About the Teacher

Dolores Hastings

dhastings@stocktonusd.net

Hello Parents! Welcome to the 2023-2024 new school year! I want to welcome you to Marshall Elementary School and congratulate you on successfully raising a child to school age. Raising children is no easy feat when you are responsible for their well-being and care. There are many parental concerns when a child is brought to a new classroom for the first time. I can assure you that I am here to answer all of your questions and provide as much support as I can. The most important question is "How can I help my child be successful in the classroom?" The answer is to make sure they come to school every day, unless they are sick with a fever.  All children can and will learn if they are brought to school every day. Only students that do not come to school every day are in danger of having learning gaps. Learning takes listening and practicing, along with more practice at home with home support.

Reading is the number one factor that can hinder a child from expressing what they learn in school. Therefore, reading out loud  is a daily requirement both in and out of school. Each student will be assessed and receive their current reading grade level. To improve reading, they must choose books that are at their reading grade level. They begin reading at the beginning of their reading grade level range and read increasingly more difficult books within this reading range. This will increase their vocabulary and fluency. Each time a student comes across a word that they do not recognize, they must look up its definition in a dictionary or a thesaurus. This procedure will continue to increase their vocabulary and increase their reading fluency.

Listening to your child read out loud is essential for their growth in reading fluency. Home support for reading also comes in the form of asking questions. Each time you listen to your child read out loud, ask them questions about what they have just read. If they cannot answer the question, have them re-read the text again. It is best policy to have your child read 3 times before asking them a question. This ensures that they have time to pay closer attention. Homework will always include 15 - 20 minutes of reading out loud. This is the only way for you to know how well your child is reading.

Homework will be assigned each day from Monday to Thursday. It will include practice pages in grammar, spelling, reading, and math. Students have the weekend to complete any missing assignments. The following Monday is the last day to turn in all the homework from the previous week. Any missed homework will be placed on your child's desk on the day of their absence. When your child returns, they can take it home and complete it over the weekend. Sometimes absences are unavoidable. Try to schedule any doctor's appointments for the late afternoon, as the morning time is the prime learning time, and if it is not possible, bring your child back to school after the doctor's appointment.

As you can see, your child's education is very important! It is easier to stay in school and listen and practice to learn , rather than try to make up for lost learning because of multiple absences. Your child's education is going to translate into a career pathway opportunity one day. It is important that they get all of their education learned the first time around. This will give them a strong foundation from which to launch from in the next grade. I am here to help your child do this. Please help me by bringing your child to school every day on time!

Tardiness is another reason for learning gaps to occur. It is difficult for a student to come in late and feel prepared to learn. All students want the same information taught to them. When students are late, they are behind before they get a chance to get started. This is not fair to your child. Make sure they get to school every day, on time.

A Healthy Meal is another essential component to your child's success in school. Every day your child will have a healthy meal available for them at breakfast and lunch. Healthy meals include food with the necessary nutrients that help build our bodies and our brains. Unhealthy foods such as chips, candy and soda do not. Please send healthy snacks such as crackers, cheese, fruit, and 100% juice to school. Students are allowed to eat a healthy snack during recess time before lunch and during brain break time, after lunch. Unhealthy snacks will hinder your child's ability to be academically successful in class. 

I am excited about the new school year, and I look forward to working with your child. We will be working in our school garden and learning about the importance of eating healthy nutritious food and how it helps our bodies to grow and learn. We will be learning about the importance of daily exercise and receive a challenge to walk or run 100 miles before the end of the school year, along with the opportunity to win awards and prizes. There will be guest speakers throughout the school year from the Haggin Museum and field trips to Agventure and the Hilmar Cheese Factory. Everything is planned for your child's educational growth. If you want to fully participate in the classroom or on our fieldtrips, you must be finger printed by the Stockton Unified School District Police Department, and get a TB test done and place a copy of your results on file with our school office.