WELCOME BACK!
WYNGATE WEDNESDAY MONTHLY August 29, 2011
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wyngatees
WELCOME
Welcome back to school!!! Whether you are new to our community or are a returning family,
we welcome you to our school. The Wyngate Wednesday Monthly is a publication which will
keep you up to date on what’s happening at Wyngate Elementary School. We publish this
newsletter the first Wednesday of each month during the school year and send a copy home
with the youngest child in each family. Because this issue has important forms attached to it,
we are sending a copy home today with every child in the school. The PTA publishes an
“online” newsletter on the third Wednesday of each month at
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wyngatees/pta
Please make it a routine practice to take time as a family to read and discuss information in
each issue of the Wyngate Wednesday Monthly and the PTA online newsletter. We hope you
find the monthly newsletter for parents entitled Firm, Fair & Consistent: Guiding Students for
School Success helpful as you teach and guide your child to be successful in school. If you have
any questions about any items in this newsletter, do not hesitate to contact me, the principal.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Thursday, September 1 PTA Welcome Back Picnic: 6:00 p.m. Playground Area
Monday, September 5 Labor Day (No school for students)
Tuesday, September 6 7:00 p.m. Back-To-School Night
Wednesday, September 28 EARLY RELEASE DAY: Students released at 12:30 p.m.
after lunch
Thursday, September 29 Rosh Hashanah (No school for students)
Tuesday, October 4 PTA Meeting: 7:00 p.m. Media Center
Wednesday, October 5 Walk to School Day: Sponsored by PTA
Friday, October 7 Fun Run: Sponsored by PTA
Monday, October 10 Columbus Day – School is in session for students
OPEN HOUSE for parents in the morning – details to
follow in the next issue of the Wednesday Monthly
Monday, October 17 & Donuts for Dads – before school in AP Room
Tuesday, October 18 Watch for details.
Thursday, October 20 WJ PTA Cluster Coordinators Meeting: 7:00 p.m. in
the Media Center
Friday, October 21 State Teachers Convention – No school for students
Friday, October 28 Halloween Parade and parties – Watch for details
First marking period ends
Monday, October 31 Professional Day: No school for students
Spotlight on Success
How Funds are Used:
We are pleased to share that as a result of monies from Giant Bucks, Target , Harris Teeter, Box
tops for Education, and Safeway funding programs supported by our parents and our generous
PTA, we were able to purchase the following items identified by the school’s technology
committee for use with students in these grade levels for $8270.39:
Kindergarten: Canon Photo Printer, Canal Digital Camera, 4GB SD Card
First grade: 1 Elmo/LCD Projector with cord
Third grade: 1 Elmo/LCD Projector with cord
Fourth grade: 1 Elmo/LCD Projector and cord, N computing system
Music: LCD Projector with cord
Total School Use: 4 bulbs for LCD projectors: “Brain Pop and Brain Pop Jr.
We thank all our parents, friends and community for supporting us throughout the year by
joining these programs and naming Wyngate Elementary School as a recipient . Without
such support and these programs, we would not be able to integrate technology into the
learning program. We encourage all of our parents to join these programs as you shop at the
stores and name our school as a recipient. We need and appreciate the support!
In addition to the above items, we are pleased to share that we were able to purchase an
interactive board for the computer lab with funds donated by a former Wyngate parent.
Pennies for Patients
We received this letter from the Pennies for Patients Campaign Manager this summer.
Our student council sponsors this worthy fund raiser each year:
As you may know, Wyngate Elementary School was one of the 425 DC Metro schools
that participated in the 2010-2011 Pennies for Patients program benefitting The
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Wyngate Elementary School generously donated
$371.70! We would like to share our deepest appreciation for your generosity and
thoughtfulness to the local blood cancer patients and their families.
We cannot thank you, your coordinator and your entire school community enough for
your participation with Pennies for Patients.
