LP #4 Primary Newsletter

Please take some time to review the agenda so you come prepared to collaborate with your teacher on your student's learning plan.

Each Learning Period, our Student Support Corner will focus on a key topic that addresses common challenges students face. We’ll share practical tips and resources to help families support their child’s growth and well-being. Our goal is to make it easier for teachers and families to work together, creating a strong support network to help every student thrive.

LP 4 Topic: OT/ Handwriting

If you are concerned with your student’s handwriting, we have some tips!

Start with a solid instructional program teaching the skill. Both of these require the teacher's manual, which provides direct instruction on how to form the letters.

• Handwriting Without Tears - Print

• Handwriting without Tears - Cursive

If both of those are in place and the handwriting is still illegible, sometimes changing how the pencil is held relieves pressure on a joint. Tools can also help the student grasp the pencil correctly. Here are some tips and tricks to help you support your student.

• Check the student’s writing grasp development

• Use different writing grasps

• Using different pencil grips for finger placement

• Support with embossed writing paper after Handwriting Without Tears instruction

• Hand Strengthening Activities

• OT Handwriting Skills

• The OT Toolbox

• AR Challenge: Set a challenge for students using the AR goal generated by their STAR reading level assessment. OSP Newsletter

Featured Writing for LP#4

• Narrative Essays: Telling a Story
  In a narrative essay, the writer tells a story about a real-life experience. While telling a story may sound easy to do, the narrative essay challenges students to think and write about themselves. When writing a narrative essay, writers should try to involve the reader by making the story as vivid as possible. The fact that narrative essays are usually written in the first person helps engage the reader. “I” sentences give readers a feeling of being part of the story. A well-crafted narrative essay will also build towards drawing a conclusion or making a personal statement.

We will be collecting samples of this finished work during LP4 to celebrate just how much your child has grown as a writer over the last few weeks.

• Mid Year funds drop on December 1st. Be sure to note the spending categories as you budget for your student's orders.

• You can access the ordering system through the Go System (Ordering, Events). Be sure to bookmark it for quick and easy access.

• Please be sure to discuss any "outside" of the box OS orders with your teacher during your LP meeting so you can discuss how they will tie into your student's educational plan. This information is important for your teacher to know when approving orders and can save a lot of time in the process if the teacher is included in the plan before the order is placed.

Before ordering enrichment items please explore the Sharehouse by Axia! The Sharehouse is FULL of so many wonderful resources!

1. TONS of K-8 curriculum resources. The Sharehouse contains nearly all major curricula options. So before ordering, head over to the Sharehouse to see if there is a copy you can check out for the year or view before ordering.
2. Books galore for kindergarten to 12th grade students. The Sharehouse contains nearly as many novels and resource books as your local public library! You don't want to miss browsing these books that your student can check out to read throughout the year.
3. Games and activities that you can check out for free! Card games, board games, puzzles, you name it, the Sharehouse has it!

Many of these items are brand new and have never been used. So don't delay...come in and check it out! You can also browse the Sharehouse through the online portal found on the website HERE and HERE.

Learning Period Expectations

The Learning Coach and all enrolled students must be present at each Learning Period meeting.

1. Please set aside 1 hour for a single student and 15 minutes for each additional student to meet with your teacher for your Learning Period meeting.

2. Bring your curriculum to your Learning Period meeting to review progress in all core academic subjects. A. Bring all of the work completed since the last learning period meeting and be prepared to discuss the curriculum plan for the weeks ahead. B. If there is not a curriculum plan you will work with your teacher to create one for the next Learning Period.

3. RSVP to your Learning Period meeting invitation from the teacher within 48 hours.

4. After 2 attempts to schedule the Learning Period meeting, the teacher will schedule a Learning Period meeting for you to attend.

• Please review with your teacher a BODY of work for each subject. Your teacher should be able to have a clear understanding of the standards that were addressed during the learning period and the assignments that were completed.

• For each of your students, please turn in a work sample of every subject (ELA, Math, Social Studies, Science). A link will be sent at the beginning of each LP to upload work samples completed during that LP.