Welcome Back to School

2015-2016Ms. Stowe

A-1

About Me

★ Have taught 2nd, 3rd, and a 2/3 combo

★ Enjoy teaching, watching movies, reading, and playing with my new puppy

★ Bachelor of Arts in and Teaching Credential from Sonoma State

★ 10th Year teaching at Valle Vista

A1 Class Times★ 8:10 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. Monday, Tuesday,

Thursday, Friday★ 8:10 a.m. to 1:25 p.m. Wednesday★ Please be prompt for arrival and dismissal★ Please wait on the North Blacktop (tetherballs) where there is yard duty supervision until the bell rings, then walk to class.

Our Daily ScheduleTime Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

8:10-8:45 Morning Work Morning Work Morning Work Morning Work Morning Work

8:45-10:05 ELA & Daily 5 ELA & Daily 5 ELA & Daily 5 ELA & Daily 5 ELA & Daily 5

10:05-10:25 Recess Recess Recess Recess Recess

10:25-11:05 ELD/Music ELD ELD ELD Leveled Math

11:05-12:00 Math/ LIbrary 11:30

Math Math Math Math

12:00-12:40 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch

12:40-1:10 Science/Soc. Studies

Science/Soc. Studies

Science/Soc. Studies

Science/Soc.Studies

Science/Soc. Studies

1:15-2:15 Art Music/Drama 1:25 Dismissal P.E. Study Hall/Friday Incentive

CurriculumFor more details, see:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/

Language Arts Math .California Treasures MacMillan-McGraw HillGuided Reading/Daily 5 Sokikom, Writer’s Workshop Manipulatives

Subject/Grade Second ThirdScience plant and animal lifecycles, earth

science (materials, past, resources), physical science (motion, force)

animal habitats and needs, space, properties of matter

Social Studies families long ago, maps, how the government works, needs and wants, and people who’ve made our world a better place

geography, communities, native americans, economy, and government

iPad Lab•We have an iPad lab for our class this year.

• Students must have an Acceptable Use Agreement returned.

•We will be integrating this technology into our daily class routine and learning.

• iPads may not be taken home and will not be used for “play”.

• They wiil be used for class, group,

and individual projects, lessons, and

practice.

Reward & Incentive Participation Eligibility

• This year, your child will have many opportunities to celebrate success and be proud of positive choices made in our classroom. Some of these opportunities include class point parties, AR reward time, and our grade-level barbecue. In order for your child to participate in these exciting events, he/she must be up-to-date on homework, class work, and AR. If your child is not current, he/she will spend the reward time catching up.

Homework★Weekly Cover Sheet★STAR Spelling★Math Worksheets★Reading ★Due Daily/Recorded on

Fridays

Homework• If a student returns a homework assignment that is

incomplete or has not shown his/her work the homework will be returned saying "Complete & Return," or “WIK/WINK.” He/she may return it the following day completed in order to receive one point. 

• If the assignment is not returned the following day, no points are received for that assignment, but it should still be turned-in.   

• Homework does not count toward subject areas grades, but is reported in the area of "Life

Long Learning Skills." 

Homework**Homework is very important. It provides the opportunity for your child to form good work habits, and it’s a good follow-up for everything we do in class. Please have appropriate materials at home for your child to do his/her homework. Things like pencils, erasers, crayons, scissors, and glue would be helpful. Allow your child to do his/her own work, give assistance when needed, and check your child’s work before it is returned.

Accelerated Reader

★ STAR Reading Assessment and ZPD★ A.R. Tests; www.arbookfinder.com ★ To check your child’s progress:

https://hosted322.renlearn.com/284206/homeconnect/ Username and password to come soon.

** Lots of reading practice will improve your child’s reading more than any other activity.

Family ProjectsIn addition to daily homework, students will also be assigned at least one project per trimester to do at home. A few of our family projects may include:

● All About Me Paper Bag Report● Biography Book and Oral Report● Young Author’s Fair Book● STAR Student Poster

Remember Everyday

★ Check completed homework daily.★ Monitor student reading each night.

★ Help students keep their backpacks clean.★ Ask about learnings and behavior

★ Finished Home Reading

books may be exchanged daily.

