Fourth Grade Information- Miss Pierce's Class



Welcome to Durand Eastman! You are now part of the Minds in Motion Family!

As we embark on a new journey, there are a few things you need to know as we begin the new school year together.  As partners in your child's learning, it is important to establish good homework habits, appropriate bedtimes, and a positive attitude towards learning. We do set high standards for the students in our family. Therefore, a child's attendance, homework, behavior and participation are very important for a successful school year!

School Times

School Day:  8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.                                                      Lunch:12:30 p.m. -1:00 p.m.

Absences/Bus Notes

When a student is absent from school, the parent/guardian must call the school attendance office at 339-1555 ext. 5355. The parent/guardian should state the reason for the absence and the date. When your child is absent, please send in a written note stating the reason for his/her absence, date, child’s full name, and your signature. If your child is sick, a buddy or his/her homeroom teacher will prepare homework for that given day. If you would like to pick up the work, please notify us early in the day (before school starts) and it will be ready in the office before dismissal. Also, please send in a written note each time your child is tardy.

Early Dismissal/Pick-Ups

If your child must be excused early for any reason, a written excuse is required on the morning of that early dismissal stating the time he/she is to leave. The secretary will call your child from class and he/she will meet you in the office. If your child is returning to school on the same day, please escort him/her to the Main Office to record the re-entry in our log.        

If you are picking up your child or changing their transportation for the day, a note must be received that morning and given to the teacher. The teacher will note the change and forward the note to the Main Office.

Daily Snack

We will have snack each day. Only healthy snacks are acceptable. A snack with high protein will help keep your child's energy level up longer so we encourage snacks like peanut butter with crackers or celery, healthy granola bars, and yogurts. Fruits and vegetables are also great snacks.

Breakfast and Lunch

Children may purchase breakfast and lunch daily. Breakfast is served daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. For those students who wish to bring their lunch; milk, healthful snacks and desserts are available. Menus are sent home with the children monthly. Since we have so many children bring lunch, please write your child's name on his/her lunchbox or bag. All students will be given an ID card, which will process purchases quickly. We offer a prepayment plan that helps move students more efficiently through the cafeteria lines.

Planners

Each child is provided with a school planner on the first day of school. This planner is where the child will record all of his/her homework and important pieces of information. The planner is your child's responsibility and if it is lost it will cost $10.00 to replace it. This is quite a large responsibility, but we know the children are able to handle it!

Homework Policy

Homework is a valuable aid in helping students make the most of their experience in school. If your child misses a homework assignment, we will send home a homework notice with your child for you to sign so that you are aware of the situation. Loss of free time is the penalty for incomplete, late, or missing homework assignments. If the problem is recurrent, we will need to schedule a conference to help your child come up with a plan for good time management at home.

Please sign your child's planner nightly after you have looked over your child's work.

Grading Work This Year

Since we will all be working with your children this year, we have a uniform grading system, which reflects the indicators on the report card.            4=+    3= check+     2= check   1= -

D.E.A.R. Program

As you know, becoming a proficient, strategic reader is a top priority for students both inside and outside of school. Students will be participating in the D.E.A.R. program (Durand Eastman's Always Reading). The purpose of this program is for students to be consistently reading at home at their appropriate independent level. This program goes along with a state-wide and school-wide reading incentive to read at least 25 books a year. If your child does reach the goal of 25 books, he/she will have the opportunity to participate in ta special school-wide celebration of reading. All students are expected to read 15-25 books by March-April of each school year.

Birthday Celebrations

If your child wishes to celebrate a birthday with the class, you may send a STORE BOUGHT treat into school that day. I would prefer if they were dropped off in the morning or sent in with your child. I'm never quite sure when we will have the time to fit the treats in- but don't worry we will fit them in! A small snack that we can pass out quickly and enjoy during a read aloud would be fine. It is also necessary for health reasons that the treats be store bought and prepackaged. I would prefer something that is individually packaged so that it is safer to pass out as well.

Library

Your child may borrow books from the library for a period of one week. There are regular library classes at which time students learn about the library and may borrow books. It addition to these classes, students may go to the library independently to exchange books.

Physical Education

All children are expected to wear laced or Velcro sneakers for physical education classes. Although we do not have a prescribed uniform for gym classes, preferred gym clothing is shorts, sneakers, T-shirts, and sweats for boys and girls. NO JEANS. All gym clothing should be clearly labeled with the child's name.

Lockers

Lockers are the property of the school district. A locker will be assigned to each student at the beginning of the school year.  A student shall not keep any item in a school locker that might cause disruption on school property or is valuable since these are not lockable lockers. A student is then responsible for:                                                                                                                 *Keeping his/her own locker clean, inside and out                                   *Not defacing his/her or any other locker.                                       *Reporting broken or faulty lockers to the office.

Monthly  Newsletter

I will be sending home a newsletter informing you on what your child is studying, upcoming events, birthdays, and  reminders, to help from an strong home-school connection. I feel this is a great way to keep you informed on what your child is doing in the classroom.