Dear
Parent(s) / Guardian(s):
Welcome to a
new school year and to the Division 2 learning community! I hope that this year will be a
successful and happy one for your child, and for you as a hardworking parent.
The purpose
of this package is to give you an overview of class expectations and an insight
into the subject areas planned to be taught throughout the year (subject to
change). After reading this
package and going over it with your child, if you find that you have further
questions please feel free to contact me to discuss these matters.
General Expectations
Weekly Summary
As some
returning students/parents know, on Fridays students will complete a Summary
Sheet on their ‘week at school.’
This sheet will highlight some of the activities that the students will
have participated in throughout the week.
It also has a homework section in it, which will indicate to you if
there has been any missing work or late assignments, and a behavioural section
to inform you about your child’s in class efforts. Your child will independently complete this summary sheet every
Friday and I will check and sign it before it goes home.
Please check and sign
the “parent signature section” and add any comments in the “parent comment
section” (optional) – it is due back signed on Mondays.
Please note
that periodically due to meetings, assemblies and holidays, your child will not
complete a summary until the following Friday. If this is the case, the progress report will cover a two-week
period.
Planners
As an upper
intermediate student, time will be given for your child to write down homework
into his/her planner at the end of each day. Your child is responsible to ensure that all details and
homework have been copied down. I
will only randomly check their planner throughout the year. As a parent, please sign it daily
and check that homework assignments have been completed.
Returning Money & Notices
Please
return money/notices due in an envelope with your child’s name on the
outside of it (please do not staple or tape cheques to forms).
Scholastic Orders
All book orders
are payable by cheque only to “Scholastic
Canada Ltd.”
Classroom Behaviour and Conduct
The students
have been working hard over the last few weeks to establish a positive and
co-operative learning environment that is respectful to all. We have established a set of classroom
rules together and will be working as a ‘community’ to maintain these
rules. Anyone who continually
disturbs our learning environment may be asked to go to a quiet area outside of
our learning community to work until he/she’s ready to rejoin us. This includes anyone during gym class who
uses PE equipment in an unsafe manner.
PE and Daily Physical Activity
PE classes
are on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Please ensure that your child comes to school on these days with a gym strip to change into:
shorts or sports pants, a
t-shirt and
runners are appropriate. Please
also remember that students should be suitably prepared and dressed to actively
participate in our school wide morning Daily Physical Activity Program.
Absenteeism and Tardiness
Students are
expected to be punctual at all times.
This term, we are promptly taking attendance at 8:40am – 5mins
after the 8:35am bell. It is
fundamental that if your child is going to be absent, that you call the early
warning telephone line prior to this time. Students in adsentia have a ‘class buddy’ who will collect notices
and assignments, and place them inside an absentee folder (left on your child’s
desk).
Illness
Please do not send your child to school when
they are feeling unwell. If your
child shows any signs of an illness
they will be sent home (this includes: temperatures, runny noses, coughs,
changes to their normal speaking voice, fatigue, continuous headaches, stomach aches…). Viruses are more infectious the day
before your child may show more visible physical symptoms.
Our current
policy is that students should not return to school until the day after they
have shown no symptoms and are feeling ‘normal.’ In other words, they should be at home for 1 full day when
they are feeling ‘normal,’ then return to school.
Please do
not worry that your child will miss excess work when he/she’s away. I will ‘filter’ the work that he/she
has to do and give him/her plenty of time and assistance to complete missed
assignments.
Vacations During Term Time
Your child will
not receive class work to do during term time vacations. Your child may wish to keep a journal
that they can present to me and/or the class on his/her return. If you require a template for this, I
can provide one.
Assignments
Assignments
are marked based on a criterion that will be discussed with your
child. All assignments are to be
completed neatly and punctually prior to any other out of school
commitments/classes.
My homework
assignment philosophy is based on quality rather than quantity. Your child may be given a week or two
to complete an assignment.
Completed work should reflect that time frame; your child should spend
at least 15-20mins daily on such projects. As a general rule, I do not give homework on weekends. Please use this time to enjoy family
time and have your child participate in community events, clubs, sports and
non-academic activities. ELL
students will especially benefit from such activities, rather than attending
extra English classes and completing more English worksheets!
If you feel
that your child should have more homework to do, please practise reading with
your child (discuss and reflect on materials read) and/or reviewing their speed and recall of math facts. Playing family card games also improves
math skills.
Late or Missing Assignments
There will
be a loss of marks for late assignments and after 2 days of being late,
students will be asked to remain in the class at lunch or after school (their
choice) to complete their missing/incomplete work. This will continue each day until their homework is
finished. (Students will be able
to call home if they wish to stay after school – for a max. of 30 mins. daily).
Establishing
a set time with your child when homework is to be done should help in this
matter. Ideally, students should
have a little ‘play’ time and a snack after school, and then sit down to do
their homework; before dinner, when they’re fresh and more awake!
Occasionally,
circumstances may arise that prevents your child from doing his/her
homework. Please write me a note
in your child’s planner when this occurs.
Also, if your child is struggling with any assigned work; and you are
unable to help him/her, please tell your child to just leave it. Again, write me a note in his/her
planner and I will help your child complete his/her work in class.
All math
homework is marked by the students and I together, and is discussed daily. Only tests and large projects will be
sent home and have an expectation for a parent signature.
Band
Band is on Monday and Wednesday this year.
Please help ensure that your child brings his/her band instrument to
school on those days and practises daily to aid progress!
If you have
any questions throughout the year please feel free to give me a call at school,
or pop in after school (rather than the mornings) if you have a quick
question. Appointments usually
need to be made if you need to talk to me for more than 15/20 minutes.
I have
enjoyed getting to know your child over the past few weeks and look forward to
working and growing with him/her throughout the coming year.
Best wishes
to you all for the 2016-17 school year,
Ms. Waugh
