Mrs. Clayborn's 4th Grade

For updates and notes click here for Mrs. Clayborns s schoolnotes page

                                                 
Dear Parents and Guardians,

            Welcome to Fourth Grade at Bristow Run Elementary School! 

Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to Fourth Grade at Bristow Run Elementary School! I am very excited about our year together and am looking forward to working with you and your child in hopes that together we can make your child's fourth grade experience successful and full of wonderful memories! I will begin by telling you a little about myself, my expectations for this year, and other important information about fourth grade.
This is my 9th year of teaching fourth grade at Bristow Run with 17 years experience altogether. I love teaching fourth graders because the children are so enthusiastic about learning and it is very rewarding to see each grow throughout the year!
Fourth grade is a very important year and I really stress responsibility and respect in and out of the classroom. Students are learning to be responsible for turning in homework daily, filling out their agendas, completing daily work, getting important papers signed and returned, returning Friday Folders, and using good behavior.
If you have any questions or concerns now or during the school year, please contact me as soon as possible. I can be reached at the school (703-753-7741) or by email at claybocl@pwcs.edu. I also provide updated information and homework on schoolnotes.com. daily.
Please read carefully through this packet of information and refer back to it during the year. In this packet, review the Homework Policy, "Student Behavioral Expectations" and our classroom discipline plan with your child and sign and return the bottom portions of these sheets. These policies are for all fourth grade students.
Please return the emergency card, school discipline plan, and phone tree information asap. If any information changes throughout the year, please let the office and myself know.
If you know your child is going to be absent, please send a note in advance. It is also required that you call the school and inform them when your child is absent. When your child returns to school, please send in a written excuse.
Together, I feel we can create a positive learning experience for your child with good communication between home and school. I look forward to seeing you on 4th grade's Back to School Night on Monday, September 18th at 7:00pm.

It's going to be a great year!
Thank you!
Mrs. Cindy Clayborn :

                             

 

 

 

For more information on special projects or events:

Newsletters (Microsoft Word format):

Reminders

Experiences - Encourage your son or daughter to talk about school and discuss their experiences daily. Ask specific questions to get them talking. Be involved in your child's education!

Supplies - In addition to the original supply list, I have included some additional items. Please look over the list below and send in any items you are willing to donate. Thank you!

• paper towels
• tissues
• quart size ziploc bags
• special pencils
• small items for our treasure box
• stickers
• candy (tootsie roll pops, jolly ranchers, etc. - no chocolate or gum please!)

Book Club - Book club orders will be sent home monthly. There is no obligation to order, however, it is an inexpensive way to encourage reading and purchase gifts for your child, family, or friends. Our classroom also benefits by receiving free books and materials that your child can use. When ordering, all checks must be made payable to the book club only (Scholastic Book Club). No cash will be accepted! Please make sure the order form is filled out carefully with your child's name and check order amount for accuracy. You can put the order form and check in an envelope marked "book order" and with your child's name. I also receive Scholastic Book Club's Software flyer. This will only be sent home upon request. Please let me know if you are interested in ordering from the computer club catalog.

Absent - If your child is absent from school, you must call the school and send in a written excuse when he or she returns. Make-up work is the responsibility of your child, please remind him/her to see me for these assignments. I send home a make-up work sheet that lists the assignments missed and would like the sheet signed and attached to the work within two days after returning to school. Please review the parent handbook for further information on attendance and planned absences.

Change in Routine - If there is a change in your child's after school routine (changing buses or going home with a friend), a note must be sent in on that day.

Homework - Please check and sign your child's agenda or homework assignment book daily! Please reference Homework Policy and Tips for more information.

Agenda/Assignment Books - In Fourth Grade, we require that every student have an agenda or assignment book. Children will write down homework, upcoming tests, and important information on a daily basis. It is extremely important that you sign the agenda daily. However, it is the child's responsibility to make sure that homework is copied from the homework board, the agenda is signed by you, and returned to school with homework the next day. If it is not signed or is left at home, then 10 minutes of recess will be owed. If it happens a second time within the same week, 20 minutes of recess and so on.

Bristow Run Agendas (which I highly recommend) will be on sale at the school store. It is not required that you purchase the school's agenda, however they are very useful because they contain a multiplication chart, maps, math conversions, project calendar, and so on. Other homework assignment books are available at K-Mart and Walmart.

Events/Deadlines

Below is a listing of important upcoming dates and deadlines.

Specials

Classroom Rules

In our classroom, above all, I expect the children to not only be respectful to adults, but also show respect and kindness to one another and other's property. During the first two days of school, the class and I had a democratic meeting about rules. I lead the discussion to help develop some of the rules and monitored the positive wording of them considering every student's input. These rules should be ones that they feel would help them to have a successful year.

The students were given these guidelines:

• there should be a good reason for each rule
• every rule must have a consequence if broken
• the students must be willing to follow the rules and consequences they suggest
• vote on the final draft
• all students will sign the bottom of the rules poster

The rules will be posted in the classroom as a reminder.

Bristow Run's Strive for Five: Our schoolwide discipline plan applies to all in and out of classroom situations. These components provide appropriate and inappropriate behavioral decisions.

1. I will be kind to myself and other students.
2. I will show respect to every adult.
3. I will cooperate and follow directions.
4. I will respect all property.
5. I will practice self-discipline and not hurt others.

Panther pride is to work hard, do your best, and be kind!

Friday Folders

Every Friday, or the last day of the school week, the Friday Folder will be sent home with your child. I ask that you please review the items found in the Friday Folder with your child and sign the attached sheet. There are two sides to the Friday Folder. One side is labeled "Take Home" while the other side is "Bring Back To School." Examples of items that may be found are as follows:

Take Home:
Important papers, some homework assignments, quizzes, notices, etc...

Bring Back To School:
Signed papers or notices, materials that need to be returned to me, graded papers that needed to be signed, etc...

As a reminder, Friday Folders must be signed and returned to school on Monday! Thank you in advance for your help!

Grading Scale

Grade
A	93%	100%
B+	90%	92%
B	84%	89%
C+	81%	83%
C	74%	80%
D+	71%	73%
D	65%	70%
F	0	64%

Money Policy

If you need to bring money to school, whether it's for Scholastic Books (Checks payable to Scholastic), or for the cafeteria (Checks payable to Prince William County Food Service), or a Field Trip (Checks payable to Bristow Run Elementary for ALL Field Trips), please include the student name and teacher name on the face of the check to avoid error to your account. Checks should be handed to me first thing in the morning.

Last Revised: 09/13/06