Grade+4

__//**﻿Grade 4 **//__ 4th /5th grade meeting 8/25/11 Pen Pals-We are unclear about the Pen Pal procedure. Do we wait to receive letters, or do we send first? Do we address to certain students or just send a class set of letters to be randomly distributed? More guidance and clarification is needed.

Discussed the possibility of putting our desktop computers in the scholar hall area for a computer center. The teams agreed that we need to keep our desktops as a student computer in the classroom.

Shared what we are currently using as a newsletter/parent communication. The following are used by various teachers:
 * 1) Newsletters via e-mail/blog
 * 2) Weekly calendars via blue folders
 * 3) “Ask me about…” sheets
 * 4) All send Monday blue folders with completed student work.

Student kindles/nooks/laptops: 5th grade would like to allow these items in the classroom for reading and writing, however we think there should be a school-wide policy that is communicated to parents regarding loss or damage of items.

Cursive Writing: The teams members different rules and expectations for cursive writing. Middle school does not require cursive at all. We decided to expect cursive for major tests, quizzes, final drafts, and other published work when appropriate. We would like to know the school-wide expectations for cursive writing.

Scholar Area: Discussed utilization of the area and the need to teach students expectations, procedures, etc. Classes or grade levels should teach procedure prior to having the students use the area.

Early Students: Several students have been coming into the building prior to 8:00. Discussed being consistent with sending students to Extended Day until 8:00.

9/9/11 Okay Ladies, These are some things that were discussed at yesterday’s meeting:

We need to send home mid-terms for students with a C or lower no later than September 19th. Make copies and give to Julie. All struggling students need to be reported to Julie ASAP.

We need to create a description, by grade level, of what we want our students to look like when they arrive to us and what should they look like when they leave.** SHOULDN'T MAPPING TAKE CARE OF THIS? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS?? IS THIS FOR A BROCHURE OR FOR EACH OTHER??? - KATHY **

Tennis will start tentatively in October and there will be a jamboree to kick it off. Starting in April/May, there will be swimming as part of P.E. The kids will be bussed to Oakbridge School at the beginning of your P.E. class, then return 45 minutes later. Instead of 3 30-minute P.E. classes per week, during swim season there will be 2 45-minute classes. Small classes will be combined for swimming, but larger classes will go individually by class. Julie is working on that schedule.

Julie may be out of town September 19-21. In her absences, she has appointed Teresa Hudson to handle emergencies, with Cindy Clements as a back-up go-to person.

She also wants to know what everyone is doing with their writing curriculum. She discussed a book called Writers’ Source as a possible addition to our curriculum to perhaps piggyback with Lucy Calkins. **I AM USING RALPH FLETCHER TO INTRODUCE THE WRITER'S** **NOTEBOOK and ALSO USING MENTOR BOOKS AND POETRY//JOURNAL EXCERPTS - KATHY**

She also discussed the possibility of doing quarterly Principal Forums as evening-time informational meetings for parents. ** COULDN'T WE USE ROOM PARENT TO DISSEMINATE INFO AND GATHER QUESTIONS...THEN A FORUM COULD BE PUT TOGETHER AS NEEDED? -KATHY **

There will also be Advantage Plus programs that take place at 5:30 or later. Melissa Moberg will NOT be in charge of those; rather the instructor for the sessions (like after school tennis or swimming) will be responsible for their own sessions. - **COULD WE GET ADVANTAGE LISTS THE FRIDAY BEFORE A NEW SESSION BEGINS? THAT WAY WE CAN CANCEL CLASSES THAT NEED TO BE CANCELLED BEFORE 'THE DAY OF' ALSO, WE NEED SOME KIND OF PLAN FOR SUPERVISION OF KIDS WAITING FOR ADVANTAGE CLASSES...COULD THEY JUST WAIT WITH THEIR CARPOOL AND WALK OVER TO THEIR CLASS AT 3:15???- KATHY**

She also wants to make sure that everyone is labeling the hallway displays with an explanation of what the display is about.


 * RE: GRANT WRITING...COULD WE HAVE A WORKSHOP ON GRANT WRITING? - KATHY **

The next meeting is 9/22. Grade Five Teacher
 * Carol Quatrano**

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