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Classroom Policies and Procedures

Class Procedures/Notes
Each student will be responsible for bringing and replenishing necessary school supplies. The
sooner they can bring in all required supplies, the better. Students should label all supplies with
their name and section.
Students will bring home an assignment planner daily. It is necessary that parents check their
assignment planners on a daily basis, as they are learning the importance of organizational skills
and will require help in this area. Spelling words and homework assignments will be written in
these planners as well as advance notice of special projects, quizzes, or tests.
Textbooks brought home need to be covered at all times. Fines will be assessed if books are not
covered. If you plan to use the stretchy sock covers, the JUMBO size is the only acceptable size,
as anything smaller will break the binding and covers of the book, which will result in additional
fines.
Homework & Make-up Work Policy
Completing and turning in all assigned work is the responsibility of the student. All class work is
due at the end of the day unless otherwise specified.
Homework will consist of daily math and vocabulary in addition to silent reading. Homework
assignments will be written in the daily planners and will be due the following day unless
otherwise specified. Homework will be reviewed in class and checked for completion and will
be corrected in class the following day.
Although homework is not entered in the grade book, students effort is noted and is reflected on
the report card.
Students must make up any work missed while absent. The number of days your child has to
complete make-up work equals the number of days they were absent.
Discipline Letter
In order to ensure every childs right to learn, the fourth grade utilizes the following discipline
management plan. The key to student success is RESPECT.
Respect others
Respect yourself
Respect school and property

Each letter of the word RESPECT begins the following statements that make up the classroom
rules (Be responsible, Be respectful, and Be resorceful). Students who respect the rules will be
given a ticket at the end of the day and a drawing will occur at the end of each month.
Raise your hand and wait to be called on.
Exercise self-control.
Stay in your seat when appropriate.
Put away materials after each lesson.
Eagerly follow directions the first time given.
Cooperate with others.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Consequences for choosing to disregard the above mentioned rules are as follows:

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First offense Verbal warning and ticket taken away

Second offense Student/teacher conference, removal from situation and phone
call/email to parent
Last offense Parent/Teacher/Administrator Conference
Severe disruptions will be sent immediately to the office.

Communication/Conferences
We have an open-door policy within Newhall School District; please feel free to contact the
teacher at any time with any questions, comments or concerns that parents may have. Teachers
are happy to meet with parents after school Monday through Friday (excluding Fridays which are
reserved for grade level collaboration). Teachers do ask that parents call the office and set up an
appointment 24 hours prior to coming in, as teachers may have prior conferences scheduled.
Early morning or late afternoon conferences may be scheduled if convenient for the parent and
students teacher. Teachers will also be happy to conference by phone if parents are unable to
come to school.
Grading
Students within Newhall School District are graded using a numbered rubric system on all
assignments. The grading system is as follows:
Grading
(3+) 100%-90%
(3) 89%-85%
(3-) 84%-80%
(2+) 79%-70%
(2) 69%-60%
(2-) 59%-50%
(1) 49% and below

Reteaching/Redo Policy
In fourth grade, teachers always re-teach any concept not mastered. Teachers utilize a variety of
techniques, including small groups, individual conferencing with the teacher, peer tutoring, or
practice material sent home.
Any graded papers that have a grade below a 70 will need to be corrected, signed and returned to
the teacher the next day. However, grades will not be modified.
Progress reports will be sent home every week on Fridays. All progress reports must be signed
and returned to the teacher the next school day.
Arrival and Departure Times
Teacher arrives at 7:45 am, but contract says need to arrive by 8:00am
Teacher departs at 4:00pm, but contract says earliest departure is at 3:30pm
Classroom Policies and Procedures

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8:05-8:15
8:15-9:30

9:30-10
10-10:20
10:20-11
11-11:50
11:50-12:35
12:35-1:45
1:45-2

2-3

Get kids outside, kids settle in classroom

Morning Work and Number Corners
(Teacher takes attendance, update chart,
email Judovalikis Journal to parents)
Teacher also reviews all student work
(Science Lab on Tues 8:45-9:30)
Text
Recess
Text Structures
Opinion Writing (PE on Tues)
Lunch
Math (Bridges)
Pack up for home (Teacher has students
write homework down in planners and
passes out papers to go home)
Science (Mon and Wed)/Social Studies (Tues
and Thurs)

