Welcome to Sixth Grade at Bates Elementary

Welcome to Sixth Grade at Bates Elementary!

Welcome back! We are looking forward to a fantastic year!

In sixth grade, you will rotate into different teachers’ classes. Your homeroom teacher(s) will teach you math and language arts. Science, social studies/history, computer, writing, health, and P.E. will be taught in rotations on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Wednesdays, we will have math and language arts, formal art instruction and practice time, and various whole group instruction/activities.

Classroom Basics

We promise to do our very best to make your learning experience as positive and beneficial to you as possible. We are only one part of your learning equation, so here are a few classroom requirements and expectations.

1. Keep your electronics such as cell phones, Ipods, etc. at home. They distract you and everyone around you. There is no reason to have them at school. We have a school phone for emergency use. If your parent needs to get in touch with you, they need to call the office. The office will get in contact with you as immediately as necessary. If you use electronics during class at all, we will take them away. Your parent will need to make an appointment to come pick them up in the office.
2. We all think more clearly when we have enough food and water in our systems. Our mornings are very long before we go to lunch. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring a healthy snack to eat during morning break and a water bottle (water only!) to sip throughout the day.
3. Our planning time is very limited. Therefore, please do not come into our rooms before the first bell in the morning. If you need to meet a younger brother or sister after school, please arrange a meeting place outside the building (flagpole, big toy, etc.) then have a great afternoon and we will look forward to seeing you the next day.

Progress Reports

Progress reports will be online. Parents can access their child’s account by going to then clicking on “My Weber The Portal.” Grades entered into The Portal will show up immediately. This is the best means of keeping parents informed of your grades and/or missing work, it is important that we know you and your parents have seen it weekly. Included on the weekly homework sheet will be an area for your parent’s signature, indicating that both of you have checked The Portal.

The progress report on The Portal will show all assignments for each core concept taught so far. It will show your score for each assignment as well as your overall grade assessment for each core concept. You will be graded on the following scale, based on the core curriculum end of level testing scale:

4 =Understands key concepts, Demonstrates required skills, and applies knowledge of the standard.

3 =In the process of developing an understanding of key concepts, skills, and knowledge of the standard.

2 =Beginning to understand key concepts, skills, and knowledge of the standard. Assistance is needed to apply skills and knowledge.

1 =Not yet demonstrating an understanding of key concepts, skills, and knowledge of the standard. Additional time and support is needed.

0 = Makes no attempt. No judgment can be made.

On some assignments you may see a letter either next to your score or in place of it. Letters indicate that we haven’t received your work for one of the following reasons.

A = Absent; Work not turned in due to an excused absence may be turned in for full credit within a 2-week time frame. After that, the letter will be changed to L.

L = Late;Late assignments have been turned in for credit, but not on time.

M=Missing; The assignment has not been turned in and has not received any points. You don’t need to ask us if you can make it up. You are in 6th grade now and need to be responsible, so we will not ask you for it. You will see your reminder online.

X = Excused; Excused assignments do not count for or against your grade. You do not need to make them up. This symbol is rarely used.

Citizenship/Personal Responsibility

In addition to academic grades, you will also earn a citizenship/personal responsibility grade based on the 6th grade core curriculum. You will begin each week with 10 points. Your appropriate behavior will maintain a perfect citizenship grade. If you choose to behave unacceptably and/or disrupt others, points will be taken from your citizenship grade. Depending on the severity of your behavior, an incident report may be given. This will be signed by your parents and returned to school the following day.

There will be additional citizenship scores given for returning communication with your parents, as well as a personal responsibility grade as outlined in the state core. If assignments are turned in late, you will be marked down on your Personal Responsibility score.

Throughout the year, we will be having incentive activities for students who are showing responsibility by getting his/her work done and handed in on time as well as being respectful to themselves and others. Some of these activities will be announced ahead of time so the students can prepare themselves; others will be unannounced as a way of rewarding those who are showing respect and responsibility. In the past, these activities have really motivated students to be responsible.

Homework

Homework sheets will be given every Wednesday beginning the first week of school. Homework is always due the following Wednesday. Homework sheets may include: oral reading fluency, math practice, weekly essays, portal checks, reading record(including RTS), comprehension practice, SAGE practice tests, and memorizations.

MATH

You need to keep your math facts fresh. Math will become easier if you continue to work on flashcards and/or timings. This year, the math program will cover addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, decimals, and fractions. We will also cover measurements (customary and metric), geometry, algebraic expressions and equations, probability, ratios, problem solving, pre-algebra, and algebra. You will have math homework if you do not complete the assignment in class.Having your own personal calculator to keep at school will be very helpful. Please label it permanently.

Writing

You will write a weekly essay as part of your homework. This will be turned in to your homeroom teacher. Each essay will consist of 5 paragraphs - 1 opening/introductory paragraph, 3 supporting paragraphs, and 1 summary paragraph. Topics will be listed on both your homework sheet that you take home each Wednesday and also on the 6th grade blog. Your essay will need to be typed on the computer in a simple font. A proofreader's signature will be required. You are welcome to email your typed essay to your homeroom teacher. If this is the case, please have your proofreader sign the homework sheet that you turn in for that week.

Memorization

Students will memorize a monthly selection pertaining to some part of the core curriculum. The selections and due dates are listed on the blog.

Daily Schedule

Note: School begins at 8:25 A.M. daily.

It dismisses at 3:05 P.M. M/T/Th/F and at 1:05 P.M. on Wednesdays.

At 8:20 the first bell rings. PLEASE DO NOT COME INTO THE BUILDING BEFORE THIS TIME!

MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY

8:30-10:00 Math

10:00-10:15 Bathroom Break/Recess

10:15-10:45 Rotation 1 ScienceMr. Barker

10:45-11:15 Rotation 2 Health & PE Hansen/Kotter

11:15-11:45 Rotation 3 Writing Miss Wallace

11:45-12:15 Rotation 4 Social Studies Mrs. Hogge

12:15-12:55 Lunch

12:55-1:20 Teacher Read -Study Hall-Reading Fluency

1:20-2:55 Language Arts & Reading

2:55-3:05 Clean up/Dismiss

FRIDAY

1:30-2:00 P.E.

2:00 -2:30 Library

WEDNESDAY

8:25-10:00 Math

10:00-10:15 Bathroom/Break Recess

10:15-11:45 Art Instruction/Work on Art

11:45-12:15 Language Arts Assessment

12:15-12:55 Lunch

12:55-1:05 Clean up/Dismiss

Supplies for Success

•Fine line markers

•Expo markers

•Protractor

•Ruler

•Pencil box

•Scissors

•Colored pencils

•1 ½ in binder with 5 page dividers

•Calculator

•Glue sticks

•Box of tissues

•Roll of paper towels

•Watercolor set

•Clorox wipes

•Magic eraser

•$25donation for Science/Art/Scholastic News/Writing

Note to Parents:

If you have questions or concerns after checking the portal and our 6th grade blog, please feel free to email us. We are not readily available to answer the phone during the school day, so email is the easiest way to reach us and get a quick response. If, after checking online, you feel you need to meet with one of us, please schedule an appointment. Because our planning time is very limited, we will not be able to prepare adequately for teaching if we have impromptu parent conferences.

(Please keep this letter for future reference.)

(Please sign and return this page)

I have read and understand the 6th grade policies for the 2014-2015 school year.

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