Welcome to 4th Grade
 

I want to start by introducing myself. My name is Christin Snider. I am from Gainesville, Texas and attended St. Mary's School from Kindergarten to 8th grade. I feel so blessed to be able to teach in such a loving and safe environment and to be able to give back to the school that gave so much to me. After I graduated from SMS in 2004, I attended Gainesville High School. After graduating high school in May 2008, I decided to continue my education by going to North Central Texas College, where I received my Associates of Science degree. I attended Texas Women’s University beginning in 2016. There I majored in Interdisciplinary Studies, Early Childhood-6th grade.  I was able to student teach for fourteen weeks at Sanger ISD and gained so much through that experience. I graduated from TWU in May of 2016 and completed my Texas Standard Teaching Certification.  I married Justin Snider in 2010. We have an 11 month old son named Hayes Earl.
 

 We are very happy to have your student in class and look forward to getting to know them. We take this opportunity to explain some of the fourth and fifth grade procedures.

Website, Webpage
Our school website has been updated. Each grade has their own webpage and we will post pictures throughout the year. Curriculum goals will be added on the webpage to allow parents to see what topics are being covered. Field trip information can also be seen.


Accelerated Reader (AR)
Please note the correction for required number of AR points:
The following is the requirements PER NINE WEEKS FOR THE 1ST AND 2ND QUARTERS, for the 4th and 5th grade AR points 
                                         First Semester                                   Second Semester
Fourth Grade              7 points for each quarter                      8 points for each quarter 
Fifth Grade                 8 points for each quarter                      9 points for each quarter
 

Student Work
Papers will be sent home once a week on Friday for you to look over. Remember you can always check your child’s progress and email us through Renweb,
 
Class Discipline Policy and Negative Behaviors:
Homework :  Homework is usually given every day unless class work is not finished. Homework (and classwork) is written on the board during the day for the students. The students will have a designated homework folder that will have an assignment sheet for the student to write down his/her homework. (I have attached an assignment sheet so you will know what to look for.) This is also the folder that will contain any notes to be sent home. The amount of homework will vary depending on what the students did not get finished during class time. Per the Student Handbook, “students who fail to turn in homework or unfinished classwork will be issued a 1-hour detention, and the after-school rate is charged to the parents for this detention”.

Expectations
1. Be Responsible

• A couple of examples : come to class prepared, turn in classwork when it's due, etc.

2. Be Respectful

• A couple of examples: Do not talk out in class, raise your hand, listen to instructions, be polite to the teacher and classmates, etc.

3. Be Safe

• A couple of examples: no running in the school, using supplies wisely, keeping hands and feet to yourself

4. Be Caring

• A couple of examples: check on your classmates when they look sad, lend a helping hand, share, etc

 
Consequences

• Verbal Warning
• 5 mins of recess running/walking
• Silent lunch and note/email to parents
• Whole recess running/walking and note/email to parents
• Visit to Mrs. Lee and a call home 

 
As always, thank you for all you do for your child. Great parents and great students make teaching a joy. We look forward to a wonderful year!
God Bless,
Mrs. Christin Snider     csnider@smsmustangs.com
Ms. Judith McGuill    jmcguill@smsmustangs.com
 

Fourth and Fifth Grade will be using a new writing program called Excellence in Writing. It is a well organized program. We will be using a structured and sequential method to develop better writing and thinking skills. Included will be instructions on developing basic note-taking and organizational skills for these grade levels.

Students will be reading about the five strands of Social Studies--history, geography, economics, culture and society and civics and governement. We will be focusing on why History, Geography, Economics, Culture and Society, and Civics and Government matter.