T.H. Rogers School
New Vanguard Elementary Orientation
3rd-5th Grades
August 15, 2015
Welcome to T.H. Rogers!
Building on Our Culture
This Year’s Theme: “Growing Beyond!”
Growing Beyond...with new students and families!
Growing Beyond...our previous success!
Growing Beyond...all limitations!
Welcome to T.H. Rogers!
Building on Our Culture
This Year’s Theme: “Growing Beyond!”
Culture of Communication
Teacher websites  Grade Speed  weekly communication folders
Culture of Thinking
Cross-curricular learning  Writing emphasized in all contents 
visible thinking
Culture of Respect
Character education program  bullying awareness 
Peer Mediation Program
Welcome to T.H. Rogers!
Administration, Mid-Management, Office Staff






Dave Muzyka, Principal
Christian Winn, Assistant Principal/Elementary
Donald Lam, Assistant Principal/Secondary
Jessica Willie, Dean of Instruction
Kristen Trey Chen, Vanguard Coordinator
Ashley Pringle, Elementary Counselor
Mari Valdez, School Secretary
Libby Calkins, Receptionist
Ileana Cortez, Ms. Winn’s Asst.
Maria Hernandez, Finance Clerk
Bertha Roodi, Attendance Clerk
Sheila Foster, Student Information
Yaneth Montes, Main Office Clerk
Janice Jackson, VG Office Clerk
Linda Turpin, VG Office Clerk
Welcome to T.H. Rogers!
Vanguard Faculty
3rd-5th Grade Teams
Barbra Hearne
Courtney Connors
Christina Doyle
English, LA& Reading
English, LA& Reading
Colleen Efstratiou
Suparna Vashisht
Katie Parrish
Karana Bowen
Claire Sparks
Breanna Mason
3rd
Grade Team Leader
English, LA& Reading
Math
Math
Science/Social Studies
Science/Social Studies
Math
Science/Social Studies
Core Enrichment Team
Jennifer Thelander (Art)
Desmond Combs (PE)
Daniel Fernandez (Computer)
Norman Thomas (Music)
Staci Situ (Chinese)
Stephanie Hatley (Library)
Dulce Slack (Spanish)
Paula Godinich (ASL)
Paula Friedman (French)
WITS (TBD)
Welcome to T.H. Rogers!
School
Policies
and
Procedures
Arrival to the Campus
Arrival: 7:00 a.m. to 7:35 a.m.
All students report to the
Cafeteria
upon arrival.
Arrival and Dismissal
Parents may eat breakfast with
students on the first day of school.
Beginning August 25th, parents must
drop student off in the L-shape
carpool lane or park nearby and
walk them to the front entrance.
Parents are asked to refrain from
walking students to the classroom
after the first day of school.
Arrival and Dismissal
Carpool Drop-Off/Pick-Up
for Students
Use the L-shape loading zone located in
front of the school.
Turn in traveling south on Bering Drive.
Parents are asked to refrain from “conferencing” with
teacher while they are on duty as they are trying to
supervise all their students.
***Refer to Parent Drop-Off/Pick-Up Map***
Attendance
Policy and Procedures
Students are encouraged to attend school
daily!
Students must attend at least
72 days of school the first semester and
77 days the second semester according to
the Texas Education Code 25.092.
Attendance
Policy and Procedures

Call the school and e-mail your child’s
homeroom teacher by 8:00 a.m. on the
day of an absence.
Phone: 713-917-3595

Within 3 days of an absence, a written
excuse must be submitted to Ms. Roodi in
the main office. Excuses may be
submitted via e-mail to broodi@houstonisd.org
Attendance
Policy and Procedures
Tardy Students
Promptness to school is an expectation.
If a student is not in class by 7:45 a.m., he
or she will be considered tardy. Students
will receive a lunch detention after the
3rd tardy.
The official daily attendance time is 9:30.
Attendance
Policy and Procedures
Excused Absences
Illness of student
 Death in the family
 Quarantine
 Weather or road conditions making travel
dangerous
 Participation in school activities,
approved by the Principal
 Religious holidays (24 hours prior to day)
 Emergencies or unusual circumstances,
approved by the Principal

Leaving Campus During
the School Day
Parents must report to the main office to
check out their child.
 An appropriate form of identification must
be presented.
 A note from the parent(s) of a student
must be sent to Ms. Roodi stating the time
and reason for the early departure along
with a phone number.
 The latest a student may be released
early is 2:15 p.m.

