R espect O rganized A ccountable R eliable

1.Show respect to everyone. 1.Keep hands, feet, objects, and comments to yourself. 2.Follow directions the first time. 3.Allow teaching and learning to take place at all times. 4.Maintain NIS as a safe and clean school.

 Planners will be used to communicate to parents about any school information.  Wednesday folders will be sent home with student work each week.  Progress reports will go home every 3 weeks.  Students will be receiving individual conduct grades for each content area on district progress reports.  Conduct scale for each week: 0-1 E 2 S 3 N 4 U

6 th PROMOTION GUIDELINES  Students must have an overall average of 70% or better in ELA (English/Language Arts) and Math for the year.  Students must have an overall core class average of 70% or better for the year. (Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies)  Unlike the 5 th grade SSI year where you must pass the STAAR tests to be promoted, 6 th grade promotion is based on the grade averages mentioned above.

 Letters were sent home over the summer with log in information.  Please give us a week to grade papers and post the grades.

 The district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards.  Please note: Boys’ hair - when combed, hair length should not extend below the bottom of a dress collar or the top of a t-shirt. Hair color should be a natural color. Girls’ walking shorts or skirts shall be mid-thigh or longer in length.  Parents will be contacted if a student’s dress or grooming is not in accordance with district policy.

Dress and Grooming Highlights (K-6 Handbook pg. 20)  The district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards.  Hair should be clean and neatly groomed and colored only in a natural hair color.  Clothing that does not adequately cover the body or that has tears or rips that are higher than mid-thigh, such as: i. Low cut, see-through, spaghetti straps or backless dresses, or other revealing tops. Midriffs are to be covered. ii. Sleeveless shirts for boys. iii. Baggy/oversized pants or pants that hang on the hipbone, or unhemmed shorts. iv. Shorts, skirts, or split skirts shorter than mid-thigh in length. Skirts should be slit no higher than mid-thigh.  Parents will be contacted if a student’s dress or grooming is not in accordance with district policy.

Bring Your Own Device Policy  Intermediate Campuses Guidelines: Students may bring their electronic device to the classroom to be used for academic purposes.  All electronic devices must be used at school in accordance with the TISD Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy. This can be found at  All students will follow the school wide procedure for In- Class Usage. Each teacher will indicate through a signal process the expectation of the use of electronic devices that day in class. (green and red indicators)

Bring Your Own Device Policy (Continued) Unless the classroom teacher authorizes use for instructional purposes, students’ electronic devices shall remain silenced and in a backpack, locker, or other secure area(including the classroom). Electronic Devices shall not be used between class periods. Electronic Devices may be used before and after school and during lunch, as long as students follow TISD acceptable use guidelines.  Electronic Devices during lunch time: A student may bring their electronic device to lunch with them but that student MUST remain in the cafeteria for the entire lunch period. No electronic devices can be taken outside. Students not taking their electronic device to lunch must put their device in their locker during lunch time *Violations of the user agreement may result in withdrawal of privileges and other disciplinary action including a fee to have it returned.

A student will receive an unexcused tardy if he/she enters the school after the bell rings (8:00) or leaves early from school before the bell rings (3:00) A doctor or dentist appointment with documentation from the doctor is not considered a tardy.

 Students are allowed 2 tardies per nine weeks.  For tardy #3 and #4, the student will be given lunch detention per tardy.  For tardy #5 and #6, the student will be given an after school detention.  For tardy #7, a 3 hour Saturday detention will be assigned.  For any additional tardies, a 5 hour Saturday detention will be assigned.

 We will write, write, write!!!  We will keep a Writer’s Notebook.  We will journal, write letters, recipes, newspaper articles, fictional stories and many, many poems.  We will learn to write with correct grammar and spelling, but just as importantly we will express organized ideas and learn to write with VOICE.

 We will READ, READ, READ!!!  We will read independently, as a class, and in literature circles.  Yes, your child has reading homework Monday- Friday.  We will make connections between literature and our lives and share our thoughts and ideas.  We will make inferences and think critically.  We will learn 700 new words (statistically).

Spelling and Vocabulary  We do not have “spelling lists” and weekly spelling tests in 6 th grade. Spelling is graded in context.  We are using the Knowsys Vocabulary program. The students will continue this program in junior high and high school.

 We will have about 1 per nine weeks  I will give the students 2-3 weeks to finish their books.  Books for Book Reports will need to be near your child’s reading level.  I follow TISD Grading Guidelines regarding late work VERY strictly to insure fairness.  A comprehension test on the book (usually AR) is always 30% of the Book Report grade.

Your child has a copy of the grade chart in their WNB. Your child earns a reading grade based on their total points each nine weeks. It is a school-wide, required assignment to read 30 minutes each night for homework.

AR is on-line: Parents can set it up to get an every time their child takes an AR test. Parents can check student record from home. Students can only take tests at school. We won't ever have to order tests again. We will have access to everything the company offers. Testing will still be done AT SCHOOL.

AR Cut-off Dates  1 st nine weeks: October 13, 2015  2 nd nine weeks: December 15, 2015  3 rd nine weeks: March 8, 2016  4 th nine weeks: May 11, 2016