Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome to Fifth Grade!  Welcome to a new school year which I hope will be exciting for you and your student.  I will be teaching Integrated Language Arts (ILA) which includes Reading, Writing, Spelling, Listening and Speaking.  I will also be teaching Social Studies which includes the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.  We will be following the Archdiocesan Guidelines for our Curriculum  (follow information link to curriculum guidelines on Home Page).  These guidelines are written to support our Catholic faith and beliefs to uphold our Christian interactions with one another.  Therefore, daily prayers and attending Mass, once a week including other liturgical activities will be included in our classroom.

                                         Policies and Procedures           
     Tests will be sent home on a weekly basis for parental/guardian signature (usually on Thursday) along with the Family Envelope.  Please sign and date the tests and return to me within two days.  Should the student not return the signed test, he must stay in at lunch recess. Tests and Projects with due dates can be checked by clicking on link below (Bulletin board).  Assessments – Each area is assessed as follows:
Social Studies – Tests, Quizzes, Projects, Homework, Participation
Reading  and Spelling -  Chapter Tests, Theme Tests, Reading Logs, Homework, Participation, Library
Grammar and Writing – Tests, Quizzes, Maintenance, Writing pieces including Poetry, Homework, Participation

     I believe homework should be given to reinforce the material covered in class.  Homework will vary according  to the concepts which are covered.  At this point, I ask that you sign the Homework copybook nightly but it is my sincere hope that once the students acclimate to the procedures and take responsibility for their work, parents’ checking and signing will not be necessary.  I will inform you by letter if this policy changes in the future.

    Students are expected to act respectfully and follow classroom rules and procedures.  Failure to do so will warrant giving up lunch recess.  Should the problem become on-going, I will contact you directly so that we can meet and discuss our mutual concerns and find a solution which is agreeable to all concerned.  

    If your child is absent for any reason or needs to change dismissal lines, please send a note explaining any changes.  If an emergency arises, please call the office and let the secretaries know.  Students are not permitted to make changes without a parent’s note. 

     I am looking forward to having a wonderful year with your children.  I hope to prepare them to become responsible, independent learners as this is an important transition year to the upper grades. If I can be of any assistance or you wish to schedule a conference, please contact me either by email – dbaehr@saintlukeschool.org or call the school office and leave a message.  I will return your call and/or email in a timely manner. 

Fondly,
Mrs. Baehr