The MAP Class 20072008

1
The MAP Class 2007-2008

• Parent Information
• Tuesday, August 28, 2007

2
Philosophy

• The Multiage Primary class is a classroom of
  children from six to nine years of age who
  generally stay with us for two years.
• We provide hands-on learning where children can
  progress at their own pace and level.

3
Curriculum

• The MAP Class curriculum is the same as that of a
  traditional classroom.
• The district curriculum is determined by the
  state PASS objectives.
• The Standards and Benchmarks may be found on the
  TPS website or ask for a copy in the office.
• We change themes, study trips, and activities
  each year.

4
Expectations

• We have high expectations for all of our
  students.
• We expect students to try to do their best,
  follow the school and classroom rules, respect
  others, and show good citizenship.
• All students are expected to use the Lifeskills
  and Community Guidelines.

5
Rules and Consequences

• Respect others, listen quietly, keep hands and
  feet to themselves.
• Reminded of rules on first two offenses, then
  sent to seat or quiet spot in room.
• If poor choices continue then will lose center
  time or return to room after lunch instead of
  going to recess.
• At this point a letter written by the child is
  sent home and child will remain in classroom
  time-out from centers or recess until it is
  signed by a parent and returned.

6
Weekly Folders

• Weekly folders go home on Mondays.
• Parents should go over the papers with their
  child, sign the folder, and have their child
  return it the next day.
• All papers should stay home.
• This is a way for us to communicate each week,
  for parents to see what their child is working
  on, and how their child is doing in class.

7
Buddy Book Bags

• Buddy Book Bags will begin on Monday, September
  10.
• Book bags MUST be returned on Friday mornings.
• Please make sure that the books, puppet or doll,
  and bags are kept together and in a safe place.
• Families are responsible for the bags and their
  contents.

8
Progress Reports

• Progress reports will be sent home with children
  who are having difficulty after the fifth week of
  each quarter.
• We will conference with all parents during the
  district conference days in November.
• Report cards are sent home four times a year.

9
Library

• Our students will go to the library once a week.
  They will check out books and work on computer
  skills.
• Please be sure that your child returns their
  library book as soon as they finish it. They may
  return them to the Library Books basket in our
  classroom.

10
Air Conditioning

• Sometimes our room gets cold. Please send a
  sweater or light jacket to school with your child
  and have them keep it in their locker. They may
  ask to get it from their locker if they get cold.

11
Study Trips

• We hope to be going on several study trips this
  year.
• We will try to let you know at least a month in
  advance so that you can make arrangements to go
  with us if possible. Parents must have filled
  out the volunteer form in the office and be
  approved by the district in order to go on study
  trips.
• Please be sure to put your childs name at the
  top of the permission slip form where you see the
  .

12
Conferences

• We will conference with all parents during
  conference time in November.
• You may send us a note if you have questions
  about your child or write it in your childs
  Weekly Folder. We will try to answer you that
  same day if at all possible.
• If you wish to talk with us in person, please
  call the office to set up an appointment.
  (746-8720)

13
Birthdays

• We celebrate childrens birthdays by singing
  Happy Birthday and letting them choose a
  birthday book.
• If you want to bring treats for the entire class
  for your childs birthday, they must be brought
  by a parent and distributed by the parent in the
  cafeteria at lunch.
• Birthday party invitations may NOT be
  distributed at school.

14
Book Orders

• We send several book and software order forms
  home each month.
• If you wish to order books or software for your
  child, please send a CHECK or MONEY ORDER for
  EACH different order in the envelope provided by
  the date on the envelope.
• If you are purchasing books as a gift for your
  child just let us know and we will call you when
  the order comes in.

15
Homework

• Every Monday your childs homework is to go
  through their Weekly Folder with a parent. This
  folder needs to be returned each Tuesday morning
  but the papers need to stay at home.
• Students will also take home a Homework Folder
  every Monday. This folder will contain the
  homework for the entire week. This folder needs
  to be returned on Friday mornings with all
  completed homework for that week.

16
Homework (cont.)Hello Reader

• One part of the homework will be a leveled book
  called a Hello Reader. Children may read this
  book several times over the week to gain
  confidence in their reading and to increase their
  use of expression in their oral reading. This
  book will be in a zippie bag along with a small
  folder for parents to sign to show that they
  listened to their child read the book at least
  once during the week.

17
Homework (cont.) Math

• Another part of the weekly homework will be one
  or more pages of math. Students need to complete
  this work on their own but parents are encouraged
  to check the work with their child and help them
  with anything they may have missed. Please have
  children complete their math homework with a
  pencil.

18
Homework (cont.)Spelling

• Your childs spelling list will also come home
  every Monday in the Homework Folder. Children
  need to practice their six words every evening.
  You may have your child write them on paper,
  spell them out loud, write them with shaving
  cream in the bathtub, or any way that you find
  helps your child.
• Students will take a practice test on Wednesdays.
  The practice test will come home on Wednesday
  evening to let you know what words need the most
  work for the test on Friday.

19
Homework (cont.)Activity Calendar

• A monthly Activity Calendar will also be sent
  home at the beginning of each month. This
  calendar has activities for parents and children
  to do together for every day of the month.
  However, your child only has to do 10 activities
  each month to receive credit for this homework.
  A parent will need to initial the box of each
  activity that their child completes. There is a
  part on the back for the child to fill out and a
  part for the parent to fill out.

20
Cooking

• We do quite a bit of cooking in our room along
  with other food activities. Ex Chocolate
  Math, M M Math, making stone soup, etc.
• We would like to ask for a 5 donation from each
  child instead of sending parents to the grocery
  store to purchase the needed supplies. If any
  extra funds remain at the end of the year we will
  use them for our pizza and ice cream party the
  last week of school.

21
Take Home Folders

• We have added a clear sheet protector to the Take
  Home Folders. Hopefully this will help children
  with organization. It is for returning
  permission slips, sending us notes, or returning
  book orders, etc.
• Children need to return their take home folder to
  school each morning IF they brought it home the
  night before. Some nights they may not have
  anything to bring home since all bulletins from
  the office will go home on Thursdays in their
  special, blue Grimes VIP folder.

22
Student of the Month

• One student will be chosen each month as our
  Student of the Month.
• Students are chosen based on citizenship,
  cooperation, respectfulness to others, and effort
  in class.
• The Student of the Month will be rewarded with
  a special lunch in the classroom with the
  teachers, a new book, certificates, badge, and a
  special poster.