Miss Rosingus’ Fifth Grade Class

1. Miss Rosingus’ Fifth Grade Class Gardnerville Elementary 2014-2015

2. *Parents please sign in! Welcome to Fifth Grade! ● Greater Responsibility ● More Independence ● Increased Subject Matter *Please refer to the GES Family Handbook for additional information regarding policies and procedures, calendar and daily schedule.

3. Agenda/Topics to Be Covered • Mission Statement/Goals • Who’s Who • Classroom Policies • Classroom Management & Environment • Subjects of Study • Common Core State Standards • Grading • Field Trips • Parent Conferences • Questions and Answers

4. Mission Statement/Goals • GES Mission Statement: With pride, cooperation, and communication among parents, teachers, and students at G.E.S., we will provide the tools for successful learning of the fundamentals in a caring, creative, and active environment. • DCSD Mission Statement:The DCSD, in partnership with parents and community, will ensure that all students are competent in all the basic skill areas and are prepared to be productive, responsible citizens.

5. Who’s Who Principal – Shannon Brown Vice Principal – Susan McNeall Secretaries – Caryn Harper Sandi Gonzales Counselor – Shaunda Vasey Librarian – Pam Petite Computer Specialist – Liz Biasotti ESL Specialist – Norah Gastelum Reading Specialist – Kitty Murphy Special Education –Lauren O’Neill

6. Classroom Policies • Classroom Instruction begins at 8:55am and ends at 3:10pm. Morning recess is from 10:45am-11:00am. Lunch is from 12:00pm-12:45pm with play time ending and eating beginning at 12:20. • Check with the Boys & Girls Club regarding childcare on Collaboration Days. • Attendance is very important to student success. Please plan your vacations during off-track times whenever possible and be sure make up work is completed in a timely manner. Three unexcused absences equal one truancy. • Students will receive homework regularly Monday through Thursday. Students will spend an average of 30-45 minutes each night, reading, studying spelling concepts and practicing math skills. These activities are meant to reinforce the day/week’s concepts and should be completed independently. • Homework Notices will be given when work is not completed on time. Students are required to complete the late homework and get a parent signature on their notice that evening. Students lose valuable learning time when work is not completed on time. Students also receive recess detention and can jeopardize their Monthly Movie time if notices become excessive. Students may obtain a hall pass from yard duty to come into the library and FINISH homework before school.

7. Classroom Management • Our classroom management plan is based on a money system. Each student receives an equal amount of “money” each trimester. Students lose money for disobeying classroom rules. • If a student has disobeyed a classroom or school rule and been billed, his or her Pee-chee grade for the week is notated accordingly and the money is attached to the Pee-chee. Consequently, parents are informed each week of their student’s conduct and the specific infractions, if any.

8. Positive Rewards • Students have an opportunity to earn classroom money and prizes by performing classroom jobs, exhibiting extraordinary behavior, or working with a partner to answer daily dictionary and geography puzzles. • At the end of each trimester, students are able to spend their “money” in a classroom auction wherein students bid on a variety of fun toys, stickers, pens, posters, etcetera. • Please contribute new or slightly used toys, games, and books to the auction.

9. More Positive Rewards • The classroom earns Friday Fun if all students work together and receive compliments from myself or other teachers for appropriate behavior. Weekly classwork must be completed. • Table groups receive points towards pizza, ice cream, etc. when they are found working together to get supplies ready as delineated on the day’s agenda. *Donations are happily accepted!

10. Classroom Community • Our classroom is a community. In our community, we have rules to help us get along with each other. • Our class rules are: • Be respectful and responsible. • Be organized and follow directions. • Be on time. • Be your best. • Make smart choices.

11. Reading and Social Studies • Reading • Comprehension • Literal, Inferential, Critical • Word Analysis, Accessing and Applying Information • decoding, determine main ideas using book structure, identify and use text features, read and follow multi-step directions, oral and written reports with critical stance • Social Studies • American History 1400s-1865 • Native Americans & Early Explorers • Colonization & Revolutionary War • Democracy and Government • Westward Expansion • Inventors and Industrialization • Civil War

12. Science and Language • Science • Human Body (Life) • Complex machine housing many different parts that work together, does not include human reproduction which is part of Family Life;/Sex Education/AIDS awareness program. • Matter & Energy (Physical) • Observation of atoms, molecules, changes of matter. Create models of how energy is stored and used. • Sound (Physical) • Exploration of how it travels, properties of wave and pitch, loudness, speed. • Language • Writing – Narrative, Expository, Technical, Persuasive • Compositions, reports, five paragraph essays, outlining, factual summaries, narratives, oral presentations, taking critical stance, procedural with no significant errors in grammar, fluency, usage, syntax.

