In my class each student is encouraged to strive for excellence and to always do their personal best. I have a set of base rules I call the "Star Rules." I tell them to be a star and follow the star rules!

• S afety first
• T ry your best
• A ll included
• R espect and kindness for everyone and everything.

Students are to bring only NUTRITIOUS snacks to school. I do this for two reasons.

YES: fruit, crackers, cheese, lunch meat, yogurt, veggies, nuts (except if we have a peanut allergy)

No: gummy fruit snacks, chips, cookies, lunchables, plain corn chips or drinks.

Okay: pretzels, plain popcorn, graham crackers

Only send what your child can consume in 10-15 minutes please!

Student are allowed to bring ONLY COOKIES to celebrate their birthday at school. They may be homemade or store bought. They may be as fancy or as plain as your child wants them to be.

Please respect this rule. I do this to level the playing field. Not all families can afford expensive treats or spend hours making them at home. Most families can afford to bring cookies.

Cookies are easy to hand out, consume and clean-up after. You may bring a drink-individual containers only please, as well.

If we have any food allergies please be mindful when making or buying them at the store.

Each student will have math homework every night, except for weekends. This is a general statement. Some teachers may choose to send it home on Fridays. You need to speak to your child's math teacher directly if you have any questions about their homework or progress. E-mail me if you are wondering who to speak with.

Mondays I send home a homework packet that is due on Friday. It is written in nightly calendar format. Each night your child will have math & silent reading plus:

• Two nights a week your child will write a summary of what they have read. You choose the nights that work best for your schedule.
• Two nights a week your child will choose a Spelling Practice activity to do. You choose the activities and nights that work best for your schedule. They may choose to do two different activities in one night if they wish.

Spelling practice work is more about understanding spelling patterns than memorizing individual words. Your child will need a dictionary at home as well. Please see me if you need help getting one. Most likely, one can be ordered this year through Scholastic books or at the Fall book fair.

Homework Tips:

• Having a quiet place where your child can do their homework each night is best. It is very important to begin good study habits now. Middle School is just around the corner.
• Teach your child to be independent & responsible about their own homework. They should be putting it into their folders and putting their folders into their backpacks. If you always do it for them, you are teaching them that it is not their responsibility to pay attention to it.
• Ask them about their homework. "Make sure to ask me if you need any help." "Is your homework all done?" "Did you put your homework in your folder?" "Is your folder in your backpack?" You should be available for them to ask you for help if they need it, but don't sit with them while they do it unnecessarily.
• Be supportive without hovering. Some children won't do their work unless an adult is right next to them. Break them of this habit. Adults won't always be able to be right with them. They need to develop the confidence to do it on their own first, then show it to you when they are done.
• Homework is supposed to practice and support skills they are learning in class NOT to be new or challenging.
• If you want more homework than I am providing, go to Lakeshore Learning in Belleview or Math & Stuff on 90th & Roosevelt to buy supplemental materials on your own. I caution you about adding more work to mine. Additional work can burn your child out or make them hate homework which at this stage, is counterproductive in the long run. In the future, they will have plenty of homework to do I promise. Help them develop good study habits now instead.

No younger siblings may attend field trips unless specified. Usually the end of the year barbeque/picnic all parents and siblings are included.

Parent Chaperones will be responsible for a small group of kids.

Parent Drivers MUST fill out a form in the office before they can drive.

Scholarships are available for all trips but written notice needs to be given on the permission slip.

Look here for documents to print in PDF format such as:

• Field Trip Permission Slips
• Curriculum Night Letters
• Reference Materials