Back To School

Dear Parents,
Welcome to third grade! It is a blessing and an honor to have

your child in my class this year. I am very excited about this
coming school year. Many people, including myself, have been
busily preparing for this school year, and specifically this class
of students. I have great hopes about what we will accomplish
and learn as a group in the next several months.
This is my fourth year of teaching. I graduated in 2012 from
Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. I began my
teaching career in 3rd grade at Tri, but then moved to
Evansville, where I taught 3rd grade at Evansville Christian
School. Last year, I moved back to the area and taught K-4
special education at Tri Elementary. This year, I am overjoyed to
return to the 3rd grade!
I am married to an amazing man, Ben. Both of our families live in
Henry County; therefore, we love to spend much of our time
with them. In our free time, we enjoy working on house projects,
bicycle riding, and our most recently found hobby--spending
time with our baby boy, Simon! Simon is now eight months old and
on the go! We also attend New Lisbon Christian Church, where
we are surrounded by a loving church family.
Please feel free to communicate with me through emails, notes,
phone calls, or the student agenda. My school email address is
[email protected] . My personal cell phone number is 1765-465-1708. I would be happy to take your calls or texts at
any time. You can also feel free to call the school and leave a
message for me during the school day at 987-7090..
I believe that this school year will be filled with much growth.
Each day we will grow, through humility and perseverance, as we
invest our hearts and minds in becoming the individuals whom we
are meant to be.
Thank you,
Mrs. Hamm
Classroom Website
In my past few years of teaching experience, I have found
that it is helpful to have an online location to be able to access
classroom documents. Therefore, I have created a classroom
website that you may view at anytime. On this site, you may view
resources such as spelling word lists, our classroom
management plan, newsletters, and our weekly schedule. You can
also see an overview of our curriculum, along with our targeted
daily objectives.
Here is our classroom website:
www.ourgrowinggarden.weebly.com
Parent-Teacher Communication:
Your childs School-Home folder will be our mailbox
home. It should be in your childs backpack each night and
returned each morning. The pocket labeled Keep at Home will
contain homework, graded papers which you may view and keep
at home, and any other Tri Elementary or lassroom notes. The
other pocket of the folder should be labeled eturn to school.
This is where notes or work being sent back to school can be
placed.
I will also keep in touch with you through student agendas.
This is where daily assignments will be listed. It is your childs
responsibility to give the agenda to you to review and sign.
Reading agendas each night is a great way to see what we are
studying and also help your child stay organized by making sure
each assignment for that day is complete. You may also write
notes to me in the agenda. Each afternoon I will check them for
your signature and reply to any notes as soon as possible.
Each week you will be able to access our classroom
newsletter through our classroom website listed above. Here, I
will have the newsletter saved as a PDF each week, under
Resource Documents. I will have the newsletter loaded each
Friday for the following week.
You will be able to view your childs grades throughout
the year on the Harmony website. Please be diligent about
checking Harmony and comparing it to your childs papers. If
you see a discrepancy, just let me know. It is much easier to fix
immediately after rather than weeks later. All papers, those
graded and those done for practice, will be sent home as they
are graded throughout the week.
Homework:
Written homework assignments are given regularly for
Math, Spelling, and English, but assignments can be given in any
subject. Written homework will only be assigned on days
excluding Friday. Students will have the opportunity to begin
their homework during the school day!
Tests can be given any day of the week, but I will always
give you several days notice of that test schedule.
All assignments must be turned in the morning they are
due. It is the students responsibility to turn in their own work.
If it is not turned in, they will have classroom
consequences.Also, if it is not turned in, I will enter a 0 in the
gradebook, but will promptly change it when I receive the work.
Addition/Subtraction/Multiplication Timed Tests:
Students will begin taking drill tests next week! We will
start with a 2-minute 25 addition problem test. We will take our
timed drill tests each day. We will give an official test on
Fridays. The addition drill test will count as one test grade, so
each week they have a chance to improve their grade! For
example, if the first week your child scores 70%, I will record
70%. If the second week their score drops to 60%, I will keep
the 70% since Ill always record the highest grade. If the third
week the score is 85%, I delete the 70% and replace it with 85%!
This is probably as clear as mud, so feel free to ask me any
questions you have! We will take subtraction drill tests starting
in the 2nd quarter, following the same routine.We will test on
Multiplication in the 3rd quarter. You will receive more
information regarding those tests closer to time.
Absences:
When your child needs to miss school for an appointment,
please send a note and I will gather materials ahead of time.
Then, stop by the office to sign out and your child will be called
from the room to meet you there.
If your child is ill, I will gladly prepare his or her make up
work. If you would like to pick up the work the day of the
absence, feel free to send me an email or call the office and I
will have it ready by the end of the school day. Your child will
have one day per day of absence to return the work without
consequences.
Volunteering
It would be a great help if you would be interested in
volunteering in our classroom. A background check is required;
therefore, I will need to submit your name to the office ahead
of time. There will be a sign-up sheet tonight if you are
interested. I will also be asking throughout the year for parents
who would like to come with us on field trips or help with class
parties.
Parent/Teacher Conferences:
I will offer optional conferences after the first nine weeks
is complete. Of course we will keep in contact, and you may feel
free to let me know of your concerns as they arise. However,
this will be an intentional time that we can sit down to discuss
how your child is doing in 3rd grade.
Testing:
3rd grade is a pivotal year in the academic career of your
child. In order to demonstrate and measure this growth,
students are given multiple state standardized tests this year.
In the spring, students will participate ISTEP and the I-Read 3
exams. Each day, we will be working hard in class to prepare
ourselves for the objectives of these tests. I will provide you
with more information on these tests as the spring semester
approaches.
Discipline Plan
Individual: Owl Behavior System Levels
In our classroom we have an Owl Behavior System. Each
student begins the day with his or her owl on Ready to Learn.
Throughout the day, students will move their owls up or down,
depending on whether their action was positive or negative. The
student board allows students to reflect on their actions as
they are responsible for moving their own owls up and down,
physically identifying their behavior. The goal is for students to
make wise choices, displaying positive behaviors throughout
their daily routines.
Levels:
Outstanding Owl
Very Wise Owl