How to Open a New School Year

Plan ahead
Have a checklist of things that need to be done
Be organized
Put everything in writing and keep a database for next year
Have lists of where kids should go before school year begins
Create a daily schedule
Prepare classroom management plan
Prepare classroom policies and procedures
Create a back-to-school/welcome letter for parents
Create daily/weekly letters of classroom events and HW for parents
Create a list for student and classroom supplies
How to Close Down a School Year
SW write a friendly letter to the student who will sit in their desk next year, giving them
advice on what to expect.
SW write a letter introducing themselves to their next teacher.
SW select 10 events from the school year that have been significant to them.
SW choose 8-10 images that match their favorite parts of the year.
SW arrange the year's significant events in chronological order.
SW write captions describing each event.
Create their own yearbook of pictures and captions.
TW take down all bulletins from walls

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TW receive checklist from principal

TW clean out and organize classroom materials for next year
TW will update materials/documents onto computer

How to Conduct a Parent-Teacher Conference

Before the Conference
o Send a personal letter to each parent to confirm the day, time, and place of the
conference. Inform parents ahead of time about the purpose of the conference.
Gather file folders or portfolios of each student's work. Be sure your schedule is
coordinated with other teachers in the school. Many parents will have more than
one child in school and need sufficient time with each teacher.
o If necessary, make arrangements for an interpreter for non-English-speaking
parents. Review notes on each student's behavior, academic progress, and
interactions with peers. Establish no more than two or three concerns or issues.
More than that will discourage most parents. Clarify ahead of time who, exactly,
will be attending each conference. Is it the child's biological parents, a relative, a
guardian, a grandparent, a foster parent, or who? Check and double-check names.
o Invite parents to bring a list of questions, issues, or concerns. Have
sample textbooks readily available. Establish a waiting area outside your
classroom. For reasons of confidentiality, you only want to meet with one set of
parents at a time.
o Don't conduct a parent-teacher conference from behind your desk. A teacher's
desk is sometimes referred to as power furniture, and it tends to inhibit
conversation and makes many parents uncomfortable (perhaps a throwback to
their days as a student). Instead, conduct your conferences at a table. Don't sit
across from parents; instead, sit on the same side of the table as your guests. You
will discover heightened levels of conversation and comfortableness on the part
of parents this way.

During the Conference

o Greet parents in a positive manner with a smile and a
handshake. Keep in mind that a well-run parent-teacher
conference focuses in on the following must do's every time:

Provide parents with specific academic information.

Invite and obtain additional information from parents.

Listen carefully to parents. If you're nervous, you will

tend to take over the conversationby as much as
90%. Try for a 50-50 balance.

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o Combine your perceptions and their observations into a workable

plan of action. Ask for parent ideas, and use those ideas in
addressing challenging situations.
o Let parents know that you are always available for follow-up
(phone calls, personal meetings, etc.)
o When talking to parents, always remember: show, don't tell.
Provide specific examples of a student's work or behavior rather
than labels or adjectives. Instead of saying, Frankie is poor in
math, paint a clear picture for Frankie's parents: Last week
Frankie struggled when we were learning to add two-digit
numbers, and he didn't finish his assignment. Always provide
parents with concrete examples rather than very broad
generalities.
o If you are sharing some negative information with parents, be
sure you sandwich it. Begin with some positive information,
then share the negative information, and conclude with another
piece of positive information.
o Always look for common solutions (I understand your concern
with Carmelita. Let's see if we can work on this together). Have
some duplicated resource sheets available for parents. These
may include (but aren't limited to) the following: a list of
community social service agencies, a homework help line, a list
of private tutors in the community, websites for homework help,
etc.
o Always use active listening skills. If a parent says something
about the child, try to use some of the parent's words in your
response. For example, if Mr. Brown says, Yeah, Tommie always
seems to be shy whenever he's around other people. You say, I
understand that Tommie is hesitant to talk with other people
that sometimes happens in class. Perhaps I could put him in a
smaller group so he will be less inhibited. By using active
listening, you help build positive bridges of communication
essential in any good conference.

