Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to third grade! My name is Julia Goucher and I will be your
child’s teacher. This will be my 12th year of teaching, but my first
year here at Keller Elementary School. I recently moved to Mesa
from Gold Canyon, Arizona. I earned my degree from Pacific
University in Forest Grove, Oregon, and my Master’s degree in
Elementary Education from University of Phoenix. I am so excited for
this new school year! Thank you for the opportunity to work with your
child. I am know that together we can create many successes for your
student.
I have compiled this class handbook to provide information of the
policies, procedures, and expectations for the new school year. Please
review the handbook with your child and sign the contract at the end
of the packet, so that I know you have read and understood the
information contained.
Mrs. Goucher’s 2015-2016 Classroom Schedule:
7:40- First Bell
7:45- Second Bell
7:50-8:20 (Tuesday Only) PE
8:25-8:55-(Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday only) Specials
10:05-10:35 (Friday Only)- Computer Lab
(Please note: If students are not in class by 7:45, they will be counted
as tardy.)
9:45-10:00am- Morning recess
11:30-12:10- Lunch
2:15- Dismissal (Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri.)
Wednesday Dismissal is 1:45
Specials:
Monday- No special
Tuesday- PE
Wednesday-Media
Thursday-PE
Friday- Music and Computer Lab
*Please make sure your child wears running shoes on days we have P.E.
*Please help your child return their library books on time. If your child
has an overdue book, they will not be able to check out a new book until
the overdue book is returned. All lost or damaged books will need to
be paid for.
*Due to high temperatures this time of year, a water bottle is
suggested. Please put your child’s name on their water bottle.
If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call or email
me.
Supplies:
The following is a list of suggested school supplies if you plan to
purchase supplies for the classroom. They will help to keep your child
organized. I have listed these items in the order of importance.
1. Notebook:1 1/2 “ metal, 3 ring notebook with pockets inside the
front and back with a plastic view on the top to allow a piece of
paper to slide inside.
2. Composition Notebook/journal (smaller notebook, usually black
and white)
3. Homework folder
4. 2 spiral notebooks- wide ruled
5. Scissors
6. Colored pencils/markers
7. Kleenex
8. Highlighters
9. Glue sticks
10.
Hand sanitizer
Classroom Discipline Plan
I believe that lifelong success depends on self-discipline, and I have
developed a classroom discipline plan that gives every student the
opportunity to manage his or her own behavior. I will discuss this plan
with the students, but I would appreciate it if you would also review
the plan with your child as well. Working together, all of us can ensure
that your child will receive the most positive educational climate
possible.
*ClassDojo is used daily for all behaviors. Please see additional handout
for parent and student sign up instructions.
Classroom Expectations:
1. Show respect
2. Keep body parts and objects to yourself
3. Raise your hand
4. Show SLANT when learning
5. Try your best!
Classroom Consequences:
1. Verbal Warning
2. Yellow Card (clip down)
3. Red Card (clip down again)
-Student who earns a red card puts their name in the Think Time
Folder and 5-10 minutes in Think Time.
4. Parents called or sent to office (if severe disruption)
**Severe Disruption- Disruptive behavior is any behavior that is
destructive, dangerous, or defiant. Any behavior that is severe
will be sent to the principal.
Our classroom behavior chart has four levels: The top level is excellent
behavior and students will earn a grabber ticket (this is if they clip up
during the day). The second level is green for good behavior. Every
student starts on green for the day and it is the student’s choice
whether his or her clip is moved up or down. This is yellow and shows
that your student had to clip down due to behavior. The fourth level is
Red and shows the students require some “think time”.
Positive Incentives:
If the students choose to make bad choices, they still can decide to
make good choices.
Students always have the chance to earn positive incentives.
Examples of positive incentives:
● Stickers
● Grabber Tickets (for Friday prize drawings)
●
Cougar Paws (for Principal/Ms. Summers lunch drawings)
● Prize Box
●
Table Points (for Friday prizes)
Rewards:
Individual: When a student has a good day and does not have to “clip
down” he or she is given a sticker on his or her behavior chart. When
each student fills up a behavior chart, he/she is able to choose a prize
from the prize box. Students will also be given grabber tickets when
caught doing something helpful, they “clip up” for excellent behavior,
or by meeting all expectations. On Friday, I pick out three names and
those students get to choose from the prize box. (Rewards earned
need to be taken home and stay home.)
Group: Table groups can earn grabber tickets for showing teamwork,
respect, and kindness. We will award points via Class Dojo and group
points will be awarded for teams that working hard and following the
rules and expectations for each activity.
Homework Policy:
Students should have a binder and an agenda that will be taken home
and brought back to school Monday-Friday. In this binder there will be
important letters from the school, important information from me, as
well as student work and homework.
Weekly homework packets will be given every Monday and are due
every Friday. Students will write important dates and reminders in
agendas. Binders and agendas must be brought to school every day,
even if work was not done. Students will document their daily
classroom behavior in their AGENDAS. Parents must sign agendas
DAILY to keep track of student behavior. This is also a good way to
quickly communicate with me. Students will earn a stamp in their
agenda if it is signed.
Students will also periodically be bringing home notebooks that MUST
get returned to school the next day. Students will get a daily agenda
stamp for their school materials being accounted for as well. Students
will earn positive incentives for having materials with them in class and
having a parent signature in the agenda.
The reading log is part of the required HOMEWORK!!! They will be due
daily and also require a parent signature. Students must read for a
minimum of 20 minutes per night. Once the log is full, students will
earn a reward. I will check logs daily and stamp.
**Students who do not turn in homework on time will be expected to
stay in for homework club during morning recess.
Birthdays
Birthday treats are always welcome as long as they are STORE
BOUGHT. If you would like to bring a treat for your child’s birthday,
please let me know ahead of time so I can work it into our busy daily
schedule. All birthday celebrations will be at the end of the school day.
Lunch/lunch money – Please make sure that all money is in some type of
closed baggie or preferably an envelope with your child’s name and
amount of money written on it. (Please let me know if you need
envelopes.) Money for lunch can be paid for per day, week, month, etc.
Lunch money is turned in at the beginning of our day so it’s important
that your child remembers to hand it to me. If your child will be
bringing a lunch from home, please make sure that their lunch
container (of any type) has their name on it.
Arrival – When the first bell rings, it is time to line up outside of
classroom door, N4. You will see a cone designated for our classroom to
line up behind (N-8)Students may not be on campus until 7:30 a.m. If
your child arrives after 7:50 a.m. they must go to the office to check
in and get a tardy pass.
Dismissal – School is dismissed Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
at 2:15 p.m. On Wednesdays we get out at 1:45 p.m. I will have the
children walk in groups to the bus, daycare, sibling meeting area, or
parent pick-up.
I look forward to a great year. If you have any questions, please
contact me at (480) 472-6224 or email at jagoucher@mpsaz.org
Please sign and return the last page of the handbook so that I know
you have read its contents. Keep the handbook so you can refer to it
throughout the year. Thank you for your time and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Goucher
3rd Grade Teacher
Keller Elementary School