Dress Code






Students should be neat and clean in
appearance.
Clothing must not be too tight, too loose, or
torn.
A belt must be worn with loose-fit shorts or
pants.
Skirts and dresses are to be no shorter than
two inches, front and back, from the top of
the knee in a standing position.
Label jackets/coats. Bring an extra layer!
See the Parent-Student Handbook for the full
dress code policy.
Birthdays
•
•
Students will be given the opportunity to
celebrate birthdays during the school year
by parents sending store-bought cookies
(no cupcakes, please) for the homeroom
class. The teacher will pass out to the
students during their snack time. Please,
no treat bags.
If you plan to send cookies, please notify
the teacher for planning purposes. Deliver
the treats to the school by 8:00 a.m.
Field Trips
Field trips are planned throughout the year to enhance the curriculum,
and dedicated parent volunteers help make it possible.
Here are a few important reminders:
· Students and chaperones are to wear the school tie-dye field trip shirt.
· All school rules apply on the field trip.
· Actively supervise students.
· Notify the teacher(s) immediately of any medical emergency, lost
child, or serious breach of school rule.
· Follow the directions of docent/guide.
· Siblings and family members may not participate in a school-sponsored
field trip.
· Have fun!
Communication System



Communication Folders
“Ram News” is available on our website and
will be sent home every Thursday .
Parent-Staff Communications
Contact the teacher via e-mail or phone.
Check the calendar of events each week .
WE NEED YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS!
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Contact your child’s teacher to schedule a
conference.
First Day of School
Monday, August 24, 2015
 Please complete and return ALL forms
included in the First Day Packet to your
child’s teacher.
 Follow all procedures for arrival. Please say
“goodbye” to your child and wish them
well on their first day.
 Traffic will be heavy. Be patient!
 Join other THR parents for coffee sponsored
by PTO in the orchestra room.
A Few
Important Dates...
•
Open House September 8th, 6:30PM
•
Parents Are Partners September 15th, 7:45AM
•
Early Dismissal September 22nd, 12:45PM
•
Donuts with Dad September 25th, 7:15AM
•
Fall Conferences week of October 11th, times TBA
You will receive a school calendar
in the 2015-2016 Parent-Student Handbook!
The
rd
3 Grade
Learning
Journey
rd
3
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Your child will grow exponentially this
year! You may notice...
• 3rd grade is a jump up from 2nd with
more emphasis being placed on the
student taking on more responsibility.
• 3rd grade is the first year students take
the STAAR Reading and Math
Assessments.
rd
3
The
Grade
Learning Journey
English/Lang Arts/Reading–Ms. Hearne
• We cover Expository Text Features, Realistic Fiction,
Memoirs, and all the different reading genres.
• Students will participate in different forms of daily
reading (read alouds, read to self, and read to
someone).
• Daily home reading is expected for at least 30
minutes per day (leisure reading).
• We cover weekly Vocabulary Units.
• Various modes of writing opportunities throughout the
school year embedded in all subjects.
rd
3
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Math–Ms. Efstratiou
• Emphasis on speed and accuracy with
math facts.
• Ability to analyze and dissect multiple stepproblem solving.
• Articulate answers using justification and
explanations (both verbally and in writing).
• Learn to self monitor personal progress.
• Apply concepts within real world context.
rd
3
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Science & Social Studies–Ms. Bowen
• Begin to take notes from reading, instruction and
research. Use research to create original products.
• Articulate answers using justification and explanation.
• Perform experimental and observational
investigations.
• Use MLA-style citation and other research strategies.
• Compose detailed, complete responses in writing.
• Emphasis on expository writing.
• The students will have several projects throughout the
year in both subjects (more information forth
coming).
STAAR Assessments
Overview of first time taking STAAR
Strategies used in class to align
3rd Grade is the first year students take the Reading
and Math STAAR tests! Each day students will be
introduced to skills and concepts that will naturally
lead towards your student’s success on the STAAR.
We use different forms of materials, manipulatives
and strategies to cover all areas (more information
is forthcoming as we get into specific skills/strategies
that relate to each student).
Communications
• Weekly Communication Packets per
subject area
• Thursday Communication Folders
• Student Agenda Books/Planners
• Teacher Websites, E-mail
Home Learning
Home learning is generally
Monday - Thursday
• Each week students begin a new
Vocabulary Unit with sentences due
on Tuesday!
• 30 minutes of reading is required per
day.
• Math home learning is generally given
daily.
The
th
4 Grade
Learning
Journey
th
4
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Some things you may notice about your
growing 4th grader...
• Fourth grade is a transitional year.
• Your child will sharpen and refine the many
concepts introduced in the primary grades.
• Students are expected to assume more
independence and responsibility for their
own learning.
th
4
The
Grade
Learning Journey
English/Lang Arts/Reading–Ms. Connors
• 4th Grade will be taking a deeper learning
adventure into investigation, inquiry, and
project-based learning throughout the
year.
• Your child will participate in Accelerated
Reader (AR).
• Writing and reading benchmarks-(BOY,
MOY, EOY) in addition to in class monitoring
th
4
The
Grade
Learning Journey
English/Lang Arts/Reading–Ms. Connors
• IStation, as well as STAR, are used as
progress monitors for reading instruction
• Literature Circles & Book Clubs
• Students will write in a variety of modes and
for various purposes
