2. Fifth graders are the “Leaders of the Pack” and we have an exciting and productive year planned for students. The information included will prepare your student for a successful year.

3. The Team  Mrs. Allyson Davis  Mrs. Melanie Davison  Mrs. Amy Rynearson  Mrs. Stacey Ward  Mrs. Kim Wilson We look forward to working with you to insure the success of your child during this very important year!

4. Teacher Wish Lists  Check out your teacher’s wish list at:  www.humbleisdfoundation.org

5. Upcoming Important Dates August 24 th Boo Hoo/ Yahoo Breakfast 7:30- 9:00 August 28thEarly Release- Noon September 7 th School Holiday September 10thFall Individual Pictures September 14 KISS Luncheon PK, 1 st, 3 rd, 5 th September 15KISS Luncheon K, 2 nd, 4 th September 16Early Release- Noon September 30Early Release- Noon October 8Fall Fundraiser Kick Off October 12Student Holiday

6. Curriculum

7. Reading & Language Arts (RELA) Throughout the school year, students will extend reading strategies introduced in grades K-4 to further develop their critical thinking and analysis skills in all subject areas. In addition, students will practice STAAR formatted questions and apply strategies to prepare for the Reading STAAR to be administered in March.

8. Spelling We will be using the Words Their Way method of spelling with an emphasis on Greek and Latin roots. Students will be assessed on their spelling skills and grouped according to their level. Students are introduced to a new rule each week and given many opportunities to master the words.

9. Mathematics Fifth grade math focuses on exploring number concepts using hands-on activities and many different approaches to solving problems. Students will practice solving problems in a variety of ways and providing verbal and written explanations of their methods. In addition to hands-on activities, students will also practice STAAR-formatted questions so they will be prepared for the middle school math TEKS that have been integrated into the fifth grade curriculum.

10. Science The focus for science is hands-on experiments and activities that make connections to real world applications of science concepts. The new TEKS place more emphasis on designing controlled experiments and the students will have plenty of practice before they are expected to design their own experiment. We will also spend some time analyzing non-fiction passages and information in preparation for the Science STAAR that will be administered in May.

11. Social Studies Fifth graders will study American History through a variety of sources, including historical fiction, interactive notebook activities and non-fiction passages. Our goal is for students to travel back in time and experience how children their own age lived in Colonial times.

12. FYI

13. Manner’s Banquet This is a very exciting activity for our students and we need a number of parent volunteers to help us with this special day. We will need parents to serve as our waiters and waitresses for our special meal. Please mark your calendars and save the date to help us make this experience special for your child.  Manner’s Banquet – January 15, 2016

14. Tuesday Folders Graded papers and conduct will go home each week on Tuesday for the previous week. Please review the papers, sign the conduct card, and return the folder on Wednesday each week.

15. Homework Fifth graders will have homework on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Additionally, students may have homework on weekends when projects have been assigned. Students will be expected to write the homework assignments in their planners each day.

16. Conduct Good conduct is critical to the success of all students. Students will receive a weekly conduct grade based on the following: Weekly Conduct:9 Weeks Conduct: E = 0 marksE = 0 - 4 marks S = 1 - 2 marksS = 5 - 9 marks N = 3 - 4 marksN = 10 - 18 marks U = 5+ marksU = 19+ marks

17. Conduct Rewards and Consequences The most important consequence of poor conduct is that the student loses opportunities to learn when he or she misbehaves. As an added incentive, fifth graders must maintain an E or an S in behavior to earn the right to participate in a number of end of the year activities, as well as after school clubs throughout the year. These activities include, but are not limited to: Talent Show, Autograph and Board Game Day, Mock Middle School and the 5 th Grade Water Relay Games.

18. Recess Recess provides an opportunity for students to socialize and stretch their legs. Fifth graders will start the year with a recess break after lunch. However, as the year progresses we may gradually adjust the length and format of recess to prepare students for middle school, where they will not have a recess break.

19. After School Detention This is a program at Timbers for students in grades 3 through 5. The goal of after school detention is to keep students in class during the day so they do not miss instructional time due to behavior issues. Students will be assigned to after school detention if they receive 3 or more conduct marks in a day, 6 or more in a week, or for office referrals. Students will be given an Office Referral for the 2 nd detention assigned and each detention thereafter.

20. Snacks Fifth grade students will be allowed to bring a single-serving snack to be eaten in class at a time designated by the teacher. The snack must follow the nutritional guidelines set forth by the federal government and minimize the risk of allergic reactions and unsanitary conditions in the classroom.  We ask that if your child brings a water bottle, please make sure it is not a disposable bottle and has a flip top to help protect our carpet. If you have a question about a water bottles, please ask your child’s teacher.

21. Lunch  Ward/Wilson12:10-12:40  Davis/Davison/ Rynearson 12:00-12:30  If students do not take either a fruit or vegetable, they will be charged the a la carte prices.  Parents may restrict extra snack purchases through their online account.  All food must be consumed in the cafeteria per federal guidelines.

22. Student Birthdays Student birthdays may be celebrated during lunch time only. Parents wishing to provide treats for classmates may only purchase ice cream from the cafeteria. No outside food or drink may be shared. Please see the HOWL for details on ordering ice cream. Additionally, no balloons or gifts will be delivered to the classroom.

23. Conferences Our conference time is 8:15 – 9:05 daily. Please contact your child’s teacher if you wish to schedule a conference. Conferences will be scheduled with each parent in October. Please see the teacher website for phone and email information.

24. Remind 101 Good communication is essential for your child’s success. Fifth grade teachers will be utilizing a texting app called Remind 101 this year. Please text the code given to you this evening as soon as possible to assure you get important information.

25. Tardy/ Attendance Policy Students who are habitually tardy miss valuable instructional time. After 5 tardies, students will receive a letter warning of an office referral for the next tardy. If a 6 th tardy occurs, it will result in an office referral. If your child is absent, a signed note about the absence must be brought in when the student returns to school. Please note, e-mails are not sufficient!

26. Field Trips  Humble ISD has implemented an accounting system for handling money collected from students. We will need students to pay for their field trip by the due date listed on the permission slip or they will be excluded from the trip. This can be up to 2 weeks in advance of the actual day of the field trip.

27. STAAR – 5 th Grade  Subjects Assessed: Math Reading Science  4 hour time limit on all assessments  STAAR Math – March 29 th; Retest May 9th  STAAR Reading – March 30th; Retest May 10 th  STAAR Science – May 11th

28. Other Important Information  Parents and guardians will only be allowed to escort students to class the first day of school.  Parents and guardians will not be allowed to check students out of school after 2:45PM.  Students must have a parent note or doctor’s note when returning from an absence.  Students will be dismissed daily in the manner you tell us. Any change to dismissal must be given to the teacher in writing.

29. Please don’t forget to stop by the C1 computer lab and sign up for the Timbers Howl online newsletter and join us on Twitter @timberselem!