St. Mark’s Lutheran Church School
Margaret Sankey School: 954-922-7572
5th Grade Teacher Fax: 954-925-5388
502 N. 28th Ave. Home: 954-985-7979
Hollywood, FL 33020
Dear 5th grade parents,
What a joy it is to begin another school year here at St. Mark’s! I welcome you and your child to Fifth grade and pray God’s blessings on our year together. I look forward to working with you towards the common goal of nurturing you child as he/she develops intellectually, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. If at any time you have questions or concerns please contact me at school or at home. Please take the time to read the following information about your child’s upcoming school year!
Assignments and Homework
Homework will usually be assigned every day and students should expect to spend between 40-60 minutes each day depending on the assignments, upcoming tests, special projects, etc. Assignments must be finished first thing in the morning. If an assignment is missing or unfinished, a pink slip will be sent home to notify you. All graded homework will be returned to the students in their mailbox tray. Every Tuesday and Friday a packet will come home with your child with graded homework, tests to be signed, my newsletter, and the Lion’s Paw. As parents and teacher, let’s do everything we can to set high expectations and encourage responsibility so that homework is completed and turned in on time!
5th Grade Subjects
Religion – Each student is expected to participate. We will use the Bible and a workbook on a daily basis. Students will receive a grade for religion based on participation in class, completion of workbook and homework assignments, and tests throughout the year. Several times during the year students will assist me in leading chapel. You are invited and encouraged to join us every Wednesday for chapel beginning at 8:25 a.m.
Memory - Memory work will be given on Tuesdays and Fridays. Memory will be recited or tested on Mondays and Thursdays. Memory will be copied into a composition notebook and may include relevant Bible verses, explanations from Luther’s Small Catechism relating to the Apostles’ Creed, the 10 Commandments, and Baptism, hymns, and special memory work for the Advent service, Musical, or chapel/worship services.
Math - We use the Saxon Math curriculum. Homework will be assigned daily and tests will be given after every five lessons. A strong emphasis is placed on daily practice of math facts to improve speed and accuracy. This strong foundation is imperative for future success in math. The homework each day is meant to introduce a new concept as well as to review previously learned concepts, so being diligent and responsible about homework is the best way to prepare for the tests. I do send home a practice test prior to the test day to be used in preparation also.
Reading - Ten minutes each day will be designated for DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time. This is independent reading of a novel of their choice. Students have the opportunity to check out books from the school library once a week on Thursdays. The books in the classroom library are also available for checkout. Students will be expected to have a novel in the classroom every day, but are also expected to be reading at home on a regular basis. Upon completion of a novel, students should prepare a book report as part of their reading grade. Students are required to complete 6 book reports each quarter . Depending on the number of pages in the book, a single book report may be worth double or triple the points (80 pages=1 book, 160 pages=2 books, 240 pages=3 books). In addition, once students have finished a novel and book report, they can take an Accelerated Reader quiz. Their participation in the Accelerated Reader program based on goals set at the beginning of each quarter will also be evaluated as part of their reading grade. Each week we will be reading a story from our Reading series and doing various language arts activities/assignments related to story comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and study skills. In the spring, students will be involved in a class book club experience.
English – Students will be assigned both major and minor writing projects throughout the year and daily assignments with special emphasis on grammar, word usage, parts of speech, and the writing process. Students will be tested after each unit. Part of their English grade will come from the journal that they keep. The teacher will provide a sentence starter or topic idea from which the student is to engage in a 10-15 min. writing session. The purpose of this activity is to give the student opportunities to write freely for a sustained period of time, generate ideas for stories or other writing activities, and provide a method for the teacher and student to interact on an individual level through student thoughts and teacher comments. Journals will be kept in the classroom; this is not a homework assignment!
Spelling – Mrs. Kiesel will be teaching Spelling. Students will be given their word list and assignment on Thursdays. The assigned pages in the Spelling workbook will be due on Tuesday of the following week. Once the workbook has been corrected, students will have an opportunity to prepare for the Spelling test on Thursday. After the test on Thursday, they will be introduced to the new list of words and repeat the homework and study cycle. Parents and students are strongly encouraged to study a little each night in preparation for the test.
