Awesome First Week

Happy Friday Families!

This was an amazing first week as far as engagement, self discipline and setting up routines. It is very important to develop good habits at the beginning of the year. We are on the right track.

I would love for you to reinforce these habits by discussing with your children discipline at home in the sense of:

"Discipline is training myself the right and successful way to do things"

Talk about the right and successful ways they can do things at home such as chores and getting along with others as well as at school. This is a wonderful group of kids and I am already excited about what wonderful things we can do next week.

MONDAY and FRIDAY next week we will spend some time in the naturescape pulling weeds and exploring it. So dress appropriately and if you have some gloves for them to use feel free to send them along.

Thanks for raising such great kids!
Kyle

Dear C6 families,

We had a wonderful first day of school that included a flag ceremony, orchestra presentation and we hit the ground running with academics. Props to Ms. Ward for preparing this group for a smooth transition into fourth grade. Here are some classroom expectations we discussed and the kids filled out notes on the following information.

Discipline: Training myself the right and successful way to do things.

Masnagement: the process of reinforcing behavior by consequences and rewards.

Desk Station: What can be in my desk?
Blue: Math
Yellow: Writing
Green: Science/social studies
Pencil box (with various supplies
2 sharpened Pencils in tray

SLANT - how to pay attention in class
S it up
L isten
A sk and Answer Questions
N od your head
T rack the speaker

Specials List
Time Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
9:30 NA Lib Mus Mus PE
10:00 PE PE NA PE NA
Tech (2:30) Choir (3:00)

Tonight's homework is to read 20 minutes for RAH.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow and our paper airplane investigation.

Sincerely,
Kyle

Open House Important Info

Open House IMPORTANT INFO…

SUPPLIES
You and your child are responsible for getting the necessary supplies to school. Please check with your child occasionally to make sure they have notebook paper, pencils and erasers. It’s best to start organizational skills right away! 

BOOK ORDERS
Order forms will go home approximately every month. If you are interested in ordering books, please return your payment and completed order form. Remember to make checks out to SCHOLASTIC BOOKS, not Forest Ridge School or to Mr. Jorgensen! Book orders generally take two weeks to arrive.

LIBRARY
We will have one scheduled library checkout time per week on Tuesday. Please make sure that your child returns his/her books on Monday, as that is the policy of the library. As fourth graders, students are required to have at least one “chapter book” in their book box at all times.

P.E.
Your child will be attending P.E. class 4 days each week: MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, & FRIDAY. Students need to wear shoes and clothing appropriate for P.E. participation. Students ARE NOT allowed to wear flip flops to school.

HOMEWORK
*Homework expectations will be discussed at Parent Curriculum night on Thursday, September 22nd (4:30-6:00).

LITERACY
The comprehensive literacy model used in the classroom to teach reading includes the following components: purposeful instruction, modeled reading, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading, and word study. The students will be using a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction texts throughout the year. There will be an emphasis on helping children find “Just Right” texts to be successful readers who increase their reading skills all year long.

WRITING
The students will be provided instruction in many modes of writing, including narrative, imaginative, expository, and persuasive. We will focus on the structure of sentences, paragraphs, and multi-paragraph papers. Purposeful instruction will include modeled writing, shared writing, guided writing, and independent writing. The kids will use journals, writer’s notebooks, and word processing.

SPELLING
The Rebecca Sitton Spelling and Word Skills program will be used. Instead of a “spelling list” going home each Monday with a test to follow on Friday, in class there will be daily work and instruction which is research-based to ensure that students learn to spell for writing. That is, to spell words forever, not just for a test. Assessment will occur in class, and students will bring home words they have not yet mastered. These words can be worked on at home and will continue to be used in the lessons at school.


MATH
The core math program is Investigations. There MAY BE some work with Accelerated Math as a supplement piece. All students will work at their own level and move at their own rate. Instruction varies from one on one work with the teacher to small group work to whole group lessons.

Math facts work (primarily through math games) and math problem-solving will occur on a regular basis.

A supplemental program is our “Number Corner” calendar math. Many concepts are introduced and reinforced at this time. These activities are done each morning, so it is important that your student arrives at school on time so they do not miss this part of math.

BIRTHDAYS
Towards the end of each month, we will celebrate birthdays for students with treats and singing.  Parents are welcome to help celebrate their child’s birthday by bringing store bought treats to school. I need one parent volunteer who would like to organize these parties. This job will consist of contacting families during the month of their child’s birthday and checking to see if they want to bring treats. Birthday celebrations are generally held a half hour before dismissal (3:00 pm). However, donuts are a fun morning birthday treat if that works better for you.

VOLUNTEERS
Please let me or our Volunteer Coordinator know if you would be interested in hearing more about opportunities to volunteer in the classroom or at Forest Ridge in general. Remember that all classroom volunteers need to have a completed criminal background check on file with the office BEFORE volunteering. This will apply to chaperoning field trips later in the year as well. It takes about a month to complete a CURRENT background check with the school district, so please double check with the office or myself to make sure you have a completed background check.

SNACKS
Each day I will allow some time for a healthy snack. Some examples of what students can bring are crackers, fruit, vegetables, cheese, etc. Students CANNOT bring candy, cake, cookies, etc. for a snack.

WATER POLICY
In our classroom there are limited opportunities to use the drinking fountain. I do not allow students to leave their seats for drinks during work time or instruction time. Many children would like to have water more frequently. If your child is one of those children, I suggest that you send an inexpensive water bottle for them to keep on their desk at school. All water bottles must have lids. Also, I am allowing ONLY WATER, no juice, pop, etc. And, please, if Dutch Brothers or Starbucks are part of your family’s routine, have your student finish that tasty treat BEFORE entering the building (if they bring it to our room, I will ask them to toss it at the door). Just like with their breakfast, it needs to be consumed outside of school. Students can leave water bottles here at school, but I strongly encourage that students take home their water bottles at least twice a week to be washed.

Let’s have a wonderful year!

You can reach me at:
Phone: 503-399-5548
Email jorgensen_kyle@salkeiz.k12.or.us

Mr. Kyle Jorgensen