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o Be careful of conversational traps. Experienced teachers will tell

you that some topics should never be part of parent-teacher
conferences, including the following:

Comparing one child with another

Focusing on family problems

Psychoanalyzing a child

Blaming the parent for the child's problems

Psychoanalyzing a parent

Talking about other teachers

Arguing with a parent

o Don't be afraid to ask for parent input or feedback (By the way, Mr. Wilson, how
have you handled Bobbie's silliness at home?). By the same token, never give
parents commands (You should You must ) Rather, offer concrete and
specific suggestions in the form of an invitation (Mrs. Harper, based on our
conversation this evening, I'm wondering if you and Michelle could spend an
additional 10 minutes a night on her spelling words?). It is far better to invite
parents to become part of the solution than tell them what they should or should
not do.
o Summarize some of the major points, and clarify any action that will be taken.
Most important, always end a conference on a positive note! Don't just dismiss
parents from the table. Stand up with them and personally escort them to the door
with a smile, a handshake, and a Thank you for coming.

After the Conference

o Save a few minutes after each conference to jot down a couple
notes. Don't take notes during the conferenceit tends to inhibit
many parents and makes eye-to-eye conversation difficult.
Record your observations, perceptions, and suggestions on a
35 index card with the student's name at the top. File these in a
recipe box for later reference.

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o Plan for some decompression time between conferences. You

need time to gather your thoughts, regroup, and get ready for
the next conference. A long string of back-to-back conferences
will only add to your stress and increase your anxiety.
o Be sure to follow up (as necessary) with phone calls, notes,
messages, or letters to every parent, including those who didn't
attend (I'm sorry I missed you at the parent-teacher
conferences last week. May I call you for a personal meeting?).
Immediate feedback is necessary to ensure parent cooperation
and participation in any shared solutions.
o
How to Conduct a Back-to-School Night
1. Sign-ins on every table: I admit it. It only took me 15 years to figure out that I need to have
sign-ins on every table and not just at a single station at the front of the room. That way, there
isn't a bottleneck at the door, and all families can hear the schpeel from minute one.
2. Brochures: I always design a brochure so parents don't have to take notes based on my
Powerpoint. The sections include: about me, where to find the classroom website, the standards
covered, materials students need, contact information, classroom slogan, and a few other things.
3. Classroom Constitution: I really try to have this completed by BTSN. The classroom
constitution is a document that all students have a hand in creating. It sets the academic and
behavioral standards that they want to see in the classroom, and it becomes a goal-setting
document for me to help make that environment happen. They then all sign it. This year, it was
easy to have completed by this night because I had all the table groups from each of the periods
contribute ideas to a Google Document. I then edited it, combining repeating themes, making
multiple simple sentences into compound sentences, and formatting it to fit the poster. This
poster hangs in my room all year and I copy and paste the text from the Google Doc onto my
classroom website. By having it hanging up in time for BTSN, you're also already proving that
the learning has begun.
4. Powerpoint/Keynote/Google Presentation: I have this running behind me as I do my 10minute presentation. This includes an about me slide, a slide on the 4Cs and Common Core State
Standards, a slide with a live link to my classroom website so I can walk them through the menu
bar, contact information, and a slide begging for donations. Typically, I beg for the following:
tissues, hand sanitizer, crayons/markers/highlighters, and reams of paper. Reams of paper are
gold on my campus. Any teacher with paper becomes instantaneously popular. Incidentally,
every year, I scramble trying to find the computer I created my last presentation on. Was it my
personal laptop or my school desktop? This year, I created it using Google Presentations. Never
again will I have to scramble!

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5. The classroom environment: Even though it's early in the year, I still make sure that I set up
an environment I know students will like, will engage them, challenge them, and make them
think about what's to come. It works that way with parents as well. They want to be able to
picture their own kids learning in the room. The environment itself can play a role in their
yearlong support. The effort to get it ready is vital.

Tips for Open House and Back to School Night

o Holding an Informative, Stress-Free Event for Families
o Open House (or Back-To-School Night) can be a source of great
stress for teachers who hate speaking in front of a group of adults.
Its natural to be nervous and concerned about creating a good
impression on the families you will have to partner with for an entire
school year. One of the most important elements of a successful
Open House is letting your personality shine through so that parents
can make a real connection with you as a person who cares about
their children. The following guidelines will help you feel calm and
prepared so that you can let parents see the real you: a person who
loves their kids and wants to help them succeed.

