Dear Parents:                                                                                       August 26, 2008

Welcome to third grade!  I am Mrs. Sarah Adkins and I am looking forward to an exciting year with your child.  To begin our year, I have a few things to ask of you:

·         I would very much appreciate it if you would take the time to write me a letter telling me about your child.  You may include any insights you have on your child’s learning style, home situation, any fears, concerns, questions, or anything else relevant to your child’s education that you feel I should know.

·         I am looking for parent volunteers, specifically to help with my reading groups.  You would be in charge of about five kids at a time, guiding them through a chapter book separate from our reading series.  I will need help on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 – 9:30.  You are invited to help out once a week, once a month, or anywhere in between.  If you can let me know the kind of schedule you would like, I can work one up by the end of this week. 

·         Starting next Friday, September 5, you can expect to receive a Third Grade Newsletter weekly from me.  It will also be available on the school’s web site, pennoyerschool.org.  Please take the time to read through it completely and discuss our week with your child.  I will inform you of what the children learned during the week in each subject, and this will be my way of communicating new things with you regularly.

·         Each child in third grade is required to have an assignment notebook.  If you have not yet bought one from the school, you can send in $3 as soon as possible to get one.  This notebook will have daily assignments written in it, and I ask that you check this notebook and sign or initial it every day so that I know you have seen it.  I will check for your initials each morning.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to send in a note, send me an e-mail (sadkins@pennoyerschool.org), or leave me a message at our office at (708)456-9094.  I will gladly get back to you when I have a chance.  I am looking forward to seeing all of you at Open House on Thursday, September 11.  I will give you more details about our classroom procedures, discipline, and homework at that time.

Sincerely,       

Mrs. Sarah Adkins

Third Grade Teacher

Pennoyer Elementary School