13. Math • Math • Number Sense and Properties • Advanced Computation • Fractions/Decimals/Percent • Measurement (standard and metric) • Probability/Statistics/Graphs • Geometry • Positive & Negative Numbers/Variables • Mental Math, Problem Solving, Logical Reasoning, Multi-step reasoning/written explanations and justification

14. Common Core Standards • The National Governors Association Center recently initiated a movement towards national academic expectations in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning that will prepare our nations children to be college and career ready. • Instruction focuses on subject discourse, academic language, critical thinking and rigor. • This is a working document that will affect all graduating students in our class.

15. Common Core Resources http://www.gardnervilleelementaryschool.com/ http://www.amazingclassroom.com/

16. Common Core Standards • Recent years have seen the pace of change in education accelerate at all levels as educators and policy makers instigate reforms aimed at raising academic achievement in the United States to a world-class level. • Common Core State Standards Initiative—to produce a set of K–12 standards in the foundational subjects of English language arts and mathematics designed to prepare high school graduates to succeed in col­lege and careers. On June 2, 2010, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were released. • Most states, including Nevada, began implementing the standards in schools in 2011–2012. • The standards were developed to achieve the following outcomes: • • To align with college and work expectations. • • To include rigorous content and application of knowledge through higher-order skills. • • To build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards. • • To reflect expectations of top-performing countries so that all U.S. students are prepared to succeed in our global economy. • • To be evidence and/or research-based. • Just as states will be working hard to develop new assessments aligned to Common Core State Standards, there will be a tremendous need for new curricula and instructional materials aligned to the new standards. Already, textbook publishers and other con­tent providers are rushing to update their materials.

17. Who’s on Board With Common Core? Graphic taken from US News and World Report August 20, 2014

18. Grading • The purpose of grading is to inform the student and parents of student progress, areas of growth, and areas of concern. • Report Cards are distributed every 12 weeks (3 times per year). The Report Cards list current classroom grades, outline the DCSD competencies, list the Achievement Level Test scores, and contain information on student work habits and behavior. • Progress Reports are distributed every 6 weeks. • Online access is available for all families through Powerschool. Contact the office for sign in information. • If there are concerns regarding a student’s performance, a goal setting conference may be scheduled in order to create goals, track progress and provide additional assistance such as tutoring. Goal setting conferences will be Monday, October 1.

19. Field Trips • Throughout the school year students will participate in a variety of educational projects associated with our critical content for fifth grade. • Walking field trips will include the local museum and parks. • Students will go snowshoeing at Heavenly Ski Resort with the Forestry Department in/around February. • Students will visit the state legislature, museum and capital building in/around March. • Students will board a scientific research boat in May. • Students will visit the Nevada Museum of Art in/around April. • If you are interested in volunteering in our classroom, please indicate so on the sign in sheet.

20. Parent Conferences • Generally conferences are held after the first trimester (12 weeks into the school year). Thursday, October 30th. Parents and students are invited to attend. Students who have specific concerns (those who’s test scores are below target) may have a goal setting conference after the first six weeks of school. Monday, November 7th and 10th. • Additional conferences may be necessary throughout the year. • Should a concern arise, please do not hesitate to contact me at (775) 782-5117. During school hours you may leave a message at extension #2545. I am on campus from 8:00am to 3:30pm each day. My email address is: drosingu@dcsd.k12.nv.us

21. Parent Contact • Please keep the office apprised of changes to your child’s address, phone number, etc. for emergency purposes and school updates via Auto-dialer. • Include your family email address on the sign in sheet tonight for school newsletters, etc. (it saves a heap of cash). • Please complete volunteer form. PTSO meetings are the last Thursday of each month. • Pee Chees are to be signed and returned on Fridays.

22. Class Website • For information on homework assignments, class projects, content based slideshows, links to favorite websites, to email me, etc. • VISIT: www.gardnervilleelementaryschool.com *click on “faculty and staff”, “my name” (for email) or “webpage”.

23. District Website • https://webmail.dcsd.k12.nv.us/ • Use this for weather announcements, curriculum, calendar, lunch menu, etc.

24. Let’s Have a Great Year! Questions and Answers Did you remember to sign in? PLEASE print your email clearly. WISH LIST: • Parent volunteers: in class, copying, website Candy Dance parking 9/27,28 • toys, games, books for the auction • All students should have a flash drive Upcoming Dates: September 1 Labor Day September 26 NO SCHOOL – teacher collaboration October 31 NO SCHOOL Nevada Day November 7 and 10 Parent Conferences – goal setting