Welcome

Parents/Guardians:

Welcome to our classroom and to fifth grade! We are anticipating
many exciting and fun-filled learning experiences for your child. Our
goal is to provide every child with the opportunity to succeed
academically. Further, we will encourage positive self-esteem and
expect excellence of all that students do.

Coming to school prepared is very important for success. Therefore,
we have prepared this information for you to read and use. You will
find information about our classroom discipline plan, necessary school
supplies, classroom policies and other useful information. While this
is not a complete guide to 5
th
grade living, this is a beginning.

Please remember you are the most important element in your
students success. If for some reason, you need to communicate with
any teacher, feel free to send a note with your student or call us at
the school. Our number is 678-344-2082. You may also email us
from the grade level website.
Please remember that email should not be used for emergencies as
we do not always have an opportunity to check emails during the day.
It is best to call the office for concerns that require immediate
assistance.

We look forward to an exciting and rewarding year!

Respectfully,
Fifth Grade Teachers




Communication
The grade levels main source of communication to the home is the
weekly folder and the monthly newsletter. The weekly folder goes
home on Friday of each week. Inside this folder will be your child's
Star Card and other important communication from both the
teachers and the school. It will also contain some of your student's
completed work. The Star Card is a report of your student's Conduct
and Work Habits for the week.

Please read through all of the information. Very important
correspondence goes home via this folder, also. You may need to
return some of the notes with your student, while some is
informational only. You may keep your student's completed work.
Please sign the Star Card and RETURN THE FOLDER AND STAR
CARD TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY!!!


School Hours

Students may begin arriving to school at 7:45 in the morning.
Students who plan to eat breakfast may go directly to their grade
level hallway where breakfast is being distributed. Before this time
there is no adult supervision in the building. The school day starts at
8:15. Students should be in the classroom, ready for instruction, at
this time. Students arriving after this time will need to check in at
the office.

Dismissal begins at 2:45. An important note about dismissal; changes
to a students dismissal are required to be in writing. If you know
your students dismissal will change for a day, a period of days or
permanently, please send a note to the school. Otherwise your
student will be sent home the usual way.

Homework
Students will receive nightly homework. All homework should be
completed and turned in the following day. Students are also
required to read a minimum of 20 minutes each night as part of their
homework. This is very important to their success in reading. You
may read to them, they may read to you or they may read
independently to complete their reading assignment. Students will
also be required to complete and return a reading log weekly.

Please help your student by practicing multiplication facts
throughout the year. This should be done in a relaxed, fun manner.
Doing so will help them in all that we do. We always tell students to
practice, practice, practice these facts in order to learn them well.

Encourage your childs success in fifth grade by giving them any
assistance needed, however, please do not complete their work for
them.

We strongly encourage you to have a specific time set aside in your
evening, free from television or other distractions, for your student
to complete his or her homework. Working in this manner will surely
give them ample time to complete their assignments in time to turn
them in.

Another note about homework; we expect students to develop the
responsibility of completing their homework and returning it to
school each week. Further, we can monitor their progress by
reviewing their homework. Homework is very important for students
to develop good study habits and understand the responsibility of
completing schoolwork.

Students will also receive periodic homework projects. These
projects may involve extra preparation and work on the students
behalf. We will communicate well in advance directions and
expectations so that you may assist your student in with these
projects. Students are, again, responsible for their own work.
Parents are encouraged to assist, but not do these projects for the
students.


Accelerated Math

Fifth graders who have exeeded math proficiency requirements, may
be eligible for the AC Math class. Students who have performed
above average on the CRCT Math component, have received above
average grades in Math, completes assignments on time, and whose
behavior is compliant with the student handbook could be eligible for
AC Math. Your childs teacher will review these things for each
student in his/her classroom. Also, students who were previously in
an AC Math class are not automatically in an AC Math class the next
year. All students must meet the requirements every year.

Book Orders
Book order forms will be sent home periodically. These books are
very inexpensive, cheaper than the bookstore, and are a great way to
encourage your student to read. They also make great gifts. We do
not profit from taking these orders but our classes earn points
which we use to buy books for use in our room. If you choose to
order books, you are encouraged to order online using the
information on the order form so that your childs class will receive
credit to order additional books for the classroom. You may also send
in a check or money order made to Scholastic, along with the order
form in a sealed envelope to your childs teacher.

