Mrs. Keller’s
Parent Handbook
2015-2016
www. MrsKeller.net
General School and Classroom Policies
For Mrs. Keller’s 4th/5th/6th Class
Dear Parents,
I am very excited about this school year, and I look forward to
working with you and your child throughout the coming months.
Below I’ve compiled some general information about school policies
and some of my own classroom policies to aid you in making this a
smooth year right from the get-go. I hope this information is helpful
to you! Please contact me directly if you have any questions,
comments, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Barbie Keller
General Questions
How does multiage operate?...............................................................4
How can I get important messages from the teacher?.........................4
How do I know what homework has
been assigned or when due dates are?................................................5
How do I make an appointment to see the teacher?............................5
What is the best way to reach
the teacher if I have a question?..........................................................5
How should my child organize their materials?..................................6
Do I need to purchase a planner for my child?....................................6
What is your discipline policy?
How are issues dealt with in your classroom?.....................................7
Is it necessary that we buy items on the supply list?............................7
How can I volunteer in the classroom? ..............................................8
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When are parent-teacher conferences
and how do you run them?.................................................................8
How can I check my son/daughter's grades?.......................................8
How do you grade and assess?............................................................9
How much homework will my student have/ what will my student
expect?...............................................................................................9
_______________________________________________________
School/Classroom Policies
Attendance………………………….............................................................9
Bus Deviations……………………...........................................................10
Building Visits……………………............................................................10
Snacks………………………………............................................................10
Lunch……..…………………………...........................................................11
Recess…….…………………………............................................................11
Medications….……………………............................................................11
Lost and Found..…………………...........................................................12
Field Trips…………………………............................................................12
Volunteering in the Classroom..........................................................12
Communication…………………............................................................13
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How does multiage operate?
Multi-age is a very dynamic and supportive teaching framework that benefits all
students in the class–From the struggling to the advanced–because emphasis is
placed on the individual, where he/she is in their academic journey, not on some
arbitrary grade level they are “supposed to be at” because of their age. Teachers of
multi-age do not teach to “the middle group”, rather we design instruction so that
all of the students reach the end goal (or beyond) because lessons and
assignments all have varying levels of support, scaffolding, and tailored
assessments in place to ensure the students progress at their own pace.
How do multiage teachers do it all though? Teaching two or three grade levels
simultaneously sounds impossible! In actuality, not only is it possible, it’s
surprisingly simple. Teaching multiage requires less focus on grade specific
assignments, and more focus on teaching to the individual student. Students who
don’t reach “grade level” by the end of the first year can begin the next year with a
teacher who already knows their strengths and weaknesses, and can immediately
put time into helping that child reach their goals, rather than spending the first
half of the year getting to know them. Likewise, strong students are more
challenged because they aren’t tied to “grade level” work they have already
mastered, because multi-age teaching is skills based. Skills, which are embedded
in the level of book the child is reading at, and embedded in the complexity level
of the essay or story that the child is writing. There are no “4th grade level texts”
or “5th grade level grammar worksheets” per se, but a constant emphasis on
learning and progressing the entire time, whether that happens the first 6 weeks
of school or the last 6 weeks.
This year I will again partner with my team teacher, fellow multiage teacher
Angela Graves, in structuring our classes to best accommodate the individual
needs of our students. Some of the ways we will do this include the following:
1) We will collaborate on teaching "exploration" classes in the areas of science
and social studies. These classes are designed to enhance our teaching of different
content areas, all the while having our students learn about specific methods,
techniques, and skills. This way, each of us can focus on a content area, and thus
increase our effectiveness in teaching the subject.
2) Each student will be placed in his or her “grade level” math class, taught by a
particular intermediate teacher. Math at the intermediate level is split into three
sections, which all cover the same material, but move at slightly different paces to
accommodate faster and slower moving students. These classes are fluid, and
allow for students to move up if they need a faster pace sometime during the year.
3) We are all using the same assessment system in the hopes of making the
grades your child receives more representative of their understanding. Letter
grades are the current adopted measurement our district uses, but it is agreed by
many that letter grades can be so ambiguous. Your child's grades will still be
calculated as letter grades, however the actual assessments we will be using
involve scoring guides that assess the State standards that your child masters.
Please read my homework policy/grading newsletter for more info.
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One of my goals again this year is to meet the needs of everyone by spending
quite a bit of time working on classroom community and caring for one another-that way there is no rift between older and younger students, or students of
different gender. I find there to be quite a bit of social development for most
grades as the older kids learn to be responsible and helpful and the younger ones
learn how to balance their workload and increasing academic demands.
