Mrs. Smith’s Classroom Rules/Procedures and Student Expectations

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Student Behavior and Expectations:

I expect no less than respectful behavior in my class.  I consistently stress and expect my students to show respectful behavior to other students, other staff members, substitutes, and towards me.  Nothing less will be tolerated.  I also expect students to remain positive toward school and their schoolwork.  If there is a problem I will most definitely help them through it, but they need to make me aware of it. In addition, I encourage students to be flexible as our day may not always go as planned and sudden changes or  alterations may need to be made (such as a substitute needing to come into class and perhaps doing things differently then I would). 

I also run a structured classroom where students help out to make it run smoothly.  They have weekly jobs and are expected to complete them as needed.  I stress the fact that we work as a team in my classroom.  In addition, students also know where needed materials are located in the class and there is a set order/schedule we will typically do things.  Students will most always know what the day will hold so there should be no excuse on not knowing what to do or what is expected of at a certain time.   

 

Email/Phone Calls: 

I like to maintain a policy of returning emails and phone calls within 24-36 business hours Monday-Friday.  If you find that I did not respond in that 24-36 hour time frame then I may not have received your message or I was not in school that day.  In any case please feel free to send the message again.  My email is rsmith@kcsd96.org.

*Please note that emails, which include an attachment, or have no subject in the subject line, may not get to me and will bounce back to you. 

Prairie's phone number is: 847.634.3144

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Assignment Notebook: 

Since students in this grade do not receive paper assignment notebooks I have created an online assignment notebook that students are expected to reference when going home.  It is viewable on my webpage, linked in my emails, and when school starts - as a class - we will create a bookmark of the online assignment notebook so that they can view it quickly and easily on their iPads. 

Students are responsible for listening as I go over homework every afternoon. 

 

Homework:  

Students will be asked to read 20 minutes in trimester 1 (August to November), 30minutes in trimester 2 (mid November to February) and 40 minutes in trimester 3 (February to June).  This is daily and includes weekends and holidays are highly encouraged.  Otherwise occasional math homework, and from time to time, have grammar, science, or social studies homework to complete or study guides to study for an upcoming test.   Please don’t wait until the night before or the day of a test or due date of an assignment to ask questions about it.  

 

*****If there is an extended absence the work will be collected for the child during their absence and a timetable will be set up when they return.   

 

Per the Parent Handbook: 3.2 Student Absence Due to Vacations While removing students from school for vacation is generally discouraged, the District recognizes that family vacations are important. Whenever possible, early notification is appreciated. Arrangements should be made with the attendance office, principal, and teachers so that the reason for the absence and plans for keeping up with school work are known. In the event students are taken out of school, specific activities will be assigned by the teacher; however, keeping a journal and reading books while on vacation are almost always beneficial activities. If assignments are given to a student before he or she leaves on an extended vacation, teachers will expect assigned work to be turned in upon the student’s return to school. If assignments are provided upon return to school, a timetable for making up missed work will be developed with the student after he or she has returned. 

 

Student In-class Mailboxes:

In the classroom each student has a mailbox.  Important papers, notes home, and homework are placed in this mailbox on a daily basis.  I have student jobs in my class and this is a job.  Once the papers are placed in the mailbox it is each student's responsibility to check their mailbox and put all the papers in their take-home folder.  I make one last call for mailboxes at the end of the day – as a reminder and that is all.  

Once a student checks their mailbox they must look through the papers to make sure they have that night’s homework and if they don’t they simply check the extra papers basket located on top of the mailboxes for the appropriate worksheet.  If they don’t find one in there then they come to ask me.

Students are reminded to make sure they have ALL their homework.  It is not excusable for them to return to school the next day and say “It wasn’t in my mailbox.”  

 

Homework Folder:  

Please check your child’s take-home folder daily, as important information, graded work, and homework will go home in here every day.  Following a test the test will come home with a stamp on it that says, “Please sign and return” please sign and return this to school as soon as possible.  

 

Math Homework:

Math homework isn't given every night and it will usually be posted in Schoology (on their iPads)  I encourage students to attempt the homework by themselves.   I use it to gauge where a student is regarding the concept and if they need additional help.  If you, as a parent, do help them can you please write a note on the homework stating your child didn’t understand a concept and help was given.  

We do teach some concepts differently in class and we encourage students to use the method taught, but I understand that sometimes another method may be easier for the student to use.  If additional help is required then either I will help them, re-teach to the whole class.  

I do check to make sure the homework is turned in each day, but please understand I will accept homework even if it was incomplete because the student didn’t understand it.  I hope that at least an honest attempt was made.  

 

Personal Reading:

I encourage students to read 20 minutes in trimester 1 (August to November), 30minutes in trimester 2 (mid November to February) and 40 minutes in trimester 3 (February to June).  This is daily and includes weekends and holidays are highly encouraged.  If you would like to read with your child that is fine.   Modeling reading for your child is important too.  Remember there are many genres of reading they can engage in.  They can read a newspaper, magazine, fiction, non-fiction, or out loud to someone.  Another part of reading that is very important is TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ! 

 

Birthday Treats:

Birthday treats are non-food items that are school appropriate. 

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I hope all this was helpful.  Please feel free to contact me if you any further questions.  

Thank you, 

Mrs. Smith

 rsmith@kcsd96.org

847.634.3144