Welcome to 5th grade
Parent Information
Night!
Mrs. Kerry Cowell
Dale Street School
2013-2014
Agenda
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About Mrs. Cowell
Average day in the shoes of a 5th grader
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look in folder for individual schedule
Goals for the year
Curriculum highlights
Communication
Expectations, homework,
Other?
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CSA is still looking for room
parents
Have you signed up for my weekly
updates? If not, let me know!
I send out conference
preference sheets in late
October
eReaders in the classroom- I am
okay with it-- if you are!
Mrs. Cowell & family…
- husband: Sam “Monsieur” Cowell
- children: Eli (5 years), & Olive (will be 3 in December)
- from Ashland, MA/ live in Bellingham
- in-laws: Tom Cowell (former Medfield PE teacher/ Medfield AD),
Susan Cowell (current Health district content specialist & teacher at
Blake), brother-in-law Michael Cowell (new Physics/Biology teacher at
Medfield High School)
- Bridgewater State College, Undergraduate Degree
(Elementary Education, Special Education, & English)
- UMASS Boston, Graduate Degree in Elementary Ed.
- Teaching in Medfield since 2002- taught grades 2-5 (began at
Wheelock)
- tutored in NYC for 6 months in 2002– inner city outreach program
- Taught 4th grade, so I am familiar with where the
kids are coming from & where they need to be in order to be
prepared for Middle School
- My husband’s diagnosis of lymphoma in 2012 (which he is in
complete remission of!) has opened my eyes even more to the
importance of family. I promise to keep you up on news from
my house.
Please let me know of anything that may be going on at your
home too. I have dinner with my family every night, so I hope
that homework will never come in the way of this essential time.
Always let me know if there is an issue! Thank you!!
Objectives & Goals
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We will create a classroom environment which is safe and helps each
student set high expectations for him/herself.
By using the quote “Enthusiasm is the electricity of life.” (Gordon
Parks)- I will keep my outlook positive and energetic both in school and
at home by “being there” every day.
I will continue to maintain my class website weekly and my parent email
every other week. I will also continue to implement useful technological
tools-- from my Teaching for the 21st Century course.
THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL: Every child likes coming to school.
If your child is apprehensive about ANYthing, please contact me!
We are on the same team. Our common interest is that your child
loves school, feels safe, and will be challenged academically
according to his/her own needs.
Mrs. Cowell’s
Philosophy of Education
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I believe that every child is capable of learning. The degree of learning will
vary for each child, but differentiated instruction ensures that every
student’s needs can be met. The key to inspiring a desire to learn stems
from fostering each child’s confidence and faith in the possibilities of
his/her own future. Every child has a right to gain knowledge. I believe
that it is my responsibility and duty as a teacher to help each child strive
for his/her own success. The following thoughts illustrate some of my
beliefs in children.
– I believe that all children need to like themselves first before
envisioning their purpose in life.
– I believe that all children are impressionable, and the tools that are
instilled within them as children will follow them throughout the rest
of their lives.
– I believe that every child is a link to the success of the future.
– I believe that all children are capable of learning- if they are taught
according to their individual needs appropriately.
– I believe… “While we try to teach our children all about life, our
children teach us
what life is all about.” (~ Angela
Schwindt)
Curriculum
Highlights
MATH: Scott Foresman/Addison Wesley with
supplemental materials to address the Common
Core Standards.
*New math for 2013-14… STAR math program. I
was trained over the summer to help
implement this new program. It is an exciting
opportunity to gather specific data 3 times a
year so I can see what your child needs more
help in (broken down by each standard) and
where your child is ready to access new
material.
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5 grade Common Core Domains:
- Operations and algebraic thinking
- Number and operations in Base ten
- Number and operations—fractions
Measurement and data
Supplemental websites I will use this year:
LearningFarm & SumDog
Writing Workshop:
6+1 Traits of Writing
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Use the following 6 traits to teach writing:
ideas, organization, voice, word choice,
sentence, fluency, conventions, and
presentation
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Use picture books to teach writing through
each individual trait
Reading Workshop
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Children are exposed to text that they
relate to/ care about
Discussing, listening, and sharing ideas in
literature circles and the whole class
Writing responses to literature
RUSH- must be turned in last day of month/
first day of new month… 5th graders should
be reading AT LEAST 15 minutes every night!
Our class goal- 40 books in 5th grade!
Remember to be a good role model reader at
home. I keep telling the class that if there is
time for television, there is enough time to
read. I model my own reading by posting it!
Curriculum highlights continued…
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SCIENCE (Mr. Mason)
Scott-Foresman Science Textbook
• Topics: Scientific Method
• Atoms and Molecules
• States of Matter
• Water Cycle
• Weather
• Electricity and Magnetism
• Space
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SPELLING
Zaner Bloser
Ready-made, research-based,
differentiated word lists for on,
below, and above level students
Analogies
Last year to learn spelling patternstherefore the lists will be teachergenerated & differentiated by 3 levels
We will use the website for homework
& study practice
SOCIAL STUDIES (Mrs. Cowell)
Text: McMillan McGraw Hill Timelinks
series
Topics:
American People, American Lives
Early Life: East and West
Colonial Life in North America
American Revolution
A Growing Nation
Geography of the U.S.