My other goal, as with last year, is to get to know your child! I plan on keeping
records of daily interactions with my students through routine conferences,
which will help me learn about their strengths and weaknesses without
bombarding them with worksheets. This in turn will help me plan lessons to
encourage authentic learning in the classroom, which is what every caring parent
and teacher wants to have take place in the classroom
How can I get important messages from the teacher?
Every Monday I will send home an e-newsletter with important announcements,
updates and assignment due dates. You can also click on the "Classroom
Newsletters" link in the top right menu and download the latest newsletter that
was sent home. In the past I’ve sent home paper copies, but realized that these
often never found their way home! If you would like a paper copy, please let me
know and I’d be more than happy to provide one.
Another system I use for establishing and maintaining regular contact with you
will be through the usage of your child’s daily planner, which is a simple sheet
that I print and distribute each week.
It is not necessary that you buy the school planner- you may use this free version,
which I will send home each Monday with your child. Any relevant information
that you will need to know about (assignments, tests, field-trips, parties, etc.) will
be addressed in letters sent home.
You are encouraged to leave me notes in your child’s planner at any time,
however if you wish to contact me about any questions, comments, or issues, you
are more than welcome to call, text, or e-mail me.
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How do I know what homework has been assigned or when
due dates are?
The first method is to check the weekly e-newsletter, which I e-mail out every
week. Listed on the newsletter should be the weekly due assignments (sometimes
I do forget to include them all).
The second method is checking your child’s planner and seeing if assignments
were written down (if it is blank, you can ask your child why!).
I make it a point to have your child take on most, if not all of the responsibility of
knowing which assignments are due or assigned. Students are expected to write
their homework assignments in their planners every afternoon before school
ends. I encourage parents to ask their children what the assignment is so that
every child can be held accountable -- this builds enormous responsibility!
Lastly, you can also click on the "Homework" link on the above main menu of the
class website. There you can read about my homework policy, and any info on
projects (rubrics, due dates, ect).
How do I make an appointment to see the teacher?
The quickest, most reliable way to contact me is through e-mail, at
barbie.keller@k12northstar.org. You can also call the front office at 4794234 x288, or text me. I can meet with you before or after school, pending
enough notice to plan around other staff and committee meetings. I prefer if you
call before or after school, as phone calls are very disruptive throughout the day!
What is the best way to reach the teacher if I have a
question?
I prefer emails since I check them frequently and it's not disruptive to the class,
but if you don't use e-mail or find it difficult to access routinely, please don't
hesitate to call (preferably before or after school). I check my emails during the
day and all through the evening and will reply as soon as possible. I check my
phone messages during planning and after school.
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How should my child organize their materials?
Students will need to obtain four 3-hole dividers (reading, writing, science, and
social studies) and a 2" (maximum size) three-ring binder that will house
important notes and work we complete at school. Additionally, they will need a
two 3-hole pocket folders (for homework and reading).
This binder will stay at school. The only thing that will travel to and from school
is the folder for bringing work home and back. In the front area of their folder,
each student will place the weekly newsletter/planner given to them (which lists
important events and due dates).
Do I need to purchase a planner for my child?
No- I provide a simple, free planner sheet that I will send home weekly with the
class newsletter. This planner will be used as both a work organizer and a form of
communication between you and myself.
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What is your discipline policy? How are issues dealt with in
your classroom?
Consequences for students who do not follow rules:
I am a big proponent of positive reinforcement, i.e. I first resort to pointing out
the benefits of behaving in class when curtailing off-task or inappropriate
behavior. I stress to students that if I observe they are not following our
classroom rules (which are discussed in depth throughout the first weeks of
school), they need to make a wiser choice. One of these choices may be to work
elsewhere in the classroom. Students who need time to their selves to think about
their actions or just have a quiet place to work may choose to go to one of the
tables I have set up around the room.
Students may also collect "credits" or class money by working hard or showing
team-work behavior. At the same time, students are also subject to classroom
"fines" for inappropriate behavior, which coincides with our classroom economy
system (see the class info section on the class website for more info).
Classroom conflicts: All classroom conflicts and misbehavior issues among
students will be addressed during weekly classroom meetings. Class officers are
elected at the beginning of the year and help lead the class and promote solving
problems with classmates, while I simply oversee the process. The way I organize
weekly meetings is by inviting everyone to the back of the room to sit in a circle.
