Parent
Communication

                            Homework Policy
           
  I’m sure the children ask parents, “Do we have to have homework?” The answer to that question 
  is, “Yes, absolutely!” There are many good reasons for having homework. Here are a few:

      To help establish good study habits

      To develop a sense of responsibility

      To practice and reinforce concepts and skills

      To complete work not finished in class

      To make up work if you are absent

It is very important for the children to do their homework and hand it in the very next day. There are times we can get forgetful, or something unexpected comes up, and we may forget to bring our homework to school. Students will have a second chance to bring their homework in. If they forget a second time they will have to miss their playtime to complete it.

Homework will be kept in the S.T.A.R. Book so papers do not get crumpled and rumpled. Children must always have their name and date on homework papers. If an assignment is turned in sloppy it will not be accepted and it will have to be done over. Neatness is very, very, very important to me. There are many reasons for this:

      I spend a lot of time correcting papers and LOVE reading students’ work. Neatness makes this job easier for me.

      Being sloppy is a hard habit to break.

      You should ALWAYS do your PERSONAL BEST. This shows that you take great pride in what you do.

      If you DO IT NEATLY THE FIRST TIME, you will not have to do it again.

Homework Help Websites

                               Teacher Links
           

I send a Parent Letter home the first week of school explaining my expectations to parents. I go over this letter with the children as well. I ask the children to standby while their parents read the letter so that they can answer any questions their parents may have. The second page requires both parent and student to sign the letter. My homework policy is also addressed in the Class Hand Book.

Students who are absent are required to make up any work that is missed on the day they were absent. I made a handy Absent Homework Form for this purpose. It helps to organize the missed work and provides a checklist for the student to keep track of what was completed. Graphics on this page are from D.J. Inkers.

The Homework Record Sheet is kept in the Homework Folder in each child's S.T.A.R. Book. Each time they bring in their homework they put the record sheet along with the assignment in the Homework Basket. I number the record sheet to correspond with the S.T.A.R. Book number. This makes it very easy to see if someone has not put their homework in the basket. There is a place on the sheet for comments from parents or me, as well as a column that notes On time, Late, or Incomplete. I use foil stars for on time homework. All children who bring in 10 on time homework assignments get to pick from the prize box, or partake in whatever reward we decide upon as a class.

I can be forgetful and I don't like to nag students about homework. If a child is late with their homework I simply put a reminder on their desk the next morning.

                        Behavior Management
          
Appropriate behavior in our classroom is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE for every child. It is a necessity that we learn to work, cooperate, study, play, and get along. I realize that it is not possible for everyone to be best buddies, but I FULLY EXPECT that everyone will treat each other with respect, kindness, and courtesy. It saddens me when people treat each other in a mean, hurtful, heartless manner. Our goal is to avoid this in our classroom.

To foster a positive classroom environment I use a S.T.A.R. System to monitor behavior. The children start every day with four colored stars, each with a value related to minutes of playtime.

Green Star = 5 minutes   Yellow Star = 10 minutes   Orange Star = 15 minutes   Red Star = 20 minutes

If an unacceptable behavior occurs after an initial friendly warning, the child will be asked to flip over their green star. If another negative behavior occurs the yellow star is turned over. The goal by the end of the day is to have all stars facing forward, meaning the child has earned their entire playtime.

 At the end of each day the children will be coloring a star on their behavior report that denotes their points earned for the day. The most points that can be earned is 20. On Friday they will bring this report home so that it can be signed by the parent. If the signed report is brought back to school on Monday the children who earned the designated amount of points will earn the reward we have decided upon as a class.
                                                              Weekly  Behavior  Report Template

Children who lose their entire playtime will be required to write a behavior report that is taken home and signed by the parent. The purpose of the report is to get them thinking about their actions and take part in the problem solving that is needed to eradicate the negative behavior. Interaction with the parent is an essential component in this process. It is my hope that by self-reflection, problem solving, and mutual support we will be able to foster the classroom environment needed to have a successful school year.

Written Behavior Report

Parent Letter

Nightly Reading Requirement

Reading between home and school is an important part of my reading program. The children are polishing their skills as readers, therefore it is imperative that they read, read, and read some more! Consistent daily reading will expose children to various authors’ styles and will improve fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. My main goals are that the children will become fluent readers, choose to read for both information and pleasure, and develop a passion and love for reading.

We all know the old adage, practice makes perfect. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to becoming a fluent reader. A fluent reader is one who reads at a steady pace with accuracy and expression.

When choosing a book it is important to pick material that is at the child's independent reading level so that it can be read it with ease. The last thing we want to happen during independent reading is for the child to become frustrated because a book is too difficult. This will lead to resistance when it is time to read.

The children are expected to read at least 15 minutes each night, Monday through Thursday. A letter is sent home at the beginning of the school year outlining expectations. An important part of the S.T.A.R. Book houses the nightly reading log materials. Check out the links below for resources to get started.

Parent Letter                   Reading Log Directions                    Reading Log               Bookmarks

Genre Table (Anna Lombardo-Oswego City School District)          Reading Bingo (Anna Lombardo-Oswego City School District)

                               Skating Parties
            

This year's skating party dates are as follows:
   Sept. 20       Oct. 18       Nov. 13       Dec. 20       Jan. 17       Feb. 28       Mar. 14       Apr. 18       May 16

Grades              Total Admission                    Times
     K-2                           $2.00                            2:30-3:20
      3-5                           $4.00                            3:40-5:10
     6-12                          $4.00                            6:30-8:30

The recommended price for food and drink is $1.00 per item.
 

                                 Newsletter
             
As a parent it always mystified me when I asked my children, who are now 25 and 27, what they did in school on any given day. They would often respond, "Nothing!"

Communication is very important, therefore I send home a newsletter to keep parents informed about classroom activities. I encourage that the newsletter be read together. I believe that when children know their parents are interested and involved, it enhances their learning and interest in school. If a child reads the newsletter with their parent and finds something about them mentioned in it, they tell me on Monday and get to pick a prize from the prize box!
                                                                
                                  To view or print a newsletter, click on the week below.
 

Unity Poem

Parent-Teacher Conferences