Welcome

to Fourth Grade! I am so excited to work with you. I am looking forward to

ge<ng to know you. It is going to be a year lled with fun and learning. I have been
preparing our classroom: se<ng up our library, designing bulleCn boards and creaCng
learning areas. I hope you and your families have been enjoying the beauCful summer
weather we have had over the last couple of months. I am sure that all of you have been
spending Cme outside as well as enjoying The Governors Summer Reading Challenge! Our
community goal is to have 100% parCcipaCon in the challenge again this year. If you need
more informaCon or an addiConal Summer Reading Journal, please visit the State Dept. of
EducaCon website.
About Fourth Grade
In math, we will conCnue to strengthen our fact uency and further our understanding of
fracCons and geometry. In social studies, we will locate and idenCfy the regions of
ConnecCcut and study the history of our interesCng state. In science, we will invesCgate
force and moCon, electricity, and ecosystems. In reading, we will conCnue to learn new
strategies to become more ecient readers. We will also work to improve our
comprehension, or understanding, of what we read. In wriCng, we will rene our use of
vocabulary, grammar, and organizaCon to elevate our wriCng.
What to Bring to School

You will need to bring a bag or backpack to school every day to carry papers, projects, and
reading materials to and from school. I will provide each of you with a CommunicaCon
folder to keep any important notes that come from the oce or me. This folder needs to
be checked with a family member on a nightly basis and returned to school every day.
You will also receive a planner to keep track of homework assignments, projects, and your
Specials/Band/Student Council schedules.

We are pleased that we have the ability to provide you

with a variety of school supplies this year. Please
consider purchasing a pencil case and stocking it with
pencils, erasers, colored pencils, and post-its. I also
strongly recommend that you bring a quality pair of
headphones or earbuds to use with your Chromebooks
throughout the year. If your family would like to donate
any of the following items to our classroom,
they would be put to good use: hand
saniCzer, post-its, index cards,
or Cssues.

 About Me

This is my third year as a fourth grade teacher at Goshen
Center School, but I have been working within Region 6
for about seven years. My family lives in Goshen and our
two daughters both a]ended Goshen Center School. My
husband also works at Goshen Center School as the
a^ernoon custodian. My favorite pasCme is being with
friends and family, especially if we are camping or in New
Jersey with my Grandma, who recently turned 100 years
old.
My philosophy as a teacher is to prepare students to become independent, producCve
individuals and to inspire them to embrace a love of learning in all areas. I believe in
the power of posiCvity and that sharing laughter and smiles with students helps them
feel comfortable and open to learning.

I cant wait to hear about all of the amazing books you have been reading this
summer. Dont forget to log all your reading in your Summer Reading Journal for The
Governors Summer Reading Challenge! Again, we are aiming for 100% parCcipaCon,
so be prepared to bring in a list of the books you read on the very rst day of school.
Please bring in your favorite book from your summer reading and mark your mostloved part with a post-it, as well as a picture from a great summer memory. We will
share these in class!

The Ice Cream Social is scheduled for Monday, August 29 at 5:00 pm. I hope to see you
there, but if not, I will see you on the rst day of school on Wednesday, August 31. Be
sure to get a good nights sleep and eat a healthy breakfast. If you or your family
would like to contact me, you can email me at vspino@rsd6.org or through my
webpage, h]p://mrsspino4thgrade.weebly.com.


Sincerely,
Mrs. Spino