5th Grade Newsletter

5th Grade News to Know

Greetings!

Here's your new NEWS to KNOW:

We want to thank our amazing 5th-grade students for their hard work and responsibility during our recent snow and remote learning days. They demonstrated great effort by staying engaged, completing their assignments, and doing their best—even from the comfort of their own homes! We hope families found the workload to be manageable and meaningful, and that it continued to support each child’s learning. Thank you for your continued support and partnership—it truly helps our students succeed.

📵 Phone-Free Focus!

Please help your child remember to turn off their cell phone before coming to school and keep it stored in their backpack during the instructional day. Phones should not be taken out, used, or displayed unless permission is given by a teacher.

We have recently seen an increase in phones ringing and students taking devices out during instructional time, which can be distracting for everyone. Your support in reinforcing these expectations at home is greatly appreciated.

Students may bring personal devices to school, but they are not permitted to use, display, or have them turned on during instructional time unless authorized.

To help everyone stay focused, the following consequences are in place for misuse:

1st Offense: Warning
2nd Offense: Device held in the office (returned at the end of the day)
3rd+ Offense: Device held in the office (parent pickup required)

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping us maintain a positive, focused learning environment where all students can do their best!

Progress reports for the third quarter are available to view in Infinite Campus. Please encourage your student to check Infinite Campus regularly—especially if they have been absent—to stay up-to-date on any missing assignments. Report Cards will go home on March 17th for the third quarter.

📘 Upcoming 5th Grade Science Check-In – Tuesday, February 10

Our second 5th Grade Science Check-In will take place on Tuesday, February 10, following Encore time, from 10:15 AM–12:30 PM. This assessment helps us measure student growth and guide our instruction.

To help your child feel confident and prepared, please ensure that they:

✔️ Arrive at school on time
✔️ Eat a healthy breakfast
✔️ Bring a fully charged Chromebook
✔️ Get a good night’s sleep the night before
✔️ Bring headphones

We encourage students to do their best by reading each question carefully, using their test-taking strategies, and taking their time. Your support at home makes a big difference in helping our students feel prepared and confident. Thank you for partnering with us to support their success!

🏃‍♂️ Recess Expectations

At school, we are working hard to ensure that recess remains a safe, fun, and positive time for all students.

Students are reminded to:

Keep hands and feet to themselves
Play safely (no tackling, pushing, shoving, roughhousing, picking up others, flipping, or stunting)
Do not pick up sticks, rocks, or other objects to play with or throw—as this is unsafe
Use respectful language (no cussing, use kind words, and if games or friendships become too heated or competitive, walk away, take a breath, and find an adult for help)
Include others and resolve conflicts peacefully
No excluding others from games or groups
Share space and equipment and take turns — it’s ours, not mine! Be fair.
Show good sportsmanship by handling wins and losses respectfully
Follow adult directions during recess and seek help from an adult if a problem cannot be handled independently
Return equipment and clean up before lining up
Line up quickly and calmly when recess ends

Our shared goal is for every student to have a fun, safe, and successful experience each day. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

Drinks & Food Reminder

Please, no outside food or drinks in the cafeteria, and only water bottles are allowed in classrooms (i.e., no Starbucks, Dunkin drinks, fast food drinks, or energy drinks). We’ve had several spills recently, which not only create sticky messes but also attract ants into our huts. Water bottles with secure lids are the best way to stay hydrated and keep our learning spaces clean and pest-free. Thank you for your cooperation!

Stay Connected!

While there may still be an occasional bump in the road, moving forward, parents can now log in to the PCS app and message their child’s teachers directly without needing a magic code.
The process is simple:

Download or update the PCS app.
Tap Rooms.
Enter your phone number.
Type in the verification code you received by text.

