Dear Parents & Students,

We areso happy to be teaching at Bill Arp Elementary! Mrs. Mims will be teaching Reading, Writing, and Language (ELA skills). Mrs. Nauman will be filling in for Mr. Meyers and will be teaching Math. Mrs. Moon will be teaching Social Studies and Science.This newsletter will provide you with basic information about how our classrooms will operate. A good learning experience is based on cooperation and open communication between the teachers, student, and family. Please read the following information carefully with your child and sign the “contract” at the end (student and parent). Return signature page ONLY to school by Thursday or Friday.

Goals and Expectations:

It is our goal to help your child to become an independent and motivated worker who always wants to do their best work. In order to accomplish this goal, we have listed a few expectations below.

  • All students should arrive to school daily before 8:00a.m. Students arriving after the 8:00 bell are automatically sent to the office for a tardy slip. When students are absent or tardy they miss critical instructional time.
  • All homework and class assignments must be turned in when due to receive full points for the assignment/grade.
  • Students should come to school with their agenda and any other necessary supplies daily (pencil & paper are a basic necessity).
  • All students should put forth their best effort on all assignments. We have very high standards for the children and will expect them to contribute 100% effort in all they do. This includes neatness, staying focused and on task, andthe submission of quality work.
  • All students should respect their classmates, teachers, and classrooms. Any negative behavior towards other students such as hitting, pushing, teasing, etc… will be dealt with according to the BAES discipline procedures policy.

Homework

Each student should read for at least twenty minutes each night at first and build up to at least thirty minutes (minimum) over the course of the 1st 9 weeks. A summary of what was read should be written on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights in a composition notebook with a solid spine (no spiral).Summaries should reflect an understanding of what was read and be at least a paragraph at first; working toward multiple paragraphs as time goes along. They should also be dated, written neatly, with correct spellings and grammar usage. Daily reading builds fluent readers and writing about what was read not only indicates comprehension but also creates fluid writers.

Discipline

Our classroom will be an environment in which students will feel safe and comfortable. All students will work in an environment that is conducive to learning and no student will be allowed to interfere with the learning of another student for any reason. We start with positive discipline methods such as rewards for good behavior using the Class Dojo system. The fifth grade team will send you specific information regarding this program. All of fifth grade uses a classroom economy system in which students earn money for a variety of things such as good behavior, responsibility, excellent grades, etc. We will send home additional information about this program soon. When negative behaviors must be addressed and will benoted by the teacher in the agenda. Students losing more than one Dojo point on any given day will have a note entered into the agenda by one of their teachers. Parents should sign the agenda every night even if the student has no note for the day.

Communication

The agenda is our main form of communication with each other. We look at & sign them every day. If you need to communicate with us, you can write a message in the agenda or send us an e-mail @ , , and . E-mail is the most efficient way to communicate with us if you need us quickly. We check this daily and will respond back to you as soon as possible.

Classroom Schedule

As our schedule for the school year is finalized we will send a copy home but please keep in mind that it could still change at any time. We will be having lunch @ 11:20 every day and recess will immediately follow lunchtime. Special areas classes will be at the end of the school day.

Supplies (See last page of this packet for Class Supply List)

Each child should keep their supplies in a ringed pencil pouch inside their zip-up binder. These binders are a must as they help the students move from class to class & still keep up with their belongings. Please do not send rolling book bags as we simply do not have the space in which to store them. One thing we have experienced is that after the first round of supplies has been exhausted children forget to ask parents for renewed supplies of notebook paper, pencils, and erasers. Please ask your child periodically if he/she is in need of these items.

Birthdays

Werealize that all of the students’ birthdays are very special. However, due to time restraints, we cannot take time from our learning day to hold a birthday celebration for every student. If you would like to bring cupcakes that your child can share with the class at lunchtime, you are welcome to do this. Cupcakes must be purchased from a store and cannot be homemade (district policy).

Studying

Please help your child study for periodic CDAs. We will tell students usually 2 days in advance of an upcoming CDA and will have them write it in their agenda.

Transportation

It is crucial that you send a note each and every time your child’s mode of transportation will be changing. When we are unsure how to send a student home, it takes away from their instructional time as they must be sent to the office so parents can be contacted. The safety of the students is of the utmost importance to us and wealways want to know that we are sending them to the place in which they should be going! Please make sure you write a separate note that is NOT in the agenda…these must be copied & kept on file…so when the note comes in the agenda, it must be sent to the office for a copy to be made.

Pencils

It has been our experience in the past that students like to play with mechanical pencils. However, we always give each group the opportunity to show otherwise. Students may bring mechanical pencils in thebeginningof the school year. We will however, be monitoring how much time is spent playing with the lead instead of working. Any student for which this presents a problem will be asked to use old-fashioned lead pencils. Speaking of that……we know it is tempting to purchase the cheap pencils that are always out during back to school time…but believe us…in the end, it is not a savings, as pencil sharpeners eat those pencils up in short order. Ticonderoga pencils last much longer than the others. After teaching for many years, we have become a master of pencils!!

Please sign below to let us know that you and your child have read this letter, and understand its contents and expectations. Thanks so much for your support. We are so happy to be working with your family. Please let us know if we can help you in any way. It is going to be a great year!!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Mims, Mrs. Moon, and Mrs. Nauman

Sign and return the below portion ONLY!

I, ______, parent of ______have read and understand the classroom expectations and procedures newsletter with my child.

Parent signature: ______Date: ______

Student signature ______

If you are interested in being a room parent, please check the circle below:

  • Yes, I am interested in being a room parent this year!
  • Yes, I am interested in being a periodic volunteer!

Class Supply Needs

  • Ticonderoga pencils – lots of them!!
  • 2 packs of wide rule notebook paper. We never have enough of this – more is better!
  • 2 Large erasers
  • 6 Large glue sticks
  • Kleenex
  • colored pencils or markers – one or both, your child’s preference
  • scissors – (no adult scissors please)
  • 2 highlighters – any color
  • 1 zip-around binder
  • 3 hole zipper pouch to hold writing utensils – to be kept in binder (no pencil boxes)
  • One set of tab dividers for binder
  • 6 spiral notebooks – at least 100 count wide ruled (2 per subject: math, SS/Sci, ELA)
  • 4 wide-rule composition notebooks (not spiral)
  • Post it notes, any size, any color

Many of these things are sold for next to nothing right before and during the first week of school…I always suggest stocking up while the prices are so low!