A Note to Parents
I am very excited to begin a new school year and partner with you in your child's education. Together with you and your child, I know that we can have a successful and productive school year. I'm sure we will have a lot of fun along the way! As we begin this new school year, I've come up with a few helpful suggestions to help make this year run smoothly for both you and your child.
Standards-Based Grading Parent Guide {Report Cards}
2019-2020 WEEKLY SPECIALS SCHEDULE
This year we will be operating on a NEW & IMPROVED rotating specials schedule! I am very excited about this awesome change to our schedule...can you tell?!?! Students will have either have one or two special area classes per day and will follow the schedule listed below. If we have a snow day, we will pick right up where we left off. For example, if we were to have a snow day on a Tuesday and that was an Blue day, we would come back to school on Wednesday and have the Blue schedule. This will be awesome because students will not have to miss their favorite special area classes due to schedule changes that happen throughout the year! As you might notice from the schedule listed below, we have a few changes this year to our special area offerings. Technology classes will be taught by Mrs. Mills and STEM will be taught by Mrs. Kunkel. Mrs. Fleck will be teaching Spanish.
Blue: Music & Gym
White: Tech & Spanish
Gold: Music & Gym
Blue 1: Art
White 1: STEM
Gold 1: Tech & Spanish
Blue: Music & Gym
White: Tech & Spanish
Gold: Music & Gym
Blue 1: Art
White 1: STEM
Gold 1: Tech & Spanish
Communication
Please feel free to contact me in the classroom at 734.856.1443 ext. 315. The best time to reach me is before school or after school. You can leave a message, but I rarely have time to check phone messages during the school day. If you have an emergency or need to get a message to me or to your child before the end of the day, please call the school office at 734.856.1443 ext. 110. You can also reach me through e-mail at [email protected] or the Remind text app that you will sign up for at the beginning of the year. Home to school communication is extremely important for your child's success and I look forward to talking with you! If you ever have a question or concern about something that is happening in our classroom, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Planners & Homework
In third grade, we are continuing to learn more about independence and taking responsibility for our own work. We will have time set aside each afternoon to record our homework for the evening. As a parent, you will need to check & sign the planner with your child each evening. The planner will also be another great way for you to communicate with me. Feel free to jot down a note and I will see it the next afternoon during our planner time. Homework will be minimal and should not take more than 5-15 minutes per night. Make a homework date with your child! Do something special to make this a pleasant time instead of a struggle. All homework that comes home should be a review, so if your child is struggling, please communicate with me so that we can talk about how we can provide some intervention and get on the right track.
School Visits
Before any volunteering can be done at the school or in our classroom, a volunteer application must be completed. Along with this form, you will need to turn in a copy of your driver's license. The application can be obtained in the elementary office from Mrs. Thieman. Parents can be involved in our classroom by supporting students every day! Making sure your child has good attendance, completes homework/projects, and keeps a positive attitude about school are great ways to support your child. Also, throughout the year our classroom supplies will need to be replenished. Our class will need pencils, glue sticks, construction paper, etc. I will send out a request via REMIND and our weekly newsletter on the blog when we need items for the classroom. Another opportunity to be involved in our classroom is for our holiday parties. We will need volunteers to help organize these events and provide supplies. Please check out "Mrs. Brunt's Blog" to sign up.
Snacks
Students may bring a snack to school each day. In fact, I would prefer that they bring a snack to school each day! Hungry students have a difficult time focusing and learning. We will have a built-in snack time each morning for students to refuel. Please try to include something nutritious. I will not allow students to eat candy or drink sugary drinks during the school day, so please do not send these items! Students may also bring a reusable water bottle to keep in our classroom. Only water will be allowed in the classroom. This will help to keep the kids hydrated and healthy while minimizing trips to the drinking fountain!
Book Reports
Each quarter your child will have the opportunity to complete a book report. Directions and due dates will be communicated well in advance so that students have ample time to read their book and work on their book report at home. Students will choose a book that interests them and that they can read independently. Once they have read the book, they will complete the book report and take an online AR test to demonstrate reading comprehension. I am so excited to introduce this assignment to the kids because I know that it helps to encourage a love of reading and allows the kids to flex their creative muscles!
Reading at Home
I would also like all third grade students to read for 100 minutes per week. I realize that families are busy and that your third grader also needs a little down time after a full day at school. However, I always tell my students that the best way to become a better reader and fall in love with reading is to READ! Scholastic offers some great, inexpensive options to build your at-home library. You can order books from the Scholastic tab located in the menu of my website. Also, I recommend downloading the app Epic! Students can read on a phone, iPod, or iPad! I will be emailing you instructions on how to access your child's account at home! Make this fun and allow your child to read to a parent, grandparent, sibling, stuffed animal, or pet! If your child is tired at the end of a long day, switch places and you can do the reading for the night. The possibilities are endless!