Information Letter to Parents of 5, 6, 7, & 8 grade students

September 1, 2011
Dear Parents, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to a new school year. I am looking forward to working with you, so that the 2011-2012 school year will be both a productive and enjoyable experience for your child. If you ever feel that you need to speak with me, please feel free to contact me by sending me a note . If you would like to e-mail me, you must e-mail it to the school’s e-mail address, (olqm1@aol.com), and Mr. Woods will forward it to me. The teachers are no longer allowed to accept e-mail from parents.You can also make an appointment to see me with Alba, the school secretary. Please check the blog frequently, so you can keep yourself updated on what your child is doing in each class in terms of homework assignments, tests, and projects. The school blog site address is
http://olqmnyc.blogspot.com/. You must check all four teachers' blogs to keep updated about tests, assignments, and projects in each of the six subject areas. The following are some school/class regulations and reminders: 1. Please sign all papers distributed in the parent packet. You will receive two emergency cards to fill out. Fill out all parts including the mother and father’s name even if you are not living together. Include the following information: phone numbers- including cell #’s, whom to contact in case of an emergency, and remember to fill out the back of each card and sign the bottom. Also, in the parent’s packet is an academic contract, parent’s handbook, Internet usage form, Sept. calendar, photo release, textbook loan, technology usage, HW rubric, and a parent signature sheet for the Handbook . Please complete all forms and return them to me no later than Friday, Sept.9 in the folder you received them in. Please do not return the September calendar, Parent Handbook, and the HW rubric. They are for your own information .All school supplies should also be in by Friday 9/9. 2. Please cover all soft covered books, preferably with a transparent cover so the books do not rip.If they are broken and you can fix them, please feel free to do so. Please make sure your child’s name is on each book. It is very important to do this because the soft-covered books break very easily and pages start to fall out. 3. Check your child’s notebooks, folder and backpack everyday to see what is going on in class, and make sure that he/she has all the necessary supplies. 4. Please send me a note when your child is absent or when you need to pick he/she up early from school. If your child is sick for few days try to send someone to pick up the homework. If I do not receive a note, your child will be marked illegally absent. 5. Please read the monthly calendar,the school blog, and the Parent Handbook. 6. Your child should lineup in the schoolyard in the morning before 8:00 AM. The class will be dismissed each day at 3:00 PM Monday-Friday. Please read the school calendar for any exceptions. Parents are not allowed to escort their child to class in the mornings. Children are not allowed to bring any food to the classroom. Breakfast must be eaten at home or in the lunchroom before 8:00. 7. Please make sure that your child is on time for school each day. If your child is late more than two times per quarter, he/she will not be able to receive Honors. In addition, he/she will not be allowed into class without getting a late pass. 8. The 5th grade gym day will be on Monday(tentatively), so your child will need to wear the school gym uniform (tee shirt and sweat pants) and sneakers. The gym teacher will not allow your child to participate if they are not wearing the correct gym uniform. This will be reflected in your child's grade. 9. Make sure that your child completes the HW each day. All Homework will be written in the Purple Homework Assignment Book that each child will receive on the first day of class or posted on the blog. Notes written to you by any of the 4 teachers will either be written in the purple book or placed in the folder. Please read the assignment book and check the folder each night,in case of notes or worksheets that might be distributed.
10. New York State requires that every student from grades 1-8 read at least 20 books per school year. In order to fulfill this requirement, your child will be responsible to read books at home and in school, and complete some type of assessment on the book. This will be discussed more on the blog. 11. It is very important that your child is prepared for class every day. That means having sharpened pencils, pens, notebooks, folders, looseleaf and their other school supplies. This is the first step towards making sure that your child does well. Please check each teacher's blog for a list of school supplies that your child will need for each subject. 12. Remember to sign all tests when they are distributed by Mr. Woods and return them the next day. Each teacher will collect the tests for their own subjects.
13. Achieving good grades does not ensure that your child will receive academic Honors each Quarter. The children should be in full uniform each day, unless otherwise specified on this blog or in the purple assignment book. That means shoes, socks, sweaters, having the proper haircut (boys),etc. should follow what is written in the Parent's Handbook. Good conduct, effort, keeping belongings neat and organized, completing homework and classwork assignments, arriving to school on time, and being respectful to classmates and school staff are other criteria which are evaluated when determining whether a student will receive Honors.
14. Detention is given to any student that breaks school or class rules such as misbehaving in class, not completing homework or classwork, or not signing notes or test papers. An IRIS alert will be sent to parents if your child has to stay for after school detention. If your child cannot stay for detention on the day it is given, it will have to be made up on the next day detention is given.
That is a brief overview of some of the important things that you need to know. If you do not understand something or need something clarified, please contact me. It is very important for us to work together to ensure a good learning experience for your child. Do not make your child anxious about the work. Allow them to get use to being back in school and to the new schedule. Thank you for your cooperation and again welcome! Sincerely, Donna Toscano Larios Reading and Social Studies Teacher

