1. Welcome to Mrs. Hillegass’ Class Room 103 Jackson Elementary School 2014-2015

2. Attention All information is subject to change I will notify and communicate changes Please contact me if you have any questions

3. Welcome Dear Parent/Guardian: Welcome to our fifth grade class in room 103 at Jackson Elementary School. We have a very busy and exciting year in store for us. I realize that teaching your child is a privilege, as well as a tremendous responsibility. I will do my best to ensure that each student has a motivating and safe learning experience in the classroom. However, I cannot do this alone: I need your help. We both need to be partners in the learning process. I need each of you to encourage your child at home to complete all assignments, study for tests, and read. I will keep you informed to classroom happenings. The information that follows includes some classroom policies. I know with your help we are going to have a great year! Mrs. Hillegass

4. Behavior Plan Clipboard Behavior – I will be keeping track of your child’s behavior using a behavior recording sheet. The recording sheet will also allow me to conference with you and even your child. After three warnings for negative behaviors, I will send home a behavior card. The card needs to be signed and returned. Also, please discuss the behaviors with your child. Star Behavior – If a student does not receive more than one behavior card a nine weeks, they will earn a jewel for their star. If they receive four jewels for the year, they will be in the running for a special prize

5. Birthdays We will be celebrating birthdays at recess (2:45 – 3:15) Please contact me if you want to send in a treat so I can confirm a time and date

6. Book Orders I will be sending home Scholastic book orders periodically through the year. Please look through these as they are a source of good cheap books. When you purchase through Scholastic, our classroom gets funds for more books for our library. Please complete forms accurately and return on designated date. Please send in checks (made to Scholastic). No cash! Ordering books is completely voluntary. You can order online using the parent code: GZCWL

7. Bucket Filling In order to foster a more positive environment, students will be participating in the bucket filling program To find out more information visit Bucket Fillers WebsiteBucket Fillers Website Encourage your students to show positive behavior to their classmates and teachers

8. Communication Email is the best way to contact me. It will be much harder for me to return a phone call. I check my email several times during the school day, in the evenings, and on weekends mhillegass@cencam.org Send any dismissal changes in note form so I can send to the office Check your child’s planner nightly. Here you will find their homework, notes from a teacher, and other announcements. Please sign the planner nightly. Please check out my classroom website: Mindy Hillegass (click on the link or use the QR code on the next slide)Mindy Hillegass Sign up for Remind.com text messages (See Handout or QR code on the next slide)

9. QR Codes Remind App (Text Messaging)Mrs. Hillegass’ Class Website

10. Grades Every week students will bring home their graded work for the week in their weekly folders. Please go through these papers with your child. If you have any questions about them, write me a note. Sign the folder and keep the tests in the folder and return to school. Please check MMS to monitor your child’s grades Progress reports will be sent home to any student receiving a failing grade at the midpoint of each semester

11. Homework It is essential that students complete their homework. It is extra practice and reinforcement of skills learned in class Homework Club – Students become and stay members until they do not turn in an assignment. They can miss one assignment per month without being removed from the club. If they stay in the club for the entire month, they get to pick a reward coupon

12. Written Language/Grammar We will be learning to write narrative, opinion, and informative stories this year. Students will work in a writing workshop setting to learn skills needed in writing. POW!!! Students will complete the Paragraph of the Week for homework. All directions and materials will be sent home Students will complete the writing PSSA’s in the spring. Students learn a grammar skill each week. We will practice through games, worksheets, and websites. Please look over the study guide nightly.

13. Math and Social Studies Please contact Mrs. Kivisto for questions about math and social studies Students will have not have a social studies grade the first two semesters of the year. Instead, they will have science with me. We will switch the last two semesters. They will not have a science grade the last two semesters. Instead they will have social studies with Mrs. Kivisto

14. Other Notes Please do not bring any toys to school! Please dress appropriately for the weather. I recommend wearing layers as our room can change in temperature throughout the day If you know your child is going to be absent, please let me know in advance Students may bring a water bottle to school, but it has to be kept in their book bags

15. Organization In order to be successful in fifth grade, students must be organized They will be responsible for filling in their planners each day I will help them organize and label all notebooks and binders Desk Monster – If the monster visits, he will leave you a treat for having a neat desk. Encourage your students to be neat. A messy desk could result in loss of activity time Check and clean out book bags often

16. Planners All students are issued a planner where they will record their homework each day. Students are expected to get the planner signed nightly by a parent/guardian. This is a major ingredient to our parent –teacher partnership. I will check the planner each morning for your initials. This is also a place for you to write notes to me. Before packing up to go in the afternoon, students will write their homework assignments in their planners.

17. Reading Students are expected to read at least 20 minutes nightly (See handout) Students will complete the reading PSSA’s in April Students will participate in co – teaching and RTI in reading Common Core: Pennsylvania has adopted the PA Core Standards. Read the handout to find out about the changes and how you can help at home Fluency: With the new PA Core standards, fifth grade fluency goals have increased. Read about how you can help at home

18. Spelling Students have twenty spelling words each week. Students will be given a list to tape into their planner. These words will follow a phonemic pattern that we will be working on in class. Students will be completing spelling worksheets and activities throughout the week. Spelling tests will be given every five school days unless noted. Please study for a few minutes each night for the test. In order to practice please visit spellingcity.comspellingcity.com

19. Science Students will study science the first 18 weeks of school We will complete two science kits (floating/sinking and levers/pulleys),a life science unit, earth science unit, and a unit on matter Grades will be given on quizzes, notebook checks, and other assignments Homework will be given occasionally and could include vocabulary worksheets, projects, or response activities

20. Specials Day 1 – P.E. Day 2 – Art, Band Day 3 – Music, Chorus Day 4 – P.E. Day 5 – Art, library, Computers Day 6 – Music Band Lessons throughout the week

21. Supplies If possible, please provide your child with pencils, five folders in various colors, highlighter, glue sticks, colored pencils, red pen, erasers, scissors, Elmers Glue, sticky notes, dry erase markers, and five (one) subject notebooks, and a box of tissues Don’t know what to do with all those mismatched socks in your laundry room? Send in one sock to use as a dry eraser for our mini dry erase boards Please replenish supplies throughout the year How else can you help? I currently have a Donors Choose Project that needs funding. We are less than $90 away from it being funded. Check out the handout to see how you can help