Attendance: Much of our learning will take place together in class. We do lots of hands-on activities and group work. Attendance is vital to ensure that learning is happening! Please plan to attend school every day, on time, except in cases of illness or emergency! If your child will be absent, please call Gorrie at 813-276-5673.
Arrival: School begins at 8am. Students can start arriving at 7:30am. I prefer that arrival take place no later than 7:50 am, as it takes most students 5-10 minutes to get organized for the day.
Birthdays: If you would like to send in a treat with your child on or near his/her birthday, please feel free to do so. These treats will be eaten during snack time. Please send in all necessary supplies for the treat! Please do not send birthday party invitations to be distributed at school unless all children in our class receive an invitation.
Book Orders: Just about once a month, a book order will come home from Scholastic. This is a great way to purchase books inexpensively, while helping our class earn points towards other classroom items! These items can purchased online. Look for more information accompanying the first Scholastic order.
Celebrity Readers: Would you like to read to our class? Then sign up to be a Celebrity Reader. I will send home available dates-you pick the date(s) that work best for you.
Communication: Please feel free to contact us by email (danielle.campbell@sdhc.k12.fl.us or laurena.thompson@sdhc.k12.fl.us) or call me us at school with questions or concerns at any time. You can also send notes in your child's STAR folder.
Dismissal: Bus riders are dismissed at 2:10pm , while car riders/walkers are dismissed at 2:15pm. If there are any changes in home transportation, a note from home is required. Per our school policy, e-mails and faxes are no longer acceptable to change a student's transportation method.
Early Release Days will take place on: 9/15, 9/29, 10/13, 10/27, 11/10, 12/8, 1/12, 1/26, 2/9, 2/23, 3/9, 5/11. 5/25. *These dates are subject to change* Students will eat lunch at school and are dismissed at 12:15pm.
Emergency Cards should be on file in the office. If your address, or any of your phone numbers change, please inform the office (and us!).
E-mail is my preferred method of communication because of the quick turn-around time. If you have an e-mail address that you check regularly, please provide it to me to maximize our communication.
FCAT: The FCAT is a statewide test your child will be taking in April. It assesses reading comprehension and math concepts.
Field Trips: Our class will be participating in field trips this year. If you would like to chaperone one of these trips, please let me know. Permission slips must be returned for your child to attend.
Grading: Students will be assessed using letter grades this year (A, B, C, N, U) based on their performance in math, reading, writing, science and social studies, as well as the special areas (music, art and PE).
Homework: Weekly homework will consist of 20 minutes of word study and 20 minutes of math facts practice. Students may complete this homework on-line of the old fashioned way. Twenty minutes of nightly reading is also required. Students must complete their Weekly Homework Log, and parents are asked to sign the log to indicate that homework was completed. The Weekly Homework Log is due every Friday and is kept in your child's STAR folder.
Important Information: If you have any important papers that need to come to school, please send them in your child's STAR folder, as I will be checking it daily.
Incentives: We all know that the offer of incentives can be a fun way to help motivate students to succeed. Ask your child about our Classroom Bank and Store, Behavior Bingo, and Snazzy Snacks.
Journals (or composition books) are used in every subject area. They may be taken home as needed for the purposes of studying or sharing, however, they should be brought back to school as they are used frequently.
Keep informed by checking the STAR folder for daily notes, graded work and newsletters. Also, please check out my blog. I plan to update it regularly to share events and photos.
Lunch takes place from 12:20-12:50. Please send in lunch money in the pouch inside your child's STAR folder, or use the on-line system for depositing money into your child's account. You are more than welcome to join your child and their friends for lunch in the cafeteria.
Money: When sending money to school, please put it in an envelope or bag inside the pouch in your child's STAR folder. I will check these daily.
Newsletters will be sent home every Monday in the STAR folder to inform you of our focus for the week. Important information is always included, so please read carefully. In addition, our school-wide newsletter (Gorrie Gazette) is now sent via email every Wednesday. Please inform the office if you would like to "go green" and receive the Gazette by email.
Open House will take place on September 16th. Please plan to attend this important event!
PE: Wear sneakers on Mondays and Thursdays, which are the days our class is scheduled to have PE. Teacher-directed PE will take place on the days we do not have PE with Coach Gonzalez, so wearing sneakers each day is advisable.
Quick and Quiet Hellos: As you volunteer in our classroom, I will urge your child to acknowledge you with a "quick and quiet" wave hello. It is important for them to greet you, but remain involved in class activities.
Report Cards will be sent home on the following dates: November 15, 2010, January 31, 2011, April 4, 2011, & June 10, 2011.
Snack Time: Kids need snacks! Each day students will get a few minutes to enjoy a quick and healthy snack in class. When healthy snack choices are made, they provide the nutrients and calories kids need for growth, good health and energy to get through the day. Please pack your child a healthy snack to enjoy on a daily basis.
Snazzy Snacks is a monthly enrichment activity that involves cursive practice, recipe creation, and a tasty treat! You can sign up at Open House to provide ingredients for these snacks!
Supplies: A supply list was mailed to you during the summer to indicate the items your child needs in class. Please make sure your child is prepared for school every day with those essential items.
Tardies: If your child arrives at school after the 8am bell rings, a parent/guardian is required to walk him/her to the office to sign in. This is for the safety of your child.
Unique: Each student in my classroom is unique. I will do my best to differentiate my instruction to ensure all children get what they need to be successful in third grade!
Volunteers and Visitors: There are many opportunities for you to be involved in our classroom this year! Look for information on how you can help! When you arrive at school to volunteer or visit, please register in the office and pick up a badge. This policy is for the safety of your children.
Wish List: Mrs. Campbell/Mrs. Thompson are always in need of supplies for the classroom! Here are some suggested items: post it notes, colored copy paper, portable CD players with headphones for listening centers, used games or puzzles for indoor recess, classroom store items, Lakeshore gift card to purchase classroom items.
XYZ: We are eXcited to work with You and Your child this year! Make sure he/she gets plenty of Zzzzz's each night as we have exciting days planned for the year!
