Class Rules & Expectations
Our class follows 4 main rules:
I have found that nearly everything falls under at least one of these rules.
- Have Courage
Do your best, even when something is new or scary.
2. Be Kind
No matter what, you can choose to be nice to others.
3. Be Responsible
Do your work and take good care of things.
4. Use Your Brain
You’ve got this! You are a problem-solver. You are smarter than you think.
Behavior
Students are expected to behave properly and obey school and class rules.
The first time a rule is broken, students will get a reminder of what the rule is.
If the rule gets broken again, the student and I will discuss what is preventing them from following the rule. We will make a plan to do better going forward. Depending on the situation, there might be consequences or loss of privileges.
Continued rule breaking will result in working with the principal and/or parents to resolve the situation.
Homework
Studies have shown that there is only a weak correlation between homework and student achievement in younger grades (Harris Cooper, Duke University), and Alpine School District has encouraged teachers in younger grades not to assign homework. Instead of stressing over homework, we would rather our students spend time with their family and cultivate their interests and talents.
However, we still expect students to be reading at home. Reading is fundamental to success in school and in life. It has been proven that students who read more at home do better in math, are better communicators, and are more empathetic than students who do not read at home. As teachers, we really see the difference that consistent home reading can make.
We expect our students to read at least 20 minutes per day. Here is a list of activities that count toward that daily reading:
Reading to self
Reading to a sibling, parent, or friend (The student needs to be the one doing the reading for it to count.)
Lexia Core 5 - Student's might want to get some of their weekly goal done at home!
Activities on Wonders ConnectEd
RAZ Kids or Sora, etc
If you need access to more books, let me know and I can help with that.
Recess
In the event of bad air days, wet storms, lightning, or windchill below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, we will have indoor recess.
Otherwise, students are expected to go outside during recess. Students will not be able to stay inside unless they have a note from a parent. Dress for the weather!
ATTENDANCE
In order for students to progress, it's important that they attend class each day and come on time. Students who are more than 10 minutes late will have to check in at the office.
As per Utah County and Alpine School District policy, please wait to send your child to school until at least 24 hours have passed after a fever or vomiting. If your child has pink eye or strep, please don't send them to school until at least 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
If you know of an absence ahead of time, please let me know so I can plan accordingly.
Grades
Alpine School District uses a Standards Based Grading system instead of the traditional A-F letter grades. This actually gives you more useful information about how well your child is mastering the content and skills that are being taught. On Skyward, students will be given a 1, 2, 3, or 4.
Here is how I translate it into kid-friendly language:
1 = We're pretty far from the goal, but we're going to keep working at it.
2 = We're close to the goal. A little more practice and we should get there soon.
3 = We're at the goal! A 3 means that we are right on target.
4 = We met the goal and we can even do things beyond it.