Frequently Asked Questions

Google Classroom is a learning management system (LMS) that incorporates Google's core products (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, etc) so students can access everything they need for our class.  Information included in Google Classroom will include links to materials used in lessons, assignments, announcements, and a live stream link.

Google Meets is a video conferencing tool that will be used for 1:1 discussions, small group activities, and full class lessons if we cannot attend school in person.  A Google Meet link is at the top of the page in the "Classwork" view of Google Classroom.  

Google Meet will be used if we have to go virtual at any point of the school year or if the building is closed for inclement weather.  It will also be used if any student should have to quarantine at any point of the school year.  The teachers will communicate an online schedule in any such case.  Per policy - Students are not permitted to live stream when they are out sick or on vacation.

ClassDojo is a communication tool that I will use throughout the year.  As a teacher, I will post announcements, reminders, and pictures from the classroom.  It is closed network which means only those who have joined and been approved by the teacher will have access.  There is a messaging component that can be used for quick communication.  I would suggest downloading the free app on your personal device to stay in the loop!

This is not an easy one to answer.  I do believe that children work very hard during the school day and need time to decompress.  There may be times when I notice a learning gap where extra practice will be beneficial for that particular student to gain confidence in an area.  In that case, I may assign some additional work.  The class is expected to complete all activities that occur during the school day.  Any work that was missed or unfinished from the school day would need to be completed at home.  

Encourage them to revisit the lesson materials to refresh their understanding of the topic.  If it is still confusing, send me an email or message on ClassDojo to let me know where they might be experiencing difficulty.  Remember - this is a completely normal part of the learning process and almost everything that comes second nature to us now was once a challenge.  Remember that driving test?  

While it's wonderful if you are able to provide your child with support at home, you are not expected to homeschool your child. Not everyone remembers content from 5th grade.  Parents and teachers work together as a team. As teachers, we are here to support your child's learning and your communication with us is greatly appreciated.

The goal is to read for 20 minutes a day.  This can be a mixture of reading to themselves, reading to a friend/parent, or listening to audio books.  The class will have access to our in class library, online libraries, and sites like Epic! that will increase their choices.

While the goal is 20 minutes a day, there may be days filled with sports and any number of activities where they just can't fit it in.  Don't sweat it!  We want reading to be enjoyable.  Fit it in when you can.  Reading is also beneficial to fluency, comprehension, and writing.  

There is popular research that shows the power of reading for those 20 minutes:

• Student A reads 20 minutes per day, is exposed to 1.8 million words per year and scores in the 90th percentile on standardized tests.

• Student B reads 5 minutes per day, is exposed to 282, 200 words per year and scores in the 50th percentile on standardized tests.

• Student C reads 1 minute per day, is exposed to 8,000 words per year and scores in the 10th percentile on standardized tests.

Yes!  Starting day 1 they will be allowed to take their chromebooks home with them.  Please care for them while outside of school and be sure to charge the device each night so we don't have any disruptions in our learning.  

The screening checklists are back again this year.  A physical copy will be placed in the take home folder and PDF versions are located in the "Backpack" page of this site in case it gets lost.  Please record your child's temperature and sign/initial the form on the correct day.

It happens!  If a form comes in missing any information (temperature or signature) someone from the school will attempt to contact you.  If they are unable to reach a guardian, someone from the school will come around for a quick temperature check to make sure everything is ok.  

This year conferences will be held Nov. 18th (afternoon), Nov. 21st (afternoon) and Nov. 22nd (evening).  As the conferences approach the teachers will send out a form to secure a time slot.  

Support conferences may be scheduled on an as needed basis in the spring.

This is subject to change, but at this moment we are still planning to have a Fall party (Oct 28th), a Winter party (Dec 22) and an End of Year party (Jun 13).  More information will be communicated as the dates get closer.

Yes!  Food will be permitted for class parties and testing.  The food must be on the approved snack list.  That list can also be found in the "Backpack" page of the site.