fcs-initials-sm

WELCOME TO FIFTH GRADE

CONVOCATION

Welcome to fifth grade at Fresno Christian Schools.   I am excited to meet this year’s incoming fifth graders. Some of you are familiar faces from last year. Parents, family, and friends are invited to join our school for our opening Convocation in Peoples Church Sanctuary at 7:55 AM on Monday, August 17, 2015.

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Each week on Monday you may go on-line to read our class newsletter.  The newsletter will  contain our weekly areas of study in core subjects, scripture verse, spelling words, school wide information  and special activities like field trips.  Beginning this Monday students will be taking home a Yellow Homework Folder . Homework will be assigned M-Th.

BIBLE                             boy reading bible

The memory verses in the following weeks will be based on the theme of Grace. The Bible verse will be posted on Mondays and will be from the NIV version used at school.   Bible verse tests are  on Fridays every week.  Third grade students will be asked to write from memory the Character Trait, Reference, and Bible Verse.  You will want to help your child  practice writing the verse each week at home.   My hope this year is that each child will continue to grow to know Jesus in a deeper way and hide His Word in their hearts.  As we seek to know Him, we will do so by participating in daily class worship,  searching and reading God’s word, studying the powerful stories of Old Testament patriarchs, participating in chapel,  studying memory verses, and praying together. ( See bottom of page)

CHAPEL

Grades 1-6 will meet every Monday morning for Chapel and Worship from 8:15-8:45 AM in the North Lobby Chapel.

ELECTIVE

Sign ups for Electives will be the first week of school. Students will be given specific information on the electives that are available and the days they take place on. They will take the information home to discuss the best choice with their parents and a parent signature will be required in order to process the selected choices. Electives will start the second week of school.

HOMEWORK FOLDER

Each student will be given a homework folder sent home on Mondays.  Please look in this RED homework folder for your child’s graded work from the previous week.  It houses  a newsletter, possible flyers, and weekly math homework assignments.  Please take the opportunity to go through the work together and correct any mistakes.  Please return the folder with the math homework  each Thursday.  This is part of your child’s effort grade for responsibility. Also, any daily work not completed in class, such as math, reading or spelling, is considered homework.  Students will have a yellow folder for transporting daily work not finished in class.  Please return the completed work the following day.

SUPPLIES

Please help your child to succeed by limiting unnecessary clutter and distractions.  Some children bring so many things that they are burdened by their supplies and some use them as toys.  In this case they will be asked to take them home. Thank you!

**For hygiene purposes we are also in need of lots of tissue, unscented hand sanitizer,  and disinfectant wipes for the classroom.  We use these throughout the year to stay healthy as a class working closely together.  If you are able to donate any of these items, please send them to school with your child. Thank you!  

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

I look forward to seeing each of you at “Parent Back to School Night” Tuesday, August 25th. Together, here at FCS, we pledge our sincere effort to continually help your child grow spiritually and academically while under our care.   Thank you for your encouragement and prayers.

RECESS AND LUNCH 

Morning recess is scheduled  from 10:20-10:50 AM daily.

Lunch and afternoon recess is from 11:45 AM-12:35 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

On Thursdays lunch/recess will be from 12:40 PM-1:25 PM.

P.E. FOR FIFTH GRADE

Tuesday 10:55-11:40

Thursday 9:30-10:15

Be sure to wear appropriate clothes and shoes that are for workouts.  Water bottles need be brought to school on a regular basis and kept in your child’s backpack. Please inform the office of any health concerns and notify me as well.   Students must have a written notice from parents or doctor to be excused from P.E. activities.

THURSDAYS ARE EARLY RELEASE DAYS

Please note that every Thursday is an early release day with dismissal at 2:05 PM due to Staff Professional Learning Communities.

POWER SCHOOL

Power School offers a variety of information including attendance, grades, and special notes to parents. This is a SECURE website and therefore you, as a parent, may access your child’s information confidentially.

