Welcome to 3rd Grade and to FMI! I hope you had a great summer. I have been spending a lot of time the last few weeks trying to get our room organized and ready to go. I can not wait to hear and see all the fun and learning that will take place in our brightly colored room! Our new room is very bright, colorful, and a little wild (kind of like me!). You are all off for a new adventure in a new building with a new principal, but there should still be some familiar faces in the crowd.
First, let me introduce myself to you. My name is Mrs. Yuska. I know that looks like an unusual name. It is pronounced like "YOU- SKA" (only without the "O"). This is my ninth year teaching 3rd grade in the Marion School District. I taught five years at Starry Elementary, two years at Emerson, and this will be my second year at FMI. My husband, Brandon and I live in Cedar Rapids with our two daughters Katelyn (Katy will be 6 at the end of October and starting Kindergarten this year) and Hayden (turned 3 in June, and is anxiously awaiting the beginning of preschool) and our dog Dakota (a German Shepherd/ Black lab mix).
For the last few years I have been using a blog as an additional form of communication. I started blogging because I knew notes sent home often got shoved to the bottom of a child's bag or better yet lost altogether. My attempt was to place my newsletters on this site as well as any additional information you may need to provide a place to keep you up to date on what is happening in our classroom. This should also help limit the amount of paper being sent home. It has proved to be a great resource and I look forward to the added use of technology. This also allows be to let you feel like you are more of a part of our class, by posting pictures of work and activities as they are happening.
Some things about 3rd grade...Every night your child will be taking home a planner stating what we have learned that day. If an item is highlighted, it will be an assignment to be completed and returned to school the next day. This is a great opportunity to sit down with your child and talk about the day. I also ask that you sign or initial the bottom of the column so I know you have looked at it. If you have any questions, or comments for me, feel free to add them at the bottom of the planner. In the front cover will be your child's behavior chart. There is a key on the side of what each color of smiley face means.
There will also be a weekly homework assignment, usually a poem to read aloud 5 times. This not only helps our reading skills, but also works on becoming a responsible individual.
We have a lot of new curriculum we will be teaching this year. It should be exciting! :)
I look forward to meeting each of you for the Supply Drop Off Night on Thursday, August 15th between 4 and 6 pm.
Also, mark your calendars for a Parent Information Night on Tuesday, August 27th.
Mrs. Jodie Yuska
jyuska@marion-isd.org
