[TheJess]

Has anyone started making their Welcome letters for next year? I have a rough draft of mine, but if anyone has theirs ready I would love to take a look at it and get some ideas!!

Thanks!

[conolley]

I do separate letters to the parents and students. I have my letters from last year on my other computer (that doesn't want to connect to my wireless). I'll try to get those onto this one and post them for you if I can.

[Tex]

You may want to take a look at the following URL...they have some nice welcome letters:

http://www.bayvista-es.pinellas.k12....lyletters.html

[KatSkratch]

I had a welcome letter made up, but I found out that I won't know who my kids are until the day before school begins. Eep! I need to work on changing mine around and fixing a few things. I'd love for you all to look at it and tell me what you think...I'll make the necessary changes and post it on here in a bit.

Kat

Addendum:

Okay, I quickly edited it and made a few changes, though it still isn't complete. I am also going to try to use Microsoft Office Live Workspace. I just singed up for it, because you can put all of your documents online (like when you forget your flash drive at home and need a lesson plan), so I am trying to see how the sharing tool works. Please bear with me and click on this link to see if it let's you view it:

http://workspace.office.live.com/#CA...JFrB5gA4K8tlB9

I'm not sure if I can attach documents to posts; I joined the community yesterday, so if this doesn't work, let me know if I can attach it. Thanks!

Please let me know what you think. It's for fourth-grade, but I don't know if it's age appropriate. And I think I got a little happy with my exclamation marks...I'm just excited to FINALLY be a teacher!

[rocket1]

...let me view the document.

[KatSkratch]

Sorry, I don't know how to attach stuff! I amusually technologically savvy, but I don't see that option here. I know it exists, but just don't see it. If you would still like to view it, e-mail me at katskratch@gmail.com and I'll send it to you that way.

[cassie99]

I'm not sure how to attach, so I copied and pasted. I "tweak" this one every year. Hope it helps!

Dear Parents,
Welcome to the beginning of your child’s year in Fourth Grade. I would like to express how pleased I am to have your child in my class. Fourth Grade offers many exciting activities and responsibilities.

With the beginning of each school year, it is common for students to feel anxious and uncertain about the new grade and teacher. This year begins the intermediate grade levels and will be a very interesting and enlightening time both in curriculum content and in the personality growth of your children.

To ease the students and parents in this adjustment, the school has developed a “Parental Handbook”. The handbook will provide an overall picture of what is expected on campus and in the classroom. Specific policies for homework, dress code, school, cafeteria and bus rules can be found in this book. Please take the time to review the contents of the booklet with your child. We will thoroughly discuss the handbook in class so your child will have a good understanding of the expectations.

Time management and organization skills are both elements that can be successfully transferred from the school setting to the professional work place. I will be devoting part of our educational objectives toward teaching your child the value of skills that will increase their opportunities toward building goals and meeting them. I will provide assignment calendars for the students to help them mark down their homework and important dates. Please check and sign these daily.

Our Back to School night for Room 40 will be held on Thursday, August 30, 2007, at 6:00 and 6:50 p.m. We will discuss homework and behavior expectations, curriculum and grading at that time.

I believe that the education of your child is something that can be even more successful with your close cooperation and support. Would you help me by taking a quiet moment to write me about your child? What is your child like? What are the things you, as a parent, know that would be important for me to know? What are your child’s interests? I want to know how your child thinks and plays and how you see your child as a learner and a person. Thank you and I am looking forward to meeting you soon.

Sincerely,

(This year I am going to attach a questionnaire instead of asking these questions at the end. I only got a few responses last year to the questions. Makes you wonder how many parents actually read these letters.)