Kennedy Middle School
Sixth Grade Program
August 14, 2023
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Kennedy Middle School! We are looking forward to working with you and your child throughout the year.
The following guidelines will ensure that your child has an understanding of the expectations and procedures for the coming school year. Please go over the information carefully with your child. We will discuss these expectations and procedures during class, but we feel that it is important for parents to understand and reinforce this information with their children.
We appreciate your support of our academic program and look forward to working together in helping your child have a successful year. If you have questions, please contact us by email using the email links on our web pages under our names or by sending an email to:
nguyen_viet@cusdk8.org
wong_freda@cusdk8.org
Our job begins with helping your child develop a sense of belonging. Our goal is to understand your child’s unique learning style, interests, and strengths. We want to encourage your child to be an active participant in his/her own learning. All of us look forward to working with you and your child during the coming school year.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gwendolyn DeWees Ms. Joan Orvick
Mr. Evan Blomquist Mr. Andy Murray
Mr. Jake Glennon Mrs. Lauren McGrath
Ms. Jessica Gomez Mrs. Lauren Mendez
Mrs. Beth Hawthorne Mr. Viet Nguyen
Mrs. Gloria Hsu Mr. Chris Scharmen
Ms. Sharon Huang ( Mrs. Judy Schroeder) Mr. Hannah Sun
Mr. Peter Kampp Ms. Stephanie Watkins
Mrs. Sharon Larson Mrs. Freda Wong
Mrs. Rachel Lin Mr. Lawrence Yang
Mr. Mike Moustakas
Expectations and Procedures for Sixth Graders
The learning environment both in and out of the classroom is most effective when students are respectful of each other. We want to create a safe environment for everyone. A student’s behavior should not interfere in the learning of others.
With these thoughts in mind, students will follow these general norms in order to create a positive and safe learning environment:
* Treat others with respect
* Listen while others are speaking
* Help others and ask for help when needed
* Be productive and prepared
* Use time wisely
Appropriate and responsible behavior is recognized and rewarded. We are strong believers in the power of verbal praise and encouragement.
If a student chooses to break any of the above agreements, he or she is aware of the consequences. Most problems are handled by the teacher with a verbal warning. Consistent communication with parents and reinforcement at home is an excellent way to show the students that we are working together as a team.
Excessive or extreme behavior disruptions may result in a phone call from the teacher, a visit to the office, or the elimination of certain privileges.
We understand that various concepts can take extra time to master. Therefore teachers are happy to meet with students individually as the need arises. Tutorials are available by appointment only during brunch, lunch, and before and after school depending on the teacher’s schedule. Success in school, like many things in life, requires consistent daily effort. It is very important that students ask for help whenever needed — either from other students in the class, parents, or teachers. If parents have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email the student’s teacher.
If your child is ill, please call the 24-hour absence line (408-253-1525 Ext. 6) prior to the start of the school day. In general, students will have one day for each day of excused absence to make up any work (i.e. 3 days of excused absence, 3 days to make up work). Teachers will explain how to receive any missed assignments to parents at Back to School Night and to students during class. Please refer to the student handbook for attendance policies.
Parents are key to making homework a positive experience for their children. We ask that parents make homework a top priority. Parents should provide the necessary supplies, a quiet homework environment, a daily homework time, praise and support. Please contact us if you notice a problem. Parents can find out what work has been assigned for each class by looking at the Teacher's Web Site.
No more than 90 minutes of homework in total may be assigned each school day. It is expected that each student will utilize the planner to write down assignments and due dates each period. A list of homework assignments and due dates will be posted in the classroom and on each teacher’s website.
All assignments are due the following day unless otherwise noted. Late assignments, aside from an excused absence, may not receive full credit. All assignments must be turned in; students should have no missing work. Assignments must be completed before students arrive at school and are due at the beginning of each period.
Grading
Letter grades will correspond with the percentages below:
93 and above = A
90 - 92 = A-
87 - 89 = B+
83 - 86 = B
80 - 82 = B-
77 - 79 = C+
73 - 76 = C
70 - 72 = C-
67 - 69 = D+
63 - 66 = D
60 - 62 = D-
Below 60 = F
Specific details about each teacher’s grading policies will be given during Back to School Night presentations on Tuesday, August 29th.
Parent/Student/Teacher Communication
Communication with parents is a priority. Kennedy teachers post important classroom information on their web sites, which can be found on the Kennedy Teacher Web Page. Tap on the teacher’s name to be directed to their site. Mr. Nguyen’s Website & Mrs. Wong’s Website
Students and parents should check grades on a regular basis. All of the district middle schools are using the Synergy gradebook program. Synergy includes a parent interface that allows you to monitor your child’s grades and attendance. Students are also given their own access account. Those teachers that are using Google Classroom will be sending out an email inviting you to be a guardian.
Parents should check the email account that was given to the school frequently to learn about district, school, and classroom communication. We will keep parents informed of any concerns or problems through email and phone calls.
Thank you for your support of our program and for your partnership in your child’s education. We look forward to seeing you in person at Back to School Night on Tuesday, August 29th.
The following items are suggested for students to bring to school each day:
Three-ring binder
Folder for homework
Two pencils and an eraser
Black or blue ballpoint pen and red ballpoint pen
Three highlighters (pink, yellow, and green) – blue is also helpful
All assignments required for that day
PE clothes and shoes (PE clothes are worn during PE only)
Student Planner
Binder paper (lined and graph paper)
Box of colored pencils/markers
A hand-held pencil sharpener (with shavings container included)
One notebook for language arts
Two to three gridded journals for math
A book for pleasure reading every day
Glue stick
Three-ring binder with dividers for language arts (1 inch: Thin, plastic “inexpensive” ones work the best)
Extra Fine Black Sharpie for outlining
Suggested donated materials for your classroom.
Ziplock bags (any size)
2 boxes of tissues
Greenworks spray or wipes, 7th Generation wipes
College ruled binder paper (lined and graph)
Paper towels
Hand Sanitizers
Optional, but handy items you may want have for your personal use:
Whiteout
3 hole punch that fits inside the 3 ring binder
Thin plastic dividers with pockets