By Michelle Myers

The Shawnee Team Handbook

Please read the following information carefully. These are our expectations from day one. If something changes during the year, we’ll let you know.

Absences/Tardiness

● Upon returning to school, it is your responsibility to get any papers, ask a friend any questions, check in with the teacher, and copy any notes.

● You will have the same amount of time to complete an assignment as the time you missed school. For example, if you are out only 1 day, you will have 1 day to make up missed work.

● Any work due on the day you were absent is due the day you return to school.

● If you know that you will be missing school, please let your teachers and the office know in advance.

Agenda

● You will be given an agenda to record all of your homework assignments, upcoming tests/quizzes, due dates, and important information. You should listen carefully to your teacher’s directions and copy any assignments exactly as they are written on the board.

● Check your agenda every night before and after doing your homework so you know you did not forget anything. Your parent(s) may also want to look at your agenda to help you stay on track.

Arriving at School

● Take your lunch money/lunch box to the cafeteria BEFORE coming to class.

● Begin the morning routine as soon as you enter the classroom.

● Be ready to go by 9:00.

Bathroom and Drinks

● You are permitted and encouraged to keep a water bottle at your desk. It will need to be taken home daily to be washed. All water bottles must have caps that close completely to prevent spilling.

● Only plain water is permitted in water bottles. No flavored water, juice, sports drinks, or any other similar beverages are permitted.

● You are permitted to use the bathroom before school, during lunch, and during teacher-given breaks.

Behavior Expectations

· We will follow the Donegal School District Code of Behavior: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe

· A Rules Matrix for specific expectations that fall under these categories is available in every classroom.

· Minor behavior issues will be handled by the teachers. Major behavior issues will be handled by the principals.

· The Shawnee Team teachers will be using a “three strikes” behavior system. If there is a behavior issue, you will receive a “strike.” After three strikes during the course of the day, there will be a consequence and an email sent home. You will start fresh each day.

Chromebooks

● You will have your own computer (Dell Chromebook) to use this year.

● All activity done on the Chromebook will be monitored, must be school-appropriate, and must follow the teacher’s directions.

● You are responsible for your Chromebook. Take care of it!

● You will need to follow your teacher’s routines on how to properly use and care for your Chromebook (e.g. storing & charging, carrying, etc.).

● There will be consequences for inappropriate Chromebook use.

Daily Reading in Class

● You will be required to have a silent reading book in every class.

● Books can be borrowed from the library or Mrs. Myers’ classroom.

Dress Code

● The dress code is outlined in the Donegal School District Student Handbook. If you wear prohibited attire, you will be sent to the nurse’s office to change. This is a DIS Minor Behavior Violation.

Folders

● You will be using colored folders daily in each class. Handouts, etc. that are used in class will be placed in these folders.

● Your take home folder and agenda should be taken home every night and brought back to school every day.

● Please check the pockets of your take home folder nightly for any important papers to give to your parent(s).

Food in the Classroom

● There will be no personal snacks in the classroom.

● Just a reminder that the district has strict food policy concerning birthday treats, as well as food for class events.

o Homemade foods will not be allowed in the classroom.

o All foods must have an ingredient label.

o If a student in the classroom has a food allergy, any foods containing that ingredient will not be allowed.

o We encourage non-food treats for birthdays (i.e. pencils, stickers, bookmarks)

● Birthday treats will be shared in the cafeteria at lunch time.

Grades/Graded Work

● Please use POWERSCHOOL to stay updated on your grades.

● Graded papers will be sent home in your take home folder periodically.

● Some assignments will be graded with a rubric that clearly explains how the work will be scored.

● All other assignments will be graded based on the understanding of the content being studied.

● Depending on the assignment, grades may be reflected using one or more of the following grading systems:

o Numerical score (i.e. 9/10, 80%)

o A, B, C, D, F

o M = Meets Expectations, P = Progressing, I = Improvement Needed

Handwriting

● In fifth grade, you are expected to use your best handwriting at all times. If your handwriting is sloppy, you will either have to rewrite your work or you will receive a lower grade (based on grading rubric), depending on the assignment.

● Pencil should always be used for written class work except for: scoring, correcting, and editing.

Heading Your Paper

● Every assignment that you hand in must include your first and last name, your student number, and class

Lunch and Recess

● Our lunch time is 12:25 – 12:55.

● We will have recess immediately after lunch for 15 minutes. We encourage you to use the time to be social and be active.

New This Year

· You will be switching between two academic blocks during the day.

· STEM – Math and science

· Humanities – ELA and social studies

Math Books - Mrs. Knisley

● Student math books are workbooks that you write in.

● Each chapter has its own book.

● It is very important that you keep track of your math book and bring it to math class every day. If a math book is lost, you will not receive a new workbook but will need to use photocopies instead.

● Completed workbooks will be sent home at the end of each chapter.

STEM Slearnals/Mathlets

● This is a packet that will have all of the papers that you need for each unit.

● It should be kept in the correct folder. It needs to be brought to class every day. At the end of each unit, it will be collected and scored.

● If you miss class, you are responsible for finding a classmate to go over the information with you and help you complete the missing Slearnal/Mathlet pages.

Humanities – Mrs. Myers

● Humanities is the combination of ELA and social studies. We will be learning about our nation’s history as we are learning to become better readers and writers.

● ELA

§ You will be provided with two notebooks. A Seed notebook for writing and a Word Work notebook for grammar, spelling, and vocabulary information.

§ It is very important that you keep track of both notebooks and bring them to class daily. These notebooks will stay in my classroom. THESE NOTEBOOKS WILL NOT GO HOME.

§ I will expect that you will read at home daily for a minimum of 15 minutes.

● SOCIAL STUDIES

§ Social Studies) Learning Journals – This is a packet that will have all of the papers that you need for each unit.

§ It should be kept in your social studies folder. It needs to be brought to class every day. At the end of each unit, it will be collected and scored.

§ If you miss class, you are responsible for finding a classmate to go over the information with you and help you complete the missing Slearnal pages.

Neatness & Organization

● Your desk/table area and the cubby area are to be kept neat.

● There should not be any personal items left in your desk/table when you leave the room. The desk/table you will use is shared by students in other classes. If you leave anything behind, it might not be there when you go back for it.

● If there is mess in the classroom, you are expected to help clean it up.

Schoology - https://elearning.donegalsd.org

● Schoology is an online learning management system.

● You will be required to follow these expectations:

o Everything must be school appropriate and school-related.

o No personal information should be revealed (telephone numbers, addresses, e-mails, etc.)

o All school rules and consequences apply to your activity in Schoology

o If you think there is something inappropriate posted on Schoology, please tell your teacher immediately!

Shawnee Team Handbook Signature Page

We want fifth grade to be productive, successful, and rewarding for everyone! Please read the Shawnee Team Handbook on the Donegal Intermediate School website. It is posted under both Mrs. Myers’ and Mrs. Knisley’s teacher pages. Please sign and return the bottom portion of this paper. If you are unable to access the website, please request a hard copy of the handbook from a Shawnee Team teacher. We look forward to working with you to ensure a year of positive academic, emotional, and social growth!

☺ Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Knisley

The page 'Shawnee Team Handbook' does not exist