• Daily home reading expectation: at least
30 minutes a night, Monday-Thursday
th
4
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Math–Ms. Vashisht
• With a focus on 4th grade TEKS, depth, complexity and
rigor will be central to meeting the needs of each student
• Emphasis will be on developing:
• computational strategies
• mental math
• problem solving
• building speed
• Study Island and Moby Max programs will be used
throughout the year
• Our 4th graders will also be introduced to Singapore Math
• Students will maintain interactive notebooks
th
4
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Science & Social Studies–Ms. Sparks
• Science will cover three main units:
Physical Science, Earth Science and
Life Science through hands-on
experiments and research
• Social Studies will focus on Texas
history. We will cover the economics,
society, politics and environment of
Texas over time.
th
4
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Science & Social Studies–Ms. Sparks
• Students will work on 2 project based
learning units each nine weeks—one
for each subject.
• Students will maintain interactive
student notebooks for each course
and will track their progress with a
data binder.
STAAR Assessments
• Students in 4th Grade take 3 STAAR
tests this year. These include Math,
Reading, and Writing.
Writing:
Math:
Reading:
The writing portion of the
STAAR test is completed
over a two day period.
Students are given a four
hour window to complete
the exam. Each test will
begin with approximately
15 revise and edit
questions and end with
one writing prompt.
The math portion of the
STAAR test is completed
over the course of one
day. Students are given a
four hour window to
complete the exam. The
test contains
approximately 50
questions.
The reading portion of
the STAAR test is also
completed over the
course of one day.
Students are given a four
hour window to complete
the exam. The test
contains approximately
45 questions with several
reading passages.
Communications
• Check the agenda daily
o Objectives will be recorded in the agenda
daily for each class
o Home learning and important dates will also
be recorded
• Purple Home Learning folder will be sent home
daily with assignments
• Weekly communication folders will be sent home
on Thursdays with graded work and
announcements
• School Wire accounts will be updated weekly
with classroom information
Home Learning
• Approximately 60 to 90 minutes of home
learning daily on Monday-Thursday
• Math daily
• Reading daily
• Science 1 night a week
• Social Studies 1 night a week
Long-term projects and study skills practice
will take place throughout the year, and
sometimes on weekends.
rd
th
3 -5
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grade
Community Norms
Respect yourself, others, and property.
Cooperate and help each other.
Everyone belongs to our community.
Treat others as you would like to be
treated.
Respect people for who they are.
Be mindful of other people’s feelings,
thoughts and beliefs.
Be willing to try new things.
Help each other learn.
Have fun!
The
th
5 Grade
Learning
Journey
th
5
The
Grade
Learning Journey
5th grade is a capstone year...
• Encouraging more social and
academic independence
• Responsibility and organization
• Preparing for transition to
Middle School
th
5
The
Grade
Learning Journey
English/Lang Arts/Reading–Ms. Doyle
• In-depth study of various works of
literature
• Grammar and Vocabulary
• Writing Opportunities
• Istation Benchmarks
• Literature Circles (Book Club!)
• Daily Reading – *30 minutes
STAAR & Iowa
Assessments
STAAR
Reading
The reading STAAR test is to
be completed in a four hour
window. The test contains
approximately 46 questions
with several reading
passages.
Math
Science
The STAAR math assessment is
completed within a four hour
window. The test contains
approximately 50 multiple
choice questions.
The science section of the
STAAR test is administered
over a four hour window. The
assessment includes 47
questions.
5th grade Iowa
The 5th grade student will take the Iowa Assessment
as one of the District’s norm-referenced tests. Iowa
will be administered in December.
th
5
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Science & Social Studies–Ms. Mason
• Exploration & Inquiry through labs &
dramatizations
• Experimental Design
• Historical Journey from Colonization to
Civil War
• Study Island, Think Central
th
5
The
Grade
Learning Journey
Math–Ms. Parrish
• Focus on problem solving and critical
thinking
• Mastery of TEKS
• Real-world application of skills
• Moby Max, Think Through Math &
Study Island
Communications
• Teacher Websites
• Communication Folder – Thursdays
• Behavior Chart & Graded Work – Fridays
Home Learning
• Daily ELA – 20-30 minutes
• Daily Math – 30-45 minutes
• Daily Sci/SS – 30-45 minutes
*Time spent on home learning varies
with each child
Parents-to-Parents
Tips for Success...
• The most frequently asked question is about homework –
How much? How long? The answer is, “It depends on the
child!”
• Balancing your child’s extra-curricular activities with
school.
• 5th grade is a good time to start holding your child
accountable for keeping up with their own homework
and project due dates.
• It is inevitable that as a parent, you will hear stories about
school. Keep everything in perspective.
• In 5th grade, help your child enjoy their last year as an
elementary student.
Parents-to-Parents
More Tips for Success...
• Ample sleep leads to academic success and happiness
• Downtime...playtime...unscheduled time
• When there is a problem or concern, discuss it with your
child to get a good understanding of the problem, think
about the issue from all sides, then talk to teacher directly.
Teachers are great problem solvers and talking to them
directly often resolves everything!
• Think of parents and teachers as a team. Talking to other
parents or calling a Principal immediately can often
create a mountain out of a molehill.
• Keep problem solving positive and constructive.
Collaboration with the school staff is key.
WELCOME
to the
T.H. Rogers
Family!