Supply Lists for the 2011-2012 School Year: Grades 5,6,7,& 8

Grade 5- Reading and Homeroom
READING:
1. 2 marble notebooks (doesn't matter what color) - 1 Reading and 1 for Weekly Vocabulary Words. Other types of notebooks will not be accepted.
2. 2 folders 1 Reading (tests and assignments which will be kept at school) and 1 for Reading HW and notes (this will be kept in the book bag ). Binders are not necessary.
3. Pencils with erasers (please sharpen the pencils at home). 4. Black or Blue ink pens only. No other color ink will be accepted. It is unacceptable to do homework or classwork in any other color ink. 5. Colored pencils 6. Scissors 7. Glue
8. Ruler 9. Plenty of of loose-leaf
10. Book Covers- All soft covered books must be covered and labeled with your child’s name, grade and subject. Clear covers are best. Two books will be sent home at a time to be covered and new books will not be given until both books are covered. The books are very soft and they rip very easily and then pages fall out. If the books need to be mended, please try to do so. 11. A box of tissues 12. Hand sanitizer
13. Disinfecting Wipes (Clorox or Lysol)
14. Roll of Paper Towels All school supplies should be in no later than Friday, Sept. 9. If you can have them sooner, just send them in!
____________________________________________________
Grade 6- Reading 1. 1 marble notebook for Reading (black and white) . Other types of notebooks will not be accepted.
2. 2 folders 1 Reading (tests and assignments which will be kept at school) and 1 for Reading HW and notes (this will be kept in the book bag ).
3. Pencils with erasers (please sharpen the pencils at home). 4. Black or Blue ink pens only. No other color ink will be accepted. It is unacceptable to do homework or classwork in any other color ink. 5. Colored pencils 6. Scissors 7. Glue
8. Ruler 9. Plenty of of loose-leaf
10. Book covers- All soft covered books must be covered and labeled with your child’s name, grade and subject. Clear covers are best. Two books will be sent home at a time to be covered and new books will not be given until both books are covered. The books are very soft and they rip very easily and then pages fall out. If the books need to be mended, please try to do so. 11. A box of tissues 12. Hand sanitizer
All school supplies should be in no later than Friday, Sept. 9. All school supplies should be in no later than Friday, Sept. 9. If you can have them sooner, just send them in!
______________________________________________________________________
Grades 7 and 8: Reading and Social Studies
1. 2 large marble notebooks (150-200 pages) - 1 for Reading AND 1 for Social Studies . Other types of notebooks will not be accepted.
2. 3 folders: 1 Reading, 1 Social Studies (for tests and assignments which will be kept at school) and 1 for Reading/Social Studies HW and notes (this will be kept by each student).
3. Pencils with erasers (please sharpen the pencils at home). 4. Black or Blue ink pens only. No other color ink will be accepted. It is unacceptable to do homework or classwork in any other color ink. 5. Colored pencils 6. Scissors 7. Glue
8. Ruler 9. Plenty of of loose-leaf
10. Book Covers- All soft covered books must be covered and labeled with your child’s name, grade and subject. Clear covers are best. Two books will be sent home at a time to be covered and new books will not be given until both books are covered. The books are very soft and they rip very easily and then pages fall out. If the books need to be mended, please try to do so. 11. A box of tissues 12. Hand sanitizer
All school supplies should be in no later than Friday, Sept. 9. All school supplies should be in no later than Friday, Sept. 9. If you can have them sooner, just send them in!