Wise Owl
Ready to Learn
Think About It
Teachers Choice
Parent Contact
Individual reward given (Prize,

extra computer time, homework
pass, etc.)
5 minutes lost at recess

10 minutes lost at recess,
written note, or consequence
related to unwise choice
Whole recess lost, Direct
contact with parent, Possible
meeting with principal
Whole Class: Butterflies

The whole class will also have an opportunity to earn a
class reward. Each time the class is caught doing something well,
they will earn a class butterfly. Once ten butterflies are earned,
a class reward will be given. Rewards include extra recess time,
computer time, treats, videos, popcorn, and more. It is very
much a reward system for all students. The class will benefit
from the wise choices of its members.
***Please remember that all behavior issues are always addressed first with a verbal warning.
Helping Your Child at Home

You were your childs first teacher. Therefore, I greatly
value your partnership in continuing to provide them
with a well-rounded academic year. Here are a few ideas
of ways that you can help enrich their experience:
Provide positive affirmation to your child daily. Words of
praise and encouragement go a long way!
Help your child learn weekly spelling words and memorize
math facts.
Read aloud to your child and have your child read to you.
o Do shared reading. You read a sentence and then
your child reads a sentence. This can also be done a
page at a time.
o Subscribe to childrens magazines. Read them
together.
o While in the car, have your child read billboards and
signs.
o Encourage your child to read the newspaper. Discuss
articles together.
o Obtain a library card and visit the library regularly.
o Begin a story and have your child finish it.
Have your child follow a recipe, measure ingredients, and
prepare a dish.
Have your child figure change from the grocery store.
Create flashcards for your childs needs (math facts,
telling time, vocabulary words, states and capitals, etc.)
Encourage your child to write stories and publish them on
the computer.
Have your child write letters and thank-you notes to
friends and relatives.
Write notes to your child and place them in a lunchbox, on
the mirror, or under the pillow.

Back To School

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Back To School

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Dear Parents,

Welcome to third grade! It is a blessing and an honor to have

Very Wise Owl

Individual reward given (Prize,

5 minutes lost at recess

Whole Class: Butterflies

Helping Your Child at Home

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