Welcome to 4th Grade

George Kelly Elementary

Back to School Night
2017-2018
Mrs. Ryan

Dear Parents,
I would like to welcome you and your child to an exciting year of learning! Fourth grade brings forth
many new challenges, more responsibility, an extended day, and letter grades. With that being said, we have a
common goal and that is to help your child grow as a student. This year, we will build and expand on skills of
previous years. I look forward to getting to know your child and aid in helping him or her become a well-
rounded student. As a team, we can support your child to help reach his or her potential.
This syllabus will give you some general information regarding our classroom curriculum and procedures
for the school year. Fourth Grade curriculum consists of Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Listening, and
Speaking), Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Art, Health, and Physical Education.
For Reading, we will be using the district adopted language arts series as well as novels. Students will be
expected to use a variety of comprehension strategies that will aid them in reading and understanding grade
level material. We will explore different genres including, fiction, non-fiction, realistic and historical fiction.
In fourth grade, students will be expected to listen critically to spoken messages, think about their own
contributions to discussions, and plan oral presentations.
In Math, we will be using Engage NY and the My Math series. Students will need to understand place
value to one million. We will add, subtract, multiply (2 digit) and divide (1 digit) by multi-digit numbers. Word problem
solving strategies will also be covered. Students will be able to order on a number line whole numbers,
fractions, mixed numbers and decimals. Students will need to complete 100 multiplication problems in 6 minutes.
Students will be expected to practice their multiplication facts and I will be asking parents to help with this at
home.
In Writing, students will progress through the stages of the writing process. Students will be expected
to write multi paragraph essays. They will learn how to write a summary, information report, narrative, and an
opinion. They will be expected to use correct punctuation and grammar.
For Social Studies, we will be using the district adopted Scott Foresman series. Students will identify and
describe the various regions of California, as well as describe the social, political, cultural and economic
interactions among people of California. Furthermore, students will demonstrate an understanding of the
mission system and its impact on California history.
For Science, we will implement the NGSS standards. Students will use evidence to construct an
explanation, make observations to provide evidence, ask questions to predict outcomes, apply scientific ideas
to design/test, develop a model, construct an argument, analyze and interpret data, and generate and
compare multiple possible solutions.
For Visual and Performing Arts, students will participate in arts and crafts projects as well as music.
In Health, students will learn about nutrition and food groups, personal hygiene, and participate in the
DATE Program (Drug, Alcohol & Tobacco Education Program). Physical Education will be an opportunity for
learning and demonstrating good sportsmanship along with fine-tuning large and fine motor skills.
In fourth grade, your child will complete assignments independently and will be expected to read,
understand, and follow directions. Students will be expected to complete class work on time.
Communication
I want to encourage you to always feel free to speak to me about any concerns or questions you
may have regarding your child. Parents are a significant part of the learning team and your input is important.
You may contact me directly through e-mail at mryan@tusd.net or you can call and leave a message at (209)
830-3390. I will get back to you as soon as possible. I ask that you make every effort to voice your concerns
or questions prior to speaking with any office staff when possible.
Each child will use an agenda. It can be purchased through the school or a store of your choice. This
agenda will be another way for us to communicate throughout the year. Your child will leave his or her agenda
on their desk if there is a correspondence from you that I need to read. Please check the agenda daily.
I send regular e-mails to update you on what is going on in our classroom.

Friday Folders
Large manila envelopes will be sent home every other Friday. In each envelope will be your childs
graded work. Please review all contents and return this envelope on Monday. In addition, I ask that you sign
and date the Friday Folder Signature Sheet on the back of the folder. Children will be recognized on Monday
for remembering their empty folders. Students who do not return a Friday Folder will lose a recess until it is
returned. Please keep in mind that lost Friday Folders will not be replaced due to costs.

