WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL!
CONVOCATION
Welcome to third grade at Fresno Christian Schools all new and returning students! We are thrilled to have kindergarten, first, and second graders join us now all on one campus together!! Praise God!!!I have already met several of our new students and I know God has a great year of learning in store for all of us! Parents, family and friends are invited to join our school for our opening Convocation in Peoples Church Sanctuary at 7:55 AM for worship.
This year our 2012-2013 theme is WE ARE ONE : GROWING IN CHRIST! Our goal will be to journey together with Jesus as a third grade class to learn all that we can, worship and praise Him each day, grow in love for one another, and honor Christ as our leader in spiritual truth and wisdom.
Ephesians 4:15-16
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Each week on Monday you may go on-line to read our class newsletter. The newsletter will contain our weekly character trait, scripture verse, spelling words, various homework assignments such as book reports and special activities like field trips. On Monday you will also want to look for your child’s graded work from the previous week attached to a copy of the newsletter. Please take the opportunity to go through the work together.
BIBLE
Each week we will focus on a specific character trait verse. The Bible verse will be sent home on Mondays and will be from the NIV version used at school. Bible verse tests are on Fridays every week. Third grade students will be asked to write from memory the Character Trait, Reference, and Bible Verse using a word prompt form. You will want to help your child practice writing the verse each week at home. My hope this year is that each child will grow in their relationship with Jesus. As we seek to know Him, we will do so by reading God’s word, keeping a Bible journal, participating in chapel, studying of memory verses, and praying together.
BIBLE MEMORY VERSE
Character trait: Wisdom
Reference: Proverbs 2:6
Verse: For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
SPELLING TESTS
I will be sending out a weekly list each Monday. Start practicing your Bible verse and spelling words early to ensure good results on Fridays. Each week “BONUS” words will be given for those students who like an additional challenge. These words are not mandatory. The student may choose to do them or not. Bonus words missed do not take away from the score of the 20 regular words, but do help a student if his quarterly grade is borderline. Along with our weekly spelling test grades, students will have a Friday sentence dictation grade. This gives the students an opportunity to practice using their spelling words in context and improve writing skills needed for compositions.
Every 6 weeks the students will have a multiple choice test over the previous 5 weeks of spelling words. These questions are similar to SAT testing questions so they are great practice for the students.
SPELLING WORDS-LESSON 1
Consonant & Short Vowel Sounds
1. led
2. legs
3. skill
4. sniff
5. stilts
6. stick
7. crush
8. never
9. block
10. jacket
11. tennis
12. gutter
13. yellow
14. pocket
15. matter
16. wobble
17. address
18. hundred
High-Frequency Words
19. eye
20 during
Bonus Words
* community
* location
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN
Today we discussed ways to show respect to one another. We will continue to work on “respect agreements” which will help students better understand what respect is and how to demonstrate this quality at all times to teachers, students, and facilities. We wish to support you as parents, having our students to show respectful, “Christ-like” behavior to each person they contact in their lives.
STUDENT PROFILE
This week I am sending home a STUDENT PROFILE concerning family, school, and religious experiences. This gives you the opportunity to share areas and concerns you would like me to be aware of as I work with your child this year. Please take time to fill out the profile this week and return it by this Friday, August 16. At conference time we can focus on strengths and areas for future growth together. Thanks for your insights.
Please let me know if your child has any kind of allergies I should be aware of. I am asking that students and adult volunteers avoid wearing fragrances in the classroom due to allergic reactions. I appreciate your support with this matter.
HOMEWORK FOLDER
Each student will be given a homework folder that will be sent home on Mondays and needs to be returned each Thursday. Please look in your child’s Homework folder for your child’s graded work from the previous week, newsletters, flyers, Bible and Spelling lists for the month and any additional assignments. Please take the opportunity to go through the work together and correct any mistakes. Please return the folder every Thursday. This will be part of your child’s effort grade for responsibility. Also, any work not completed in class, such as math, reading or spelling, is considered homework.
SUPPLIES TO BRING
1. ONE medium sized pencil box (plastic, no larger than 6″ X 9″ X 3″)
2. Highlighter (preferably yellow or lighter colors)
3. Key chain for their new Bible & cover
4. Set of felt pens (optional)
5. One Franklin Electronic Dictionary (optional)
* Please note that the electronic dictionaries can be costly. However, the experience using them has been very positive. The electronic dictionaries promote excitement and student motivation as they use technology for their reading and writing.
Please help your child to succeed by limiting unnecessary clutter and distractions. Some children bring so many things that they are burdened by their supplies and some use them as toys. In this case they will be asked to take them home. Thank you!
**We are also in need of lots of Kleenex, unscented hand sanitizer, and some disinfectant wipes for the classroom. We use both throughout the year. If you are able to donate any of these items, please send them to school with your child. Thank you! 🙂
DRESS CODE
There have been some changes in the dress code. Please refer to the student handbook on our school website to familiarize yourself with these changes. Teachers have been asked to check daily for those who are not adhering to the current dress code.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
I look forward to seeing each of you at “Parent Back to School Night” Tuesday, August 20th when I will share further details about the year ahead. Together, here at FCS, we pledge our sincere effort to continually seek God’s best for your child as he or she is under our care. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers.
