Dear Parents,
Can you believe how quickly the summer flew by? I for one cannot believe it’s already time to get back to school. Before we know it we will be watching football games, toasting marshmallows and finding that ‘just right’ Halloween costume!
First and foremost, I want to thank you for entrusting your child to me. As a parent, I know how big of a deal that actually is. I will help to make this transition back to school and into third grade seamless, and ALWAYS welcome your input. Sometimes you’ll notice an issue before me, because though I am an expert in education, you’re the expert on your child! Never hesitate to contact me!! I will get back to you as quickly as possible. Email is always the best way!

Thank you so much for bearing with me last week as the first week of school provided me with no computer access and no phone!! I tried my best to update my website from home when the school website was up, but without access to my files saved on our school drive, I wasn’t able to send home my normal beginning of the year papers. You all have been very patient, and I appreciate it more than words can express.
Please flip through this classroom handbook any time you’re curious about what’s coming up or going on in our classroom. I don’t expect you to read it all at once, but it is a nice tool to tuck away for future reference. 
Thanks again, and I look forward to an AMAZING school year!
Mrs. Winstead
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Our Daily Schedule
Contact Information
Classroom Rules / Class Pledge / Behavior
Management
Classroom Procedures
Stability Balls / Snacks / Homework
Work Of the Week Folder / Money
Celebrations
Classroom Volunteers
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Room 304’s Schedule 2015-2016
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
7:40-8:00 Morning Work Morning Work Morning Work Morning Work Morning Work
8:00-9:05
*8:10 Morning
Announcements
Math:
Calendar, then
Pearson
Math:
Calendar, then
Pearson
Math:
Calendar, then
Pearson
Math:
Calendar, then
Pearson
Math:
Calendar, then
Pearson
9:10-9:55 Library
REMEMBER
YOUR BOOKS!
10:00-10:15 D.E.A.R. and
Snack
Computer Lab Music
D.E.A.R. and
Snack
D.E.A.R. and
Snack
Art
D.E.A.R. and
Snack
P.E.
Wear Tennis
Shoes!!
D.E.A.R. and
Snack
10:15-10:30 Handwriting Handwriting Handwriting Handwriting Spelling Test
10:30-11:00 Whole Group
Reading and
11:00-12:00 Small Groups/
Stations for
12:05-12:35
12:40-1:10
**Odd Week
Duty**
1:15-2:00
2:00-2:45
2:50-3:00
Language Arts
Reading and
Language Arts
Lunch
Recess
Choice Time
(writing, math groups, etc.)
FOCUS
Pack Up, Jobs,
Dismissal
Whole Group
Reading and
Language Arts
Small Groups/
Stations for
Reading and
Language Arts
Lunch
Recess
Science /
Social Studies
FOCUS
Pack Up, Jobs,
Dismissal
Whole Group
Reading and
Language Arts
Small Groups/
Stations for
Reading and
Language Arts
Lunch
Recess
Science /
Social Studies
FOCUS
Pack Up, Jobs,
Dismissal
Whole Group
Reading and
Language Arts
Small Groups/
Stations for
Reading and
Language Arts
Lunch
Recess
Science /
Social Studies
FOCUS
Pack Up, Jobs,
Dismissal
Weekly
Reading Test
Small Groups/
Stations for
Reading and
Language Arts
Lunch
Recess
Choice Time
(writing, math groups, etc.)
Fun Friday or continuation of
Choice
Pack Up, Jobs,
Dismissal

My name is Sarah Winstead, the students refer to me as Mrs. Winstead or Mrs. W

School Phone Number: (812)825-5623 ext. 1304

Email: swinstead@egreene.k12.in.us

Follow us on Twitter @Mrs_Winstead

Check my teacher website: http://egreene.k12.in.us/our_schools/elementary_school/elementary_teacher_pages/3rd_grade/mrs__winstead/

