Dear New Student,

    Welcome to third grade!  You probably know me as Ms. Grover, but my new name is Mrs. Higgins because I got married this summer!  I am lucky enough to be your third grade teacher.  I am very excited to meet you and spend a great year of learning together!  This year we will have a lot of fun learning many exciting new things.  We will learn about insects and research the solar system.  We will also spend a lot of time reading and writing!  In math class, we will work on addition, subtraction, and our multiplication facts!  We will use the SMART Board in our classroom to play games and practice our new skills.  We will also do a lot of hands-on activities and group work.  In third grade, you’ll discover how much fun learning can be.  
    I would like to tell you a bit about myself.  This will be my third year teaching at Arboretum Elementary.  I have taught both fourth grade and third grade at Arboretum.  Both years, I adored my students and their families, so I am super excited to meet all of you!  Before coming to Arboretum I taught fourth grade in Janesville and interned in a third grade classroom in Beloit.  I currently live in Sun Prairie, but I grew up in Oregon, Wisconsin.  I went to college at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and spent a lot of time in many different elementary school classrooms.  I also studied abroad in Spain for six weeks!  I love to travel and learn about other cultures.  In my free time, I like to spend time with my family and friends.  
    Creating a classroom community is one of my main goals for this upcoming year.  When I say a classroom community, I mean a place where we all feel welcome, safe, and comfortable learning together.  We will become a team like a family because our classroom is our home away from home.  In order to build a strong community, we will have to treat each other with respect, demonstrate good cooperation skills, and always listen to one another.  You will also need to become more independent by being responsible for your homework and recording assignments in your assignment notebook.  Since we will be learning so many new things, you will need to read at night and study to do well on quizzes and tests.  I know that you will love reading in third grade, especially in our classroom library where you will find many great books.  You will enjoy becoming a part of our third grade team while we laugh and learn together.  
    I look forward to meeting you and your parents soon!  Enjoy the rest of your summer and be prepared to have a great third grade year together!
                                
                                                                                  See you soon!

                                                                                  Mrs. Higgins