From The White House
Dear Friends
I am so pleased to congratulate Wyngate Elementary School on achieving the Bronze Award in
the Healthier US School Challenge. This Challenge is a cornerstone of the Let’s Move! Campaign,
an ambitious initiative to solve the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. Our schools
are on the frontlines in this effort, and your participation in the Healthier USSchool Challenge is
fundamental to helping solve the problem of childhood obesity.
As winner of the Bronze Award, Wyngate Elementary School is among the very best of the best,
going above and beyond the minimum requirements to help ensure your students live full and
active lives. The environment you and your team have created through education, nutritious
food and beverage choices, and opportunities for physical activity will help your students learn
how to make healthy choices now and for years to come. This is an extraordinary accomplishment,
and you should all be incredibly proud of what you have achieved. As leaders in this effort, I hope
you will reach out to other schools and offer your expertise and advice-and be sure to keep
reaching for the gold!
Our strength as a Nation and our ability to responsibly shape our future depends on tackling
childhood obesity, and I am inspired by the work you are all doing to help realize the promise of a
brighter, healthier tomorrow for our children.
Sincerely,
Michelle Obama
PTA PICNIC
The PTA Welcome Picnic will be held this Thursday, September 1, starting at 6:00 PM, weather
permitting. Bring your blanket, food and drinks to the playground and meet old friends and
make new friends. The PTA will provide popsicles and hold a raffle.
HEALTH ROOM SUPPORT
We are pleased to share that the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human
Services, School Health Services is returning the same school community health nurse and
health room aide to our school this year.
Anne Denicoff, SCHN
Eileen Hubbard, SHRA
They reported to our school last week to prepare for the students’ return and to participate in
training in our health room. We encourage parents of students with health concerns to discuss
them with our nurse or health room aide when they come to school or call them during school
hours.
The State of Maryland Education Law 7-403 requires school children to have their hearing and
vision screened. The law requires students new to Montgomery County Public Schools and
students in kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 8, who do not have evidence of hearing and vision
testing within the past year, to have their hearing and vision screened. The screening dates for
our school are May 1 and 2, 2012.
SCHOOL FEES, SUPPLIES
Students will not be asked to pay for or provide textbooks, supplementary readers, most
materials of instruction, audio-visual aids, stationery items not commonly found in the home
and required for the student to demonstrate mastery of course objectives, or building or office
materials needed to operate schools.
Students may be asked to pay for materials of instruction that primarily fit into three categories
as follows:
Items eaten by students as part of the course ( example: bread baking ingredients
Component parts of a product that will become student property
Materials of instruction or items of personal use that become the property of the student
(example: recorder)
Students are still expected to bring individual organizational tools and personal supplies from
home. In addition, there are student fees which are not course–related but local school
decisions made by the principal in collaboration with the school and parent leadership. These
may include fees for class snacks, special grade-level assemblies, etc. There also may be fees
related to field trips, but these will be shared each time there is a trip and not in advance as a
school fee.
We are committed to providing all students, regardless of their economic circumstances, with
full access to the instructional program. If you need assistance for any requested expense, or
with providing the organizational tools and personal supplies, please contact your child’s
teacher, our counselor, our assistant principal or me.
Parent donations of items that enhance the classroom experience are still welcomed, either as
donations from individual parents or organized by class parents or by the PTA. A list of these
items is attached to the school supply letter and clearly titled, Voluntary Parent Donations. They
are not required donations and no student will be expected to provide these items, but if you
care to contribute, it will be appreciated.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
A copy of Wyngate’s Discipline Policy is attached to this newsletter. Please go over the policy
with your child and send the completed form attached to the policy to your child’s homeroom
teacher.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Last April, Wyngate staff and parents worked diligently one afternoon to develop our plan for
school improvement and student achievement for the 2011-2012 school year. Additionally,
information from the student and parent questionnaires was studied and used as a basis for the
development of tasks designed to improve our practices in the school. The selected objectives
(“draft”) are as follows. The first quarter review meeting to assess progress will be held on
Monday, November 14 at 3:15 PM. Parents who would like to join the staff at this meeting are
asked to contact Ms. Lamb.
