Back-to-School Night 2021 - As we wait to get started, please make sure your microphone is on mute - Loudoun County ...

Back-to-School Night 2021
 As we wait to get started, please make sure
       your microphone is on mute.

Required LCPS
         Videos
Superintendent and Security   Hillside School Board Members

RD
MEET THE 3 GRADE TEAM

                           Mrs. Lynn

           Mrs. Welch
                                          Mrs. McGrath

                                       Miss Armstrong

Mrs. Dulansey           Ms. Johnson

About Me...
● I love teaching third grade!
● This is my 16th year teaching at Hillside ES.
● I have a wonderful husband and two children:
         ● My son is a Hillside and James Madison
           University graduate, and
         ● My daughter (also a Hillside graduate) is a
           sophomore at the University of South
           Carolina.

About Me...
● I have two pets:
  ○ a cat named CJ
  ○ a dog named Maverick
  (they tolerate each other
  pretty well!)

● I enjoy reading mystery books and listening to
  music.
● I am a big Elvis Presley fan!

Schedules

Daily Schedule

Specials
Schedule

Key LCPS
Platforms

Parentvue
● Please ensure you have access to
  ParentVue for your 3rd grader.
● ParentVue is the official gradebook used by
  LCPS.
● Visibility to grades, report cards, email
  communications from teachers*,
  absence/early dismissal submissions, parent
  link to Schoology, standardized test results,
  etc.
 *Please ensure your email addresses in ParentVue are up-to-date

Schoology
                    Schoology continues to be a key
                   communication platform this year.
●   Schoology will serve as an additional communication platform between
    teachers and students, and teachers and parents.
●   You and students will find:
     ○ Homework Calendar
     ○ Study Guides
     ○ Newsletters
     ○ Schedules
     ○ Upcoming events
     ○ Some assignments/assessments (NOT official gradebook)
                   Our Schoology Page:
                   Mrs. McGrath's Homeroom

Chromebooks
• Students will receive their own assigned device to
  support learning (1:1).
• Students are responsible for taking care of their
  Chromebooks and must follow LCPS technology
  guidelines.
• Students will bring their Chromebooks back and
  forth from home to school each day.
• Students must charge their Chromebooks
   every night!

Chromebooks
Please make sure your child brings his/her
chromebook and charger to school on the
first day. Students will get a new
chromebook with the 3-5 platform.

Curriculum

Reading Units
●   Building a Reading Life
●   Reading to Learn
●   Mysteries
●   Character Studies
●   Research Clubs
●   Fairy Tales

Writing Units
●   Crafting True Stories
●   Informational Writing
●   Persuasive/Opinion Writing
●   Mystery Writing
●   Research Writing
●   Poetry
●   Fairy Tale Writing

Math Units
● Place Value, Comparing and Ordering
  Numbers
● Addition and Subtraction
● Data and Graphing
● Multiplication and Division
● Measurement
● Money
● Fractions
● Geometry

Social Studies Units
●   Citizenship/Government
●   Geography
●   History (Ancient Civilizations)
●   Economics

Science Units
● Matter/Water Cycle
● Animal Adaptations, Ecosystems,
  and Food Chains
● Soil
● Natural and Human Impacts on
  Environment
● Force, Motion, and Simple
  Machines

Personalized Learning
         What is Personalized Learning (PL)?
     ●   Targeted Instruction
     ●   Flexible Supports
     ●   Focus on student interests, and
         identities to promote student
         ownership through voice and choice in
         what, how, when, and where they learn.
     ●   Focus on data analysis and decision
         making (MAP, DRA, SOL, Surveys,
         Classroom Assessments, Observations,
         etc),

Grades

Formative

 Class work assignments that are not
 formally graded or recorded into
 ParentVue will receive the following
 marks to indicate to parents and students
 that the work was checked/spot checked
 for accuracy and completeness.
            ✔+, ✔, ✔-, ☺,

Summative

  Report cards
  Grading Key:            Progress Indicators:

  A – Outstanding         4 – Exceeds Standard

  B – Very Good           3 – Meets Standard

  C – Satisfactory        2 – Progressing Toward
                              Standard
  D – Needs Improvement
                          1 – Below Standard
  F – Not performing

★ Top priority
★ Provide supplies and a quiet
  environment
★ Provide praise and support
★ Set daily homework time
   ○ Homework should take about 30 minutes to
     complete (not including studying for tests
     and/or at home projects).
   ○ Should your child seem to be having
     difficulty with assignments, please let me
     know.

★   Students will be given the following:
    ○ Agenda--As a 3rd grader, your child is expected to
       record their assignments each day.
    ○ Homework Folder--This will contain any homework
       assignments handed out.
★   Homework may be given Monday through Thursday (not
    including studying for tests and/or at home projects)
★   Reading homework will be assigned daily. Additional
    homework may be assigned for spelling, math, or content.

