Welcome to 3rd Grade GATE

We are ready to “Soar to New Heights” here at the GATE Academy in 3rd Grade!

It’s going to be a fabulous year of growing and learning.

Teacher Contact Information

Jennifer Relle-Room #148 Kerri Wilkinson-Room #149

Jennifer.Relle@allenisd.org Kerri.Wilkinson@allenisd.org

Grade Level Curriculum• Allen ISD’s curriculum is aligned with the state’s guidelines.

• To obtain a copy of our grade level objectives, you may view

TEA’s website http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/ or Allen ISD’s

website http://www.allenisd.org.

• We will add Genius Hour, STEM Challenges, and Maker

Space opportunities for our gifted learners, as well as extend

on the grade level standards for the state to ensure

differentiation in the classroom

• Students will have opportunities to learn through problem or

project based learning (PBL’s)

• What is Genius Hour? https://youtu.be/fDZ0-pmnprM

Math/ScienceCurriculum Highlights

Math – place value, addition/subtraction, money, time, graphing, measurement, fractions, problem solving, geometry, and multiplication/division

Science – motion, magnetism & gravity, solar system, landforms, environments, weather, food chains, animals, plant, and life cycles

ELAR/SSCurriculum Highlights

• ELAR- We will be developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking. We will identify genres such as fiction, poetry, drama, informational, argumentative, and multimodal/digital texts and practice response skills across all genres. We will build fluency and comprehension skills in reading. We will compose literary texts, informational and argumentative texts, and correspondence such as thank you notes and letters using the writing process. We will use research skills to plan and present in written, oral, or multimodal formats. We will focus on the importance of grammar, mechanics, and conventions as well as spelling patterns.

• Social Studies- Government, Citizenship, History and cultural influences on communities, Timelines, Maps and globes, Financial literacy in a free enterprise system, Geography, and Historical figures.

Student Progress and

Conferences• Third graders will be administered district math and

reading assessments throughout the school year and will

have ongoing classroom assessments to monitor progress

and to assist in the planning for instruction. Students will

also take the Reading and Math STAAR test in the spring.

• Parent/teacher conferences will be scheduled during the

fall semester to discuss student progress.

• Parents may request a conference throughout the year by

contacting the teacher.

Report Cards• AISD runs on nine week reporting periods with electronic reports accessible through

Skyward.

• It is our goal for every student to master all objectives throughout the school year.

• If it is necessary for extra support, your child may be retaught objectives through

small group instruction during the school day or before/after school tutoring. If a

student performs below a 70 on an assignment, he/she may correct the assignment

within a week’s time (per teacher’s discretion) with the adjusted grade not

exceeding 70.

The majority of the grades your child will receive are number grades.

A 90 – 100

B 80 - 89

C 70 - 79

D 0 - 69

• Student’s grades assess student learning/mastery of content and performance

standards (TEKS). If you are ever concerned, please let us know.

Vaughan Viking Expectationsfor Smooth Sailing

• Be respectful of all people and property

• Follow teacher/adult directions

• Practice kindness and honesty

• Keep all body parts and objects to yourself

• Be punctual and have materials ready every day

Behavior Expectations

• Students will have a behavior sheet in their RED take home folder for the nine weeks.

• Behavior Sheets are only need to be signed when a conduct mark is received. This will be used to determine conduct grade.

• In addition to the Vaughan Viking Expectations, GATE students will be held to these scholarly behaviors:

– Work effort -Presentation/communication skills

– Thinking processes -Positive attitude

– Contribution or discussions -Cooperation within a group

– Projects/products -Growth mindset

– Originality/creativity

Daily Procedures

• Each student will have an agenda and a RED

S.A.I.L. folder. These should be brought home

each day and reviewed by the parent and child.

• The left pocket will be used for items that need to

be “left” at home and the right pocket will be for

items that need to be returned “right” back to

school. The right pocket would be a good place to

send doctor note, transportation changes, or any

other communication for the school.

