I apologize for the editing errors in one of the sentences on the parent orientation notice that went home today. Unfortunately, it was not caught until after school.

Whew! Today was a busy day. The students spent the morning working on a math universal screening that will indicate which math skills your son or daughter has mastered and which skills need to be reinforced. In the afternoon, Mrs. Craven, our reading specialist, screened each student in oral reading fluency. I will be studying this data to give your child the appropriate amount of challenge in math and reading by setting goals in these areas.

Please notice that a chart has been glued into your child’s homework folder for your signature each Thursday night. Graded papers will be sent home each Thursday in the pocket above this chart. There is only one page going home this week, but you will have several next week. These papers do not need to be returned. Please help your child go through his or her homework folder and take out any notices from school as well. Papers can pile up in a student’s folder and make it difficult for them to find important papers.

Lastly, half of the students presented their name projects this afternoon and they were fabulous. It was interesting to hear about the stories behind each child’s name as well as to see the creative posters. We will display these posters in the third grade hall for a few weeks and then send them home for you to treasure. If your child did not present his or her project today, he or she will be able to present tomorrow afternoon. I am looking forward to learning more about our class and the special stories behind the names of each child.

Thank you for your kind words and expressions of support. It means so much. The students were thrilled to see Mrs. Langley today and she knew almost all of them. I know she is eager to get to know the newest Roughnecks as well. Mrs. Langley is a good fit for our class. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As some of you may know I was treated for breast cancer in 2010. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with a different type of breast cancer last week. My doctor believes that the cancer is localized and that surgery will take care of the problem. As of today, I am waiting for a surgery date. It may be at the end of next week or the following week. Mrs. Parker has hired Minnette Langley to substitute in my class while I am recovering. If all goes well I should be back at work 4-6 weeks after the surgery takes place.

Mrs. Langley has been a substitute teacher in the primary grades and has come to me with very good recommendations. I will be working with her in the coming days so that her transition will be smooth. I am excited that she has agreed to substitute for me and feel that the class will be in good hands while I recover. It is never a good time to receive such a diagnosis, but it is particularly difficult at the beginning of the school year. I am getting to know your children and absolutely love them and love being in third grade again.

I will introduce your children to Mrs. Langley tomorrow and will explain to them why I will be gone for several weeks. In fact some of the students may already know her. I plan on being at the Parent Orientation along with Mrs. Langley and the rest of the third grade team on Thursday, September 13, unless I get scheduled for surgery before.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me by phone or email. I will return your messages as soon as possible. I also plan on staying in contact with the class as my strength improves. It is going to be a great year. Mrs. Langley has the support of all the third grade teachers and I know the class will not skip a beat.

The third grade students are learning how to use their planners to record their assignments. They are learning how to find the current week and to copy their assignments off the master calendar. Table captains are responsible to check the planners of the students at their tables as part of the responsibilities in which they earn tickets to be redeemed for prizes or special privileges.

Beginning tonight students are asked to read for 20 minutes each night for homework except Friday night and the weekend. Parents please sign your child’s planner after he or she has read. I would like your child to write the name of the book that he or she reads each night in the planner for accountability and for a record of books read.

Also don’t forget your child’s “Name” project is due on Thursday, September 6.

Today was a memorable one. The students saw old friends and made new ones. We organized our supplies, read “First Day Jitters,” made play dough creatures, and practiced skip-counting and problem problem solving in which students wrote the problems on their desks! You might want to ask your child about that one! Homework for this week is the Brown Bag project. Please see the directions that were sent home today. It is due by Friday. Students can share their paper bags with their classmates as they bring them in this week.

Your child’s schedule and other information will be coming home soon.

Also please save the date for 3rd Grade Orientation: Thursday, September 13 at 5:30 P.M. in the elementary cafeteria. Please try to attend this very important meeting as we discuss the overview of this school year.

I look forward to getting to know all of you and being a partner in the education of your precious children.