The third grade is an important year because the children are becoming more mature and capable of doing much more on their own.  From kindergarten through grade 2, the children spent most of their time learning how to read. Now that they have reached the 3^rd grade they will be expected to begin reading more for themselves.

          We as teachers feel it is our responsibility to help your children develop good skills in school as well as help guide them in their moral development.  It is our goal to encourage the children to become more responsible for their own behavior. They will also be expected to be prepared for classes and complete assignments thoroughly and on schedule.  It is our goal to facilitate this process through our daily procedures. 

          We hope that this handbook will be helpful in creating a pleasant 3^rd grade experience. Our hope is that it can be used to clarify new routines and the expectations of the 3^rd grade. We look forward to a very rewarding year with you and your child.

Sincerely,

     Mrs. Schetter

    Miss Calabrese

    Mrs. Kramer

Our email addresses and phone extensions are listed below should you need to contact us.

 Mrs. Schetter    ext.  180     email: eschetter@gesu.com

Miss Calabrese  ext. 160     email: scalabrese@gesu.com

Mrs. Kramer     ext.  157     email: hkramer@gesu.com

Discipline

             The philosophy behind the 3^rd grade discipline policy is to help students recognize mistakes and learn from them, help them realize that occasional mistakes will happen, and always recognize and encourage good behavior.  We strive to help the students learn to take responsibility for their behavior.

          This year each homeroom has the same set of classroom rules.  By doing this we hope students will be more at ease and realize each teacher has similar expectations.  The rules are posted in each classroom as a visible reminder. 

The rules are as follows:

 *Show respect and be polite (Our Golden Rule)

1.     Listen to the person speaking

2.     Raise your hand

3.     Control your actions

4.     Stay quiet in the halls

5.     Respect all property

6.     Follow the dress code (as stated in the Gesu School handbook)

7.     Be prepared (this includes switches, Gym, Library, and homework)

The consequences are as follows:

1.     Any time a teacher feels a rule has been broken the student will be asked to sign the calendar.  This is a calendar each teacher has in the room where the student will sign his/her name in the box of the date when the mistake was made.

 2.     At the end of each month each teacher will total the number of signatures for each child.  

0-4 times = participation in the reward chosen for the month and a clean slate for next month.  

5-9 times = NO participation in that month’s reward, but a clean slate will start the next month. The child will be asked to write a note explaining why they missed the reward for the month and their goals for the next month. This must be signed by a parent and returned the next school day.

 10 or more times = 15 minute detention after school.  Advanced notice will be given to parents so arrangements for pick-up can be made.  A clean slate will begin the next month.

Accelerated Reader

          In the 3^rd grade the Accelerated Reader program is used as a tool for setting and achieving goals each month.  Beginning in September, students will be required to earn 3 points a month. An appropriate list for 3^rd grade book choices will be given to each child. This list offers a wide variety of levels so finding a book suited for your child should not be difficult.

          After the book is read it might be helpful for parents to discuss the story with their child. When the child is ready he/she should let the teacher know they are ready for a quiz and a time will be set up for the quiz to be taken. A print out of each quiz taken will be sent home in the Wednesday folder so you can monitor your child’s scores. Near the end of each month, if the 3 points have not yet been earned, a reminder notice will be sent home by the teacher.

          At the end of each quarter an update of your child’s progress will be sent home with the report card. There will be an overall average on this report. This average is a good way to monitor the level of books being read by your child. If the average is low, we may need to adjust some of the choices your child is making in his/her book selections. High averages may mean we need to encourage more challenging choices.

          Accelerated Reader will affect a student’s grade so please assist your child in selecting a book he/she can be successful with. Setting aside a time for family or individual reading is a great way to encourage reading at home.

***Remember books that were read last year for Accelerated Reader cannot be read for points this year. Also just because a student saw the movie of a story does not mean they are ready for a quiz on that book!

The Switch Bag

          One of the most important routines to become familiar with is packing the switch bag.  Below is the list of supplies students need to have in their switch bag.

 1.      Pencil case (sharpened pencils, crayons, markers, scissors)

2.      8 pocket folder

3.      Red folder and notebook for Reading

4.      Yellow homework folder

5.      Green notebook for Science/Health

6.      Yellow notebook for English

7.      Purple notebook for Social Studies

8.      Agenda

9.      Any textbooks used in classes for switches

10. Silent reading book

11. Tablet Paper

This list will be posted in each classroom so students may become familiar with what they will need.

 A few suggestions that might help students get organized are listed below:  

1.     Arrive on time in the morning. This will help students feel more relaxed and allow them enough time to unpack his/her book bags and get together what they need in their switch bag.

2.     Make a copy of the list for your child to tape inside his/her desk.

3.     Encourage good habits at home by packing bags the night before. This will help students understand the importance of being sure they have what they need in their switch bag at school.

Homework

          Your child will have homework Monday through Thursday with occasional weekends depending on projects assigned.  There will be nightly Spelling, Math, and Reading assignments with additional subjects added as needed. Some night’s homework may take longer than others, but we cannot say exactly how long it should take, as each child works at his/her own pace. Homework assignments will be reviewed and written down daily in the classroom before students go home. Your child will need to copy the assignments into their personal agenda and gather the supplies from his/her desk needed to complete that night’s homework.         

Some helpful suggestions for a successful night of homework are listed below:  

1.     Remind and encourage students to be sure they write down all assignments in the agenda and use the agenda as a guide to gather the correct supplies for that evening’s homework.

2.     Sit down with your child and go over the assignments before they begin.

3.     Gather all necessary supplies (pencils, tablet paper, etc.) ahead of time so they do not have to keep getting up.

4.     Turn off the TV and computer and set aside a homework time and area free of distractions.

5.     Assist your child with his/her homework, but don’t do it for them.  Homework is not a punishment, rather a way to reinforce what was done in class.

6.     Sign your child’s agenda nightly after you see that the assignments are complete and done neatly.

7.     Encourage your child to put all assignments and supplies back in his/her bag right away so they are ready for school the next day.

8.     Reading for AR and practicing math flashcards every night are strongly encouraged!

Grade Scale

          This year students will begin to receive letter grades in the following subjects: Math, Reading, and Spelling.  All remaining subjects will still be graded using an O, S, or U.  The scales used are those standard for Gesu School and are as follows:

                   A+              (100-98)

                   A                (97-95)

A-                                      (94-93)

B+              (92-90)

B                 (89-87)

B-                                       (86-85)

C+              (84-82)

C                 (81-79)

C-                                       (78-77)

D+              (76-75)

D                (74-72)

D-                                      (71-70)

F                 (69 and below)

O                (100-93)

S+               (92-87)

S                 (86-79)

S-                                        (78-70)

U                (69 and below)

Important Dates

Writing Assessment                             Beginning of October

Century Village                                     October 23rd

Colonial Day                                          November 21st

Christmas Pageant                                December 14th

NASA                                                     TBA

IOWA/CogAT Testing                       Beginning of March

Sensational Poetry Celebration           March 19th

Theater Field Trip                                  TBA