Welcome to Third Grade
Parent Handbook
Mrs. D’Amico’s Classroom
2011-2012
Dear Parents,
I have created this handbook so that all important classroom
information is together in one convenient place. Please take time to
read it over. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Nancy D’Amico
School:
269-795-9747
Email:
ndamico@tkschools.org
Home:
616-455-3256
Lunch Money, Book Orders, Etc. – If you are sending your child to
school with money, please put it in an envelope. Write your child’s first
and last name, my name, and the purpose of the money on the outside.
For example: Susie Smith, Mrs. D’Amico’s class, Lunch Money.
Toys/Games: Please do not send ANY toys to school (even for
sharing). This includes stuffed animals, electronic toys such as DS,
Pokémon or sports’ cards. Every year there is a problem with missing,
stolen, or broken treasures. My policy is that if it is brought to school,
it becomes mine until the parent comes to pick it up. Please send a
note if your child needs to bring an item to school for a before or
after-school activity. The toys need to stay in the locker during the
day. There will be special game and stuffed animal days during the
year, and I will notify you of those dates.
Recess- There are two daily recess times. Lunch recess is from 11:50
– 12:05. Afternoon recess is from 2:45 – 3:00. Our policy states that
if a child is well enough to come to school, he or she is well enough to
2
play outside (unless we have a parent’s note.) Please be sure your child
has the appropriate clothing for the weather.
Star Student – Every person will have an opportunity to be the Star
Student of the Week. I will send a note home when it is your child’s
turn. He or she can bring in photos and other items to share with us.
This may include awards, hobbies, artwork, toys, books, trophies, etc.
P.E. Shirts – Mrs. Desy asks that all students wear a t-shirt with their
name written in permanent ink in LARGE letters on the front and back
for P.E. days. The shirt should be large enough to fit over the clothing
the child is wearing that day. I will wash the shirts periodically, unless
a parent would like to volunteer for this job!
Parent Volunteers - I love having parent volunteers!! If you are able to
give any time out of your week, I would love to have you come into our
classroom community to listen to students read, work with reading
groups, tutor students in math, and help with special projects.
If you didn’t sign-up at OPEN HOUSE, please notify me a.s.a.p. if you
have some extra time to spend with us!
Grading Policy
Students do not receive letter grades in 3rd grade. They must pass
common assessments with a score of 80% or better to be considered
proficient. I will reteach and reassess students who do not master an
assessment.
We have a lot of daily work that is checked and corrected, but again,
not graded. If there are many mistakes, I will pass back the work for
the student to correct. You will receive a lot of completed papers
home with smiley faces or stars, so you will know that your child is
making good progress!
3
We are a Peanut Free Classroom
The safety of all children is our number one priority. One child in our
class has an allergy to peanuts. By working together, we can ensure
that every student is safe by referring to the following pages
regularly. Snacks for morning snack time MUST NOT contain peanuts,
peanut butter, peanut oil, peanut flour, or have been manufactured in a
plant that contained peanuts or tree nuts. By doing this it helps keep
our classroom peanut free. The next page includes several snack
options. However, for lunch, your child may pack their usual (peanut
butter and jelly sandwich, etc), but they must wash their hands
thoroughly and wipe their mouths before leaving the lunch room.
We love to celebrate birthdays! Another list has been included as
examples for safe and tasty treats. It is important that these treats
are store bought rather than homemade due to chances of crosscontamination.
Important things to remember…
*Always read the labels when purchasing daily snacks for your child or
treats for the classroom. Look below the Nutrition Facts for any
bolded warnings of peanut contents.
*No food sharing during snack time.
*No homemade treats, only store bought please.
*We will wash our hands frequently, especially every morning and after
snack and lunch.
*Off brand products like Spartan and Meijer are more likely to be safe
as opposed to Wal-Mart items. Just remember to check the labels
thoroughly.
*If you have any questions about label reading, snacks, or birthday
treats, please let me know.
4
Peanut-Free Snacks
When purchasing snacks or birthday treats for a school event that involves a child who
has a peanut allergy, please read all ingredients carefully. Avoid snacks that contain
peanuts, peanut flour, and peanut oil.
Below you will find a list of snacks that are peanut-free at this time. It is always
important to read ingredient labels since manufacturers change production methods.
Cereal/Bars
General Mills
