POLK ELEMENTARY

August 25,
2014
5
th
GRADE TEACHERS
940 BELVIDERE
EL PASO, TEXAS 79912
Dear Parents,
Welcome to an exciting school year! We are happy to have your child with us this school year,
and we are looking forward to meeting and working with you. To get the year off to a smooth
start, several things would be very helpful.
The three ring binder will serve as your childs basic organi!ational tool as well as your place to
check his or her progress in each class.
To assist you in helping your child succeed, we would like to explain our class procedures at this
time.
"ssignments will be documented in the student planner which your child will keep in the front of
his#her binder. $t is important for you as a parent to check your childs assignments daily. %uture
pro&ects and tests will also be noted. 'onse(uently, you will be able to help prepare your child
for upcoming events.
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/P-))$*+ 0 We will begin each week with a set of spelling words that will be tested on
Thursday or Friday. $t is your childs responsibility to be prepared for the spelling test.
.-"D$*+#)"*+,"+- 1 .eading and language assignments will be given daily. There will be
times that the assignments will have to be completed as homework. We will be doing a great
deal of writing this year. /ome of this will be kept in a portfolio in the classroom.
". .-"D$*+ 0 2our child will be expected to participate in the "ccelerated .eading program.
3e or she will be re(uired to read a book that has met teacher approval. " reading calendar will
be forthcoming. /ince we encourage reading as much as possible, we will give each student who
completes and turns in the monthly reading calendar sponsored by PTA a 100 in the grade
book.

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The primary components of the math program will include algorithm maintenance, problem1
solving strategies, and vocabulary development. "n emphasis will be placed on measurement
concepts throughout the school year.
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2our child will be keeping a $nteractive /cience *otebook 5$/*6. This tool is used to strengthen
your childs learning of the curriculum including the following categories7 4atter 8 -nergy,
%orce, 4otion, 8 -nergy, -arth 8 /pace, and 9rganisms 8 -nvironment. The $/* will serve
as the primary reference for each unit. '9*/-:,-*T)2, T3$/ T99) 4,/T ;- T"<-*
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This year in fifth grade, our social studies curriculum covers ,nited /tates history. The children
will be exposed to this information through the /tudies Weekly periodical. +rades will come
from worksheets, maps, tests, activities, and pro&ects.
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%ifth grade is a year of many changes> there is an increased volume of work, many new concepts,
and a marked shift, as well, to a more lecture1oriented, independent1work environment. ;ecause
of this, there are some instances when students will experience academic difficulties.
$n fifth grade, we always re1teach any concept not mastered. We do this through a variety of
ways such as small groups, one1on1one with the teacher, peer teaching, or practice material sent
home.
"ny graded papers that have a grade below a ?@ will need to be signed and returned to the
sub&ect teacher. These signed papers will be filed by the teacher. The first nine weeks all papers
with a grade below ?@A will be returned to the student to redo for an average of both grades, not
to include assessments.
4idway through each grading period, we will be sending home a progress report to every
student. 2ou must sign this and return it to your childs homeroom teacher. This is to keep you
informed of your childs progress and to allow time to correct any problems before report cards
are issued.
9ur goal at Polk has always been one of providing our students with many opportunities for
success.
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'ompleting assignments is the students responsibility.
"ll assigned work is due by the end of the class period unless otherwise specified.
"ssignments received a day after its due date will receive a grade of no higher than a ?@. "n
assignment that is more than a day late will not be accepted at all, but will be entered in the
grade book as a !ero.
/tudents must make up any work missed while absent. The number of days allowed to
make up the work is the same number of days the student was absent. $t may be necessary
for a student to arrive at ?7B@ or stay after school to complete missed assignments.
$t is the students responsibility to copy missed notes, collect necessary worksheets, and
complete the makeup work in the allotted time.
$f the student is absent the day of the test but was present when the test was announced, the
student must take the test on the day of return.
NO EXTA !E"#T #$ %#&EN TO #N"#&#"'A( $T'"ENT$. 9n occasion an extra
credit assignment might be given to the whole class.
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$dentified +ifted and Talented students will participate in the 'onnections program at Polk
/chool. The 'onnections curriculum is only offered at selected schools. $t is a program that
incorporates the gifted, talented student into a speciali!ed classroom, where literature, social
studies, language arts, and fine arts are integrated.
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The Dual )anguage classroom integrates -nglish )anguage learners and *ative )anguage
speakers to provide academic instruction in both languages. 9ur students follow a C@1C@ model
designed by our district. The C@1C@ model program is followed throughout the -l Paso
$ndependent /chool District. The programDs goal is to achieve bilingualism and biculturalism.
Polk students, who have participated in the program since kindergarten, demonstrated academic
achievement in both -nglish and /panish.

