Important Classroom Information
Please read carefully to learn everything you need to know for a great school year! Parents and students will be held accountable for knowing this information.
1. ABSENCES/ TARDIES:
2. AGENDA AND HOMEWORK
3. BATHROOM
4. BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
5. BREAKFAST
6. CELL PHONES AND TECHNOLOGY
7. CLASSROOM LIBRARY
8. DRESS CODE
9. GRADING
11. LUNCH AND RECESS
12. MEETING WITH MS. VAZQUEZ
13. PBIS and BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
14. PROBLEM SOLVING, REPORTING, TATTLING
1. ABSENCES/ TARDIES:
- Our class will begin promptly at 8:15.
- Any students arriving past 8:25 will be considered tardy. Please make sure you attend school on time each day.
- Excessive tardiness will result in a meeting with the student, the parents, and the teacher.
- If your child must miss a day of school, please be sure that you send a note to school the following day with the reason for their absence. In place of a note, you can email me ([email protected]) please be sure to include our clerk, Ms. Gorgas, ([email protected]) with the reason for your absence that day. Be sure to include “Room 208” in the note or email.
- Students are expected to complete the work they have missed while they were absent. This work will be left in the student’s mailbox, which should be checked each day.
- Students will have the number of days they missed plus one extra day to turn in all homework and class work from the day of their absence. For example, if they miss two days of school they will have a total of three days to complete their work.
- Excessive absences will result in a meeting with the student, the parents, and the teacher.
2. AGENDA AND HOMEWORK
- Students will write each homework assignment in their agenda each day. It is their responsibility to record homework, take home their agenda and homework materials, complete all homework, and bring the agenda and completed homework to school the next day.
- When homework has been completed, parents should check your agenda and homework to assure it is complete.
- Bateman will only supply one agenda per student. In the event that the agenda is lost , you must supply a replacement.
- Homework is part of your child's grade and is an important way to practice skills from school at home.
- Failure to submit a homework assignment earns a 0%= F.
- Students may turn in late or missing homework one day late. After the extra day, homework will not be accepted.
- We will have a homework folder to assist with organization to and from school.
3. BATHROOM
- Each classroom at Bateman is assigned to one scheduled bathroom break per day. Students should use this time wisely, as they have seven minutes to use the bathroom and be back in the classroom.
- In the case of an emergency, students should ask the teacher to use the bathroom at an alternative time throughout the day. Students must sign out on the bathroom sheet, take a pass, and go with a partner.
- A student must have a doctor’s note to be permitted to go to the bathroom more than two times in a day.
4. BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
- Bateman collects Box Tops for Education! Box Top coupons are on the packaging of hundreds of participating products that you probably use every day.
- All you need to do is cut them off of the box they are on, stick them in a baggie, and bring them to school. Each box top is worth 10 cents for our school.
- Our class could earn prizes so be sure to save them!
5. BREAKFAST
- Free breakfast will be offered each morning from 8:15-8:30 to eat in our classroom.
- Breakfast is optional but is available to all students. If students do not eat breakfast at school, please be sure they eat it at home.
- The Bateman Wellness Policy does not allow students to bring breakfast from home to school. Any breakfast food from outside Bateman’s breakfast program will be sent back home if unopened and thrown away if opened.
- Please be sure your child arrives on time in order to eat breakfast. Students who are tardy will not receive extra time after 8:30 for breakfast.
6. CELL PHONES AND TECHNOLOGY
- Students will review and sign the Cell Phone Policy included in the front of their agenda. This will be strictly enforced school-wide with no exceptions aside from PBIS celebrations.
- Parents will be notified when these celebrations are taking place and must sign a permission slip for students to participate.
7. CLASSROOM LIBRARY
- The classroom library is in place for the student and to help them establish a lifelong love of reading.
- Instructional time will be given for them to use the Room 208 library and this, along with the library check-out system, will be discussed further the second week of school.
- A lot of money has been put into this classroom library. Students are expected to respect books and take both good care and responsibility for the books that they have checked out throughout the year.
- Books that are recorded for check out and fail to be returned or are damaged beyond repair will result in the student paying for the original price of the books.
8. DRESS CODE
- Please read and review the Bateman School Dress Code described in the front of your child's agenda.
- Students will be required to change out of or remove any items violating the Dress Code. Please be sure to keep this in mind when getting ready for school each morning.
- NO hoods are allowed on sweaters or sweatshirts that students wear around the building.
- Please note that classrooms have air conditioning now so your child might get cold. It is a good idea to keep a sweater without a hood or long sleeve shirt in your child's backpack that they can wear.
- Consistent dress code violations will result in a meeting with you, your parents, Ms. Vazquez, and Mr. Martinez.