Homework
Daily homework is given to provide additional practice of skills learned during the week. It will be
corrected in class and returned home. Messy or incomplete homework will not receive full credit.
Homework will be assigned Monday through Thursday nights. Students will not have homework on
Fridays unless special circumstances arise. Each Monday, your child will record in his or her agenda the
assignments for the week. Your child is responsible for bringing their homework folder, agenda, and
assignments home each day. Complete credit will be given to each child who returns completed homework at
the beginning of class the next day. Students who complete homework for the entire week will earn Fun
Friday. In the event your child does not complete the work, he or she will not earn Fun Friday. However, if
your child makes and effort and turns in work by the days given in the late work policy, he or she can attend
Fun Friday. I ask that a parent, or the adult who supervises the homework, sign the agenda each night. This
assures me that you are aware of your child's assignments.
The district has stated that homework for grade 4 should average no more than 60 minutes per night.
Please let me know if your child is taking more than that amount of time so that an adjustment may be made.
If your child for any reason is unable to complete an in class assignment, this will
automatically become homework to be completed at home and returned to school the
following day. Work not returned will result in a zero. The exception to this policy is writing
assignments. All writing, such as essays, summaries, ACE the Answer paragraphs (these are
just a few examples) will not be sent home for homework unless otherwise stated by the
teacher.

Daily Reading
The district homework guidelines also state, Regular reading at home on a nightly basis is encouraged
but not required in addition to the assigned homework. Studies have shown that reading ability improves with
practice. I hope that you as parents will consider reading to be an important part of your childs academic
development and will encourage your child to read every night. When homework is complete, I strongly
recommend that your child read for at least twenty to thirty minutes in addition to their written assignments.
Your child may choose the reading material that appeals to him or her. Please ask your child questions about
what he or she has read. Reading independently and discussing what has been read will help your child
develop fluency and understanding. In addition, reading to or with your child is a wonderful way to show them
how interesting and exciting reading can be!

Projects
There will be several projects throughout the year. All class projects will be completed under teacher
direction. For projects completed at home, students will receive a rubric with detailed description of teacher
expectations. Project due dates will be posted. Students are expected to adhere to these due dates as well.
Please talk to your child about the importance of completing assignments.

Grading
Starting in 4th grade students receive letter grades on the report card in addition to our standards
based rubric (1-4). Grades are based on percentages, which are derived from their test assessments, class
work, and class participation.

A+= 99-100%
A = 94-98%
A- = 90-93%
B+ = 88-89%
B = 84-87%
B- = 80-83%
C+ = 78-79%
C = 74-77%
C- = 70-73%
D+ = 68-69%
D = 64-67%
D- = 60-63%
F = 59% and below

District assessments will be given throughout the year. These assessments are the additional grades
that your child will receive on their report card. Reading Standards, Writing Standards, Listening and Speaking
Standards, and Math Standards, will receive grades as noted below:
4 Student is progressing above grade level.
3 Student is on target for meeting grade level standards.
2 Student is approaching grade level standards.
1 Student is below grade level standards.

*Progress reports will be distributed every trimester.

Parent signatures
I require parent signatures on various tests. If a student does not pass a test, (scoring below 70%) the
test will need to be signed by the student and a parent. These tests will be kept in the students records. On
the contrary, if a student performs above and beyond on a test, (scoring 94% or higher) the test will also
need to be signed by the student and a parent. The passing test will be displayed in our classroom.
Late work policy for classwork and homework
First Trimester: If a student turns in an assignment one day late, 20% will be deducted from that
assignment. If the assignment is two days late, 50% will be deducted from the total possible points. Work will
not be accepted after two days.

Second and Third Trimester: If a student turns in an assignment one day late, 50% will be deducted from
the assignment. Work will not be accepted after one day late. I am trying to establish good work habits and
prep them for the future since this is a similar policy for 5th grade.

Consequences for missing classwork and/or homework

If a student is missing homework, in addition to loss of points, the student will work on the assignment during
recess. The missing assignment should be turned in at the end of recess or the next day once completed. Any
work not turned in by the start of the day, will not receive full credit and will have points deducted based on
the late work policy.

Classwork and homework must be well presented. If assignments do not reflect this, they will be returned to
the student to redo and will be considered late. Points will be deducted based on the classroom late work
policy. Assignments are not considered well presented if the following are missing:
Proper heading: Name, number, and date must be on paper
Neat writing: printing within lines and margins
Clean paper: Paper should not be wrinkled, torn, have any fringes, have any smudges or stains of any
kind
Good spacing between letters, words, and numbers
All work completed in pencil unless instructed otherwise
If work will be late due to emergencies or personal reasons, please contact me.

