WELCOME! I am looking forward to another great year at Hilburn. Please read through the information and contact me with any questions or ideas on what additional information you would like to have included.
This is a great time in your child's school life. Children grow so much in this grade, becoming more independent and taking more responsibility of their learning.
This website allows you and I the opportunity to make a positive impact on the life of your child. I take that responsibility seriously, but we're also ready to have a lot of fun! It truly takes a positive partnership between home and school to make great things happen. Let’s begin!
Daily Schedule
7:45-8:10 Arrival
8:10 - 8:25 Homeroom/Morning Work/Morning Meeting
8:25 - 10:25 English Language Arts (ELA)
10:30 - 10:55 Lunch
11:00 - 11:30 Recess
11:30 - 12:30 Math
12:00 - 1:00 Intervention
1:00 - 1:40 Science
1:40 - 2:20 Specials
2:20 - 3:00 Social Studies
3:00 Dismissal
*Specials are not dedicated to the same day of the week. It is a rotating 6 days schedule.
Technology- Your child should bring their WCPSS laptop to school each day. Your child is welcome to bring the laptop each day, leave it at school and take it home on the weekends, or leave it as school all the time.
Weather- The best attribute about the trailer is being outdoors. This also means that we have to move from our trailer to the building to use the bathroom and go to specials and lunch. If it looks like rain, it would be helpful to have a raincoat, rain boots, and/or an umbrella. Without rain boots or a change of shoes, children may have wet socks/shoes.
Homework Policy- Math homework is due the next day and given as needed. The spelling and vocabulary practice is given on Mondays and due on Thursdays. Other homework may be assigned.
Absences- Please send a written note, email, or TalkingPoints message for documentation as to the reason for an absence. After 3 unexcused absences or 6 excused absences, you will be contacted about the absences.
Questions or Concerns- I am just a phone call, e-mail or a conference away. Please share ANY questions or concerns immediately, and I will do the same. Together we can find solutions.
Math- It is important that students learn the multiplication facts from 0-12 as soon as possible. Students will take a monthly multiplication facts assessment on 100 facts that can be completed in five minutes. Students are expected to get at least 80 problems out of 100 to achieve mastery (80%). It is important that students achieve mastery to help them to be successful in fourth grade.
Unit 1: Building a Math Community Through Real Data, Unit 2: Explore Multiplicative Comparison, Area & Perimeter, Factors & Multiples, Unit 3: Use Place Value Strategies to Add & Subtract Whole Numbers, Unit 4: Develop Multiplication & Division Strategies, Unit 5: Extend the Understanding of Fractions, Unit 6: Making Connections to Decimal Notation, Unit 7: Understand Operations of Fractions & Decimals, Unit 8: Applying Geometric Concepts, Unit 9: Using Place Value to Understand Metric Measurement
Reading and Writing- This year, fourth grade is using EL Education.
Quarter 1 - Module 1: Poetry, Poets, and Becoming Writers,
Quarter 2 - Module 2: Animal Defense Mechanisms,
Quarter 3 - Module 3: The American Revolution,
Quarter 4 - Module 4: Responding to Inequality: Ratifying the 19th Amendment
Science and Social Studies - There is not a science or social studies book. Students will have projects and/or research.
Food, Minerals, Vitamins, and Exercise; Force and Motion: Magnets & Electric Charge; Forms and Interactions of Energy; Matter, Rocks, and Minerals; Earth’s Changing History; Patterns of Earth and Its Moon; Life in Changing Habitats
We Are All NC; Personal Financial Decisions; Citizenship in NC; The History on NC; Impacts of the People in NC
Grading and Report Cards- Report Cards are sent home four times a year. Each week a Hilburn purple folder will be sent home. Inside this folder will be all graded work and class work. Graded assignments will have a 1,2,3,or 4. A 4 is above grade level. 3 is on grade level. 2 is below grade level. 1 is far below grade level. Anything not used for a grade will typically have a P for practice. If requesting a conference, please bring any assignments included in the weekly Hilburn purple folder. As we talk about the strengths and needs of your child, you and I can reference the graded assignments.
Interim Reports - Interim reports will be sent home after approximately 4 1/2 weeks into a quarter.
Conferences- We can meet virtually over a Google Meet or in person.
Please feel free to request a conference whenever you feel the need. I will do the same. Conferences do not have to wait until the end of a grading period. During your conference it will be helpful if you bring any assignments or reports that are sent home in the Hilburn purple folder. All graded assignments and reports are sent home in the Hilburn purple folder. When discussing grades it helps to show you where the grades on the report card are directly from the grades sent home in the Hilburn purple folder.
ClassDojo- Students and parents can track points awarded for the week. Please log onto to your child's account to see awarded points. There is a report where you can view the progress for the week. Students need a certain amount of points to be awarded a 30 minute period of time. This is referenced as Fun Friday. Students who have work to complete will have this extra 30 minutes to get any missing work completed. If you would like access to your child's ClassDojo account, let me know and I will send home information. To sign up
Communication- The Class Parent will send out a bimonthly email with information about what is going on in the classroom, school, and a link to the school newsletter. Your child's teacher may send out additional emails, but most communication will be done through the Talking Points application. Talking Points has a limit of 600 characters. This means sometimes an email will need to be sent instead of Talking Points.
Google Classroom- WCPSS is no longer providing Google Classroom.
Email- Your child has an email account. Students can also email any questions or concerns.
Field Trips - Fourth grade will go to the NC Symphony. The NC Symphony provides a free performance for students and WCPSS staff. There are no extra tickets for parents. The Symphony performance is October 5th.
DreamBox - Students have a DreamBox account. Students begin on their own level for each of the NC standards which may be below, on, or above grade level. Students should not need assistance as the software provides lessons and remediation lessons as needed. In addition, students will have lessons posted for the 4th grade NC standards. If the student has already completed the standard, then no assignment will show on the student's account. DreamBox can be completed at home or school. Students should complete 6 lessons each week.