Happy School Year!!!

About Miss Donahue:

I am a 2011 graduate of Franklin College; I was blessed with the wonderful opportunity to teach fourth grade at Brown Elementary while Mrs. Fiete spends time with her newborn baby boy, Jake.

I grew up in Greenfield, Indiana, where I graduated from Greenfield-Central High School and then moved to Franklin for four years while I worked towards my Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. Upon graduation in May, I moved up to the Southport area where I currently reside. This will be my first year of teaching, and I cannot think of a better place to be than Brown Elementary. I have heard only wonderful things about Brown Elementary students, and I am so excited to be a Bulldog!

About Our Classroom:

Discipline:

Our classroom will follow the school-wide discipline policy that was adopted by the staff. More information will be given on Back to School Night.



Grading:

I will put grades into Powerschool throughout the week. I strongly encourage you to be involved and "in the know" about your child's progress. You can check to see how he/she is doing by logging into Powerschool frequently. If you are unable to log into Powerschool, please feel free to contact me for updates. Graded papers will be sent home each Friday afternoon.

Responsibility is a character trait that all Brown students are expected to practice each and every day. Therefore, homework is to be turned in on the given due date. Any homework received after the due date will be graded according to the 4th Grade Homework Policy.

4th Grade Homework/Assignment Policy
1 Day Late = - 10% final grade
2+ Days Late = Automatic Zero

You can expect your child to bring homework home every night except for Fridays. Homework assigned should not typically take more than an hour unless he/she has been absent or has chosen not to utilize work time given in class.



Reading:

Fourth grade is a big year for students! No longer are they learning to read, but instead they are reading to learn. This is an important and tumultuous jump. Stories in the reading book, as well as novels, will be longer and more time consuming. Students will have to go back to the text to answer more complex questions. We will be reading out of the basal readers as well as outside books. Each day both the students and myself will participate in ten minutes of DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time. During this time, the students may read a book of their interest. These books may be brought in from home, borrowed from the library, or chosen from our classroom library.



Math:

The curriculum we will use is Everyday Math. Unit tests will be given every 8-10 lessons. As a part of the Everyday Math program, a Study Link will be sent home each night (except for Fridays) to complete for homework.
Make sure you also look for the Family Letter that is sent home at the beginning of each unit. This letter informs you of what we will be learning as well as answer guides that allow you to check your student's homework each night for accuracy.

It is important that your child masters his/her addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. Practice, practice, practice! :)



Social Studies:

We will be studying the history of Indiana! We will also be working on map skills, timelines, and critical thinking.

Science/Health:

Science and health grades will be combined. We’ll be studying magnets, electricity, weather, states of matter, as well as the scientific method. Students are tested on their science knowledge on ISTEP+ this year. Therefore, it’s important that they understand many of the scientific foundations. In health, we’ll be learning ways to manage our emotional and physical health. It’s all about making good choices!

Handwriting:

No handwriting grades will be given. Students should be able to write their first and last name in cursive legibly. They should also be able to read cursive. They are not required to write in cursive.

Classroom Supplies:

Your students should be set with all the necessary supplies to start the school year. However, you may need to replenish their supplies throughout the year. If your student is missing some necessary supplies, I will try my best to send home a note in their Friday folder. If you need assistance with getting or replenishing supplies, please contact the school’s office or myself—we’ll put you in touch with someone that can help!



Water Bottles/Snack:

I allow water bottles in my classroom. If your child has some type of water bottle, they may bring it in for use. Please make sure it is a bottle you do not mind having your child write their name on and it must have a lid (sports bottles are perfect!). Due to health issues, I expect water bottles to go home frequently to be washed or a new one may be brought in. Please, no flavored water. Also, students may have snacks if they choose (providing it follows the healthy food guidelines). I do not provide snack, and there is no designated "Snack Time". A student may bring his/her own snack from home and eat it when desired. However, if snacks should become a distraction or messy, I reserve the right to take the privilege away.

Communication:

This blog will be used to communicate classroom reminders, events, and homework. Please check it frequently to stay updated. I will also send home a newsletter each week to keep you informed.

Parents know their children better than anyone-- including their teachers! In order for this year to be as successful as possible, it's important for parent and teacher to communicate openly and freely. Please never hesitate to contact me. Always feel free to email, call, or send a note!!

Together, we can make this a great year for our students!