INTRODUCTION
Eleventh year at Empire Oaks
Twentieth year of teaching!
Undergrad at St. Mary’s College, Master’s and
Credential at SJSU
National Board Certified Teacher, Middle
Childhood Generalist
I love my job!
INTERMEDIATE GOALS
Develop a greater sense of independence
Have accountability for decision making
Instill responsibility and empowerment
Work to potential, with emphasis on effort
Enjoy learning, and have a positive educational
experience
Establish confidence both academically and
socially
Be well prepared for middle school!
COMMON CORE (CCSS)
Statewide, transition into CCSS. Smarter Balance Testing has replaced the STAR tests Fifth grade will be tested in Science with the STAR test (includes both fourth and fifth grade curriculum) Report cards are aligned with Common Core standards (CCSS) Expect “disequilibrium,” especially in math. More detailed information about CCSS is available on our school website.
SCIENCE
Physical: Energy & Matter Life: Systems of Living ThingsEarth: Weather and Space Science Project PLTW implementation (STEM)STAR Testing on fourth and fifth
grade curriculum in the Spring
MATHEMATICS
Math: Shift to Common Core methods and standards
Major focus on problem solvingMultiplication facts are
imperative. Work on identifying the relationship and patterns with number values
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Writing Genres: Opinion, Informative/Explanatory, and Narrative
Weekly writing homework (Typically given on Weds., due on Friday)Novels, historical fiction, biography, poetry recital,
vocabulary development, spelling, figurative languageEncourage more non-fiction book selectionsKeyboarding Standard: Two full pages in a single
session.Newsela: Non-fiction current event articles
SOCIAL STUDIES
Early United States History through 1850 History Day Project
-Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in HistoryWe the People curriculumTrivia based on Social Sciences and
“Common Knowledge”Historical Fiction with primary source
emphasis
CURRICULUM TEXT BOOKS
Houghton Mifflin Language Arts
Scott Foresman enVisionMATH Math
Scott Foresman Social
Studies/History
Scott Foresman Science
REPORT CARDS
Issued three times per year (trimesters)
Grades will be available online within the next few weeks.
Parent conferences based on “as needed” status.
Second Trimester conferences are scheduled upon request.
GRADING
100-90% = A range A = Outstanding
89-80% = B range B = Good
79-70% = C range C = Average
69-60% = D range D = Below Average
59-50% = F range F = Fail
*Test retakes will be available on Thursdays, test retake day.
** The highest score possible is 70% for a retake.
CLASS AND HOMEWORK POLICY
Class work and homework are intended to reflect the
student’s best efforts in order to assess their understanding
and progress in fifth grade academic standards.
Assignments should be turned in with the correct
headings, unwrinkled, clean (without food or other
Unidentified Foreign Objects), and in one whole piece. Not
all class and homework will receive a formal letter grade.
Credit and points are assigned to completed work.
CLASS AND HOMEWORK POLICY CONTINUED
An Agenda is available to each student to record daily homework.
This allows parents to check assignments and gives accountability
and responsibility to the student. The Agenda also provides an
opportunity to write notes to the teacher via the student.
Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday for approximately
one hour, plus reading.
Unfinished class work is expected to be completed and turned in on
time. Late work will be accepted first trimester. Second trimester
will be ½ credit, late work will not be accepted third trimester.
CLASS AND HOMEWORK POLICY CONTINUED
Homework and class work missed due to absences are the student’s
responsibility and must be completed in a timely manner. Assignments
are posted in the classroom daily. Make-up work may be requested
after the second day of absence. This is a school-wide policy.
Daily Reading Log- please only sign for the current day, encourage
your child to read more than the minimum thirty-minute requirement.
Daily routine: Keep one homework folder. Have the same quiet non-
distractive place to study at the same time each day.
CONTINUED
Wednesday Folders will contain letters/announcements from the school, and
graded work.
Independent Study Contracts are required for absences exceeding five days.
Please allow ample time for the teacher to prepare work for the absences.
Contracts originate through the office. Contact Joni Smith as a first step.
Please note the change in district policy regarding vacation days. To be
coded as vacation, it must be 5 days or more, requiring Independent Study.
Medications must be checked into the office. Students are not allowed to
administer their own meds. This includes cough drops, Chapstick, and
aspirin.
