5th Grade Weekly Update
Here's what's going on at O.C. Taylor!
Week of January 11th - 15th! First full week back in school!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SLIDES WITH WEBEX LINKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL SCHEDULES - ALSO IN SEESAW
As a team, we are stressing continued diligence with proper fit and wearing of masks, social distancing, and proper handwashing. If anyone in your household is experiencing typical COVID symptoms (fever, headache, fatigue, sore throat, etc), please err on the side of caution and keep your child home. They can easily hop on our Remote Learning schedule and stay on top of work in a way that limits risks to others. We need all involved to help take care of all involved. One positive exposure can potentially impact multiple students and staff.
Due to the increased number of students returning in-person, we have split our Specials rotations into 4 groups to support our Specials teachers' guidelines.
Remote Learners/Makeup Picture Day: On January 12th, OCT will have an additional picture day. In-person students and staff who missed the November date will take their pictures between 8:00-9:00 am. Remote learners will sign up for a time to come into the foyer to get their picture taken. The times are from 9:00 - 11:00. They are in one-minute increments. Here is the link.
Please make sure student devices are being charged NIGHTLY! We are seeing an uptick in students needing to charge here at school. Students are also welcome to bring their own chargers just in case.
There will not be GT LEAD from January 6-22. Mrs. Griffin will be testing students for GT Services and ASPIRE Academy. If testing is completed sooner than expected, services will resume.
**Note for parents of in-person students that have signed up for GT/ASPIRE testing**:
GT specialists will administer any necessary GT LEAD and ASPIRE testing to kinder and 5th grade students from January 8 through January 22, 2021. Parents will be notified regarding results as soon as the assessment process is completed. Remote learners will be contacted regarding testing during the spring semester.
HEADS UP!
January 12th is a makeup picture day for students. Please see the link above to schedule your time.
January 18th is a student and staff holiday.
The next Book Talk is DUE February 19th and is told from a minor character's point of view.
Play it Safe will be happening at OCT on Jan. 28 via ZOOM and is presented by the Women's Center. This program will ONLY BE AVAILABLE for IN-PERSON learners. Remote students will NOT be able to participate.
This is the link to the parent information about a parent preview, OPT out form (in place of the permission slip that normally would go out), and the district guidelines.
***If parents DO NOT fill out the OPT out form, their child WILL stay in the room while you have the ZOOM presentation that day.***
Spring Class Schedules
IN-PERSON LEARNING
REMOTE LEARNING
Please be mindful of class times
NORMS
*Families - please understand that due to the number of students returning, we are only able to space our desks roughly 2-3ft apart to accommodate our students. This is why so many other students are quarantined when someone is exposed.*
Suggestion: The line to receive school lunch is VERY long. Students would have significantly more social/downtime during their lunch if they brought items from home. We just wanted to pass along our observations.
Click HERE to view our WEEK-AT-A-GLANCE assignment listing for this week!
Remote Families - please understand that Tiger Time (2:00-2:40) is meant for teachers to deliver small-group interventions and support. This time is not meant for 1:1 instruction/reteaching for students who did not attend the WebEx earlier in the day. We HIGHLY encourage our remote students to log in to live WebEx sessions as often as possible. We appreciate your understanding.
Please contact Mrs. Whisman (stacy.whisman@gcisd.net) with any questions/concerns about your student's instructional format/delivery.
Humanities
Reading
This week students are continuing their research for the argumentative topics they chose last week. Students have all been provided with a list of websites to use for their research. We will be working towards writing an argumentative essay and then having a class debate over their topics.
Patterns of Power
This week we will be discussing the proper use of quotation marks when writing sentences.
Writing & Social Studies
Students will complete a rough draft and final copy of their Preamble writing assignment. This week, we will remember/understand that many things are worth fighting for and The Bill of Rights represents our Founding Father's efforts to provide for our rights today. We will also explore the new plan for government as well as how power has to be divided for a democracy to exist.
Math
Science
SPECIALS: 10:15 -11:05am - *CHANGING TO 4 GROUPS!*
(*please remember that Mrs. Morgan will be entering maternity leave soon and will have a long-term sub covering her instruction for much of the spring*)
IN-PERSON
Remember that we are now splitting into 4 groups for Specials. In-person students will be given their placement when they return. Changes are minimal!
