Welcome!

Mrs. Ott
6th Grade

Our Classroom Handbook

2016-2017

Merriam Park Elementary

Our Students, Our Community, Our Merriam Park

Parent/Teacher Relationship
6th grade is an exciting time as your student embarks upon new adventures in the
world of learning and growing. I believe that a strong parent-teacher relationship is
necessary for maximum student achievement. I will partner with you to make your
childs learning experience a fun and prosperous one, while continuing to instill a love
of learning that will last throughout his/her life.

Maintaining each child's self-esteem and building a secure foundation for future
growth will always remain a priority in our 6 th grade family. Here are some ways you
can help:
Celebrate your students success, no matter how small it may seem. These are
the stepping-stones of enthusiasm that build confidence, pride and desire to
continue to achieve.
Expect your child to read every day. The more your child is exposed to
language, the easier it will be for him to incorporate new skills in reading and
writing in the classroom and in his daily life.
Reach out and Communicate to me anytime you have concerns or questions. I
am here to partner with you and support your childs social/emotional and
academic growth.

Throughout the year, I will communicate with you through emails, telephone calls,
Skyward, my class website and Twitter. School-wide parent-teacher conferences
will be offered twice during the year, but I am available all year for conferences.
Im available to return calls or exchange emails at night or on the weekends if that
is better for your schedule. I respond most quickly to email, if that suits your need.

Attendance
It is critical that your student be in attendance and on time daily. Our day begins at
8:10 am with critical language and math warm-ups that reinforce the foundation of
our math and reading curriculum. When a student is late, even 5-10 minutes, they
miss this instruction.
If your student is absent, I will work with him/her individually to ensure they
understand all missed work.
Absences
If a student is knowingly going to be out of school, please notify the front office
attendance by calling or sending in a note, indicating the date/s and reason for the
absence. Also, please notify me via email in advance, if at all possible.
In the case of unplanned absences, please notify the front office attendance and
email me as soon as possible. It is very helpful to know if your child will be in
late/leave early as well.
When I am notified of an absence, I am best able to plan for your child in times of

his/her absence to ensure they dont miss critical information or to further plan to
accommodate their schedule.
Curriculum
Our complete curriculum guide is available on the SMSD website. Our grade level
specific information is available on our class website. I am happy to provide paper
copies if needed.
Specials Classes
Specials classes function on an A-B-C-D rotation. You will need to refer to the
school Rotation Calendar to determine which specials class your student has on any
given day. This can be found on our class website and on our school website.
School-wide Assessments
Students will participate in two important tests this year:
The MAP (Measurement of Academic Progress) test. It will be administered
at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. This test is designed to
measure individual growth in the areas of math and reading.
Kansas State Assessment is administered in the spring.

Students will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the test language
and structures throughout the year in an effort to ensure students are comfortable
with the structure and purpose of the tests. The principal will meet with each
student and discuss academic achievement and assist students in monitoring
individual goals for academic growth.

Homework
Homework is given on Monday through Thursday. Math and word study/spelling will
be sent home on Monday or the first day of the week and is due back on Friday or on
the last day of the week. There are only a few weeks in the school year that this
plan will vary. In those cases, you will receive advanced notice. If in doubt, please
email me for verification.
Students are expected to read a minimum of 20 minutes a night and complete their
electronic reading log. This includes silent reading as well as reading to younger
children. We always have fun with our class reading challengemore to come!
Field Trips
Field trips are intended to enhance our curriculum and are fun times for our
students. Specific information will come home prior to each event. School rules and
expectations for behavior will be strictly enforced on all field trips. Volunteers may
be needed, so be sure to watch for those emails. In the event of popular interest, I
will give priority to those that have not had the opportunity to volunteer with us or

hold a lottery if necessary.

Skyward
SMSD offers an interactive communication tool for parents! Parents will need to
sign up for a family account if they are new to the district. A few features include
parent access to review absences, tardiness, assignments and grades, behavior
infractions, and direct links to email me.
Technology and Digital Citizenship
Usage guidelines for parents and families can be found at
http://www.smsd.org/digitallearning/Pages/faq.aspx. Student digital citizenship includes
being safe, respectful and responsible when interacting with technology and is a
district/school/classroom priority. Please visit our class website for additional details.
PTA

Parents, please join this important school organization and help enrich our students
school experiences! Our PTA supports school and classroom goals as well as
teachers efforts to make education meaningful and fun for all students. I have
been fortunate enough to apply for and receive a PTA grant, and will tell you first
hand, that it afforded our students with meaningful, hands-on experiences that
otherwise would have not been possible. Your membership helps accomplish these
goals. Membership information will be sent home at the beginning of the year, but is
available anytime by contacting the PTA or visiting their Facebook page. Links are
on our class website. Send your dues in its never too late to join!

Birthday Celebrations
We love to celebrate birthdays! Please let me know in advance of the date you plan
to send in birthday goodies, so we can plan accordingly.
School Parties
Volunteer opportunities will be made available to all families via regular classroom
communications, with links to secure sign-ups. Per our school-wide policy, only those
that volunteer to coordinate and assist with the event may join our class for the
party.
Scholastic Book Orders
Scholastic Book order forms will be sent home periodically throughout the school
year. You are asked to place your order online at Scholastic.com and enter Mrs.
Otts classroom code: HV6XC. You will complete your order and payment online and
books will be delivered right to our classroom.

Positive Behavior Expectations

Our classroom expectations and consequences follow that of the school-wide plan,
based on Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) and the Behavior
Intervention Support Team (BIST) philosophy. Please visit our class website for
additional details throughout the year.

During the first days of school, we focus on understanding what it means for each
of us and as a community to be respectful, responsible and safe, to ensure clear
expectations and grounds for a successful learning environment where all students
thrive.

School and Classroom Rules

1. Be Respectful
2. Be Responsible
3. Be Safe

Behaviors that may warrant immediate attention and are not subject to warning
include physical contact, verbal or physical bullying, stealing, destruction of school
property, insubordination, disrespect toward an adult or classmate, and repeated
offenses.

Pride Paws
These token rewards can be given to students by the entire staff when students are
caught modeling responsible, safe and respectful behavior anywhere at school.
Students are recognized in the classroom as well as school-wide through various
incentives throughout the school year. Be sure to ask your student to share with you
the details about pride paws they earn. This is a great springboard for positive
conversation!
Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you and your family and be a part of your
students day. I look forward to supporting your student as he/she discovers new talents,
builds positive relationships, and achieves personal goals throughout the school year!

Mrs. Jennifer Ott

[email protected]
twitter.com/meottsmsd
meott.weebly.com