9. GRADING
- The Bateman grading scale that will be enforced in our classroom is as follows:
- 100-90= A
- 89-80= B
- 79-70= C
- 69-60= D
- 50 and below= F
11. LUNCH AND RECESS
- Each day student will have a lunch recess from 11:50-12:15.
- All students are required to attend recess so it is your responsibility to dress appropriately for the weather.
- Our lunch will take place from 12:15-12:35 following recess at 11:50. Students are expected to eat a school lunch unless you brought a healthy lunch from home.
- Lunches from home must follow the Bateman Wellness Policy. Any lunch food violating this policy will be sent back home if unopened and thrown away if opened.
- All recess and lunch problems should be reported to the adult on duty. The student may only contact the teacher regarding problems at recess and lunch if they have told each adult on duty and they feel as though their problem is not solved. It is hard for the teacher to fix these problems since she is not there so please use those adults as resources.
12. MEETING WITH MS. VAZQUEZ
- I am more than happy to meet with students and parents before and after school to help with confusing concepts, address needs, and discuss your progress. However, this must be done with an appointment.
- Parents may arrange an appointment by sending me an email ([email protected]), writing a note in your child’s agenda, or sending a note on a separate sheet of paper to school. Please provide 24 hours’ notice and two times that will work for you. I will respond to confirm which of these times works best for me.
- Important things to note regarding meetings with parents and students before or after school:
- **I will not meet with parents between the hours of 8:15 and 3:25. During these times, I am responsible for the well-being of each student in the class and I cannot give full attention to the students when I am discussing a child’s progress with parents.
13. PBIS and BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
- PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support) is a school-wide behavior program that focuses on positive behaviors rather than what students are doing wrong.
- It is built around the Blaze Ways of being safe, responsible and respectful.
- Students are rewarded for following these expectations in the classroom, specials, hallways, bathrooms, lockers, auditorium, cafeteria, playground, and at arrival and dismissal.
- Our class will be working towards a monthly incentive each month by collecting a certain number of “Bateman Bucks”. Details about these celebrations will be shared once the celebration has been earned.
14. PROBLEM SOLVING, REPORTING, TATTLING
- In fourth grade, we encourage students to attempt to solve their own problems before seeking help from an adult. This encourages students to be responsible and respectful when addressing classmates and develops their problem solving skills that will prepare them for adulthood...
REPORTING |
Vs. |
TATTLING |
Their purpose for telling the teacher is to keep people safe. |
Vs. |
Their purpose for telling the teacher is to get someone in trouble. |
They have tried to solve a problem on your own and cannot. They need adult help. |
Vs. |
They can handle the problem by themselves. |
Something or someone is harmful, dangerous, or threatening. |
Vs. |
Something or someone is annoying or getting on their nerves. |
That person’s behavior is on purpose. |
Vs. |
That person’s behavior is on accident. |
- If telling an adult would be tattling, students are expected to try the following:
- Try ignoring the offender.
- Ask the person to stop their behavior.
- Move away from what is bothering them.
- These will be called trying “three before me”. Students must try each of these strategies before bringing the problem to a teacher.
- If telling an adult would be reporting, students should tell a teacher quickly and respectfully. I will be sure the issue has been addressed and resolved.
15. SCHOOL SUPPLIES:
- Please be sure your child has every item on the attached school supply list. This list is specific to our class so please follow it. Please contact me with any questions about these supplies.
- The P.T.A. (Parent-Teacher Association) is a group that plans several activities for students each year. Join the P.T.A. for just $10 and do your part to support the students of Bateman School!
- Each day we will have a special class from 10:25-11:25.
- Students are responsible for coming prepared for each of these classes each day.
- Monday and Friday – Health
- Tuesday – Music
- Wednesday – P. E.
- Thursday – Art with Ms. Chrisman
17. WEBSITE:
- The Bateman School website can be found at http://www.batemanschool.org/
- Through the Bateman website, our classroom website can be easily accessed. Click on the “About Us” tab on the top and click on “Staff and Faculty Directory”. Our website is found by clicking on “Ms. Maritza Vazquez” .
- Parents and students can feel free to email me through our classroom website or can email me directly to my CPS email: [email protected].
18. WELLNESS POLICY
- Bateman has adopted a Health and Wellness Policy that will be enforced school-wide. I am incredibly strict with this policy and will provide no leniency.
- The front of your child's agenda lists the “Bateman School Approved Snack List”. This list applies to any food brought into Bateman by students.
- As a result, if their lunch or any food for classroom celebrations is in violation of this policy, it will be returned home if unopened and will not expire by the end of the day. Food that will expire by the end of the day or has already been opened will be thrown away.
BIRTHDAYS
- You may choose to bring in a special healthy snack for child's birthday.
- You may also choose to bring in stickers, coloring pages, special pencils, etc. to share with the class in lieu of treats.
- If their birthday falls over the summer, we will celebrate towards the end of the school year.
- Students will receive a birthday certificate on the day of their birthday.