SCHEDULE 8:22-11:00 a.m. Language Arts, Social Studies,
P.E.: Wednesdays 11:00-11:40 a.m. Lunch
11:40-1:00 p.m. Math
1:00-1:20 p.m. Recess
1:20 - 2:37 p.m. Science, Music Mon./Thurs. 2:00
Music Mondays and Thursdays, 2:00-2:37. Please come to school with
instruments and music books in the morning. I will not allow students to call
home for them. Please do not interrupt the class for an instrument delivery.
There is a table in the office designated for instruments. Students will be
dismissed directly from music class.
P.E Wednesdays, 9:05-9:35 Library: Tuesday Computer Lab: Thursday
PROTOCOLS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Review Student Conduct Code book with your child, this is available on EO
website
Use EO website to get weekly Family Bulletins. Paper copies are no longer sent
home.
After school arrangements should be made before school to minimize classroom
interruptions. Establish a set place and time to pick up.
Closed center of campus enforced, please wait for your child at the amphitheater
when on campus. This is based on SAFETY procedures.
Attendance: Please get your child to school on time. The warning bell rings at
8:22 a.m. I am required to send students to the office for a late slip at any time
after 8:25 a.m.
CONTINUED…
Pink Tickets: Missing or incomplete assignments or unfavorable behavior
will result in a pink ticket. Students will spend a recess in an assigned
classroom to complete their ticket assignment. This includes assignments
“forgotten” at home.
Students will not be allowed to get drinks during class time. They may bring
non-frozen water bottles to class (water only please) to keep at their desks.
Students will be given two bathroom passes per week. They need to use the
restroom before school, during recess, and after school. I do understand that
emergencies occur, therefore, they have two passes per week for a class time
visit to the restroom.
CONTINUED . . . Parent donations ($$, Kleenex, supplies, wish list)
INTEL matching funds
Adopt a Class
Volunteer Policy: Those wishing to volunteer must fill out application with Parent
Coordinator, get TB test or proof of current test, and have your picture taken for a badge.
Category 2 applications required for all field trips and work done with small groups.
Adults on campus MUST sign in at the office. SAFETY FIRST
Please do not ask another teacher or the custodian to open my classroom for you. They
won’t! Please respect this policy. If I am in my classroom afterschool, students may come
back.
Please do not post pictures of other children without parent permission on Facebook or
other social media.
CONTINUED …
Supplies – see recommended list on my teacher page
PTA membership – help support our school community
E.O. clothing, SPIRIT SHIRTS
BIRTHDAYS!! Please schedule with me ahead of time so I
know what to expect. Individual snacks or “gifts” work best.
Please include utensils and napkins if necessary. We have 34
students. Please consider food allergies when selecting a
treat. (And sugar content!)
FIELDTRIPS
We focus on meaningful, standards-based, educational
fieldtrips.
Voyage of Discovery, Old Sacramento October 7th
Digging Up the Past, Discovery Museum Nov. 3rd
Mars Mission, Discovery Museum May 3rd
Folsom Aquatic Center May (TBA)
If you are interested in being a chaperone, please update
your Category 2 volunteer forms in the office.
H O M E W O R K P O L I C Y
Students should not spend more than 90 minutes per night.
This time should be budgeted in the following manner:
15 minutes looking for assignment
11 minutes calling a friend for the assignment
23 minutes explaining why the teacher is mean and doesn’t like kids
8 minutes in the bathroom
10 minutes getting a snack
7 minutes checking the TV listings
6 minutes telling parents that the teacher never explained the assignment
10 minutes sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Mom or Dad to do the
assignment
LONG TERM ASSIGNMENTS
These are given the night before they are due. This explains the name
“long term.” It is a long term commitment to time that begins at 9:30p.m.
and ends at 11:50 p.m. – or later. It is important that the whole family is
involved in the project. It is imperative that at least one family member
races to WalMart/Michael’s for poster board, and that at least one family
member ends up in tears (not necessarily the student).
One parent needs to stay up and complete the project. The other parent
needs to call the school and leave a message that the student is out sick.
It is not necessary to have the student’s name on the assignment.
COMMUNICATION
Parent/Teacher communication: email works best for me
Phone calls are sent directly to our voicemail during
school hours. Please allow a 24 hour turn around time
for a return phone call.
[email protected] 916)983-0120 x116
If I forgot anything, I’ll send home a memo!
Thank you so much for your time and attention.