Welcome to 4th Grade 2022-23!

Please use this information to help answer some questions that you may have. I am so excited to work with you this year!!

How to reach me

If you have a question or concern, please contact me as soon as possible. You can send a Remind text, a note with your child, email me (aherrick@stignatiussacschool.org), or leave me a voicemail (488-3907 x1044). I will try to get back to you ASAP.  If you would like to talk in person, please schedule a meeting with me. If you have anything for me or for the office, please have your child bring to our classroom- that way Judy does not have unnecessary traffic in the office. We will make sure that it gets to the proper person.

Supply List 

Please put your child’s name or initials on supplies and replenish them as needed. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZGwScT9tIXT6ioIAM0mlSm6PcN5_8NPmCu7UMh20RuI/edit

Homework Routine

We start each day at 8:00 and all homework is due at that time. If it is not complete or was left at home, your child will have to sign the clipboard and do the assignment at recess- this is NOT detention. (See Effort below.) If your child does not understand the assignment, please write a note on top stating what the issue was. Please do not  leave anything blank- always have your child try. If you are helping with the work, please let me know. Always remind your child to ask questions in class so that I know about any difficulties before the graded work and tests. Fourth Graders are to write all homework and upcoming tests in their planners. To help your child to develop good habits and increase responsibility, he/she should show you the planner along with the completed work to make sure that it is done properly- and make sure that your child puts it all into his/her backpack. We write everything in cursive this year for all subjects except math. 

Tardiness

We begin school promptly at 8:00. If your child is late, please have him/her check in at the office and they are responsible for doing what was missed during recess. If you are later than 7:55 on Wednesdays, your child will have to go to the office and a staff member will bring him/her over to the church. If a student is tardy 3 times in a trimester Ms. Kochis will be notified. Habitual tardiness will result in morning (7:15) detention, as per the SI student handbook.


Weekly Schedule

We open the classroom each day at 7:45 and class begins at 8:00.  This gives the students a chance to unpack, get settled, and visit with friends. On Wednesdays, please make sure that your child is at school no later than 7:50 so that we can leave for Mass by 7:55. 

At the end of the day, students with siblings in K-2nd grades will leave through the office at 2:40.  All other students will leave the classroom at 2:45 to go to car-line at the end of the parking lot.                

Please try to schedule appointments for before/after school or during recess, lunch, or PE.                       *Please see our Weekly Schedule.

Absences

If your child is sick and will not be at school, please call the office, email me or leave me a voice message in the morning before school begins and I will send your child’s work home with a sibling or put it in the office by the end of the day if requested.  Please keep in mind that your child should be fever free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school and follow all of the Covid protocols. If you are traveling, please see the Handbook for our school-wide non-excused absence policy. 

Conduct/Effort

Classroom Conduct and Effort are graded based on a number scale. Everyone starts with A’s in both of these areas. It is the child’s responsibility to keep them. Each time a student signs the clipboard for misbehavior or not doing homework, their respective grade is lowered. Great Conduct and/or Effort will earn Sand Dollars. These tickets are also randomly awarded for acts of kindness, honesty, various achievements, Virtues, effort, etc. Students use these tickets as bathroom/drink passes, to “rent” supplies, and to buy treats and prizes.

Wednesday Folders

Each Wednesday we will send home all the corrected work for the week in our Whale Mail. The graded papers (corrected in green), important communications and all other work that is not graded (corrected in red by students) will be sent home in your child’s B.E.A.C.H. Binder in a clear blue folder.  Any papers with a “Parent Signature” stamp needs to be signed by a parent and returned the next day in the clear blue folder. Please return the clear blue folder the following day. I will post what is “Happening this Week” on the front of our 4th Grade web page so that you are sure to know what is going on in class. Please check this site and check your child’s planner to make sure that all tests are recorded properly.

Tests

Each week the Spelling test is on the last day of the week. The Religion test is always open book and is on Thursday (or the 4th day). I try not to give tests on Mondays and will do my best to give you a week notice on the website and in their planners so that you can remind your child to prepare. I try not to schedule 2 “big” tests on one day, but it sometimes happens when Science or Spanish have them scheduled. I require the class to take the textbook home the night before the test, but they are welcome to take it home any night, as long as it comes back to school each day. Math and English texts stay at home all year. 

Field Trips

4th Grade is a great year for field trips because we are in the heart of California’s history. 
We go to:                                                                         
Effie Yeaw Nature Center- October 17~ $ 10.00  (10 drivers)                    CA Museum- TBD  $                     
Sutter’s Fort- February/March~  Free    (10 drivers)     
Railroad Museum & Old Sacto- April ~ $ (9-10 drivers- not all can stay)
Coloma- May 23-24~$157.00   (10 paid chaperones) 
Fine Arts Performance- December ~$10.00  (unlimited)         
                                                          

The Coloma deposit payment of $78.50 will be due on September 30 through FACTS. (Balance of $78.50 will be due the first week of May.)

Potential Coloma chaperones can “put their names in the hat” throughout the month of February by emailing me. Please enter only one parent per student. We have a drawing on the first school day in March to choose the 10 required chaperones. More info to follow this spring!!!

Projects, reports, and speeches

We have so many fun and educational things planned for this year that there are too many to list! We will do as many as possible with our busy schedule and I will keep you posted as to when, where, what we need, etc. 

Birthdays

We love to celebrate birthdays! Just let me know when you’d like to bring something in so that we don’t have too many treats on one day. If your child has a summer or holiday b-day, please let me know when you’d like us to celebrate. We can celebrate the early August b-days any time in Aug. and then we will celebrate the June and July birthdays in the spring or we can do a half-birthday if you would like. Please remember that we are NUT FREE. Students get free dress on their birthday (or the day we celebrate).

Class Parties

Our wonderful Room Parents are in charge of our parties. I’m sure they would appreciate your help with goodies and/or assistance. I will also be “hitting you up” for different things for fun projects throughout the year- I’ll keep you posted. 

Scholastic Books

We will send home book orders each month in the B.E.A.C.H. Binder and they are always available online. This is a great way for your child to enjoy reading and will come in handy for our Accelerated Reader Program. Also, the books that you purchase will help us to add books to our class library. You can order books on-line at Scholastic.com and can choose from ANY of the catalogs. When you order on-line, our class gets a free book EVERY time and you get Scholastic $$$ to spend as well! Our class code number is H68FD when you go on scholastic.com. If you send in your order, please write a CHECK payable to Scholastic.           No cash please. 

4th Grade Mass

The 4th Grade goes to weekly Mass on Wednesdays. We leave the classroom by 7:55. The 4th Grade will host the All Saints Day Mass on Tuesday, November 1 at 9:15 and the Parish Mass on Sunday, March 12 at 5:30 pm.

Last, but not least

Please make sure that your child has all of their school supplies each day and keep them replenished throughout the year. Check that they are in proper uniform, hair and nails too (see Handbook) when they leave home and encourage them to get their homework done, go to bed fairly early, and eat a great breakfast. 

How to Succeed in 4th Grade

     1. LISTEN in class and do your BEST work.

     2. ASK questions.

     3. TRY and NEVER give up. 

     4. KNOW your math facts!

     5. TURN IN all your assignments- and you are sure to do well!

I look forward to a great year! 

Amy Herrick