Syllabus

5th Grade Policies and Procedures 2025-2026

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year at Ascent Classical Academy of Northern Colorado. It is an honor to be your child’s fifth grade teacher and I look forward to partnering with you this year. 

Please read through the information below to learn about our classroom procedures and policies. Further communication regarding classwork, homework and activities can be found in weekly updates posted on the teacher website. The first time I post updates on the website, I will send out an email letting families know. Please know I am available to discuss any questions or concerns. I aim to respond to emails within 24 hours on school days, and can set up a conference if necessary.  Please note I am actively engaged with students during the day and not always able to check emails, so if you need to get a message to your child during the day, please call the front office.

Learning Expectations

1. Students should come to school prepared to learn. Please help your student be in their seat by 7:45 a.m., dressed in the school uniform and with materials needed for the day. This includes: lunch, homework and an independent reading book. This year 5th graders will have an opportunity to eat a snack both during morning recess and again in the afternoon, so please ensure they have something nutritious. Please try to avoid sugary snacks and drinks, as these negatively affect learning in a measurable way.  Students who bring nutritious snacks and water tend to do significantly better throughout the day.

2. Follow our classroom guidelines:

Be Prepared

Be Attentive

Be Respectful

While these guidelines may appear basic, most behaviors required in our classrooms fall under these three categories (see examples below). If a student violates these expectations after a verbal warning, they may receive a paper discipline slip.  On the slip they will describe the broken expectation, how they will repair the situation, and how they will behave/respond in the future. The student is required to bring the slip home to discuss the incident with you, and then I ask that you sign it and have your child return it the following day. The intention of the paper slip is not punitive, but to serve as a tool to reinforce the correct behavior and include you in the conversation. Examples include:  

• Today I didn’t respect my classmates when I talked out of turn. Tomorrow, I will remember to raise my hand.

• Today I was reading my personal book during a lesson.  I will keep my book in my bookbag and look at the teacher when she is talking.

If a behavior needs immediate attention, I may call a parent right away or send the student to the office. I aim to be respectful with my words at all times. It is my responsibility to create this environment so the students feel safe and secure with me and with each other.  

Homework

Homework is an important opportunity for students to learn responsibility, and the work is meant to complement your child’s learning at school. It is intentional and necessary.  I expect homework to be done neatly and turned in on time. This can be tough for fifth graders. As per policy, students can expect approximately fifty minutes of homework per evening. (This may look different the first week of school.) A planner, designed to help organize and keep track of assignments, has been provided to your student and part of our afternoon work will include recording the night’s homework. Please plan on initialing your child’s planner each day to show me that homework assignments have been completed. Homework assignments that are written (versus studying) will also be turned in. Planners will be checked for initials in the morning.

Although timing can be difficult for student athletes, practices and games are not reasons for missing homework. The expectation for student work will only grow as they get older and students will need to learn how to balance their school work with athletics schedules. For athletes who need to leave early for competitions, students should check with me during morning bellwork, so that I can ensure they have the correct materials listed in their planner for homework. 

Note:  I understand that on occasion our lives get busy and we need a little grace. If your child has one of these days, or isn’t feeling well enough to complete the task, please communicate with me via email or by including a written note with the homework. Please let me know if your child is struggling with homework. We can work together to make it more manageable.

Absent Work 

Thank you for following our health guidelines and doing your part at home to help maintain a healthy classroom.

In the event of an excused absence, please refer to the website for assigned work.  Regular homework (math homework and literature study guides) are exempted and will not be collected, graded, or recorded.  Papers and tests will be made up as follows:  for each day of school missed with an excused absence, students will have one day to complete the missed work.  

Please note that  a zero will be entered in the gradebook for all non-exempt missing work even if it is because of an absence.  This acts as a ‘placeholder’ in the gradebook.  The score will be corrected within a week of the student’s return and their completion of the test/quiz/paper/etc.  

Late Work

Classwork and homework are required to be turned in on time. Larger assignments may be turned in the next day for partial credit.  Extenuating circumstances can be discussed on an individual basis.

Tutoring

Math content is quizzed most Fridays.  If your student earns a 6 or below on the 10 point quiz, you can expect an invitation for your student to attend math tutoring the following week. Tutoring will cover the content of the quiz. Tutoring is by appointment and scheduled on a weekly basis.  Please email me if you would like your child to attend a tutoring session.  Tutoring ends at 3:30 p.m.  Please meet your child in the lobby at that time, or pull up to the doors right out front.  Thank you for helping us keep your child safe.

Student Grades 

I will endeavor to record grades in PowerSchool on a weekly basis. Please check the online system regularly to stay up to date on your child’s progress. ACA does not send home or mail report cards.

Food and Water Bottles in Class

All food in class is banned for students, unless students have an IEP, 504, or doctor’s note. Fifth graders may eat before and after school, during morning recess, during lunch, and during the 10-minute afternoon break. Water bottles may be kept at students' cubbies and may be utilized during breaks or independent work time. We will take several stretch breaks throughout the day to allow students to grab a sip from their bottles. Stanley-type cups are not allowed in the classroom this year, as they often cause issues with spilling. 

Birthday and Classroom Celebrations 

We love to celebrate your child’s birthday and they will be recognized in class. However, school policy does not permit treats of any kind to be sent in for the class - either during instructional time or at lunch.  If your child is having a party that does not include the entire class, please do not have your 5th grader deliver those invitations at school. If everyone is invited - by all means, your 5th grader may pass them out during lunch or recess.

Curriculum-based classroom parties will be scheduled in October, December, and May.   These “Wonder Days” are made possible by wonderful class parent volunteers!  Thank you! 

A few parents have already generously expressed interest in volunteering time to help with our learning this year. If you are interested in helping with copywork and the like, please do email me and let me know what your availability is like. Parent volunteers are wonderfully appreciated.

Communication with Mrs. Popham

I am Deaf, and use a cochlear implant on one ear and a hearing aid on the other, in order to make communication easier. I can sometimes understand speech on the phone, but not reliably, and almost never on the classroom phone. For this reason, please do not leave messages that you want me to hear on the school phone. If it is not urgent please email me to schedule a time for us to talk, probably using a video call. At times I may use my personal phone to leave a message, and it will likely show up as an unknown number. Most of the time, I will email to schedule a phone call. You may still receive messages from the office and your child may call from the school phone if the occasion arises. Please do reach out if you have any questions!

I look forward to a great year with your student! Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns.

With Gratitude, 

Mrs. Popham

Fifth Grade Teacher

Ascent Classical Academy of Northern Colorado

natalia.popham@nc.ascentcolorado.org

Please discuss these Classroom Policies and Procedures with your 5th grader, sign & date, and return to Mrs. Popham by Friday, August 30th.

I have read and discussed these policies and procedures with my student: 

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Parent Signature Date 

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Student Signature Date