Welcome: Welcome to 4th grade!! My name is Miss Sandy Kelso.  This is my eleventh year teaching 4th grade at Southeast Elementary, and I am privileged to be your child’s teacher.  It is my belief that the key to educational success comes from the value placed upon it.  Educational success involves team work.  That is why it is so important for teachers and parents to work together to ensure that students understand the importance, and have the best opportunity, to a great education.  I encourage my parents to be 100% involved in their child’s education.

Contact Information: Please feel free to contact me anytime you have a question or a concern.  You can contact me at school at 573-472-0707.  You can also contact me through email at skelso@sikeston.k12.mo.us. (Email of often the fastest way for me to respond to a question or concern during the school day.)  

Classroom Expectations: Your child deserves the most positive educational climate possible for academic success.  Therefore, our classroom rules and discipline policy will be in effect at all times.  I am a big believer in teaching responsibility and having students take ownership for their education and for their classroom behavior. As a teacher, I will be responsible for teaching the curriculum to the best of my ability, and for providing a fair and safe learning environment.  As parents, your responsibility will be to support your child's education, check over daily/weekly assignments, and to be aware of your student's classroom involvement and behavior.  Students will be held 100% responsible for their class work and behavior.  Together we will make this a wonderful year!!   

Classroom Rules: 
     1. Listen Carefully
     2. Follow all directions promptly
     3. Work quietly.  Do not disturb others that are working. 
     4. Respect others, our school, and school property. 
     5. Raise your hand before speaking. 
     6. Keep your desk and work area neat.

 Consequences to Breaking Class Rules:

First Offense-   Warning, Loss of Self-Control Ticket
Second Offense-   10 minutes of Recess Detention
Third Offense-   All of Recess
Fourth Offense-   Call to Parents , Lose Self-Control Party
Fifth Offense-    Office Referral

*NOTE:  Foul language, disrespectful behavior, and fighting will not be tolerated. Immediate action will be taken. According to the severity of the behavior, some of the above consequences may be skipped.

 

 

 

 
 




 Awards for following the Classroom Rules: Students will earn a Behavior Buck daily for following the classroom rules.  Students will be invited to spend those Behavior Bucks at the Classroom Store a couple days a week.  Students that earn all five behavior bucks for the week will earn a small treat at the end of the week. Students earning all 20 Behavior Bucks for the month will be invited to eat lunch with Ms. Kelso in the classroom and will earn a free book from the next month's book club.

Grading: All grades in the core subject areas are figured on a point system.  Daily assignments and homework are worth 5-50 points, quizzes and test are worth 10-100 points, depending on the assignment and test.  Points will be noted on the returned paper.  For example 9/10 (90%) means the student received 9 out of 10 points possible.  A letter grade will be assigned according to percentage points:  100-90% = A, 89-80% = B, 79-70% = C, 69-60% = D; and 59 and below = F. 

Extra Credit- Often times I will assign extra credit work.  If a paper is completed for extra credit the points will have a + in front of the grade.  For example +5 means the student received 5 bonus or extra credit points for completing the assignment.  Bonus points are added to the grade at the end of the quarter.

Participation Points- Many times in Science and Math, students will receive participation points for completing an activity, experiment, or group project.  Those grades will have the letter P after the points.  For example, 10P means that the students received 10 points for participating in an activity, experiment, or project.  If students are absent on the day of an activity, experiment, or project, no participation points will be given to the absent student.  Attendance is a very important part of 4th grade. 

Graded papers are send home every Friday with a weekly slip that is to be signed and returned on Monday.  Grades are sent home mid-quarter, at the end of each quarter, and at the end of each semester.  Parents may request grades in writing anytime during the school year.

 Homework: Research has proven that 30 minutes of quality homework a night can raise standardized test score by up to 40%.  I do assign home-work folders Monday-Thursday.  Inside the homework folder will be a weekly list of homework assignments, test/quiz dates, as well as any notes, important dates, or reminders.  Homework will always consist of a review skill in Communication Arts & Math, or an assignment pertaining to the content that we are studying in class.  Parents should do their part by checking homework folders nightly.  If homework is not completed, students will complete the homework assignment during their recess period the next day.  Students are aware that it is their responsibility to complete their nightly homework and to get a parent/guardian to check their homework before getting their folders signed.

 Graded Papers: Graded papers will be sent home every Friday.  Attached to the graded work will be a weekly sheet.  The Week’s Worth of Work sheet will have an update of grades, behavior, effort, and news to know for the following week.  The weekly slips must be signed and returned the following Monday.  The purpose of the weekly slip is to assure me that a parent has seen the student’s work and is aware of the progress that their student is making in class.  It is also a great way for me to give weekly updates on grades, effort, and classroom behavior.

 Absenteeism/Tardiness: Absenteeism and tardiness will be handled according to the district guidelines outlined in the student handbook.  Students with unexcused absences will not be allowed to makeup the missed work or missed test; those grades will be recorded as zeroes in the grade book.  Students with excused absences will have 5 school days to return missed work; after 5 days, those grades will be recorded as zeroes in the grade book.  Students who are absent after a test is already scheduled will take the test on the day that they return to school, no additional study time will be given.

 Missing/Late Assignments: Any assignments not turned in on time will be considered late assignments. Students will be given an oral warning of any late assignments.  After three days, all late assignments are considered missing assignments and will be recorded as zeroes in the grade book.  PAPERS TURNED IN WITH NO NAME WILL BE CONSIDERED LATE ASSIGNMENTS AND IF NOT CLAIMED WITHIN 3 DAYS WILL BE A MISSING ASSIGNMENT AND RECORDED AS A ZERO IN THE GRADE BOOK.

 Odds and Ends: Birthday treats are always welcome on the day of the student’s birthday!!  Birthday treats are not shared with the class until 3:15.  I select six students to be my helping hands each week.  These students are responsible for different jobs within our classroom and will be paid Behavior Bucks for their jobs.  Being a helping hand teaches responsibility for a job well-done and helps maintain the classroom.  Toys, cell phones, video games etc. are not allowed at school. These items will be sent to the office to be picked up by a parent.

Please feel free to email me and questions or concerns about my classroom policies or procedures.  skelso@sikeston.k12.mo.us

Ms. Kelso