P.E.
Recess is scheduled every morning for 20 minutes from 10:15-10:35 AM, lunch recess is from 11:45-12:25 PM, and third graders will have P.E. on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:35-1:15 PM. Be sure to wear appropriate clothes and shoes that are for workouts. Water bottles need be brought to school on a daily basis and kept in your child’s backpack. Please inform the office of any health concerns and notify me as well. Students must have a written notice from parents or doctor to be excused from P.E. activities.
ASSESSMENT
I am performing a variety of assessments in class this week in the areas of reading, writing, and math. Ongoing assessments will be performed to assist in meeting your child’s instructional needs.
POWER SCHOOL
Power School offers a variety of information including attendance, grades, and special notes to parents. This is a SECURE website and therefore you, as a parent, may access your child’s information confidentially.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL
School begins at 8:00 AM sharp. Students who arrive later than 8:00 AM must report to the office for a tardy slip. Students go directly to the play area north of building 5 in the mornings starting Tuesday, August 13. After the 7:55 AM freeze bell and unfreeze whistle, they will line up on the playground with their teacher and classmates. Children should only be upstairs before school in the hallway escorted with a parent or with a restroom pass from the early morning yard duty teachers
This year school ends at 2:45 P.M. Please arrange pick up promptly. Children not picked up by 3:00 P.M. will be taken to the office to call parents and wait. The pick-up location at the People’s campus is between Building 5 and the Peoples Church preschool playground. All children must wait with the teacher until an adult walks over to pick them up. They may not go and meet you at your car.
**Please take note of the NEW entrances for drop off and pick up beginning tomorrow.
SNACKS
Snacks may be eaten during the morning recess. Fruit, veggies, crackers, cheese, chips, yogurt, and fruit snacks are some suggestions. We will save our dessert foods for lunch. Because of various children’s food allergies, we are not allowed to share or trade food.
MILK & JUICE CARDS
Milk and juice will be offered for K-6 students. Milk and juice are 40 cents each. You may purchase a Milk or juice card for $8.00 each. Each card is good for 20 drinks. These are available in the Elementary Office. You will be notified when it is time to purchase a new one. This is offered as a convenience to you and is not mandatory.
BIRTHDAYS
Children will be honored individually on their birthdays. You may bring a treat and drink if you choose. Your child and you may choose and there are no restrictions, whatever is a favorite to your child. We celebrate at 2:30-2:40 PM. Just let me know a few days ahead of time if you want to celebrate at school. If your child has a summer birthday, he/she will not be forgotten. We will find a day for them. It can be on their half birthday or any day that works for you.
CONTACT AND CLASSROOM HELPERS
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at: cfraser@fresnochristian.com. You may also send a note with a child. I check emails after school each day as time allows. I will return your email within 24 hours. In the event of an emergency, please call Kerry Roberts, administrative assistant in the Central Office, at 299-1695.
Also, I welcome parent helpers in the classroom from 8:00-10:15 AM. If you would like to help with paperwork, bulletin boards, assisting students, or other tasks, I would greatly appreciate it! Sign-ups for morning classroom helpers and field trips will be at Back to School Night Tuesday, August 20th.
BOOK ORDERS
Online book orders are sent home monthly. Scholastic publishes excellent books and software for children at a moderate price. Please do not feel obligated to purchase.
SILENT SUSTAINED READING
Please have your child bring a favorite literature book to read during “Silent Sustained Reading” after lunch. The book should be stored in his or her backpack at all times for easy access on a daily basis. There are also classroom library books. Self-selected or independent reading will be performed monthly and responses made through a variety of activities. Class time will be given every day for silent reading. I recommend for students to choose books to read that are titles on the Reading Counts Program. After completion of the book, the student can take a computer quiz to earn reading points as part of their reading grade. I will discuss this more fully at Back to School Night.
LIBRARY DAY
Our class Library Day is Tuesdays from 2:00-2:45 PM each week. We will visit the Media Center/Library Resource Center beginning next week.
MUSIC
Our talented Mrs. Ainley will again be teaching music to our elementary students. Music class for third grade is Tuesday from 10:55-11:30 AM. On Fridays third and fourth grades will meet together for music class from 12:30-1:15 PM.
SPIRIT DAY!
Every Friday is SPIRIT DAY at Fresno Christian. So if you have a shirt that says “Fresno Christian, FCS, or has the FCS Eagle on iT , be sure to wear it on Friday. Our whole class will be getting class t-shirts with Fresno Christian’s name for field trips in a few weeks. It was included in your tuition. If you wish to purchase other FCS Spirit Wear your children or adults, go to our school website.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
AUGUST
August 12 Convocation at Peoples Campus – 8:00 AM
August 15 PTF Fundraiser Kickoff
August 20 Back To School for grades 3-6, Tuesday, @ 7:00 p.m. Meet in the FCS gym.
August 21 School dismissed @12:00 PM – Teacher In-service
SEPTEMBER
September 10 Elementary Pictures
September 18 School dismissed @12:00 PM – Teacher In-service
BLESSINGS FOR A GREAT THIRD GRADE YEAR TOGETHER!!
Mrs. Cheri Fraser
Third Grade Teacher