📌 Transportation Reminders
For any changes to your child’s transportation, please email the designated transportation email address or call the school office directly. Teachers are not always able to check email or the Rooms app during the school day. To ensure your child receives accurate reminders or updates about their transportation, all changes must go through the office. The office staff will notify your child’s teacher directly. (Email: tms@pender.k12.nc.us School Phone #: 910-270-2612)

Dress Code Reminder

As a reminder, Pender County Schools’ Student Dress Code (Policy 4316) asks that students come to school dressed in a way that supports learning and positive interaction with others. Clothing should not be disruptive, provocative, unsafe, or otherwise interfere with the school day. One concern we’ve noticed is when shirts are too short—if a student raises their arms, their stomach should not be showing. Please check that your child’s tops provide appropriate coverage throughout normal movement at school. If a student is out of compliance with the dress code, they will first be allowed to make adjustments before any consequences are assigned. Thank you for helping us maintain a respectful and distraction-free learning environment.

Cold Weather Reminder
As the weather begins to change and temperatures drop, please make sure your child comes to school dressed appropriately for outdoor Physical Activity (PA). Jackets, hats, and other warm layers help students stay comfortable and focused during their time outside.

Please also take a moment to label all outerwear with your child’s name. Each year, our Lost and Found fills up with unclaimed jackets and sweatshirts that are eventually donated. Labeled items are much more likely to find their way back to their owners!

Here are a few things to note-

Earphones Needed for Learning Programs-Each day, students use online learning programs such as I-Ready and Studies Weekly to engage with new skills, reinforce what they’ve learned, and enrich their understanding. These programs offer read-aloud features to support comprehension, making earphones an essential tool for success in our classroom. To ensure students can fully benefit from each lesson without distractions, please make sure your child has a working set of earphones at school. Thank you for your support in helping all students get the most out of their learning!
Please check your child's agenda each night, as it's an important tool for communication between home and school. You can use it to stay informed about daily assignments, upcoming events, and to send notes directly to the teacher. Please sign it to verify that you've read it.
Students are bringing home their Chromebooks daily. Please remind your child to bring their Chromebook to school every day, as they are used regularly in our 5th-grade classrooms and some Encore classes. Additionally, ensure the Chromebook is charged each night. Since daily assignments and assessments are completed on them, it's essential that your child also bring their charger to school, as teachers do not have extra chargers available.
To ensure the safety of all our students, please remember that we are a peanut-free school. This means that no peanut products should be brought to school for snacks or lunches. We kindly ask that you double-check any food items to ensure they do not contain peanuts. Thank you for helping us keep our school a safe environment for everyone!
Submit absence notes within 3 days to avoid unexcused absences. TMS allows 5 parent notes; after that, a doctor’s note is required. Email notes and transportation changes to tms@pender.k12.nc.us.
Fifth grade will have a snack time daily. Please make sure to provide your child with a healthy snack each day to help keep them energized and focused throughout the school day.
Students are welcome to bring a water bottle to class. Please ensure that the bottle has a secure, closable lid to prevent spills on desks, materials, or the classroom floor.
According to board policy, cell phones and smartwatches must be completely turned off and kept in your child's backpack from 8:10 AM to 3:35 PM. Wireless earbuds are also not allowed.
Fifth-grade students have ENCORE every day from 9:15-10:00. You can see the 5th-grade Encore Schedule HERE
Fifth-grade Lunch is at 12:31-12:56 and Recess is from 12:58-1:23.

Student Use of Wireless Communication Devices (Policy 4318)

We want to make you aware of a recent update to Policy 4318, which covers student use of wireless communication devices such as cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and other personal electronics on school campuses.

While the changes to the policy are minor, the expectations for student device use remain the same. Pender County Schools has consistently enforced this policy to support a focused and safe learning environment, and we will continue to do so in the 2025–26 school year.

What’s New?

The policy title now refers to “wireless communication devices” to reflect a broader range of modern devices.
A new definition section outlines the types of devices included.
Instructional use is now more clearly limited to teacher approval, accommodations in an IEP or 504 Plan, or documented medical needs.

