SangerAcademyCharterSchool,3rdGrade

Mrs.Cherry,Room11
Email:[email protected],SchoolPhone:5246840
Website:mrscherryruns.weebly.com
August17,2016

Welcome Back!!!
Welcome to another year at Sanger Academy! This will be my 11th year teaching third
grade and am happy to be back. I believe in having high expectations for all students,
academically and socially, as well as finding avenues to best meet their styles of learning. I will
do my best to ensure a safe and professional learning environment for every child.
Keepthissyllabusinahandyplaceasareadymadeguideforyourchildsclassroom
informationthroughouttheyear(youmayalsodownloaditonlinefrommywebsite).
StudentRecommendedMaterials
ThefollowingisalistofrecommendedmaterialsthatIwouldlikeallstudentstohave
inclassonorbyMonday.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Onesturdy,folderwithpockets(thiswillbetheirhomeworkfolder,any
design/colorok)
1boxoffacialtissuetosharewithclass
$5subscriptiondonationforScholasticNewsWeeklyMagazine
WritingTools
2Whiteboardmarkers
2Pencils(standardonly,nomechanical)
1or2Highlighters(noneonyellow)
Optionalitemsstudentscanpurchasetokeepintheirdesks:
SmallSharpener,PencilBox,ColorPencils,Scissors,Crayons

Academic Program
If you are interested in viewing all of the subject specific standards that will be covered in
third grade, you may visit the California Department of Education Website at:
www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp
Subject
English Language Arts

District Adopted
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin

Relevance
Daily-Unit Based

English Language
Development for
English Learners
Math

Hampton-Brown
(Avenues)

45 mins Daily

Houghton Mifflin

Daily-Unit Based

Science

Scott Foresman

Unit Based

History

Scott Foresman

Unit Based

Physical Education

n/a

45 mins twice a week,

pull out with P.E.
Instructor
(Mon./Thursday)
Art
n/a
45 mins once a week,
pull out with Mr.
Nevarez
Music
n/a
45 mins once a week,
pull out with Mrs.
Reyes/
Mrs. Vallejos
Intervention/ RtI (Reading & Math Intervention)
RTI (Response to Intervention) is a reading and math-based program that
incorporates intervention and enrichment opportunities for all students.
This program will take place Monday through Thursday for 45 minutes.
Your child will be assessed and grouped according to their reading and
math levels which will be noted in their report cards.

Grades
Our grading system is based on a trimester model which means you will receive progress
reports after six weeks into the trimester and report cards at twelve weeks. Our district grading
scale is as follows:
4 90%-100%
Advanced Performance
3 75%-89%
Proficient Performance
2 60%-74%
Approaching Performance
1 0%-59%
Minimal Performance
We use Electronic Report Cards. Students are directly graded on the California State
Standards. If a standard is not covered that trimester, a slash will indicate that the subject has
not been covered yet. Different parts of the standard are taught in different trimesters. The
material also gets more difficult. For example, even though the standard stays the same, the
student may receive a 3 the first trimester, a 2 the second trimester, and a 3 the third trimester.
This is simply because the material has gotten more difficult or different material has been
covered. Grades will fluctuate with the material. Aside from progress reports, you will be able
to review assessments results on a weekly basis. You will be receiving information on how to
access grades online on the Parent Portal Illuminate.

