1. Welcome Families!

2. Meet the Fourth Grade Team Katy Follis –kfollis@nisdtx.orgkfollis@nisdtx.org –817-698-7226 Krista Sarpalius –ksarpalius@nisdtx.orgksarpalius@nisdtx.org –817-698-7228 Elizabeth Trigg –etrigg@nisdtx.orgetrigg@nisdtx.org –817-698-7229

3. Meet the SpecialsTeam Visit their Websites Sarah Ascher, Art Teacher sascher@nisdtx.org Stacie Breckley, PE Teacher sbreckley@nisdtx.org Kayla Gentry, Music Teacher kgentry@nisdtx.org

4. Cox Elementary Mission Statement Cox Elementary is committed to creating a culture of high achievement and performance for all learners, both students and staff, while fostering positive relationships within our school community.

5. What is Love and Logic? Love allows children to grow through their mistakes. Logic allows children to live with the consequences of their choices. The Love and Logic process is as follows: Shared control: Gain control by giving away the control you don’t need. Shared thinking and decision-making: Provide opportunities for the child to do the greatest amount of thinking and decision-making. Equal shares of consequences with empathy: An absence of anger causes a child to think and learn from his/her mistakes. Maintain the child’s self-concept: Increased self-concept leads to improved behavior and improved achievement. To learn more about Love and Logic, please visit their website at: www.loveandlogic.com.

6. Wayne A. Cox Elementary Cougars’ Plan for Success We will treat each other with respect. If you have or create a problem, you will be asked to solve it. If you have trouble solving the problem, or choose not to, we will do something. What we do will depend on each person and the unique situation.

7. Elementary Student Dress Code According to the NISD 2013-14 Student Handbook and Code of Conduct, students are required to have safe shoes for physical education and recess every day. Sandals must have a strap on the heel; flip flops do not meet dress code. (Page 36) Flip flops, open-toed shoes, platform shoes, crocks, and boots are unsafe for PE and recess. Elementary dress and grooming guidelines can be found on pages 35-36 of the NISD Student Handbook and Code of Conduct.

8. Grades Online A letter will be mailed home for each student with a Home Access Center (HAC) login and password. Progress reports and report cards for students in grades 1-5 are viewed online through the HAC, unless requested by the parent. If you have not received a HAC letter, please email us at: coxelem@nisdtx.org. Kindergarten students will receive a paper copy of their report card beginning the second six weeks.

9. Getting Involved at Cox Elementary Join the PTA –Email: weathers_stephanie@yahoo.com Dads…Become a Watch DOGS Dad –Program kicks-off in October. Information will be forthcoming. Volunteer in the Library –Contact Ms. Savage at csavage@nisdtx.org Assist in the lunchroom –Email: coxelem@nisdtx.org Assist the Room Parents To check the status of your background check, please email coxelem@nisdtx.org.

10. 4 th Grade Schedule Doors open: 7:20 School begins: 7:45 Lunch: 11:30 – 12:00 Recess: 12:00 – 12:30 Conference: 9:35 – 10:28

11. Room Parents for 4th Grade Trigg: –Toya Woodard Sarpalius: –Molly Wehr Follis: –Wendy Robinson

12. Investigating Science in 4 th grade Life science covers:  Adaptations  Plant growth and adaptations  Food webs  Inherited traits  Mealworm life cycles Earth science covers:  Earth and space  Soil  Weathering and erosion  Natural resources  Water cycle  Weather systems  Phases of the Moon  Shadows/Seasons/Tides Physical science covers:  Matter  Density and buoyancy  Mixtures and solutions  Force and motion  Types of energy  Electricity  Magnetism/Electromagnets Science PBL Throughout the year, students will study life systems and organisms. This knowledge will help students assume the role of a botanist in order to determine what plants will adapt and survive in a dry environment. The end product will be a completed campus landscape where students have planted Xeriscape plants using given money and resources they obtained through a written proposal.

13. Big Ideas of Texas History People are impacted by their location. There are patterns and consequences of migration. Governments fail when they do not adapt and respond to the needs of its people. Texas is a contributing member of the nation and world.

14. Readers Workshop Teacher directed opening with mini-lessons that teach strategies for becoming a better reader Independent reading, partner reading, and whole class novel studies that include a variety of different genre books. Student goal setting and guidance through individual conferring and small group work Readers’ Response Notebooks Book Clubs

15. Writers Workshop Teacher directed opening mini-lessons to model, encourage, and guide children to become writers Independent student writing related to topics of choice, retells, expository, nonfiction, and a variety of genres Student goal setting and guidance through individual conferring and small group work Students share work in peer response groups Students publish work and participate in author’s chair

17. Homework Guidelines Check for homework notes in your child’s planner. When there is homework, your child will write the assignment in the subject area. Please check planner each day. Spelling words will be listed in the planner every Monday. Students will be tested each Friday on these words. Parent involvement

18. STAAR Testing Dates Texas Education Agency: visit tea.state.tx.us April 1: 4 th Grade Writing Day 1; 5 th Grade Math April 2: 4 th Grade Writing Day 2; 5 th Grade Reading April 22: 3 rd Grade Math; 4 th Grade Math April 23: 3 rd Grade Reading; 4 th Grade Reading; 5 th Grade Science

19. Special Events Boosterthon Fun Run : Thursday, September 19th Field Trips Winter Party Valentine’s Party Field Day (May)

20. Birthday Celebrations Parents may provide a treat for a child’s birthday that will be served during the last hour of the day. Please provide individual servings for the celebration (i.e., cupcakes, cookies, etc.). Napkins must be provided. Treats are to be dropped off at the front office, or the student may bring them to the classroom in the morning. Parents are not to be in attendance at this time, and we do not take pictures of this celebration. Personal party invitations may not be handed out during the school day. The child, however, may stand outside the classroom door as students are leaving for the day to pass out party invitations.

21. Make-Up Work Make-up work may be requested only if a child has been absent for more than two days. Parents may email the front office before 9:00 a.m. to request homework on the second day of an absence. The make-up work will then be available at the front desk at 3:20 p.m. on the second day. Work will not be sent home with siblings, neighbors, or friends. Teachers often need to work with children when they return to school, so not all work will be sent home.

22. Thank You for Your Partnership! Remember to check district, school, and teacher website for current information. Be sure to keep your email, phone, and address information updated with the front office at Cox Elementary. It will be an extraordinary year at Cox Elementary!

23. Questions or Concerns?