1. Back to School Night ECCA Fourth Grade 2015-2016 Danielle Towle and Amy Guercio

2. Danielle Towle 14 th year teaching 3rd for Eagle County Charter School EDUCATION BA Providence College Double Certification in Special and Elementary Education EXPERIENCE ECCA – Fourth Grade Stone Creek – Second Grade, Third Grade Avon Elementary- Second/Third Grade and Special Education Edwards Elementary- Special Education

3. Amy Guercio 23 rd year for Eagle County Schools EDUCATION BA in Elementary Education (English, Health Education), Western Michigan University Masters in Language, Literacy and Cultural Studies, Boston University EXPERIENCE EES – First and Second Grades AES – First and Second Grades, Media Specialist, Computer Teacher ECCA – Computer Teacher, Second Grade, Fourth Grade

4. Parent Communication Email Tuesday Folders Hawk Talk Website-Monthly Newsletters posted Report Cards (2x year) Parent Teacher Conferences (2x year-Oct. & March) Hawk Trait Updates NO MORE Phone Tree for Late Starts or Snow Days-You must sign up for updates on the ECCA website!

5. Drop Off and Dismissal Times and Attendance Drop off is between 7:45 and 7:55 Class begins at 8:00 - PENCILS ON PAPER AT 8:05! Pick up is from 3:15-3:35 – We TEACH to 3:15! After 3:35 students go to after school program with a charge Please fill out a form before extended absences Please call the office on days your child is sick

6. Daily Schedules and Lunch TOWLE – PE on Wednesday! Library on Wednesday! GUERCIO – PE on Monday! Library on Thursday! Lunch is 11:20-12:05 NEW lunch service by Chef Forrest! Lunch Menu posted on ECCA website and HawkTalk

7. Curriculum – Common Core Common Core for Mathematics and English Language Arts Use this website: http://www.corestandards.org/ http://www.corestandards.org/ Colorado Department of Education for Science and Social Studies Use this website: http://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/colora dostandards-academicstandards

8. English Language Arts – Spelling and Morphology NO BOOK THIS YEAR! Lesson 2x per week TWO sections: 1) 4 learned words 2) morphology study of words mostly from Latin roots with prefixes and suffixes Please look for the master list of roots and spelling words posted online or get a handout tonight!

9. English Language Arts - Writing Daily Thinking Log EVERY DAY at 8:05 Various genres throughout the year (personal narratives, fiction, research and informational text, persuasive, poetry) Many real life purposes (ie. mouse letters, interviews) Biography research and writing Writing to reflect, writing to process new information, goal writing Not all writing gets published! Short and long tasks Focus on editing and revision Bigger pieces scored with rubrics Grammar – Daily Language Instruction Handwriting (cursive)– Handwriting Without Tears – one daily page starts in January

10. English Language Arts - Reading So much of our curriculum contains reading in the content areas and reading nonfiction tests—therefore, we will be incorporating science and social studies curriculum into the reading block Whole group – classroom instruction and common texts Guided small groups – M-TH Flooding - 30 minutes M,T, W, TH Students must always have a book at school and at home for reading EVERY DAY!! Read Aloud PLEASE KEEP TRACK OF FLOODING BOOKS. THERE WILL BE A $12.99 REPLACEMENT CHARGE FOR LOST BOOKS.

11. English Language Arts - Vocabulary Lesson 2x per week Please look for master list posted online or get a handout tonight!

12. English Language Arts - Communication Presentation skills are a large part of the new Common Core curriculum Many opportunities throughout the year to share ideas, work in groups of different sizes, celebrate successes and discuss problems critically and appropriately Several projects with presentations as part of the work Presentations are graded on rubrics Other students are also writing comments and making suggestions during presentations

13. Math – Some old and some new! Engage New York Groups based on pre-assessments (might change from unit to unit) Whole group warm up activity Whole group lesson followed by practice and/or small groups We sometimes review previous night’s homework and preview current night’s homework so IF YOU CAN ONLY DO ONE ITEM OF HOMEWORK ON A BUSY NIGHT, PLEASE DO THE MATH! Based on Common Core with focus on deeper understanding of number sense and algebra Colorado has additional curriculum that we will also cover. Reflex - Program to help students truly memorize math facts. Khan - Used in several ways throughout the year.

14. Student Emails 24 (first 2 letters of first name)(first 2 letters of last name)@ecca.org 24aibr@ecca.org We will be utilizing Google Docs throughout the year. Also, your student may use the email address for school related purposes including emailing Danielle and I. Please remind your student of the ethical requirements of using this email address. Any poor choices will lead to immediate consequences. This is when students must learn how important their digital footprint is!

15. Science and Social Studies Science ◦ Electricity/Energy ◦ Classification ◦ Cells (Plant and Animal) ◦ Fossils and Evidence of Past Life on Earth Colorado Social Studies ◦ History ◦ Government ◦ Geology ◦ Geography ◦ Research and Field Trips!

16. US States There’s an app for that: EVERY FOURTH GRADER MUST LEARN ALL 50 STATES BY MAY 12! My favorites!

17. Homework Read Every Night at least 20 minutes – write title, parents sign planner Spelling and Morphology – 4 Learned Words each week and 2 Latin Roots (due Friday or Thursday when we are out on Friday) Reflex Math – 2 or more times per week-Please try to get to a green light. (a GREAT way to use “screen time”) Math – assigned 1-3 nights a week, sometimes a packet, sometimes a sheet given on that day Occasional projects with longer timeframe Please sign! Check out the Sunday night homework grid that is emailed to every parent.

18. Assessments DRA2 (beginning and sometimes middle or end of year) AIMSWeb (beginning, middle, and end of year and sometimes throughout) NWEA (August and May) PARCC and CMAS (March and April) Unit tests for Math, Unit Study Pre-unit writing samples

19. 21 st Century Learning Skills Collaboration Communication Critical Thinking Creativity Compassion We try to make many of our activities and projects and enrichments with these skills in mind. We consciously strive to improve skills in literacy, technology, communication, and personal management.

20. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) In fourth grade, there are often times when having a device (ie. tablet, Nook, Kindle) with internet capability is useful. Most fourth grade students AND PARENTS have already signed Responsible Use Policies. Here is a review of what you signed: 1) Students may bring in devices, especially during units where we need additional research (ie. Colorado research, mythology). 2) Devices are kept in desks or in the classroom BUT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT! 3) Devices NEVER go outside to recess and may not be played with at morning line up or afternoon pick up time. 4) Devices are NEVER used to access games or be a distraction to learning in the classroom. DO NOT GO OUT AND BUY A DEVICE!!!! (yet!)

21. Classroom Management Daily Colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple Students start on green every day. Throughout the day they can move up with great choices. However, clips can move down for poor choices. Class Marble Jars From teacher, can be for individual positive behavior or whole class positives and compliments from specials teachers Hawk Honors Assembly—4x year ◦ Consistency, all children can get all awards, authentic and every day behavior ◦ Hawk Traits--Integrity, Camaraderie, Leadership, Growth, Work, Respect ◦ Will be a K-4 celebration taking place in the gym

22. Hawk Trait Cards Positive ◦ Sent home for positive behavior that supports the Hawk Traits ◦ Not part of the student’s permanent record ◦ One comes home and one gets posted in Hawk Room as a feather on the hawks!

23. Hawk Trait Updates (ie. Downdates) Negative ◦ Sent home for behavior that does not support the Hawk Traits ◦ Stored in each student’s Character Folder which gets passed on through each grade ◦ Not part of the student’s permanent record ◦ Parent is notified

24. Tickets - Always Negative Next Step in the Behavior Process: ◦ Given for repetitive behavior where the learning has been supported in the classroom and documented through negative Hawk Trait Updates but has not changed ◦ Ms. Walter is involved Major Hawk Trait Violation: ◦ A student can skip through the Behavior Process for more serious violations. Stored in Power School ◦ Part of the student’s permanent record

25. Hawk Honor Assemblies October 15 (Thursday) December 18 (1/2 day) March 11(1/2 day) May 27 (1/2 day)

26. Enrichments $52 for Sept.-Dec. Pay on Schoolpay.com September – December Leadville Mining Museum and Healy House and Matchless Mine – Sept 11 NEED DRIVERS/CHAPERONES! Vilar Center - Electricity Play – Oct 1 (NO PARENTS) Patterns of Joy Sewing Community Service – Oct 2 NEED SEWING MACHINES AND VOLUNTEERS! Denver (extended day) – Oct 13 NEED DRIVERS/CHAPERONES! Walking Mountains trip to McCoy – Nov 6 NEED DRIVERS/CHAPERONES! Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum- Nov 13 NEED DRIVERS/CHAPERONES World Cup Beaver Creek – Dec 4 (not confirmed) NEED CHAPERONES! January – May Alpine skiing, Fourth grade Westward Movement Play, Local history day, another trip to Denver, Junior Achievement

27. More Special Activities Breakfast With the News (2 times-TBD) Jazz Goes to School (October 6, Jan., March, May) Learn to Play Chess – First Moves Picture Day – Tuesday, September 15

28. End of Year Trip May 31-June 2, 2015 4 th grade goes to Colorado National Monument with SOS We will have a meeting in January/February with additional information Start thinking now about if you would like to chaperone (It’s really fun!)

29. Snacks and Water Bottles No soda! Healthy snacks ONLY! We have seen students choosing candy as their morning snack—that is NOT okay! Water bottles go home on Fridays to be washed, water bottles must be closable!

30. Classroom Parties and Birthdays Halloween Valentines Birthday treats Please do not pass out invitations at school, unless all students are invited. Please be aware that we have students with allergies and food sensitivities this year!

31. Scholastic Book Orders GY8HD - class code for ordering Orders monthly (or so)

32. A Few More Things! Please make sure that you have received an email recently from us! Parent Drivers (check with Jenn Sassi SOON!) Medicine in school (OTC forms available in the office) Volunteer hours – 6 hours per family per month – need fingerprints! Dress Code – Charter garb store open tonight and every Wednesday morning. You can purchase with a link in Hawk Talk. Visitors must sign in and out of the office! Band starts in Fourth Grade with Mr. G. in mid October

33. Thank your for attending Back to School Night!