Mrs. Watson's 5 th Grade

1. Welcome Parents! Mrs. Watson's 5th Grade

2. Contact Information • The best way to reach us during the day is through e-mail. mwatson@shelbyed.k12.al.us , jduncan@shelbyed.k12.al.us • Phone calls will be returned as soon as possible. • Conferences can be scheduled by sending an e-mail or phone call. Our conference days are Tues. –Thurs. from 8:20-8:55. • Your child will also have a space in my room to place notes you might send.

3. All About Me • My background • Home town is Vidalia, Georgia. • I earned my Bachelors of Science from the University of Montevallo. • I earned my Masters from UAB. • I am National Board Certified Teacher. • I have lived in Alabama for 20 years now. It has definitely become my home. • My experience • I’ve been teaching for 12 years.

4. MY FAMILY Husband –Tim Children –Grey, Bethan , and Marianna

5. Our Class Goals • Create a community of learners that include students, teachers, and parents • Create life-long learners, readers, and writers • Grow students toward becoming responsible, independent and cooperative learners who are accountable for their actions • Relate subject areas to real-life experiences

6. Items For Discussion: • Shelby County Code of Conduct is available to you to take home. • If you feel that your child is being bullied, there is a form that you can find online. It is to be filled out by parents and submitted to the counselors. http://www.shelbyed.k12.al.us/doclibrary/StudentServ/Harass-Bully-IncidentReportingForm.pdf • Cell Phones: cannot be audible or visible • First Violation: device taken and student may be given in school detention • Second Violation: device taken and student may be given out of school suspension. • Kindles, Nooks are allowed for reading. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

7. Homework Policy • Assignments that are late by 1 day receive ½ credit. • Homework that is 2 days late received no credit. The Code of Conduct indicates that for assignments that were due on the day in which the student was absent, provided that the due date was previously communicated prior to the students’ absence, the student should be prepared to turn in the assignment upon returning to school. • Homework/Planner: Please review nightly • No Homework will result in a working lunch and a Responsibility Form for you to sign.

8. Discussion: • You may drop off your children no earlier than 7:05. There is no supervision available until after that time. • Please don’t let your children out in the parking lot. If you are not in carpool, please walk them to the door. • Students are not permitted to bring rolling backpacks to school. • No carbonated drinks or food from restaurants in the lunchroom.

9. Attendance/Absences • Excuses should be turned in within 3 days in order to receive make up work. • For planned absences, there is a form that should be filled out and submitted to Dr. LeQuier prior to the absence. • Make up work will not be given until a student returns to school. • You will need to provide ID for checking out your child.

10. Items For Discussion • Phone Calls: sick, transportation, lunch money • Birthdays: snacks are welcome and served at lunch time • Students may not return to the classroom for forgotten items after leaving for the day. • Weekly Progress Folders generally go home on Friday • Dress Code: skirts, shirts, and dresses must be mid-thigh or longer in front and back. No flip flops allowed.

11. Class Subjects • The subjects we cover during 5th grade are: • Reading • Math • Science • Social studies • Language • Writing

12. Reading – Taught by Mrs. Wood Our reading block: • Daily SSR time-The district leadership has recommended against the use of AR and its companion product, STAR, so that we can make room in our classrooms for better instruction and assessment. • Vocabulary Study • Reading Skills and Phonemic Awareness • Small Groups • Fluency Building • Nonfiction Comprehension • 40 Book Goal

13. Writing – Taught by Mrs. Wood Our Writing Block: • Built in Grammar and Convention lessons directly focused on the needs of students • Answering a range of questions using evidence and inferences drawn from the text itself. • Individual Conferencing • Writing across the curriculum • Modes we will cover: • Narrative • Descriptive • Argumentative/Opinion

14. Math • Mrs. Watson teaches math using the AMSTI program adopted by OMIS last year.  It is designed to support students in making sense of mathematics and becoming mathematical thinkers.  The investigations give students time to develop a strong conceptual foundation before moving into the more abstract algorithms. • Resources available include: • Math journals created in class • Student resource pages available through Pearson SuccessNet • "Parent Roadmap:  Supporting Your Child in Grade Five Mathematics" link under Students and Parents on OMIS site

15. Science • Ms. Watson will teach your child science this year. • Your child will visit the science lab twice a month for hands-on experiences and reinforcement of objectives. • Topics to cover: Cells , Human Body Systems, Plants, Ecosystems, Water Cycle, Weather Patterns, Earth’s Surface, Natural Resources, Matter, Motion, Forms of Energy, and Space

16. Social Studies Mrs. Watson will teach your child Social Studies. 5th Grade focus is Early American History: • Native Americans of North America • Eastern Hemisphere • Explorers • Colonies • Revolutionary War • Forming of our government • Westward Expansion • Civil War Grades will come from tests and school projects.

17. Homework • We will assign about 45-60 minutes of homework every night. This includes 120 minutes of reading each week. It is recommended to read 4 nights for 30 minutes in order to achieve this. • Your child will have math homework nightly and periodic tests in other subject areas. Tests will always be announced ahead of time in order to give you ample time to study.

18. Reminders: • Please write legibly when sending in a parent excuse for your child’s absence. It also needs to have the child’s first and last name on the excuse. • Vacations are not excused absences. Preplanned absences should be submitted and approved by the administration in order to receive make up work. • One lane of traffic in the morning –or you may park in a space and walk your child across the cross walk. Two lanes for pick up

19. Tardiness/Absence • School starts at 7:50 a.m.-your child will be tardy if not in the classroom when the bell rings. • When your child is absent, they will need to check with me for their make up work. It is their responsibility to complete that work and ask questions if help is needed. • Be sure to send an excuse from home or doctor upon returning to school.

20. Attendance Policy: • The Shelby County Board of Education recommends a minimum attendance standard of 180 days per year. Therefore, a student who accumulates more than 12 absences during a school year is subject to loss of credit and /or retention. Absences beyond 12 must be accompanied with a doctor’s or court excuse or permission of the principal to be excused.

21. Field Trips • We have lots of fun field trips planned for this year! • American Village (Spring) • OMHS musical (Spring) • OMMS 6th grade tour (End of Year) • Huntsville Space and Rocket Center Chaperones will be required for two field trips. Names will be drawn from the sign up list. Please sign up if you have not done so already.

22. These are the things that happen during the week: P.E. - 8:20-8:55 daily Lunch -10:48-11:26 Music 2:00-2:45 Friday Art 2:00-2:45 Tuesday Computer Lab/Science Lab –Alternating weeks GRC 12:45 – 1:45 Monday 11:45 – 2:45 Wednesday

23. Class Involvement • Parties: Christmas, Valentines, and End of Year • Field Trip Chaperones -5 chaperones for each field trip • Door Decorations!!

24. What Can You Do? • Sign all forms and leave them on your child’s desk. • Take the information packet and the Code of Conduct home for your reference. • Write your Who Am I? and return it in a sealed envelope by September 6th. Please put your child’s name on the envelope. • Please make sure to sign up for door decorator, room mom, chaperones, party helpers, Back to School Splash. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVT2m21Iecg&edufilter=vH8ntV7keCE-ZLl5wRMzNg

25. Looking forward to a wonderful year!!