Send in a note with your child, but remind them to turn it in to me
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Be Kind, Be Respectful and Do the Right Thing
“I pledge today to do my best in reading, math and all the rest. I promise to obey the rules, in my class and in the school. I’ll respect myself and others too, I’ll expect the best in all I do. I am here to learn all I can, to try my best and be all I am!”
Incentives
Each week I will choose 1 or 2 students to be our “VIP” (Very Important Person). This student will be someone who has done an excellent job following the classroom rules and completing all school work. Every student will have a chance to be VIP! In addition to this, every student has a punch card and once the punch card is full he/she can visit the treasure chest!
Self-Monitoring System
This is a form of 1 2 3 Magic which is research based and has worked very well in the classroom. It works as follows:
Super Hero
Side Kick
You have gone above and beyond everything that is expected! You did it all without being asked! (4 punches and note/call home)
You are doing everything you should be AND helping others, doing extra academic work, helping out around the classroom, and more. All of this
Soaring
Ready to Fly without being asked. (3 punches)
You and doing everything you should be doing and a little more. (2 punches)
You are doing the right thing (1 punch)
Danger Zone You have been given a warning for poor behavior (talking, not working, etc.) and need to do a self-check (5 laps @ recess)
Consequence You have continued to have poor behavior and will have a time out in class and
Kryptonite do a self-check (10 laps@ recess)
Behavior has yet to improve. Phone call and/or note home, possible trip to the principal’s office, and recess will be spent reflecting behavior and ways to improve
Students are always able to get back to “Ready to Fly” if they can answer the following:
1.
What went wrong?
2.
Why wasn’t that okay?
3.
What should you have done instead/what will you do next time?
Behavior will reset to “Ready to Fly” at the end of each day.
Behavior will be reported on the Weekly at Home Practice page daily.
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Morning Procedure
As students arrive in the classroom each morning they need to do the following:
1.
Put down chair, put up backpack and other belongings
2.
Turn in any notes, forms, money etc.
3.
Put Homework Folder in Mailbox
4.
Check art boxes and make sure you have 3 sharpened pencils
5.
Get calendar and DCCR page, trim and glue into Math Journal
6.
Go to Breakfast
7.
Complete Calendar and DCCR page
Afternoon Procedure
At the end of the day we’re coming back from FOCUS and have A LOT to accomplish in order to go home. We will do the following:
1.
Folders: All students will get homework folders and circle behavior for the day.
2.
Punch Cards will get punched depending upon behavior chart
3.
Jobs: Classroom Custodians will clean up floor, Librarians will clean up library,
Pencil Sharpeners will sharpen pencils, etc.
4.
Line-Up: I will call outback students to pack-up first, then cafeteria students.
After that, I’ll call students based upon which ones look the most ready
(sitting quietly, behavior circled, card punched, etc.). After chairs are up all students are to remain seated crisscross-apple sauce in front of their desks until line up time. At 2:55 outback students will line up with Mrs. Robinson.
At 3:00 I’ll dismiss cafeteria students to walk down to their waiting places in the cafeteria and walk the bussers to their buses.
**PLEASE NOTE: If transportation changes, please let me know by writing a note. Notes NEED to be turned in first thing in the MORNING not on the way out the door at the end of the day. **
Turning in Assignments
All papers need to have name, classroom line number and date on them. Each group has a tray where their work needs to be turned in. If in class work isn’t completed, it will go in the HOMEWORK Folder on the “Return to School” side. It is to be completed that night and returned to school the following day.
If a day of school is missed, all homework is to be turned in upon return. All in class work is expected to be completed and returned within 1 day of absence (there are exceptions to this rule). If you know your child is going to be absent please let me know
ASAP so we can plan accordingly.
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A few years ago I introduced stability balls in my classroom in lieu of a handful of chairs. At first
I was amazed by the behavior improvement! Of course now it makes total sense! Kids need to move and allowing them to “fidget” on these balls gives them the needed energy output. I cannot afford to buy for the entire class, but would love it if all my students had a ball to sit on during the day! So, if you would like to purchase your child a stability ball I highly recommend it! Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target and various sporting goods stores sell them for cheap!
We have quite a long time from breakfast until lunch (12:05!); the students need a midmorning snack to keep them going and ready to learn. Each student is asked to bring in their own snack each day in addition to a water bottle. I prefer the Nalgene bottles with flip up straws because they last ALL year and don’t tend to be as messy as others. Please DO NOT send in candy or heavily processed, sugary foods as snacks. Fruits, chopped veggies, dry cereal, goldfish crackers, pretzels and granola bars are your best options.
Your child will have homework every night Monday-Thursday. It is important that you supervise, but do not spend too much time “helping” your child do his or her work. Please sign the homework sheet nightly as your child completes the assignments. Please return the homework folder WITH HOMEWORK daily!! You can expect the following nightly:
Reading: Your child is to read for 20 minutes and respond nightly. Some nights I will assign the reading, but most nights they are to choose a book/story on their level to read at home. For responses I expect to learn something about what they’re reading…what is the main character doing? How are you feeling about the story line? What do you predict will happen next?
Spelling and Vocab: Practices words nightly. You will have a practice packet sent home weekly with a list of activities to be completed before Friday. I do expect to see that an assignment has been completed nightly. The homework sheet will show suggested assignments, but as long as the words are practiced throughout the week the order in which the assignments are completed isn’t super important.
Math: On Monday (sometimes it will be a different day, depending upon our testing and review schedule) the students will pull out the week’s practice pages. After our math lesson, we begin to work on the
Reteaching side of the workbook page. If that is completed, students are then allowed to begin work on the Practice side. If it is completed in school, then there won’t be any Math homework that night. I still require them to take their work home to review with parents each day.
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I will collect assignments throughout the week, some will be for a grade, some will not. On
Friday most assignments will go home in the Work of the Week, or WOW, Folder. The WOW
Folder goes home on Friday, and needs to come back on Monday. In addition to completed assignments from this week, important papers, notes, etc. will also be in the folder. Please empty out the “Keep at Home” side each Friday. Be sure to finish and return all papers on the
“Return to School” side. Finally, students are to complete the weekly reflection sheet and parents need to sign it, then place it back in the folder on the “Return to School” side.
Lunch $
If your child is buying lunch here at school you will need to send in either cash or check
(made payable to Eastern Greene Schools). Please send in the money in a SEALED envelope or baggie with your child’s first and last name and classroom (304). You can also contact the cafeteria for your child’s lunch account information for instructions on how to put funds into accounts online.
Book Fair $
This is an opportunity for your child to purchase books and other fundraiser type items.
Prior to each event, all students will have an opportunity to preview items and make a wish list. You may then decide if you want to give your child money to purchase only items on their list, or any item. If you do send in money with your child, please specify if they are only allowed to purchase specific items. You may also decide to come to school during one of the designated shopping times with your child. *Please note that many items do often sell-out during these events so it is a good idea to think of some back-up items.
Book Order $
If you are purchasing Scholastic Book Order books for your child, you may do so online using the code GNCCZ. You may also fill out the paper flyer and return it to school with a check made out to Scholastic. Please send in the payment in a SEALED envelope or baggie with your child’s name on it. Your child needs to hand the money to me first thing in the morning. Please do not send in cash unless it is for the exact amount of your book order.
Sporting Program $
Eastern offers a plethora of camps and other sport programs throughout the year. If you sign your child up for one of these programs, please follow the instructions on the sheet that come home. Usually, you’re able to return the form with payment to the school. If you do this please send in the form/payment in a SEALED envelope with your child’s name and the name of the program clearly written on the front of the envelope.
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We will have special celebrations for holidays, birthdays and classroom achievements