Prior to Open House: Creating a Parent Letter

o Its helpful to send a letter to families to introduce yourself,
provide an overview of the school year, and inform parents of
rules and procedures. If you send these letters out before Open
House, you wont have to go into as much detail in your
presentation because parents will have already had a chance to
familiarize themselves with how your classroom is run. You can
also use your letter (or a class handbook that you provide in
advance) as the basis for your presentation.
o The purpose of Open House or Back-to-School Night is to provide
a time for parents to meet the teacher and review expectations.
It is NOT a time for individual conferences, and youll need to
make that clear to parents. Open House is usually held in the
early evening and lasts between 30 and 90 minutes, depending
on the format that your school uses. In some schools, the

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teacher will need to present for as long as 45 minutes; in others,

the teachers are lucky to get 15 minutes. Ask your colleagues
what Open House is normally like at your school.

How to Organize and Prepare for Open House

o There are several components of the typical Open House. Some schools have parents
go to the cafeteria or auditorium first for a general welcome, then to individual
classrooms. No matter how your school sets it up, you should expect to have families
trickling in for a good 30-45 minutes, if not longer: some will be very early, and
others will come in when its nearly over, especially if they had to visit siblings
classrooms first. The younger the children you teach, the higher the priority parents
will give to your classroom. Pre-K and kindergarten classrooms often get the best
turnout in the school and parents will visit them before going to their older childrens
classrooms. Some schools have two 30-minute sessions so parents with more than
one child can visit multiple teachers without missing a lot of information.
o After most people arrive, you will give a short presentation about your class.
However, because of the trickle-in effect, you will need productive activities for your
families to do while they wait for you to begin. Talking with you will not be an
option as you attend to a million other things that seem to pop up. Open House is not
always the best time to have parents fill out forms because they are often rushed and
distracted. You can, however, have volunteer sign-up sheets for them and handouts to
peruse.
o Have a self-running sign-in system that you dont have to operate yourself. Right
inside my classroom door I have a desk with nametags, a sign-in sheet, and a packet
of materials that I will be reviewing that night. (If you place the desk in the hallway,
you wont be able to ensure that all parents have signed in.) Some teachers like to
offer a small bowl of candy or treats, as well. My sign-in sheet asks for the parents
name and the childs name, as well as a daytime phone number, so that when
conferences come, I dont have to rack my brain wondering, Did I meet her before?
Didnt she come to Back-to-School night, or was it dad that came? I have
introduced myself to the same parent several times, only to have them say, Yes, I
rememberwe met at Back-To-School night. Whoops! There will be dozens of
people in and out of your room and family situations can be complicated, so its very
hard to keep track of everyone. Make notes to yourself in the margin afterwards
(woman with red hair, had infant with her, grandma came along, didnt speak much
English, etc.) to help you place the name with the face later on.
o Make it clear where parents should sit: normally, at their childs desk. Some teachers
like to have work samples or other materials out; I have done this in the past and
found that papers wind up on the floor or somewhere else they dont belong in all the
hustle and bustle. Have extra chairs available for families to sit together. You may
want to have all the children sit on the floor in the front or back of the room if space
is limited.

