Parents

Suggested websites:

50 Ways Parents Can Help Schools.  Ideas for parent involvement in schools.

Promote Reading at Home.  Eight ways you can help your child become a better reader.

Tips for Involved Parents.  Suggestions to promote communication with your child.

Fifth Grade Handbook

Rules and Consequences

SCHOOL RULES

1 – Follow all staff directions the first time.

2 – Keep hands, feet, and other objects to self.

3 – Treat self, others, and property with respect.

4 – Use appropriate voice level and language.

5 – Stay on task.

CONSEQUENCES

Strike 1 – Warning

Strike 2 – 5 Minute Time Out                                

Strike 3 – 15 minute Time Out with Time Out Record

Strike 4 – Parent Contact

Strike 5 – Office Referral

 Daily behavior is tracked using a chart.  Each strike a student receives is recorded on the chart as a running record of behavior.  Each student starts each day fresh on the chart.  When a student has three strikes and goes to time out, he/she will complete the Time Out Record form.  This form allows the students to reflect upon the reason for placement in Time Out and create a plan for improving behavior.  Please discuss this Time Out report with your child, sign it, and return the report the very next day. A copy of the form is provided on the next page.

HOMEWORK POLICY

 All homework and behavior strikes shall be written down by the student in their planner daily.  Teachers will initial the planner at the end of the day.  Parents will need to check the planner nightly, ensure the homework is completed, and then initial the planner.  If a student comes to school without his/her planner signed, they will mark the behavior chart for not following directions.  Homework is due the very next day unless other instructions have been given.  

Late/Missing homework: 

If a student comes to school without his/her homework, they will mark the behavior chart for not following directions.  They will also fill out the Homework Notification form.  A copy of the form will be stapled in your child’s planner for the parent to sign.  Students may bring in the missing homework the next day without further consequences.  If they do not return the next day with the homework, the student will be assigned to Homework Huddle on the following Wednesday.  This is an after school homework assistance program provided for fifth grade students on Wednesday from 2:45-3:45.  Parents are responsible for promptly picking up their child at 3:45 p.m.

READING LOG

 The Reading Log is required as a tool on which students record how long they read each week.  A minimum of 3 hours is required weekly.  Students will record what they read on the log along with a summary or reflection of the content. A parent signature is also required on the log.  The reading log is due every Friday.  This assignment is recorded as a reading grade, so it is important for your child to complete the log weekly.  Please be aware that a deduction in points will occur if the summary or parent signature is missing.

Assessments 

• Daily Work
• Homework
• Periodic quizzes and/or open response questions
• Weekly Spelling Tests
• Flashbacks
• Outcomes/Exit Slips
• End of unit assessments
• Pre/Post assessments
• Learning Checks
• PAS
• DRA
• SRI

A portfolio of assessments will be collected in a 3-inch binder, which students will keep in the classroom to show growth in learning.  The assessment binders are available for viewing during classroom visits and conferences. 

GRADE SCALE

100-92                                    A

                                        91-83                                    B

                                        82-74                                   C

  73-65                                   D

                                       64-0                                        F

TRANSPORTATION 

All parents must fill out a Transportation Form detailing what sort of transportation their child will be taking to and from school.  These forms must be turned in by the first day of school in order for your child to be dismissed.  Students have been given tags that indicate afternoon departure. There are different colored tags for walkers, riders, bus, ESP, and Day Care.

PLEASE NOTE:

In order for a student to take a different mode of transportation in the afternoon the parent MUST send a note to the teacher in the morning so that he/she may issue a temporary tag. This will allow the student to be transported in a way other than what is indicated on their regular tags.  If no note is sent the parent/guardian must go to the front office to sign the child out.

Arrival / Dismissal Procedure

School will be dismissed this year at 2:35.  Parents picking up their children in the gym should arrive at 2:40, after bus dismissal.  Children will be dismissed ONLY to people whose names are listed on the Student Information Card (yellow).  If you think that someone will be picking your child up this school year, please make sure they are on the student information card.  When parents write notes stating that someone else is picking up their child that afternoon, the parent must make sure that person’s name is on the student information card, or the child cannot be dismissed to that person.  For your child’s safety, we will ask for a picture ID during dismissal from the gym. 

We will place dismissal tags on the backpacks the first day of school for all students except walkers/car riders.   It is very important that your child brings a backpack to school every day with their dismissal tag/s attached.

Any changes in transportation should be called in to the office before 1:00 p.m. so that the necessary paperwork can be completed before dismissal occurs.   

Gentle Reminder:  Please do not park in the bus lanes during the times posted on the signs out front.  Some parents have been ticketed and we want to avoid any more unpleasant surprises of this nature.  Thank you for your cooperation!