2016-2017 Welcome and information

WELCOME

TO ST. MICHAEL GRADE 3 WITH

 MS. WADDELL

I look forward to a great year and are glad that you are part of it! Please check this site for up-dated information.

 Thank you. Ms.  C. Waddell

**********************************

OUR Schedule:

Day 1- Music with Mrs. Lindenbach 11:00-11:30
             
             Computer time with Ms. Waddell 2:40 -3:10

Day 2- Gym with Ms. Dunne  12:50-1:15
             Computer time with Ms. Waddell 2:40-3:10

Day 3-  Music with Mrs. Lindenbach 11:00-11:30

Day 4- Art with Ms. Klotz  1:35-2:25

Day 5- Gym with Ms. Dunne  1:15- 1:45

Day 6- Library with Mrs. Nahas 9:30-10:00
             Music with Mrs. Lindenbach 2:40-3:10

Parent information

TEACHERS

 There are two grade 3 classes this year.
Ms. Rogers and Ms. Waddell are the Gr. 3 homeroom teachers.

                                                               

Ms. Lindenbach.  will teach grade 3 Music, and Ms. Dunne will teach grade 3 Gym. Ms. Klotz will teach 1 Art class in the 6 day cycle.

Grade 3 Meeting Spot 

– Please discuss a meeting spot with your child for the 3:15pm dismissal bell. It is recommended to have a consistent meeting spot to avoid confusion. Our entry, recess and dismissal door is on the southwest side of the school near the play structure. Our line-up is along the school brick wall by this south-west door.

Agenda 

– Please read and initial the agenda everyday. Use the agenda to write a note to the teacher, or ask a question. I read parent notes and stamp agendas each morning. Students get a reward at the end of each month for agendas that have been signed/initialed regularly by a parent.

If you do not have a home-routine for checking and signing your child’s agenda, please begin a routine this year.

 The agenda will be transported to and from school every day.

 If you are sending money to school with your child for a school related purchase, please write a note in the agenda.  Place the $ in an envelope with the child’s name, item to purchase, and amount. In order to keep you informed and your child organized, it is important that your child bring the Agenda home and to school every day. Parents are asked to READ/ FOLLOW UP and initial the Agenda EACH DAY. The use of the Agenda teaches the child to become responsible for his/her learning & responsibilities. The Agenda is a useful tool for helping students organize themselves and an excellent tool for parents to communicate with the teacher. At times, teachers will use the Agenda to write brief notes to parents.

Safety – Your child’s safety is of utmost importance to St. Michael School.

Please let me know if your child has a caregiver pick up your child at the 3:15 pm dismissal bell. If the pick-up person is not present for pick up, your child will wait at the office at the front of the school. If your child is a bus student, St. Michael School’s administration team will escort these children to the bus.

PARENT PARKING– Please see the map below.

Tenth Avenue (across from Rosscarrock Community Center) is less busy and the best place to park/ drop-off. There is an opening at both corners of the fence for children to get onto the school grounds.

You may find parking along the busy 45^th Street or 8^th Avenue, but please do not park in any bus zones.

 Avoid entering the staff parking lot (before/after school). For safety reasons, students are not allowed to be dropped off in the staff parking area and in the alley.  

No matter where you park, children must walk around the school and line-up outside their designated door. (They should not be walking through the school to get to their line-up area).

Supervision is from 8:16-8:31. For safety reasons, please do not allow your children on the school grounds before 8:16 am.

There is NO AFTER SCHOOL SUPERVISION unless you are enrolled with a program. Parents are responsible for their children at 3:15 pm.

Visitor’s Pass 

– Anyone not on staff who wishes to enter the school must by the front doors on 8^th Avenue and sign out a Visitor’s Pass at the Main Office. The Visitor’s Pass must be clearly worn (not held) before entering any school hallway. This is a mandatory safety precaution throughout the Calgary Catholic School District. Thank you!

Drop-off and pick-up zones

 – Students socialize and play outside prior to the morning bell.

At the morning bell, my students  line up along the brick wall at our entry/exit door where I will greet them and take them to our classroom.

If the weather is too cold (-15 or greater), or too rainy, students will be brought inside before the bell. Students will be supervised in their designated area from 8:16am until the 8:30 am morning bell.

School Supplies

Please label all pencils, markers, erasers, ruler, pencil box, scissors and pencil sharpener with your child’s name or initials (using a permanent black marker).

Duotangs and other writing booklets DO NOT need to be labelled with names.

HOMEWORK

 Grade 3 students are expected to spend about 15 minutes each day on Homework.

