Welcome to Third Grade Jenks West Elementary !

1. Welcome to Third Grade Jenks West Elementary!

2. West Elementary Building F • Third and Fourth Grade Students • Self Contained Building • 14 sections of third grade • Classrooms are located in pods • Bus Fleet for third and fourth grades

3. Important Information • Curbside and Office Pickup • Morning Breakfast Times • Recess before Lunch • Office Check-in through Lobby Guard • Before and After Care

4. What does reading look like in Third Grade? • District Primary Tool: The Comprehension Tool Kit • We have numerous resources available to improve comprehension, teach reading strategies, develop fluency and help your child maintain a love of reading.   • The required genres in third grade are autobiographies and fantasy. In addition students read realistic fiction, and enjoy book clubs with their peers. Students are exposed to a lotof non-fiction text to continue to develop comprehension.

5. What does math look like in third grade? • District Primary Tool: Everyday Mathematics • Teachers also use morning Math Board tailored to objectives that need constant review in 3rd grade. We often refer to this as, permission to not forget. • A big focus is also placed on fluency of multiplication facts as this is essential for student success in 3rd grade math.

6. What does writing look like in Third Grade? • District emphasis is on: Writer’s Workshop Model • Students learn the Writing Process (Pre-write, first draft, edit, publish) in all of our writing activities throughout 3rd grade. • Your child will focus on the writing of personal narratives, story writing, letter writing, journal writing, poetry, 5 paragraph essays, research papers, and writing for different purposes and audiences. • Students keep reading response journals and science journals

7. International Baccalaureate West Elementary is proud to share that we are in our third year of candidacy to become an International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP).    This is a multi-year journey with some exciting opportunities for our students and community. You can visit the WE website for even more details. www.jenksps.org West Elementary can be found under the School Sites Tab

8. So what does it mean for your child as a 3rd grader? • Organizing our work into 6 broad themes • Engaging in developing understanding of central ideas • You will continue to see inquiry experiences just as you have the past few years. • You can still expect to see intense work with reading and writing workshop, EDM, science units, social studies and Spanish. • Our classroom and site newsletters will reflect our continued work with IB.

9. 3rd Grade Units of Inquiry

11. Assessments in Third Grade • STAR test for reading • Phonics Inventory • Report Cards • Teacher Observations • Running Records • Unit Tests in Math • CogAt Testing • State testing for reading and math

12. State Testing for Third Grade A major policy change that took effect in the 2013-2014 school year involves the promotion of third-grade students based on reading scores. The Reading Sufficiency Act (RSA) states that a third-grade student cannot be promoted to the fourth grade if he or she scores Unsatisfactory on the reading portion of the Oklahoma Core Curriculum Test (OCCT).  Those who score limited knowledge or above are NOT at risk for retention.

13. State Testing for Third Grade Is my child’s reading ability to be assessed by a single test on a single day? HB 2625 Currently, third-grade students subject to the requirements of the RSA may qualify for automatic promotion to the fourth grade in four ways: 1.Demonstration of Third Grade Level Proficiency on a Benchmark Assessment The law still requires that each student enrolled in kindergarten, first, second and third grade be assessed at the beginning, middle, and the end of each academic school year using a screening instrument approved by the State Board of Education. Jenks uses STAR Early Literacy and STAR. The changes/amendments to the RSA law provide that any student who demonstrates proficiency in reading at a third-grade level through using STAR will be exempt from the retention requirements of the RSA. The demonstration of proficiency must be at a third-grade level and meet the acquisition of reading skills criteria for the designated screening instrument at a third-grade level—40%ile. Once a student has demonstrated proficiency in reading at a third grade level and meets acquisition criteria, he or she shall be exempted from the retention requirements.

14. State Testing for Third Grade 2. Qualification Through the Use of a Student Portfolio • Teacher, literacy coach and principal look at a student’s work in reading throughout the year • Rubric developed by schools across Tulsa county is used • Looks at 8 specific criteria to gage literacy skills including: • Fluency • Self-Correction • Range of Reading • Comprehension • Vocabulary • Communication Capabilities (discussions, conversations, writing) • Research

15. State Testing for Third Grade • Application of Good Cause Exemptions • RSA provides “good cause” exemptions for some students who score Unsatisfactory on the reading test: • English Language Learners who have had less than two years of instruction in English and are identified as Limited-English Proficient (LEP)/ English Language Learner (ELL). • Students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) indicates they are to be assessed with the Oklahoma Alternate Assessment Program (OAAP). • Students who demonstrate through a teacher- developed portfolio that they can read on grade level. • Students with disabilities who take the OCCT and have an IEP that states they have received intensive remediation in reading for at least a year or more but still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and were previously retained one or two years during kindergarten, first-, second or third-grade.

16. State Testing for Third Grade If the student does not meet the requirements of one of the above listed options, he or she is not eligible for automatic promotion to the fourth grade. At this point, the student will either receive probationary promotion or be retained in the third grade. For the 2015-2016 school years, third-grade students who did not meet any of the above options will go to a retention committee. Student Reading Proficiency Team is composed of: 1) Parent/legal guardian of student 2) Current 3rd grade teacher assigned to the student who was responsible for reading instruction 3) 4th grade teacher-subsequent grade level 4) The school principal 5) A certified reading specialist

17. State Testing for Third Grade An unanimous recommendation for probationary promotion by the Student Reading Proficiency Team must be reached in order for the student to be promoted. Once the Student Reading Proficiency Team has made a unanimous recommendation, the recommendation shall be submitted to the superintendent of the school district for approval if promotion is the best option for the student.

18. Attendance School Day: 8:50 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Jenks West Attendance Office X5618 (Joanne.Trindad@jenksps.org) .

19. School Supply Packets • School Supply Packets are on sale NOW! • ONLINE ORDERING ONLY UNTIL JUNE 26, 2016 • Paper order forms are available in building offices upon request and are due May 29. • There will be a LIMITED number of packets available at Meet the Teacher in August (additional $10 per pack). These will be on a first come, first serve basis. • Teachers LOVE the school supply packs!  • The supplies are collected by your child’s teacher and used in the classroom as community property.

20. Online Ordering Directions: 1. Go to www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks 2. Enter the school ID, JEN007 3. Follow the directions to complete your order 4. Keep your online confirmation as your receipt 3rd Grade Packs cost $46 each School supplies will be available for pick up during Meet the Teacher in August

21. Be a JWE Volunteer! Field Trips Testing Monitors Book Fair Vision & Hearing Screenings Project Westly Jog-A-Thon Men with Class Jump Rope for Heart Bingo Night Holiday Parties

22. Back to School Post Cards (sent a week before school starts) First Day of School (8:50 – 3:30) Friday, August 19th

23. Thank You • Kim Kittelson • Building F Principal • Kim.kittelson@jenksps.org