Welcome to Third Grade
Jenks West Elementary!
West Elementary Building F
• Third and Fourth Grade Students
• Self Contained Building
• 14 sections of third grade
• Classrooms are located in pods
• Bus Fleet for third and fourth grades
Important Information
• Curbside and Office Pickup
• Morning Breakfast Times
• Recess before Lunch
• Office Check-in through Lobby Guard
• Before and After Care
What does reading look like in
Third Grade?
• District Primary Tool:
The Comprehension Tool Kit
– We have numerous resources available to improve
comprehension, teach reading strategies, develop
fluency and help your child maintain a love of
reading.
– The required genres in third grade are
autobiographies and fantasy. In addition students
read realistic fiction, and enjoy book clubs with their
peers. Students are exposed to a lot of non-fiction
text to continue to develop comprehension.
What does math look like in third
grade?
• District Primary Tool:
Everyday Mathematics
– Teachers also use morning Math Board tailored
to objectives that need constant review in 3rd
grade. We often refer to this as, permission to
not forget.
– A big focus is also placed on fluency of
multiplication facts as this is essential for
student success in 3rd grade math.
•
What does writing look like in Third
Grade?
• District emphasis is on:
Writer’s Workshop Model
– Students learn the Writing Process (Pre-write, first
draft, edit, publish) in all of our writing activities
throughout 3rd grade.
– Your child will focus on the writing of personal
narratives, story writing, letter writing, journal writing,
poetry, 5 paragraph essays, research papers, and
writing for different purposes and audiences.
– Students keep reading response journals and science
journals
International Baccalaureate
West Elementary is proud to share that we are in our third
year of candidacy to become an International
Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP).
This is a multi-year journey with some exciting opportunities
for our students and community.
You can visit the WE website for even more details.
www.jenksps.org
West Elementary can be found under the School Sites Tab
So what does it mean for your child
as a 3rd grader?
• Organizing our work into 6 broad themes
• Engaging in developing understanding of central ideas
• You will continue to see inquiry experiences just as you
have the past few years.
• You can still expect to see intense work with reading and
writing workshop, EDM, science units, social studies and
Spanish.
• Our classroom and site newsletters will reflect our
continued work with IB.
3rd Grade Units of Inquiry
Transdisciplinary Theme
Central Idea
How the World Works
Cause and effect
relationships are routinely
identified, tested, and used
to explain change
Sharing the Planet
Growth and Survival rely on
the sharing of resources
Who We Are
Culture is influenced by
people, places, and events
How We Express Ourselves The engineering process
leads to scientific
discoveries in the world
How We Organize
Ourselves
Many systems exist across
and within communities
Assessments in Third Grade
 STAR test for reading
 Phonics Inventory
 Report Cards
 Teacher Observations
 Running Records
 Unit Tests in Math
 CogAt Testing
 State testing for reading and math
State Testing for Third Grade
A major policy change that took effect in the 2013-2014
school year involves the promotion of third-grade
students based on reading scores. The Reading
Sufficiency Act (RSA) states that a third-grade student
cannot be promoted to the fourth grade if he or she
scores Unsatisfactory on the reading portion of the
Oklahoma Core Curriculum Test (OCCT). Those who
score limited knowledge or above are NOT at risk for
retention.
State Testing for Third Grade
Is my child’s reading ability to be assessed by a single test on
a single day?
HB 2625
Currently, third-grade students subject to the requirements of the RSA may qualify for
automatic promotion to the fourth grade in four ways:
1.Demonstration of Third Grade Level Proficiency on a Benchmark Assessment
The law still requires that each student enrolled in kindergarten, first, second and third grade
be assessed at the beginning, middle, and the end of each academic school year using a
screening instrument approved by the State Board of Education. Jenks uses STAR Early
Literacy and STAR.
The changes/amendments to the RSA law provide that any student who demonstrates
proficiency in reading at a third-grade level through using STAR will be exempt from the
retention requirements of the RSA. The demonstration of proficiency must be at a third-grade
level and meet the acquisition of reading skills criteria for the designated screening instrument
at a third-grade level—40%ile.
Once a student has demonstrated proficiency in reading at a third grade level and meets
acquisition criteria, he or she shall be exempted from the retention requirements.
State Testing for Third Grade
2. Qualification Through the Use of a Student Portfolio
•Teacher, literacy coach and principal look at a student’s work in
reading throughout the year
•Rubric developed by schools across Tulsa county is used
•Looks at 8 specific criteria to gage literacy skills including:
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–
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Fluency
Self-Correction
Range of Reading
Comprehension
Vocabulary
Communication Capabilities (discussions, conversations, writing)
Research
State Testing for Third Grade
•Application of Good Cause Exemptions
•RSA provides “good cause” exemptions for some students who score
Unsatisfactory on the reading test:
– English Language Learners who have had less than two years of instruction in
English and are identified as Limited-English Proficient (LEP)/ English Language
Learner (ELL).
– Students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) indicates
they are to be assessed with the Oklahoma Alternate Assessment Program (OAAP).
– Students who demonstrate through a teacher- developed portfolio that they can read
on grade level.
– Students with disabilities who take the OCCT and have an IEP that states they have
received intensive remediation in reading for at least a year or more but still
demonstrate a deficiency in reading and were previously retained one or two years
during kindergarten, first-, second or third-grade.
State Testing for Third Grade
If the student does not meet the requirements of one of the above listed options,
he or she is not eligible for automatic promotion to the fourth grade.
At this point, the student will either receive probationary promotion or be retained
in the third grade.
For the 2015-2016 school years, third-grade students who did not meet any of
the above options will go to a retention committee.
Student Reading Proficiency Team is composed of:
1) Parent/legal guardian of student
2) Current 3rd grade teacher assigned to the student who was
responsible for reading instruction
3) 4th grade teacher-subsequent grade level
4) The school principal
5) A certified reading specialist
State Testing for Third Grade
An unanimous recommendation for probationary promotion by
the Student Reading Proficiency Team must be reached in order
for the student to be promoted.
Once the Student Reading Proficiency Team has made a
unanimous recommendation, the recommendation shall be
submitted to the superintendent of the school district for
approval if promotion is the best option for the student.
Attendance
School Day: 8:50 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Jenks West Attendance Office X5618
(Joanne.Trindad@jenksps.org)
.
Kindergarten - Fourth Grade
Policy
Arrival after 9:30 a.m.
½ day absence
Pick up before 3:00 p.m.
½ day absence
10 days absent/tardies
Courtesy letter
15 days absent /tardies
Courtesy letter
20 days absent
Certified Non-Attending letter
School Supply
Packets
School Supply Packets are on sale NOW!
ONLINE ORDERING ONLY UNTIL JUNE 26, 2016
Paper order forms are available in building offices upon request and are due May 29.
There will be a LIMITED number of packets available at Meet the Teacher in August (additional $10
per pack). These will be on a first come, first serve basis.
Teachers LOVE the school supply packs!
The supplies are collected by your child’s teacher and used in the classroom as community
property.
Online Ordering Directions:
1. Go to www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks
2. Enter the school ID, JEN007
3. Follow the directions to complete your order
4. Keep your online confirmation as your receipt
3rd Grade Packs cost $46 each
School supplies will be available for pick up during Meet
the Teacher in August
Be a JWE Volunteer!
Field Trips
Back to School Post Cards
(sent
a week before school starts)
First Day of School (8:50 – 3:30)
Friday, August 19th
Thank You
• Kim Kittelson
• Building F Principal
• Kim.kittelson@jenksps.org