WELCOME TO BUILDING III

Meet the Teachers!

General Information

The intermediate division at Julie Rohr Academy includes fourth and fifth grades. These grades serve as a transition from the self-contained basic skills classrooms for the primary and elementary grades to the completely departmentalized classrooms of the middle school grades. Two classrooms serve as the home base for these students. The students begin and end their day in rooms five and six. While most subjects take place in these rooms, students travel to the computer lab, the science room, and the art room. Students have tubs that hold their books in these rooms. They also have lockers outside room five to store their backpacks between classes. A message center, homework boards, and a classroom calendar are in this space so that parents and students have one location to check for information.

The language arts and homeroom teacher is responsible for activities, and coordination and continuity of the intermediate program. The fourth and fifth grade science and fifth grade math teacher helps with the coordination of the program. Both teachers are present in the room during the morning homeroom where they are able to meet and greet both students and parents. They feel this daily informal interaction with the students and parents if very important and beneficial. Any concerns can be addressed and handled immediately in a relaxed setting.

It is strongly felt that it is important to keep in close contact with all parents, so a program called "Mini-Conference Mornings" has been initiated. Parents are invited to attend a mini open house one morning per month between 7:30 and 8:30 AM. Student work is displayed along with class projects and breakfast (mini-bagels, mini-muffins, mini-croissants, mini-donuts, etc.) is served. This is a convenient time (before work or while dropping off students) for parents to visit the classroom, chat with the teachers, and see what is happening in the classrooms. Some of the Mini-Conference Mornings are theme-oriented. For example, the October "Mini-Conference Morning" was an Earth Patrol/Rain Forest theme, which was the title of the fourth graders' thematic unit. The students constructed a rain forest in the classroom, served rain forest foods, and displayed recycling projects. The December "mini-Conference Morning" was a display of gingerbread villages and holiday projects. These conferences have almost 100% parent attendance. The students are very proud of their work and enjoy the one-on-one attention from their parents. Teachers are able to meet parents who do not usually drop off children in the morning. Students and parents are eager to continue these monthly open houses.

Fourth and fifth grade curricula revolve around thematic units which change each quarter and are different for each grade level. Basic skills and enrichment classes incorporate skills from individual areas into the quarterly theme. For example, during the Earth Patrol theme, students read The Great Kapok Tree during language arts class, searched for information on the rain forest during library/computer class, constructed rain forest terrariums in science, learned about the location of rain forests in social studies, and made paper mache rain forest animals in art class. All classes use a multi-sensory approach. Thematic units with integration in all areas hold the interest of the students and make learning more meaningful.

In the same way that learning is integrated in all areas, the intermediate teachers also try to look at the whole child. The homeroom teachers receive feedback from all teachers. The homeroom teachers meet each morning before 7:30 AM to discuss any problems or areas of concern which may be academic, social, emotional, or behavioral. A plan is initiated and closely monitored.

Individual conferences with each student's parents are scheduled during the beginning of the first quarter. Individual strengths and goals for the coming year are discussed. An Open House is also held during the first quarter. Other conferences are held and phone calls to parents are made as needed.

Since the intermediate years act as a preparation for middle school, quite a bit of time is spent with the students on developing responsibility and good study habits in preparation for the grading of employability skills at the middle school level. These skills are necessary for the students to be successful now and in the future. Students are encouraged and helped to achieve set goals, always do their best, and realize and reach their potential. Assignments are written in an assignment book during each class and parents are asked to monitor homework from this assignment book. Homework, projects, tests, and special activities are also posted in the homeroom. Each Monday "Cool Fridge Facts" with information on tests, important events, due dates of projects and book reports, and what their children are currently reading and learning in language arts class is sent home for parents to post to keep them updated.

Students are taught responsibility through an assigned classroom job. The intermediate classes are seen as a family where each member is important to the unit and all members are responsible for the safety of their classmates, the cleanliness of their classrooms, and maintaining a positive learning environment.