Homework may consist of 15 minutes of any of the following:

 • Completing work that was not finished in class         
 • Reviewing material for a test • Practicing spelling words                             
 • Practicing basic math facts- You can be a significant support in helping your child learn and MEMORIZE their BASIC MATH FACTS. This includes ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION FACTS up to 20, and MULTIPLICATION FACTS up to (and including) the 5X’s table (max. 5x5).      • Reading (reading for 10 minutes a day)                        
 • Working on a school assignment.

 Please ensure that the items written in the Agenda have been completed / prepared to the best of your child’s ability and brought to school on time.

HOME READING 

  Children are expected to read at home for 10 minutes 5x’s a week, each week. This will not be monitored by the teacher, but is an expectation of the parent to create a reading time each evening in order to benefit your child’s reading progress.

 Cursive HANDWRITING

 Grade 3 children will be INTRODUCED to handwriting with mainly the lower case letters. Please hold off on teaching your child any handwriting in advance so that we can all learn the same methods.

Footwear / Indoor and outdoor shoes

Please have a pair of indoor shoes AND outdoor shoes for the school year.

Students without running shoe footwear will not be able to participate in Physical Education class.

Labeling personal items 

– Please label your child’s indoor and outdoor shoes, backpack, lunch bag and reusable food containers in permanent black marker to avoid mix-ups.

Eco-friendly/garbage-less healthy lunches 

– At St. Michael School, we are conscious of how our daily habits affect the earth. Children are encouraged to bring nutritious snacks and lunch contained in reusable containers to reduce waste.

Water bottles

 – Please send your child to school with a SHORT/ SMALL water bottle (no juice inside the water bottles, please). We need to stay properly hydrated to be healthy learners. Students will be encouraged to keep a clean and sealed water bottle on top of their desks.

FOOD / DIET AT SCHOOL

It is important that a child begins the day with a breakfast meal before coming to school. It is also important that a child bring a nutritious snack and lunch to school.

During the year there are opportunities to order or buy some special lunches or snacks but to ensure that a child has a snack and lunch, the home should be the main provider.

 Ms. Waddell allows her students to eat raw fruits or vegetables (preferably pre-cut) at their desk during the school day and a water-bottle is encouraged. Healthy eating, drinks and snacks are essential for daily mind and body function and good health. Please do your best to help your child learn this at an early age so they will continue good eating habits through life.

Snack time 

– Depending on our schedule, morning snack time will be started everyday inside the classroom just before morning recess.

In my classroom, children are allowed to eat RAW FRUITS OR VEGETABLES at their desk during the day.

Some fruits or vegetables are best cut up ahead and placed in bags or plastic containers.

Lunchtime 

 All elementary students will have OUTDOOR PLAY recess before eating lunch.

 They will play from 12:02-12:25 pm and then eat in the gym between 12:25-12:40pm. Please speak with your child about using lunchtime to eat rather than socialize. Occasionally, students can “forget” to eat their lunch because they are socializing. Supervisors give reminders about how much time is left, but please have a conversation with your child about the importance of eating during the allotted times. Parents have found it helpful to prepare food that their child can quickly handle independently – i.e. minimal peeling and unwrapping is needed and the child can simply open a container and begin eating.

Please remember this is a nut free school. We have a number of children with allergies, so please do not send any food containing nuts to the school.

  Clothing  

Please make sure your child is dressed / or brings proper clothing for the weather conditions. We know that Calgary weather can change quickly. It is better to be on the warmer side rather than cold.

Late arrival  

– If you arrive late, please send your child through the front door where s/he will check/sign in and pick up a late slip. Please allow your child to walk through the school independently. If you need to speak with me, please send a note with your child or book an after-school appointment. It is difficult to discuss matters while students are present.

Absences

 – Please write a note in the Agenda and call the office at 403-500-2021 to let us know that your child will be missing school.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

 In regards to birthday celebrations, your child will be recognized and celebrated within the class. It is entirely OPTIONAL to send treats to school, however, if you choose to do so, please be aware that we are a NUT SAFE school.

 It would be greatly appreciated if you provide INDIVIDUAL potions if you are bring a treat to share with the class. (Cupcakes are ideal!). NO full cakes or ice cream cakes please!!!

Bedtime                  

– Studies have shown that 7 and 8 year-olds who go to bed at 8:00pm are academically more successful than those who go to bed later. Please ensure your child is getting enough sleep and that siblings or electronic devices are not interfering with their rest.

Classroom volunteers

We will be needing volunteers for in-school field trips, out of school field trips, and swimming.

 Volunteers will have to attend St. Michael School’s volunteer orientation or complete the orientation on-line prior to joining us.

SLA’s- Student Learning Assessments

The grade 3 children will partake in Math, Reading and Writing Assessments at the START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. These are NOT kept for Provincial Records. Teachers use the Assessments to determine how to best approach teaching for the level of each child in the current school year and will share information on your child's results during the November Parent Teacher interviews.