The meetings begin with compliments, where each student will be asked to
compliment at least one person within the room. Next the class President will
address the issue (if there is one) with the class by asking them ways they can
avoid or deal with the conflict. Students that are involved in the conflict are not
anonymous, and are expected to address the issue in front of their peers. If there
isn’t an issue to discuss, the class President will use this time to talk about
upcoming trips, parties, assemblies, guest-speakers, or anything pertaining to the
class that is written in the class agenda. At the end of the classroom meeting I will
try to culminate it with a cooperative game. This structure has been highly
effective, and typically reduces/eliminates the need to write a student up.
TAG Referrals: For serious or repeated misbehavior, I (or another teacher) will
write a referral for students. This is a last resort after exhausting all other
options, which I like to avoid. This referral usually results in a loss of recess and a
call home by the behavior specialist or principal.
Is it necessary that we buy all items on the supply list?
In addition to the supply list mailed out at the beginning of the year, I have added
extra items which I use for writing workshop and organization. I strongly
encourage parents to obtain them. I understand that supplies can get expensive,
especially if buying for more that one child, but I make use of every item on the
list so these are put to very good use!
Additionally, my own stash of classroom supplies will be stored on open shelves
and made available to the students at anytime during the day. Students that lose
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supplies or are unable to purchase their own are welcome to use mine, though I
do remind them to take care of them since they are in short supply. I do
constantly take donations as keeping up with functional supplies can be quite
expensive!
How can I volunteer in the classroom?
Parents/relatives/guardians are all welcome and strongly encouraged to
volunteer in the classroom whenever they have any available time. In order to
make most efficient use of your time and the class’s time, I only request that you
contact me prior to when you would like to help out, just so that I will be
prepared to give you something to do.
If you prefer to stay in the classroom I can also let you know when students are
independently working so that you could offer up help on class work. Math time
is a great opportunity for this. Whether there is a particular slot of time you could
routinely help out during, or if you can only volunteer for an hour a month, any
help is appreciated.
There will be occasions where parent chaperones are going to be needed during
class fieldtrips, so this could one opportunity to help out as well. Help is also
greatly appreciated when our class does projects! If you are interested in
contributing any of your time to the class to help out with prepping materials or
any other jobs, please contact me.
When are parent-teacher conferences and how do you run
them?
There will be two officially scheduled parent-teacher conferences throughout the
school year. One will be at the end of fall and one will be close to spring (see
school calendar on the home page for specific dates).
During the conference you will have the opportunity to hear about the progress of
your student and also look at some work I have saved highlighting what your
child has been working on during the year. I strongly encourage you (and your
child) to attend these conferences as it greatly benefits your child’s success. If you
are unable to attend during one of the designated slots I don’t mind making
accommodations to schedule a meeting for a later or earlier time. As well, you are
welcome to schedule an unofficial conference with me at any time by calling or emailing me.
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How can I check my son/daughter's grades?
1. Logon to www.Mrskeller.net and click on the top left link labeled Powerschool.
OR
2. Go to https://premier.k12northstar.org/public/. Type in your child's student
number and password, or parent username and password to access student
grade information. (If you do not remember your username and password, call
the front office at 479-4234).
How Do You Grade and Assess?
I am a huge proponent of standards-based grading. I find this method of grading
to be a much more useful and helpful method of score keeping for myself, the
students, and the parent, on many levels.
Standards-based grading means that I align grades and the Alaska standards I
teach in each subject. Each assignment focuses around a State standards or set of
standards, and I consequently grade each standards separately (not each
assignment).
Please read my grading newsletter (attached to the homework policy or available
on the class website) for more details on how it works and what you and your
child can expect this year regarding grades.
How much homework will my student have and what will
my student expect?
I’ll be honest. I’m not a big fan of the tradition of homework for elementary
students, especially after researching how little it actually benefits pre-high
school students. I do, however, see the benefit of learning how to keep track of
work and return in on time, and build discipline and work habits. Any homework
that is assigned in addition to daily math and reading will either be work that we
ran out of time in class to finish, or an occasional project. I do not penalize a
student’s grade for late work, but I do hold students accountable by having them
work during recess at Study Hall if homework is missing without a reasonable
explanation.
Students can expect to have 40-60 minutes of homework a night (or less), which
includes the aforementioned math and reading.
Generally, 4th grade students will have fewer expectations than 5th and 6th.
Please refer to my homework policy packet for more information.
ATTENDANCE
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Students may be dropped off at school after
8:40 a.m., as that is when playground
supervision is available. School starts at 9:10
a.m. Students may play with friends on the
playground until the 9:00 bell. Students who
eat breakfast at school may enter the building at 8:50. Children are
tardy if they are not in the classroom by 9:10. Students arriving late
must stop first in the office for a tardy slip.
School is dismissed at 3:30 p.m. Please stop in the office to obtain an
early dismissal slip any time you are taking children out of school
before the end of the day.