Special Days and Holidays- We generally do a morning of seasonally themed activities. For example, we might have stations set up where students, read, play bingo, decorate a cookie, do a word search, make a craft, etc.

BirthdaysWhen it is your child’s birthday you are more than welcome to send in treats and come be a part of the fun. Birthday parties usually last no more than
15minutes. They will be scheduled on your child’s birthday (or most convenient day for you). On Mondays and Fridays we can do parties from 1:20-1:35ish; on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday we can do parties from 10-10:15ish. We always start with
 birthday questions, then we do a silly dance and finish with eating treats. Please follow the following parameters when sending in treats: o All food items must be purchased from a store/licensed bakery o Drinks need to be individually packaged (spills and floor stains…no fun!) o Drinks must be clear in color (once again…stains!)
Classroom AchievementsWhen all students have mastered a skill, gotten into the 25 point club (AR), learned multiplication facts, etc. we will celebrate by having a classroom party!
I ask that you do not have your child bring any type of party invitation to school to pass out unless the ENTIRE class is invited. The only exception to this rule is if your child wanted a same gender party (i.e., girls only, boys only). I realize that birthday parties are expensive and inviting the entire class may not be in your budget. In those instances, I ask that you keep the invites out of school and remind your child to not brag about the upcoming party while here. That creates hurt feelings and a classroom where people do not feel accepted is not conducive to learning. Thank you for cooperating with me on this very sensitive issue.
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I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE parent volunteers! There are many ways in which you can help out in the classroom. Here are some of your options:
Choose your time commitment level.
 Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, special events only

½ day, morning only, reading only, all day
Day Preference
 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Weekend Help (cutting out, sorting, etc.)
Choose what you would like to do.
 Clerical (grading, copying, filing, etc.), student help (small groups, one on one)

Designing/creating bulletin board displays in the hallway
Special Options
 Classroom Photographer- This person would need to attend all special events and holidays to take pictures and assume the responsibility of emailing and periodically printing those pictures.
 Memory Book helpers- Once a month we will work on creating a page for our memory books…this is the FIRST time I’ve ever asked for her with these, so I’m not sure what this will entail at this moment. All you crafty parents, please give me some input!!
 Special Area Helper- This person would be referred to the special area teachers
(library, art, PE, music, computers) or the office to help in that area
*All classroom volunteers will need to fill out the Volunteer Sign-Up Sheet indicating their time commitment level, day preference and area of interest.
**All classroom volunteers will have to fill out the background check form at the elementary office prior to your first volunteer time.
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