Welcome to an exciting school year!

I am happy to have your child with me

this school year, and looking forward to meeting and working with you. To
get the year off to a smooth start, several things would be very helpful.
The three ring binder will serve as your childs basic organiational tool as
well as your place to check his or her progress in each class.
To assist you in helping your child succeed, I would like to explain our class
procedures at this time. !ssignments will be documented in the student
planner which your child will keep in the front of his"her binder. It is
important for you as a parent to check your childs assignments daily.
#uture pro$ects and tests will also be noted. %onse&uently, you will be able
to help prepare your child for upcoming events.
LANGUAGE ARTS
'()**I+, - We will begin each week with a set of spelling words that will be
tested on Thursday or Friday. It is your childs responsibility to be
prepared for the spelling test.
.)!/I+,"*!+,0!,) 1 .eading and language assignments will be given
daily. There will be times that the assignments will have to be completed as
homework. We will be doing a great deal of writing this year. 'ome of this
will be kept in a portfolio in the classroom.
!. .)!/I+, - 2our child will be expected to participate in the !ccelerated
.eading program.
3e or she will be re&uired to read a book that has met teacher approval. !
reading calendar will be forthcoming. 'ince we encourage reading as much
as possible, we will give each student who completes and turns in the
monthly reading calendar sponsored by PTA a !! in the grade boo".

#AT$E#AT%&S
The primary components of the math program will include algorithm
maintenance, problem1solving strategies, and vocabulary development. !n
emphasis will be placed on measurement concepts throughout the school
year.
S&%EN&E
2our child will be keeping a Interactive 'cience +otebook 4I'+5. This tool is
used to strengthen your childs learning of the curriculum including the
following categories6 7atter 8 )nergy, #orce, 7otion, 8 )nergy, )arth 8
'pace, and 9rganisms 8 )nvironment. The I'+ will serve as the primary
reference for each unit. %9+'):0)+T*2, T3I' T99* 70'T ;) T!<)+ 397)
/!I*2 T9 .)=I)W.
S'&%AL STU(%ES
This year in fifth grade, our social studies curriculum covers 0nited 'tates
history. The children will be exposed to this information through the 'tudies
Weekly periodical. ,rades will come from worksheets, maps, tests,
activities, and pro$ects.
GRA(%NG %NF'R#AT%'N
#ifth grade is a year of many changes> there is an increased volume of work,
many new concepts, and a marked shift, as well, to a more lecture1oriented,
independent1work environment. ;ecause of this, there are some instances
when students will experience academic difficulties.
In fifth grade, we always re1teach any concept not mastered. We do this
through a variety of ways such as small groups, one1on1one with the
teacher, peer teaching, or practice material sent home.
!ny graded papers that have a grade below a ?@ will need to be signed and
returned to the sub$ect teacher. These signed papers will be filed by the
teacher. The first nine weeks all papers with a grade below ?@A will be
returned to the student to redo for an average of both grades, not to include
assessments.
7idway through each grading period, we will be sending home a progress
report to every student. 2ou must sign this and return it to your childs
homeroom teacher. This is to keep you informed of your childs progress
and to allow time to correct any problems before report cards are issued.
9ur goal at (olk has always been one of providing our students with many
opportunities for success.
ASS%GN#ENTS) $'#E*'R+) AN( #A+E UP *'R+
%ompleting assignments is the students responsibility.
!ll assigned work is due by the end of the class period unless otherwise
specified.
!ssignments received a day after its due date will receive a grade of no
higher than a ?@. !n assignment that is more than a day late will not be
accepted at all, but will be entered in the grade book as a ero.
'tudents must make up any work missed while absent. The number of
days allowed to make up the work is the same number of days the
student was absent. It may be necessary for a student to arrive at ?6B@
or stay after school to complete missed assignments.
It is the students responsibility to copy missed notes, collect necessary
worksheets, and complete the makeup work in the allotted time.
If the student is absent the day of the test but was present when the test
was announced, the student must take the test on the day of return.
N' E,TRA &RE(%T %S G%-EN T' %N(%-%(UAL STU(ENTS. 9n
occasion an extra credit assignment might be given to the whole class.
&'NNE&T%'NS
Identified ,ifted and Talented students will participate in the %onnections
program at (olk 'chool. The %onnections curriculum is only offered at
selected schools. It is a program that incorporates the gifted, talented
student into a specialied classroom, where literature, social studies,
language arts, and fine arts are integrated.
(UAL LANGUAGE
The /ual *anguage classroom integrates )nglish *anguage learners and
+ative *anguage speakers to provide academic instruction in both
languages. 9ur students follow a C@1C@ model designed by our district. The
C@1C@ model program is followed throughout the )l (aso Independent 'chool
/istrict. The programDs goal is to achieve bilingualism and biculturalism.
(olk students, who have participated in the program since kindergarten,
demonstrated academic achievement in both )nglish and 'panish.