A values curriculum has been initiated with a different value being emphasized each month. Students are also being taught the responsibility of becoming a good citizen by providing service to the community. During the Earth Patrol unit, a beach clean-up project was conducted. The students also perform musical shows to local nursing homes and retirement centers throughout the year.

Students are expected to spend 45 minutes to one hour on homework nightly. Language arts homework is assigned Monday through Thursday, incorporating skills that all students need to work on, and is given a nightly name so students will find it easier to remember their assignments. Monday's Mystery is a reading comprehension activity where students must read and comprehend a mystery story to solve the mystery. Tuesday's Teasing Your Brain activities are brain teasers and critical thinking puzzles and games. Wednesday's Words are vocabulary and/or spelling practice assignments, Thursday Thoughts are essay writing. Homework assignments are fun and interesting, especially Monday's Mystery and Tuesday's brain teasers, so students look forward to completing them. Language Arts book reports, projects, speeches, and writing assignments are listed in the syllabus as well as due date for projects and book reports. Students are also encouraged to read for 15 minutes each night.

Math homework is also given nightly. Science, social studies, and other classes coordinate homework assignments so that students should not have to spend more than one hour on homework nightly.

A behavior modification system is in place in each class. Students are familiar with each teacher's discipline policy, and individual class rules are basically consistent with other classes. All students are required to be respectful to teachers and classmates so that maximum learning can take place. We feel all students have a right to learn in a safe environment where other student's behavior does not interfere with or limit their learning. We also feel all students have a right to ask questions, be happy, be treated fairly, and feel secure while at school.

Discipline problems may be referred to the administration through a referral. Referrals may result in a discussion with the student, parent conference, detention, suspension, or other appropriate punishment.

Students receive praise, rewards, and positive reinforcement daily, and an emphasis is placed on intrinsic rewards. An end-of-the-year awards ceremony is held where all students are recognized and receive a number of awards. All students are also given a "Pat on the Back" during the year for their individual area of strength. This "Pat on the Back" ceremony is held once a month during a school-wide assembly and parents are invited.

Students are evaluated by observations, written tests and quizzes, class work, homework, projects, and other informal assessments. Standardized tests are also administered at the end of the year. Report cards are give quarterly. Interim progress reports are given to all students during the first quarter and then as necessary during the second through fourth quarters. Parents are notified if a child's grade is below "C" at any point during the quarter.

Remediation and enrichment is provided within the classroom. No scheduled learning support is provided during enrichment classes. However, students may be taken out of enrichment classes by basic skill teachers if remediation or re-teaching is needed.

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For your convenience, you will find the weekly homework assignment sheet in the Communication Center along with a menu, calendar of events, important messages, notices and letters. Please check this board when you drop off or pick up your child.
 
I will send homework sheets home on Mondays. If your child is absent, they are responsible for making up any missed assignments or tests.  wwwteacherweb.com/FL/JulieRohrAcademy/KathleenHughes
is my website address.

Please sign your child out daily.

August, 2007     

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you.

My name is Pam Kelley and I will be teaching fifth through eighth

grade math.  I am excited about the year ahead and look forward to

working with your child.  Julie Rohr Academy is unique in that it 

provides a safe, nurturing family atmosphere and offers the arts, 

academics and extra curricular activities for the students.

        On a personal note, I graduated from Western Illinois 

University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education.

I have taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math in Illinois. 

I also managed a tax office for several years.  In 1994, our family

moved to Florida from Illinois. This is my fifth year at Julie Rohr 

Academy.  I am the proud mother of five very active children.  

My four youngest children attend Julie Rohr Academy. Chris is in 

first grade, Theresa is in fifth grade, Kyle is in seventh grade, 

and Ryan is in eighth grade. Shane is a junior at Venice High School         .

        I know this will be a great year and I am looking forward to

working with you and your child.  If there is any way I can assist

your child, please do not hesitate to call me.