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School/Home Communication

• The agenda is a great source of communication

and the key to finding due dates regarding

assignments, tests, etc. Please review the agenda

with your child daily.

• Learning Targets and homework should be written

in the agenda daily by the student for your review

and discussion of their day. We take the time in

class to post and review these.

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Wednesday Folder

• Each Wednesday, your child will bring home their Vaughan Viking folder. This will have any notes home from the office or classroom, as well as checked papers from the previous week.

• We do not require the folder to be signed weekly. Please check Skyward frequently for your child’s grades as not all papers/projects/PBL grades go home in the folder.

Lunch

• Third grade GATE lunch will be from 11:15 to 11:46.

• Please ensure your child has money in his/her lunch account

each day. Checks sent to school should include the student’s

account number on them, as well as the parent’s drivers

license number. Please have your child take their money to the

cafeteria before going to the gym in the morning.

• Students will be given a lunch account number and will be

required to use it to purchase their lunches. Please help your

child practice this number at the beginning of the year.

• Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their children

beginning August 26th in the designated visitor section of the

cafeteria. They may not bring food for other children or ask

other children to join them for lunch.

Recess

3rd graders will go outside for recess, weather

permitting, from 1:45 – 2:15.

• Please dress your child appropriately for weather

conditions and bring a water bottle if needed.

• Basketballs, soccer balls, and jump ropes may

be brought to school for recess. Please be sure

they are labeled.

• Please do not send any toys to school.

Homework• Students are expected to read for 20 minutes each night and practice

multiplication facts to ensure mastery and to help with challenging

math to come. Students may practice facts in any way to help with

memorization, such as flash cards or learning games on the computer.

There are some great apps available as well if you happen to have

devices at home for students to use.

• If a student has not finished a particular assignment, or has not used

their time wisely in class to get it done, it may come home in their purple

folder to be completed and returned the next day.

• There may be projects assigned throughout the year for your child to

work on at home. The amount of support required for these will be

minimal as we are trying to emphasize responsibility in learning with our

GATE students.

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

• Students should be dropped off no earlier than 7:25 a.m.

and should be at school no later than 7:45 a.m. A student

will be considered late if not in school by 7:45 a.m.

• All 4th- 6th graders will wait in the gym until they are

dismissed by the teacher on duty.

• If picking up your child at the end of the school day, please

use the carpool line on the side of the school.

• If you have a change in transportation please notify us

in writing. Same day changes should be called into the

office. We do not always have an opportunity to check

email during the instructional day.

Miscellaneous

• Students are encouraged to bring a spill-proof water filled with plain,

water only to school.

• You may choose to bring a neat, dry and healthy snack to school

each day.

• To avoid hurt feelings, birthday invitations may not be distributed at

school unless the entire class is invited. If you choose to send

birthday treats, they must be individually wrapped & will be

distributed at dismissal.

• We love our WATCH DOG Dads here at Vaughan. If you are

interested in signing up, you can check out our counselor,

Ms. Moffett’s web page.

• Please label jackets, sweaters and other personal items, so they can

be returned if lost.

• All medications must be kept in the nurse’s office and administered

by Nurse Omoregie.

Student Dress Code

• Please refer to the Allen ISD Student Handbook for dress code guidelines.

• Some things to remember…1. Tank tops, spaghetti straps, tube tops, halters, backless tops,

spandex/leotard tops, off the shoulder tops, or low cut tops are prohibited.

2. Undergarments should not be visible.

3. Shirts must cover the midriff, even when the arms are raised over the student’s head.

4. Shorts, skirts, skorts, and dresses must reach mid-thigh or longer.

5. No tight or form fitting pants, stretch pants, yoga pants, or leggings may be worn unless worn under something that complies with the dress code.

THANK YOU

• We appreciate your support in and outside of the classroom. Thank you for all you do and if you ever have any questions or concerns, our doors are always open.

• It is going to be an awesome year!