FIRST Time For Everything……

Well, this week we will have a few FIRSTS. Tomorrow we are sending home their FIRST behavior report. On the report you will find a few things. First, you will find their conduct grade. Above the grade, you will find what (if any) they received a mark for, and you will find a letter. The letter represents in which class that behavior took place. Second, on the bottom of the page you will find any grade below a C that your child made this past week. This grade is on one assignment…it is not their current average. Last, you will find a spot on the right hand side for you to sign. Please sign and send the report back to school as soon as possible.



Wednesday, the students will have their FIRST TEST of the year. The test will take place in Mrs. Murders’ Literacy class. They will be tested over the book The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. Vocabulary, characters, and events of the book will be the focus of the test. The book was read aloud in class over the last week.


We hope the FIRST week of school went well for all the students. They seem to be adjusting well to fourth grade life. I hope this second week of FIRSTS goes just all well.

Helpful Hints, Step 4

     "4. Solve problems on their own. If your child can't figure out the answer to a math problem, help him think about a way to find the answer. Ask, "Have you worked other problems like this? Does your math book show how to find the right answer?"

In the packet we sent home at Open House there was a story attached called "How love can cripple." This story shows the importance of letting your child solve problems on their own. As parents we want to do everything for them, but sometimes it is better to let them do things on their own to teach them to be responsible. This year, that is one of our goals: to make responsible students. We hope these tips help make this year a success!

Math class is off to a GREAT start!

I am really enjoying all of my math classes this year. The students seem to really listen, work hard, and ask questions.  That's every teacher's dream. We are working individually, working in groups, using technology, creating shapes out of straws and twist ties, and even singing to help reach all students in my classroom.   

We are working on unit 1 which deals with geometry:  what is a square, rectangle, congruent shape, line, ray, etc.  It all sounds easy, but some of the concepts my be difficult to grasp at first.  That is why it is sooooo important to send your child to school every day.  Each lesson builds on the previous lesson.  If a child misses it make it very difficult to "catch up."  If a child must be absent, please make sure he/she knows it is his/her responsibility to get and do the make up work from the teacher. 

IMPORTANT:  I have sent home a blue family letter.  This will help you help your child with most of the homework.  There is vocabulary, examples, and activities you can do with your child to reinforce what we are doing in class.

Also we have been reviewing addition and subtraction ex. 234+654= and 900-234=.  MANY OF THE STUDENTS HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW TO DO THESE SKILLS.  We will be working on it in class, but that may not be enough to get your child comfortable with skills again.  These skills are important life skills.  Everyone needs to be able to accurately add and subtract throughout his/her life.  I highly suggest you help review your child at home. With us working together, we can help each child be successful.   

VOLUNTEERS:   I would like to have parents who are willing to come and help in the classroom.  This would consist of working with an individual student, working with a small group, or just helping in the whole classroom.  Sometimes it is a little overwhelming to have 25 to 28 students in the classroom and only one of me.  Having an extra person there to help can make all the difference in the world (even if all you are doing is walking around keeping students on task.)  If you are interested please write me a note or email me at robin.chuang@lh.k12.ar.us

Step Three

     "3. Pay attention in instructions. A classroom runs more smoothly when students do what the teacher says. Your child's score on a state test could be lowered if he doesn't fill out the answer sheet correctly. So spend time at home learning to follow directions. Cook together and talk about what happens if you don't follow the recipe exactly."

Tomorrow will be the fourth step in helping your child make this school year great! Hope you are enjoying the weekend!

Ways to Help, Step 2

This is the second step recommended by The Parent Institute to help your child make this school year great.

     2. "Break down big assignments. Reading an entire chapter book may seem overwhelming. But reading one chapter is something your child can do. Teach your child to break down tasks into smaller, achievable steps."

Happy Helping!

Ways to Help Your Child...

This is taken from The Parent Institute's September Newsletter:

     "It's the start of a new school year and you want to make it a great one. Researchers at Indiana University found that children did better in school when their parents taught them how to:

1. Be positive about challenges. The children who do the best in school are those who approach a new task with a positive attitude. Look for ways to model that behavior at home: "I don't know how to use this computer program. Shall we figure it out together?"

Stay tuned this weekend for the remaining three tips! Have a great weekend.

New Schedule

Well, they say "Third times a charm"! That saying fits our schedule changes this year. With the addition of more activity time and classes, our schedule has changed once again. We feel like we have worked out all the kinks, so we wanted to let the parents know. The following is the current schedule with switch times.

8:00-8:15-Homeroom classes
8:15-9:45-First class
9:45-11:25-Second Class
11:25-Switch back to homeroom
11:30-12:10-Lunch and Recess
After lunch and recess, students stay in their homeroom class until dismissal begins at 3:00.

Activity classes are different daily and take place in the afternoons. Each teacher will send home an activity schedule so parents are aware of the days and times of each.

As you can see, from the time they get to school until the time they leave, we keep them busy learning and on the go. No wonder the students and us teachers come home exhausted!!! Hope this new schedule helps you know where your child is during the day. If you have any questions about the schedule please let us know.

Coming Soon!

Picture Day is coming this Friday, August 27th. Your child should have brought home a flyer on Friday. Practice those smiles! :)

First Day Recap

The first day of fourth grade is in the history books! We had a great day today. Students took a tour of the building, switched to each of their three teachers' classes, and learned about our expectations for the year. We hope they came home, told you about their day, and thought it was as good as we did.

Because Agendas will not be in for a few weeks, we have made a temporary agenda for today and tomorrow. You may have to remind your child that you need to see it until they get in the habit of asking you to sign each day. We will continue to have make shift agendas until the permanent ones arrive. Our goal in doing this is to have students already get in the routine of filling it out in every class and get it signed every night.

Beginning next week we hope to have a regular schedule in place. The schedule that was on the brochure may change because of changes in pull-out class (Art, Music, PE, Computer Lab, Library) scheduling. We will do our best to let you know when we have a stable schedule in place.

We cannot express to you enough how excited we are about this school year! We are expecting GREAT things!

Successful Night!!!

Tonight's Open House was a great success. Meeting all of the students and parents made us even more excited about beginning school on Thursday. We know we are going to have a fantastic school year, and know that you are just as excited. Thank you in advance for your support in your child's education. Your support will make all the difference. Remember to return all your forms, money for agenda, and supplies from the added list as soon as you can. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail any of us. SEE YOU GUYS ON THURSDAY...bright and early!!!!

Open House

Open House will be held at the Intermediate School on August 17 from 6:00-7:00pm. We look forward to meeting you all. Our classrooms are located down the fourth grade hall on the right side. Mrs. Reeves' room is the fourth room on the right and Mrs. Murders' and Mrs. Chuang's rooms are past the elevator. Look forward to meeting you all.