Grade Level Letter
August 8, 2022
Fifth Grade Families,
To say that we’re eager to welcome your child into our hallway is an understatement, as we’re truly thrilled to be kicking off the 2022-2023 school year. Fifth grade is a very exciting time, and we look forward to making some amazing memories together. It’s definitely our goal to make this final year of elementary school an unforgettable one!
In order to get to know your student’s teachers and highlight some of our overall policies, our teaching team has created this handout as a first step toward building strong partnerships between school and home.
As your Fifth Grade Team, you can expect us to:
1. Nurture your child’s self-esteem;
2. Build a supportive relationship with you and your child;
3. Create a positive learning environment;
4. Provide guidance and examples for each student so that learning is maximized;
5. Encourage intrinsic motivation (doing something because it’s the right thing to do, not because you might “get something” in return).
Teaching Team Contact Information:
Triad:
Amy Kwolik (Reading/Social Studies) kwolika@friscoisd.org
Kathy Garms (Science/Writing) garmsk@friscoisd.org
Mallory Slater (Math/Grammar/Spelling) slaterm@friscoisd.org
Duo:
Christy Hollomon (Reading/Writing/Social Studies) hollomonc@friscoisd.org
Jairus Elsbury (Math/Science/Grammar/Spelling) elsburyj@friscoisd.org
Home Access Center:
Former Comstock 4th grade families may recall that students’ grades could be viewed online through a system referred to as “HAC” (the “Home Access Center”). Additional details about this system – to include the process for obtaining credentials (which do “roll over” from the previous year, as applicable) – will be coming soon. Thank you in advance for your patience as we await details from our district technology team.
Teacher Response Hours:
We strive to have strong and open communication with our fifth grade families throughout the year, and welcome any questions/concerns/feedback that you’d like to share. However, we also recognize that we can only give students our best when we have the chance to recharge each evening. Therefore, as a team we will be available for parent communication between the hours of 7am and 4pm each day. Should you need to contact us before or after these hours, please note that we’ll get back to you (via email or phone) within 24 hours of your communication.
Devices:
This year at Comstock we are pleased to announce that each student will have their own individual Chromebook to use at the school for academic purposes. Students will be able to take this device from class to class and charge it in their homeroom classroom at night. With this being said, we ask that any personal devices either be left at home, or turned off in your child’s backpack for safekeeping throughout the day. We expect that students will not bring their personal devices into the classrooms/cafeteria/or outside to recess. The only time this will be allowed is if the class or grade earns a “technology day.” Should this become an issue, teachers may hold on to the device until the end of the day. We appreciate your understanding!
Fifth Grade Camp:
We recognize that students are already very excited about this upcoming opportunity to learn and play together at Allaso Ranch. Additional details will be shared in the coming weeks, however, please go ahead and mark your calendars for Nov. 2nd – 4th.
Chaperone applications will be available during the “Camp Allaso Parent Meeting,” which will take place Tuesday, Sept. 20th at 6:00pm. If you’d like the opportunity to volunteer as a camp chaperone, please make plans to attend that evening’s event.
Fifth Grade Discipline:
The 5th grade team will implement an accountability ledger. Students will begin the month with a balance of $400 per month. Expenses and income will be given to the students based off of the incentive table created by the team. At the end of the month each child will balance their ledger and choose an activity based on the amount of money they have accumulated through the month, we call this time “Monthly Mania". Students who have a balance lower than their monthly allowance (less than $400) will be in reflection to evaluate their choices over the past month and discuss strategies to improve behavior. It is a student’s responsibility to have their parents sign their ledger and verify their balance each month. If students do not get their ledger signed they will automatically participate in reflection since this is the student’s responsibility to foster communication with their parents.
We will also be utilizing “Think Sheets” for students who need to reflect upon poor choices/actions. When these situations occur, we ask that you please review the “Think Sheet” with your child and return the document on the following day with a parent/guardian signature.
Student Expectations for the Fifth Grade:
1. Be RESPECTFUL
a. I will use kind words and good manners; b. I will keep my hands, feet and objects to myself; c. I will be a good school citizen.
2. Be RESPONSIBLE
a. I will complete my school work and turn it in on time; b. I will make wise choices and take ownership of my actions; c. I will stay on task and use my time wisely.
3. Be READY TO LEARN
a. I will have my supplies ready;
b. I will be a good listener;
c. I will follow directions.
We believe each student is capable of adhering to these expectations; however, if a student chooses not to follow these guidelines, consequences may be warranted. Those consequences may include the following:
* A verbal reminder of the infraction with guidance regarding how to improve; * A “Think Sheet” reflection assignment (as noted above); * A change in seating or place in line to help improve the situation; * A cooling off opportunity/break from activity time period; * A deduction from their Behavior Ledger that could result in them not participating in fun activities; * A call/email from the teacher to the parent/guardian regarding the situation; * A chat with the counselor regarding how to be more successful; * A reinforcement visit to the principal to review the above mentioned guidelines;
{Please note: The order of consequences may vary depending of the nature and frequency of the behavior. Please speak with your student’s teacher(s) with specific questions or concerns.}
The school-home connection is a valued and important part of student success, and we want parents/guardians to be as informed as possible regarding your child’s daily experiences and growth within the classroom. Our objective is to have a wonderful year of learning, and we feel these guidelines/policies will help everyone achieve this goal.