Students will attend the same Art and Music class for two weeks and have PE every week. See attached calendar
Specials teachers will be sanitizing supplies and classrooms in between classes
Students will ALWAYS need Chromebooks in Music/Art.
Students will ALWAYS need to bring a pencil, art supplies, and their plexiglass divider to Art.
REMOTE
Remote learners may connect with Specials teachers one day a week through LIVE Webex meetings for the first 15-20 minutes of their Specials time. These Webex meetings are not mandatory.
Tuesdays - Mrs. Morgan (Art) https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/cristie.morgan
Wednesdays-Coach Mester(PE) https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/jason.mester
Thursdays-Mrs. Vencill(Music) https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/bethany.vencill
CONTACT INFO
- Mrs. Morgan - Art - cristie.morgan@gcisd.net
- Mrs. Vencill - Music - bethany.vencill@gcisd.net
- Coach Mester - PE - jason.mester@gcisd.net
PTA Food Drive
The grade that collects the most donations each month will win an extra recess! Donation basket is in the lobby.
January - Spaghetti Night (Dried pasta, jarred spaghetti sauce)
February - Breakfast (Cereal, oatmeal, or other hot cereals)
March - PBJ (Peanut/nut butter, jars of jelly)
April - Stock the Pantry (Canned tuna, meat, fruit, etc.)
May - Mac & Cheese(Packages of everyone's favorite!)
5th Grade Grading Policy & Late Work Acceptance
*LATE-WORK* - Students will have ONE WEEK from when an assignment is assigned to complete/submit their work. After that point, a ZERO will be entered into the grade book and will NOT be changed.
Here are some tips for students that will help to develop these habits:
- Check grades and missing assignments daily in Skyward.
- Check email for reminders from your teacher(s)
- Be sure to send your teachers an email if you have any questions about your grades or assignments.
- Check on your Seesaw progress, StemScopes, Readworks, IXL accounts, weekly learning checklist, and update your student planner.
If classwork requires extra time, it will come home as unfinished classwork. Assignments scored under 70 can be corrected and returned to be a 70. Tests under 70 will be revisited in small-group with an opportunity at a later date for an improved score. Assignments turned in late will be 10 points off every day until the assignment is turned in.
Please click HERE to see how each teacher will submit grading feedback by their content area.
TELESCOPERS
All Telescoping occurs daily from 8:00 am - 9:00 am.
REMOTE TELESCOPERS are encouraged to login to MS. EPPERSON'S WEBEX at 7:40am to participate in the Morning Show and Circle Up.
6th Grade - Ms. Anjalie Gilby - anjalie.gilby@gcisd.net
7th Grade - Ms. Melissa Baker w/ iUniversity Prep - melissa.baker@gcisd.net
Student Communications - EMAIL
In case your student is not familiar with how to do this, here is a brief video!
Fifth Grade Feedback
Our Focus
Our 5th-grade teachers are so excited to work with you this year and we look forward to teaming with our wonderful 5th-grade families in order to provide the best educational experience possible for our amazing students. There will be times of joy, excitement, and growth as well as moments of frustration. It is during these rougher times that we ask for all to proceed with patience and understanding as we all learn to navigate an entirely new approach to instructional delivery. We are all learning and doing our absolute best and we are confident that all involved will grow through this experience and be ready for the challenges of middle school and beyond. We value our community and welcome all feedback to help us shape this experience into an intentional and successful model of instruction for our students and encourage open communication throughout our time together.
Teacher Contact Info
sharon.fiffik@gcisd.net - 5th grade Humanities (Reading) and Team Leader
@OCTFiffik
morgan.epperson@gcisd.net - 5th grade Math
@OCTEpperson
amber.fields@gcisd.net - 5th grade Science
@OCTFields
angela.vaughan@gcisd.net - 5th grade Writing & Social Studies
@OCTVaughan
Website: https://oct.gcisd.net/
Location: 5300 Pool Rd. Colleyville, TX, USA
Phone: 817-305-4870
Connect With Us!
Follow our campus on Twitter @OCTaylorTigers and follow #OCT4U!