Welcome to 3 rd Grade Presentation

1. Welcome to 3rd Grade Presentation • Please locate your child’s circle map (it is not at your child’s actual desk!) and have a seat. • At the back table, please: • write down your email address • pick up any forms you need • take a sticky note for a donation (optional) • Please fill out the “Handle With Care” form (you are welcome to take this home and return it with your child). • You will find index cards in the tubs at your table. Feel free to write a note for your child and leave it on the back table for me to distribute.

2. Hickory Elementary2018-2019Third GradeBack To School Night Information

3. A Little about Mrs. Maharas • Grew up in Arlington, Texas; has lived in Avon for 11 years • Graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX with bachelors in 1994 and Master of Arts in Teaching in 1995. • Taught special education in Texas and 4th grade in Oklahoma City; stayed home with kids and was parent volunteer, PTO board member, and substitute teacher at Hickory • Fifth year teaching 3rd grade at Hickory (third year teaching High Ability) • Husband (Wes) works at Eli Lilly; kids are Ethan (junior at AHS) & Lizzy (freshman at AHS)

4. Names to Know • Emily Waggoner- Third Grade Teacher • Stephanie Fetzer– Third Grade Teacher • Samantha Jankowski– Third Grade Teacher • Amy Maharas- Third Grade Teacher • Denise Stewart- Instructional Coach • KearyRininger- Principal • Rhonda Harris, Rene Wright - Secretaries • Madeline Maish- Speech & Language Pathologist • Candy Beswick- Nurse • Dana Cox- Counselor

5. Numbers to Know • Amy Maharas– 544-6300 ext. 6373 • e-mail address – apmaharas@avon-schools.org • Hickory Elementary • 907 South State Road 267 • Avon, IN 46123 • 544-6300

6. Important Times To Know • School hours: 8:50am- 3:40 pm • Lunch will be at 11:10 AM (11:00 on delay days). Recess is from 11:40-11:55. You are welcome to join your child for lunch, but we ask that you do not accompany them to recess for safety reasons. • If your child is going to be tardy or absent, please call the school office prior to the start of the day. As a safety measure, our office will contact parents/guardians if we have not received a phone call by 9:30 a.m.

7. Classroom Schedule 8:50-9:15 - Leader in Me 9:15-9:35 - Number Corner 9:35-11:05 - Reading Block 11:10-11:40 - Lunch 11:40-11:55 - Recess 12:00-1:00 - Math Block 1:10-1:55 - Specials 2:00-2:40 - Social Sciences 2:45-3:30 - Writer’s Workshop 3:35 - Car Rider Dismissal 3:40 - Bus Dismissal Specials Schedule Monday- Library Tuesday- Computers Wednesday- Art Thursday- Music Friday- PE

8. Transportation • Transportation safety is a top priority. To help ensure the safety of our students, we have a strict policy on how we handle transportation changes. • We consider riding the bus as the main transportation choice, and we must be informed of any other transportation arrangements. If your child will be picked up by you, a relative, friend, or daycare, we must have a note stating who will be picking up your child and the dates this is effective. Please send in notes or call in to the office before 2:00 PM. • If your child will be a pick up all year, we only need one note for the entire year. If something changes from that arrangement, we need a note explaining the change. If your child normally rides the bus, but you will pick him/her up on a certain day, please make sure you send a note with your child.

9. PARENT COMMUNICATION • Please check your child’s folder daily for important papers and to review your child’s work. This folder must go back and forth between school and home every night. • A classroom newsletter will be sent on Mondays via email and as a paper copy. This is our main means of communication so it is extremely important for you to read this every week. • Hickory Highlights will be sent via email every other Friday. • Some students may wish to use planners.

10. PARENT COMMUNICATION • Teachers will communicate progress by Fall Break in one or more of the following ways: phone call, email, written form, face-to-face conference. • Teachers will choose an appropriate communication format on an individual basis. However, as always, parents are more than welcome to contact the teacher with any needs throughout the school year.

11. Homework • There will typically be a math Home Connections assignment twice a week. • Reading is so important! I encourage you to have your child read 15min at least 3 nights per week. • If your child is struggling with completing homework, please let me know. Do not engage in homework battles!

12. High Ability • At the end of 2nd grade, students qualified as High Ability in math and/or language arts based on CogAT and/or NWEA scores. If your child is qualified, you should have received a letter. • Some students are not labeled as High Ability but have been placed into this High Ability class due to classroom performance and teacher recommendation. • I have high expectations for ALL students. Please reach out to me if you feel your child is struggling. I will do my best to meet the needs of ALL students!

