We do not have birthday parties at school for students. Students may bring a "quick and easy" treat to share with the class. The treats can be brought to the classroom before the late bell, or left at the office. Treats will be shared with the class during our planner/clean-up time at 3:15.

Please keep in mind the following when sending in treats:

• No peanut products!
• Treats must be purchased from the store, nothing homemade.
• Napkins are very helpful!
• Send along the appropriate eating utensils, as well as plates (if they are needed).

Be sure to read the R.A.D. (Responsible And Dependable) Kids Q & A.

Over the course of my teaching career, I have implemented a variety of discipline plans. After much frustration, experimenting, and reading, I feel that I have finally come upon my “Discipline Plan.”

This plan revolves around The Love and Logic Process, the Pyramid of Success, and SOAR2.

What is Love & Logic?

• Shared control: Gain control by giving away the control you don’t need.
• Shared thinking and decision-making: Provide opportunities for the child to do the greatest amount of thinking and decision-making.
• Equal shares of empathy with consequences: An absence of anger causes a child to think and learn from his/her mistakes.
• Maintain the child’s self-concept: Increased self-concept leads to improved behavior and improved achievement.

The Rules of Love & Logic
Rule #1: Adults take care of themselves by providing limits in a loving way.

• Adults avoid anger, threats, warnings or lectures.
• Adults use enforceable statements.
• Children are offered choices within limits.
• Limits are maintained with compassion, understanding or empathy.

Rule #2: Childhood misbehavior is treated as an opportunity for gaining wisdom.

• In a loving way, the adult holds the child accountable for solving his/her problems in a way that does not make a problem for others.
• Children are offered choices with limits.
• Adults use enforceable statements. · Adults provide delayed/extended consequences.
• The adult’s empathy is “locked in” before consequences are delivered.

If interested, I can provide you several articles that deal more specifically with the various aspects of Love & Logic.

The “Pyramid of Success”

This year we will be focusing on the various blocks of the “Pyramid of Success.” These blocks include the following values and ideas: hard work, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, enthusiasm, self-control, alertness, action, determination, fitness, skill, team spirit, poise, and confidence. By learning about and practicing these values and ideas, students will reach their personal best and ultimately, success.

The “Pyramid of Success” comes from the book Inch and Miles The Journey to Success by Coach John Wooden. These 14 values and ideas focusing on character will be the main focus of our class meetings.

The basis of our grading and Progress Reports are the Douglas County Standards. I will be reporting out on these standards at the end of each trimester (12-week period). This same type of reporting method will be used on regular classroom assignments and projects. The method is as follows:

On the majority of assignments you will a 4, 3, 2, or 1. It will usually be written towards in the upper portion of the paper.
On some assignments, like homework, you may see the following marks:
+ = Work demonstrates the student understands the concept assessed.
v = Work demonstrates the student partially understands the concept assessed.
- = Work demonstrates the student does not understands the concept assessed.

The assessment you find on your student’s paper will look something like this: Stnd: 3.3
If this were written on the top of a writing assignment, it would mean the following:
Standard 3: The student writes to communicate for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Checkpoint 3: (Conventions) Produces a legible product using conventions for writing such as punctuation, capitalization, standard spelling, and grammar.

Realize that some assignments are not graded because they are introductory work, practice work, or work done as a class. If a paper comes home with OK or ?, it was not a graded assignment.

When completing assignments, students are asked to refer to their contract.

As stated in the Parent Handbook, 4th grade students may have up to 50 minutes of homework nightly. Sometimes the homework will take longer, and sometimes it will take less time. Homework should be done in a quiet and distraction-free environment. It would be beneficial for students to have some type of a homework routine and a regular study place. This combination will help students get the most out of their work time.

NIGHTLY
Studentsare expected to complete the Everyday Math Study Link assignment.

Students are expected to complete their nightly Word Study activities. These activities will vary based on what day they get their words and take their test. (You can find a nightly schedule for your child in their Word Study Notebook.)

Students are to read 15-20 minutes and complete that night's comprehension assignment.

They may also be asked to occasionally write in their Writer’s Notebook.

In-class work that is not completed at school should be taken home for homework. (The incomplete work is not figured into the 50 minutes.)

If your student has difficulty with an assignment, please write me a short note at the top of the paper. This will alert me that I need to spend some one-on-one time with them.

Homework Planners: Students will complete their planners on a daily basis. Their planners will include what homework they have for the night, as well as what activities occurred that day in class. Students are expected to have their planners at school everyday.

Late Work: All homework assignments must be in the Finished Work basket by 9:15 on the morning they are due. Work handed in after our morning check-in will be considered late. Placed on a poster in our room, each student will have a pocket of “Late Homework Slips.” There are four slips contained within this pocket. If a student has a late assignment, they must complete the slip, get a parent’s signature, attach the slip to the completed late work and hand it in the following day. Four late assignments within a six-week period results in a parent/teacher conference. At the end of each six-week period, student’s pockets will be replenished with new late slips. (This will give them four new opportunities.)

Weekly Study Hall: The Intermediate grades do not have a daily second recess. Instead, students earn either a 30-minute recess or study hall on Friday. Students who have more than one late homework assignment during a week will not be able to participate in the Friday recess. If a student has any incomplete work (in-class or homework) still out by Friday afternoon, they will also be attending the study hall.

Missed Work: If a student is absent from school, it is his/her responsibility to meet with me and go over all the missed assignments.

If your student will be leaving during day, or is going to be picked up early, please send a note, email, or leave a voice mail.

This will ensure that he/she has all of the appropriate assignments and materials prior to leaving. (Completing our planner and reviewing homework is the last thing on our schedule for the day.)

R.A.D. is part of the behavior management system used in our classroom. This program helps students become accountable for their behavior, be responsible, and be dependable. Here are the details of what it looks like in the classroom.

At the end of each week, students who have successfully done the following are R.A.D. Kids:

• Consistently followed the "SOAR2 Matrix" & "Pyramid of Success."
• Turned in all homework assignments on time.
• Turned in all papers needing a parent signature.
• Kept their desk neat and organized.

Students who are R.A.D. Kids five out of six weeks will have a special dessert at lunchtime with Mrs. Jensen.

Yes. Students may bring a healthy finger food for snack. The snacks should already be prepared and take about 5-10 minutes to eat. We will be continuing our work while eating snack. (The snack should be enough food for one person.)

• Due to possible food allergies, students are not allowed to share snacks.
• To help maintain a clean classroom environment, students are encouraged not to store snacks in or on their desk.
• REMINDER: Please DO NOT bring any type of peanut product to school for lunch or snack.
• For a list of possible healthy snack ideas, you can find a list in "Documents" section of the web site.

YES! I love to have classroom volunteers. I believe it's valuable for students to see the parents in the classroom.

There are a number of volunteer opportunities in our classroom.

Clerical

• Thursday Folder Mom/Dad: Comes in every Thursday PM to file papers & stuff Thursday Folders.
• Make classroom materials. (Can be done at home.)
• Assist with bulletin boards and display student work in the halls.

Classroom Assistance

• Room Parent Coordinator: Call and organize parents for special events and class parties.
• Room Parents: Help with parties, activities, and celebrations.
• Phone Tree Coordinator: Organize and type the class phone tree.
• Work with individuals or small groups. (weekly or monthly)
  I would love to have volunteers who are able to consistently come in on a weekly basis to meet with individuals, small groups, or just be an extra pair of hands in the classroom.
  
  Areas where volunteers are needed: math, reading, writing, word study (spelling), tech lab, research, and science/social studies.

You can download the VIP (Very Important Parent) volunteer form from the "General Classroom" section of the Documents page.