are currently using the Reader's Workshop model.  Students are reading books at their instructional level and learning reading strategies which enhance their comprehension.  They will be asked to write responses in their Reader's Notebook later in the year.

     Your child must have a book for silent reading time each day.  I am checking each child's choice to make sure that your child has a "just right" book.  I am also checking your child's oral reading and working one on one with any difficulties that I come across.  The silent reading book could be the same book that they take home each night for reading at home.

              Students are working on grammar through our Daily Language Review practice each day.  Student will begin to have weekly spelling lists and tests.

        We are working on writing through our daily Writer's Workshop.  Students are learning strategies for coming up with ideas and generataing "seeds" for writing.

SCIENCE and SOCIAL STUDIES

        Please do not hesitiate to call me at any time with any of your questions or concerns.  My contact information is below this letter.                                                                                                  

                                                                                   Sincerely,

                                                                                    Mr. Cremé

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   You may contact me at any time during the school year with any of your questions or concerns.  You may reach me at school on our new telephone system by dialing 291 - 1280 ext. 1720.  I am available at school during the following times:

Monday - before 8:20; 10:25 - 11:30; after 3:40 

Tuesday - before 8:20; 10:25 - 11:30; after 3:40 

Wednesday - before 8:20; 10:25 - 11:00; after 3:40 

Thursday - before 8:20; 10:25 - 11:30; after 3:40 

Friday - before 8:20; after 3:40 

I check my school email frequently so you may send me an email at gcreme@swindsor.k12.ct.us.  You may also call me at home any week day evening between 6:30 and 8:30 at 742 - 8002.  You may also send me an email at this web site, but I may not receive this message as quickly as a telephone call. 

      Do not hesitate to ask your child what he/she did in school each day.  I encourage you to check your child's planner every day and ask to see your child's A.C.O. every Friday.  The A.C.O. certificate is evidence that your son/daughter completed all homework assignments on time for the entire week.  Test notes will be sent home after all unit tests and projects.  You should sign the test notes and return them to me by the following day.  These notes will keep you informed on how your child is doing in school.

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I truly enjoy working with your child each and every day. I care about each member of my class.  Please do not hesitate to call me if you ever have any questions or concerns. I believe that communication is very important, and I want to work together with you to make your child's fourth grade year at Pleasant Valley the very best!