Class Policies and Procedures

 

Tuesday Folders and Returned School Work

All of the work your child does in school during the week, as well as their corrected homework, will be sent home in their Tuesday Folder. I do not send any corrected work home at any other time during the week.

Look over the completed assignments in the Tuesday Folder and sign the sheet in the front of the folder to indicate that you have seen the papers. Return the empty folder on Wednesday morning. Do not return any graded papers except those marked "Sign and return."

You can find out more about my grading policy on the Grades page.

Your child will be bringing home our weekly newsletter in the Tuesday Folder. It will keep you up to date on our daily activities, and will outline the month’s activities, list important dates and birthdays, and other important class news. I do not use the weekly news to explain assignments in third grade. See the homework policy page for more information.

 

Birthdays

Birthdays are special to children. On your child's birthday, you may chose to send in a small birthday treat to be enjoyed by all of the students. This is entirely optional! Summer birthday kids can pick a special "unbirthday" or "half birthday" to celebrate.

If you would like to celebrate your Rocket's birthday at school, remember that we can not eat any outside food until after the lunch period. You are welcome to send in a small snack or treat for the class to share after 1:00.

To avoid hurt feelings, please do not send birthday invitations to school unless there is one for every child in the class.

 

Snacks and Water Bottles

Because our lunch time is so late, Rockets should bring a nutritious snack to school each day. We will have a snack break after P.E. during our Read Aloud time. Candy and other junk food items will not be permitted for snack time.  Also, because of spills, students may not bring sodas or juice. However, water is allowed at snack time, in a bottle with a re-closable top, or from the water fountain in our room.

Students should bring only enough food for themselves for one day. We can not keep food overnight in the classroom. Because of school district regulations, students may not share food during snack time.

On a few occasions, students may be allowed to purchase a snack from the cafeteria. This should not be a daily occurrence, but will be allowed occasionally at my discretion.

 

Lunch Money

Please send lunch money in a clearly marked, sealed envelope.

Remind your Rocket to keep lunch money in a safe place, not on or in a desk.

Menus are sent home at the beginning of each month.

You are welcome to come eat lunch with your Rocket any day after the first two weeks of school. There is a Parent Table in the cafeteria, or, during nice weather, you can eat outside.

The Cafeteria Staff ask that "fast food" not be brought into the lunchroom. You are, however, welcome to check out your child for a quick trip away from school for lunch.

Arrival Times

When I don’t have a morning meeting, I let Rockets into the classroom at 8:10. Before 8:10, Rockets should go to the cafeteria.

Rockets should not be at school before 7:50 since there is no teacher supervision. Students who are eating breakfast at school should be in the cafeteria at 8:00.

 

Dismissal

Plew Elementary is committed to making sure that every child gets home safely. Therefore, your child cannot, and will not, be released to anyone other than a parent unless I have a note from you, or unless that person is on file in the office as your child's designated release person.

If you need to change your child's afternoon transportation, you must send a note on that morning.  If you forget to send a note, your child will not be allowed to make the change.

If you find that a transportation change is necessary and you have not sent a note,  please call the office well before dismissal time. Check-outs and transportation changes should be made before 2:00.

 

Attendance

Regular school attendance is very important. Valuable learning time is lost with each day's absence and can not be replaced. Many integral activities, including class discussions, group experiences, guest speakers, and group instruction, cannot be replicated with written work.

If you need to check your child out early, you must go to the office and have the secretary call for your child to come to the office. Check outs must be done before 2:00.

Repeated early check-outs could negatively affect your child's grade for those subjects that are routinely taught at the end of the day.

If your child is absent, you must send a note explaining why your child was absent in order for the absence to be excused. Written verification should be sent in within three days of the absence.

If a student is absent, I will collect any missed work in an "Absent Folder" to be completed upon their return. As a general school policy, students have five school days after the student returns to complete make-up work. Additional time may be allowed if the individual situation warrants.

Students are tardy after 8:10. Please sign your child in at the office if you arrive after 8:10. Students should not be on campus before 7:45.

 

Medication and Illnesses

Please do not send your child to school if he or she is not feeling well. While attendance is important, it is also important not to spread germs among the entire class.

Telephone numbers to call in case a child gets sick or injured at school are imperative. Please make sure your child's Emergency Contact Card in the nurse's office is up to date. There is nothing worse for your child than having to stay at school while they are sick and miserable because the clinic could not get in touch with someone to take your child home.

In order for medicine to be administered at school, parents must complete a permission form available in the nurse's office. Rockets are not allowed to have any kind of medication, including cough drops, in the classroom.

 

Clothing

Third Grade is MESSY!! You never can tell when we will have a surprise art or science project to go along with our subject area studies! We frequently use markers, paint, and glue for class projects. While these materials should wash out of clothing, please save special outfits for Picture Day or other planned occasions.

Children also go outside for recess and for P.E. nearly every day. Please make sure your child is appropriately dressed for the weather. Rockets should wear athletic shoes every day. Flip-flops and other slip-on shoes are not allowed by the school dress code.

 

Toys

Toys and other non-school items are not allowed in class, unless it is something specifically requested by me for a particular assignment.

Rockets will be given a warning the first time they have a toy at school. After that, toys or other items that become a distraction may be kept by me until the end of the school year, or until a parent comes to school to get the toy.

 

Library Books

Each third grader is allowed to check out two library books at a time. Books may be checked out for one week at a time. If your child is not finished with a book when the book is due, it may be renewed for an additional week. To renew a book, Rockets must show both of their library books to Mrs. Davis before the book can be renewed.

Your child is responsible for all books checked out in their name, including paying for any books that are lost or damaged.

At least one of the two books must be an Accelerated Reader title at their appropriate reading level. The other book can be another Accelerated Reader title, a book of their choosing, or a magazine.

Magazines are only checked out for one day and should be returned to the Media Center the next morning.

Rockets do not have  an assigned day for book check out. I allow Rockets to go to the Media Center at various times each day, after their class work is completed.

Rockets may not go to the Media Center more than once per day, so they should make good choices before checking out a book.

 

Parent Volunteers

Volunteers are always welcome in my classroom and there are many opportunities to be involved in our classroom.

At the Fall Open House, we will choose a lead Room Parent. That person will be in charge of scheduling all parent volunteers in our class. There will also be a sign-up sheet at Open House. 

I will need volunteers to chaperone field trips, lend a helping hand with classroom projects, teach Sunshine Math lessons and OVAL art lessons, file graded papers in the Tuesday folders, help with the Fall Festival booth, read with a small group of students, and much more.

If you would like to volunteer in the classroom or as a chaperone on a Field Trip, you must have a valid Okaloosa School District Volunteer Affidavit on file in the school office. This is a county policy and there are no exceptions.

I also have some opportunities for you to help at home. If you would like to help out, please contact me at russj2@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us.