1. Welcome to 5th Grade Back to School Night
Deborah Hollingsworth
&
Andrea Buffington

2. SMSD Strategic Plan for Student Success
Core Beliefs:
Every student learns and continually achieves to high and challenging standards.
Education includes both social and academic competencies.
The teacher is the most important influence on student achievement.
Everyone has an individual, collaborative, and collective responsibility for each student.
Everyone in the educational community continually reflects and learns in an empowering culture.
Change is inevitable and necessary; our response is intentional.
SMSD Mission:
The educational community will relentlessly empower each student to succeed through an intentional multi-tiered system of support
Dr. Posny references that it starts with dialogue – our district has developed a set of core beliefs and a mission statement that direct our efforts.
Big Picture Items are:
Each student
Academic and behavior
Shared responsibility
Importance of the teacher
Embracing of change
As we are building our plane while flying, it became apparent that not everyone was on the same page. Engaged in a dialogue to have common language and philosophy 2

3. Specials Schedule Monday – MUSIC & PE Tuesday – LIBRARY BAND & STRINGS
Wednesday – MUSIC & PE
ENHANCED LEARNING
Thursday – BAND & STRINGS
SPANISH
Friday ART
Specials Schedule

4. ~ Reading ~ Mrs. Hollingsworth will teach all reading classes
* Daily Homework
* Reading for Meaning
* Text Structures
* Story Elements
* Texts Type
* Reading a variety of literature
Combination of guided reading & direct instruction
(whole & small groups ) to meet all children’s needs.
Reading Logs:
Students set individual quarterly reading goals. They read an agreed upon number of pages each quarter for part of the reading grade. The number of pages should increase throughout the year.

5. Spelling
The Everyday Spelling program is linked directly to vocabulary, reading, & writing with a focus on developing word knowledge and spelling skills.
Spelling packets go home on Monday and completed by Friday.
Students take a post-test Friday.

6. ~ Math ~ Mrs. Buffington will teach all math..
Daily Homework Practice
Super Six & Daily Warm-ups every morning.
Quick Check & Weekly Review Friday
Math Basic Skills Tests 1,2,3rd Quarter
Place value of whole numbers & decimals
Division & Multiplication of larger numbers
Verbalizing Math Processes & Skills
Interpreting graphs, tables, & charts
Simplifying fractions
Adding, subtracting
& multiplying fractions
Mixed numbers
Problem Solving
Decimals

7. Written Language Mrs. Hollingsworth will teach all reading classes
Six-trait writing
Journal Writing
Short essays & research papers
4-Square Writing
Heroes Project
Proofreading & Peer Editing
Grammar
Figurative Language

8. Social Studies Mrs. Hollingsworth will teach social studies classes
Maps
American History-Explorers,
American Revolution & Government
Economics-Mini Society, Junior Achievement

9. Science Mrs. Buffington will teach science classes
Scientific Method – in class science experiments
Weather and Water
Changing Earth & Environment
Astronomy
Health and Body Systems

10. Organization Student Binders
~ contains daily work by subject area & must be at school each day.
Planner
~ contains assignments & must be filled out completely & returned to school each day.
Friday Take Home
~ contains information from the office & classroom as well as work from the previous week.

11. Daily Assignments
* 5th graders are expected to read every night and record pages read in their Reading Log. These are returned with a parent signature the last Wednesday of the quarter.
5th graders are expected to have an average of 50 minutes of nightly homework. This means solid time on task-not interrupted or sporadic effort.
* Assignments not completed in class are considered homework & are due the following day unless otherwise noted.

12. Field Trips Feb – Celebrate American Heroes @ SMS – cost $0
Field trips are currently in the planning stage.
5th grade teachers are looking at the trips that
have the best cost & benefit to our students.
You will be hearing about them soon & have an
opportunity to volunteer to accompany us.

13. Homework Club
Homework Club is an Incentive for students to * complete assignments
* Turn in homework on time
* Show their best effort on assignments
Missing or incomplete assignments results in removal from Homework Club for that week.
Students start over each week.

14. Celebrating Birthdays
Please feel free to send treats for your child’s birthday.
Please send treats that can be cleaned up easily & do not require cutting. For example: Cupcakes, Cookies, or Ice Cream Bars.
Please send napkins, spoons, forks, etc. if needed.
Birthdays are celebrated at different times throughout the day, so it is best to send treats in the morning.

15. Communication Webback Pack
Handbook ~ paper copy & posted to classroom websites.
Monthly Newsletter – ed to parents & posted on classroom website.
Note in planner.
Phone: before or after school.
Hollingsworth
Buffington

16. I promise you every day your children will learn something.
Some days they’ll bring it
home in their hands.
home in their heads.
And some days they’ll bring
it home in their hearts.