Teamwork: You can achieve together what you can merely dream of alone.
August 18th Edition
Welcome to Fourth Grade!
It seems like only yesterday we
were closing school, now, a new year
begins. We are happy to have your child
in our class and know this is going to be
a great year! Your child will have Miss
Kiwacka for Math/Science & Mrs. Ker
for Language Arts/Social Studies.
Homework Procedures
Most homework will consist of
work not completed during the school
day, reading, and studying. If a student
uses their time wisely in class they
shouldn’t have much or any homework.
Students are expected to write all
assignments in their agenda every day.
All assignments will come home in their
homework folder to be finished,
checked and returned to school the next
day. To start the year we will stamp,
sticker or sign each child’s agenda to
verify that they have all assignments
written down everyday. We will pass
collected homework out daily as it
becomes graded. Please check your
child’s homework folder every day as
graded assignments and other important
school messages will be coming home in
it. Watch for yellow papers that are
reviews for tests and blue papers are
tests.
“Strike Chart” Classroom
Management
We have a strike system in place
to keep track of our classroom
management. Students are given strikes
for actions such as: not having
assignment completed, being
disrespectful, not being prepared, etc.
After three strikes parents will be
notified and they will not receive the
extra incentive. Our incentive for those
not receiving three strikes per week, will
get to put their name on our Bingo board
for a chance to win a reward. Each
month we will have an extra reward for
those students with fewer than 3 strikes.
Binders
Please do not take anything out
of their binders. Many of the papers
contained in the binder are assignments
that are “works in progress” and are
needed in class.
Grading Policy
Students are expected to have
their work completed on time. Late
work will be accepted the following day
with a 10 point loss on the assignment.
Work will be a zero after the first late
day. Children are expected to do the
work.
Supplies
If you could please send in with
your child 4 composition notebooks
(PLEASE NO SPIRAL NOTEBOOKS)
by Monday it would be greatly
appreciated. We use these notebooks in
Reading, Social Studies, Science, and
Math. Thank you!

The ABC’s of Homework
All by Myself: Provide a place in
your home where your child
has all the necessary supplies and
can work away from family activity.


Back Off:
Homework is your
child’s responsibility, and the
assignments given are ones that
fourth graders can do.
Send a
message of “You can do it” to your
child.
Call it Quits: Set a time at which
schoolwork is put away for the night
so that there is time for family
activities and relaxation.
Absence
When students are absent, they
miss the learning activities that have
taken place that day, and many of these
can’t be sent home. The work that can
be done at home will be written down
and can be sent home with another
student, picked up by a parent, or
given to the student the next day of
school. This work should be completed
ASAP depending on how your child is
feeling.
Please remember that you need
to call the school office (667-3719)
when your child is absent. When your
child returns to school, you also need to
send a written note stating the reason for
the absence.
Birthdays
It is always fun to celebrate
special days! Children are welcome to
bring in birthday treats. Something easy
to eat is best, but please do not send
gum. If your child is having a party,
please mail the invitations to avoid
hurting the feelings of children who are
not invited.
Ways Parents Can Help
Your encouragement, interest,
and support of school are so important.
Let your child know that school is
important, and that learning is his or her
most important job.
Show your child that you value
education by having him or her here on
time every day, except, of course, when
ill.
Expect and encourage your child
to meet realistic high standards. Expect
work to be done neatly, with careful
handwriting. Expect work to be
completed on time. Expect that all
directions are followed.
Guide your child in developing
skills in scheduling time. After school
activities should still allow time for
reading, studying, and homework.
It’s good to remember that parent
help and encouragement are essential,
but it is your child’s responsibility to get
the assignments, do them carefully, and
turn them in on time.
Contact us right away with any
questions or concerns. Education works
best when everyone on the team
students, parents, and teachers – work
together. Let us know if there is
something bothering you or your child
so we can work it out. You can:
 Send in a note
 Call the school office 667-3719 and
leave a message for us- We’ll call
you back
 Send us an email
hker@tippcity.k12.oh.us
lkiwacka@tippcity.k12.oh.us
Special Schedule
Our classes will go to specials
every day and will be on an A,B, C, D
rotation. Each week on our newsletter
we will have the letter for each day to
help you remember PE day(s). Miss
Kiwacka’s Class days are:
A- PE
B- Computer
C- Art
D- Music
Mrs, Ker’s Class days are:
A- Music
B- PE
C- Computer
D- Art
Healthy Snacks
Our pod has the first lunch this
year eating at 11:15. We highly
encourage students bring in healthy
snacks; grapes, graham crackers,
vegetables, etc. to be eaten in the
afternoon. Please do not send in junk
food.
Accelerated Reader
Students will need to read one
Accelerated Reader book and pass the
quiz with a 70% for each quarter as part
of their reading grade. If they don’t pass
the quiz they will be allowed to read a
new book and take that AR quiz. Once
the student has passed the AR quiz we
will give them their book report form.
Please help us to encourage your child to
read this book and take the AR quiz
EARLY in the quarter. This gives them
plenty of time to complete the book
report. We also have extra incentives for
students to read more Accelerated
Reader books. If your child reaches
their goal during the quarter, which we
will give them based on their reading
level, there will be a reward. We will
have consistent silent reading time. For
the first quarter the students will read a
mystery.
Temperature
Our building is usually cold, so
you might want to have your child dress
in layers or keep a jacket or sweatshirt in
their locker.
Newsletters
We will send home a class
newsletter every Friday. It will be in
your child’s take home folder with their
graded work. Please take time to read it
each week. Information about special
events, upcoming tests and activities,
and schedule changes will be included in
this newsletter. The newsletter will also
be posted on our web site.
Website
Every teacher in our district has a
personal website. We update ours daily,
including posting homework for every
night, review guide for tests, important
dates and weekly newsletter. This
website is the best way to stay
informed about what is going on at
school. To access our web page, go to
the Tipp City website, click on “Tipp
City Schools,” go to L.T. Ball
Intermediate School, and find our names
on the staff page. You can also e-mail
us from this page. We share a website
so information about all of your child’s
classes will be there.
We know this is a lot of information
all at once, but by working together,
we will make this a great year. If you
have any questions, please get in
contact with us. Again, the door is
always open!
Here’s to a GREAT year!!!
Mrs. Ker & Miss Kiwacka