We hope this letter has been helpful to you. We know how hectic the beginning of a new school
year can be. We hope by sending you this letter, we have shared with you some very important
information that will help your child be successful this school year. $f we can be of any further
assistance, please dont hesitate to send us an email or call the office at EBF1E??C to make an
appointment.
/incerely,
Fifth Gr!" T"#h"r$
Dear Parents,
In order to guarantee your child and all other students in our classrooms the
excellent educational climate they deserve, we will tolerate no student stopping us
from teaching or any student stopping another from learning. This will help the
student to develop the responsibility needed to succeed in middle school and
future lifelong pursuits. Therefore, we are utilizing the following discipline
management plan.
Classroom Expectations
Student ode of onduct is to be followed !refer to the Student "andboo#$.
Respect others
%eep negative comments, hands, feet, and ob&ects to yourself.
Do not borrow or touch the property of others without permission.
'isten and follow directions when they are given by teachers,
substitutes, and guests.
(aise hand for permission to spea# or leave seat.
Show good character.
Respect yourself
"ave supplies, including appropriate reading materials, ready
immediately.
omplete and turn in all assigned tas#s on time.
)ny signed communication must be returned. !*xamples include office
and teacher literature, progress reports, report cards, permission
slips, and +blue slips,.$
heating of any #ind, such as forgery, plagiarism !including copying
from the internet, another student, or any other source$, will not be
tolerated. This type of activity will result in a zero for that grade
and - 'unch detentions.
Respect school and property
Ta#e care and have pride in our school.
Students need to be in their seat at the beginning of the class period.
There will be NO food or beverages other than water in the
classroom. This includes gum, vitamin water, and sports drin#s.
Consequences for Disregarding Expectations
If a student chooses to brea# a rule, these are the conse.uences per day/
0rea#ing 1 rule 2 3erbal warning
0rea#ing - rules 2 4ar# in discipline binder
0rea#ing 5 rules 6 'unch Detention 7
0rea#ing 8 rules 2 Parent, )dministrator, Teacher onference !P)T$
7'unch detention will automatically be given if a student9s behavior with a
substitute is unsatisfactory.
MARKS N !"E DESC#$NE %NDER &$$ DE!ERMNE !"E %E"A'OR
(RADE A! !"E END O) EAC" (RADN( #EROD*
0ehavior :rade
;6< mar#s Outstanding
=61> Satisfactory
-;658 Needs Improvement
5< or more +nsatisfactory
A SE'ERE DSR+#!ON &$$ %E SEN! MMEDA!E$, !O !"E O))CE*
Re-ards
3erbal or written praise and encouragement to students
Positive parental contact
(ecognition of student achievement
*nd of year awards
?e hope to be in communication with you as fre.uently as possible throughout
the year. The learning environment for your child is a combination of both home
and school. ?e loo# forward to this &oint venture. @ur <
th
grade motto is Stri.e
and %elie.e and &e Can Succeed. Together we can ma#e a differenceA
Sincerely,
Pol# Bifth :rade Teachers
*mail ommunication
Dear <
th
:rade parents,
@ne of the most important parts to your student9s educational
success is communication. To insure that this vital component
is in place, we would li#e to secure your email address. Please
email us, using the address you would li#e to use for our
communication,
4rs. Salceda !<)$ at vgonzaleCepisd.org
4rs. :ailey !<0$ at dlastraCepisd.org
4rs. Tupper !<$ at t&tupperCepisd.org
4rs. :onzalez !<D$ at dagonzalCepisd.org
4s. Toscano !<*$ at srtoscanCepisd.org
to ac#nowledge that you have received this notification in
regard to Parent, Student, and Teacher communication. If
your son or daughter has two or three teachers, please email
all of them. In the SD0E*T window of your email, please
include your child9s full name.
Than# you for your support,
Bifth :rade Teachers