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Joined together in FAITH for 150 years.

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We are just about to finish our first week of school and it has been a lot of fun getting to know all the 5th graders.  Thank you for the supplies you sent in, along with your kind words and notes.  We are off to a great start.  Remember that all books need to be covered by Friday, September 10th.  Several students are missing supplies so please ask your child if they need anything.  They should have brought home a list of supplies to help you identify what they need to bring in.  Two items were not listed on the original supply list.  One is a highlighter and the other one is a 3 prong pocket folder.  Please send them in as soon as you can, along with anything else that they may be missing.  Your child should have brought home their new Student Reference Book (SRB) for Math.  They will keep their old SRB at school.  I didn't assign any homework during this first week of school but your child may have decided to bring a few assignments home.   Students had time to finish all their assignments at school, if they weren't absent.  You will have a Parent/Student Journal to read over the weekend.  Please reply to what your child wrote but do not correct their writing.  Students will be given time on Tuesday to read what your wrote so please make sure they bring in back to school.  This will be a weekly activity.  Please read the directions that are taped inside their Parent/Student Journal.  As always, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns or questions.

Looking forward to seeing all of you Wednesday, September 8th for the 5 Grade Parent Meeting.

Thursday Folders:

At Open House, each student received a blue Thursday Folder.  Inside the Thursday Folder, you will find the weekly spelling words, weekly math facts tests, important reminders, as well as contact information for Miss Buss and myself.  If you have any concerns or questions about anything, please feel free to contact us.

Miss Buss teaches both 5^th grade Reading, Vocabulary, Science and Social Studies classes.

Mrs. Stevens teaches both 5^th grade English, Spelling, Math and Religion classes.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns and/or issues.

Below you will find detailed information about 5th grade.   You will want to check this class page each week for important information next school year.

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Welcome to 5th Grade, Room 209!  I am so happy that you are checking out this class page.   Weekly newsletters will be posted on this website to avoid using more paper.  The other neat thing about it being on this class page is that it is always available for you to check out. 

5th grade Bible verses for this quarter are at the Homework icon at the top of this class page.  Spelling words for this week are also at the Homework icon.

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GENERAL INFORMATION:

5^th grade is a big transition year: academically, organizationally, socially, and emotionally.   Sports and band are also offered for the first time, and this becomes a good lesson in time management.   I will always help and assist students, while at the same time encouraging independence and responsibility.   By the end of the first quarter we should all be in a well-established routine.

As indicateded above, 5^th grade is a year of increased responsibility and organizational skills.   Below are some of the things that will be important for you and your student to know.

Thursday Folders: 

Every Thursday a blue Thursday Folder (TF) will be sent home with your child.   It must be signed and returned by the next day.   The TF will include notes and communication from the office and any violations earned that week (see student handbook for information on violations).  The first week of school will be the only time a hard copy of the weekly newsletter will be in the TF.  From that point on, the weekly newsletter be only be posted on this web page.  The weekly newsletter will have dates for special tests, projects and/or school activites for the following week.

Late Work:   Work that is not turned in at the time it is due will be considered late and will not receive full credit.   If an assignment is late, but is turned in by the end of the day or the following day it will receive 10% off.   A "green late slip" will be sent home that day.  It should be signed by a parent, attached to the late assignment and returned to school the next day.  Late work beyond this point will result in 25% off of the grade as per the student handbook.    Students will be writing on the back of the their "green late slip" explaining why their work is late.   Please read this and talk to your child about strategies to complete their work on time.  If you haven't set-up a routine at home for your child to complete their school work at home, please do so.

Homework/Tests:   As per the student handbook, homework outside of school at the 5^th grade level is anywhere from 30-60 minutes per night.   Some days your child may have more than this, other nights they may have none at all.   A large factor in the amount of homework load is determined by how well your child uses class time during the day.   I may give class time to work on homework with the understanding that some or all may need to be done at home.  Study Links (SL) are considered Math homework and should be corrected at home.   The SL Family Letter will be sent home in the Thursday Folder at the beginning of each unit.  It will introduce and explain the content and vocabulary for that unit along with the answers to most of the SL problems.    Please notify me if you do not receive the SL Family Letter.

We will try to stagger larger projects and tests so they are not on the same day but there may be days when it cannot be avoided.   There will be a Math Facts Test every Wednesday, a Spelling Test and a Reading Selection Test (comprehension and vocabulary) every Friday or the last day of the week.  A chapter Religion Test will be given approximately every two weeks.   Other tests will be listed in the folder on a week-by-week basis.   

For Math, an outline with sample problems will take the place of a study guide.   Math journals and Study Links will be sent home prior to a test for study purposes.   An oral review game will prepare students for tests in Religion, and they will be required to take notes and create their own study guide.  English doesn't have an established rountine for testing but will be based on learning the six traits of writing and a new text book.  Lessons will be followed with writing assignments that will be graded and recorded as tests.  There will be a Reading Unit Test once a unit has been completed.  Students may refer to their weekly Selection Tests to prepare for the Unit Test.

Silent Reading Books:   Students are required to have a silent reading book at school at all times to read when they finish any assignments or tests.   We also have silent reading time once or twice a week.

Appointments:

Please call or email to set up an appointment if you need to talk with me.  If you do happen to stop in before or after school, please keep in mind that I may be working with a student, meeting with a teacher and/or parents or I may be preparing for my next class.  Thank you in advance for being considerate of my time and responsibilities.

I treasue the opportunity to work with you and your child this year.   As a parent myself, I know how vital communication is and welcome your phone calls, emails, or notes whenever you have a question or concern.    We are partners in your child’s education so please let me know if you would like to discuss anything with me.  

Happy September,     

Mrs. Ellen Stevens

262-763-1515 ext 209

estevens@stmb.org  (Currently I am not able to access St. Mary's emails off campus.  Please use the contact information that was sent home in the Thursday Folder, if it is urgent, until the technical issue has been resolved.  Thank you!

Please click the "Be Notified" link above to be emailed when this classpage has been updated.

Thank you.