We're excited about our year ahead in fifth grade!

We strive to create an environment that helps our students to meet their highest potential.

Please read our newsletter each week to get important updates and reminders.

• October 2nd- TURN IN HISPANIC HERITAGE POSTERS TO MS. GAWDUN
• October 4th - Famous Hispanic Heritage Month Posters turn-in
  
• October 10 - Hispanic Heritage Celebration PTA mtg #2, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the gym
• October 11 - COFFEE with the principal 8:30-9:30 a.m.
• Oct. 14-18, Conference Week, school dismisses at 1:15 p.m.

• Students must be pre-registered for after school program for Conference Week.

• October 28- Nov. 1- STARBASE (more information forthcoming)

• Nov. 5th - NO SCHOOL ~ Election Day

• Nov. 21st Turkey BINGO & PTA Mtg #3, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

• Nov. 21 - Thanksgiving LUNCH Grades 3,4,5

• Nov. 25-29, 2024 - NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Break

Please provide your child with a set of headphones or earbuds for school. Students need headphones to plug into their chromebook to complete a variety of assignments that require the student to listen to lessons. You can even find earbuds at the dollar tree or affordable headphones at Walmart or Target! It is better for students to have their personal set due to health reasons to minimize the spread of illness.

This week was Hispanic Heritage dress-up week. We wore our favorite jerseys, celebrated by dressing up as our favorite hispanic figure, wore favorite colors from our country of choice, and we wore our culture's traditional attire. Please enjoy these photos along with decorated doors of each classrom and bulletin boards!

In ELA we have been working on developing fluent reading skills with the use of repeated reading of passages, minute timers, and working with reading buddies! See pictures below! Students have deepened their understanding of Nez Perce culture and its relationship to homeland as they listened and read traditional stories at the heart of Nez Perce culture. Students listened to storyteller J.R. Spencer bring to life the origin story, "Coyote and the Monster." Students have been summarizing key story elements, address problems, attempts to solve the problem, and resoution. In Math, we are continuing our study of place value in reference to powers of ten. Math pictures below include students participating in 360 Think and Share cooperative problem solving. In social studies, students learned about the branches of government, overviewed the constitution, and the concept of ammendments.

Math - We will be using powers of ten to solve metric measurement conversations. We will also begin working on coverting customary measurement conversions.

Social Studies -SPECIAL PROJECT: Students should be completing hispanic figure poster project and turn in by Wednesday, October 2nd!

We will continue the Social Studies Unit: Rights and Responsibilities. Students will be studying our government. During the unit we will be focusing on the responsibilities of citizens, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the amendment process, voting rights, and due process. Students will continue to learn how to be an active citizen in their government, the parts of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Amendment Process.

Words to Know:

citizen- a person who is a member of a nation or political community and has all of the rights and responsibilities that go with that.

amendment- something added (or a change) to a document that happens late (after it has been written)

rights- the freedoms we have under the government (the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)

civil responsibility- duties or responsibilities citizens in a democracy should perform

participation- being involved in something (like the government- voting, jury duty, running for elected office)

constitution- a written document that outlines the structure, powers, and responsibilities of a government

preamble,

Bill of Rights- the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution

liberty- the right or power to act and choose freely

ratify- to legally approve of something, like an amendment

militia- an organized group of citizens to defend the community

quartering- providing shelter to soldiers

delegate- someone who is chosen or elected to vote or act for others (representative or senator)

assemble- to gather a group of people together

petition- a request to change something

ELA - Students begin reading the novel, Thunder Rolling in the Mountains. This novel of historical fiction by Scott O'Dell and Elizabeth Hall is the story of Sound of Running Feet, Chief Joseph's daughter from the Nez Perce tribe, narrating the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce. Students will be writing informative text and reying on knowledge of citing text evidence and highlighting the ability to compare and constrast perspectives.

¡Hola familias! ¿Tienen preguntas sobre la estructura del sistema educativo en los EEUU? Aquí les presento una hoja de información (en español) para mejor entender el proceso escolar desde el pre-K hasta la Universidad. —Sra. Caspary, maestra de apoyo para el desarrollo del inglés

Teachers will be using Classroom Dojo to reward positive behaviors. Students earn points and are able to "shop" with their points to purchase items. Teachers also use Classroom DoJo to send quick text messages when needed.

Weekly Communication Folders are sent home each Thursday, to be returned on Friday. Inside the folders you will find your student's weekly homework. Your student is expected to complete all homework AND read 20 minutes each night. Homework is turned in on Thursdays and will be graded.

Arrival / Dismissal

Change of Transportation

If there is a change in transportation arrangements, we require notice from the parent before allowing students to be transported by anyone other than a parent. You may send in a note with your child or email parkstreet@marietta-city.org with the details of the change. We do not allow students to walk or to ride home with unauthorized people.

At dismissal time bus riders will be put on the school bus unless a parent is present for pick-up, or the parent has notified the school office of another arrangement.

Students are not permitted to change buses to ride home with friends without a note from their parent. Please make arrangements for your child before he/she comes to school. If you must make a change during the day, notify the school office staff before 2:30 p.m.

Pick-up by Car in the Afternoon

Anyone picking up a child must have his/her Panther Car Tag. If you do not have a Panther Car Tag, you may get one at Sneak-A-Peek or by coming to the front office.

Please do not park across the street and have your child designated as a “walker”.

This is extremely dangerous, and teachers on duty will stop children crossing the street

unescorted by a parent or adult. If you need to come into the building, please park in a parking space.

Tardy Drop-Off

When a student arrives late (after 8:30), an adult must sign the student in at the office.

Early Pick-Up

Please limit early pick-up of children to emergencies and appointments. If a child is out for any portion of the school day, the missed time is recorded as a tardy. A note sent in the morning will help us to have your child ready. To avoid interruptions to instruction, no student

will be released between 2:45 and 3:15. Parents will be asked to wait for the dismissal bell. Come to the office to check out a student. Please be prepared to present photo identification upon request. No student will be released to an unknown or unauthorized person.

Late Pick-Up

Students waiting to be picked up will be supervised until 3:30. After 3:30 they may be sent to the After School Program if they are pre-registered ($10 fee). Regular after school charges will apply. Many parents sign up for the program so their children can attend in case of emergency.

Attendance is a critical component to the success of an elementary student. If an unavoidable situation necessitates an absence, the parent must notify the school office in writing within 2 school days of the student’s return. You may send a note to your child's teacher or email parkstreet@marietta-city.k12.ga.us

An excused absence means that your child is absent for a legitimate reason, for example, personal illness, illness or death in the family, religious holiday, court appointment, quarantine, or conditions rendering school attendance hazardous to health and safety. All other absences will be considered unexcused.

Georgia Law requires school action after five unexcused absences or ten tardies. The process begins with parent notification.

Students are tardy after 8:30 a.m. A parent must sign the student in at the office if arriving after

8:30 a.m. A student is counted present for the day if he/she arrives at or before 8:30 a.m. and stays until at least 11:55 a.m. or arrives before 11:55 a.m. and stays until 3:15 p.m. Partial attendance of a day is considered a tardy.

Good attendance is vital to the academic success of students.

• After three parental excuse notes in a semester, parents must submit documentation from a physician explaining the student's absence.

• If documentation from a doctor is not provided after three parental excuse notes in a semester, subsequent absences will be marked as unexcused.

• Excessive absences can result in the intervention of the school social worker.