WELCOME TO THE 2015 -2016 SCHOOL YEAR Mrs

WELCOME TO THE 2015 -2016 SCHOOL YEAR! Mrs. Whicker, Ms. Durso Montoya, Mr. Rojas, Mrs. Schoonover Grade 5

Tonight We Will Review: School Lunch/Policy • Volunteer hours • Lunch procedures Classroom Expectations Homework Classroom Economy Resources • Class website: • Engrade • Think Central • Scholastic How to contact me How students get home Dress code

Classroom Expectations Respect! Respect is my number 1 rule in the class! I expect all students to respect each and every person in this building, their environment, and themselves. Without feeling respected, no one can learn to their highest potential because a lack of respect leads to a fear of being wrong. We are all wrong every now and then… even adults… its called learning!!! We have a lot to learn and a lot of questions will need to be asked and explored. To be a TOP PERFORMING class, we MUST be a team and support one another!

School Policies Absences • Must have excuse note within 48 hours • 10 absences are allowed per year. After that, referrals well be given • 3 referrals will stop your child from being admitted to classroom rewards Volunteer Hours • 15 volunteer hours MUST BE DONE by DECEMBER! • You have until the last school day for students to complete your remaining hours – 30 total Lunch • Students must preorder lunch or they will not be able to get hot lunch!!!

Homework Policy 5 th Grade will have 1 hour and 20 minutes of homework each night. The breakdown is as follows: Approximately… 10 minutes of language arts or social studies 20 minutes of math 20 minutes of science AND 30 minutes silent reading *ONE AR TEST EACH WEEK!!* *If your child procrastinates, he or she may have accumulated more than 1 hour per day. Please plan accordingly *To prepare your child for middle school, no late work will be accepted, unless there is an absence in the system. If you know that your child will be missing school, it is his/her responsibility to make up the work 2 days for each day absent. (PLEASE have contact information of 3 responsible students)

Homework Policy • Incomplete is considered undone. (You cannot succeed without trying!) • For Absences: Your child has two days for each day to complete missed assignments. • For Projects: Each day the project is late, 20 percent will be deducted. (For example, if your child’s project is 2 days late, the highest percentage they can receive is 60%) • On Engrade, “M” indicates a missing homework assignment. Please watch for this! • Your child’s agenda will be your best friend! Please make sure you check it every day. Notes to the teacher can be written in the agenda. We will sign a note to confirm that it was seen. If your child has a referral or a “think sheet” this will be sent via the Wednesday folder OR stapled into the agenda. PLEASE CHECK THIS WITH YOUR CHILD. • A blank agenda is a sign that your child is not acting responsibly. NOTE: Homework is intended to cement the knowledge taught to your child throughout the school day! We NEED YOUR HELP in making this the BEST year possible for your child! PLEASE let me know if you have any homework concerns.

Classroom Economy system Each day students will receive Class Points via the website Class. Dojo. These will not be linked to a student’s grade, but will be a good indication for parents about the student’s level of focus and class cooperation. Class Points are earned for completing classroom jobs, assisting others, completing homework, and any other reward I feel is helping the class. Class Points are deducted if a child is disrespectful, does not have homework, or is not following classroom expectations.

Websites Each class has an individual website that can be used to reference the weekly plans. These should be used as a GUIDE and not a replacement for the AGENDA!! Additional websites are: Engrade Think Central IXL ARBook. Find. com Scholastic *All linked on the classroom website

Technology This year your child will be assessed on the computer for math, reading, and writing. In order to prepare for this assessment, your child will need: • Gmail Account • USB • Internet Access - Plan • **Your child will have online assignments. Please plan accordingly and decide where and when your child will be accessing the internet EVERY WEEK!!!

Communication There are several ways to communicate with me. 1. **E-Mail: Lwhicker@bengamlacharter. org rrojas@bengamlachartter. org aschoonover@bengamlacharter. org ldurso@benggamlacharter. org You may call the school and leave me a message at anytime, I will respond within 24 hours. Wednesday Folders will be sent home weekly with your child. Please review the papers inside, sign, and return the folders by Thursday. **A lost folder is $1**

Behavior, Facebook, and Cell Phones… oh my! Behavior: Your child is expected to follow Ben Gamla’s 3 Building Expectations (Respect, Responsibility, and Safety) as well as classroom expectations. Facebook/ Instagram: Facebook is NOT appropriate for students in grade 5! If you choose to allow your child to be on Facebook, understand that any consequence of online social media activities will be your responsibility. The school in no way, shape, or form endorses student use of these websites. Cell Phones: We understand safety and cell phones are connected and want your child to be as safe as possible at all times. With that being said, however, cell phones are prohibited to be used in the school building! Cell phones must be turned off and placed in backpacks while your child is in the building or on the playground. Any child caught using a cell phone on campus will have the cell phone confiscated and the phone will be handed over to administration. The student using the cell phone will also be given a written referral as stated by Broward County. This is NOT a Ben Gamla rule and is out of our hands. Cell phones can only be retrieved from administration by a parent and/or guardian.

Car Riders/Dismissal 1. NO SMOKING IN THE CAR POOL AREA… even in your car! 2. NO CELL PHONE USAGE, of any kind, in the car pool area! This is simply for the safety of our students, staff, and other drivers. 3. You must remain in your vehicle at all times. Please do not get out to walk your child across the road. 4. Please contact the teacher via email or phone call. Do not stop and block the entire carpool line and public traffic. We will be fined or have trouble with the new high school.

Dress Code 1. Uniforms must be worn Monday through Friday unless you have paid for a “Dress Down day. ” 2. If you would like to participate in Dress Down days, students must pay $1 for the tops and $1 for the bottoms (total of $2 for the whole outfit). 3. Payments must be received by Thursday by 9 am of the week you wish for your child to dress down to participate. No exceptions. 4. If a child is absent on Thursday, they need to purchase the ticket on Wednesday. 5. Wednesdays are Spirt SHIRT days, students need to still wear uniform bottoms.

Field Trips/Parties Field Trips Parties • You MUST be on time to attend a field trip as the bus will leave without you! • Parties will be held during the • To attend EVERY child and parent last half hour of the day and MUST have an insurance card on must be cleared with the file. Give this to your child’s classroom teacher and class teacher once, and he/she will parent (1) in advance! save it!! Send during the first week of school • No holidays will be celebrated at Ben Gamla • You may NOT SMOKE while Charter school. Example: No chaperoning on a field trip. Valentine’s Day, Halloween, • If you have volunteered for a whole-day trip and are a smoker, etc. please plan accordingly as you will NOT be permitted to smoke in front of students OR leave the group. Volunteer hours can be accumulated by volunteering for class parties and/or field trips!

Volunteer Opportunities Wish list • Class Parent 1 – Parties • Class Parent 2 – Contact • Labeling Classroom Books • Protecting Classroom Library (contact paper) • Copying, cutting, or folding– make an appointment • Educational Games (links on website) • Cubbies (set of 6, 8 or 9) • Tablets/ I-pads • Scanner • Pencil Sharpeners • Speakers (for Computer) • Classroom Library Books (AR Test Required)

Questions and/or Concerns? ? ?