ConductPositive individual, group, and whole class

behavior will be reinforced and rewarded

in a variety of ways.

We hope that positive reinforcement of good behavior will encourage and remind your child to contribute his/her part to the

maintenance of peace and order in our classroom and on the playground.

ConductRules

Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be SafeClothespin SystemEach student has a clothespin with his/her number on it.  All students begin the day with their clothespins on 0.  When students arrive to school on time and prepared, they move their clips up to 1. Throughout the day, they have opportunities to move the clothespins up (to 1, 2, or 3) and/or down (to -1, -2, or -3) depending upon their adherence to the class rules.  At the end of the day, students record their point totals in their planners.

Moving Up & DownSpecific actions that will be rewarded by moving a clothespin up and actions requiring the consequence of moving a clothespin down will be decided upon by the students on the first day of school and will be revised periodically throughout the school year

• Bucket FillingIn addition to the clothespin system, we hold class meetings as needed to resolve conflicts and to share Bucket Filling cards. If students have a compliment to pay a fellow classmate, he/she may fill out a Bucket Filling card and put it in the corresponding student’s bucket.  We read Bucket Filling cards just before dismissal

at the end of the day. 

Grading Policy 4 or O = Above Standard/Outstanding 90%-

100%

3 or S = Meeting Standard/Satisfactory 75%-89%

2 or N = Approaching Standard/ Needs Improvement 60%-74%

1 or U = Below Standard/Unsatisfactory 0%-59%

Report Cards & Progress Reports

● Students will be graded on various assessments given in class. These include comprehension tests, spelling tests, writing assignments, math tests, oral reports, science and social studies tests, and classwork.

● Report Cards go home 3 times per year● Fall Conferences will be in November

Uniforms★ Navy blue pants,

skirts, skorts, shorts, jumpers

★ White or hunter green polo shirts

★ Hunter green sweatshirts

★ Spirit shirts on Fridays (optional)

★ Please write your child’s name on sweaters, jackets, lunch pails, and backpacks.

Snacks & Water● Snacks can be eaten during the 20-minute

morning recess. ● Children may bring their own healthy

snack from home. ● Please no nachos, Doritos or Cheetos.● Students may bring water bottles to drink in class. It must contain water.

Birthdays & HolidaysWe know that everyone loves celebrating birthdays with treats. However, there are many students with food allergies these days. The third grade teachers have discussed this situation, and have tried to come up a solution to this. We are asking that instead of bringing in food, that you consider one of the following. * Donate a book or learning game to the class * Donate a book to the school library * Bring a goody bag of school supplies or small prize-type toys for each student * Bring a birthday or decorative pencil for each student * Donate school supplies for the class to use Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

VolunteersParent volunteers are always welcome, encouraged, and needed! We can use help

working with students, collating and stapling, leveling books,

etc.

PTA★ Please remember to join or renew your PTA

membership!★ Your dues go toward school-sponsored

events, such as: pumpkin patch, field days, movie nights, craft/game nights, school-wide assemblies,

etc.

Misc.★ Toys - Please make sure your child leaves toys at home.

Even “fun” erasers/school supplies are very distracting.★ Doctor’s appointments – Please try to schedule these

after school or at the end of the day if possible.★ Vacations - Because of our hands-on curriculum and

classroom discussions, work can really not be made up efficiently. If at all possible, it is best to plan vacations when we are out of school.

Thank You!Thank you for coming to Back to School Night! Your interest, praise, and encouragement are sure to lead to your child’s success in school.

Please contact me at kstowe@mpesd.org if you have any further questions.

Let’s have a great year!

Parent Information and Technology

• School Website: http://vv.mpesd.org

• Ms. Stowe’s Website: http://vv.mpesd.org/staff_directory/KelliStowe• ARbook Finder http://www.arbookfind.com

• Ren Place Home Connect - More information to come

• Math Website: http://www.mhschool.com/math/2009/ca/student/grade3

• Reading Website http://treasures.macmillanmh.com/california/students

• Science Website http://activities.macmillanmh.com/science/ca

• Social Studies http://www.macmillanmh.com/ss/ca/eng/g3/u1/g3u1_unit.html

• SumDog Website: http://www.sumdog.com/

• Sokikom: https://www.sokikom.com/

• Grades - More info to come