Although we will continue to strive to achieve annually and will collect and review the data
on the following goal, we believe our school practices are such in reading and math that we
can focus on one academic goal as a school, namely to improve student writing this school
year.
•All students will be on or above grade level in reading and mathematics. All grade three, four and five
students will meet the target set by the state on the Maryland State Assessments and grade two students
will meet the MCPS target for TN/2. All special education and ESOL students will meet the annual
yearly progress targets assigned by the state of Maryland.
OPEN HOUSE
We want to thank all of our PTA volunteers for their help in making last Friday morning and
afternoon Open Houses fun and informative events. Students and parents had an opportunity
to visit the classrooms, meet the teachers, and learn line-up procedures for the school year.
Parents were also able to sign up for the SNAP program in the cafeteria. All of the open house
activities resulted in a more orderly first day for students and teachers, and no doubt less
student anxiety on the first day!
PARKING LOT PROCEDURES
Several years ago, in response to our concerns about safety and congestion in the parking lot,
the school system sent a representative from the safety office to observe the traffic in the
morning and afternoon. It was determined that the congestion and problems were caused by
drivers not following the designated procedures. As the school year begins, we would like to
outline those procedures for any parents who may not be familiar with them. It is important
for parents to share these guidelines with grandparents or others who may pick their
children up after school.
Because our parking lot is so small, parents are encouraged to use the bus service for their
children where it is available to alleviate congestion in the parking lot and on Wadsworth Ave.
Additionally, parents are encouraged to have their children walk to
school if they believe that it is safe to do so and the child or children are sufficiently responsible.
Students may also ride their bicycle to school; however, it is wise to use a lock.
Private cars are permitted in the parking lot at all hours. Parents may use the parking lot “Kiss
and Drop” area to drop off and pick up their children before and after school.
Parents who drive into the parking lot to drop off their children in the morning should follow
the line of vehicles and allow their children to exit the curb side of the vehicle at the “Kiss and
Drop” area. The children should get out promptly, and the parents should proceed out of the
parking lot. At dismissal, students who are being picked up by parents will be dismissed to
wait at the “Kiss and Drop” point.
Drivers must remain in their vehicles in the “Kiss and Drop” area. Parents who wish to walk
their children to the line-up areas or meet their children at the school doors in the afternoon
must park their cars in parking spaces either in the parking lot or on the street. Under no
circumstances should a parent or driver park and leave their vehicle in the “Kiss and Drop”
area. (The license number of cars parked illegally at the curb will be given to our school police
officer.)
Students arriving by car each day should plan to arrive at school no later than 8:45 a.m. If the
line of cars into the parking lot is long, parents should let their children out on Wadsworth
Drive or park their vehicles and walk their children to school on the sidewalk.
If parents come to school for a conference with a teacher or on other business, they should park
in a parking space in the lot or on Wadsworth Drive.
BY ORDER OF THE FIRE MARSHALL, PRIVATE VEHICLES ARE NOT PERMITTED AT
ANY TIME IN THE CIRCULAR DRIVE DESIGNATED FOR BUSES IN FRONT OF THE
SCHOOL.
While all of us have busy lives and have many demands on our time, it is important that we
model appropriate behavior for all children by displaying courtesy and adhering to the
standards of safety in the parking lot.
We anticipate that all parking spaces in the front of the school will be needed for Wyngate staff
beginning in late December or early January, as the back parking lot will be used for
construction vehicles. Therefore, parents and visitors will need to park on the street.
STUDENT SAFETY
Each morning and afternoon, staff members will monitor students in getting on and off the
buses, ensuring that students enter the building and line up in appropriate areas and conduct
themselves in an orderly fashion. Wyngate Safety Patrols will also be assigned to specific areas
to help and remind students of good safety practices.
