Welcome to Parent Orientation

WELCOME TO MRS. KELLEYMCMULLEN’SFABULOUSFOURTH GRADE

Dear Parents, I am so excited that your child will be in my Fourth Grade class. I am looking forward to a wonderful year full of learning and fun. My name is Kelley McMullen. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Mississippi. I have been teaching in Desoto County for twenty years. I have been teaching at Overpark for eight years and I taught at Olive Branch Elementary for twelve years. I taught First Grade for four years. I taught Kindergarten for fourteen years. I decided to teach Fourth Grade, because I am ready for a new and exciting challenge.

I am married to Chris McMullen. I have a daughter, Ashton, who is attending college. I have a son, Auston, who will be in 8th grade at Centerhill Middle School. We live in Olive Branch. I love spending time with my family and friends, boating, camping, reading and church activities.

Please feel free to contact me by sending a note in your child’s Daily Folder or call the school at 662-890-8745 and leave a message or email me at mcmullen.kelley@yahoo.com. I will respond as soon as possible. I am looking forward to a Fabulous Fourth Grade Year!!

Daily Folder/Zipper Bag

Your child will have a Daily Folder and the zipper bag will be inside. Your child will bring this folder home each day and is to return it every morning. Please check this folder for important information like Weekly Newsletter and notes from the teacher. Please put all notes to the teacher and money inside the zipper bag. This includes money for lunch and field trips, etc. Please make sure that all money is labeled with your child’s name and what the money is for.

Homework

Each student will be responsible for writing homework assignments daily in the agenda book. Homework is to be kept in the Daily Folder and returned in it the next day.

Graded Papers

Graded papers will be sent home in your child’s Test Folder. There will be a Grade and Behavior Sheet that you will need to sign, date and make comments if needed and return to school in the Test Folder the next day.PLEASE KEEP THE GRADED PAPERS AT HOME. IF I NEED A GRADED PAPER RETURNED, I WILL MARK IT- RETURN TO SCHOOL.

Weekly Newsletter

Every week, each student will receive a SuperStar Newsletter that contains important information concerning our class and our school. You may also see the SuperStar News on my website.

Class Discipline

Establishing good classroom discipline is essential to each student’s success, confidence and well being. Positive, good behavior will be praised and rewarded. Inappropriate behaviors will be discussed, learned from and put behind us. Consequences for reoccurring inappropriate behaviors will be given as needed and may include time out, loss of recess, note to parents, phone call to parent, Disciplinary Referral slip, or a visit to the Principal.I plan to handle all behavior issues in my classroom, so if I have to send a note or call a parent about behavior issues, please know that it is a serious matter. I will expect your help and support in resolving this matter.

Class Rules Star Traits

*Show Respect *Caring *Be a Good Friend *Cooperative *Be a Good Friend *Friendly*Do Your Best. *Generous*Use Good Manners *Honest*Follow Directions *Respectful* Be Prepared *Responsible

My class discipline plan is Be A Star!Each student will have a star pocket with 3 sticks in it. Each student will begin each day with 3 sticks. When positive, good behavior is shown the student will be rewarded with a stick added to the pocket. When inappropriate behavior is shown, the student will lose a stick and consequences will be given. At the end of each day, the students with more than 3 sticks in their star pocket will receive a star on their behavior chart. When a student receives 20 stars on their behavior chart, the student is rewarded with a Star Prize.

Class Schedule

• 8:05-8:25 Morning Work• 8:25-8:30 School Wide Announcements• 8:30-9:00 Morning Meeting• 9:00-11:00 Language Arts (Reading and Writing Workshops)• 11:00-11:25 Lunch• 11:30-11:50 Recess• 11:50-12:15 Shared Reading• 12:15- 1:15 Math Workshop• 1:15- 2:00 Activity• 2:00-2:45 Independent Reading and Writing • 2:45-3:10 Speaking and Listening (Share Time)• 3:10-3:20 Wrap Up and Pack Up

Activity Schedule

• Monday – P.E.• Tuesday- Music• Wednesday- Computer• Thursday- Art• Friday- Library

Grading Scale

• 100 – 90 A• 89 – 80 B• 79 – 70 C• 69 – 65 D• Below 65 F

Fourth Grade

• Rules• Procedures• Expectations

Classroom Rules

• Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself• Respect yourself, others, and your

environment• Be prepared with books, supplies, and

assignments• Follow directions promptly• Stay seated and working quietly until called

upon

Consequences

• warning• lose 5 minutes of recess • lose 10 minutes of recess• lose 15 minutes of recess• lose all of recess and silent lunch • office referral • sent immediately to principal• A behavior journal report is completed by a student

when he/she chooses not to follow a rule

Rewards

• Verbal praise• Bucket Filled • Good note/email/text home• Treat• FISH• Various passes (i.e. no homework, no shoes

for a day, sit with 4th grade friend at lunch, etc)

Homework

• Necessary for practicing skills that we are learning and to refresh skills that have been learned

• Is to be kept in homework folder• Late assignments will not be accepted with the

exception of students who have been absent. Students will not be allowed to call home if they forget their work.

• If student does not have their homework, a Missing Homework sheet will be filled out during recess

Reading Log

• Will be kept in homework folder• Students are required to read at least 4 out of 7

nights a week (students may choose which nights)

• Must read for at least 20 minutes each of the 4 nights

• Must be completed correctly and signed by a parent

• Reading Log is due on Monday morning

Tests

• Will contain new skills as well as review skills• Graded tests will be sent home on

Wednesdays in Graded Papers folder• Will be more short answer/open ended

questions• Content vocabulary incorporated in reading

tests• Speed drills given weekly

Signed Papers Folder

• Will contain a grade sheet with all test grades up until that point

• Will be sent home weekly• Review the tests and report with your child• Keep the tests, sign and return the report to

school by Friday

Agenda

• Student is responsible for writing down daily homework assignments correctly

• Is to be taken home and returned to school daily

• Please sign your child’s agenda every night.

