Parent Letter - Beginning of the Year
September 2, 2008
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year! As always summer has flown by and now it is time to get back into the swing of things. We are looking forward to an exciting and productive school year. To begin on the “right foot”, we want to share some general information with you.
Enclosed in the packet is a supply list for the school year. Please try to have all supplies purchased by Friday, September 5th. In addition, you will also find the following forms:
· Emergency Information Form
· Lunch Application
· Walking Field Trip Permission Form
· Photography/Video Permission Form
· Student Code of Conduct Contract Form
Please complete these important forms and return them by Friday, September 5th.
We are excited to have your child in class this year. There are many concepts and ideas that your child will have the opportunity to explore throughout the fourth grade. Our classrooms will be literature rich with many chances to read aloud, read independently and write for different reasons. Your child will continue to use the Everyday Math program where he/she will be able to apply various skills to real-world situations. It is vitally important that your child know his/her addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. Please spend 10 to 15 minutes each evening reviewing basic facts. Students will take weekly quizzes to access their progress.
A homework folder and agenda will be sent home each day. The assignment is due the following morning, unless otherwise noted. Each assignment is considered independent work. You can help your child by providing a quiet work place and setting a specific time each evening to do homework. If you have any questions or concerns regarding a specific homework assignment, please make a note on the paper so we can review it with your child. In addition to written homework, your child should be reading every night. Good readers need to practice and we will be sharing ideas with your child on how to choose “just right” books. Further explanation of independent reading expectations will be addressed in class. Please initial the homework planner each evening to confirm that your child read and completed all assignments. Missing assignments are to be made up immediately. Consistent late assignments will lower grades.
This year we will be participating in the Scholastic Book Club. We will order books from Scholastic on a monthly basis. If you would like to order books for your child, please place the order form and cash or check made payable to Scholastic Books in an envelope with your child’s name on it. Once the order is placed, it usually takes two or three weeks for the delivery.
Proper communication is necessary to ensure a productive school year. If at anytime during the school year you have concerns or questions that you would like to discuss, we will be available for conferences between 8:15-8:30, Monday through Friday. If you need to reach one of us, please call the school number (773-535-0585) and leave a message. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. If you wish to set up a conference, please call or send a note at least a day in advance so that scheduling conflicts can be avoided. Please refer to schoolnotes.com weekly for lessons, tests, and announcements. In addition, if you wish to send cupcakes, cookies, or any other treat for your child’s birthday, please send a note at least one day prior to the date you wish to distribute the treats. Please do not send anything that requires cutting and also supply napkins or paper towels, if necessary.
Thank you in advance for being concerned about your child’s education. We know that TOGETHER we can help the students continue on the road to success. We look forward to meeting you all.
Sincerely,
Nancy Gorman
Kathleen Finke
We would like to take a moment to introduce ourselves:
My name is Nancy Gorman and I will be teaching in Room 207. I am a veteran Murray teacher. I studied elementary education as an undergraduate at Arizona State University and completed my masters in education at Concordia University
My name is Kathleen Finke I will be teaching in Room 203. I studied elementary education as an undergraduate at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame and completed my masters in education at Loyola University Chicago. I have taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades in Massachusetts, Spain, and Chicago.