Back-to-School
Night
San Elijo Middle School
Karen Warner
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Twenty-five years experience in SMUSD
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19 years co-chair of the history department
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School Geography Bee Coordinator
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2013 Teacher of the Year for SEMS
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Married for almost 10 years to
Ray Warner former Stained Glass
instructor at Palomar College
Native Californian, Live in Encinitas
Lived in Canada for 6 years
Hobbies: surfing,
glass work, woodworking,
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bee keeping, &
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fishing!
Syllabus Highlights
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We will be studying ancient civilizations in 6th grade
that will include:
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Early Man, Mesopotamia-Egypt-Kush, India, China,
Hebrews, Greece and Rome.
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Vocabulary is an important part of history. Five or ten minutes
review of vocabulary per night will enhance learning and is
strongly encouraged.
Projects & Tests are announced ahead of time.
*Please check the web site for all assignments.
Community Service
•Time must be verified by parent/guardian signature on the
green activity sheet in the BINDER . Graded activity = 10%.
•We encourage parents/guardians to submit suggestions to
help build future responsible citizens.
•Community Service credit will not be given for babysitting,
working at a family business, or anything where the students
is paid or other forms of remuneration are given in kind.
•3 hours should be completed by the end of the first semester
Grade Categories
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Homework
20%
Community Service 10%
Quizzes
25%
Tests & Projects
45%
Extra credit is not usually offered.
Rather, when working on a project
extra effort is rewarded with bonus
points.
Thank you
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Thank you for coming to “Back to
School Night.”
My email address is
karen.warner@smusd.org.
(It is the best way to reach me)
Expo
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Expo is a wheel of subjects taught throughout the
year. (Students who take band do not take Expo).
Study Skills- learning styles, organization,
and now typing.
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Art- possible topics: drawing, watercolors, ceramics,
fused glass jewelry, string fun, sculpture, print
making. We start art when we have finished the
study skill section.
We’ve got talent!
A-More Art
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fusing
Before fusing
After fusing
Grading
We established the following “Standards of Excellence”
procedures in accordance with DO guidance:
LETTER
GRADE
Minus (-)
Solid
Plus (+)
DO Policy
A
90 - 92
93 - 98
99-100+
90 -100
B
80 - 82
83 - 87
88 - 89
80 - 89
C
70 – 72
73 - 77
78 - 79
70 - 79
D
60 – 62
63 - 67
68 - 69
60 - 69
F
NA
0 – 59
NA
59 and below
NB: Numbers shown are percentages.
 We support a rounding-up process, i.e., 89.51% may be rounded up to 90%
Homework:
Middle school students should expect homework to be
assigned on a regular basis, averaging from one - two hours
total for all subjects.
History homework will generally be as follows:
assignments focus on projects,
vocabulary needed for meaningful understanding
and discussion of the text, requirement to study
for quizzes and tests.
•6th Grade –
Late Work Policy
Late work is not accepted. This is a school
wide policy. Math students have a slight
modification of this policy.
•Late work is not accepted at the high school.
•Our goal is to continue developing good work ethics and
building student responsibility.
•Excused absences are covered by District policy of one extra
day per day absent.
Community service
History Department has a program that requires students to
build their citizenship skills by getting involved in their
community. Guidance is as follows:
•Students in all three grade levels will complete at least 6 hours of
community service for the school year, about one hour per month.
•6th Grade – on campus activities or involvement in the local
area. Suggested activities are listed on the front of the
Community Service Record Sheet and include: beach/community
clean-up days, volunteering at a church, synagogue, mosque, or
charitable organization, helping an elderly person, at an
elementary school, and other situations that are approved by the
parents and the teacher.
Our Web Site
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Everything you need, or at least lots
of good stuff!
http://www.smusd.org/Domain/1003
Physical Education
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Physical Education will take place two or three days a week
alternating the third day with Expo or Band.
It is important that athletic shoes be worn for PE for
effectiveness and safety. Shorts or well fitting pants should
be worn on PE days. No skirts please. Please follow all
other rules of school dress as well.
Grades are based upon attendance, proper attire, effort
during all warm-ups and activities, skill tests and
sportsmanship.
The PE grade is broken down into 2 sections:
*Participation 50%
*Skill 50%
* If your child needs to be excused from PE please send a
note. If the length of time is greater than two PE days,
please send a doctor’s note.