13. Bridges in Mathematics3rdGrade Bridges Math Curriculum • Develops students’ deep understanding of mathematical concepts and proficiency with key skills • Blends direct instruction, structured investigation, and open exploration • Ask your student about their favorite workplace game. Number Corner • Skill-building program revolves around classroom calendar • Daily practice of skills and broad mathematical concepts through “workout” routines • Ask your student about the Calendar Grid pattern.

14. Bridges in Mathematics3rd Grade What do Parents and Families Need to Know? • Math is FUN! • Making mistakes is a natural part of learning. We will persevere through solving problems, using many different strategies to make sense of mathematical concepts. • Homework is practice of skills. Homework is not daily. • Please contact me if you have questions or concerns.

15. Bridges in Mathematics3rd Grade What do Parents and Families Need to Know about Grading and Reporting? Bridges in Mathematics develops skills and concepts to mastery over time, often over several units. This year you will receive 3 different reports about your child’s progress: • Unit Reports – about once a month • Quarterly Reports – with report card, in lieu of letter grade • Number Corner Checkup Report – four times a year around report card time

16. Bridges in Mathematics3rd Grade Unit Report About once a month at the end of a unit.

17. Bridges in Mathematics3rd Grade Quarterly Report With the Report Card, in lieu of a letter grade.

18. Bridges in Mathematics3rd Grade Number Corner Checkup Report Four times a year, around report card time.

19. Bridges in Mathematics3rd Grade Bridges Support for Families • https://www.mathlearningcenter.org/families/bridges2 • Specific grade level support for the Bridges math curriculum and additional resources

20. Reading • Shift in 3rd grade from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” • We will use a combination of self-selected reading, guided reading, and novels centered around thematic units. • We will use two state High Ability units: • “The Changing Faces of Story” focuses on change and how stories have changed over time. We will read The Wizard of Oz. • “Beauty in Interactions” uses the novel Black Beauty to examine character traits and interactions.

21. WRITING • We will continue school-wide Writers Workshop this year. Each day will include a mini-lesson and writing time. Mini-lessons will be based on various writing traits. Students will then be asked to write, focusing on one or more of those traits, and will be periodically assessed on a rubric. • Writing grades will also include a variety of grammar activities and assessments. We will use Michael Clay Thompson’s Grammar Island as well as mentor sentences for grammar.

22. Social Sciences • Social Studies will incorporate a weekly newspaper and internet sources during the social sciences block. • We will explore four major science units through kits: • Structures of Life • Motion & Matter • Physics of Sound • Water & Climate • We will explore the engineering design process with a few additional projects, including designing musical instruments and creating bridges.

23. Projects • All About Me- assigned on a schedule soon • Family Heritage Project- September • Students research family history • Conduct interview of one family member • Create poster or Power Point about family’s story

24. Delay/Closings • The second Wednesday of every month will be a one- hour delay day for students. These dates are: 8/8, 9/12, 10/10, 11/14, 12/12, 1/9, 2/13, 3/13, 4/10, 5/8 • No School – September 3 (Labor Day) • Fall Break- October 15-26 • E-Learning Day– November 6 • Please tune in to the local radio and television stations when there is inclement weather.

25. ISTEP/I-READ • I-READ is a statewide reading assessment for third grade students. The testing window for I-READ is March 18-29. • Third grade students will also take the new ILEARN test between April 22 and May 17. • For more information about these assessments, please see the DOE website.

26. The Leader in Me • Hickory Elementary will continue our journey as a Leader in Me School. The Leader in Me focuses on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In a safe, caring, and engaging environment, it is our vision to empower students to find the leader within, to facilitate a love for learning, and to encourage students to be lifelong learners.

27. Classroom Management Plan • Students will earn classroom tickets and Leader in Me tickets to recognize positive behavior. Students may also be asked to reflect on behavior that doesn’t uphold the expectation of our classroom contract and complete an “I Will” form. • Students will also work together to set a classroom behavioral goal as well as an individual behavioral goal each month to self-monitor their progress. • We will recognize Leaders of the Month for each classroom. Parents are invited to attend these schoolwide convocations.

28. Before you leave… • Please write down your email address. • Please take copies of forms if you did not pick them up from the back table. • If interested, please take a post-it note for an item you would like to donate. • The Hickory PTO gives parents additional ways to get involved. Please see the PTO page found on the Hickory website for more information.  THANK YOU for attending tonight!