ClassroomManagement
OurclassroomwilladheretothebehaviorexpectationssetforthinourPositiveBehavior
InterventionandSupportschoolwideprogram(PBIS).Studentswhodonotmeetthese
expectationswillreceiveaverbalwarningbeforetheylosepointsonClassDojoorpullacard.
StudentswillalsoearnBlueandBurgundyCardsforpositivebehaviororYellowandRedcards
formisbehaviorwithvaryingdegreesofconsequences.YouwillbenotifiedviaClassDojo
wheneverastudenthastochangetheircardtoyelloworred.Also,parentswillbenotifiedwith
aphonecallhomeifastudentpullsaredcardtodiscusstheproblem.Ifastudentposesa
significantdisruptiontoourlearningenvironmenttheywillreceiveareferralandbesenttothe
office.Thereferralwillbecomeapermanentpartoftheirbehaviorrecord.
Iverymuchenjoyrecognizingstudentswhoconsistentlymakepositivechoices.Special
recognitionrewardstheirmodelbehaviorandshowsthemitdoesnotgounnoticed.I
implementaticketsystemintheclassroominwhichstudentsreceiveoneticketeachdaythey
turninalloftheirhomework(andhavethenecessaryparentinitials).Theyreceivebonus
ticketsforexemplaryclassworkorbehavioraswell.Studentswillhavetopayaticketfor
actionsthatinterruptclassroomlearningorshowalackofresponsibilitysuchas:usingthe
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restroomduringclassinsteadofrecesstime,havingtoborrowapencilbecausetheyarenot
preparedwithsharpenedpencilsoftheirown,etc.Attheendofeverytwomonthswewillhave
astudentstorewherestudentscanpurchaseitemswiththeirhardearnedtickets.Thefive
studentswiththemostticketsgettovisitthestudentstorefirstandalsoagainattheendafterall
studentshaveparticipated.Iwillposttheresultsofthetop10inourmonthlyclassroom
newsletterandwebsite.
ThinkofourstorewheneveryoureoutshoppingDollarStoreitemscanmakeveryfun
purchasesinourstore.Iacceptanyandalldonations!

Classroom Dojo Points

In addition to the classroom management system, a Class Dojo points system will be in
place. It is important that each student take responsibility for their actions and behavior, which
include staying on task, being focused during lessons, not interfering with the learning of
others, as well as completing all homework and class work. Student behavior and achievement
will be documented throughout the day through this online program and smart phone app. Once
I have your email, you will receive an invitation to sign up so you can view your childs daily
behavior. This app also works as a messaging center and lets me broadcast important messages
through email to all parents who have signed up. If you download the Class Dojo app on your
phone, you will receive an instant notification whenever I send a message.

Parent Communication
I have a classroom website that contains this syllabus as well as current classroom
information, newsletters, and links at [email protected]. I will also be sending a
burgundy school communication folder home with assessment results and important notices
from the classroom or office every Tuesday. The schools monthly newsletter and our
classroom newsletter will also be in the folder at the beginning of each month, along with any
other important communication documents such as Scholastic Book Orders. The folder will be
due the next day empty of all communications or with material that needed returning.
The best ways to contact me are through Class Dojo or email (on front page). I check my
Class Dojo messages and email regularly and will respond within one day. There is also an
easy to fill out contact form on my website that will send the message to my email account. If
you have any questions or concerns, please dont hesitate to stop by the school as well. You
may even call during instructional hours and ask the office to transfer you to my voicemail to
leave a message.
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Weekly Assessments
After practicing standards throughout the week, or weeks depending on the standard,
students will receive an assessment. We will go over assessment results and students will take
home their communication folder with their assessments and results. I will also give you
information and link a parent portal on my website where you can view your childs assessment
results online on a weekly basis. The folder will be due the next day. Please expect this folder
every Tuesday and contact me if your child is not taking it home or showing it to you.
By receiving your childs assessment results, you can more easily stay up to date on
their academic progress before progress or trimester reporting periods. It is also a great way for
you to assist your child in areas they might be struggling with as you can go over their thinking
on missed questions or problems. One of the things I stress to my students is that mistakes will
happen and they can provide us with great opportunities to learn if we can identify why we
made them. I will also support your efforts to show them different ways of finding a solution as
this strengthens your childs understanding of the concept!

Homework
Homework is used as independent practice for students to reinforce material that has
already been taught so students can practice the skills correctly. Students should be able to
complete the homework with little assistance from parents; however, if your child needs
periodic extensive help, please do not hesitate to help them and notify me the next day so that I
can also assist.
Students will receive a homework packet on Mondays that will list all assignments due
on a daily basis on a front-page planner. Students will be responsible for writing down their
math page numbers correctly as well as any extra information for parents in regards to due dates
or upcoming events. I ask that parents review their childs planner each night and initial
after they have verified that homework has been completed. Leave blank if homework is
incomplete. I will stamp the planner daily if homework is complete and has parent initials. If
there are no initials but the students state they completed their homework, I will highlight that
space. Any missing work for that day will also be highlighted. Sloppy work will be handed
back to the student to be redone. The consequences for missing homework assignments will be
automatic detention (missed recess) until the homework due for the day is completed.
Readingwillbeapartofstudentshomeworkeverydayandwillbenotedasadaily
assignmentontheplanner.Afteryourchildhasreadfortherequiredtime,theywillneedto
completethereadingloglocatedonthebackoftheplannerpage.Studentswillbeallowedto
checkoutbooksfrommyclassroomlibrarytotakehometoreadaswellasourschoollibrary.
Booksfrommyclassroomwillbeduethenextdayandmaybecheckedoutagainuntilthey
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havefinishedreadingthebook.Theymaynotcheckoutanyotherbookuntilalatebookis
returned.Ialsohighlyencourageyoutovisityourcitylibraryoften,atleastonceeveryweek
orcoupleofweeksandallowyourchildtopickbooksormagazinesofhighinterest.Ibelieve
itisimportanttomakereadingapleasurabletasktocreateinformed,lifelongreaders.

