Dear Friends and Family,

Welcome to the new school year.  We would like to inform you of what to expect as we move into another exciting year.  Clark community is a supportive and collaborative environment!

During the first few weeks of school we will be getting familiar with the classroom, peers, school routines, and expectations.  Our class will be doing both class building (whole group) and team building exercises to help establish a community of learners.  Volunteers will be integrated after this adjustment period.

We use Love and Logic in the classroom as a management system.  This philosophy utilizes an empathetic, calm, and logical approach to difficulties that may arise.  Behavior issues will be dealt with on an individual basis in class and we will contact home when appropriate.  If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Love and Logic, there is a link on the class website. 

The curriculum for reading is McGraw-Hill, Junior Great Books, and novel studies.  This literature-based program is designed to meet the needs and challenge of a wide range of developmental levels.  In math, we will be using 4^th and 5^th Grade Everyday Math.  This year includes the wonderful science units about land and water, plant growth, oceanography, and earthquakes and volcanoes.  We will also be studying the ecology of our local creek.  We will begin with water quality and then raise and release 250 Coho salmon.  The social studies units include Washington state history.  Our spelling program is based on a word study including Greek and Latin root words. 

Here are some frequent questions:

Supplies:  Please do not bring additional materials that were not on the list.  Fancy pens, stickers, erasers, etc. can become a distraction and limit desk space. Kleenex, baby wipes, hand sanitizers, and napkins are great items to donate to the classroom. 

Homework:  Homework is to be completed outside of class time and turned in first thing in the morning in the HOMEWORK FOLDER.  The homework will be checked in and the empty homework folder will be replaced in the students’ mailboxes each day.  Any missing work will receive a note in this folder and must be turned in the following day for partial credit.  Questions or concerns about homework should be addressed before it is due.  Homework needs to be complete, neat, and with effort to get credit.  Homework that is not meeting standard will be returned to be redone.  Students will be responsible for homework and we expect students to contact teachers with problems or questions.  Spelling homework is sent home each Friday for the following week to help you schedule homework.

Planners:  Planners will be provided.  We will be filling out planners towards the end of each day with assignments and due dates. It is your child’s responsibility to copy the assignments and ask questions during class.  Planners need to be signed EACH night by a parent or adult, it is part of homework.

 Workload:  There will be homework almost every school night.  Many fourth graders feel overwhelmed the first month of school with all of the change, but will get comfortable with the routine!  In addition to weekly spelling, reading, and math homework; a monthly book project will be assigned.  We will be doing the first one together to model the expectations for the students.  The most helpful thing parents can do is help their child develop a routine and plan for nightly homework.

Graded Work Folders:  Each Friday an envelope will be sent home with the corrected work from the entire week.  Signed envelopes need to be returned empty each Monday morning.

Nutrition: The district has adopted a nutrition policy.  “Poor nutrition affects children’s health and their ability to learn.  Schools are a place that should model and reinforce healthy eating behaviors.  The District will provide healthy eating choices with the following procedures.”

Snacks:  Students have snack time each morning.  They are to bring HEALTHY snacks.  Pop, cookies, candy, and junk food are not allowed.  Snacks should be an appropriate portion and have nutritional value.  Smart snacks = smart students!!!

Birthdays:  The last Friday of each month we will celebrate all the birthdays that occur in that month.  We will be doing a brown bag lunch exchange to celebrate birthdays.  Details about this activity will go home at a later date. Actual birthdays will be recognized in class.

Wednesday’s Schedule - School begins at 9:00 Wednesday morning.  Students are to go directly to the Multipurpose Room for an assembly on alternating Wednesdays.  Students are allowed to sit where they want.  Every Wednesday, school is released at 1:15.

Toys – DO NOT allow your child to bring toys to school, unless approved by a staff member.  We will confiscate toys and they will not be available until June, unless a parent comes in to retrieve it.  It is a school wide policy that has prohibited ALL electronic toys.  Please keep these valuables at home. 

Volunteers –Volunteers are crucial to the success of this program; we look forward to working with many of you in the classroom.  If you are a new volunteer to Clark, there will be training times that are required to volunteer.  Look for these times in Sharkbites.  We will also be training station volunteers.  If you are unable to make your designated station time, it is up to you to find a substitute.  Please look at the sub list for your day on the website.  Here are some of the positions needed for volunteers:

PLEASE SIGN UP ON THE’ PARENT INFO’ BULLETIN BOARD

 OUTSIDE CLASSROOM 407.

Volunteers needed for Math/Science and Literacy/Art

 SAGE- Students participating in SAGE will receive services each Friday (or Thursday) morning (this decision is being finalized at the writing of this letter).  We collaborate with the Sage teacher, Mrs. Smith, to help integrate classroom topics into the Sage curriculum.

Drop off and Pick up - Students need to wait at the main doors until the bell rings each morning.  Then they are to proceed directly to class.  After school, students will wait under the white tent until their parent picks them up.

Contact Information- There are many methods of communication: