Fourth / Fifth Grade Team: Ms. Wardwell, Ms. Lee, Mrs. Boffa, Ms. Delori, Ms. Pacheco and Ms. Moon

llee2@boston.k12.ma.us (Ms. Laura Lee)

ewardwell@boston.k12.ma.us (Ms. Erin Wardwell)

mboffa@boston.k12.ma.us (Mrs. Megan Boffa)

jdelori@boston.k12.ma.us  (Ms. Justine Delori)

bpacheco@boston.k12.ma.us (Ms. Beatriz Pacheco)

bmoon@boston.k12.ma.us (Ms. Brandi Moon)

School Telephone Number: 1-617-635-6336

Management Team: Ms. Johnson and Mrs. Brooks-Roberts

School Secretaries: Mrs. Gilligan and Mrs. Kilmain

Cafeteria Opens (for breakfast) 9:10 am

School Opens: 9:15

Homeroom Begins 9:20

Marked Tardy after 9:40

Dismissal: 3:20

Other Teachers:

Science- Ms. McClure

Computer- Ms. Smith

Music- Mr. Ward

Physical Education- Ms. McClain

Reading Specialist – Mrs. Bourque

Resource Room- Mrs. Bowen

Lunch Manager – Ms. Pitts

Nurse- Nurse Stein

*Please make sure you check in at the main office before you head to your child’s classroom.  This has been implemented for the safety of everyone at the school. 

We are looking forward to a successful year and are excited to work with you. We have put this handbook together to help explain some of our expectations and policies. It is important for us to communicate throughout the year and we welcome any questions or comments. 

1. To help students learn to the best of their ability and enjoy their time in school.

2. To help students be responsible for themselves (their work and their behavior).

3. To encourage them to work both independently and cooperatively in groups.

4. To help each child improve including the results in formal testing such as the MCAS.

5. To learn from the students, the parents and my colleagues.

6. Create and maintain an environment full of excitement, interest and respect.

7. To teach the students social-emotional skills as well as academics.

8. To use various interesting methods for learning.

Expectations for the students:

1. To arrive to school on time everyday.

2. To bring all the necessary materials to school everyday.

3. To sleep at least 8 hours every night during the week.

4. To eat 3 nutritious meals a day.

5. To have a positive attitude towards studies and the school community.

6. To do and pass in homework everyday.

7. To respect themselves, others and property with words and actions.

1. To help the student understand the importance of the above expectations by talking about them and reinforcing them at home.

2. To review homework everyday and notify the teacher if the work is too difficult for the student.

3. To read to your child at home and listen to him/her read.

4. Meet with the teacher; call or write a note to set up the meetings in order to avoid interrupting teaching and learning.  Attend at least one individual conference in the fall and the "Open House" in the spring.

Cooperative work (small groups)

Interactive work (using objects, manipulatives, drama etc.)

Individual work

Oral presentations

Whole group work (traditional method)

The following number grades correspond to these letter grades:

90-100 = A (excellent)

80-89 = B (very good)

70 –79 = C (average)

60-69 = D (poor)

lower than 60 = F (fail)

The students will have written and oral exams. Some exams and quizzes will be worth more than others. They will also receive grades for group work and homework.  In the spring, the fourth grade will take the MCAS in math and language arts.

If a student is absent on the day of an exam (with an excused absence per the BPS policy) the student is expected to take the exam the day he/she returns.  If the student is absent on the day of the review, he/she will have an additional day to study and will take the exam the day after he/she returns.

All tests will be sent home and need to be returned signed. Students will also receive mid-term warnings if there is a concern about homework or attendance.

According to the attendance policy of BPS any student who misses four or more days without an excuse per trimester will receive "No Credit".

Your child will have homework every night and almost every weekend. 

      Students have homework folders that must be brought home and back to school every day.  Their homework folders will hold their assignments, a weekly reading log, and notices from school.  PLEASE DO NOT PUT NOTICES BACK IN THE FOLDER.  THERE SHOULD BE VERY FEW PAPERS IN THIS FOLDER AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

The record of what homework has been completed and what is missing will be in their new assignment books.  WE WILL HIGHLIGHT THOSE THAT ARE MISSING. Those assignments that are highlighted (are missing) need to be completed in order to receive credit.   Once the assignment is completed, we will initial the assignment and write "complete."

Parents need to review and sign the assignment notebook each weekend.  Your signature counts as a homework assignment for your child.  Signing your child’s planner does not mean you approve of incomplete homework, it just lets us know that you are aware of it. You may find it helpful to check your child’s assignment notebook every night in order to help your child complete homework on time.  Many parents have found it helpful to initial the assignments themselves as they check their child’s homework each night.  This has worked very well. 

      The planner is also a great place to write quick notes to your child’s teacher.  We have a 15-minute homework check every morning, and will be able to read your note then. 

Homework Highlighted = missing or incomplete

Homework Highlighted then marked "complete" = completed late

      We consider homework to be a very important part of your child’s education.  We have in place an incentive program for students who complete their homework, and consequences for missing assignments. However, on occasion a student may be excused from this consequence if he/she brings a note explaining the situation signed by their parent/guardian. Mondays all rewards for perfect homework are given for the past week (Monday night’s homework threw the weekend’s homework).

Students that completed all their homework on time (no highlights) will receive two rewards. They will pick a coupon to use as a reward during that week. Our current coupon is to come in for recess to play a quiet game, have a study hall, or work on the computer. These students will also be a part of Super Star Recess! Super Star Recess is an additional ten minutes of recess on Monday after regular recess.

Students that have completed all of their homework, but did not get it all in on time (a mix of no highlights and some highlights marked "completed") will be rewarded also. Completing assignments even if they are late, is an important part of being responsible. These students do not get a coupon, but do participate in Super Star Recess!

Any student that has not completed all of his/her homework will stay in to work on their homework during Super Star Recess.

At the end of each month, students who have completed all their assignments on time (no highlights) will get to have lunch with the teacher in the classroom.  Their teacher will provide dessert! At the end of each grading period, students who have completed all their assignments on time for the grading period (no highlights) will participate in a pizza lunch provided by their teacher. 

      Students who frequently have missing or incomplete homework assignments may miss other special activities at the discretion of teachers and administrators.  You can help to support good study habits by having appropriate consequences at home for incomplete homework.  You will know your child’s homework progress because of the planner. 

As a very important part of our language arts curriculum, we expect children to read literature at least five nights per week.  This is part of their daily homework.  They should read independently from a book of their choice for at least 30 minutes on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  During the weekend, each student is required to read for a total of 60 minutes.  In their reading log they will record the title, author, pages read, and date. Students are required to get their parent’s/guardian’s signature on their reading log each night.

Each child needs to bring this book to school each day because there will be time for quiet reading in school.  We will help guide them in choosing quality literature at an appropriate level, but your assistance is needed as well.  Please take your child to the public library so s/he has more reading options.  Students may use library books, but may not use other assigned reading homework to accomplish their 30 minutes of reading log homework unless specifically noted. 

Each week, students are required to answer a question about the reading on the back of their reading log.  They will choose a question from the list stapled to the homework assignment book. Students will write the date next to the question when they have answered it.

Each night, after your child has completed his/her reading, please sign the log to indicate this.  The log will be checked daily in school and counts as a homework assignment.  Your child will not receive credit for the Reading Log without your signature. 

According to Boston Public School standards, each student is expected to read at least 20 pieces of literature during this school year.  We will be keeping track of their progress towards this requirement.

 Each marking period, each student is required to complete a project on his/her independent reading. More information will be sent home in regards to the projects.

YOU MUST SEND A SIGNED WRITTEN NOTE WITH AN EXCUSE CONSIDERED VALID BY BPS POLICY (SEE BPS HANDOUTS) THE DAY YOUR CHILD RETURNS TO SCHOOL AFTER AN ABSENCE. 

Phone messages cannot be used in lieu of a written note to excuse an absence.  You must send a note. 

2nd Unexcused Absence = Phone call and/or letter

3rd Unexcused Absence = letter

4th Unexcused Absence in one semester = NO CREDIT for that semester and a city attendance supervisor is notified and may visit your home.

Daily compliments are given by the principal for classrooms with 100% attendance.  Please work to have your child in school on time every day.

Please note:

School days missed because of vacations are not counted as excused even with a note. 

Doctor’s appointments should be scheduled to miss the least amount of school time as possible.  Please notify the teacher ahead of time if your child will be late or need to be picked up early for an appointment. 

The fourth grade students created expectations (rules) for their classroom behavior. They are:

1. Respect other people, yourself, our school and all property.

2. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

3. Work hard and do your best to achieve your Hopes and Dreams.

4. Stay safe outside, in school, and at home.

 

 

The fourth and fifth grade use a system to encourage behavior that follows the classroom expectations. Each color corresponds to a level of behavior.

First Green:  All students start the day on their first green.  They are following the classroom expectations and behaving appropriately.  Each week that a student stays on his/her first green they will be sent home with a special note of congratulations. 

Second Green: A student is move to their second green if he/she interrupts a lesson, distracts his/her classmates, or is not following classroom expectations.  This is just warning to the student to improve his/her behavior.

Yellow:  If the student continues to be disruptive, he/she is moved to his/her yellow card.  The student will write a letter to his/her parents explaining his/her behavior and how he/she will improve it.  The student will remain in the class for recess for the day.  The letter must be signed by his/her parents/guardians and returned for the student to regain his/her recess privileges.

Red: If the student continues interrupting a lesson or distracting classmates, s/he must go to another part of the room, another classroom or to the office. If this behavior continues, we will schedule a conference with the principal and the student may go on a daily behavior chart. 

In extreme cases if a student is acting in a very dangerous manner, or constantly interrupting teaching and learning they will be accompanied to another classroom until they calm down.  If they act in an offensive way upon leaving the classroom or in the other classroom, they will be accompanied to the office.  In serious cases or repeat offenses, there will be a conference between the teacher, the student, the principal and the parents.  Per Boston Public School policies, under certain circumstance a student may be suspended after a conference.

It is important that students eat breakfast everyday so that they can concentrate on learning. Please send your child to school with nutritious food. Candy and foods with a lot of sugar are not permitted along with soda and sugary juices. Students are also not allowed to have gum at school.

  Your child has snack at 11:30 and lunch at 1:05.

*If your child has a food allergy please let the teachers know*

Students will perform best if they have at least 8 hours of sleep.  Please supervise the time that they go to sleep and the amount of time that they watch T.V.

*If your child has a sleeping problem please let the teachers know*

Help your child divide big projects into smaller parts. Review and clean out the contents of your child’s backpack once a week.

We do recognize and celebrate children’s birthdays.  If you wish, you may send in a special snack with your child on his/her birthday.  However, please do not feel obligated to. 

For children whose birthdays fall on a weekend or a day we do not have school we will celebrate their birthday on the closest school day.  For children whose birthdays fall during the summer months, we celebrate half-birthdays.  For example, if your birthday were July 24, your half-birthday would be January 24.  This is to ensure that students with summer birthdays still get a special day in school. 

Students cannot go home on a bus they were not assigned to even if they bring a note with a parent/guardian signature.  Any changes to a child’s bus route have to be made by filling out a transportation form. 

Students will be sent home on their assigned bus every day unless they have a signed note from a parent/guardian saying that they will be picked up from school by a parent/guardian.  Parents/guardians may send a note requesting that the child go home with an adult who has written permission from the parent/guardian to pick up the child.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE OFFICE WITH DISSMISSAL REQUESTS UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY (accident, family crisis, etc). Plan ahead and send in a signed note if your child’s regular transportation has to be adjusted for the day. 

1.    Show the same conduct as in the classroom

2.    Be courteous; do not talk in a rude or vulgar manner.

3.    Don’t eat or drink anything on the bus.

4.    Keep the bus clean.

5.    Cooperate with the bus driver.

6.    No smoking or lighting matches.

7.    Take care of the bus, do not do anything destructive.

8.    Stay seated in the seat.

9.    Keep your hands, feet, and head inside the bus.

10. Follow the bus driver’s direction if s/he assigns you a specific seat.