Science - We have lots of fun learning about science through special activities and experiments! Students will keep a science notebook to record vocabulary and notes on important information from the text. Tests will be announced several days before they are given. Students will keep a Science notebook with vocabulary words and class notes which is the most useful tool to study for tests. We look forward to the science fair in November, the field trip to Kennedy Space Center in the spring, and our annual rocket launch!
Social Studies – I look forward to teaching Social Studies this year as we work our way through our nation’s history. I hope that the students will learn to appreciate the rich history of the United States, the people and situations that have shaped our country, and the role each of us plays in our country’s future. Students will be expected to complete daily reading and writing assignments in preparation for chapter tests. We will also spend at least one day each week focusing on current events.
- Special Instructional Areas (While these areas do not impact a student’s GPA, they are not to be ignored or taken lightly. Earning a D or F in any of the following areas results in the student being ineligible for special awards such as Honor Roll and High Honor Roll at the end of each quarter.)
Art – We will have art once a week on Fridays which will include both art appreciation and 2-D and 3-D art production. Each week we will study a new artist and painting. I will keep an art portfolio for each student until the end of the year. Come in anytime to see our displays!
Computers/Spanish - Mrs. Fleming will be teaching Spanish, and Mr. Hoyum will be teaching Computers each twice a week. Students will have a separate folder for each class and need a jump drive for Computers. As a class, students are responsible for recording homework and upcoming tests on our classroom assignment board.
Music - We have music once a week on Wednesdays. Our curriculum will include music history, music theory, singing, and playing a wide range of musical instruments including recorders and piano. Students are strongly encouraged to be part of the Alleluia choir after school under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Hoyum. Attendance at special worship services such as the October Family Worship Service (Oct. 4), the Advent service (Dec. 2), the NLSW service (March 7), the Music Festival (March 9), and the Spring Musical (June 2) is crucial to fulfilling the performance component of the curriculum.
Handwriting – We teach the Zaner-Bloser method of cursive handwriting. We practice the skills using a workbook once a week. Students will be expected to use their cursive handwriting for certain assignments throughout the year.
P.E. - Mrs. Pfrogner will be teaching the 4-5th girls’ P.E. and Mr. Sankey will be teaching the 4-5th boys’ P.E. classes. All students are expected to participate as we introduce them to a variety of team sports and healthy lifestyle activities. A doctor’s note or a signed note from the parents must accompany the child if they are sick or unable to participate. Physical fitness will be tested in the spring through the National Physical Fitness Program. Students are responsible for having their P.E. uniforms and sneakers every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 5th grade students are eligible to compete on the track team in the spring.
Discipline
St. Mark’s has five general school rules:
1. Follow Directions
2. Avoid Interrupting
3. Remain Seated
4. Respect Others
5. Encourage Learning
The consequences for failing to uphold the rules are as follows:
1. Name
2. 10 Minutes at Recess
3. Detention (15 minutes after school and note goes home)
4. Out of Room (20 minutes in another classroom)
5. Trip to Principal
Special Awards
Awards that are given each quarter:
Diligent Student – no pink slips
Good Citizen – no checks or detentions
Honor Roll – 8.0-9.9 GPA
High Honor Roll – 10.0-12.0 GPA
Grading Scale
We use a 12-pt. scale to determine a student’s GPA at the end of each quarter. The core subjects included in the GPA are Religion/Memory, Reading, English, Spelling, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Generally, tests and quizzes count twice as much as daily work.
A+ 12 100
A 11 95-99
A- 10 93-94
B+ 9 91-92
B 8 86-90
B- 7 84-85
C+ 6 82-83
C 5 77-81
C- 4 75-76
D+ 3 73-74
D 2 67-72
D- 1 65-66
F 0 0-64
Book Club Orders
Once a month a book order from Scholastic Arrow Book Club will be sent home. If you choose to order, please make a check out for the exact amount to Arrow Book Club rather than to the school or teacher. Books may also be purchased online through our class using a credit card. Books make great gifts, and points accumulated by the class throughout the year will be used by the teacher to purchase new books for the classroom.
Morning Snack
Children will be allowed to enjoy a snack at morning recess. Please send healthy snacks such as fruit, crackers, cheese, juice –not candy or soda. (Soda is allowed only on Fridays at lunch.)
I pray God’s blessings on a great school year! Thank you for all the time you are giving to your child this year!! Thank you for your support and cooperation as we work together!!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Margaret Sankey
