Welcome to your first fifth grade newsletter!

This blog is where we will post our weekly newsletter as well as any additional information we need to pass on to you. Please sure to subscribe to it so you can stay up-to-date. To subscribe, type your email address in the box on the right and click the Subscribe button. You will then receive an email each time we post something new!

Email is the best way to contact us. You can reach us at: KMcGehee@fredericksburgacademy.org and TBarzditis@fredericksburgacademy.org.Since we team-teach every fifth grader, please be sure to include both of us in any email correspondence.

We are excited about completing our first full week of school! Everyone is doing a fabulous job adjusting to the new school year, such as reading for at least twenty minutes each night, completing nightly math homework, and having a parent sign their agenda. So far, most of our class time has been all about getting to know the classroom and introducing the routines we will follow throughout the coming year. 

This week, each of our students have also applied for and received their first classroom jobs. These jobs will rotate every month, as it is our hope that each student will have a chance to try their hand at each of our classroom’s roles. Since one of the most prominent fifth grade responsibilities is the raising and lowering of the  flags, earlier today, Mr. Evans taught us about proper flag etiquette to help get us started.

Reading: This week, we spent some time reading, discussing, appreciating, and illustrating two classic poems–one by Emily Dickinson and the other from Elizabeth Bishop. Throughout the year, we will return to poetry and the skills we practiced this week, as much of the close reading and interpretive work we did together will be valuable as we continue our reading and writing. Also, when you get a chance, ask your child if you can see their illustration or hear their “found poem.” I think you’ll be impressed with what they came up with.

Looking ahead to next week, your child will receive the first project of the year! We will use the summer reading lists to group ourselves by genre. Your child will work with a small group to “sell” their genre to the rest of the class for a group grade, as well as present a book they read from that genre for an individual grade. This is a relaxed project focused on collaboration and will be done completely in class. Your child will have a rubric to work with, which we will go over and discuss together when we come back on Tuesday.

Math: Each day in math, we have introduced a new piece of our math workshop model as well as reviewed topics from previous years. It will take a while to collect all of the puzzle pieces which will eventually make up our typical class agenda, but the time spent learning about each piece will allow our class to run smoothly throughout the year. Next week, we will continue in the same manner, as we further build our understanding of having a growth mindset (not only in math, but in everything we do). 

Class Schedule: Click here to see our fifth grade schedule, but please understand that our schedules are subject to change. The first page is Mrs. McGehee’s homeroom, the second is Mr. Barzditis’ homeroom, and the last page is a quick list of the days of our specials.

Reminders:

• Please send your child to school with a reusable water bottle daily. They are welcome to leave their water bottles at school for the week.

• Please be reminded for the dress code policy for Grades K – 5: 
  • Clothing with logos is permitted provided the logo is appropriate for school. 
  • Bare midriffs and low necklines are not permitted. 
  • Crop, tank, or halter-tops may not be worn. 
  • Form-fitting pants may not be worn unless an over-shirt covers the hips. 
  • Camouflaged clothing may not be worn. 
  • Opened-toed footwear, Croc-style shoes, shoes with wheels, or clogs should not be worn, for reasons of safety. 
  • Dresses, shorts, or skirts must be no shorter than mid-thigh. 
  • On physical education days, students must wear shorts or sweat suits and non-marking athletic sneakers. There will be no dressing out except for swimming. 
  • Fridays are denim days. Clothing made of denim may be worn on these days only.

Important Dates:

Thursday, September 12 at 7 p.m. is Back to School Night. 

Friday, October 25 is the tentative date for our Landmark Field Trip to D.C. This is a fabulous day that we invite every parent to attend. Please put it on your calendar as you will not want to miss it.

Have a wonderful long weekend and be sure to ask your child about their first full week of school!

Take care,

Tim and Kimberly