From the Family Handbook:
Attendance and Absences at ACA
Attendance MattersConsistent attendance is one of the most important factors in a student’s success. Our school’s handbook outlines clear expectations for being present and on time so that every child can fully benefit from classroom learning and community activities. Regular attendance and arriving on time are essential for every ACA student’s success.
Excused Absences
According to Arizona law, excused absences include:
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Illness or medical appointments
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Mental or behavioral health
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Bereavement or family emergencies
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Homelessness
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Military processing
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Out-of-school suspensions
Parents/guardians must call or email the school before 8:00 a.m. to report an absence. Without a message, the absence is recorded as unexcused. Students with chronic illness should contact the office for a Chronic Illness form.
After an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to make up missed work. Each teacher will share their own policy and deadlines for completing assignments.
Unexcused Absences & Vacations
All other absences are considered unexcused under state law, including vacations. Please schedule family trips during school breaks.
⚠️ Important: Teachers will not provide homework or classwork in advance for unexcused absences such as vacations. Students are also not guaranteed make-up work for these absences.
State Requirements
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Five or more unexcused absences = “habitually truant”
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Missing more than 10% of school days (excused + unexcused) may result in a citation
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Ten consecutive unexcused absences will result in withdrawal from ACA
Key Takeaways for Families
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Always call/email before 8:00 a.m. to report absences
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Excused absences = work can be made up
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Vacations/unexcused absences = no work provided ahead of time
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Consistent attendance is critical to your child’s academic success
Expect student grades to lower if a trip is taken during a quarter due to missed content and work
Hello!
We are into the final stretch for our first quarter. Already we are only 3 weeks from marking the year as a quarter done. This means students need to ensure that they are finishing out the quarter strong, which means taking proper notes, double checking submitted work, and studying for assessments. If they show such dedication, they are guaranteed to succeed in fourth grade. So please check in with your student to see how they feel about school and to see if they are taking the steps to thrive.
NEWS:
-Adjectives Quiz on 9/18 (THURSDAY)
-Math Unit 3 Multiplication Test on 9/19 (FRIDAY)
-Poetry Recitation of Ozymandias is due on 9/19 (FRIDAY)
-Students are gearing up for their first official Kingdom meeting of the Quarter on Wednesday, October 1st.
CURRICULUM:
ELA:
We have a new poem for POETRY RECITATION. Students will be memorizing the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy B. Shelley and will recite it in front of the class Friday, September 19th.
LITERATURE continues book, Princess and the Goblin, so please ensure your student has their copy at school. This story is an engaging one that we will use to explore the genre of fantasy and analyze how written voice can help with characterization.
We continue our COMPOSITION program, which will analyze different types of sentences, delineating from those that are correct and erroneous. Additionally we will begin writing introductory paragraphs. This is a practice lesson that will prepare us for our end goal of 5-paragraph essay writing.
In GRAMMAR, we discuss homophones and how it is importance to recognize the difference between same sounding words. Additionally we finish our adjective unit with homework and an open-note quiz. Scholars should be able to differentiate between adverbs and adjectives and the types of words each can modify.
In LATIN AND GREEK ROOTS, we will be learning our next three roots; cir-, and trans-. With them we will learn the definition and spelling of the following: circuit, circumference, circle, circulate, circumvent, transcribe, translate, transfer, transparent, and transport.
For PHILOSOPHY, we discuss the question: "How do you know who your friends are?"
Math:
In math, we continue on Multiplication and Division, focusing on key concepts and practicing the operation of multiplication. Such concepts include further practicing multiplication of greater numerical value. This includes three-digit numbers, four digit numbers, and multiple multi-digit numbers. It is key that students are practicing their math facts for this unit. We will be assessing students for a final time in math for the quarter before we transition to division. This means students need to be practicing all avenues of multiplication, ranging from factor, multiples, and the operation itself.
Lessons on Double Digit Multiplication
History:
In history, we start into narrative history, beginning with Medieval Europe. We begin with discussing the fall of the roman empire and analyze how this leads to a sequence of events that result into an age of decline and darkness. We will also introduce the difference major churches of the region, revealing how closely they were tied to the progression of feudalism. From here on out we utilize lapbooks for our notes so it is important that student take pride in their notetaking.
The Two Churches of Eastern and Western Rome
Science:
In science, we continue our chemistry unit, analyzing chemical and physical changes and how they differ to describe the world around us. Do note that our final comprehension check for the quarter, which is about this material, is rapidly approaching.
Remember, the blog is updated weekly. Be sure to come back frequently to see any upcoming events or changes in fourth grade.