         THE IMPORTANCE OF
          READING AT HOME

★ Homework is checked, but not graded.
★ If homework is frequently not completed,
  the result will be an “N” on the student’s
  report card for effort and/or characteristics
  that affect learning.
★ Students are expected to make up
  homework when they are absent or have
  an early dismissal.
★ Loudoun County policy states that
  homework can not be given in advance.

Classroom
Management

PBIS       School wide
       Expectations
 Students are
 expected to
 demonstrate
    positive
  behavior by
  “Soaring to
 Excellence”
 with the 3 Rs

PBIS
                Classroom
         INCENTIVES
 Listed below are examples of the positive
 behavior incentives that will be used in the
 classroom throughout the year.
★   Compliment Jar
★   Mystery Reward Board
★   Positive Behavior Referral
★   Mystery Walker
★   Star Student
★   Cube-Its/Ticket System
    ○ Treasure Box
    ○ PBIS Shopping Catalog

Discipline
★ Natural consequences
★ “Think About It” forms
  ○ To remind students to make better
    behavior choices
  ○ Repetitive behaviors may need to be
    referred to office
★ Note, email, or phone call
  home
★ Administrative referral

Other Important
      Info

Covid Mitigation
● Physical distancing will be enforced, where possible, throughout
  all LCPS buildings. Per the VDH guidelines, in indoor K-12 settings,
  a student who is within 3-6 feet of an infected student is not
  considered a close contact as long as both students are wearing
  masks and the school has prevention strategies in place.
● Students at all grade levels may remove their masks when outside,
  eating or participating in physical education as listed below in the
  “Exceptions” section. School teams will coordinate times when a
  “mask break” can be safely implemented while maintaining at
  least 3 feet of physical separation between students when possible.
● All employees, visitors, volunteers, parents/guardians, and students
  older than 2 years of age are required to wear a mask at all times,
  except when eating or drinking and during physical activity.

Visitor Policy
● Visitation by parents must be
  pre-arranged and approved by the
  teacher or administration.
● Teachers will inform the office staff of
  any planned visitors in advance.
● All visitors must adhere to COVID
  mitigation guidelines of mask wearing
  and social distancing.
● Due to limited seating in the
  cafeteria/classroom, parents will not be
  permitted to eat lunch with students
  until social distancing guidelines are
  lifted.

Visitor Policy
● Pick up/drop-off of belongings -
  Parents will leave items on the table
  outside of the main entrance. Office
  staff will ensure items are delivered to
  students.
● Early dismissal - Parents buzz the
  office and wait for the student to be
  escorted out the main entrance.
● If parents inform the office/teacher,
  students may be brought to the lobby
  to wait for their parents to arrive.

Standardized tests
★ All 3rd Graders will take the MAP
  and SOL Tests during the Fall,
  Winter, & Spring
  ○ Math and Reading only
  ○ Student tests are given online
★ Developmental Reading
  Assessments (DRA)
★ Phonological Awareness Literacy
  Screening (PALS)

Absences &
       Early Dismissals
● Planned absences/late arrivals should
  be entered into ParentVue. This will
  notify the office staff and no phone call
  will be required.
● Planned early dismissals should also
  be entered into ParentVue to ensure the office
  staff is aware of the expected dismissal.
● You are also welcome to send me an email or
  send in a note for any planned absence, late
  arrival, or early dismissal IN ADDITION TO the
  ParentVue notification.

Snacks
o Students may bring the following each
  day:
  • a water bottle with secure closing (no
    glass containers and no colored
    drinks)
  • a healthy snack

o Working Snack- please nothing
  “messy” or anything needing
  utensils.

Miscellaneous
          “Odds & Ends”
o   Dismissal: Please be sure to review the dismissal
  information in ParentVue to ensure the most
  up-to-date information regarding your child’s
  dismissal plan(s)
o First Day Packets: Just a friendly reminder to
  ensure you review and complete all required
  information in the virtual First Day Packets.
o 1st Quarter Conferences: Will be done
  through Sign-Up Genius. An email will be sent
  sometime in September for you to sign up for a time
  to meet!

o Time Urgent Communications
   • For important information or transmissions,
     please send me a note with your child or call the
     office at (571) 252-2170 and leave a message.
   • I cannot check emails throughout the day, so I
     may not get the information fast enough! This
     includes dismissal changes... PLEASE call the
     office for unexpected dismissal changes!
o Non-urgent Communications
   • If you need to get in touch with me, please don’t
     hesitate to email me dmcgrath@lcps.org
   • sign up for REMIND