Welcome to 4^th grade! My name is Miss Holloman, and I am beginning my 4^th year at West Lake Elementary. I was a student teacher with Mrs. Swanson for two years, and began teaching 4^th grade on Track 3 in 2005. Since that time, I have taught 3^rd grade, and I was a 4^th grade teacher on Track 2 last year. Being the “new kid on the block,” you tend to get moved where you are needed! I am delighted to be on Track 4 this year. In the past four years I have grown to love and respect our school and all of those who create our school community. My focus as a teacher is to learn with my students, and continually adjust my methods to meet the needs of all those I touch to the best of my ability.

I am looking forward to this new school year and all of the exciting things that await us this year. The first thing many think of when they enter fourth grade is the NC Writing Test. Put your worries aside. We have many things in place to help your children progress in writing, including the inclusion of writing team time, to go along with the math team time we started last year to target specific areas of need. This will not only give your children more skill specific instruction in writing and math, but it will allow them the opportunity to gain exposure to the other awesome teachers on our grade level: Mrs. Clavijo, Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Sawyer, Mrs. Brady, and Mrs. Miller. We will also work to help you as parents learn more about the NC writing expectations. I will discuss the writing test and the 4^th grade academic curriculum in more detail at the Open House.

Fourth grade is a year of not only increased academic expectations, but also increased student responsibility. Students will be held accountable for forgotten homework, even if parents bring it to school. Students will have to write down and keep track of homework, tests, and projects in their own agendas. Students will also be responsible for taking their own notes studying those notes for tests. This may seem a challenge at the start of the year, but by working together and holding the children accountable, we will achieve growth in terms of behavior and study skills. It is important that students have the supplies listed on the supply list as soon as possible. I will help them to label and organize their folders, in order to get ready for the year. Let me know if you can not afford any of the supplies due to financial hardship. Students will have behavior calendars to be signed nightly, at least for the start of the year. This will help us communicate regularly about behavior and study skill progress. Ask parents who have been through 4^th grade before, you will be amazed at how far your children will come, but it may take time to get there.

Again, I look forward to meeting and working with each one of you and your children this year! I can’t wait to see what amazing things will take place this year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Holloman