skeen@troy.k12.mi.us

Mrs. Lara Hessler (head secretary)

lhessler@troy.k12.mi.us

Mrs. Nancy Arabbo (attendance secretary)

narabbo@troy.k12.mi.us

Office Phone: 248-823-3200

I typically respond to email between 8:30-4:30 each school day. I am a busy mom, so sometimes it is a later in the evening when I check and respond to email.

IMPORTANT: If your email requires more than a couple sentence response, I will most likely follow up with a phone call.

IPads are to be used for school purposes only.  As a parent  myself, I find it is important to minimize technology use to less than 2 hours per day. At school, iPad use is usually about an hour. What they choose to do with free time is something we talk about in class.

IPads should come to school every day with 100% charge.  Headphones are also required.  We use the iPads on a daily basis, and we do not have extra if the iPad is not charged or at home.  Please leave the charger and cord at HOME.  Too often, students have brought their chargers to school and then they mysteriously disappear. 

Please consider buying the $10 insurance for the iPad if you have not already done so.  This helps significantly if the iPad is damaged. 

If an iPad is lost, it is important that you notify me as soon as possible.  Our technology department can ping the iPad to find out the location.  If the iPad loses charge, the ping is no longer going to work. 

It is important that the students understand that they are responsible for the hardware and all content on their iPads. 

We frequently "sweep" the iPads to make sure the students aren't finding themselves in internet places that they shouldn't be. 

Please, as a parent/guardian, look through your child's iPad.  Please take a close look at:

1. Pictures/videos

2. Web searches

3. Apps that have been downloaded

4. Emails

5. Notes

Any concerns about the iPad, please let me know. 

Student Emails

Each child has a TSD email address.  The students can only send and receive emails from other TSD email accounts.  At the beginning of every school year, I help the students learn how to use their email.  I encourage them to email me whenever they need.  

The email is monitored by the TSD technology department.  Sometimes emails are flagged due to inappropriate content.  We discuss appropriate/inappropriate use of email (and all of technology) throughout the course of the school year. 

As a parent/guardian, please monitor their emails.  Please scroll through them to make sure they are using their technology in an appropriate manner.  

Student Passwords: We encourage all students to try their new password prior to the first day of school, by signing into OneDrive, Schoology, etc. with their district issued iPad.The STUDENT password uses the following format:

First Initial Last Initial = (equal sign) 6 digit birthdate (mmddyy)

EXAMPLE: John Doe, Date of Birth July 09, 2011 – Password: jd=070911

Please contact the help desk at 248-823-5092or email help@troy.k12.mi.usTechnology support documents are also available anytime at: https://www.troy.k12.mi.us/techhelp

iPad Insurance Directions 

Annual Student iPad Responsibility & Optional Insurance FormEach year, parents need to complete the iPad Responsibility Form and opt-in or -out of the optional iPad insurance program in the PowerSchool Parent Portal via the Forms Link.If your child has a district issued iPad, this form should be completed as soon as possible. The form and ability to opt-in for insurance will close on November 30th. Once the window closes, only students new to the district will have the option to purchase insurance for the current school year.Insurance Payments: If you have completed the form but have not yet submitted your payment, please do so as soon as possible to avoid receiving further reminders. Payment instructions are on the form, and payments should not be made until the on-line form has been completed.This form MUST be completed for EACH student. If your student does not have a district provided iPad, please indicate that on the form.·

9:09-9:25 - Morning Meeting and Morning work 

9:25-10:20 - Writing

10:20-11:05 - Specials 

11:05-11:25- Recess and Snack 

11:25-12:50 -Number Corner and Math 

12:50-1:30 - Recess and Lunch 

1:30-2:45 - Read Aloud and Reading

2:45-3:00- Brain Break

3:05-3:55 - Science or Social Studies

3:55- 4:07 - Pack up and dismissal 

Snack ideas:

cut fruits and vegetables

protein/cereal bars

popcorn

dry cereal

muffins

pretzels

banana

Reading 30 minutes daily

Journal Writing

Home Connections Math (on Schoology). This is not something that is collected or corrected.

