Good afternoon,

We have made it through three great weeks of school!  In a couple of weeks, interim report cards will be coming.  Please make sure that your Gator is charging their device every night, and that they bring it to school charged and ready to go.  School picture order forms are coming home in Monday-folders today.  Please be sure to fill out and return by Wednesday morning if you would like to order pictures.  Below are the updates and reminders.  Please feel free to email us with questions, concerns, or happy thoughts.  

Sincerely,

Your Third Grade Team   

Mrs. Barrett and Mr. Nance  😊

Important Dates:

Wednesday, September 15 = Fall Pictures

Thursday, September 16 = Vision Screening

From Mrs. Barrett:  This week we will continue to read our second Magic Tree House novel, The Knight at Dawn. We are comparing story elements of these first two core novels, such as the main characters, setting, and plot. Students are learning strategies to help define unknown words. This week’s word analysis will include prefixes. Please make sure your child is reading and completing the reading log that was sent home last week. This specific reading log encourages students to read a variety of fiction and nonfiction books.

This week in social studies we will review the five themes of geography. Students will create a foldable and participate in a review Nearpod.

From Mr. Nance:   Last week we completed Eureka Math Lessons 9-11.  Today our Gators completed Eureka Math, Lesson 12.  Tomorrow our Gators will complete Lesson 13 in class and they may expect a quiz on Topic D (Lessons 11-13) after the lesson.  Please make use of the Parent Tip Sheets attached to this email to help your student practice their math lessons and math facts every day.  Wednesday we will learn Lesson 14.  Thursday we will learn Lesson 15.  Friday we will learn Lesson 16.  Next Monday we will practice Lesson 17 and then take our Topic E Quiz which covers lessons 14-17.  Please look through your Gator’s Eureka Math books to see what they are learning and practicing in class each day.  Many Gators are telling me how much fun they’re having practicing counting by 3’s or 4’s as they walk the dog, or while they’re riding their bikes.  Skip-counting is one of our strategies for learning our multiplication tables.  Please practice skip-counting with your Gators as we learn our multiplication facts!   Beginning this week, please practice your child’s multiplication tables together, focusing on the 2’s, 3’s, 4’s,and 5’s.  This is a habit that we need to practice every single day.   😊

From Ms. Harris:

One Card (ID Badges)…

As a friendly reminder, please ensure your child is wearing their one cards (ID badges) daily with the supplied lanyards ONLY, as they are breakaway lanyards which prevents choking. Also, if they lose their badges they will have to be replaced for $5. If they lose their lanyard, the fee is $1. We will begin scanning lanyards upon entry in the coming weeks.

Tardies…

It is important students arrive to school on time, as instruction begins at 7:45a. Car Rider: If your child is tardy, they will not be allowed to receive breakfast. As I stand on car duty, I am aware of the cars which are added to the end and are in the line in ample time to get in without being tardy. So, if you don’t see staff, or see them leaving their duty station, your child is tardy. Our Gators are getting better at getting out in a timely manner. As a friendly reminder, please encourage them upon entering campus to unstrap, put on their masks and backpacks, and ensure they have all items in hand, as this will assist with moving the line in a timely manner.

PTA Updates

Parent GLT Representative…General Greene’s Leadership Team (GLT) has a parent vacancy that needs to be filled. Please look for more information attached to the phone message and teacher weekly email communication.

Join the PTA…If you have not already, we are asking each family member join the PTA. The fee is $7. A paper copy of the PTA membership form was sent home at the beginning of the year. Your child’s teacher will email one with their electronic weekly communication.  

We are the B.E.S.T.T.!

Spotlight of the WEEK!

Special thanks to Mrs. Huff and Mrs. Archer for coordinating the BOG assessment!

TO PARENTS

NEW:

School Picture Day

(Fall Poster attached)

A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at our school 9/15/2021 to photograph our fall pictures. Please find the attached digital poster regarding our picture day.

Please see the link below, as this link will allow you to sign up to receive updates via email regarding their child's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.

Sign Up for Picture Updates

NEW:

Attractions Fundraiser

We will begin our PTA Attractions fundraiser tomorrow. Your child will come home with the fundraiser packet. Each coupon book is $25, and for every book sold, $12.50 will come back to the school. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please return the packet which includes the Attractions book.

