2011-2012

5^th Grade CREW!

Mrs. Bracken- Social Studies

Mr. Cole- Reading

Ms. Cowley- Science

Mrs. O’Neal- Writing

Mr. Pearson- Math

Each student will change classes and have each 5^th grade teacher. Students will receive grades and homework assignments in each class. Fifth graders do not receive tallies and clips for behavior in 5^th grade. We use a system of stars.

Please read the letter about the All-Star Behavior Plan – sign and return to your child’s homeroom teacher to indicate that you read the letter and understand the behavior system in fifth grade.

RULES in Fifth Grade

In fifth grade, we use a book called The Essential 55 to base our rules on. We have picked our top 15 and the students will keep a copy of this in their homework folder. It will stay in their folder all year long. Students are expected to follow our top 15 of Ron Clark’s Essential 55. Students are also required to follow Calhoun’s rules- “Toolbox for Success.” These rules all go hand in hand in helping each student become successful in and out of the classroom. For more information on Ron Clark and The Essential 55 or his new book The End of Molasses Classes go to http://www.ronclarkacademy.com. These books are great guides for parents and teachers in helping their children become successful.

We have high expectations for EVERY student in 5^th grade. We do not allow students to just come to school and do nothing. Every student will participate in all class activities and complete all homework assignments. No student will be allowed to bully or cause a problem with anyone in the class because this breaks focus and spoils the learning environment. LEARNING is the primary focus in our classrooms, so everyone needs to be on the right track TOGETHER!

Please sign up for parent portal. (http://powerschool.anderson5.net/public/) Here you will be able to find your child’s grades in EVERY subject at ANY time! Please go by the office and sign up for this great resource.

PARENTS, it is very important that you check your child’s homework folder DAILY, go on our class websites and blogs, and stay in close contact with the teachers. Behavior sheets come home every Friday, so please look over how many stars were lost and earned each week. If you ever have any questions, please contact your child’s teachers either by email or by phone at the school. Fifth grade is a YEAR TO REMEMBER! So, let’s work together to make 5^th grade a SUCCESS!

All- Star Behavior

Dear Fifth Grade Parent,

Welcome!! We are so excited about this school year. We have amazing students and many awesome opportunities in store for them! Fifth graders will no longer use the tally/clip behavior system. In fifth grade, the behavior system is done using STARS. EVERY student starts every week with 15 stars. Stars will be removed for breaking rules and procedures which include Calhoun’s Toolbox for Success and Ron Clark’s Essential 55 as well as not turning in homework and not having supplies and materials. Students can earn bonus stars for good behavior and going over and beyond teacher’s expectations. Students who have had stars removed and show improvement and good behavior may earn back stars. All-STAR Behavior is based on positive reinforcement. Students earn weekly, monthly and nine week incentives.

Students who show good behavior and follow the rules will be rewarded with Friday Fun, a monthly incentive, and the Nine Week’s Incentive. Students need to earn 13 out of the 15 stars to participate in the Friday Fun activity. Students need to earn 90% of the stars for the month incentive, as well as 90% for the nine weeks award. Students will have to earn the privilege to participate in any of these activities. Students who do not earn the privilege will have an alternate assignment to complete during the activity. The ultimate incentive for the first semester is the trip to Barrier Island.

Daily Consequences for losing stars are:

Lose 1 star- Warning

Lose 2 stars- Silent lunch

Lose 3 stars- Silent lunch/No recess

Lose 4 stars- Silent lunch/No recess and Afterschool Detention

Lose 5 stars- Previous and Parent/Teacher Conference about Behavior

Lose 6 stars- Principal’s Office

All of this information is kept on the teacher’s clipboard and is passed from class to class.

Afterschool detention will be scheduled after school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30-3:30. If the student loses 4 stars, the detention notice will be served with a 24 hour notice. For example, if a student loses four stars on Tuesday afternoon, a detention slip will be sent home on Tuesday, but the detention will not be served until the next Monday because Wednesday’s detention was not in the 24 hour notice time frame unless the next day is approved by the parent. Another example, if a student loses four stars on Monday, a detention slip will be sent home on Monday and the student will serve detention on Wednesday. Parents will be responsible for picking up the student at 3:30 on the day the student serves detention.

As in the past, a weekly report will be sent home and must be signed by the parent. If the student brings the sheet back signed, he/she will automatically receive a bonus star for the next week. If it is not returned signed on the next school day, he/she will have a star removed. This behavior plan will run from Friday to Thursday, so we can record information on Thursday evening to give out on Fridays in the Friday folder.