Tune into Technology Linky: Classroom Websites...

Today I am linkin' up again for "Tune into Technology Linky: Classroom Websites" with Kristin at iTeach 1:1 as well as Alyin and Amanda at Learning to the Core.  This linky will stay open until next Thursday, so come join the technology party!
                                      

I really couldn't wait for this topic to come up!  I am new to the "bloggin' world", but NOT to the "classroom website" world.  I have had a classroom website for many, many years and can honestly say that I couldn't live without one.  I do pay for my site each year, but it is well worth the money and less hassle for me to try to design one.   

My website consists of a main page with many topics such as:  About Me, Communication, Curriculum, Class News, Supply List, Class Schedule, Grading Polices, Behavior System, Links to Websites, Homework, Technology, Calendar, Slideshows, etc.  As I try new Web 2.0 tools, I like to add a section to showcase that tool.
  
I update my Class News weekly and ask the parents and students to read the Class News together Monday afternoons after I have shared it with the kiddos during the day.  Often I send the Class News in a group email to the parents as a little reminder.  This gives them a heads up on any special assignments, important dates, and what we are learning that week.  If students are absent, they can still keep track of what we are doing by lookin' at the Class News & Homework tabs.   If somethin' new pops up durin' the week I send out a quick email to the parents.  If any students do not have online access at home, I print a hard copy for them to take home. 

At the beginnin' of the year, at Orientation, I give each family a magnet with our class website printed on it. I order these from Vistaprint.  I always make sure to have extra copies printed for students that may reside in more than one home and also for any new students that may enter in the middle of the school year.  

At the beginnin' of the summer, I made a few changes, but I have been at Common Core trainin' for my county this week and have learned some new information regardin' gradin', etc.; I will be sure to update my website again as the start of school gets nearer.  
As always, you are more than welcome to link my site if you find a resource or section that you think would be a beneficial resource for yourself or your students.  It's not just for my students and parents; it's for teachers too!

Here's what you've been waitin' for: ROSE'S ROCKSTARS and my favorite part of my website: My Links

For the most part, my class website is geared towards 3rd-5th in the "My Links" section and I am ALWAYS addin' links(in fact, this mornin' I added a new engineerin' website: Get Caught Engineering. Wendy and Cheryl even mentioned me and my science links on Symbaloo on their Facebook this mornin'...sweet!). 
I like for this section of my website to not be grade-specific since I loop back in forth between the upper grades.  Anything and everything that my students or parents need should be on our class website...SOMEWHERE!