CROSSING GUARDS
We will continue to have a crossing guard in front of the school on a regular basis. From time to
time there may not be a crossing guard at Wilmett and Wadsworth. The county has too few
crossing guards, and when a guard is absent from a high traffic crossing, the police department
must “pull” a crossing guard from another location, such as Wilmett and Wadsworth. This
should be only an occasional occurrence.
ATTENDANCE POLICY – PLEASE NOTE
According to information provided to us by the MCPS Department of Reporting and
Regulatory Accountability, the following procedures are now in effect regarding absence and
tardy reporting:
•Students who arrive at school more than two hours late will be recorded
as absent for a half day.
•Students who leave more than two hours early will be recorded as absent
for a half day.
•Students who are absent from school for more than two hours during the
school day will be recorded as absent for a half day.
This change reflects the importance of instructional time.
NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT REQUEST FOR SCHOOL-RELATED INFORMATION
As you know, parents who do not have custody of their children are entitled to receive copies of
report cards, school newsletters, interim reports and other information that pertains to the
child’s education and is routinely sent to or is available to the parent who has custody.
Requests for this information must be made in writing to the principal each year by the non-
custodial parent and should include the non-custodial parent’s name, address, and type of
information desired. When the principal receives such a request, the custodial parent will be
notified by the principal. At that time it is important that the custodial parent provide the
principal with a copy of the legally binding document which says that the non-custodial parent
may not have access to school-related information, if such a document exists.
Even if you were on our mailing last year, you will need to make a new request for the
current school year. We ask that you provide the school with a check in the amount of $10.00 to
cover the cost of postage.
TEASING, BULLYING, HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION
As a school staff, we teach students to be kind, courteous and respectful of other students and
adults in the school, on the playground and on the school bus. On a regular basis, when a
student reports teasing to his or her teacher, the teacher acts promptly by meeting with the
students involved and if appropriate involve the school counselor. On the playground, the
aides, when they observe teasing, send the students to the office to meet with a principal to
resolve any issues and terminate any future teasing. However, we need to hear from parents
and get their assistance to curb teasing. Parents are asked to contact their child’s teacher if the
teasing occurs in the classroom and to contact the principal if the teasing is happening
during recess.
Bullying and intimidation are less typical actions in an elementary school, because of the closely
supervised students at play and because of the age of our students. But, if such a situation
occurs, parents should notify the principal. Parents may also complete MCPS Form 230.5
Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation Reporting Form.
BACK- TO- SCHOOL NIGHT
Once again this year, we have scheduled Back-to-School Night early in the school year. It will
take place on Tuesday evening, September 6 for parents of all Wyngate students. (Please note:
We do not have the room for students to attend.) Please do mark your calendars noting this
important event. We are looking forward to meeting you and the teachers have planned an
informative agenda.
7:00-7:10 Join PTA, refreshments
7:10 – 7:50 Presentation by grade one ,grade two and grade three teams
Grade one teachers will present in their classrooms
Grade two team will present in the all purpose room
Grade three team will present in the gym
GT/LD teacher will present in her classroom
Parents of kindergarten, grade four, and grade five students may tour the building and
classrooms as well as meet the Physical Education teachers (Ms. Moran and our new part time
physical education teacher for kindergarten and a first grade class) in the staff lounge; the art
teachers (Ms. Neubold’s substitute and Ms. Crandall) in the art room; the music teachers (Ms.
Wasserstrom and Ms. Johnson) in the music room; the instrumental music teacher (Ms.
Borsum) in the computer lab, the resource teacher (Ms. Rouse) in the resource room; the speech
and language pathologist (Ms. Goldberg) in the speech room; the media specialist (Ms.
Bowman) and media assistants (Ms. Marshall and Ms. Marsden) in the media center; the ESOL
teacher (Ms. Jefferson) in the ESOL room; and the reading specialist (Ms. Pottker) in the
reading room.
8:00- 8:40 Presentation by kindergarten, grade four and grade five
Kindergarten teachers will present in their classrooms.
Grade four team will present in the all purpose room
Grade five team will present in the gym.
