I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child
to Mt. Baker. My name is Dena Walker and I will be your
child’s Language Arts teacher this year. Also working with
your child this year will be Waylon Tulip. Mr. Tulip will be
substituting for me on most Wednesdays and Thursdays, as I recently
had a baby. The
purpose of this letter is to inform you of some of the academic,
behavioral, and incentive programs that will be incorporated
throughout the year. It is our school’s belief that each of
the approaches described below, will help make your child's
experience at Mt. Baker a
success.
ACADEMICS
Language Arts is a class designed to teach reading and writing
skills. This year your 6th grader will learn and apply
new skills using the Harcourt Reading program and the Step Up to
Writing program. Students will be expected to complete and turn in
assignments as assigned. If your child is absent he/she will have
one day for each day absent to make up the work that was missed. It
is the student’s responsibility to get the make-up work once
he/she returns to school. You will be able to check your
student’s grades online through our
Family Access website. Just follow the “Families” link
from the Auburn School District website (http://www.auburn.wednet.edu) and select “Family
and Student Access”. You should have received login
information in the mail. If not, you can contact our attendance
office at 253-804-4557 for the information.
BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS
It
is the policy of Mt. Baker to continually ensure a positive
learning climate. We will be clearly communicating our building
rules to all the students. The rules will be reviewed with every
student. They will also be displayed in every room throughout the
year, and they are detailed in the student
planner.
If
students decide to disobey the rules one or all of the following
steps may occur:
1.
Warning.
2.
Time out – referred to as, “processing,” where
the student is sent to another classroom to reflect upon the
negative behavior by writing ways to improve and make
amends.
3.
Lunch Detention
4.
Parent contact and after school detention.
5.
Office referral and/or team/parent conference.
Severe clause:
Immediate referral to office and suspension for fighting,
defiance,swearing, weapons, drugs, and property
damage.
STUDENT PLANNER
Your child will be given a student planner that has
very detailed information about Mt. Baker’s rules and
policies. It also contains calendars where important information
and homework assignments will be written. There is also a
discipline page where you can see if your child has been processed
or served a lunch detention. Please, look through your
child’s planner often for up to date
information.
INCENTIVES
Our
building is incorporating a number of incentive programs so as to
recognize students who have made strides both academically and
behaviorally.
Among the ways this recognition will be provided is during our
student recognition assemblies, incentive days, leadership awards
and Way To Go lunches.
TEXTBOOKS
Your child will be issued one or more textbooks for
various subjects. Textbooks are costly and range in price from
$30.00 to $60.00 each. It is very important for your child to treat
the textbooks with care. The replacement cost for lost or damaged
textbooks is required if the book(s) are not returned in good
condition. I will not be issuing textbooks in my Language Arts
classes unless it is for make-up work.
HOMEWORK
For
homework in my Language Arts class, your child should read for at
least 15 minutes per day, and study the spelling words that have
been assigned until they are mastered. Occasionally, there will be
additional homework assigned in Language Arts and it will be
written in the student planner.
Again, welcome to Mt. Baker and if you have any questions
regarding this information or any other aspect of Mt. Baker, you
can email me at the address below or call me at
253-804-4555.
DWalker@auburn.wednet.edu
