Welcome to Sixth Grade!

A Parent’s Survival Guide

HAINE MIDDLE SCHOOL

Ms. Exler - Room 304 Mrs. Rogozinski - Room 305

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Welcome to sixth grade! We are looking forward to a wonderful year with your children. This handbook has been

compiled to help increase your understanding of what will be expected of your child and what we will be doing

this year. We hope that you find the information helpful.

Table of Contents

District and Team Policies .......................................................................... 2

Expectations ............................................................................................... 4

ClassDojo ................................................................................................... 5

Student Use of Technology ........................................................................ 6

SV Portal – Online Grade Book ................................................................. 6

Access to Online Textbooks ....................................................................... 6

Seneca Valley School District Website ...................................................... 7

Where to Find Homework Assignments on Our Websites ........................ 8

Other Items on the Team Website .............................................................. 9

Office 365 ................................................................................................... 10

Curriculum .................................................................................................. 12

Communication .......................................................................................... 15

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District and Team Policies

Haine Middle School Handbook – If you have any questions about school-wide policies, your best start is the

student handbook, which is in the front of the student assignment book and also available online. Visit the Haine

Middle School webpage and see Site Shortcuts to access the online version.

Absences – If your child is sick, our main concern is that your child gets well. If, however, you would like your

child’s homework sent home, we will make every effort to gather his/her work and send it home with a homework

buddy or to the office for you to pick up. As per the student handbook, “Students will be afforded the same

number of days to make up assignments as the duration of their absence…”.

Homework Policy – Homework is expected to be turned in at the beginning of class on the day that it is due.

Your child will not be permitted to return to his/her homeroom or locker if work is not brought to class. Such

work will be considered late.

If a next-day homework assignment is not completed on time, it will be accepted one day late for half credit. Any

next-day assignment more than a day late will receive no credit; however, it may still be turned it in for feedback.

If a long-term assignment is not completed on time, it will be accepted late with a deduction of 10% per day. Any

long-term assignment more than a week overdue will receive no credit; however, it may still be turned it in for

feedback.

Extra Credit Policy – Grades are earned, never given. To earn grades, your child must put forth effort. Earning

grades takes hard work and perseverance. Homework, in-class assignments, projects, quizzes, and tests will all

factor into the final grade. Because your child’s grades should reflect his/her progress throughout the nine weeks,

no extra credit will be available.

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Our Responsibilities – We truly feel that the education of children is a group effort. It takes teacher, student, and

parent cooperation for a child to reach his or her full potential. Therefore, we have expectations for all

stakeholders.

Our Responsibilities

Students

I will:

-be respectful of everyone.

-complete all work to the best of

my ability.

-fill out my assignment book daily.

-communicate with my teachers

about grades and assignments.

-use my time effectively to balance

school and extracurricular

activities.

-get an appropriate amount of

sleep each night.

Teachers

I will:

-be respectful of everyone.

-provide a safe and nurturing

environment.

-provide feedback to help students

improve.

-grade all material in a timely

manner.

-provide enrichment, intervention,

and remediation as needed.

-provide ongoing communication

to parents about their child’s

academic, behavioral, and social

growth.

Parents

I will:

-be respectful of everyone.

-keep my contact information in

SV Portal current.

-regularly check my child’s grades

in SV Portal.

-check my child’s assignment

book or team website and monitor

homework completion as needed.

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Expectations

Haine Middle School has a school-wide discipline policy that we will follow with our students. Below is an

overview of student expectations.

Classroom Hallway Cafeteria Bus Recess

Be prepared to learn

with appropriate

materials.

Listen carefully to

teachers’ directions.

Respond respectfully

to teachers, staff, and

other students.

Complete tasks

within the assigned

deadlines.

Use materials

appropriately.

Speak at a quiet

volume.

Walk on the right

side of the hall and

stairs.

Help maintain

cleanliness of the

hallways.

Allow for others

walking by to pass

safely.

Allow others

privacy when using

restroom areas.

Walk directly to and

from your

destination.

Use your manners

when speaking:

please, thank you.

Speak at a quiet

volume so that only

those sitting at your

table can hear your

conversation.

Be polite to adults

and students.

Clean your dining

area.

Provide a helping

hand: clean up a

spill, pick up

wrappers, etc.

Speak in a quiet

volume, and keep

device volume

low.

Sit in a safe

manner.

Keep your hands in

your personal

space.

Use your own

personal items

rather than asking

to borrow a

friend’s.

Device usage

(music, videos, and

games) is school

appropriate with

language and

content.

Include others in

activities.

Stay within the

boundaries set by

the teachers.

Use equipment

appropriately.

