Weston's 2024-25 4th Grade Class Disclosure

Welcome! I am so excited for the opportunity to get to know you and your student this year! It's important for teachers, students, and parents to work collaboratively for understanding and positive growth during the school year. This year we will work on developing your student's life skills, expanding their creativity, and exploring the wonderful world of learning.

Expectations:

I expect students to strive for their best in everything we attempt in 4^th grade. I expect students to come to school ready to learn. Please help your student by making sure they are wearing appropriate clothing for the weather and make sure they’ve had a good night’s rest and a healthy breakfast every day! We will go over our class rules together in the first two days of school.

Management:

Every student deserves the right to learn in a safe and positive environment. I use positive reinforcement and a growth mindset to help students achieve their best on a daily basis. There will be multiple ways for students to earn rewards throughout the school year. We will go over these during the first week of school with the students. Let me know if you have questions and/or concerns.

If a student is having a hard time following the class rules and behaving appropriately, I will give one verbal warning. If the inappropriate behavior continues, the student will write their name on the board under “Think.” This will help students think about their behavior and choose to stop it. If the behavior continues, the student will place a check beside their name. Then I will have a conversation with the student to discuss the behavior(s) and why they are inappropriate. If the behavior continues, I will call or email the student's parents/guardians to make them aware of the behavior and discuss possible consequences as well as ways to redirect the student's behavior to more positive actions. For major inappropriate behaviors, the student will be sent to the office immediately and parents will be notified.

*Safe school rules will be enforced without exception. Please refer to the school handbook on the school website. Links to an external site.

Language Arts:

A focus on the elements of literature; 4th Grade William and Mary Curriculum; Michael Clay Thompson’s Caesar’s English and Grammar Town; 3-4 Novel Studies and 1-2 Literature Circle opportunities; Writing projects as we prepare for SAGE testing. We will focus on three topics in writing, argumentative writing, informational writing, and narrative writing.

In the lower grades students focus on learning to read. In Fourth Grade we begin making the transition to using reading to learn. We will be working on comprehension activities to get information from text as well as finding enjoyment in the books we read.

This year students will be writing opinion, expository, and narrative essays. We will work on writing in class. Students will both receive and give feedback to their peers as writing assignments are edited. We will incorporate social studies, math, art and science in our writing.

Math:

Our main curriculum will be the Utah Core Math Grade 4. We will be focused on “building students mathematical thinking and problem-solving aptitudes by developing an understanding of: Operations and Algebraic Thinking; Numbers and Operations in Base Ten; Number and Operations/Fractions; Measurement and Data; and Geometry.” Students will be required to develop an extensive math journal and will participate in a variety of extension activities and units to assist them in cultivating and fostering a deeper math understanding.

Grading: For daily/weekly information about your student's completed/missing work, please check the Canvas Grades in the corresponding course. You will receive a school report card at the end of each term.

Birthdays:

Students are welcome (but not required) to bring a treat on their birthday or half-birthday. All treats must be store-bought and pre-packaged. Please be sensitive to students with food allergy needs.

Communication:

Monday Folders: I will collect completed/corrected work at school for the week. This work will come home on Mondays in the Monday Folder. There will also be a newsletter posted in the Fourth Grade Course and emailed from me on Mondays detailing current subjects, projects, and activities to be covered during the week. Please read through the letter so that you can be caught up on the happenings in our classroom.
Planners: Students will fill out planners daily. Any unfinished work for the day can be finished at home that night. I will be checking planners on a daily basis to look for parent comments/questions. Please sign your student’s planner nightly to show that you have seen the daily work/activities.
Emails, Phone, or Text: I have your student’s best interest at heart and I have no doubt that you do too. Most issues that arise in a class can be resolved with a private visit with the student(s) involved. I will contact you if the issue is significant. Please let me know of your concerns as well. I make a concerted effort to respond to emails within a day of receiving them. Please realize that I don't often check my email during the teaching day, as I am working with students. I will check email at least twice during the day: before school starts in the morning, and once the students have left at the end of the school day.
Missing Work Letters: These will be sent home at least weekly in the Monday folder and there will be a link at the bottom of the weekly newsletter email that links to your student's missing work in Encore. However, students and parents can always check their Grades in Canvas. The Canvas grades will be the most current and updated grades available.

How Parents Can Help:

Attendance—Please make a habit of supporting your student in attending school regularly and on time. Missing class makes learning difficult for your student as well as for classmates. In the event of anticipated absences, Davis School District policy requires that classwork is to be given upon the student’s return. It is the responsibility of the student to find out about the work missed from the teacher. Students will need to complete work within a week of the absence. I do expect students to turn in all the required work after an absence. Because we will be using a combination of on paper assignments and Canvas assignments at school and home, their missing Canvas work will be available in their Canvas courses on a daily basis and the paper work will be available when they return to school.
Donations: Thank you for your generous donations! I will send out an email later in the year if we need additional supplies. The most frequently needed items are anti-bacterial wipes and tissues.
Locker Policy: Lockers are to store ONLY backpacks, coats, boots, hats, cell phones, and gloves, not video games, food, pillows, stuffies, toys, etc. I’m fine with a small magnet or magnet mirror. Labels or stickers are not permitted. If your student has a cell phone it must remain turned off and in the student’s backpack during school hours.
Volunteers: I welcome parental involvement. I know we could benefit from your unique talents and abilities. Volunteers will be needed throughout the year to help in the classroom. If you are willing to help, please let me know. Please sign up on the Parent Volunteer sheets during Back-to-School night or let me know your volunteer preferences. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 801-402-2050, through the Canvas messaging system, or at my email saweston@dsdmail.net.

Signing the Disclosure

Please login to MyDSD and sign forms electronically. Thank you! Let's have a great year!