Welcome to 4th Grade
August 14, 2017
Dear parents,
I would like to welcome any new families and returning families to Prairie Crossing for the 2017-2018 school year. It was great to see many of you at the back to school picnic. The third and fourth grade teachers are looking forward to a great school year with many great activities planned.
This letter is to let you know about some of the classroom procedures. If your child was in my classroom for third grade, the information in this letter will be familiar to you. You will get a paper copy and an email copy of this letter. Please let me know if there is another email address you would like me to add to my contacts.
My email is lhahn@pccharterschool.org. You can contact me by email, a paper note, or by a note in the assignment notebook. My assistant is Mrs. Steinbeck. Her email is tsteinbeck@pccharterschool.org. My assistant, Mrs. Steinbeck, will be able to answer questions about lunch, recess, schedules, and when homework is due. If you have curriculum questions or concerns about your child, please contact me. You can always include both of us on an email if you are unsure who to ask.
All students will have an assignment notebook that will be written in daily. An adult in the classroom will initial the page daily. Assignment notebooks can be used to let me know information. My assistant and I will also use assignment notebooks for notes to the parents on occasion. I would like students to show the assignment notebook to their parents.
The students have daily homework to read for at least 20 minutes every night. This can be a book of their choice. I do not do a reading log, but expect all students to do their reading. Students can bring the book they are reading at home to read in the classroom. Every night all students should also practice their math facts for 5 or more minutes. This can be from a computer game, app, flash cards, or other method. Homework will be posted on the school website http://www.prairiecrossingcharterschool.org/teacher/lhahn.
There may be supplies that need to be replenished throughout the school year. Your child should have rain gear and extra clothes stored at school. I do ask that students wear slippers or indoor shoes inside the classroom. The shoes or boots the students wear outside are kept in the hallway during the day. This helps keep the mud, dirt, and rocks out of the classroom after being outside.
I do have an open door policy for my classroom. Parents are welcome to help in the classroom after signing in at the office. I would prefer a 24 hour notice of when you are planning to visit. My schedule can change because of testing, outdoor lessons, weather, assemblies, or other reasons. If we are outside or at an assembly, you are welcome to join us.
Our class will have snack time in the morning. Your child can bring a healthy, trash free, and nut free snack daily. All students should also bring a reusable water bottle. They can refill the water bottle as needed. On early release days students will be given time for a snack, but not lunch. You may send a larger snack on those days.
At PCCS we have students with nut allergies. We have certain procedures that we follow to assure the safety of those with allergies. These procedures are included at the end of this email. In fourth grade students are asked to not eat peanuts or nuts during snack. If your child brings something that has nuts or was processed with nuts, he/she should know so we can make sure we follow the peanut/nut procedure.
Third and fourth grade have recess at 11:10 and lunch at 11:40. There is a microwave in the classroom to be used during lunch. I ask that students bring food that only needs to be warmed for 30 seconds or less during lunch. I prefer to stagger days when students use the microwave. I have found this gives each child enough time to eat lunch easily. Even number students can use the microwave on even number days, and odd number students can use the microwave on odd number days. If your child brings a microwave when it is not their day, he/she will go to the bottom of the microwave list. Your child’s number is on the cover of his/her assignment notebook.
We have a special class everyday. Special classes include PE, Art, Music, and Spanish. Music and Spanish meet in the classroom. The students have PE outside and in the gym. Art is located in the Kennicott building near the office. Parents are welcome to volunteer during art to help with supplies. You will find a schedule at the bottom of this letter.
Looking forward to a wonderful school year!
Sincerely,
Ms. Hahn
Specials Schedule
Monday – Spanish 8:10-8:50 and Art 12:10-12:50
Tuesday- PE 12:10-12:50
Wednesday- Spanish 9:00-9:40
Thursday- PE 9:00-9:40 and Art 2:40-3:20
Friday- Music 8:10-8:50 and PE 12:10-12:50
Peanut/Nut Procedure
- Prop the classroom door open from the beginning of the eating period. The door will remain open from lunch until the children return from recess.
- Determine who has food containing peanuts or nuts. All children with peanuts or nuts will sit at one table. An object denoting that the table is the peanut or nuts table will be placed on the table. This object is used to denote special cleaning procedures for that table.
- Children at the peanut or nut table must have a napkin or paper towel on the table. Children cannot get out of their seats until they have finished eating unless it is an emergency.
- As each child finishes eating, they should pack up their lunch so that it will be read to put away. The child then raises his/her hand and the teacher, assistant, or helper takes the child to the sink to wash their hands. The teacher, assistant, or helper will turn on the faucet, squirt the soap and hand the child a paper towel.
- The child then goes and puts his/her lunch away. The child will not sit back at the desk where they just ate until it has been properly cleaned.
- The peanut or nut table will be cleaned with a cleaning solution. The peanut or nut table will be washed with paper towels that then will be disposed of. They are not to be used on any other table.
- Information about allergies and emergency procedures will be posted in the classroom.