Parents of grade one, grade two, and grade three students may tour the building and
classrooms as well as meet the Physical Education teachers (Ms. Moran and our new part time
physical education teacher for kindergarten and a first grade class) in the staff lounge; the art
teachers (Ms. Neubold’s substitute and Ms. Crandall) in the art room; the music teachers (Ms.
Wasserstrom and Ms. Johnson) in the music room; the instrumental music teacher (Ms. Borsum)
in the computer lab, the resource teacher (Ms. Rouse) in the resource room; the speech and
language pathologist (Ms. Goldberg) in the speech room; the media specialist (Ms. Bowman)
and media assistants (Ms. Marshall and Ms. Marsden) in the media center; the ESOL teacher
(Ms. Jefferson) in the ESOL room; and the reading specialist (Ms. Pottker) in the reading room.
LUNCH
The recess and lunch schedule for this year is as follows:
11:00 - 12:00 Grade 1
11:30 - 12:30 Kindergarten
12:00 - 1:00 Grades 3 and 4
12:30 - 1:30 Grades 2 and 5
Students order their lunch each morning by 9:00 a.m. Students have three choices for lunch
each day. We normally send home the monthly menu with the newsletter. Lunch for students
is $2.50. Milk may be purchased for $.60. It is possible to purchase milk or juice separately.
Parents have the option of sending a lunch to school with their
children, sending money (correct change, please) with their children, or putting money in each
child’s SNAP account.
The SNAP program was implemented a number of years ago. Each student has a PIN number,
which the student must learn. This PIN number does not change, and the account can be
moved with the student if the student moves within the school system, and naturally, this
money carries over from year to year.
We encourage parents to put money in their children’s SNAP account even if the child normally
brings lunch to school. This eliminates the problems that occur when a child forgets his or her
lunch or forgets to bring money to school. Students normally eat only one lunch. If you want
your child to purchase two lunches, please send a note stating the same to the cafeteria
manager and ensure that there is sufficient money in the account.
Each week, the cafeteria manager sends home a letter with students who need additional funds
in their lunch account. If a student orders lunch, but does not have sufficient funds in his or her
account, they receive a lunch, but we have the student place a call to inform their parents that
they received a lunch , but had no funds. In an effort to avoid having the cafeteria working
without funds, each week the cafeteria manager this year will provide the office with the names
of students who have insufficient funds in their lunch account for follow-up.
Starting this evening, parents are encouraged to develop daily evening routines with their
children that result in each child being prepared for school, which includes decisions about
lunch for the next day.
The lunch menu for the balance of the week is:
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Personal pizza: cheese or pepperoni
Or
Turkey and mashed potatoes, gravy and dinner roll
Or
Peanut butter and jelly Snackable, Cheese pocket, or Yogurt
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Soft or Crunchy Taco, with corn and shredded cheese
Or
Baked Chicken Patty Sandwich with Seasoned potatoes
Or
Peanut butter and jelly Snackable, Cheese pocket, or Yogurt
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Chicken Nuggets with green beans and dinner roll
Or
BBQ Pork Sandwich on Bun with Tater Tots
Or
Peanut butter and jelly Snackable, Cheese pocket, or Yogurt
Friday, September 2, 2011
Pizza Wedge: Pepperoni or Cheese
Or
Morningstar Chik’n Nuggets with Baked Beans and dinner roll
Or
Peanut butter and jelly Snackable, Cheese pocket, or Yogurt
The August-September menu will be available on the following web page:
www.mcps.k12. us/departments/foodserv/
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD FORGETS TO BRING A LUNCH?
Each morning, we have morning announcements at 9:00 a.m. Once the announcements have
been made, we do not use the public address system to call into classrooms, as its use is very
disruptive to instruction. Therefore, if your child forgets his or her lunchbox and you want to
bring it to school, it is best if you do so right before his or her lunchtime. Another suggestion is
to maintain sufficient money is his or her SNAP account, which will allow your child to buy
lunch on the day he or she forgets to bring lunch.
