1. Welcome to Fifth Grade 2016-2017

2. Comments and Questions
Feel free to ask anything along the way.
I’d love to meet you after the PP. That would be a good time to share with me anything you think will help make your child’s year the best it can be. Communication needs to be open and honest in the best interest of your child.

3. Communication
The best way to contact me is through . I check it before school, during lunch, and after school.
Website:
To call me:
My Voic
If you need immediate attention, please call the school office.
If there are concerns that I, or any other staff member have concerning your child, you will be contacted right away.
I will be making frequent contact to update you specifically on your child’s success and progress.
I will be sending home The Reynolds Reporter and updating the class website two times a month.

4. Vison
Everyone feels safe, respected, and confident as a learner and individual.
Academic growth is evident and valued.
Students and teacher have a growth mindset with high expectations for learning.
Students, staff, and parents work together to achieve success.

5. Classroom Information
Students may bring a healthy snack and a water bottle to school each day.
Birthdays will be recognized over the loud speaker and in the classroom.
All cell phones must be turned off during school hours and must remain in backpacks
All tests will be sent home after being graded to be reviewed and signed by a parent guardian. Please see that you they are returned with your child.

6. Classroom Management
Our overall goal is for the children to be responsible, respectful and safe.
Students have created their own class rules to follow this year.
The entire grade will be doing the Fix-It plan.
Students will be given two verbal warnings
Students will then be given a Fix-it plan
If the students do not fix the behavior, a parent signature on the fix it plan will be required.
Two Fix-It sheets in one week will result in a phone call or home.

7. Professional Learning
Our professional learning will impact your child’s education. Here are the professional learning experiences we have this year as a district and building.
1. Full-day Kindergarten (K teachers only)
2. Common Core State Standards
Math (1st & 2nd grade)
Literacy (3rd-5th grade)
3. New writing materials (K-5)
4. Book Study: Comprehension & Collaboration: Inquiry Circles for Curiosity, Engagement, and Understanding
5. Inquiry Learning – writing one unit in science or SS so our students can experience this kind of learning. Please note Dr. Osburn’s summer newsletter that was sent to all community members – MW was highlighted for this kind of learning.

8. Feedback, Reporting & Homework Policy
As a staff we have reflected on our feedback, grading, and homework practices to ensure they are positively impacting student achievement & their mindset towards their work.
Please take note in our next newsletter what these practices will entail.

9. Homework Expectations
Reading –read at least 25 minutes every night.
All homework will be recorded in the assignment book. This will go home and return the following day.

10. Expandable Folder
The students will bring their Expandable Folder home each night. This folder will contain any notes from the office or me, and your child’s work.
Please do not remove anything from this folder unless the child confirms. We will periodically clean the folder out to keep it organized.
Use this time as an opportunity to have a conversation with your child about their work.

11. Friday Folder
Every Friday, your child will bring home their Friday Folder, separate from their Expandable folder.
It will contain any graded work or papers that do not need to return to school. Please discuss with your child each week, sign next to the date, and return to school empty.

12. Literacy
During this morning block, we will follow the workshop model for literacy instruction. Components of a workshop model include read alouds, direct instruction mini-lessons, small group instruction, time for independent practice, writing about reading, conferring with the teacher and time for collaborative conversations. Students will read and work with a wide variety of authentic literature and trade books.
Reading Fundamentals is the series K-5 classrooms will use to guide reading instruction. Each Unit of Study includes mentor texts, a variety of leveled books for guided reading and independent reading, and a selection of digital shared teaching resources that systematically integrate reading skill/strategy instruction with the study of genre. For more information visit

13. Reading
Reader’s Workshop Model - Components include guided small group reading, interactive read aloud, shared reading, and independent reading. Schoolwide is the district-wide curriculum we will be utilizing during our Reading/Literacy Block
5th Grade Genre Units – Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry.

14. Math
The implementation of the Illinois Common Core State Standards brought shifts to math instruction.
Greater focus on fewer topics
Coherence: Linking topics and thinking across grades
Rigor: Pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application with equal intensity
For more information about the shifts to the Common Core, please visit:

15. Math Continued
We will be using Stepping Stones by Origo to guide our math instruction. Stepping Stones is an online teaching resource that is fully aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Students have print journals, but there will not be a printed mathematics textbook. The focus of the Stepping Stones series is an emphasis on conceptual development of mathematics. You can expect your student to have many hands-on experiences with manipulatives and visual representations in addition to traditional computation. Number sense and fact fluency will continue to be emphasized. For more information visit

16. Writing
Writer’s Workshop Model - Components include guided small group reading, interactive read aloud, shared writing, and independent writing. Schoolwide is the district-wide curriculum we will be utilizing during our Writing/Literacy Block
5th Grade Genre Units – Memoir, Biography, and Essay

17. Word Study/Phonics/ Spelling
We will provide direct instruction of word study as it is developmentally appropriate for our students and in the context of literacy instruction. Word Study is based on learning word patterns rather than memorizing words. We will be learning and implementing the program, Words Their Way to support a developmental approach to word study. Full implementation of Words Their Way will begin during the school year.
For more information visit

18. Science
In Fifth grade we will study units on earth, life, and physical science topics over the course of the school year. The current text resource for science instruction is National Geographic Science. The series offers a broad range of print and digital resources as students engage in science study and inquiry.

19. Social Studies
Fifth grade students learn about the building of our nation. A variety of textbook resources are used.
It will be integrated with reading and writing.
Students will practice research skills and note taking.

20. Assessments PARCC MAP and CoGAT
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)
Aligned to measure whether students are on track to be successful in college and their careers
Computer-based K–12 assessments in Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy
Allows teachers and parents access to tools to help customize students learning
Measure of Academic Progress (MAP)
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

21. Taft
Our outdoor education takes place at Lorado Taft Campus in Oregon Illinois on the NIU owned campus. It’s a 3 day, 2 night learning fun-filled extravaganza that is one of the highlights of your child’s 5th grade year.
Dates this year are April 3rd-5th Monday through Wednesday following Spring Break
There will be in informative parent meeting in the upcoming months. The cost is roughly $ We will be fundraising to offset that cost if interested.

22. Human Growth and Reproduction
In the spring of 5th grade, the science curriculum includes a two week study on human growth and reproduction.
More on that as the time approaches.
You may want to consider having “the talk” sometime before May, 2017.

23. Hallway Duties
If you did not sign up for a fall conference in the hall, please do so before you leave, and take a reminder slip.
Room Parent volunteer sign up is in the hall as well. Please consider helping out.
Please take a minute to fill out the T-shirt order form for your child, it is due September 9th
Anyone who will be in the school volunteering needs to secure and fill out the Liability Waiver.

24. Growth Mindset

25. Thank you, and get ready for a crazy fun year!