Let’s Commence Our 4th Grade School Year!

Welcome to our St. Mary’s 4th grade scholars, and to those families who are new, I want to assure you that this is a wonderful school! Reverend Wiedenfeld, Mrs. Wyles, all faculty, and staff are warm, welcoming and inclusive to all who come through the school doors. My goal is to make this school year a great experience of personal growth and learning for my students. Our 2022-2023 St. Mary’s School wide theme is Joyful Disciples that is practiced in our daily classroom conduct. We will be reading and writing from engaging stories about the discovery of new worlds up until the early modern times, while also enacting plays written by English playwrights. Our science and math will involve hands-on experiments connecting nature found on planet Earth to God’s amazing construction of the Universe. These learning themes will support literature centered around our Christian faith, forming a foundation of a Catholic classical education.

 If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me via email lenloe@stmarys-temple.org  or call  the  school telephone number 254-778-8141. I am available for scheduled conferences via telephone or in-person and will arrange a time convenient for us to meet during or after school. Thank you for your continued support and for sending your child to St. Mary’s Catholic School. We are going to have a GREAT year!

Classroom Rules

1. Thank God in daily prayer

2.  Listen carefully

3.  Raise your hand before speaking out loud

4.  Follow Directions

5.  Work quietly.  Do not disturb others who are working.

6.  Respect others.  Be kind with your words and actions.

Conduct

 St. Mary’s Catholic school is committed to the principle that teaching students to conduct themselves properly in all situations must be a shared effort between parents and educators. All students should be given the opportunity to learn in a safe environment free from distraction. We will learn and practice our classroom rules to promote good behavior and correct choices; however, students will understand that there may be  consequences if good citizenship is not folowed.

Appropriate student conduct applies to both the classroom and in all areas within the school grounds, which include following classroom rules and upholding the  school expectations for conduct and discipline found in the 2022-2023 Student-Parent Handbook p 18-26. To promote student behavior expectations that are fair and consistent, we will implement a progressive discipline policy that will include the following:

1st infraction: Verbal redirection

2nd infraction: Classroom consequence (detention, silent lunch, missed recess or loss of a classroom privilege)

Detention slips will be sent home the day of the infraction and must be signed by the parent and returned the following day. Students are given detention on Thursday afternoon from  3:45-4:30 p.m.

3rd infraction: Student is sent to Mrs. Wyles, writes a reflection and the parent is contacted.

Please review the school’s conduct expectations as well as our 4th grade classroom rules with your child. It is important that we partner in their education so that they may receive the best learning experience.

Community Service

Community service is a quarterly Religion grade as a part of the Religion curriculum. Students should perform 3 hours of service each quarter (9 weeks) and will be required to write a paragraph of reflection about the service. For examples of community service options see p. 17 of the 2022-2023 Student-Parent Handbook.

Dress Code: All Uniforms must come from Risse Uniform Company

• Boys are to wear blue and white striped shirts (Mass uniform) or light blue polo shirts with school logos daily. On Mass days (Thursdays) and Holy Days of Obligation, boys must wear mass shirts, pants, belts, and ties. 
• Girls may wear light blue polo shirts with school logos and navy skorts or navy jumpers with school logos and white shirts. On Mass days (Thursdays) and Holy Day of Obligation, girls must wear their jumper with a school logo and white shirt.
• Spirit Days will take place every Friday. Spirit Day dress is as follows: Gray St. Mary’s Catholic School T-Shirt, properly fitted blue jeans with a navy, black, or brown belt, and school shoes. Capris and walking shorts are also allowed.
• Only school sweaters and school-emblem fleece jackets can be worn inside the classroom and church during Mass. Coats for outside play do not have to be uniform. Each child has a hook in the classroom to hang up winter coats or rain jackets. 

Drop-off and Dismissal:

Students may be dropped off in the cafeteria beginning at 7:00 a.m. before school. They will be supervised until 7:40 a.m. when they will be released to their classrooms. You may choose to park and walk your student inside the building beginning at 7:45 a.m. All students should be prepared for the day by 8:00 a.m. to join the school in the Pledge of Allegiance and opening prayer. It is extremely important that your child is in the classroom by 8:00 a.m.

We will dismiss at 3:30 p.m. after closing prayer. Students will be escorted to the cul-de-sac by school safety patrol. Parents are welcome to pick-up their child at the classroom door as well. Additional guidance on Drop-off/Dismissal was sent out with specific changes.

Field Trips  (Spring Semester)

Parents will be needed to provide transportation for field trips. Parents must be in compliance with the Diocesan requirements when volunteering at St. Mary’s. All volunteers within the Catholic Church are required to complete an application that will be kept on file with the Diocese and attend an Ethic and Integrity in Ministry (EIM) workshop every three years. More information can be found at www.austindiocese.org. The link directing you to the correct section of the website is eAppsDB.

Student Planner and Homework

Students require a St Mary’s issued 2022-2023 Catholic Student Planner. This planner is  used by students at the end of each school day to organize their daily unfinished assignments by subject and write their weekly spelling words. Please review this planner each evening with your child to determine if they have uncompleted daily assignments. Spelling words should be practiced daily, and children are required to  read their Accelerated Reader book 50 minutes per week (10 minutes per day). Students are  responsible for giving you their planner, and you are asked to initial inside the planner each school day. 

Birthdays and other Special Celebrations

We will recognize and celebrate all 4th grade students’ birthdays but I  ask that you do not send or bring food to distribute to the students. If you would like to bring items for your child’s birthday to share in class, they must be a treat bag with no food (including candy). 

Christian holidays and special events will be recognized in our classroom. Students may be asked to participate with items brought from home for some occasions. I will notify you about these events on the 4th grade website under announcements/weekly spelling & vocabulary.

This school year is full of learning opportunities, Christian growth, and bonding friendships with others in our class and throughout school. I thank you for allowing me to be a part of their childhood journey planting the seeds of  Catholic faith and moral values so that they become productive citizens of our community,  country, and the world.

Appreciatively,

Laurie Enloe