Back to School Night

1. Back to School Night Ms. Sol’s Fifth Grade Class

2. Introduction • Tenth year at Empire Oaks • Nineteenth year of teaching • Undergrad at St. Mary’s College, Master’s and Credential at SJSU • National Board Certified Teacher, Middle Childhood Generalist • I love my job!

3. Intermediate Goals • Develop a greater sense of independence • Have accountability for decision making • Instill responsibility and empowerment • Work to potential, with emphasis on effort • Enjoy learning, and have a positive educational experience • Establish confidence both academically and socially • Be well prepared for middle school!

4. Common Core (CCSS) • Statewide, this year is a transition into CCSS. • Smarter Balance Testing will replace the STAR tests in 2014-15 • Fifth grade will be tested in Science with the STAR test (includes both • fourth and fifth grade curriculum) • Report cards will be aligned with Common Core standards (CCSS) • Expect “disequilibrium,” especially in math. • More detailed information about CCSS is available on our school • website.

5. Science • Physical: Energy & Matter • Life: Systems of Living Things • Earth: Weather and Space • PLTW implementation (STEM) • STAR Testing on fourth and fifth grade curriculum in the Spring

6. Mathematics • Math: Shift to Common Core methods and standards • Major focus on problem solving • Multiplication facts are imperative. Work on identifying the relationship and patterns with number values

7. English Language Arts • Writing Genres: Opinion, Informative/Explanatory, and Narrative • Weekly writing homework (Typically given on Weds., due on Friday) • Novels, historical fiction, biography, poetry recital, vocabulary development, spelling, figurative language • Encourage more non-fiction book selections • Keyboarding Standard: Two full pages in a single session. • Newsela: Non-fiction current event articles

8. Social Studies • Early United States History through 1850 • History Day Project • We the People curriculum • Trivia based on Social Sciences and “Common Knowledge” • Historical Fiction with primary source emphasis

9. Curriculum Text Books • Houghton Mifflin Language Arts • Scott ForesmanenVisionMATHMath • Scott Foresman Social Studies/History • Scott Foresman Science

10. Report Cards • Issued three times per year (trimesters) • Grades will be available online within the next few weeks. • Parent conferences scheduled for the first reporting period in November. Conference options: group, individual, no conference needed at this time. • Second Trimester conferences are scheduled upon request.

11. Grading 100-90% = A range A = Outstanding 89-80% = B range B = Good 79-70% = C range C = Average 69-60% = D range D = Below Average 59-50% = F range F = Fail *Test retakes will be available on Thursdays, test retake day. ** The highest score possible is 70% for a retake.

12. Class and Homework Policy • Class work and homework are intended to reflect the student’s best efforts in order to assess their understanding and progress in fifth grade academic standards. • Assignments should be turned in with the correct headings, unwrinkled, clean (without food or other Unidentified Objects), and in one whole piece. Not all class and homework will receive a formal letter grade. Credit and points are assigned to completed work.

13. Class and Homework Policy Continued • An Agenda is available to each student to record daily homework. This allows parents to check assignments and gives accountability and responsibility to the student. The Agenda also provides an opportunity to write notes to the teacher via the student. • Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday for approximately one hour, plus reading. • Unfinished class work is expected to be completed and turned in on time. Late work will be accepted first trimester. Second trimester will be ½ credit, late work will not be accepted third trimester.

14. Class and Homework Policy Continued • Homework and class work missed due to absences are the student’s responsibility and must be completed in a timely manner. Assignments are posted in the classroom daily. Make-up work may be requested after the second day of absence. This is a school-wide policy. • Daily Reading Log- please only sign for the current day, encourage your child to read more than the minimum thirty-minute requirement. • Daily routine: Keep one homework folder. Have the same quiet non-distractive place to study at the same time each day.

15. Continued • Wednesday Folders will contain letters/announcements from the school, and graded work. • Independent Study Contracts are required for absences exceeding five days. Please allow ample time for the teacher to prepare work for the absences. Contracts originate through the office. Contact Joni Smith as a first step. Please note the change in district policy regarding vacation days. To be coded as vacation, it must be 5 days or more, requiring Independent Study. • Medications must be checked into the office. Students are not allowed to administer their own meds. This includes cough drops, Chapstick, and aspirin.