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o Fun Ways to Make the Back-to-School Night Special: Its not necessary to create a
lot of elaborate things for families to do at Open House. However, if youre looking
for easy-to-implement, high-interest activities, here are a few ideas:
Scavenger Hunt: Families can complete this activity while they wait
for you to begin the presentation, and/or afterward while they wait to talk to you.
One parent sent me an email afterward saying how much she enjoyed it because
she had a purpose in walking around the room and knew what she was looking at.
The scavenger hunt can end with the parent at the childs desk, waiting for you to
begin talking.
*How Well Do You Know Me? Fun Survey: Parents can complete this at
anytime during the eveningits waiting for them on the childs desk. The kids get
to grade it for the parents the next day, which they love! Note: Have something
enjoyable to do the next day for the kids whose parents couldnt come so they
dont feel left out while the others read the surveys.
*Shared Journal Entry: The kids write on a topic such as The Hardest
Part/Best Part of Being a Kid. They then set up the page across from that page
with the title, The Hardest Part/Best Part of Being a Parent. The families
complete the journal entry at Back-To-School night and children read them in the
morning. (Have another morning warm-up for kids whose parents did not come.)
This is a good activity if you use journals and workbooks a lot: it lets parents see
how much work the child is doing in class, even though it may not all come home
because its not on loose-leaf paper. Be aware that some parents may not feel
comfortable with their own reading or writing skills or may be preoccupied with
their young children or the papers you have handed them, and may not take part.
I have had moderate success with this activity in that regard, but the parents who
did do the journal entry absolutely raved about it.
o What to Include in Your Presentation: Your school will probably
give you guidelines on the material they want you to cover.
There is no one right way to do this, but I have found the
following format effective:

Additional Notes from Master Teacher:

1) Tell a little about yourself.

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If its your first year teaching, dont feel obligated to announce that, but definitely dont lie,
either! At my first Open House, I said, This is my first year teaching this grade level, and left
it at that. Some teachers show their family photos, which can be very endearing and encourages
parents to view you as an approachable, real person. I like to tell why I chose the grade level I
did and what I think is special about it. This is a good transition into the presentation and if
someone comes in late, theyre able to catch up easily.

2) Give an overview of the most exciting things you have planned for the year to get
parents enthusiastic about whats happening in the classroom.
I spend just a minute or two telling them that their children will be choosing community outreach
and charity projects to get involved with, doing a home and school fitness plan, and so on. Be
sure to mention anything out of the ordinary that you plan to do (specific field trips, etc.) that sets
your class apart.

3) Use your daily schedule to introduce parents to the way their children will be learning.
This is the meat of your presentation. Without burdening them with too much detail, walk your
families through the childrens day, from Morning Work to dismissal procedures. Each time you
mention a specific subject area, explain how it will be taught. For example, you might mention
small group reading instruction, centers or centerjobs, integration of content areas (such as using
social studies to teach reading comprehension strategies, etc.). Use photos of the kids working or
actual materials as props to keep everyone focused. I like to also call on kids who are in
attendance to explain things (Would one of our class members tell how we use the math
games?). This gives parents a break from listening to me talk and its always entertaining to
hear the kids explanations.

4) Spend no more than a minute or two discussing standardized tests.

You can also mention your grading system or scale if necessary, but in the primary grades, this
shouldnt be a big deal. Do NOT get bogged down with state standards and outcomesyou can
provide these in a handout and parents can read them later. If your grade level doesnt give any
standardized tests, you could even skip this altogether.
Let parents know that all of your instruction and assessment is aligned with state standards, and
in plain English that means you design all of your lessons to meet state requirements in order to

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prepare students for the tests and for the next grade level. Tell them that you will be providing
handouts, conferences, benchmark tests results, workshops, etc., throughout the year to help
them understand the testing expectations, and that your communication with them will be routine
and ongoing. Promise that there will be no surprises and that they will have an indication if their
child may have difficulty passing long before the actual test date arrives.

5) Outline your approach to behavior management and class rules.

Make your expectations clear now so parents know what to expect! For example, if you never
accept late homework or papers without names on them, are a stickler about tardies and make-up
work, or dont let kids call home when they forget a book or agenda, explain your philosophy up
front. I wouldnt run down a list of no-nos, but I do explain that I make class rules and
consequences collaboratively with the students, and send them home in writing for parents and
students to sign. (By Open House, this is usually done, anyway.) I tell them that after a grace
period, which usually ends around October, I enforce the rules without exception in order to be
fair and to teach the students responsibility and accountability. For example, one year I decided
that all no-name papers would have one letter grade taken off beginning in November. When a
parent called to complain once, I reminded her of the written notice and announcement of that
policy at Open House. If you cant discuss these things at Open House due to time constraints,
be sure to have them in writing so anyone with concerns can bring them to you before they
become a problem. End this portion on a positive note by explaining the reward systems and fun
activities you have planned for the students (Fun Friday, etc.).

