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Sierra Verde STEAM Academy
Home of the Vipers!

General

General Information for 5th Grade
 
 
Contacting Teachers 
  • Due to the fact that our phones are set to go directly to voicemail during the day, sending an email is generally the quickest way to reach any of us.
  • If you have a general 5th grade question or concern, please contact your child's homeroom/1st rotation teacher.
    • Ex: questions about a field trip, clarification about a calendar event, absent work requests, etc.
  • If you have a specific question or concern about one of your child's classes, please contact the teacher directly.
    • Math questions or concerns --> Mrs. Copenhaver (jolynn.copenhaver@dvusd.org)
    • Reading & Writing done in Reading questions or concerns --> Mrs. Orr (jen.orr@dvusd.org)
    • Social Studies & Writing done in SS questions or concerns --> Mrs. Liguori (deborah.liguori@dvusd.org)
    • Science questions or concerns --> Mrs. Anderson (tamara.anderson@dvusd.org)
  • We will make every effort to respond to your email within one school day.
  • You are also welcome to call and leave a voicemail (our classroom phones will not ring during the day).  Again, we will return your call as soon as possible.
 
 
Absences
  • Much of what we do in class is very difficult or impossible to make up at home, so regular attendance is encouraged whenever possible.  Obviously, illnesses and family emergencies come up, so when they do, we will work together to get students caught up as quickly as possible.
  • For unplanned absences (illness, family emergency, etc.), students will be given a reasonable amount of time to complete the work that was missed.  Certain tasks and assignments have a higher priority and will need to be made up as soon as possible to ensure that students don't fall behind as the daily lessons continue.
  • For planned absences where work is requested ahead of time, students are expected to submit all work on the day they return.  Often, it takes extensive time to prepare, gather, and copy for future lessons, so when work is requested ahead of time, it is expected to be completed.  If your planned absence will not permit time to complete schoolwork, it is probably best to request the missed work when the student returns.
  • Assessments and science investigations/experiments will need to be made up either before school, after school, or during lunch, depending on how much time is needed.  Students should make arrangements with the teacher(s) to schedule these as needed.
  • Whenever possible, have your child check Canvas and follow along online with the daily lesson and activities/assignments.  Assessments typically need to be completed at school, so have them send Canvas Inbox messages to teachers to ask about work that is unclear.
 
Birthdays
  • Due to the fact that we rotate classes and have a very tight schedule, in addition to the rules associated with healthy snack guidelines, we are unable to celebrate birthdays in class with treats.  We are happy to sing and pass along birthday wishes, but we ask that birthday treats be saved for off-campus parties and celebrations.
  • If students are planning an off-campus birthday celebration, we ask that you consider sending invitations by email or having your child pass them out after school to avoid others feeling left out if not invited.
 
Student-Led Conferences
  • In October and again in February, the 5th grade teachers will prepare students for at-home Student-Led Conferences.  Students will be creating a paper and/or online presentation that will showcase their strengths, areas of improvement, goals, scores, and so much more!  This is a great way to find out how your child is doing!  
  • For students who are struggling behaviorally and/or academically, we will invite you in for a one-on-one conference or a team conference to discuss your child's progress and make a plan for the future.
  • At any time, you are welcome to request a conference or meeting.  Just send an email or give us a call, and we'll set up a time that works best for all.
 
Parent Involvement  
  • We appreciate our parent volunteers!  Throughout the year, we appreciate your involvement, especially when it comes to field trips, class parties, and helping with learning and service projects in class.
  • If you would like to help in any way, please make sure that you have taken the DVUSD Parents as Partners volunteer training, which is a one-time requirement for any classroom volunteer.  You can get more information by visiting the district's volunteer website:  /Domain/3489.
 

 

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