What Hasn’t Changed?

Students may bring personal devices to school, but are not permitted to use, display, or have them turned on during instructional time unless authorized.
Disciplinary consequences for misuse remain the same:
- 1st offense: Warning
- 2nd offense: Device held in the office; student retrieves at end of day
- 3rd+ offense: Device held in the office; parent must retrieve
- Students who misuse devices for academic dishonesty, bullying, or inappropriate content may face more serious disciplinary consequences.

Thank you for partnering with us to help students stay focused and engaged throughout the school day. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact your child’s school.

SAIL Matrix

Curriculum Spotlight

ELA

Wit & Wisdom® – Module 2: Wordplay

Wit & Wisdom® is our English Language Arts curriculum. It builds students’ knowledge of key topics in history, science, and literature through the study of engaging, high-quality texts.

In Module 2, our 5th graders are exploring “Wordplay” — discovering how authors use humor, puns, figurative language, and creative word choices to engage readers and express deeper meanings. Students are reading rich texts, discussing how language shapes understanding, and creating their own writing inspired by these ideas.

As part of this module, students will read The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. This classic novel follows Milo, a bored boy who receives a magical tollbooth and drives into a whimsical world filled with literal interpretations, wordplay, and imaginative characters. Along his journey through lands like the Kingdom of Wisdom, Milo learns important lessons about curiosity, perseverance, and the power of learning.

Throughout our Wit & Wisdom lessons, students will focus on:
- Identifying puns, idioms, and figurative language in the text
- Analyzing how authors use wordplay to develop humor, meaning, and theme
- Exploring how Milo grows and changes as a character
- Discussing big ideas about learning, boredom, problem-solving, and creativity
- Creating their own writing that uses wordplay techniques modeled in the novel
This module is always a student favorite—it's fun, clever, and full of meaningful literacy work! Families can find Wit & Wisdom Tips for Families here to support learning at home.
📘 Freckle Practice at Home: Students have been using Freckle in class to strengthen their reading and language skills. Freckle automatically adjusts to each student’s learning level, providing personalized practice and review. This program can also be accessed at home for additional skill practice and reading enrichment. Encourage your child to spend a few minutes each week on Freckle to reinforce what we’re learning in class and continue building confidence as a reader and writer! Students can log in through My Apps/Renaissance using their school account.
We're excited to announce that our library visits will be twice a month on Mondays. Your child will have the opportunity to bring home books to enjoy both in the classroom and at home. Research suggests that reading for at least 15 minutes each day can significantly boost reading skills, with even greater gains observed when reading for over 30 minutes. We kindly ask that you encourage your child to read each night and ensure they bring their library books back to school every day. This will allow them to return their current books and check out new ones if needed, keeping their reading experience fresh and engaging. Your support in nurturing a love for reading is invaluable!

Math

This week in mathematics, we will begin Module 4 Topic E in which students apply their understanding of decimal numbers in different ways. First, they convert metric and customary measurements involving decimals. Students convert measurements from larger units to smaller units and from smaller units to larger units. Then, they interpret and evaluate expressions involving decimals. Students learn that comparing two expressions by using a less-than or greater-than sign is called an inequality because the two expressions are not equal. Finally, students create and solve real-world problems. They use their understanding of decimal place value, relationships between decimals and fractions, and computation with decimals, fractions, and whole numbers. Family Math Letter

Science

Students are learning how weather and ocean patterns impact North Carolina. They will analyze data from the National Weather Service to identify patterns in air movement and ocean currents, and explore how these patterns affect daily weather and help meteorologists make predictions about future conditions.

Social Studies

The Civil War: Students will explore the events and beliefs that led the United States into a civil war, including the causes of Southern secession and the formation of a separate government. They will examine how leaders, soldiers, and everyday citizens were connected during this time and how their decisions impacted the country.

Volunteer Tracker