Attractions Fundraiser Kickoff Video

NEW:

Greene Leadership Team (GLT) Parent Representative

(attached)

Please considering nominating yourself or someone you know to join our Greene Leadership Team as a parent representative. This is a wonderful opportunity to be involved in the education and well-being of our students at General Greene Elementary! If you would like to nominate yourself, please complete this form and return by Wednesday, September 15^th.

REMINDER:

Car Rider Tardies and Breakfast

Please make sure your child arrives to school on time. Parents who join the line after the bell, will have to come in and sign in your child, and your child will be considered tardy. Also, car riders who arrive to school after the bell, will not be allowed to get breakfast, as students are supposed to be in the classroom before the bell.

REMINDER:

Water Bottles and Water Cooler

Please be sure to send a clear non-disposable water bottle to school with your child, if you’d like them to refill at the bottle filling station. Disposable water bottles are not allowed at the filling station.

REMINDER:

Playground Equipment

Students should NOT bring balls or any other playground equipment to school.

REMINDER:

Face Masks

Face masks must be worn at all times. Students are allowed to remove masks while eating and outside as long as they remain 3 feet from peers and adults. If not, they will be asked to wear their masks.

What kind of face-covering is acceptable? 

• Face coverings/face masks help limit the spread of COVID-19 and are mandatory in GCS schools.
• GCS will provide face coverings for all students and staff. If students or staff prefer to wear their own face coverings/face masks, they should: 
• Be made of washable and breathable fabric that is tightly woven. Lace, bandanas, old t-shirts and stretchy knits do not provide sufficient protection. 
• Have at least two layers of material.  
• Fit snugly to the child’s face and covers the nose and mouth.  
• Should be cleaned every day.  
• Handled by the ear loops or ties only. 
• Student and staff face coverings/masks must comply with all GCS policies and the Student Code of Conduct, as well as school dress codes. Non-compliance may result in student/personnel disciplinary action.
• NO gaiters or masks with valves.

REMINDER:

COVID Protocols and Procedures

If you have not already, please take a look at the following links.  A great deal of information is available on GCS’ website. The main address is nc01910393.schoolwires.net/reopening. Please take note of the Protocols and Procedures page.

Good afternoon,

We have made it through two great weeks of school!  Below are the updates and reminders.  Please feel free to email us with questions, concerns, or happy thoughts.  

Sincerely,

Your Third Grade Team   

Mrs. Barrett and Mr. Nance  😊

From Mrs. Barrett:  Students have been busy with a variety of beginning of year assessments. It has been a joy reading individually with students and getting to know their specific reading levels. These assessments will continue over the next few weeks. Please have your child bring headphones to school if they haven’t ready. All students received an Epic class code and password. In order for students to take advantage of read aloud books on Epic, they must have headphones. Is your child reading at least 30 minutes each day afterschool? The best way to become a stronger reader is to READ! I have enjoyed seeing completed reading logs and learning about the books your child has read.

This week we will complete our first Magic Treehouse novel and begin the second book, The Knight at Dawn. We will analyze the main characters, Jack and Annie, as well as start studying the elements of plot. In Social Studies we will continue studying the five themes of geography.

Reading Logs

Thank you to all students that completed and returned last week’s reading log! If you have not already, please complete and return last week’s reading log to Mrs. Barrett. Today students received a new reading log. This is for both fiction and nonfiction reading. Students have 2 weeks to complete this new reading log. You can complete the questions in any order. I will collect the new reading log on Monday, September 20. Please let me know if you have any questions. Happy Reading!

From Mr. Nance:   Last week we completed Eureka Math Lessons 4-8.  Today our Gators took their BOG (Beginning of Grade Test) which took the better part of our morning.  Due to the BOG we did not have a new Science lesson today.  Today we also completed Eureka Math, Lesson 9.  Tomorrow our Gators will complete Lesson 10 in class and they may expect a quiz on Topic C (Lessons 7-10) after the lesson.  Please make use of the Parent Tip Sheets attached to this email to help your student practice their math lessons and math facts every day.  Thursday we will take our Mid-Module Assessment.  This assessment will cover everything we’ve learned so far in Lessons 1-10.  On Friday, we will continue with Topic D, Lesson 11.  Please look through your Gator’s Eureka Math books to see what they are learning and practicing in class each day.  Many Gators are telling me about counting by 3’s or 4’s as they walk the dog, or counting by 2’s and 5’s while they’re riding their bikes.  Skip-counting is one of our strategies for learning our multiplication tables.  Please practice skip-counting with your Gators as we learn our multiplication facts!   😊

From Ms. Harris:

One Card (ID Badges)…

As a friendly reminder, please ensure your child is wearing their one cards (ID badges) daily with the supplied lanyards ONLY, as they are breakaway lanyards which prevents choking. Also, if they lose their badges they will have to be replaced for $5. If they lose their lanyard, the fee is $1. We will begin scanning lanyards upon entry in the coming weeks.