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Kix, Berry Berry Kix
Lucky Charms
Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex
Trix
Kellogg's
Cereals - Corn Pops, Crispix, Fruit Loops, Post Alpha Bits, Quaker Cap 'N Crunch
Nutri-Grain - Apple, Blueberry, Raspberry
Nutri-Grain Twist - Banana & Strawberry, Strawberries & Cream
Post
Honey Combs
Cheese/Dairy
Sargento
Mootown Snacks - Cheeze & Pretzels, Cheeze & Crackers, Cheeze & Sticks
Yogurt
Go-Gurt, Drinkables
Other Cheeses
Sliced, cubed, shredded, string cheese, cream cheese, spreads, dips
Crackers/Chips/Cookies
Austin
Zoo Animal Crackers
Betty Crocker
Cinnamon Graham Cookies
Dunk Aroos
Sprinkled Vanilla Frosting
Frito Lay
Cheetos - Crunch, Zigzag, Puffs
Rold Gold Pretzels
Sun Chips - Original, Sour Cream, Cheddar, Classic, Flavored
General Mills
Bugles - Original
Keebler
Bite Size Snackin Grahams - Cinnamon, Chocolate
5
Elf Grahams - Honey, Cinnamon
Fudge Stripes Shortbread Cookies
Golden Vanilla Wafers
Grasshopper Mint Cookies
New Rainbow Vanilla Wafers
Munch'ems - Sour Cream & Onion, Original, Ranch, Cheddar
Snack Stix
Sugar Wafers
Toasteds - Wheat, Buttercrisp
Town House Classic Crackers
Wheatables - Original, Honey Wheat, Seven Grain
Kraft
Handi-Snacks - Cheez 'N Crackers, Apple Dippers, Cheez 'N Pretzels
Handi-Snacks Teddy Grahams - Honey, Chocolate
Crackers/Chips/Cookies continued
Nabisco
Air Crisps
Potato - Sour Cream & Onion, Ranch, Barbeque, Cheddar
Pretzel - Original
Ritz - Original
Wheat Thins - Original, Ranch
Barnum Animal Crackers
Cheddar Sportz
Cheese Nips
Dizzy Grizzlies - Vanilla Frosted, Chocolate Frosted
Graham Crackers - Honey Maid, Cinnamon, Chocolate
Newtons - Fig, Cobblers, Raspberry, Apple
Ritz Crackers - Original
Saltine Crackers
Teddy Cheddy
Teddy Grahams - Cinnamon, Chocolatey Chip, Chocolate, Honey
Triscuits, Triscuit Thin Crisps
Wheat Thins
Old Dutch
Baked Cheez Curls
Chips
Crunchy Curls
Pretzels
Pepperidge Farm
Butter Thins
Goldfish - any flavor
Goldfish Graham Snacks - Honey, Cinnamon, Golden
Pringles
Any flavor
Sunshine
Big Cheez-It
6
Cheez-It - Regular, Reduced Fat
Hi Ho Crackers - Regular, Reduced Fat
Fruit
Fresh - Apples, Bananas, Oranges
Packaged Fruit - Apple Sauce, Apple Sauce mixes, Diced Pears, Peaches, Raisins,
Mandarin Oranges
Fruit Snacks - Fruit Roll Ups, Fruit by the Foot, Fun Fruit
Jell-O and Pudding Snacks
Popcorn
Barrel O'Fun
Corn Pops (No Kernels)
Frito Lay
Cheddar Cheese
Chester's Popcorn Butter
Old Dutch Popcorn
Carmel PuffCorns, Cheddar, White, White Cheddar
Vegetables
Fresh Carrot Sticks, Celery Sticks
Special Treats
Cakes/Cupcakes
Cub Foods Bakery, Kowalski's Bakery, Sam's Club Bakery
White, Chocolate, Marble Cakes
Candy
Air Heads Rolos
Dum Dum Pops Runts
Gum Drops Shock Tarts
Hershey Kisses - Milk Chocolate, Extra Creamy Sixlets
Jolly Ranchers Skittles
Junior Mints Smarties
Life Savers Spree
Lollipops Starburst
Mike & Ikes Sugar Babies
Milk Duds Sweet Tarts
Nerds Tootsie Pops
Oompas Tootsie Rolls
Ring Pops Twizzlers
Cookies/Donuts
Cub Foods Bakery
Donuts/Donut Holes - Glazed, Powdered Sugar, Sugar
7
Sugar Cookies
Kowalski's Bakery
Iced Sugar Cookies
Donut Holes - Plain, Glazed
Ice Cream/Frozen Treats
Edy's
Whole Fruit Bars
FlaVorIce - "Freezies"
Good Humor Popsicles
Sherbet Cyclone
Icee - Squeeze up tubes
Italian Ice
Kemps
Fudge Bars - Regular and Junior Size
Ice Cream Bars
Ice Cream Cups
Ice Cream Sandwiches - Regular, Mint Chocolate Chip
Twin Pops - Any flavor
What's Up Orange Sherbet Treats
Klondike
Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches
Minute Maid
Soft Frozen Lemonade
Polar Express
Ice Cream Sandwiches
8
Specials Schedule
Mrs. D’Amico’s Class
Monday:
Music
10:00 – 10:45
Tuesday:
P.E.
10:00 – 10:45
Wednesday: Library
10:00 – 10:45
Thursday:
P.E.
10:00 – 10:45
Friday:
Art
10:00 – 10:45
Lunch/Recess is 11:50 – 12:05 every day.
Afternoon recess is 2:45 – 3:00 every day.
9
Mrs. D’Amico’s Third Grade Class
Homework Guidelines for Parents 2011-2012
Third grade students receive homework to practice and reinforce skills and concepts
learned in the classroom. Students will be receiving a packet of math and reading
homework on Mondays. All homework will be due back by Friday. Students are
encouraged to return completed homework as soon as they finish, but it will not be
considered late until Friday. Any homework not returned by Friday will be completed
during recess time. Later, students will practice the multiplication facts at home. I don’t
grade homework, but I do check to see that it is done and that concepts are understood.
Students who return homework on time will be able to sign a “bingo” board for a chance
to win fabulous prizes every Friday!
There will be spelling words sent home to study each week on Friday. The test will be
the following Thursday. I also expect third grade students to read for 15-30 minutes
every night. In addition, there will be the occasional special project assigned. I rarely
assign homework to be done over a weekend. Please contact me if there is ever a
problem completing homework. I am understanding!
Here are some helpful hints to ensure your child’s success:

Check your child’s book bag or backpack every night for homework or notes.

Keep a ready supply of homework materials on hand for your child to use. A
plastic container or shoebox works well. Stock it with pencils, crayons,
sharpener, a ruler, a small calculator, glue or glue stick, scissors, and tape.

Try to encourage a regular homework routine. Set a time suitable for both you
and your child.

Choose a quiet, well-lit place for your child to work. Avoid working near the
television, computer, telephone, etc.

Don’t do the assignments for them! Oversee their work, ask questions, and offer
suggestions. Building independence and responsibility is crucial to a child’s
academic growth.
10

Make sure the finished homework gets back in the backpack! We had some
frustrating moments last year as students cried, “But I did it! I just forget to bring
it!”

Students who return homework on time sign the “Homelinks Bingo” board, and
are eligible to win fabulous (to them) weekly prizes!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions concerning homework.
Thank you,
Mrs. D’Amico
11
Mrs. D’Amico’s Third Grade Class
Discipline Policy 2011-2012
In order to guarantee that your child and all of my students have the respectful,
safe, and nurturing environment they deserve, rules must be followed. I will review with
your children the playground and school rules that are included in the student
handbook. In addition, we will discuss together rules for our classroom.
Most TK teachers were trained in the Capturing Kids Hearts program. One key
component of the program is establishing a Social Contract, rather than rules that
focus on “don’ts”. We answer 4 important questions”
1. How do you want to be treated by the teacher?
2. How do you want to be treated by the class?
3. How do you think the teacher wants to be treated by you?
4. How will we settle problems and disagreements that occur?
From this discussion, we will establish our Social Contract. Everyone will sign it, and it
will hang in a prominent place in our classroom.
Consequences
For rules to be effective there must be consequences. With the Social Contract,
we have very few problems, but I do have a system for consequences if it becomes
necessary to use it.
I have a chart with a pocket for each child. In the pocket are 4 colored cards:
green, yellow, red, and blue. These cards are a visual reminder to students of their
behavior at any given time.
Each child starts out with a green card every day. Most students will stay “green”
most of the time. However, if behavior issues arise, I will move a student’s cards
progressively to yellow, red, and blue. Here’s how it works:
First time a rule is broken: Green Card – verbal warning
Second Time:
Yellow Card – 5 minute time-out
12
Third Time:
Red Card – lose recess minutes
Fourth Time:
Blue Card – call parents/action plan
Severe Disruption:
Send to Principal immediately
If a child is having a difficult time consistently controlling his/her behavior, I will work
with you to establish a Behavior Plan. This plan will identify the behaviors that need to
be changed, and will be sent home on a weekly basis for your signature. When the
behavior improves, the plan will be discontinued.
Please contact me any time you are concerned about your child’s behavior in school.
We will work together to create a safe and caring learning community.
Thank you,
Nancy D’Amico
269-795- 9747
ndamico@tkschools.org
13