SCHOOL HOURS
8:00 School Office opens (Secretary normally available to answer phone)
8:20 Teachers arrive in building
8:50 Students enter building (first bell)
8:55 Classes begin (last bell). Students arriving after this bell are tardy. They
must report to the school office and sign in before proceeding to class.
3:05 Students dismissed
3:55 End of day for teachers
4:25 School office closes
SIGN IN AND OUT AT THE OFFICE
To ensure safety and security for the children, all parent and visitors to the school must sign in
at the office. Children who arrive late must stop in the office, sign in, and obtain a tardy slip
before going on to their class. Parents who need to take a child out of school for an
appointment are asked to sign him or her out in the office. All students must enter school
through the front door of the school to access classrooms.
STUDENT ABSENCE
If your child will be absent or late for school, please call and notify the school office at 301-571-
6979 by 9:00 a.m. If the office is not open when you call, you may leave a message on the
answering machine.
Students who are absent from school are expected upon their return to bring a note from a
parent explaining the reason for absence, as teachers must record this reason in the register of
attendance. Absence from school, including absence for any portion of the day, by State
regulation is considered lawful (excused) only under the following conditions: death in the
immediate family, illness of the child, quarantine, court summons, violent storms, observance of
religious holiday or for a state emergency.
If your child is to go home for lunch and will not be returning for the afternoon session, please
notify the office.
IMPORTANT FORMS
Attached to this newsletter are a number of important forms. Please take time to fill them out
and return them as soon as possible:
Yellow Emergency Sheet and Yellow Emergency Half-Sheet. The yellow full-page form is
needed for the school master file and our Health Room. Please check all preprinted items for
accuracy and add the additional information requested on both the front and back of the sheet.
The yellow half-sheet form will be used by our office staff to contact parents. These forms
should be returned to the school as early as possible. Please do not delay—we must have this
information in case we need to reach you concerning your child.
Green Emergency Questionnaire. This information is needed in the event of an unannounced
emergency closing of school due to heavy snow, boiler failure, excessive heat, etc. No child
will be dismissed unless we are sure that he or she knows where to go in the event that you are
not at home. Please make arrangements for your child that do not require the office staff to
contact you by phone. Please make sure the information on this form is complete and kept up
to date.
Directory Withholding Form. This information must be returned to the school by September 9,
2011. Please read this form carefully.
This evening, please discuss with your child what he or she should do if there is an emergency
school closing. Although you will complete the attached Emergency School Closing form with
this information, we will not have the information from all parents compiled for several days.
Therefore, it is essential that your child knows what to do in the event that an early closing
occurs in the first few weeks of school. We believe it is important to be prepared, just in case.
PEDICULOSIS PREVENTION
As the school year begins, we want to ask for your cooperation in identifying and preventing
the spread of head lice this school year. Head lice exist where there are children and can readily
spread in a group situation unless proper measures are taken. The following steps will help us
work together to address this problem.
INSPECT: Please inspect your child for head lice and their eggs (nits) regularly throughout the
year. Nits are most often found on hairs at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. Nits are
yellowish, gray or white in color, 0.8mm long, and are attached to hairs close to the scalp.
TREAT: If you identify head lice or nits on your child at any time, consult your private source
of health care for advice about using a special over-the-counter medicated cream rinse or
shampoo. Pets are not human head lice carriers and therefore, do not need to be treated. The
school nurse is available to answer questions or provide referrals for health care.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS: Articles such as combs, towels or hats should not be
shared. Wash lice-exposed clothes, towels and bed linens in hot water and dry at a high
temperature for twenty minutes. Clothing and toys which cannot be washed should be sealed
in a plastic bag for at least ten days. Disinfect combs and brushes by soaking them in medicated
shampoo, or very hot soapy water. Vacuum carpets, upholstery, pillows and mattresses. Damp
wipe all surfaces to remove loose hair that may have attached nits and dispose of the cleaning
cloth. Fumigation is not more effective than vacuuming. It is not only costly, but also needless
exposure to insecticide.
