A note about report cards

Report cards will be coming home on Monday, November 16th and some students have earned 1s and 2s.  Many students are working towards meeting the standards; however, some students are not yet showing their best effort to complete the grade level work.

That being said, for most students the 1s and 2s simply show that they haven't quite mastered the 5th grade skills.  All they need is some additional time, instruction, and initiative to get there.  Below are some suggestions for students and parents:

How students can improve their performance:

don't rush through the work

use study guides to prepare for assessments 

(studying should take place each night, not just on the day before the test)

come to class prepared to learn

be responsible for your personal materials

stay focused during class

follow directions

check the blogs to make sure you didn't miss anything in class

How parents can help their child:

check the blogs to stay updated about upcoming assignments and tests

hold students accountable for their own work

limit video games and tv until after homework and reading is done

The bottom line is that it is up to each student to invest what's necessary in his or her own academic performance... they are the ones who are trying to complete fifth grade!  

Lastly, if you have tried the suggestions above, and your child is still struggling after a few weeks, please contact Ms. McFaddin or me to schedule a conference.