Friday, September 24, 2010

Uhhh...

I have been trying to find time to update the blog for a few days, but it has been hard to find time between the Learning Team Meetings.

Learning Team Meetings
I would like to thank everyone for showing up to their Learning Team Meeting. I am very excited to see the first exhibitions of fourth grade. There are some exciting ideas out there!

Exhibitions / Milestones
The first Milestone is due on Thursday, October 7th. ALL RESOURCES for the interest project are due at this time. You should have all received the First Milestone Form at your Learning Team Meeting. It is important that you remember to have a parent signature at the bottom.

Upcoming Field Trip
The fourth and fifth graders are going to Ford Field for a Blue Cross/Blue Shield event on Wednesday, October 6th. This even will be from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. There is no cost for the field trip. The only requirement is that every student wears his/her RED polo shirts.

If you are interested in being a chaperone for this event, please contact me.

No School
There is no school on Friday, October 8th for teacher's Professional Development.

Book Order
Book Order money is due on Monday, October 4th.

Friday, September 17, 2010

First Full Week

We have completed our first full week together. It is amazing how quickly time is flying already.

THANK YOU!
I want to say a big "THANK YOU!" to everyone who attended Back to School Night. It was a great seeing everyone.

MATH HOMEWORK
I have noticed quite a few students copying answers from the Family Letter this week. Please make sure that the Family Letter is being used to assist the child, not give them the answer. The homework that is given out is correlated with the lesson taught.

NEEDED
Our class is in need of Gallon Size Zip Lock bags. These bags are needed for our Book in a Bag assignments.

ILLNESSES
We have had some students out this past week, not feeling well. It is important for your child to be in school, however not if they are sick. Please remind your child to cough and sneeze into their elbow as well as washing their hands frequently.

Here's to another great week! Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Martin

Monday, September 13, 2010

Letter Home

Welcome Back to School!
Dear Parents,
I am very excited to start this school year with your child. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and provide information about the class. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

A little about me

My name is Liana Martin. I was born and raised in Holland, Michigan. I attended Michigan State University where I received my undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management. After graduating from college I got married and moved to the Metro-Detroit area, and worked for a logistics company.

While working in the business field, I felt that I was not making as big of an impact on the world as I would have liked. It was then that I realized that I wanted to be a teacher. I enrolled in The University of Michigan, and received my Master’s Degree in Education.

I am a highly qualified teacher in elementary education, and have been teaching for six years, all of which have been at UPA. I am truly blessed to have found a great school to work in. I enjoy coming to work every day.

I am married and have two small children; Skyler who is 3 ½ years old and Owen who is 15 months. We have a dog, a Shepherd mix, named Niky that we rescued from the shelter. Together, we live in Troy.

In my spare time, I love to travel and go different places. I also love to read, scrapbook, and do crafts. I love sports, especially MSU football and basketball, Tiger baseball, and Detroit Red Wing hockey.

Our class

We will work very hard in our class, and have a lot of fun too. I expect students to come to school on time and ready to learn each day. Students are expected to contribute to class discussions and in class work.

You can expect your child to have homework every evening, including weekends. Homework is a chance for your student to formulate a better understanding of the concepts discussed in class that day. I do not give homework just to keep your child busy. It is important for your student to try each and every assignment. It is not beneficial for him/her, or me, to simply write a note saying that they did not understand. It is important for us to work together as a team on homework. Unless otherwise stated, homework is due the following day. Late homework is accepted; however it will be graded at a later time. If you have a question about an assignment, please feel free to contact me.

Classroom Rules & Discipline

During class this week, we made our classroom rules. Together, we signed these rules showing our understanding of them and our commitment to following them. The rules that we came up with for our classroom are:
1. Treat others how we would want to be treated
2. Have a positive attitude
3. Be safe
4. Participate
5. Pay attention

Issues that arise in class, and can be settled in class, will be handled in such a way. Calls will be made to parents regarding the issues. Other problems or issues that may arise will be handled according to the school’s discipline policy.

Our class schedule

8:30 – 9:00 Morning Meeting
9:00 – 9:55 AMPT (Art, Music, Physical Education, Technology)
9:55 – 11:30 Reading Workshop / Word Study
11:30 – 12:15 Writing Workshop
12:15 – 12:30 Recess
12:30 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 1:15 Cool Down
1:15 – 2:30 Math
2:30 – 3:20 Science / Social Studies

Please feel free to contact me during AMPT time or lunch time. I will return any phone call or email as soon as possible.


Thank you so much to all the families that contributed school supplies to the class this year. They are greatly appreciated and will be well used. Thank you again!

Back to School Night

Back to School Night is on Wednesday, September 15th, beginning at 5:00. This is a great time to ask questions about the classroom, and the school. I hope to see everyone there.

MAP Testing

We will be starting our MAP testing on Monday. It is important that students take this assessment seriously. The MAP test is a great tool for teachers to use in your child’s education.

Learning Team Meetings
Learning Team Meetings will begin the week of the 20th. This is our chance to discuss personal learning style of students as well as prepare for the first trimester exhibition. There will be a sign up at Back to School Night.