Dear Parents,

 

We would like to welcome your child to Southwestern Fourth Grade and to become a partner with you in your child’s education. For one fleeting school year, we will have an opportunity to make a contribution that will last a lifetime. This letter is an attempt to give you an overview of what is expected this year.

• Each Friday your child will write a letter to you summarizing events that happened during the week. The students will not necessarily have papers to bring home every day, but they will have most of them in their Friday folder. Some of their work will be kept for revisions and portfolios. By reading their letter, and reviewing their work, you give them the message that what they do at school is valuable.
   
• Your child will not always have assigned homework, but they may need to complete some work at home. Work time is built into our instructional day so that most students will complete their work at school. However, we do encourage students to have a specified time for recreational reading at home. Our Accelerated Reading Program requires the reading of books outside the classroom. Your interest in what they read reinforces the idea that reading is important. We request that you help your child cover their textbooks at home. Brown paper bags work very well.
   
• We do require “assignment notebooks” in fourth grade. They should be purchased in the elementary office for $4.00.
   
• Fourth grade is the time for students to master the multiplication facts. No matter how useful and convenient calculators are, a student who does not master the basic facts will be at a disadvantage in math. We will work hard on this at school; however we ask you help with drill and practice at home.
   

We look forward to working together with you to make this an enjoyable and successful year. Feel free to contact us with comments or concerns regarding your child’s education. Both of us check our e-mail daily.