5th Grade Newsletter

TMS Student Handbook — Please Review

The 2026–2027 Topsail Middle School Student Handbook is attached to our newsletter. We encourage all families to take a few minutes to review it with their child. It contains important school-wide policies, procedures, and expectations that apply to all TMS students.

A few items we especially want our 5th-grade families to be familiar with include:

Attendance & Absence Notes: Absence documentation should be submitted within 3 days of returning to school. Parents may provide notes for the first 5 absences; beginning with the 6th absence, a doctor's note is required for the absence to be considered excused.
Make-Up Work: Students who are absent, whether excused or unexcused, have 3 days after returning to class to submit missed coursework without penalty. After the third day, the missed assignment can no longer be made up.
Electronic Devices: Cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and other personal electronic devices should not be activated, used, displayed, or visible during the school day unless specifically authorized by a teacher or administrator.
Early Checkouts: Students must be checked out through the front office and will only be released to an authorized adult. To protect instructional time, students may not be checked out between 3:00–3:40 PM.
Food Deliveries: Outside food and drink deliveries, including services such as DoorDash and Grubhub, are not permitted.
Transportation: Students may not ride a different bus except in an emergency that has been pre-approved by administration.
Behavior Expectations: Students are expected to follow TMS school-wide expectations for Safety, Achievement, Integrity, and Leadership (SAIL) in classrooms and throughout the school.

These are only a few highlights. Please read the complete TMS Student Handbook, as families and students are responsible for knowing the school-wide policies and expectations outlined within it.

5th Grade News to Know

Welcome back, 5th grade families!

We hope you had a wonderful summer filled with fun, relaxation, and time with loved ones. We are thrilled to welcome your children to 5th grade!

This year will be an exciting adventure filled with learning, growth, and memorable experiences. Our team is eager to support your child as we explore new topics, strengthen critical-thinking skills, and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Communication between home and school is essential to a successful year. Please reach out with any questions or concerns. We value your partnership and look forward to working together to make this a fantastic year for our 5th graders!

Please review these important reminders for our first week:

Agendas: Please check and sign your child’s agenda each night. Agendas are an important communication tool for daily assignments, upcoming events, and communication between home and school. During the first few weeks of school, behavior reminders/warnings will be documented in student agendas through September 24. This grace period allows students time to learn and practice the expectations and procedures for their 5th-grade classes. Beginning September 24, repeated behaviors may be documented in Educator’s Handbook and addressed as a minor or major behavior, as appropriate.
Make-Up & Missing Work Policy: If a student is absent: Students are responsible for completing work missed during an absence, whether the absence is excused or unexcused. Students have 3 school days to submit missed assignments. After the third school day, the assignment will no longer be accepted for credit. If a student is present: Students are expected to complete and submit assignments during the designated class time. If a student is present but does not complete or submit an assignment by the end of the allotted class time, the assignment will receive a 40%.
Chromebooks: Students will bring their Chromebooks home each day. Please make sure your child brings their fully charged Chromebook and charger to school every day. Chromebooks are used regularly in 5th grade classrooms and some Encore classes, and teachers do not have extra chargers available.
Absences and Transportation Changes: Absence notes must be submitted within three days to avoid an unexcused absence. TMS allows five parent notes per school year; after five, a doctor’s note is required. All absence notes must be submitted electronically. Parents may upload an absence note through Infinite Campus or email it to tms@pender.k12.nc.us. Handwritten absence notes will not be accepted. All transportation changes must also be emailed to the school.
Daily Snack: Fifth grade students will have snack time each day. Please send a healthy snack to help your child remain energized and focused.
Water Bottles: Students should bring a water bottle to class each day. Please make sure it has a secure, closable lid to prevent spills.
Electronic Devices: According to board policy, cell phones and smartwatches must be completely turned off and kept in students’ backpacks from 8:15 AM–3:40 PM. Wireless earbuds are also not permitted.
Encore: Fifth grade students attend Encore each day from 9:30–10:15 AM. You can view the 5th Grade Encore Schedule HERE.
Lunch and Recess: Lunch is from 12:36–1:01 PM, and recess is from 1:01–1:28 PM.
Independent Reading Book: Please have your child bring a book from home to read after finishing classwork. Our first library visit will be in September.

Thank you for your continued support. Let’s make it a great year!

The 5th Grade Team

Wireless Communication Device Policy Reminder

As we begin the 2026–27 school year, we want to remind families that this is our second year following the updated Policy 4318, which addresses student use of wireless communication devices. This includes cell phones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, and other personal electronic devices.

Pender County Schools continues to enforce this policy to support a safe, focused, and distraction-free learning environment.

Student Expectations

Students may bring personal devices to school, but devices must remain completely turned off and stored in their backpacks from 8:15 AM–3:35 PM.
Devices may not be used or displayed unless a teacher has approved their use for instruction or the student has an approved accommodation in an IEP or 504 Plan or a documented medical need.
Wireless earbuds are not permitted during the school day.

Consequences for Misuse

First offense: Warning
Second offense: Device held in the office; student may retrieve it at the end of the day
Third and subsequent offenses: Device held in the office; a parent or guardian must retrieve it
Misuse involving academic dishonesty, bullying, or inappropriate content may result in more serious disciplinary consequences.

Thank you for partnering with us to help students remain focused and engaged throughout the school day. Please contact the school if you have any questions about the policy.

Curriculum Spotlight -What We're Learning

📚 ELA: Wit & Wisdom® is our English Language Arts curriculum. Through engaging literature and informational texts, students build reading, writing, vocabulary, and critical-thinking skills while developing knowledge about important topics. We will begin with Module 1: Cultures in Conflict. Students will read and analyze texts, participate in discussions, and use evidence from their reading to support their thinking and writing. Wit & Wisdom Tips for Families can be found here.

➗ Math: We will begin with our first Eureka Math² module. Students will strengthen their understanding of place value and powers of 10, convert metric measurements, and multiply and divide multi-digit numbers. They will also work toward fluency with the standard algorithm for multiplication.

🔬 Science:Using Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™, students will explore how matter and energy move through living systems. Through hands-on investigations and real-world phenomena, students will study plants, animals, ecosystems, decomposition, and how changes within an ecosystem can affect living things.

🌎 Social Studies:We will begin with Unit 1: Early North America & European Exploration. Students will explore North America's First Peoples, European exploration, and events leading to the French and Indian War. Throughout the unit, students will examine a variety of historical sources to learn how researchers gather evidence and develop an understanding of people, places, and events from the past.

5th Grade Newsletter

Week of August 24th

TMS Student Handbook — Please Review

5th Grade News to Know

Wireless Communication Device Policy Reminder

Curriculum Spotlight -What We're Learning

Teacher Contact

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