Mike Rapoport

Dear Families,

As you already know, this is a very exciting time for all of us. The intention of this letter is to provide you with some information about myself, as well as the expectations I will have for the students throughout the year. I hope you find this letter to be informative and useful as you and your child prepare for Fifth grade.

My Background:

I was born and raised in Williston, Vermont. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Business and Advertising and had a successful career in socially responsible advertising at the agency level for five and a half years in Burlington. The call of the mountains was too strong and I moved to Stowe in 1998 part-time and full-time in 2000 when within a few years I began to turn my attention towards becoming a teacher. I now have my Master’s degree in Elementary Education and will begin my twenty-first year teaching Fifth grade here at Stowe Elementary School. When I’m not teaching I enjoy spending time outdoors, skiing, mountain biking, hiking and camping with my wife and twin daughters Madilyn and Josephine. I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of this wonderful community.

Classroom Community and Academics:

The classroom community is just as important to a successful year as is academics. If a student does not feel safe and respected, it is hard for them to focus on learning. As an educator I devote a great deal of my time to teaching the students how to be respectful to one another and how to be thoughtful community members. Likewise, I allow the students an opportunity to express their frustrations and concerns so that they feel respected as students.

Additionally, I believe that students need to be challenged in their academics. It is important to offer just the right amount of support so that they attain success, but have attained this success through their own efforts. Experiencing failure is perhaps just as, or even more important. I strive to teach students that failure is a part of the learning process and what we do with it, and how we handle failure is a theme throughout the year.

Planner: 

Weekly/Daily Assignments - All assigned work will be recorded in the student planner by the student and will vary from week to week. As a Fifth grade team, our goal is that you are discussing the planner with your child on a daily basis so there are no surprises. I will be checking for nightly reading progress at the start of each day. Your child is expected to read 5 nights a week for a minimum of 45 minutes each of those nights. (we will start the year at 30 minutes)

Snacks and Water Bottle:

I feel that it is important for students to take snack and water breaks throughout the day in order to keep their minds engaged and their bodies healthy. Therefore, I ask that you send your child to school with a healthy snack and water bottle (no glass please) for them to fill. 

Communication:

If you need to contact me, please email me at: michael.rapoport@Lsuu.org. I typically check my email first thing in the morning, during unified art classes and at the end of the school day. You can also send a note with your child or write to me in the daily planner. I am happy to schedule a time to meet with you about any issues as needed.

Parent Volunteers:

I very much value parent volunteers. I will alert you of volunteer opportunities and notify you as they arise.

I look forward to a wonderful year with your child.

Sincerely,

Michael Rapoport