NO School on Halloween. Stay tuned for evening events.

Valentine's Day-

February 14th- cards and candy will be passed out and students will be encouraged to decorate a Valentine Box at home to bring in to collect the goodies.

End of the Year Party-

We typically head over to Robinwood Park the last week of school and spend a half day of school there playing, having ice cream and pizza. 

What most people call me: "Mom", "Katie" or "Mrs. Harp" 

Birthday: May 12th

Family: I have a daughter named Sophie. She attends Michigan State University. She studies biology. l have a son named Ryan. He is in high school and plays football and baseball. My husband is named Andy.

College: I graduated from Michigan State in 1999. Go Green!

Favorite Foods: Pizza, Grilled Chicken and Shrimp, Cashews, Chips and Salsa, tacos, loaded baked potato soup, and Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Things I like to do: Watch Reality TV, watch baseball and football, travel, hang out with my family, read, garden, research

Favorite Places: Disney World, Siesta Key, national parks, Target, Iceland, Northern Michigan, farmers markets, my backyard and Morse Elementary

Save Me a Seat

The War that Saved My Life

The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Tale of Desperaux

Wild Robot

Restart

If the behavior is more serious, an Office Discipline Referral will be given to Mr. Keen and you will hear from him or a head teacher.

Tuesdays B Day- Gym

Wednesdays C Day- Media

Thursdays D Day- Art

Friday- Rotates, please see the Specials Schedule above.

Keep in mind that there are only 9 opportunities to be the Mustang of the Month and many kids are deserving!

We have a structured reading lesson everyday. We also read in small groups, partnerships and independently.

We expect that students are reading for about 40 minutes in school and 20 minutes at home daily.

Each year, the curriculum is changing and evolving to best suit the needs of the students in the classroom.

Overall, we want to strengthen the students abilities in fluency, accuracy, and comprehension, while building their love of reading. 

The students will read both digital and print books.  The students will also be required time dedicated to reading independently both at school and at home. 

Writing

Similar to reading, we have a structured writing lesson everyday.

The students use our block of time during writing to learn a small mini lesson then apply what they learning to a writing piece (or pieces) that they are working on. 

In 4th Grade the big focus of writing in the volume and the content of the piece they are creating.  We want them to develop the stamina to write from beginning to end, without omitting the details that capture the true essence of their sample. 

The students will each have their own journals where they will write, write, write!  Over the course of the school year, they will fill the pages of several journals.  We will encourage them to take their journals home to share their work with their families. 

As with reading, writing will also occur in both print and digital formats. The students will publish several pieces on their iPads to familiarize themselves with typing and sustaining stamina to create an entire writing piece over the course of a given time.

more_vertical

Math

For math, we use Bridges Math. 

We have 8 units that we work through during the course of the year.  The units include place value, rounding, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, estimation, problem solving, measurement, fractions, decimals, and geometry. 

It is extremely important to help your child with their fact families.  Beginning with addition and subtraction, and moving onto multiplication and division.  We find that as the 4th grade curriculum becomes more demanding, the fluency of facts relieves some pressure from the more complex material (long division for example). 

Science

Science is a great content to teaching using inquiry.  The students will spend their time in science asking questions, designing investigations, collecting data, doing research, and interpreting their results. 

We have 3 major areas of study in science.

1. Earth Science - we focus on erosion and changes in the Earth.  The students take a closer look at their own surroundings and determine how the Earth has changed and evolved over time. 

2. Physical Science - we focus on energy and waves.  The students take a close look at energy and determine what type of energy it is.  The students will be creating a Rube Goldberg project to demonstrate their understandings. 

3. Life Science - we focus on vision and eye sight. The students take a close look at how the eye works and understand how it is connected to the brain to interpret what we see. We also look into animal adaptations to understand what defenses animals have to help them catch or hide from prey.

Social Studies

This year, we are embarking on a new Social Studies curriculum.  The curriculum will have the students using deeper thinking skills while they learn about the world around them.  

Units:

Civics

Michigan History and Economy

Regions and Geography