NOTIFICATION: If you discover your child has head lice, please call the health technician,
Eileen Hubbard, so that necessary precautions may be taken to prevent the
spread of the infestation. Every effort will be made to protect the confidentiality of your call. If
head lice become a problem at school, we may need to consider classroom inspection. This will
be done by the school nurse and the health technician.
If you have questions, please call Mrs. Eileen Hubbard, our Health Technician, at
301-571-6979. Let us have a head lice free year!
SUPERVISION OF LUNCH AND RECESS
Ms. Gayle Donovan, Ms. Jan Truitt, Mr. Christopher Bull, Ms. Adeleh Dadpay,
Ms. Laurie Hochheimer, Ms. Penny Hess and Ms. Surat Pierce will supervise and assist our
Wyngate students during their lunch and at recess on the playground.
Kindergarten and first grade students will use the blacktop and field adjacent to the
building on a regular basis for play at recess. Grades two, three, four and five will rotate the
use of the blacktop and field beyond the portables each week to provide the opportunity for all
students to use the blacktop for a variety of games. Student
service club members are responsible for taking the recess wagons and equipment to and from
the playground areas. However all students are responsible for returning the equipment to the
containers at the end of recess, as well as expected to use the equipment appropriately.
GRADING AND REPORTING
In accordance with the grading and reporting policy in the Montgomery County Public Schools
(MCPS), at Back-To-School Night, teachers will give you specific information about grading in
their classrooms. During the year, we will continue to communicate with you about student
performance in many ways. Teachers will use report cards, conferences, progress reports,
phone calls, e-mail, and/or send notes home to keep you up to date on your child’s performance
in school.
As we continue with the implementation of standards-based grading and continue to
implement the revised policy, we encourage you to continue to talk to your children’s teachers
about any specific questions you have about their grades. We know, however, there will be
general questions about the grading policy and procedures. If you have any general questions
about the grading policy or the procedures, please contact the principal.
We look forward to a productive school year as we continue to implement procedures to ensure
consistent, accurate and fair grading that will have a positive effect on learning.
ROUTINES AND SCHEDULES START THE YEAR RIGHT
The start of a new school year is exciting, but it means that families need to make some
adjustments from summer. Here are some suggestions from The Parent Institute to get your
family back into a school routine.
Set the rules. Make sure your children know what you expect now that they are back in school.
Set a specific time to do homework. Enforce rules for TV watching. Set aside some time each
day for reading. This time can be increased on days that your child does not have homework.
Create a chart for the first few weeks of school--until your routines become habits. Give your
child a star on days he or she does everything without being asked.
Manage Correspondence. The start of the school year means a lot of paper going between
home and school. Set up a place where your child puts all the paperwork from school. Sign it
and put it back in his or her book bag by the next day.
Keep track of schedules. Post a calendar where everyone will see it. Have everyone write
down their activities as they are scheduled. This will help you plan ahead. If a book report is
due the day after a soccer game, your child will see that he or she needs to finish it early.
Help Your Child Get into the Homework Habit
If your child hasn’t kept regular homework routines in the past, now is the time start. Here’s
how:
•Find a place for your child to do homework. Have him or her put the book bag there and
work there every day.
• Provide a toolkit. A child who has to get up every five minutes to look for a pencil or a piece
of paper can’t properly focus on homework. Have her or him put together a box with
homework supplies. Include pens, pencils, erasers, a ruler and glue. Add other supplies as
your child needs them. Have your child get it out when it is time to start homework and put
everything away at the end of study time.
• Set a regular homework time. Kids thrive on routines. If your child does homework at the
same time every day, she or he will probably argue less. There is no best time. Some children
need to let off energy after school. Others want to get right to work. Find the time that works
for you.
• Set homework goals. At the start of each study period, ask your child to make a list of what
needs to be done. He or she can check them off as each task is finished.