Tardies…

It is important students arrive to school on time, as instruction begins at 7:45a. Car Rider: If your child is tardy, they will not be allowed to receive breakfast. As I stand on car duty, I am aware of the cars which are added to the end and are in the line in ample time to get in without being tardy. So, if you don’t see staff, or see them leaving their duty station, your child is tardy. Our Gators are getting better at getting out in a timely manner. As a friendly reminder, please encourage them upon entering campus to unstrap, put on their masks and backpacks, and ensure they have all items in hand, as this will assist with moving the line in a timely manner.

Next Week

Wednesday, September 15…School Pictures

PTA Updates

Parent GLT Representative…General Greene’s Leadership Team (GLT) has a parent vacancy that needs to be filled. Please look for more information attached to the phone message and teacher weekly email communication.

Join the PTA…If you have not already, we are asking each family member join the PTA. The fee is $7. A paper copy of the PTA membership form was sent home at the beginning of the year. Your child’s teacher will email one with their electronic weekly communication.  

We are the B.E.S.T.T.!

Spotlight of the WEEK!

Special thanks to our BTs for making it through their first two weeks!

Mrs. Rahuba just can’t leave us, as she will be serving in our .5 office assistant position until we are able to fill the position. 

TO PARENTS

NEW:

Car Rider Tardies and Breakfast

Please make sure your child arrives to school on time. Parents who join the line after the bell, will have to come in and sign in your child, and your child will be considered tardy. Also, car riders who arrive to school after the bell, will not be allowed to get breakfast, as students are supposed to be in the classroom before the bell.

REMINDER:

Playground Equipment

Students should NOT bring balls or any other playground equipment to school.

REMINDER:

Face Masks

Face masks must be worn at all times. Students are allowed to remove masks while eating and outside as long as they remain 3 feet from peers and adults. If not, they will be asked to wear their masks.

What kind of face-covering is acceptable? 

• Face coverings/face masks help limit the spread of COVID-19 and are mandatory in GCS schools.
• GCS will provide face coverings for all students and staff. If students or staff prefer to wear their own face coverings/face masks, they should: 
• Be made of washable and breathable fabric that is tightly woven. Lace, bandanas, old t-shirts and stretchy knits do not provide sufficient protection. 
• Have at least two layers of material.  
• Fit snugly to the child’s face and covers the nose and mouth.  
• Should be cleaned every day.  
• Handled by the ear loops or ties only. 
• Student and staff face coverings/masks must comply with all GCS policies and the Student Code of Conduct, as well as school dress codes. Non-compliance may result in student/personnel disciplinary action.
• NO gaiters or masks with valves.

REMINDER:

COVID Protocols and Procedures

If you have not already, please take a look at the following links.  A great deal of information is available on GCS’ website. The main address is nc01910393.schoolwires.net/reopening. Please take note of the Protocols and Procedures page.

Good afternoon,

We’ve made it through the first week of third grade!!!  Thanks so much to everyone who has already completed and turned in the beginning of school paperwork.  If you haven’t turned it in yet, please send it with your child on Monday.  This week we’ve practiced being 2CRTE all around our campus.  Please ask your Gator what it means to be 2CRTE and how we can model that behavior as we travel through our school day.  Third Grade BOG (Beginning of Grade) testing will take place on September 7^th.   Below you will find specific updates for your student’s core classes.

Please feel free to email us with questions, concerns, or happy thoughts.  

Sincerely,

Your Third Grade Team,

Mrs. Barrett, and Mr. Nance   😊

Science:  This week we’ve learned about and compared the Earth’s saltwater and freshwater features including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ponds, streams.   On Monday we’re discussing glaciers.  Next week we will continue talking about the Earth’s land features including volcanoes, mountains, valleys, canyons, caverns, and islands.  Your Gator will be exposed to models, pictures, diagrams, and maps.  Please ask your Gator this weekend about how much salt is actually in the ocean, and how it got there. 

