Open House Mrs Shamblin Mrs Sledges Classroom 2011

Open House Mrs. Shamblin & Mrs. Sledge’s Classroom 2011 -12 Please fill out your parent questionnaire while we are waiting!

Stephanie Shamblin • BS in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University • BBA in Marketing from Georgia Southern University • 4 th grade at Lewis ES-this is my sixth year. • 8 week supply job, fifth grade, West Side ES in Marietta City Schools • 2 years, Paraprofessional, Park Street ES in Marietta City Schools • Wife of Mark, 16 years. Mom of Reilley, age 13, and Emma Cate, age 10 • Kennesaw Native-graduated from North Cobb in 1985

Michelle Sledge • • • Specialist Degree from Lincoln Memorial University Master’s Degree from University of Mississippi BS in Special Education from St. John’s University 22 years teaching experience with Cobb Co. Schools 4 years teaching experience @ Blueberry Treatment Center Brooklyn, New York • Wife of Earl, Mother of Ceresa, Kurtis, Kyle and Jasmin Grandmother of Jaylen and KJ • Native-New Yorker !!!!!!! • Interest include: scrapbooking, cycling and travel

Classroom Goals We are working toward … – – – Learning to work together cooperatively and help others. Being organized and taking responsibility for themselves. Becoming a problem solver. Respecting ourselves, authority and each other. Developing a love for reading and math!

Class Schedule • • • 7: 15 -8: 00 -8: 15 -9: 30 -9: 40 9: 30 -10: 30 • • 10: 40 -11: 35 -12: 05 -12: 35 -1: 00 -2: 00 -2: 10 2: 15 Morning Procedures/Announcements Class Meeting RAP/Math RR break/Snack Writer’s Workshop-Grammar-Word Their Way Specials/Restroom Break Integrated Social Studies/Science Lunch (Table 14 -15) Recess/Restroom break Reader’s Workshop Pack Up/Read Aloud Afternoon Announcements/Dismissal

4 th Grade Curriculum Overview & Pacing • Fourth grade is a HUGE adjustment for students to learn to pace themselves and work within a time frame. Children must work diligently and with very little socialization to complete tasks. • Where 3 rd Grade had 8 Science Units, 4 th Grade has 9. • Georgia has adopted the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). • Copy of the brochure is in your packet of information. • This is what the CRCT is based on. • Cobb’s website for curriculum information and our year at a glance sequencing is…. http: //picasso. cobbk 12. org

Spelling Words Their Way was new last year. It is a research based spelling program that is based on sorting and learning similarly spelled word patterns. We will also incorporate commonly used 4 th grade core/sight words. We started this week. It is not a traditional spelling test…. they will be sorting the patterns and spelling. They gets points for each part. There is a fantastic interactive link on my website to Spelling City for help! www. spellingcity. com

Homework Policy • • • The students will have homework • almost every night except Friday. It should take them up to 40 minutes to complete the work. It will always be practice of concepts taught. Never a NEW concept. Typically, each child will have Social Studies/Science, Math, Words their Way or Grammar. In addition, each child will be required to read for AT LEAST 15 minutes Monday through Thursday and complete their reading • log for 5 minutes. This reading log is turned in every Friday with their Thursday folder. Homework will be accounted for during announcements. It will be considered LATE after that time. Although • homework is not graded because it is done for practice, each child should complete the homework to the best of his/her ability. We check the homework either with the class or privately to see whether each child understands the concepts taught. If homework is not turned in, then that student will be required to do the assignment during recess that day. If, for some reason, it is not completed during recess, it will be taken home to be completed. They will lose a Behavior Block for the assignment, however they can earn it back, if it is completed by Friday. If not, they will be required to finish work before they get to participate in Fun Friday. We know that unexpected circumstances arise, and those will be taken into account. If something comes up and your child can not complete their homework, just send us in a note, email us, or call us to let us know. There is a homework pass for you (the parent) to use in your packet. It can only be used for 1 regular homework assignment, not book reports or projects.

Binders & Agendas & Expectations – Agendas should be kept in the front of the binder. – Additional daily assignments, homework, and notes should be written inside the agenda or placed in the correct section of the binder. Your child is responsible for writing down their homework in the agenda each day. – Please look through your child’s agenda each night for homework assignments and behavior notes. – Also, please look in the Thursday Folder each week for Behavior Blocks, Graded Papers and important communication from school. It is your child’s responsibility to make sure they give it to you to be reviewed and signed!! – At this time, we do not require the agenda to be signed each night. However, if we begin to see an issue with homework, grades, or communication, we will rethink this policy. – You will receive a GRADED WORK PACKET in the Thursday folder. Please sign and return the packet. Please return the whole packet-we will return all work at the end of the 9 week period.