Classwork and homework must be completed in order to receive full credit. Classwork and homework are
considered incomplete if:
Directions are not followed; therefore resulting in an incorrect final product
Did not show work: did not write all the steps that shows how the answer was reached
Missing parts of the assignment
If work is incomplete, the work will not be returned for students to redo and points will be deducted.

Attendance and Absences

It is very important that your child is here and is on time when he or she is well. Make-up work
can be given, but MUCH of our work is done in class and cannot be made up easily.
Students will be given two times the number of days absent to complete and turn in classroom and
homework assignments. For example, if a student is absent for two days, he/she will have four days to
complete the work. Work will not be given in advance for planned absences unless it is a travel study filed with
the front office. It is the students responsibility to ask for missing assignments. If classwork
and homework are not turned in on the given due date, the student will receive a zero for the assignment(s).
Long term projects and presentation due dates are given in advance. If students are absent on a due
date, he/she will need to be prepared to turn in or present once he/she returns or the student will receive a
zero for the assignment(s).
Aeries.net Parent and Student Portal
This site is designed to allow parents access to their childs grades. I highly recommend using this
resource in order to stay informed about your childs progress.

Fun Friday/Study time

Every Friday, time is set-aside to reward students who completed the weeks class work, homework,
and did not receive any blue/red days or no more than one yellow for the entire week in his or Behavior
Report. A fun activity is planned for this time.
Students who did not complete class work, homework, or received any blue/red days or more than one
yellow day, will spend this time in a designated study room with me or another fourth grade teacher.

Textbooks
Students will have books checked out to them through our school library. Students are allowed to take
home any textbooks to complete homework or study. The following are the textbooks checked out to
students: science, social studies, math workbooks, and the district adopted language arts program. Students
are only allowed to write in the math workbooks. The other books are non-consumable and cannot be written
in.

Novels
We will read several novels together in class for our weekly comprehension tests. If you are considering
reading one of the following novels, please choose a different book than those listed so that we may enjoy
them together as a class:

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

The One and Only Ivan
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Stone Fox
Who was Milton Hershey?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Who was Rosa Parks?
The Hidden Girl
What was the Gold Rush?
The Lightning Thief

These books are not checked out to students and will not be allowed to go home. Please consider purchasing
a copy of each novel or checking out from your local library in order to review chapters (that are completed
in class) and skills at home. I will notify you when we begin each novel as well as the focused chapters of the
week.
Book Orders
Students will have the opportunity to order books from Scholastic Book Clubs. When your child wishes
to order books, you may write a check to Scholastic Book Club and return it to me the due date. You can
also safely order online on the Scholastic Book Clubs website:
www.scholastic.com/parentordering

If parents order online, our class receives a coupon for a free book and so does your child! If we order
$200 or more worth of books, our class receives thousands of points that can be redeemed to get books
for our classroom library or a class set of novels. Please be sure to pay attention to book order due dates.

Classroom Parties
Parties will occur throughout the year. A party note will be sent to you prior to the event to give you
the opportunity to donate items needed. Do not forget that food items must be commercially prepared (store
bought) per district health policy. If you do not want your child to participate, please let me know. Most
importantly, if your child has specific food allergies, please let me know immediately as well as note it on the
information sheet.

Birthdays
A student may celebrate his or her birthday in class. Any treats provided must be store bought and
peanut free. Please notify me at least TWO DAYS in advance.

Damaged classroom materials

Oops! Sometimes accidents happen and materials such as book containers, classroom library books,
writing and art tools become damaged. However, it can become quite costly to replace with a class of 32
students. In the event that a student damages classroom equipment, they will be required to replace it or
provide the dollar amount.

George Kelly Parent Teacher Organization

The GKPTO is an active organization that is very dedicated to Kelly School, students, and staff. They
support many of the programs and activities at Kelly. Please consider joining.
 GEORGE KELLY ELEMENTARY
4 th Grade/Mrs. Ryan
2017-2018
Classroom Procedures and Consequences

Dear Parents,
I believe that all of my students can behave appropriately in my classroom. In order to keep our
classroom environment safe and conducive to learning, I have established some classroom procedures. I
believe in positive reinforcement and use it whenever possible. Students are praised and rewarded for
working well as a group, whole class, and individually.
Our classroom procedures are based on our Tribe Agreements, which are Mutual Respect,
Appreciations, No Put Downs, Participation/Right to pass and Attentive Listening. We have also adopted the
Character Counts Program. The six pillars of character being responsibility, respect, fairness, citizenship,
caring and trustworthiness. We will continue to discuss the above topics throughout the year and how they
affect us at school and home.