BUS DEVIATIONS
If your child is going to get off the bus at a different
stop, or is going home with a friend on a different
bus, you must send a signed note to school stating
the change. If you find out during the day that you
must change your childʼs plans, call the office as early in the day as
possible (prior to 2:45), and the office will inform your child of the
change.
VISITING THE BUILDING
If you are planning on dropping by the classroom please stop at the
office to check in before coming to the classroom or any other part of the building or playground. Our students can be better protected
if office personnel are aware of who is in the
building. A dismissal slip from the office is
required for a student to leave the classroom before the end of the
day.
SNACKS
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I encourage children to bring a daily
midmorning and/or mid-afternoon
snack. I also encourage students to
bring a water bottle to keep at their desk to
minimize frequent trips to the water fountain. Soda pop and candy
are discouraged in the classroom– I’ve found that they make it hard
for children to concentrate.
LUNCH
If your child will be eating a school breakfast or hot lunch please pay
for breakfasts/lunches and milk in advance, as this makes things
much easier for our kitchen staff. Checks can be made out to Pearl
Creek School, or you can pay online through the district website.
Breakfasts cost $2.00 and lunches cost $3.50, and come with milk.
Milk alone may be purchased for $.75. A microwave oven is also
available in the classroom for student use during lunchtime.
Students will have the occasional opportunity to
invite a friend from another classroom to join them
for lunch. Parents are always welcome to join us for
lunch from 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
RECESS
Our district wide policy states that all students
are expected to go outside unless the temperature
is below -20° F. Because it is not uncommon to have
recesses on cold days like these, children must have
appropriate winter clothing at all times once the temperature begins
to drop. This includes gloves, a hat, snow pants, a winter coat, and
winter boots. Students who are too ill to play outside should stay
home until they are well. A note from a doctor is required if a child is
to sit in the nurseʼs office during recess.
MEDICATIONS
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Prescription medication to be taken at School must
be given to the school nurse with a form signed by the
child’s doctor. Teachers may not dispense prescription
or over-the-counter medications, nor may students administer
medications to themselves. Please see our school nurse if you have
any questions or concerns about medication.
LOST AND FOUND
Items that are misplaced throughout the school or
on the playground are taken to the lost and found
bins by the gym door if they are not readily claimed.
Small items, e.g. watches or jewelry, are kept at the office. Lost and
found items in the bins are taken to the nurseʼs office after one
month. They are kept one additional month, and then are donated to
charities. Additionally, I keep a classroom lost and found bin for inclass purposes. By having your child write his or her name on items
brought to school, you’re greatly increasing the chance of having
them returned if they are ever misplaced.
FIELD TRIPS
We will go on several field trips this year in order to take advantage
of the many learning resources available to us in our community.
Most trips are related to the curriculum, and so they do not require
signed permission slips. They do require bus money and entry fees
however. Rather than collect money from students for each trip, I
prefer to ask for a $20 per semester pre-payment, the first due as
soon as possible, which will be stored in our class account. (The first
payment includes $15 for field trips and $5 for classroom supplies
purchased for each student.) The pre-payment simplifies accounting
for the office and money collection. If this presents a hardship, please
let me know, as we sometimes have assistance funds available. We
love to have parents join us for these fun outings!
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VOLUNTEERING IN THE CLASSROOM
I enthusiastically welcome you to
our classroom! If you would like to become
involved as a parent helper in our classroom,
please let me know as soon as possible. A
volunteer form indicating how you would like
to help can be found in this welcome packet. I will do my best to
match your needs and wishes with our classroom needs and schedule.
I appreciate the significance of your valuable donation of time.
There are many ways parents who cannot come to school
regularly can contribute to the yearʼs success. Most importantly,
you can help your child eat nutritious meals, go to bed on time, and
maintain a positive school attitude. Look at school papers together,
and talk about the day. Some other ways to help:
Join us on a field trip!
Send in books or objects pertinent to our topic of study
Purchase books for your child through Scholastic book orders
Donate when requests for special supplies go out
Join and support our Pearl Creek PTA
Attend one or more PTA Family Nights with your child
COMMUNICATION
Although we have a telephone in our classroom, all calls are routed
through the office. In order to minimize student anxiety and class
disruptions, please make sure your child knows about after-school
plans before coming to school. The office, PTA, and I send out
periodic newsletters and special announcements. Please be sure to
check your childʼs backpack daily. I will post information about
upcoming classroom events on our class website
Phone: 479-4234 x288 Website: www.MrsKeller.net.
E-mail: Barbie.keller@k12northstar.org
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