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.