6) Close with the methods of communication you will use (newsletters, email lists, class
webpage, daily agendas, and so on).
If parents are welcome to volunteer in your classroom, briefly explain the procedures for this as
well. If you want them to sign up for volunteer opportunities or specific classroom tasks, tell
them where the sign-up sheet will be and encourage them to add their names to the list after the
presentation. Be sure to thank them for coming out and urge them to call, email, etc., anytime
they have a question or concern. Let them know that due to time constraints, youve been
specifically instructed not to discuss any individual students during Open House, but that you
have a conference sign-up sheet available for that purpose.

7) Explain how you will handle parent questions.

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One year, things were very calm and settled and I took questions and answered them in front of
the group for about five minutes. Another year, things were very hectic and I asked parents to
either approach me individually with questions or write them down and I would call them the
following day. You may begin taking questions and realize that parents are asking things that
only pertain to their child or a small percentage of the class; you can always give a general
response and tell the parent you will follow up with them later on (give a specific time and
method of communication).

If you notice that a lot of side conversations begin and the whole group isnt listening anymore,
theyve probably had enough lecturing for the evening and you can end it! With some groups, I
can literally see how tired they are from working all day long and then rushing to the school and
sitting through lengthy presentations, knowing they still have to get home and bathe the kids, do
homework, get everyone ready for bedand then get up again in a few hours for another work
day! Make it brief for those groups. You can also help by not assigning homework on Open
House night, or excusing it for the students of parents who attend (thats always a great motivator
for kids to get their families to show up!).

What Parents REALLY Want From an Open House

In my experience, what family members expect is relatively simple:
1) A clean and organized classroom that their child takes ownership of
2) A warm and friendly teacher who welcomes them
3) An informal, easy-to-understand presentation that provides a good sense of what the year
will be like

Parents have no idea what to expect from a teacher their children have never had before. Most of
them are not worried about how often youll be giving science tests or what materials youll use
to teach addition. They want to know:
*
*
*
*

Does the teacher like my child?

Does the teacher care about the kids and enjoy teaching?
Does the teacher want to support me and my child?
Is the teacher going to be fair and easy to work with?

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These things are communicated through the energy you put out and the environment you create
in the classroom. Some of it can be communicated verbally, but most of is conveyed in your
demeanor. Smile! Smile! Smile! Act relaxed even though youre not. Listen attentively to
parents and treat their questions and concerns seriously. They are not your superiors there to
observe you, so dont be intimidated. They are your equals, so treat them with kindness and
respect and dont worry about what theyre thinking. Most of them are extremely grateful to
have you in their childrens lives, and want to support you in having a successful Open House
and school year.

Making a Personal Connection With Each Family

Ideally, you should be able to connect with parents and make them feel valued and appreciated in
the same way you treat your students as unique individuals. That can be difficult to do during
Open House when youre short on time, but I try to always say something specific and positive
to each parent as we meet. (Oh, youre Edwards dad! I am so glad to meet you! He is such an
awesome kid; he always has some fact to share with the class! Just the other day, he said or
Briannas mom! Great to see you again! Brianna is the sweetest child; I can always count on
her to help her friends and to be a peacemaker. Im so glad shes in our class!) No matter how
awful a child has been in class, its possible to find some good attribute to comment on so that
the first feedback a parent hears is a compliment. The type of quotes above could easily be used
for challenging students: Edward, for instance, could be a child who talks non-stop in class about
totally random information, and Brianna may be a busy-body whos always telling the other kids
what to do. Look through to each childs heart and intentions, and youll be able to come up
with something good to say about all of your students. Plan it out in advance for certain children
if you need to.

You Cant Fit It All Into One Presentation

Theres a lot of pressure on teachers to say everything they need to about behavioral
expectations, homework, testing, grading systems, key skills and concepts, and how to support
learning at homeall in one night! Its just not possible. Parents, like kids, need time to digest
information and make it their own, and hands-on experiences are the best way to do that. I hold
a parent workshop each month, but I know teachers who hold only one a year or one a quarter.
Start with whatever you are comfortable with and use parental feedback to determine what to do
the following school year. I hold a variety of festivities, some of which are just opportunities for
families to socialize with one another and build a sense of community. After each event, there is
an evaluation form for parents to fill out to help me revise for next year.

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