Welcome Letter

This is the welcome letter that will be coming home with your child on Monday, August 25th. I am sending home a yellow copy (please sign and return) and a white copy for your to keep.

Dear Parents,

We would like to welcome you and your child to third grade. This year is an important step for your child's education. We have many wonderful activities and challenges planned for the students this year.

The following useful information will help the school year start off smoothly at home and at school:

Curriculum: Your child will have two teachers this year. Ms. Melville teaches Language Arts, Reading, Spelling, and Handwriting. Mrs. Sawyer teaches Math, Science, and Social Studies.

Arrival: The first bell rings at 7:45. The children will have this time in the classroom to get their belongings put away, sharpen their pencils, and use the restroom. Work begins promptly at 8:00 when the tardy bell rings.

Dismissal: Bus riders are dismissed at 2:50 to the playground side of the school. Students, who have carpool numbers for the front or back entrances, are dismissed at 2:55 to go to their carpool places. If you need to make a change to your child's after-school arrangements, or if your child will be going home with a friend for one day, please send us a note signed by a parent. Otherwise, we will dismiss your child according to your written carpool instructions.

Health: No medications, including over the counter drugs, such as cough drops, are allowed in the classrooms. Teachers cannot adminster medication under any circumstances. Please see the school nurse when a medication is needed during school hours.

Absences/Tardies: Children who are absent or tardy must bring a note from home the next day stating the reason for their absence so we may count the absence as excused. These notes must be received with 3 days. If your child needs to leave school early, please send a note in the morning so we can have your child ready when the office calls.

Conferences: Conferences may be scheduled whenever there is a need for one. Our conference times are from 10:00-10:30 on Mondays and Thursday. Please send a note or call the office to schedule a conference.

Homework: Homework will be assigned daily-Monday through Thursday, with occassional home projects which may entail a weekend. Incomplete class work will be expected to be completed in the evenings. Assignments are recorded in a homework packet for both of our classes. Homework will be coming home in a red folder, and will be a tool used to reinforce skills being taught in the classroom.

Graded Papers: Your child's graded papers will come home every Wednesday in a blue folder. You will need to go over the papers with your child and sign where indicated. Write us a note if you have any concerns or question your child's understanding of a concept. Happy notes to us are also welcomed. The Briargrove Buzz and other school communications will also be included in the blue folder.

Wednesday folders: The Wednesday folder is our way of staying in communication with you and is vitally important to us. We need the folder returned on Thursday's unless you have written us a note or spoken with us about the need for more time to review work. Thanks for your active involvement in this process.

Conduct: Your child's conduct is kept in the classroom on a daily basis. Each Wednesday, you will be receiving information regarding his/her conduct. We will need you to sign where we highlight to let us know you have reviewed our comments or the grade and discussed the week's events with him/her. If there is a serious situation which occurs, we will be in immediate contact. Otherwise, please look on the conduct sheet in the prongs to see the conduct grade. If you have any further concerns, please do contact us.

Daily Schedule: A daily schedule is attached to this letter.

Lunch and Snacks: Our lunch time will be from 11:55-12:25. You are always welcome to join your child for lunch. In fact, we encourage this. Please be advised that according to school policy, your child may ask only one other child to join him/her to eat out on the patio with you. (We ask that you not allow your child and friend to play on the recess equipment after your lunch together, as we as a school are worried about numbers out on the playground already.) Otherwise, you are welcome to join your child for lunch with the class at the table. Prepaid lunch cards, a convenient way to take care of lunch purchases, can be paid for any morning before school in the front office.

Your child may bring a small, healthy snack to eat midmorning, such as fruit, raisins, nuts, trail mix, carrot sticks, crackers, a half sandwich, etc. Cookies, candy or potato chips are inappropriate. No soda is allowed, although your child is encouraged to bring a bottle of water if desired.

Cell phones: Students are not permitted to use their cell phones during the school day (7:15 AM-4:00 PM). If your child needs to use a phone, he/she may use the school phone with permission from his/her classroom teacher. Inappropriate use of a cell phone will result in confiscation by school personnel.

Reminders: Please be sure to sign and return the acknowledgement form found in the center of the Code of Student Conduct as soon as possible. Also, please return enrollment cards no later than Friday if you have not already done so. Be sure the card is completely filled out, including a neighbor or relative to contact in case of emergency, and a doctor's name and number. If you do not have a pediatrician or family doctor, please tell us where you would take your child in a medical emergency.

For more information, please refer to the parent/student handbook.

We look forward to a great third grade year with your child. Please sign the form below to indicate you have received this letter and reviewed it with your child.

Sincerely yours,

Lea Melville and Jamie Sawyer