MARLIN ELEMENTARY INTERMEDIATE PROGRAM

Miss Armstrong     Mrs. Dalphin       Mrs. Rollins     Mrs. Sharp      

August 16, 2006

Dear Parents:

            We are looking forward to starting another school year at Marlin. Here is some information we think will help your child get off to a great start. 

During the first quarter of the school year, students will be working on test taking skills and strategies for success in reading, language arts, math, and science.  In addition, students will be discussing an interesting variety of nonfiction texts.  Beginning with the second quarter, we will continue using the adopted texts and curriculum.  Because we now have three teachers, your child will begin and end the school year with the same teacher.  For instance, students who begin the year with Mrs. Rollins, will have Mrs. Sharp for the second quarter, Miss Armstrong for the third quarter, and Mrs. Rollins again for the fourth quarter.  This schedule can be found on the inside of your child’s Assignment Book.  Your child will have reading, language, writing, and science with the block teacher.  Math classes will continue to be organized based on the academic needs of each child.  Social studies will continue to be in grade level groups.   Math and social studies teachers stay the same throughout the school year.   Mrs. Dalphin will be helping us by teaching a section of fifth grade math. This table illustrates each teacher’s instructional topics. 

The intermediate teachers have uniform classroom routines and expectations.  Each teacher expects students to treat others respectfully, to respect school property, to make good choices, to use patience and good sportsmanship, to use self-control in all situations, and to assume responsibility for words and actions.  A hierarchy of consequences will be used when appropriate.

            The Assignment Book is an important part of our intermediate program.  Its consistent use will help your child keep up with assignments, stay organized, and help teachers keep in constant contact with parents.  Your child will bring the Assignment Book home daily so that you can see what assignments are due.  Indicate to us that you have seen the assignments by initialing the bottom of the page.  (Please see our Homework Policy on the back of this sheet.)  When work is not completed and/or turned in on time, we offer students the opportunity to work during recess.  This gives your child an extra opportunity to complete assigned work.

Students will have some form of reading, math, and spelling homework every day.  Reading homework may include rereading novel pages, rereading social studies and science lessons, completing worksheets, and reading independent reading books.  Math homework assignments will include the Everyday Math Study Links pages, textbook assignments, and daily math facts practice.  Students should study their spelling words every day.  Watch for test announcements in the Assignment Book.  Other kinds of homework will be given as they are needed.  Please consider setting up a “Study Table” at your house.  This quiet place gives students a structured setting and time to work at home.  A half hour of “Study Table” daily, even when your child says “I don’t have any homework”, will go a long way to improve study habits.  Save this letter for ideas of what your child can do when he/she says, “I don’t have any homework”.

Many of you may have already sent checks on the first day of school based on our Supply List. For those of you who didn’t, please send a check made out to Marlin School for the amount of $3.00.  This will purchase your child’s first Assignment Book.  In order to help pay for class subscriptions to National Geographic Explorer, please send a separate check for $1.00 made out to National Geographic Explorer.  

Each week the homeroom teachers will be sending home graded work in a Friday Folder.  Please be sure to sign the sheet on the inside of the folder indicating that you have seen this graded work.  Keep the papers and return the signed folder on the following Monday.  Your child will also be responsible for a Daily Take Home Folder. The Assignment Book and this folder go to every class with students and should also be taken home and returned each day. 

First days of school mean lots of papers to look through.  The Student Harassment Policy, the MCCSC Back to School Guide, and the Marlin Student/Parent Handbook are yours to keep.  Please go over the Student/Parent Handbook with your child.  You may wish to return the insurance form, and the free lunch form. The next three forms should be returned as soon as possible.

• The Family Information form has important information on both sides.  Please be sure to fill in all the information requested. 
• The Emergency Medical form also needs to be completed.  
• The Acceptable Use form must be on file in order for your child to use the internet at school. 

            You are always welcome to call us at school.  Please call the office at 330-7750 to leave a voice mail message.  Our phone extensions and e-mail addresses appear at the bottom of this sheet. We look forward to seeing you on August 31 for our Open House from 6:30 until 7:00.

                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                        The Marlin Intermediate Faculty

MARLIN INTERMEDIATE HOMEWORK POLICY

·         Students are responsible for writing down homework assignments in their Assignment Books in a clear enough manner for parents to understand the required task.  Homework may entail such activities as completing unfinished class work, rereading assigned material, studying for tests, working on skills, reading novels, researching, and working on individual projects.

·         Students are expected to complete homework and turn it in on time.  Late work will be accepted, however, grades will be lowered for excessively late work.

·         One day for each day of excused absence will be allowed for completion of missed assignments.  Extensions for missed assignments due to extenuating circumstances will be up to the discretion of each teacher.

·         Please request work for your child early in the morning when you call the office to report an absence.  If you do not contact the office, the absence goes on the child’s record as being unexcused.  We are happy to gather work for your child, but this is a time-consuming process.  Our planning periods are in the morning, so it is very difficult to meet requests for work received after 12:30.  You may arrange for a sibling or neighbor child to bring home this work.  It is also possible to pick up the work from the office during or after school.  If you ask for work, please be sure to pick it up.  Your child will benefit from keeping up with his/her classmates.