Our Class Procedures:

1) Raise your hand and wait to be called on before speaking
2) Be active in your learning
3) Use attentive listening
4) Use positive words when communicating
5) Keep Hands, Feet, and Objects to yourself
6) Keep your floor area and workspace clean

If a student chooses to break a procedure:

Each students behavior will receive a color code. At the end of the week, your child will bring home a Behavior
Report, which will display whether he or she was able to follow the classroom procedures. This will help you to
better understand your childs behavior for the week. Please be sure to ask for these reports and sign them
so that students can return them on Monday. Students, who do not have a signed Behavior Report or fail to
bring it to class, will lose 5 minutes of recess time until it is signed or returned. Behavior Reports can be found
in your childs homework folder. Behavior Reports will not be replaced if damaged or misplaced due to costs.
Green- I had a fabulous day!
Yellow I have been warned. I need think about / reflect on my actions and make good choices. Lose
5 minute of recess.
Blue I have continued to make poor choices. I may need to Chill Out in another 4th grade classroom.
Lose 10 minutes of recess.
Red I am having a really bad day! Mrs. Ryan will phone or e-mail home. I understand that I may need
to Chill Out in another 4th grade room in order to gather my thoughts. I also understand that my
behavior may result in a referral. Lose entire recess.

Severe Disruptions: A referral will be issued for extreme or major misbehaviors. Severe behavior will result
in removal to office or suspension

*Above all, students must realize that even though they have a bad day, tomorrow is always a new beginning,
a fresh start. J

Students who behave will earn:

Individual rewards: verbal praise, notes home, and raffle tickets to be used for Friday raffle

Group rewards: verbal praise, team points, Popsicle party, free time, lunch with Mrs. Ryan, prize box

Class rewards: marbles in the jar, verbal praise, popsicle party, free time, extra recess, movie party
Please keep the pages prior to this one and return only this sheet. Please review this note
with your child, sign it, and return it tomorrow. Thank you!

I have read and agree with the above rules and consequences.

________________________________________ ________________________________________
Parent Signature Student Signature

________________________________________
Parent Signature

Please print clearly (Sometimes it is very difficult to read the letters and numbers included in
the e-mail)

_____________________________ ____________________________________
Phone # e-mail

_____________________________ ____________________________________
Phone # e-mail

_______________________________
Date
 Parent Volunteers

Dear Parents,
You are an integral part of a successful classroom program! Without your time and
talents, many activities would not be possible. To help our class succeed I rely on parent
volunteers, and I am asking for your help at this time. Would you consider playing an active
part in your child's classroom? I need parents to help in many different ways in the
classroom and/or at home. Please fill out the bottom of this letter and return it with your
child to school as soon as possible. By working together, we can help make this a
successful year! Thank you in advance for your support!
Mrs. Ryan
.....................................................................................................................................

Child's Name____________________________________

Parent's Name ___________________________________

______ I can help with small groups.

______ I can make copies.
______ I can correct math facts tests at home. Tests will be sent home on
Fridays.
______ I can correct spelling tests (15 words). Tests can be sent home or corrected in
the classroom on Fridays. If you correct in the classroom, you can correct anytime
after 8:50 am.
______ I can correct vocabulary tests (5 multiple choice). Tests can be sent home or
corrected in the classroom on Fridays. If you correct in the classroom, you can
correct anytime after 8:50 am.
______ I can correct grammar tests at home. Tests will be sent home on Thursdays.
______ I can chaperone the field trip.
______ I can do prep work at home.
______ I cannot help at this time.

(***Please remember, prior to helping in the classroom, you must have volunteer clearance
through the district, which includes fingerprinting, TB test, and background check.)

If there are several parents that choose to help, I will create a schedule. I truly depend on
my volunteers to help correct so I can dedicate my time to other aspects of the
classroom. If there is any reason that you are not able to make your scheduled date,
please let me know a week in advance so I can find a replacement.