Mr. Sherlock's Class Info
Welcome to 4th grade
Open House Newsletter
Welcome to the start of another school year. I am excited for the year to start and here is an outline of the class rules and expectations. You and your child need to go over this together so we are all on the same team when it comes to expectations.
Daily Folder:
Daily practice pages and all correspondence from school will be sent home in the rocket folder. This will be the Ockerman folder. The folder travels from school to home every day. One side of the folder will be stays home, and this will be anything you can keep or any papers that have been graded. The other side will be the return to school side. This side will be any papers that need to be returned to school, homework, or unfinished class work. Please make sure you check this folder every day.
Assignment Book:
Your child will write their daily assignments in the assignment book. You are to sign this assignment book (planner) every night showing you have checked over the book and the child has done their homework. If they have not completed their homework then please do not sign the planner. You signing tells me the child has completed their work. This is also a great spot for you to write any messages you need me to see.
Homework:
The students will have homework daily and the homework will be written in the assignment book each day. Homework is a student’s responsibility and they are responsible for getting it home, finished and returned to school. Homework is collected first thing in the morning, and it being brought up to school later or the next day is considered late. Please check over your child’s work nightly and offer help if they are confused. Students who turn in homework for 25 days will receive a “Free Homework Pass” which they can use at their convenience.
Grades:
The students will start receiving grades this year. The students will also be able to make the Honor Roll. The Honor Roll is for students who have A and B grades on their report card. I have listed the grade scale below
A- 94-100%
B- 87-93%
C- 78-86%
D- 70-77%
F 69% and below
Work to be graded:
Below will be the assignments for each subject area.
Language Arts
Book Clubs, Reading Logs (both in class and homework), class work, spelling packets, grammar worksheets, and writing pieces.
Math
Timed addition, subtraction, multiplication and division tests, 3 minute multiplication tests every week after Christmas, unit tests, math minutes, worksheets, daily math boxes, HW and participation.
Science
Worksheets, science packets, unit tests, flashbacks, participation and vocabulary definitions.
Social Studies
Class work, comprehension pages, and KY work.
Discipline:
In my class we have the “Great Behavior Chart”. This chart is full of smiley faces, and each child starts with five every day. Students who have discipline infractions will lose smiley faces based on the severity of the infraction. Most infractions are only the loss of one smiley face. Homework and planner are generally the main reason for lost points. At the end of the month if the student has kept 80% of their smiley faces for the month they get to attend the behavior party. If the student has kept all their smiley faces for the month they get to have lunch with the teacher. I provide the student a snack, a drink and we play games during lunch time as we eat lunch in the classroom. These rewards are for exemplary behavior, and the students earn these with their great behavior.
The loss of one point is a warning, 2 points is five minutes off recess, 3 points is ten minutes off recess, and 4 or more is loss of recess entirely. The loss of all 5 points will result in a detention.
I always tell the students what I expect of them, and as a class we post the expectations in the class room. Each day is a fresh new start and the slate is wiped clean and the past is the past.
Please be aware that for every point a child has lost, several warnings have probably been given. The children always have a chance to earn points back. For a point to be earned back the child will have to go above and beyond what is usually expected as good classroom behavior. This is usually tough to achieve and it is usually easier to just behave properly from the start of the day. I am always happy to discuss disciplinary issues with you, and will keep you informed of disciplinary actions. On the last day of the month your child will bring home a behavior slip showing the amount of points they kept for the month and if they made the behavior party or not. This note will need to be signed and returned the following school day.
Attendance:
Attendance is of the utmost importance and a student with good attendance has an advantage from the start. I have made the class door into an attendance chart. At the beginning of every month every student’s name is posted on the door. If a child misses a day, their name will be removed from the door. At the end of the month if their name is still hanging on the door they will be rewarded. In keeping with the school attendance policy if a child misses more than 50 minutes of school in a day they are considered absent, so if a student misses more than 50 minutes in a day their name will also be removed from the door. I realize children get sick and some absences are unavoidable. Please send a note anytime your child misses school or left early in order to avoid an unexcused absence. Coming to school on time is also a key to a good start for the day, develop good habits early.
Parties:
At the end of the month we will have a behavior party. Students who have kept 80% of their points or more earn the party. Students who do not get the required amount of points will be sent to another room to do work. Students also must have no late work out on the day of the behavior party or they will be sent out until it is completed. The student will receive a snack and a drink. Behavior parties usually happen at the end of the month on the last day of the month for 30-45 minutes. Behavior parties have been everything from little videos to movies, karaoke parties, games, ice cream parties. They tend to change month to month and the students are usually told the day of the party what the party will be. We also tend to celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day with a party.
Compliment Chart:
Students respond best to positive compliments, so I have developed a compliment chart. The chart has 100 boxes on it that will need to be colored in. Each time the class as a whole receives a compliment from another teacher or staff member they earn a compliment. Whenever we as a class earn a compliment, a number is drawn out of a jar and that number is colored in. Once the students get ten numbers in a row they get a small treat. Once they get all 100 squares colored in they get a party of their choice. As a class we decide what these rewards will be at the beginning of the year.
AR (Accelerated Reader):
A motivational bulletin board encourages the children to get around the board as they obtain AR points. Every 10 points earned will get the child the prize marked for that point level. Students are expected to get 200 points for the year. Students who reach 200 points or more get lunch with Mr. Loring. Most books read earn students a ½ a point. Small chapter books are usually 1 point and larger chapter books range in point value based on level. The students will also be taking AR tests on read aloud stories and basal reader stories. I know this may seem like a difficult amount for children to reach but I see children achieve it every year and I know this year will be no different. Last year over 16 of the 25 children from my class alone had over 200 points and had lunch with Mr. Loring. As a class we accumulated 7, 065.8 AR points. The total for the class has been my highest point value yet during my teaching time. Fourth grade also has AR celebrations where the student has so many days to earn a set amount of points to earn prizes and attend the party.
Switching:
The students will be in my class for science and math instruction and will spend part of the day with Ms. Kues for language arts and social studies. This allows us to focus more on one small area and also get to know more students. We have worked together the last 2 years and this summer to be on the same page with our rules and expectations of your children.
What else?
Please read the newsletter each Monday for up to the minute news about what is happening in the classroom.
I also have a website that has the newsletter and important dates. The best way to get to my website is to go through the school website and click on staff directory and then click on the page next to my name.
If you need to talk with me, please send a note and let me know the best way to get in touch with you. My email address is: andy.sherlock@boone.kyschools.us
Let’s have a great year together!
Please sign and have your child sign the next page showing we are all on the same page for rules and expectations for the 2012- 2013 school year.
2012-2013 Rules and Expectations for Mr. Sherlock’s Class
Parent Name: ______________________________________________________
Parent Signature: _________________________________________________
Student Name: ____________________________________________________
Student Signature: ________________________________________________