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL

School begins at 8:00 AM sharp.  Students who arrive later than 8:15 AM must report to the office for a tardy slip.   Students go directly to the play area north of building 5 in the mornings starting Tuesday, August 18.  After the 7:55 AM freeze bell and unfreeze whistle, they will line up on the playground with their teacher and classmates.  Children should only be upstairs before school in the hallway escorted with a  parent or with a restroom pass from the early morning yard duty teachers

School ends daily at 2:45 P.M.   Please arrange pick up promptly.  Children not picked up by 3:00 P.M. will be taken to the office to call parents and wait. The pick-up location at the People’s campus is between Building 5 and the Peoples Church preschool playground.   All children must wait with the teacher until an adult walks over to pick them up.  They may not go and meet you at your car.

SNACKS

Snacks may be eaten during the morning  recess only. (Special exceptions apply to students with medical reasons). Fruit, veggies, crackers, cheese, chips, yogurt, and fruit snacks are some suggestions.  We will save our dessert foods for lunch.  Because of various children’s food allergies, we are not allowed to share or trade food.

MILK & JUICE CARDS

Milk and juice will be offered for K-6 students. Milk and juice are 40 cents each. You may purchase a Milk or juice card for $8.00 each. Each card is good for 20 drinks. These are available in the Elementary Office. You will be notified when it is time to purchase a new one. This is offered as a convenience to you and is not mandatory.

BIRTHDAYS

You may bring a treat and drink if you choose.  Your child and you may choose and there are no restrictions, whatever is a favorite to your child.  We  celebrate at 2:30-2:40 PM.  Just let me know a few days ahead of time if you want to celebrate at school.   If your child has a summer birthday, he/she will not be forgotten.  We will find a day for them.  It can be on their half birthday or any day that works for you.

CONTACT AND CLASSROOM HELPERS

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at:  dmiranda@fresnochristian.com.      You may also send a note with a child.  I check emails  daily and I will return your email promptly.   In the event of an emergency, please call Lisa Dooley, elementary secretary in the Elementary  Office,  at 299-1695.

SUSTAINED SILENT READING

Please have your child bring a favorite literature book to read during “Silent Sustained Reading”  every day.   The book should be kept in his or her backpack at all times for easy access on a daily basis.  Once our library time is scheduled, students may choose a book from there as well.

SPIRIT DAY!    

Every Friday is SPIRIT DAY  at Fresno Christian.  So if you have a shirt that says “Fresno Christian, FCS, or has the FCS Eagle on iT , be sure to wear it on Friday.  Our whole class will be getting class t-shirts with Fresno Christian’s name for field trips in a few weeks.  It was included in your tuition.   If you wish to purchase other FCS Spirit Wear your children or adults, go to our school website.

MATH

This week we are learning about Place Value to Hundred Thousands, Writing Numbers in Standard Form, Written Form, and Expanded Form.

SOCIAL STUDIES

We begin with Early Americans and theories about why and how they migrated.

WRITING

We will do lessons in grammar as we prepare to develop our writing in the genre of Personal Narrative.

SPELLING TESTS

I will be sending out a weekly list each Monday.   Start practicing your spelling words early to ensure good results on Fridays.

SPELLING: Spelling Lesson 1 words will be tested this Friday, August 21.

  1. expect
  2. o’clock
  3. electric
  4. 4. assembly
  5. chest
  6. suggest
  7. whisper
  8. attic
  9. industry
  10. umbrella
  11. sandwiches
  12. linen
  13. cabinet
  14. telegram
  15. catastrophe

Challenge Words

  1. coconut
  2. punished
  3. recently
  4. chilly
  5. ridiculous

Memory Verse:

2 Peter 1:1

“To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours;”

DATES TO REMEMBER:

  •       Happy Birthday Micah Friesen August 14     yellow-birthday-cake-thumb
    •       Convocation Peoples Church Sanctuary: Monday, August 17 @ 8:00 AM
    •       Back to School Grades 3-6: Tuesday, August 25 @ 7:00 PM