1. Where Global Learning and Academic Excellence Have a Home
KOLTER ELEMENTARY
Where Global Learning and Academic Excellence Have a Home

2. Teacher Emails Nisrine Droubi, Science: ndroubi@houstonisd.org
Paige Schuenemeyer, ELA & Social Studies:
Jeff Silk, Math:
Gabrielle Weiman, ELA & Social Studies:

3. Class Schedule Tardy Bell : 7:45 a.m. Magnet 8:00 – 8:45 a.m.
Attendance: 9:40 a.m.
Lunch:
11:10-11:40 a.m.
Recess:
11:45 a.m.- 12:15 pm
Dismissal
4:00 p.m. until Winter Break
3:05 p.m. January-May
Snacks: 1:45-2:00
Math & Science
ELA & Social Studies
Students will go to Mr. Silk each day for Math, for 75 minutes.
Students will go to either Ms. Weiman or Ms. Schuenemeyer each day for ELA & Social Studies for 155 minutes.
Students will go to Ms. Droubi each day for Science, for 75 minutes. 3

4. STUDENT SAFETY & CONDUCT
Keep student info (all contact numbers) up to date.
Know the HISD Code of Conduct.
Check your child’s blue conduct folder regularly.
Consequences can be assigned by teacher or office for discipline infractions (repeated or serious).
Home-school communication is the key! Check your for the weekly scoop.
Kolter 4 Values: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, and Be committed to learning.
Voice levels: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
Cougar Cash
Classroom Dollars/ Bonus Cash

5. G R A D I N
TESTS will be reassessed if the score is below 70%. Final grade for reassessed work is the AVERAGE of both grades.
Grade Percentages:
Classwork: 10%
Formative: 40%
Summative: 50%
Only Formative & Summative assignments can be retaken.
Redo time/missing work will be during Enrichment Lab each day from 3:05-4:00 p.m.
Missing assignments marked as “MSG” in Gradespeed.
Graded work sent home in Tuesday folder. Review it with your child!
Use PSConnect to review grades WITH your child. Focus on successes and lessons learned.

6. MAKING CONFERENCES WORK
Meet with the teacher first for classroom concerns
Address questions and issues quickly
Request the conference via or a note to the homeroom teacher.
Conferences times: by appointment only Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:20-8:40 a.m. (planning time). Tuesday is PLC day.
is great for simple topics or to send info
Use the time to establish relationships, share information, examine student work, review test scores, and set goals.
Make it about more than just the grade!

7. HISD’s Parent Student Connect (PSC)
The PSConnect Web site offers access to grades and attendance as teachers enter data in their online grade books.
To register you will need to have the following information:
Student ID (HISD)
Student date of birth
Last 5 digits of student’s Social Security number if on file with HISD. If not on file, use the last 5 digits of the “S-Number” provided to your child by HISD. Please call the school if you do not know this number. 7

8. Homework* Policy *All homework will be done in school until January.
Assignments are extensions of classroom instruction.
From now until December, all “homework” will be done at school, during Enrichment Lab.
From January through May:
Math Homework will be assigned Mondays, Tuesdays, & Thursdays.
Science Homework is assigned weekly and is due on Friday. Please go over the vocabulary words with your student at home.
ELA & Social Studies homework is to read 30 minutes each day. Other homework will be assigned sparingly.
Homework will NOT be graded.
Please contact your child’s teacher through or written note if you have a question about your child’s assignments. 8

9. Unhealthy Snack Choices
Snacks and Birthdays
Healthy Snack Choices
ALLOWED
Unhealthy Snack Choices
NOT ALLOWED
Bottled water
Cookies
Fruit (small serving)
Cupcakes/Cake
Yogurt
Donuts
Crackers/Cheese
Brownies
Granola/Yogurt Bars
Candy/Chocolate
Graham Crackers
Chips
Veggies
Fruit Punch, Soda
HISD Food Service guidelines require students to eat only healthy, nutritious foods at school
Snack time is a short, working break
We will have snack at 1:45 p.m. and will take no longer than 15 minutes
The only allowable drink is water, no exceptions.
If your student wants to celebrate their birthday at school, they are allowed to bring a healthy snack for each member of their homeroom
These items must be store bought, and should not include anything that might have peanuts in it

10. Math Curriculum Place Value, comparing, and rounding decimals
Decimals addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
Equations
Simplifying expressions using the order of operations
Fractions addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
Estimation using rounding, benchmarks, front end estimation
Graphs: bar graph, line graph, stem and leaf plot
Geometry: polygons, angles
Financial Literacy (classroom economy)
Texas Go Math
IXL, Think Through Math
The Vault

11. ABSTRACT
PICTORIAL
CONCRETE

12. SAMPLE QUESTION

14. English Language Arts Language Arts: Wordly Wise
Reading:
Short Story Unit
Class Novels:
Realistic Fiction
Historical Fiction
Poetry
Non-Fiction
Drama
Literature Circles
Genre Specific
Student Choice Involved
Reading Level
Istation
Class Discussions
Crossovers with Social Studies
TIME for Kids
Reading Logs
Language Arts:
Wordly Wise
Words Their Way Spelling Program
Write Source, Grammar
Writing & Writer’s Notebook:
QuickWrites
Journals
Creative Writing
Short Story
Writing Workshop: Revising, Peer Editing
Social Studies Nonfiction Writing

15. What does Social Studies Instruction Look Like?
Binder
Notes
Handouts
Journals
Quickwrites
Maps
Nonfiction Reading
Primary Sources
Applying Social Studies skills
Class Discussion
Class Novel
Quizzes
Short Answer
Group Projects & Passport Global Connections
Lesson every 9 weeks

16. Our Tentative Schedule for Social Studies
September/October—The Thirteen Colonies
November—The American Revolution
December—The American Constitution
January—Manifest Destiny
February—The American Civil War
March—The Early 20th Century
Immigration
World War I
April-May—The Mid-Late 20th Century
World War II

17. What can You do for ELA & Social Studies Support?
Ask them what is something interesting they’ve learned recently, and what they thought about it
Encourage use of maps and directions
Teach them about their own culture and personal history
Discuss age-appropriate news and current events
Classwork Homework
Daily Grades (60%) vs. Major Grades (40%)
Missing Work  “M” on GradeSpeed
Teacher Website: Wikispace
Encourage strong 5th grade vocabulary
See Wordly Wise lists
Words they read in books (“What’s an interesting word you’ve read? What do you think it means?”)
Press for complete sentences and explanations of thoughts, feelings, and opinions
Read what they’re reading to then discuss with them, as you have time
Reading (at least 30 minutes happening at home) & Reading Log

18. Science Curriculum Safety, Measurement, and Tools Experimental Design
Matter
Force and Motion
Natural Resources
Structure of the Earth
Constructive and Destructive Forces
The Solar System
Growth and Needs of Living Organisms
Food Chains
Inherited Traits
Adaptations and Habitats

19. Special Events STAAR Math - April 10th STAAR Reading – April 11th
STAAR Science – May 16th
High Frequency Word Evaluation 19

20. Thank you in advance for your patience, your trust, your time, and your support!20