Math:   This week we completed Eureka Math Module 1, Lessons 1-3.  We are in the process of taking our first math quiz which correlates with Lessons 1-3, Topic A.  Attached you will find the Eureka Math Parent Tip Sheets for Topics A (completing now), Topic B which we begin on Monday, and Topic C which we begin on Thursday.  Topic B consists of only three lessons so your Gator’s next quiz will take place on Wednesday upon completion of Lesson 6.  These Parent Tip Sheets are a great resource for parents who want to help their students be successful in Eureka Math.  Please ask your Gator the difference between factors and products.  We are practicing multiplication, and on Monday we begin to understand the meaning of division.  Feel free to begin practicing multiplication facts with your Gator.  Ask your Gator to teach you some of the fluency activities we do every day in Eureka Math.  Practicing math can be a lot of fun while we ride our bikes or walk the dog!!

Social Studies: On Monday we will begin our 5 themes of geography focus. Students will be using Nearpod to learn more about the regions of North Carolina.

English / Language Arts:   Each day this week we read a variety of books related to being 2CRTE (caring, cooperative, respectful, trustworthy, show effort). We have also used this for our daily writing prompt focus. On Wednesday, we started our first core text, Magic Treehouse: Dinosaurs Before Dark. We are analyzing the main characters, Jack and Annie. We are also utilizing strategies to improve our reading comprehension, such as asking questions about the text. One-on-one reading assessments will begin next week. I look forward to reading with students individually to gain a better understanding of their vocabulary, fluency, and reading comprehension. Please make sure your child is reading for at least 30 minutes daily. Reading logs will be coming home in homework folders next week.

Dear Family,

We are starting a unit on Diversity and Inclusion with Harmony SEL, our social and emotional learning program. Throughout this unit, students will discover shared interests, explore how each person is unique and valued, and develop a common classroom identity.

Getting to Know One Another lays the foundation for a broad range of solid relationships.  During this unit, students will share a bit about themselves with their classmates and work to discover what they have in common with one another. They will also learn that both similarities and differences are valued—and that we may have things in common with those who initially seem different from us.

Learning Something New is possible when people appreciate one another's differences. Differences allow us to consider unique ideas and think about alternative perspectives. Students will take turns sharing their own knowledge and unique skills with their classmates, allowing them to experience the benefits of interacting with, and learning from, peers who are different from them.

Our Classroom Identity helps students feel welcome, accepted, and connected to others. In this unit, students will discuss what it means to belong to a group and explore the elements that make our classroom a community. They will work to discover what they have in common and then cooperate to find creative ways of expressing our classroom identity.

An important part of this program is for students to continue discussing and practicing concepts outside the classroom. I’m hoping you can reinforce at home what we are learning in class. Ask your child about these concepts!

Thank you for your involvement. Please contact us if you have any questions about the Harmony program.

Sincerely,

Your 3^rd Grade Team – Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Barrett, Mr. Blough, and Mr. Nance

Dear Families:

Fulfilled, happy, confident, responsible, kind, and loving. We have learned that these are goals families want for their children, and as teachers, what we want for our students.

We recognize that as a family member, you are our students’ first teacher and we want to partner with you to help our children become tolerant, compassionate, and caring adults. To support achieving these goals and to help our students build their social and emotional skills, we are pleased to share that we are implementing Harmony SEL in our school community.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) helps children by promoting their health and emotional well-being and contributing to the prevention of violence, truancy, bullying, and substance abuse. In addition, SEL is associated with significant gains on academic achievement tests.

Harmony is designed to build healthy relationships among students by having them engage in activities that promote understanding and respect. Over the course of the five units listed below, students will enhance their abilities to learn, work, and spend time together.

• Diversity and Inclusion
• Critical Thinking
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Peer Relationships

Information will be sent home periodically, sharing activities in each unit. You will find out more about Harmony Goals, Meet Up, Buddy Up, and other fun strategies being used in the classroom. We welcome your feedback. To learn more about Harmony please visit harmonysel.org.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Your 3^rd Grade Team – Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Barrett, Mr. Blough, and Mr. Nance