(%S&%PL%NE
In order to guarantee your child and all other students in our classrooms the
excellent educational climate they deserve, we will tolerate no student
stopping us from teaching or any student stopping another from learning.
This will help the student to develop the responsibility needed to succeed in
middle school and future lifelong pursuits. Therefore, we are utiliing the
following discipline management plan.
&lassroom E.pectations
'tudent %ode of %onduct is to be followed 4refer to the 'tudent 3andbook5.
Respect others
<eep negative comments, hands, feet, and ob$ects to yourself.
/o not borrow or touch the property of others without
permission.
*isten and follow directions when they are given by teachers,
substitutes, and guests.
.aise hand for permission to speak or leave seat.
'how good character.
Respect yoursel/
3ave supplies, including appropriate reading materials, ready
immediately.
%omplete and turn in all assigned tasks on time.
!ny signed communication must be returned. 4)xamples include
office and teacher literature, progress reports, report cards,
permission slips, and Eblue slipsF.5
%heating of any kind, such as forgery, plagiarism 4including
copying from the internet, another student, or any other source5,
will not be tolerated. This type of activity will result in a ero for
that grade and G *unch detentions.
Respect school and property
Take care and have pride in our school.
'tudents need to be in their seat at the beginning of the class
period.
There will be N' food or beverages other than water in the
classroom. This includes gum, vitamin water, and sports drinks.
&onse0uences /or (isregarding E.pectations
If a student chooses to break a rule, these are the conse&uences per day6
;reaking H rule - =erbal warning
;reaking G rules - 7ark in discipline binder
;reaking B rules 1 *unch /etention I
;reaking J rules - (arent, !dministrator, Teacher %onference
4(!T5
I*unch detention will automatically be given if a students behavior with a
substitute is unsatisfactory.
#AR+S %N T$E (ES&%PL%NE 1%N(ER *%LL (ETER#%NE T$E
1E$A-%'R GRA(E AT T$E EN( 'F EA&$ GRA(%NG PER%'(.
;ehavior ,rade
@1C marks 'utstanding
K1HL Satisfactory
G@1BJ Needs Improvement
BC or more Unsatisfactory
A SE-ERE (%SRUPT%'N *%LL 1E SENT %##E(%ATEL2 T' T$E
'FF%&E.
Re3ards
=erbal or written praise and encouragement to students
(ositive parental contact
.ecognition of student achievement
)nd of year awards
I hope to be in communication with you as fre&uently as possible throughout
the year. The learning environment for your child is a combination of both
home and school. We look forward to this $oint venture. 9ur C
th
grade motto
is Stri4e and 1elie4e and *e &an Succeed. Together we can make a
difference!
I hope this letter has been helpful since the beginning of a new school year
can be so hectic. This letter has very important information that will help
your child be successful this school year.
(lease sign the contact form below and I will receive a message stating you
have read and agreed to the information on my website. Please include
your child5s name under the comment bo. belo3 so % can mar" your
response accordingly. If there is any additional information that is
important for me to know, please include that as well. Thank you and here
is to a great school year!