Mrs. Sears

 SPECIAL NOTES & PROCEDURES

 1.  Estimation is an important skill the children will be learning this year.  In our classroom, we will have an estimation jar that will be filled with small objects so that the children may practice this skill. Every other week a different student will have the opportunity to fill the jar.  The student will be given the empty container on Friday and return it on the following Monday.  Be sure it is filled to the top. Some ideas are popcorn,pennies, cereal, buttons, cotton balls, golf tees, dry beans, etc.

Please, no very small items, such as rice.

2. Birthday treats are distributed after lunch in the afternoon.  Please have treats here by 11:30.  Please do not send in cakes as they take too long to distribute.  Good choices are cupcakes, brownies, cookies, ice cream treats or bags of assorted candy.

3.  If your child forgets his/her lunch, please drop it off in the office before 11:30.   

4.  If your child is ill, he/she will receive make-up work upon returning to school and is responsible for completing it as soon as possible.   I will also be happy to send absent work home for your child if he/she is absent more than 1 day in a row. 

5.  Every third grader at McDowell will have a weekly assignment sheet inside yellow folder.  He/she will use this every night.  Please check this sheet every night and have your child show you completed homework.  Also, all office notes and notes from me will be in one side of your child's folder.  Ask your child daily if he/she has any notes for you.  Your child will copy homework assignments from our document camera each afternoon.  Please encourage him/her to copy each day's assignment exactly so you can easily read it. 

6.  Each Friday, your child will bring home weekly papers in a brown envelope.  Please spend time praising your child for work that is well done and offering encouragement and help in other areas as needed  Then sign the sheet on the front of the envelope and return it to school by the following Tuesday.   

7.  Your child will have a portfolio here at school to hold special papers.  I will place some of your child's work inside as we complete it.  If your child would like to bring a special paper back to school to include in portfolio, please have him/her do so.  I will show all the children how this works soon.  At the end of the school year we will make a special folder for our special work.  The children will love seeing their work at the end of the year.  This is always a fun activity.

8.  All students are responsible for the completion of all class work and homework.  If this becomes a problem I will send home a late homework sheet.  Students will need to complete the missing work, have you sign the sheet, and return it to me the next day.  Please do not sign the sheet unless you see the completed work.  Repeated reminder sheets will result in a parent teacher conference to develop an alternate plan for your child. 

9.  If you need to pick your child up early, please go to the office.  Our secretary will call your child to the office and you can then sign him/her out for the remainder of the day.  You may also call the secretary if you want to leave a message for your child.  She will gladly get this to me so I can pass it on to him/her.  You may also e mail me at school. 

10.  Once this year your child will be chosen to create the "Marvelous Me" bulletin board.  He/she will receive a poster, a nametag, and a "favorite things" sheet to complete at home.  Your child may also bring in family photos for the board and favorite things for the table.

 11.  Math flashcards- we are now reviewing the subtraction basic facts.  Please be sure your child cuts out the cards and practices them.  He/she should keep all cards he/she can do in 3 seconds in a zip lock bag that says "KNOW".  All the ones he/she does not know within 3 seconds should be kept in another bag that says "DON'T KNOW".  Be sure your child practices the "DON'T KNOW" facts every night.  Each Friday he/she will bring home a new set of facts till we reach the nines.  Then we will move on to multiplication.

Each Friday, a VIP will give your child an oral check on the math facts we are working on that week. 

Thank you.