Another great way for students to acquire excellent books to read
without purchase is your local public library! If your child does not
have a public library card, we encourage you to take them soon to get
their card and visit your public library often!

Curriculum
Our fifth grade curriculum is very rewarding and comprehensive. It
is comprised of the Gwinnett County Academic Knowledge and Skills.
The following is an outline of what you can expect your student to
study this year.
Language Arts- Grammar will be taught through Word Study
activities. The writing process will be developed throughout the year.

Reading- Students will read from the reading anthologies as well as
from a collection of trade books in the classroom. Reading will be
incorporated into Science and Social Studies to support AKS
standards as needed. Daily Recreational Reading and teacher Read
Aloud time will be used to encourage independent reading.

Handwriting- Handwriting is not part of the fifth grade curriculum;
however, students are expected to use their best handwriting on
assignments that are turned in for grading. Students may be asked
to re-do an assignment if it is not neat and/or readable. We
encourage students to be proud of their work.

Math- Students will cover the concepts of fractions, decimals, and
volume. Fact fluency is extremely important as we move throughout
the curriculum.

Social Studies-. Students will gain knowledge of our history from
the Civil War to present day; significance of the Constitution, its
amendments, and the laws we follow every day.

Science Students will study the sciences using hands on
activities to learn about the real life applications of what they are
studying. They will use nonfiction reading materials to learn about
the assigned topics and reinforce their reading strategies.

Computer- Students will receive reinforcement, practice and
enrichment of our classroom curriculum through the use of the
computer lab using Classworks.

Special Areas- Students will receive physical fitness, music, art,
math and science one day each during each five day rotation.
Birthdays
We love to honor your student on his or her birthday. However,
birthday parties are not allowed in the classroom. You may send a
special snack on or near the big day. Snacks may include cupcakes,
brownies or cookies. Snacks will be given to students in the
lunchroom.



Supplies
Thank you for the supplies you sent in with your students. Fifth
grade teachers worked collaboratively in creating the supply list to
ensure all students would have the supplies needed to be successful
this year. During the course of the year, students may bring home
reminders about needing supplies replenished. (especially tissues)
If this happens, help your student's success by sending in supplies
as soon as you can. Having these supplies are necessary in being
prepared for our activities in the classroom each day.


Field Trips
Field Trips will be announced. We are in process of planning trips to
go along with the curriculum









Grading
From the GCPS Website:

Grading June 1998
The Board believes that the most important assessment of
student learning is conducted by the teachers as they observe
and evaluate students in the context of ongoing classroom
activities. The teacher has the responsibility for evaluating
student progress and providing grades that represent the
student's academic achievement.

The GCPS grading scale is as follows:
90 100 = A
80 89 = B
74 79 = C
70 73 = D
0 69 = U







Attendance
It is very important that your child is here at school every day all
day.

If your child must miss a day of school please be sure send a note
explaining on his or her absence when he or she returns.

Students are expected to make up missed work promptly on their
return. We adhere to Gwinnet County guidelines.





Classroom Management
Every day is a NEW Day and we always begin thinking positively and
planning to do and be the best we can be!! Our school pledge includes
the following rules:

1. Be prepared to learn and respect the learning of others.
2. Behave safely at all times.
3. Show respect for myself, others and property.

Rewards are often giving to children who try to remember these
rules such as positive comments, stickers, prizes, Star Bucks, and
smiles!

Each student will have a Star Card for the purpose of recording
their conduct and work habits each school day. This card will be
taken by the students everywhere they go during the day. Students
who do not follow the school pledge may receive a check in their Star
Card in one of two categories, work habits or conduct. The checks
will be added together at the end of each week and a conduct and
work habits grade will be assigned to the student according to the
following scale:

0 checks = E (Excellent)
1 to 5 checks = S (Satisfactory)
6 - 10 checks = N (Needs Improvement)
11+ checks = U (Unsatisfactory)