Happy First Day of School!!

Happy First Day of School!! Goal: To send a happy first day of school message! For parents and students to become familiar with viewing video at home (many lessons and announcements will be available in this same format)

Introduction to Mr. Houlton • 19thyear teaching • 5 years in 3rd grade (Rockville, Maryland) • 5 years in 6th grade (Rockville, Maryland) • Boy’s Basketball Coach (5 years) • 1 year in 7th and 8th (Hartford, Connecticut) • 1 year at Burr District Elementary School (Higganum, CT) • 7thyear at HK Middle School (Killingworth, CT) • Guilford College, North Carolina (Bachelors in Education) • Western Maryland College (Master’s Degree in Science) • Family • Mom, Sister, Uncle, Aunt, and Grandmother= Teachers • Wife Sabrina (attorney for UTC ) • Children: Zach and Eli (sixthgrade students at HKMS) • Daughter Natalie Rose (second grade student at Burr ES)

Schedule For Houlton’s Homeroom Students: Day 1 or 2 Schedule

Grading Policy • Classwork and Homework=20% of Final Grade • Work completed at home and at school • Formative Assessments=30% of Final Grade • Quiz grades • End of Lesson Assessments • Summative Assessments=50% of Final Grade • Unit Tests Note: Assignments, Tests, and Quizzes can be completed a second time (these are usually called re-takes). The student can receive a maximum score of 80% on re-takes and may re-take any assignment, test, or quiz as many times as they desire!!!

Power School Grading • All grades can be accessed on Power School (a letter should have been sent home with pass-codes).

Parent Letter (This should have been sent home and received by all parents) • August 28, 2013 • Dear Parents: • I am writing to ask for your assistance with your child’s Language Arts program for fifth grade, which will include daily reading and writing. This program is consistent with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project that is being integrated into schools across the country. • The writing will consist of journal entries that will not be graded except for completion. (There will be graded writing work during the year, but I want the students to be able to write freely without fear of being judged) I will, however, provide feedback on the journal entries. I expect the entries to allow your child to develop his or her own voice, enhance writing skills, and permit creativity. I will collect journals next Tuesday to review one week of entries. • The reading component will combine some assigned texts, as well as others that your child will select. I will require your child to read a book that is on their reading level for 45 minutes every day (this book will be picked by the student) in addition to completing assigned reading tasks. An extensive library of books that cover the spectrum of reading levels is accessible in our classroom. I will also provide a reading log so each student can keep a record of the books they are reading outside of school. The goal of the reading component is to strengthen reading skills through consistent practice, build stamina and fluency, and to encourage a life-long love of reading. It also includes the joy of selecting the reading material. • To make these efforts a success, I need your help. Each student must complete the reading and writing tasks before or after school. I ask that you help your child to ensure that he or she completes the daily reading and writing. Additionally, I would recommend that you create an atmosphere at home that supports daily reading and writing. My experience has been that students who show the most academic growth are those who put in the most consistent effort. • Please sign below so that I know that you have read this letter. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. While I understand that illness and family commitments may interfere with my goal of having your child read and write every single day, I do ask that your child, with your support, make daily reading and writing the general rule. • Thank you for supporting our Language Arts program and creating a place at home for your child to explore literature and writing. I look forward to a happy and a successful year. • Sincerely, • Tim Houlton

Highlights from Parent Letter • Teachers College Readers Workshop • Building Reading Stamina • Creating a Love of Reading • Read for 45 minutes every night • Picking a ‘just right’ book is key!! • Common Core Writing Program • Write every day in a variety of different styles • Receive consistent feedback

Academic Growth Over Time • The next few slides will demonstrate growth in Reading, Science, and Writing over time. CMT assessments are just one measure of academic growth over time. Students will track their own data throughout the year and will be required to graph their growth over time in reading, writing, and science.

ReadingGrowth Over Time on the CMT Assessment (Percent at Goal)

ScienceGrowth Over Time on the CMT Assessment (Percent at Goal)

Writing Growth Over Time on the CMT Assessment (Percent at Goal)

Communication • Please e-mail using the following: houltont66@rsd17.org • If you need to call, please use the following number: 860-759-5259 (this is my cell phone and is the best place to call if immediate contact is necessary) • Please do NOT call the school to reach me or leave a voicemail on my answering machine as I don’t check my messages. • Let us all work as a team to help the kids learn. It is ALL about the kids and we should do whatever is necessary to help them have a better experience. I’m totally open to any feedback that will better your child’s learning experience!!!

E-mail Confirmation • If you viewed this video presentation, please send an e-mail with a brief message so I know how many parents were reached. We will be using this technology to post video from class lessons. • I look forward to the BEST year any of us have ever had!!!

Happy First Day of School!!