• Welcome to Mrs. McElwee's Class Page!!

     

    LET ‘S WORK TOGETHER:

     

          Student Safety is always paramount at Switlik School. We are asking for help in allowing our staff to focus on our shared goal of keeping our children safe and focused on learning. We appreciate your continued support and collaboration with us in ensuring that all students are safe.

    ENTRANCE PROCEDURES: Valid Photo Identification is required each time you visit the school. We ask that you wait 20 minutes after student arrival to approach the building to be signed in for your visit. (Exceptions are made for scheduled appointments approved by your child’s principal/teacher/counselor. 

    • All visitors will notify the receptionist using the buzzer by the visitor doors.
    • At the buzzer, all visitors are required to present their valid photo identification to the camera, state the purpose of their visit and/or specify with whom they have the appointment or which student they are picking up.
    • At the second set of doors, buzz again for access to reception.
    • This includes drop off and pick up for morning and aftercare

     

    Please do not hold the door open for others behind you​. We realize this feels awkward and against the rules of good manners, but it’s important that each visitor be acknowledged individually through the buzzer system.

    • If the appointment and/or purpose is verified, the visitor will be buzzed in and must present themselves to the receptionists immediately upon entry.
    • The visitor’s ID will be held until the visitor leaves the building and the visitor will receive a guest badge. This procedure helps us to know that the visitor has departed by ensuring they leave the same way they arrived. 
    • Please limit “dropped off” items to only those items your child truly needs during the school day (e.g. necessary clothing changes, important schoolwork or lunch/items that are required for that day).  Using the buzzer by the visiting door, inform the receptionists these items are on the cart outside the visitor door.

     

    ARRIVAL PROCEDURES:  Please be advised at no time should any vehicle be entering or exiting through our bus ramp during arrival or dismissal times. Please review and adhere to the following:

    Arrival Time: 8:50-9:05 a.m.  We will not have staff on duty before this time.

     

    • No child should be left off at the school without a staff member in attendance.

     

    • Morning arrival for children is located at the back of the building (gym vestibule entrance).
    • Parents who choose the “Kiss and Drop” loop should adhere to the following safety procedures:
      • Stay in the right lane along the curb, pull up to the red line:
        • Pull up to the gym vestibule entrance doors to drop off your child.
        • Parents are to remain in their vehicles at all times.
        • Students must exit from the passenger side door.
        • Parents will not be permitted to enter the building during drop off arrival time.
        • Do not pass other vehicles while children are exiting from vehicle, this can create a dangerous situation.

    After 9:05 a.m., the start of the school day, parents dropping off their children must park in the main parking lot and escort them inside to the main office receptionist desk in order to sign them in.  At this time, children are considered late. Valid Photo Identification is required each time you visit the school. 

    No child is to be dropped off at the main entrance without a parent/ guardian signing them in.

    Parent Pick Up:

    • Doors at the back of the building (gym vestibule entrance) for parent pick up will open at 3:05 p.m.
    • Present your valid photo identification to the receptionists prior to signing your child out.
    • Follow instructions of receptionists as to where to stand while waiting for your child to arrive.
    • Please do not park in the bus lane during this time.

    Child Care:

    • Parents wishing to pick their students up from childcare may begin to do so at 3:15 p.m.  We ask that parents wait until dismissal is complete before signing out childcare students.

    EARLY DISMISSAL: will conclude at 2:45 p.m.  Any parent who wishes to sign out their child after 2:45 p.m. will wait until dismissal at 3:10 p.m. Please refer to the Switlik School Handbook.

    If you will be picking your child up early, we prefer you notify the school as early in advance as you can, but at least by the morning of pick up. This can be done through a note sent in with the child, or an email to the teacher and principal. In the event of a true emergency, please contact the school reception desk by phone (732) 833-4650 extension 4135, prior to arrival if possible. We realize there are often instances where early pick-up is necessary (medical or other appointments), but we respectfully ask that you limit early sign-outs to only times when they  are necessary. 

     

     

    Homework:

    Practice reading words in your word wallets.

    Read 30 minutes.

      

    Please feel free to email me at dmcelwee@jacksonsd.org.

     

     
     Popular Questions Parents Ask:
     
    How can I find the just right Book for my child?
    Ask your child's teacher what level he/she is at, and request a list of appropriate books. However, when reading at home, educators say that children should read a level or two below the one they read at in school, when they are receiving instruction from the teacher. Teachers refer to this as a student's independent level. For a book to be independent, a child should read any given page with 95% accuracy or greater.

    How can I help my child become a better reader?
    Continue to read to him every day and expose him/her to the language of books. Have him/her read to you. To increase comprehension, talk about the story after you've read it.

    What level should my child be reading at in each grade?
    There is a range of levels within each grade. Your child's teacher can address your child's current level and the goals she is working on with your child. With good instruction, your child will steadily become a better reader, even if he/she is one or two levels behind peers.
     
     
     
     
    Remember to practice math facts! Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication. Knowing these facts will make math so much easier!  Some fun websites to practice your facts are listed below!
     

    Math Fact Fun:

    http://www.funbrain.com/math/

    http://www.mathplayground.com/

    http://www.abcya.com/math_facts_game.htm

    Have an I-pad, I-pod or I-phone?
    Try Math Ninja Free or Rocket Math Free for fact practice.
     
     
    Switlik Reading Challenge

    Students will begin bringing home Switlik Reading Challenge Books. Students should be reading 30 minutes each night. 


    Research supports this reading practice with student success. Last year we noticed many of our students had weak reading muscles. Therefore, this year we will focus on reading stamina. Classroom teachers will encourage students to read actively at one's just right level.

    One way you can help is to talk with your child about his reading. Have him describe the characters, tell you how the story is developing(plot), or explain the story problem....generally all fiction stories center around some type of story problem. Using some of these stems should start the conversation and from there keep chatting...Good luck! Remember working together, we are building a community of Readers!!!!
    and...Readers ARE Leaders!

     
     
     
    OUR SCHOOL IS A BUCKET FILLING SCHOOL!
     
    "Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed."~ Maria Montessori