2019-2020

Virgil Mills Elementary

Mrs. Buehler & Mrs. Whitaker

Welcome to 5th Grade

“Ride the Wave to Learning”!

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

 Dear families,
Dear families,
We would like to thank every one of you for taking the time to come to “Back to School
Night”. Wewould
We likeexcited
are very to thanktoevery
meetone
all of
ofyou
youforandtaking
yourthe time to come
children! to “Back
We are goingtotoSchool
have Night”.
a great We are
year
very excited to meet all of you and your children! We are going to have a great year and we are really looking
and we are really looking forward to it!
forward to it!
Hereisisour
Here our class
class handbook
handbook for your
for your reference.
reference. These These procedures
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and happiness is just as important to us as we
know it is to you, so please keep us informed. 
Warmly,
Christina Buehler and Dana Whitaker
Warmly,
Christina Christina
Buehler Buehler and Dana Whitaker Dana Whitaker
Email-
Christina
Phone- Buehler ext. 2047
941-721-2140 Dana Whitaker
Phone- 941-721-2140 ext. 2048
Email- buehlerc@manateeschools.net Email- whitak1d@manateeschools.net
Phone- 941-721-2140 ext. 2047 Phone- 941-721-2140 ext. 2048
 Procedures
• Arrival: Students may begin entering the classroom at 8:15, which is the time of the first bell.
Students should prepare for the day by placing backpacks and lunch boxes in the appropriate
location, turn in any homework assignments, progress reports, attendance, and sharpen pencils.
• Tardy: A student is tardy after 8:25. A parent should sign him/her into the office to receive a
late slip that needs to be given to the teacher upon entering the classroom. We will allow them to
make up the morning work that they missed. He or she will have until the following school day to
complete the missed work.
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• Absence: If a student has an excused absence, it is their responsibility to ask us about the
work missed. We will gladly provide the missing assignments. The student will have two
days per excused absence to make up the work and get it turned in.
• In the event of an unexcused absence, such as vacations, parents need to notify the teacher at
least 48 hours in advance, so the work can be sent home and completed. Any tests or projects
assigned prior to the unexcused absence is expected to be completed upon the student’s return.
• State Tests: May is testing month. Please do not schedule any vacations
at this time. State tests determine middle school class placements. We
will try to notify parents of testing dates at least 30 days in advance.
• Classroom Discussions-
Participation
• Classroom discussions will occur daily. Students are expected to respect the speaker and use their best
listening skills.  We want all students to feel comfortable and safe in their classroom environment.
• Learning Groups and Partnerships-
• Students will often work in small groups or with partners. When this occurs, strict job descriptions will be
outlined. Everyone in the group will have a job. Students are expected to complete jobs that they have been
given. Conversation will be only about the group’s task, and all language will be polite and encouraging.
Each group will have a group leader. The group leaderhwill hold his or her job for one week. His or her duties
include managing group materials, distributing and collecting group papers, and encouraging other
members of the group, as well as other tasks as they arise. Each student will have two learning partners.
Face partners face each other, and shoulder partners sit at each other’s shoulders.
• Getting Help and Asking Questions-
• The only way to learn is by asking questions. When a student needs help, he or she should first try to
find out information on his or her own. Usually answers can be found in the learning environment (the
textbooks, the whiteboard, etc.) If this does not work, the student should try asking their shoulder partner.
If that student cannot help, the student should ask their face partner. If no one in their group knows the
answer, everyone in that group is expected to raise their hands to ask the teacher. All questions should be
related to the current topic. (Ask 3 Before Me)
 Homework
• Homework is typically assigned Monday through Thursday and are written
down in the student’s planners to keep them organized. We encourage parents to
check these planners and DOJO daily. Students will use a designated folder for
homework. Each night in addition to their assigned homework, students should
read for at least 30 minutes. Keep in mind…avid readers will be rewarded. 
• Students will be notified of projects/ long-term
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assignments at least a week
prior to the given assignment. We will definitely allot sufficient time for these
assignments because we know that many students have very busy schedules.
• Late homework/assignments will be accepted. However, points may be deducted
for each day that the assignment is late.
• **Any classwork not finished becomes homework and is expected the following
day.
 Classwork
• Early Finishers
• Often, students finish
assignments before their
classmates. In this circumstance,
we ask that the student be
respectful of the other students
still working and either read a
book silently or begin working on
another assignment. Students
