July24,2014

DearParents,
Welcometoanewschoolyear!MynameisMichelleAspdenandIwillbeyour
childsthirdgradeteacher.Thirdgradeisacrucialyearinyourchildseducational
development.Yourchildislearningvitalcomponentsthatwillbebuiltonfortheremainder
oftheirlives.
Arizonastatelawrequiresthatastudentshallnotbepromotedfromthirdgradeif
thestudentobtainsafailingreadingscoreonthestandardizedstatetest.Itismygoalto
providestudentsthestrategiesneededtobesuccessful.
Myeducationalphilosophyincludessharingmyloveforlearningandbuildingthat
sameloveintheheartsofmystudents.Ibelievethattheenvironmentofallclassrooms
shouldbebasedonmutualrespectandpositivereinforcement.Myclassismyschool
familyandIexpectstudentstotreateachotherrespectfully.
IhaveattachedacopyofmyClassroomProceduresandRequirements.Iam
askingthatyougooveritwithyourchildandsignit.Pleasealsotakeafewminutestofill
outtheStudentInformation,ParentQuestionnaire,andanyotherpaperwork.Iwouldlike
studentstoreturnallcompletedpaperworkbyFriday,August1st.
Iampositivethatwewillallgrowandlearnduringthisyear.Thiswillbemytenth
yearteachinghereatSanTanHeightsandmyfifthyearinthirdgrade.Ireceivedmy
BachelorofArtsDegreeinEarlyChildhoodEducationandElementaryEducationnfrom
WashingtonStateUniversity.IalsohaveaMastersDegreeinEducationwithan
emphasisonReadingEducationfromNorthernArizonaUniversity.

Mygoalistomotivateandencourageyourchildtobeabetterstudentandtohelp
themgrowinpursuitoftheirfullpotential.Thischallengewillonlybemetwiththe
cooperationofallthreepartiesyourchild,you,andme.Thisyearasaschool,weare
introducingaprogramcalledAPTT.Thisprogramwillhelptoempowerstudents,families
andteacherstoworktogethertodevelopindividuallearninggoalsforstudents.Beonthe
lookoutforinformationaboutupcomingmeetings.Iencourageyoutocomelearnhow
youcansupportlearningathome.Statisticsshowthatamajorityofastudentsdayis
spentawayfromschool.Weneedtoallworktogethertohelpyourchildlearnandgrowthis
year.
Dontforgetournewschoolhours7:452:15.Iwillmeetstudentsontheplayground
onthefirstdayofschool.Wewilllineupasclassandentertheclassoomtogether.
Ilookforwardtoworkingwithyouandyourchild.Ifyoueverhaveanyquestions,
pleasefeelfreetowritemeanote,callmeatschool(4803584243),oremailmeat
michelle.aspden@coolidgeschools.org.

Sincerely,

MichelleAspden