Handbook

 Arrival and Dismissal

Students are allowed in the building/classroom no earlier than 8:35 am. All students must be in classrooms by 8:55 am. Children who arrive after 8:55 will be marked tardy and will have missed their opportunity to eat breakfast. Please try your best to have your child at school early enough so that he/she can unpack, get materials ready for the day, complete Math Board, go to breakfast if necessary, use the restroom, and be in his/her seat (ready to work) at 8:55 a.m.

YMCA and pickup children are dismissed at 3:50pm from the third grade hallway to a designated holding area.  Your child will only be released to the people you designate on the dismissal sheet or emergency card. They will need to provide identification. Buses are released around 3:50-4pm (they will be late for the first few days until routes are learned).

**Written notification will be the new procedure for any afternoon transportation change.  As a safety precaution, requests by phone/e-mail will NOT be accepted.

Communication 

I am a firm believer that the best way your child will be successful this year is if YOU are an active participant in his/her education. I am working WITH you for the benefit of your child and will do everything that I can to promote good communication between home and school.  Throughout the year, I will communicate with you through notes in the agenda*, the red folder, telephone calls, emails, letters, and conferences as needed.   I also use a blog that will be updated weekly. 

I also encourage you to communicate with me by writing a note in your child’s agenda, emailing me at mchappell@iwcs.k12.va.us, or by telephone at the school (357-8850).   I promise I will try to get back to you ASAP! You can also check out the blog at http://chappellschronicles.blogspot.com.

Please provide your email address on the back to school forms. It’s a great way and my primary way for us to keep in touch.

·      An agenda will be provided for each student and it will be a very important tool for communication between home and school.  Your child will need to bring it and their red folder with them daily.  I may write notes or attach important reminders to the agenda.  I will NOT check the agendas each morning, but please have your child give me their agenda if you are sending a short note. (If you are writing a note about an early pick-up, bus change, or absence excuse please write it on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to the agenda since it will need to be given to the office.) Please be sure to review the school policies within the agenda as well as the student handbook. 

Agendas/Homework

While students will not have homework in a traditional sense this year, they will be expected to read nightly and study for upcoming assessments.  Any updates for upcoming assessments that need to be studied for, permission slip due dates, and any other reminders will be written in the agenda DAILY. 

VIP Folders

Graded papers will come home weekly via VIP Folders. These papers may stay home, unless otherwise specified.  Please remember to date and sign the sheet in the folder and to return the following school day.  If you have any questions regarding a graded assignment, please feel free to e-mail me. 

Lunch

Breakfast this year is $1.20. The lunch price is $2.35, and milk is $0.45. Our lunchtime runs from 11:55-12:25.  You are welcome to come eat lunch with your child at any time.  Please just sign in at the office and wait for us to pass through the foyer on our way to the cafeteria.

Birthdays  

Please celebrate your child’s special day at school with us!  Due to the high number of students with allergies, it is now school policy that any celebration treats be ordered from the cafeteria to be enjoyed at lunchtime on your child’s special day.  Order forms can be found on the school website.  If you are sending invitations to class for a party, please send enough for either the entire class or for all the boys or for all the girls.

Resource Schedule
Students will attend resource from 11:05 – 11:55.

Red Day – Art

Orange Day – Library

Yellow Day – Music

Green Day – PE

Blue Day – STEM

Green Day - Coding

Discipline Plan

To start with, the word discipline does not mean punishment for misbehavior. The word discipline means basically “to teach”. Through discipline and my classroom management procedures, I will teach my students how to behave with positive reinforcement rather than punish them for not knowing how to act in school. For most students, they need to know the correct way of how to act and learn in school. 

We will also be having lots of fun learning in third grade. In order to enjoy the activities and lessons, it is each student’s responsibility to conduct himself/herself in an appropriate manner. I try very hard to create an environment in which each child feels welcome and successful. Therefore, I want your child to behave because they respect me, the other students and enjoy being a part of our class! 

Rewards and Consequences

This year we will be focusing on building important life skills such as working hard and participating.  I’ll be using ClassDojo to give students feedback on these skills :)

Class Dojo is an app where students earn or lose points based on their behavior and participation in the classroom.  Students earn points to earn rewards such as homework passes, bring an animal to school for a day, pick a seat for a day, and extra free time.

The best part about the app is that you can check on your child’s points and behaviors ANYTIME!!  I have attached a sheet where you can sign up for information from Class Dojo on your child is doing. 

In addition to using Class Dojo, the class also works together as a whole group to earn a reward. Each day, we start with “Great Job” on the board. If the class, or most of the class, does not do desired behavior (lining up quietly, walking in hall, good report from resource, etc.), they lose a letter from “Great Job”. If, by the end of the day, they still have “Great” on the board, that means they’ve had a “great” day, so they earn a Daily Great Job point towards Class Dojo.

Depending on the circumstances, student(s) may also be referred to the (assistant) principal for further disciplinary action. In such cases, a phone call home will be made.