Welcome Wonderful 4th Grade Parents and Students!
We as a team would like to welcome you to Fourth Grade. This year we have made some exciting new changes to our grade level. Students will be doing a 4-way rotation and will get to work with every teacher. Students will have a Reading, Math, Writing, and combined Science/Social Studies class. In the information provided below you will find our homework policy, discipline policy and behavior expectations, take home folder information, graded work policy, and the main forms of communication we will be using this school year.
Communication
The primary form of communication for our grade level will be the student planner. This will be an actual planner or calendar pages inside the student take home folder. Planners are expected to be checked and signed daily. This year we will also be utilizing the app Class Do-Jo. Attached to the information packet you will find an invitation that explains how to set-up a Do-Jo account. This application is free to set-up on your phone or computer and allows you to message your student’s teachers. Parent Teacher conferences or phone contacts will also be used when necessary or requested by parents.
Homework
Students will always receive their weekly homework from teachers on Mondays and it will be due on Fridays. The grade level policy is that homework must be turned in or the student loses the recess privilege to make it up. Homework will be collected by each individual subject teacher and checked before recess at the end of the day. This policy is to help promote responsibility and accountability. Students will have a weekly Grammar assignment, Math assignment (15-20 problems), and a nightly Reading Log.
State Testing (STAAR)
At the end of your child’s fourth grade year, they will have three state tests – Math, Reading, and Writing. Our homework is designed for the review of content/concepts covered in class. Nightly practice will help meet the demands of the rigor found on these state exams.
Take Home Folder
Every student will have a Take-Home Folder given to them by their Homeroom teacher. This folder is to travel with the students to all class periods. It is where they will keep their planner, homework, and weekly graded papers. Students must keep up with their folders and bring them to school every day so that teachers can communicate with parents. One pocket of the folder will be labeled Homework and the other will be labeled graded work. This folder will also be used to send home important school wide information.
Graded Work Policy
Tuesdays will be designated for sending home graded work in student Take Home Folders. Students may not always have graded work from every subject each week. Student folders will have a ‘Graded Paper Log’ that parents will sign to ensure that students are bringing their graded work home. Our goal is that all parents are aware of classroom performance. The log needs to be signed by parents and will be checked every Thursday. If the log is not signed by Thursday students will receive a loss of a privilege.
Discipline and Behavior Expectations
Our campus expectation is that students will create, sign, and follow a social contract. This contract explains how students are expected to treat each other, their teachers, and our school. Teachers will also have rules and procedures that will be followed to help promote learning within their classroom.
Discipline Policy
- 3 Warnings
- Loss of a Privilege
- Parent Contact (May be planner signature, message, or phone call)
- Office Referral (For serious offenses)
- Bullying (GPISD is an Anti-Bullying District)
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Fighting
- Vulgar Language
- Refusal to follow the Social Contract
Cell Phone Policy
Our campus and grade level policy regarding cell phones is Zero Tolerance. If your student must have their phone at school for situations outside of school hours then they must be kept in the students backpack or given to the Homeroom teacher at the beginning of the day for safekeeping. Students caught with a phone will result in the phone being taken up by the teacher and not given back till the end of the day. The next offense will result in the phone being sent to the office where it can be picked up by a parent. If you need to contact or get a message to your student please call the front office, email a teacher, or use Class Do-Jo to message us.
Toys or Classroom Distractions
Please discourage students from bringing any Toys, slime, or items such as fidget spinners to school with them. These are a distraction in the classroom and will be taken up by the teachers. Due to our 4-way rotation this year we want to maximize our instructional time by limiting distractions. Students only travel from class to class with their folder, planner, and pencil bag.
We are looking forward to an amazing school year and can’t wait to meet our new Fourth Graders!
