Welcome to 4th Grade Reading

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Hello, my name is Patricia Cegielski and this is going to be a great year. I know many of you are
worried about your child’s education. I want you to know it’s my goal to guide your child through the
fourth grade with love and encouragement and to start them on the road to a love of reading.

A little information about me: I love to learn and am in the final semester of work for my
Master’s Degree in Education through Lamar University. I didn’t plan to continue past a bachelor’s
degree however, I couldn’t pass an opportunity to gain valuable insight and strategies that have led me
to be a better teacher to my students. This is the beginning of my twenty-first year at Van Vleck, my
very first in fourth grade reading and I am excited to watch your child grow in reading.

Here is some important information to help you understand my expectations for my class.

Homework and Absent work:

Students will be expected to read for 20 minutes each night. It’s okay for you and your child to “tag
team” reading; having the chance to listen to someone read is important as well as to practice reading
themselves. We will begin the year learning how to paraphrase the chapters we read to help students
gain a self-check strategy for comprehension. More information on this will be attached to their red
folder. Please be sure to sign and return the red folder every Monday.

Absent work will be available online via google classroom the morning your child is absent. Work is not
posted to make a sick child suffer but is available in the event they begin to feel better and don’t want to
fall behind.

I understand life happens but so does homework. I promise I will never send work home that doesn’t
have value to their learning, so please encourage your student to complete any work he may have.
Students are free to stay after school to complete any reading homework as needed. Students are also
welcome to stay after school to make up an assignment they missed or redo an assignment they were
struggling with. Please contact me if your student needs help and is not able to stay after school.
Remember: Your child’s education is my top priority and I will do what is needed to help your child
succeed.

Grades:

There will be a minimum of 12 daily grades and 3 test grade per grading cycle. Test and Daily are each
worth 50% of their total grade. Their red folders as well as their AR points will be counted as test grades
and an average of their 6 weeks AR comprehension test will be used as a test grade.

Behavior Policy:

A Social Contract as well as Class Procedures will be created in partnership with the students and will be
available via their “Google Classroom” by the end of the second day of school and an email will follow by
the end of the third day along with consequences for both positive and negative behaviors. We are
limiting the exchange of paper between the home and school but please let me know if you need a
paper copy.

Did you know family support is key in a student’s education? Please contact me with any concerns or
issues. I will listen with an open mind and welcome your suggestions. My contact information as well
as my conference times are listed below.

Volunteers are welcome in my class. There are guidelines and forms that will need to be filled out so
please contact me if you are able to help our students be successful.

Sincerely,

Patricia Cegielski

4th Grade Reading

979-323-5002
Conference:
9:45 – 10:55