Accelerated Reader
In order to motivate students to read consistently and improve their reading levels,
students will be held accountable to use the online AR program to take quizzes on all books
they have finished reading. Students will have to meet a monthly goal of points every month
beginning with 4 points by the end of September. Student point goals will then be
individualized to meet their personal reading needs. You will receive an AR report every month
with specific quiz results as well as a note from me that shows whether or not their goal was
met and what their points goal for the next month is. You may sign up online to be notified
every time your child takes a quiz online and I will send that information out.

Scholastic Book Orders

Ahhh, the smell of a new book! I will hand out Scholastic Book Orders at the beginning
of every month. Our classroom receives free books and bonus points to order books with any
class order of at least twenty dollars. Scholastic gives me extra points and other perks if parents
go online to submit their book orders. Student orders will still arrive at school and orders can
be placed a few days after physical orders are due. I will send all information with the first
book order and hopefully many of you can place your order from home. If you want to send in
the book order with your child I would appreciate receiving checks made out to Scholastic
Book Clubs instead of cash please.

Volunteers
I thoroughly enjoy putting parent volunteers to work! You may come volunteer in the
classroom at any time but please try to give me a day of advanced notice so I can plan for your
visit. All Sanger Academy parents must volunteer 10 hours to their childs classroom for the
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school year. You may keep track of the hours you volunteer in the log offered in the SAC
Handbook as they will be due in May. Please be aware of District regulations that require all
parents who wish to volunteer in the classroom or chaperone on fieldtrip to fill out the
necessary form found in your Back to School packets.

Field Trips
Unfortunately, Sanger Academy does not have a field trip budget. This means that our
only opportunity to raise money (aside from any donations) will be through fundraisers. The
only fundraisers that support our field trips are Read-A-Thon and Jog-A-Thon. We will send
home more information as we get closer to these events. In the event that we do not raise
enough money through these fundraisers, we might ask for donations for our end of the year
field trip.
Chaperones will be selected on a lottery basis. All chaperones must have a volunteer
application on file and must adhere to guidelines set forth in the Student Handbook. Volunteer
forms must be turned in by school deadline, August 31st. Any parents who do not turn in a
completed form with copy of ID will not be able to participate in field trips. Please note each
parent wishing to possibly attend a field trip or volunteer in class must have a Chaperone Form
on file, per teacher. Do not send in one form to one teacher without sending copies to all of
your childrens teachers at SAC.

After School
Students who ride the bus will go to the designated bus riders area (in grass area in front
of room 3). Students going to LEAP/ASP and Campus Club will be dropped off in the
cafeteria. Students who get picked up outside the gates by the office will be dismissed from
class to walk to their supervised pick up location. I will walk the rest of the students to get
picked up by the cafeteria gate. Please make sure that anyone who will be picking up your
child after school is on the emergency card. In order to keep your child safe, I ask that you park
and walk to pick up your child so I can identify with whom your child is leaving. Please do not
pick students up from the classroom as this can be a very hectic time of day. I coach after
school so I will bring any students who have not been picked up by 2:50 to the classroom or
office to make a phone call home.

Birthday Celebrations
Parents are welcome to bring treats/drinks in celebration of your childs birthday. Just let
me know a few days or a week in advance and note that it will be a quick recognition during the
last ten minutes of class only in order to maximize classroom instruction. Please note that any
food items must be store-bought and packaged in order to be served at school and candy is not
allowed per school policy.

This is going to be a great year in third grade! Your children will work hard and grow in
their own personal learning journeys.