2011-2012 School Year in 3rd grade

We are so excited about this year with your students. Let's meet your teachers:

Verree Dannen vdannen@mesquiteisd.org
Veronica Pelayo vpelayo@mesquiteisd.org
Talithe A. Johnson tajohnson@mesquiteisd.org

School times: 7:55-2:55
Students who arrive before 7:45 report to the gym every morning unless they are eating breakfast or have made prior arrangements for before school tutoring.

Absences:
When your child returns to school after being out, please send a note signed and dated explaining his/her absence. Although there are circumstances when a child must miss school, we strongly encourage attendance everday. Your cooperation with this is appreciated and important to success.

Homework:
Your child will have homework every night. We expect them to complete a different assignment from the list of 25 choices in spelling each night in their spelling journal. We also expect them to read at least 15 minutes each night and respond to what they read.

Makeup Work:
We will accept makeup work for excused absences. We will also have ZAP sessions, which are Zeros Are Not Permitted times. This will be during school for the most part.

Tardies:
Each student must be in the classroom at 7:55 when the bell rings. The morning sets the tone for our students' day, therefore getting off to a good start is vital. Thank you for helping to see that your child gets to school on time every day.

Late Work:
No matter what occupation one chooses in life, he or she will be expected to turn things in on time. Therefore, our goal in 3rd grade is to help studetns become organized and responsible for themselves and their belongings.l Late work will be reduced 10 points per day. We cannot accept an assignment after the end of the 6 weeks period as grades have been averaged and submitted for report cards. We appreciate your support in this matter. It does not take long for the students to learn how important it is to turn things in on time.

Conferences:
We will be available for parent teacher conferences Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9-9:45, with the exception of Mrs. Wuest whose conference time is 12:30-1:15 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We are also available before adn after school if you would like to schedule a time. Any other conference times will have to be worked around our schedules, but we will be happy to meet with you whenever possible given enough notice. Please call or e-mail us to schedule conferences at anytime.

Classroom Expectations:
It is our conviction that each child deserves to have a school environment conducive to maximum learning. In order to provide what your child deserves, we follow the school-wide discipline plan. Each student starts out with 100 points for their conduct grade every week and loses 5 points each time expectations aren't followed. The conduct grade starts over at 100 every week. Your child's conduct grade will be sent home weekly, with the exception of Mrs. Wuest's whose will be sent home daily in the folder. However, if problems occur that need your immediate attention, we will notify you.

Graded Papers:
Every Thursday we will send home your child's graded papers. Please look them over with your child. These papers are for you to keep. Please do not leave them in your child's binder. Please sign and return any paper with the grade of 75 or below. Any paper with the grade of 75 or below may be redone and resubmitted, unless the grade is lowered do to it being submitted late. Also, points taken off for not following directions on work may not be raised. The resubmitted work will be graded and an average of the two grades will be taken and recorded in our grade books. We will return this work to your child as soon as possible. (It may or may not come home with other graded papers, so please make sure and ask them about it.)

Final Note:
The strongest educational team is one composed of parent, student, and teacher. Working together, we know that this will be a very successful and memorable year. We look forward to getting to know you and your children this year. Please contact us anytime you have a question or concern. You may reach us at 972-882-5101 and our e-mail addresses are at the top of this post.

Thank you for your cooperation and all that you do!
Verree Dannen
Emily Paine
Veronica Pelayo
Talithe A. Johnson