Grading System A. B. C. D. E. Grades will be comprised of quizzes, tests, projects, written pieces, and class participation. All work will be graded on a 100 point scale and will be weighted equally. If your child scores below a 69 on a graded assignment, they can redo the assignment by the following Monday and the grade will be raised to a 70. This is their responsibility. We do not like to give zeros and will try to get something from every child to grade. Please support me on this and stress the importance of completing all work. Homework is not used for a grade, but we do track who has completed it. This will be considered when we am grading their study skills/work habits section. This additional practice will help your child to succeed in all of the other graded areas.

Grading Scale A B C D F 100 -90 89 -80 79 -74 73 -70 69*Progress reports will be given at the 4 1/2 week mark for all students averaging below a 74/C.

Discipline System • We are using Behavior Blocks this year. We have sent information home on this. Please let me know if you have further questions. • The Behavior Blocks will be used to determine the Behavior and Work Study habits section of the report card. • Students can earn individual drops for above and beyond behaviors. • Children are aware of all procedures and expectations. • We have HIGH expectations and we treat them like our own!

Lewis 4 th Grade Awards 2010 -11 Perfect Attendance No absences and no tardies during the year. Superior Attendance No absences and 3 or fewer tardies. Principal’s Award Students who have received all A’s in the academic areas on their report card, as well as maintained all O’s for classroom conduct/behavior. Academic Achievement Students who have received all A’s and B’s in the academic areas on their report card, and could possibly have S’s and N’s in classroom conduct/behavior, but hopefully not! Teacher Award This award is given to two students (teacher decision, typically a boy and girl) in each classroom who have shown a great deal of improvement throughout the year, and/or have consistently displayed the following qualities: positive attitude, motivation, effort, hard work Citizenship Award This award is given to one student who consistently exhibits qualities of high character as described by Cobb’s character words of the month.

Absences • All absences require a written note signed by a parent. • When absent, students are responsible for completing all missed work within the same time as they were out. • Our instructional time begins at 7: 50. Please make every effort to have your child to school on time. They do have morning work each morning. Please get them here as early as possible. It is really hard to have a good day when you start out running late. • Tardies are looked at the same as absences.

Absences Cobb County Policy After 5 excused or unexcused absences, teacher contact by telephone. After 10 excused or unexcused absences, a letter is sent from the school administrator to the parent or guardian regarding attendance.

Transportation Please send a note on the day your child’s transportation will be changed. WE CANNOT ACCEPT EMAIL TRANSPORTATION CHANGES!! Students are required to be sent home the “usual” way unless I have a written note. In rare cases, please fax the office or call for emergencies. Please do not send an E-mail or leave a voice mail.

Snacks & Birthdays *Please send your child with a “nutritious” snack daily and bottled water (No candy or flavored/colored drinks. ) We will be eating these as they are finishing up math…it is not a separate break!! *Please send birthday treats by 9: 30 if you are not coming to lunch. *Please make sure all treats are PRECUT (cookies or cupcakes) and ready to serve.

Tentative 4 th Grade Field Trips Cobb County Youth Museum-approximate cost is $13 and will be in January this year. Various Cobb County Performing Arts Performances-TBA **This is paid for with the Performing Arts $$, even if the donation is not made, we have to have the permission slip signed and returned** Cobb County Fire Safety Village

New items for 2011 -12 Reading Log 1. Reading 15 M-TH… 25 books per year-Georgia Reading Standard 2. Log to be filled out completely with short recap of what was read. (5 minutes) 3. Turned in on Friday with Thursday folder. How Full is Your Bucket? 1. The book and idea behind this! 2. Bucket kids-your part 3. Drops for behavior and drawings-donations 4. Bucket Moms-Mrs. Reeve and Mrs. Clemons Rooms Moms are Mrs. Nickerson and Mrs. Wright-HUGE THANK YOU! They will be in contact Parent Lunch Table-Table 14 & 15, 1 child can eat with you and yours. Fall Festival Sign Up PTSA Email Blast Sign Up Market Day will serve as our Holiday Celebration…. more to come !

Volunteers • We have the list of volunteers from Sneak-a-Peek, if you didn’t sign up and would like to, you can tonight! • We will be meeting in the next few weeks to plan for the year. • Mrs. Phillips has been doing a fabulous job with copies…if you would like to help as well, please let me know. • THANK YOU ahead of time for all of my wonderful volunteers. You help us to be a better teachers!

Check out my Website! Shamblin Website: http: //www. oncoursesystems. com/school/webpage. aspx? id=510522 Sledge Website: http: //www. oncoursesystems. com/school/webpage. aspx? id=507826 Look for: Homework (posted after 3 pm), links to games and skills practice

Contact Information Stephanie. shamblin@cobbk 12. org Michelle. Sledge@cobbk 12. org E-mail is the MOST efficient way to contact us! Written notes from home. School Voicemail 770 -975 -6673 x 496 *Please do not leave time sensitive information on my voicemail* *School Communication will come home on Thursdays, unless it is time sensitive*

Thanks so much for sharing your children with us this year! We will do our best to ensure that your child has a successful and memorable year. We appreciate you coming tonight!! Stephanie Shamblin Michelle Sledge