16. Schedule 8:22-11:00 a.m. Language Arts, Social Studies, P.E.: Wednesdays  11:00-11:40 a.m. Lunch 11:40-1:00 p.m. Math 1:00-1:20 p.m. Recess 1:20 - 2:37 p.m. Science, Music Mon./Thurs. 2:00 • Music Mondays and Thursdays, 2:00-2:37. Please come to school with instruments and music books in the morning. I will not allow students to call home for them. Please do not interrupt the class for an instrument delivery. There is a table in the office designated for instruments. Students will be dismissed directly from music class. • P.E Wednesdays, 9:05-9:35 Library: TuesdayComputer Lab: Thursday

17. Protocols and Recommendations • Review Student Conduct Code book with your child, this is available on EO website • Use EO website to get weekly Family Bulletins. Paper copies are no longer sent home. • After school arrangements should be made before school to minimize classroom interruptions. Establish a set place and time to pick up. • Closed center of campus enforced, please wait for your child at the amphitheater when on campus. This is based on SAFETY procedures. • Attendance: Please get your child to school on time. The warning bell rings at 8:22 a.m. I am required to send students to the office for a late slip at any time after 8:25 a.m.

18. Continued… • Pink Tickets: Missing or incomplete assignments or unfavorable behavior will result in a pink ticket. Students will spend a recess in an assigned classroom to complete their ticket assignment. This includes assignments “forgotten” at home. • Students will not be allowed to get drinks during class time. They may bring non-frozen water bottles to class (water only please) to keep at their desks. • Students will be given two bathroom passes per week. They need to use the restroom before school, during recess, and after school. I do understand that emergencies occur, therefore, they have two passes per week for a class time visit to the restroom.

19. Continued . . . • Parent donations ($$, Kleenex, supplies, wish list) • INTEL matching funds • Adopt a Class • Volunteer Policy: Those wishing to volunteer must fill out application with Parent Coordinator, get TB test or proof of current test, and have your picture taken for a badge. Category 2 applications required for all field trips and work done with small groups. • Adults on campus MUST sign in at the office. SAFETY FIRST • Please do not ask another teacher or the custodian to open my classroom for you. They won’t! Please respect this policy. If I am in my classroom afterschool, students may come back. • Please do not post pictures of other children without parent permission on Facebook or other social media.

20. Continued … • Supplies – see recommended list on First Day Letter • PTA membership – help support our school community • E.O. clothing, SPIRIT SHIRTS • BIRTHDAYS!! Please schedule with me ahead of time so I know what to expect. Individual snacks or “gifts” work best. Please include utensils and napkins if necessary. We have 34 students. Please consider food allergies when selecting a treat. (And sugar content!)

21. Fieldtrips We focus on meaningful, standards-based, educational fieldtrips. • Voyage of Discovery, Old SacramentoSeptember 26th • Vernal Pools, SPLASH Center, Mather March • Halley’s Comet, Discovery Museum May 5th • Folsom Aquatic Center May (TBA) • If you are interested in being a chaperone, please update your Category 2 volunteer forms in the office. • Cost of all fieldtrips is $100 (includes transportation fees) Make checks out to Empire Oaks

22. Homework Policy Students should not spend more than 90 minutes per night. This time should be budgeted in the following manner: • 15 minutes looking for assignment • 11 minutes calling a friend for the assignment • 23 minutes explaining why the teacher is mean and doesn’t like kids • 8 minutes in the bathroom • 10 minutes getting a snack • 7 minutes checking the TV listings • 6 minutes telling parents that the teacher never explained the assignment • 10 minutes sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Mom or Dad to do the assignment

23. Long term Assignments These are given the night before they are due. This explains the name “long term.” It is a long term commitment to time that begins at 9:30p.m. and ends at 11:50 p.m. – or later. It is important that the whole family is involved in the project. It is imperative that at least one family member races to WalMart/Michael’s for poster board, and that at least one family member ends up in tears (not necessarily the student). One parent needs to stay up and complete the project. The other parent needs to call the school and leave a message that the student is out sick. It is not necessary to have the student’s name on the assignment.

24. Communication Parent/Teacher communication: email works best for me Phone calls are sent directly to our voicemail during school hours. Please allow a 24 hour turn around time for a return phone call. wsol@fcusd.org 916)983-0120 x116 If I forgot anything, I’ll send home a memo! Thank you so much for your time and attention.