will be provided with multiple
options for when they are finished
with their work. Overall, we want
the student to be using this time
wisely and productively.
• Not Quite Done
• If for any reason a student does
not finish a classroom
assignment, the assignment will
go in the homework folder side
h labeled “Still Working.” This
prevents assignments from
getting lost and reminds
students of the work that still
needs to be completed. In some
cases, unfinished work will
become homework.
 DOJO
• www.classdojo.com
• Dojo is our preferred method for parent communication. Both
parents and students can create an account and have access
to important reminders, notes and be able to message the
teacher and get a quick response.
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• Class notes will be posted in Schoology/DOJO. Students have
access through their Webnet accounts. When students are
absent, they should refer to these notes and either copy them
down in their notebooks or print the page out and attached to
their notebooks so they are prepared when they return to
school.
 Movement
• Around the School
• The class will move around the school
in an organized, single- file line.
Students are to keep their hands and
feet to themselves and remain quiet.
Students are expected to remain in
their line order at all times.
• In the classroom
• Students are free to move about the
classroom when they:
• Are working independently, and
h • Have a specific reason for doing so.
• Whenever anyone is speaking to the
class, students will remain in their
seats. However, when students are
working independently, they may feel
free to walk to the trashcan, use the
restroom, and sharpen one pencil if
necessary.
 Discipline
• Consequences (vary according to the • Positive Reinforcement 
rule broken)
• Verbal Praise
• FIRST REMINDER: • Class/group points
• Verbal reminder of the rule/ warning • Extra privilege
• SECOND REMINDER: • Treat
• Check mark on behavior chart h
• Special Classroom occasions (ex. Parties, free
• THIRD REMINDER: time)
• Remove from Group • *Remember, good things are bound to happen
when you make good choices! 
• FOURTH REMINDER:
• Call/note Home
• FIFTH REMINDER:
• Send to Office/Class referral
Stay Organized-
A homework folder will be taken home each night. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure all papers
needed for completion of their homework are in their homework folder.
Be prepared-Stay Organized-
Success
A homework folder will be taken home each night. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure all papers
needed
• Stayfor completion
Organized- of their homework are in their homework folder.
Be prepared-
• A homework
Students folder/binder
should come will be
to class prepared taken
every home
day. This each night.
includes It isthe
having thenecessary
student’smaterials
responsibility to as
needed such
make
pencils, sure
paper, all papers
books etc. If aneeded
studentfor completion
does ofnecessary
not have the their homework areitin
materials, is their homework folder.
their responsibility to either
borrow
• Bethe needed material from a classmate or borrow from me. We ask that this be done at the beginning of
prepared-
class so that it does not take time away from learning.
• Students
Restroom- should come to class prepared every day. This includes having the necessary
materials
Students needed
should try to such asrestroom
use the pencils,inpaper, books etc.
the morning andIfafter
a student does
lunch so thatnot havenot
it does thedisrupt
necessary
the rest of
the class. However, if a student needto use it at another time, we will not deny the student. The studentor
materials, it is their responsibility to either borrow the needed material from a classmate should
keep borrow
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minimum.
• Restroom-
Students should come to class prepared every day. This includes having the necessary materials needed such as
• Students
pencils, should
paper, books try
etc. If to use the
a student restroom
does not havein
thethe morning
necessary and after
materials, it islunch so that it does
their responsibility to not
either
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borrow the rest
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material class. However,orifborrow
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this be donetime,
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classdeny theit student.
so that Thetime
does not take student
awayshould keep in mind that they could be missing valuable
from learning.
information
Restroom- so they should try to keep their use to a minimum.
Students should try to use the restroom in the morning and after lunch so that it does not disrupt the rest of
the class. However, if a student needs to use it at another time, we will not deny the student. The student should
keep in mind that they could be missing valuable information so they should try to keep their use to a
After you have read these procedures, please sign and return the following signature
page. Thank you! 
~Mrs. Buehler and Mrs. Whitaker~

By signing below, I indicate that I have read and understood Mrs. Buehler’s and
Mrs. Whitaker’s Classroom Procedures for 2019-2020 school year.
h
___________________________ _____________________________
Student Name (Print) Parent/Guardian Name (Print)
____________________________ ____________________________
Student Signature Parent Signature