Daily Schedule• 8:00 – 8:35 Morning Review Work, Attendance, Lunch

Count, Morning Announcements, Pledge of Allegiance• 8:35 – 10:55 ELA Block (Reading, Writing, Language, Science

and Social Studies are covered through nonfiction reading)• 11:05 – 11:30 Lunch• 11:30 – 11:50 Recess• 11:50 – 1:15 Math block• 1:15 – 2:00 Activity• 2:00 – 3:15 Independent Reading; Sharing/Listening; One-

on-one conferences; Assign Homework; Pack up; Snack

Language Arts Block

• Reading and English will be combined on your child’s report card under the heading Language Arts

• Reading will make up 50% of the total grade• Language/Writing will make up 40% of the

total grade• Speaking/Listening/Performance Tasks will

make up 10% of the total grade

Common Core

• More of a focus on informational text• Reading various stories and comparing using

understanding of text elements• Content vocabulary will be part of reading tests• Science/social studies will have grades from

reading tests as well as mini-projects• Combining language arts with science and social

studies

How to Help Your Child Succeed

• Read aloud to your child or have your child read to you. While reading ask questions: What do you think will happen next? Why do you think he did that? How do you think that makes him feel?

• Ask in-depth why and how questions that encourage comparing and contrasting as they read

• Help them to THINK

Helping to Succeed

• Practice the skills learned in English class. Write in a journal, write letters, send emails, or just leave little notes for each other. The key is to just write PROPERLY!

• Help them to THINK

Helping to Succeed

• Learn multiplication facts• Practice skills learned in everyday life: while at

the grocery store weigh the items, compare prices and determine the best price, make change

• Tell time• Help to relate what they are learning in school to

everyday life• Help them to THINK

Helping to Succeed

• Study a little with them every night, not just nights that they have written assignments

• Check your child’s agenda daily• Look over any written homework and help your child

make corrections• Review old tests. Review skills will show up on tests

again• Help your child learn to be organized• Provide your child with a consistent study time and

place that are free of distractions

Awards Ceremonies

• We will hold award ceremonies at the end of each nine week period for those students making Principal’s List and Honor Roll and those receiving a Citizenship Award

• Our Awards Ceremony at the end of the year will be held in the classroom. All students will receive an award

• Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend all awards ceremonies

Breakfast/Lunch/Snack Prices

• Breakfast $1.25 (7:55 – 8:15)• Student Lunch $2.50• Adult Lunch $3.00• All students are required to pay for any extra items

they choose to purchase regardless if they pay full price for lunch, reduced price, or if receive free lunch

• All items on snack cart $0.75• Parents are invited to eat lunch with their child;

however, must check in through office first

School Times

• Starts at 8:25. Students are considered tardy after 8:31

• One day suspension will occur after 15 tardies. Another one day suspension every 3rd tardy thereafter

• Car riders are dismissed at 3:20• Bus riders begin dismissal at approximately

3:25

NEW ATTENDANCE POLICY

• Students in DeSoto County must be present 63% of the day to be counted as present

• At OES if a student misses more than 2 hours and 17 minutes, they are considered absent

Field Trips

• Students are required to ride the bus to and from the field trip

• No more riding to and from field trip with parents• If a parent wishes to check out their child after a field

trip, they must come to the school and check them out (we are discouraging this as much as possible due to the 63% of day attendance policy)

• If you choose for your child not to attend a field trip, you must submit this in writing to Mrs. Love prior to the event

Birthday Celebrations

• Parents may send a treat to be eaten at recess (cookies or cupcakes are the easiest for students)

• No food may be passed out in the cafeteria• No pizza parties/treats for the entire class in the

cafeteria• Birthday invitations may be handed out at school

IF every child in the class receives an invitation

Classroom Parties

• We have one party during the school year: Christmas

• This party is organized through the room parent and parent donations

School Safety

• The office will be checking the driver’s license of anyone checking out students

• All visitors must check in through the office and receive a visitor’s pass before going any further in the building

• School personnel have been instructed to send all unauthorized individuals back to the office for a pass as a safety measure

• All doors will be locked throughout the day except the main front entrance. All visitors must enter and exit there.

Bus Pass

• A student must have a bus pass to give the driver any time there is a change in drop off address or to ride another bus for the first time. (Example: going to a friend’s house, grandparents’ house, new sitter, etc.)

Conferences

• Can be held during activity time (1:15 – 2:00) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday

• No conferences are scheduled on Wednesdays due to grade level meetings

• If this time is not convenient, conferences can also be scheduled for before school and immediately after school

Communication• Communication is the key to ensuring that our year progresses smoothly. I

will be keeping in contact with you throughout the school year through notes, emails, weekly newsletters, texts, and our class web page.

• To access class web page, go to www.desotocountyschools.org/oes, then go to teacher websites. Scroll and click on Kelley McMullen.

• You may email me at kelley.mcmullen@dcsms.org• You may text me at 901-647-6704.• You may leave a message for me with our school secretary at 890-8745.• You may send a note through your child in the zipper bag in the Daily folder.• Please contact me through any of these methods if you have any questions

or concerns. The quickest way to communicate is through email or text.

With all of us working together, this will be a very successful year

for your child.