Communication…
Home-school communication is a
must in order to promote a
successful academic year.
Please feel free to contact
me for ANY questions/
comments via email.
• I update my new website
daily, so check here first! 
– www.medfield.net
(Dale Street, 5th grade, Mrs.
Cowell)
• For a quicker response from
me, please use email:
– kcowell@medfield.mec.edu
– If you do not hear back
from me in 24 hours, re-send
the email.
Field Trips
Wheelock Children’s
Theater
Christa McAuliffe Space
Center
Special Events
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Global Giving month
Barbara O’Connor biography writing
project
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Discovery Museum hands-on
workshop about Properties of
Matter
Adolescent changes, January/
February
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Grade 5 Celebration- June
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Egg Drop- June
5th Grade
Expectations
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As fifth graders, the students are role models to the 4th grade students and each
other. I expect each student will demonstrate respect for the Dale Street
community at all times.
All Dale Street School policies can be found online in the student handbook.
Mrs. Cowell’s classroom expectations…
– No flip-chart! My goal is for the children to feel that I trust them to make smart
decisions within the classroom. In the case a child does not follow my rules there will
be a “three strikes and you’re out” policy. #1- verbal warning, #2 miss recess/ meet
with me to discuss behavior, #3 note home to parent and 3 missed recesses, anything
further will result in parent phone call and detention.
– Missing homework: Students are expected to bring their homework & agenda EVERY
day and on time. If not, he/she must sign the homework book (there is a space for the
reason why the homework is missing. I believe that it is important for the students to
understand the reason why in hopes that they will not make the same mistake twice).
If a students misses homework 2+ times in one week, they must sign the book and
stay in for recess to complete the assignment. **If the assignment has been completed
at home, they will still re-do the assignment. Please do not bring in the assignment
during the day as it is each student’s responsibility to pack it. Thank you!**
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Missing 3 assignments in a row= teacher detention (parents will be notified in writing before the
detention is held)
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HOMEWORK! EEK!!
*** It is the student’s responsibility- not the parents. Mom/Dad already passed
5th grade .
STUDENT-ATHLETE (insert any word here: actor, musician, etc.)… the word
“student” comes first for a reason. It is a privilege to do an extra curricular
activity after school.
Why give homework??
• Reinforces what is learned in class
• Prepares students for upcoming lessons
• Extends & generalizes concepts
• Teaches responsibility
• Helps students develop positive study/ work habits
When is it given? Monday-Thursday
• Homework should not take longer than 50-60 minutes (on average) each
night- This does not include studying for tests and long-range projects.
• Spelling tests- Friday
What is expected?
• Best work! I expect homework to be neat and complete.
• I would much rather a child get a page wrong and try rather than skip!
• Students should try on their own FIRST, and only ask for help once they
have given their best effort.
Parent involvement?
• Parents are the KEY to making homework a positive experience. Please make
homework a top priority, provide the necessary supplies, maintain a quiet
environment free of distractions (TV., siblings, etc…), set daily homework
times and expectations, and contact me should there be any problems.
• Help your child if a problem arises, but only if your child has tried his/her
best to solve it on his/her own first. Make sure that your child has read the
directions prior to completing the assignment.
• Parents should never do the homework for the child. It is important for me
to see where he/she may be having problems. If you do help- jot down a note
for me so I know too .
Positive Reinforcement
I use a 3-tier approach to positive reinforcement. Each tier is
imperative to building our community/ family of tolerant &
compassionate individuals.
• “The Year of the Balloon”- individual & whole class
• “Cluster of the Week”- small group
• “Star of the Week”- individual
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Lunch with me, positive attention, finding things in common with one another
Promote a safe and positive learning environment:
*Non-discriminatory tactics used to call on students (popsicle sticks)
*Student-generated rules and consequences
*Every student is an intricate piece of our classroom family
*I am honored to work with this uniquely exceptional group of children!
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2013-2014 Important
“Buzz Words” @ Dale Street
Each student will have an account set up for them with Google for the use of Google docs… this will
allow for us to complete assignments in school and at home without worrying about using a flash
drive. You will have access to everything the students do on the computer for writer’s workshop.
Bullying/Harassment Policy according to Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010 signed into law May 30,
2010… includes cyberbullying!
RTI= Response to Intervention… every student will have RTI on his/her schedule during 2nd period
on Tuesdays at least once. This is a time for me to work with other teachers in discovering what
each child needs more work on/ extension activities in. I’m excited to have this time with each child!
MCAS: Student Growth Model
Online usernames/ passwords that will be distributed to your child:
Pearson Success- online math textbook/ science textbook
Zaner Bloser spelling website (will be used for homework assignments, games to help
practice studying)
Learning Farm
SumDog
Keeping track of online passwords/ usernames ideas (as this is becoming a necessary life skill for
the academic future): student agenda, list on the fridge/ near the computer, rolodex, address
book, use an online site, etc…
Thank you for coming to 2013-2014 P.I.N.!
I am so excited to work with you and your
family this year!