Welcome to Fifth Grade!
Thank you for reading the first blog of the 2008-2009 School Year for Mr. McGill's Class.
Here are some key areas which will help you along the way:
Specials for the year:
Monday: Music with Ms. Zarin
Tuesday: Physical Education with Coaches Bare and Bass
Wednesday: Art with Ms. Lopez
Thursday: Physical Education with Coaches Bare and Bass
Friday: Rotation
Lunch:
This occurs at 11:42 until 12:12 daily
Recess:
This occurs daily at 1:45 until 2:05*
*If you will be picking up your child prior to dismissal, please do this before 1:45. This will help with making signing out a quicker process. PIckups after 1:45 are also prone to disruption of the general dismissal process in the office.
Our Theme:
Garrison Mill's Theme for our year is "Commit, Collaborate, and Celebrate!" In response to this, Mr. McGill and Ms. Hazlett are working together to teach students the Cobb County/Georgia Performance Standards. An emphasis on student performance and student self-evaluation will be key components of our method this year. We are very excited about our year together.
Classroom Management: A Collaborative Approach
Students in our class worked with me (Mr. McGill) to determine our Classroom Expectations and Consequences. These were listed in the back of the Behavior Expectations Booklet you were asked to read and sign along with your child for Monday's (August 11) homework. As a class, we agreed on these...
Expectations
1. Respect teachers and classmates
2. Keep hands, feet, voice, and belongings to yourself
3. Always do your best and think carefully
Consequences
1. A verbal warning
2. Behavior mark/study hall
3. Note home in agenda
4. Phone call or email home
5. Office referral
So far, we have received five class compliments as well as perfect reports from the lunch room. This is wonderful!
Homework:
Nightly homework will be assigned regularly. Homework is designed to reinforce previously-learned material or concepts recently taught in class. Students should bring the work home for review even if the work is completed at school or on the way home (doing work on the bus is not recommended).
Homework and future assessment dates will be written in the agenda by each student on a daily basis. Parents are encouraged to read and initial the agenda daily. When sending a note to me (Mr. McGill) through the agenda, please remind your child to present the agenda to me. After a period of agenda monitoring, students will be expected to complete their agenda entries without my direct review each and every day (instructional time requirements simply will not permit this after a point).
Though parents should not do their child's work for him or her, review and acknowledgement of skill are encouraged. Likewise, if a child makes an error in completing their homework, parents are welcome to redirect attention back to the homework. This is not for purposes of correction by the parent, but instead to have the student reevaluate their work. As stated earlier in this blog, self-evaluation is a key factor in skill development for fifth graders.
Contact Mr.McGill:
You may email me at christopher.mcgill@cobbk12.org. Email, agenda notes, and other notes from home are quick communication methods with which to reach me. You may also call Garrison Mill at 770-642-5600 and leave a message on my voice mail box (#428).
August events:
Chick Fil-A Night is Thursday, August 14, from 5pm until 8pm. Please consider supporting us through patronizing Chick Fil-A on Spirit Night!
Sally Foster Sale begins on August 15. Look out for the information coming home with your child and support PTA's main fundraiser for the year.
PTA/Open House for Fifth Grade is August 21, 2008 at 6:30.
Fifth Grade Parent Committee Meeting is on August 26.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about our class. Here's to a great new school year!
Sincerely,
Alex McGill