Collect equipment

before returning

inside.

Listen carefully

and respond

quickly to

teachers’

directions.

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Rewards

Rewards will be earned in two main ways. First, students on our team will receive positive Dojo Points that can

be used to participate in rewards every nine weeks. Second, all middle school students can earn Mindful Moment

cards from any staff member. These cards will be randomly awarded to students who are witnessed doing good

deeds and following expectations. Students turn the cards in to their homeroom teachers, where they are entered

into classroom and school-wide drawings to win prizes.

Consequences

➢ Warning

➢ Negative Dojo points

➢ Completion of HMS Discipline Referral Form

➢ Completion of Think Sheet

➢ Call home to tell parents what happened

➢ Meeting with parents and/or principal

➢ Loss of team rewards

ClassDojo

ClassDojo is an online classroom management system that allows teachers to monitor classroom behavior by

awarding or deducting points. The teacher can give or take away points based on student behaviors. Each student’s

progress will be monitored on his/her personalized avatar, which the students can see

on the screen. Teachers can print graphs and student reports, tracking daily student

behavior. Once parents join the site, they can monitor their child’s progress and will

receive weekly reports. Visit the site at www.classdojo.com.

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Student Use of Technology

If your child will be bringing a device for BYOT, you can visit http://www.svsd.net/Page/8242 to register your

child’s device. All devices must be registered before your child will be permitted to use the device at school.

Students may register more than one device if desired.

Students will not be permitted to keep devices in their lockers. Instead, students will carry devices to all classes

and park them in the designated area in each room. Students will be permitted to use devices only when needed

for academics. Additionally, students are not permitted to share devices. Consequences for misuse of technology

(social media, taking photos, etc.) will be handled according to the HMS and district policies.

SV Portal – Online Grade Book

Your child’s grades are always available online at https://portal.svsd.net/. It is important that you regularly check

your child’s progress; please do not wait until the end of the grading period. For assistance with the SV Portal,

please contact the SV Portal Phone Line at (724) 452-6040, ext. 1675.

Additionally, please make sure your contact information is current in SV Portal, as this is our main source of

parent contact information. If you are in a situation in which parents are divorced or separated, please include

both parents’ contact information so everyone can stay informed about happenings at school.

Access to Online Textbooks

All textbooks are available via SV Portal. After logging into SV Portal using the standard username (last name,

first initial, middle initial) and password (student number), students should click on the class for which they need

the textbook. Specific username and password information is provided for each subject.

*To access the math Homework and Remembering book --- After logging in through SV Portal, click on My

Library. Click on student edition (and current volume). Once the book opens, click on the lesson in the table of

contents. This will take you to the page in the ACTIVITY BOOK. In the blue section at the top, click Lesson

Resources. There you will find the Homework and Remembering pages.

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Seneca Valley School District Website

Seneca Valley School District has an extremely informative web site. It contains valuable information regarding

the district, Haine Middle School, and our classrooms. You can access the site at www.svsd.net. On the home

page, you can find links to the school calendar, breakfast and lunch menus, The Parent Page, and information

about upcoming events. To find information specifically about Haine Middle School, choose the school from the

dropdown menu directly under the Seneca Valley School District heading. To keep up-to-date with what is

occurring on our team and in our individual classrooms, click the Teams link. Course information, calendar of

events, helpful links (online textbooks, SV Portal, etc.), and homework are only some of the items you will find

there. Hopefully, the web site will help keep you informed of everything that is occurring at school.

Additional

Go to HMS Parent Information SV Portal Menus

Still can’t find what you need? Use the I WANT TO…tab to search for other topics.

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Where to Find Homework Assignments on Our Website

After going to the Haine Middle School webpage, go to Teams to access our team page and click on our team.

Once there, click on the Homework Assignments link to view homework for all subjects.

Finally, click on the class

for which you want

to see homework.

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Other Items on the Team Website

Important Links – Links to SV Portal, Class Dojo, textbooks, and other important sites. Contains directions

how to access Office 365, student email, and download Microsoft Office for Home Use.

Meet the Teacher Night – Access electronic copies of tonight’s handouts and PowerPoints.

Classroom News-Haine Happenings – Copies of the monthly newsletter sent via email to all parents.

Information from specific teachers – Visit each teacher’s website to find more detailed information about

specific classes.

Information for Parents – Articles and information for parents about middle school students, internet safety,

6th grade academic standards, and hints to helping your child.

Events Calendar – Calendar listing schoolwide events.

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Office 365

Features

1) Student Email – Students should use their school account to contact teachers with any questions. Often

mail from personal email accounts gets sent to the Junk Folder, and we do not see it right away.

2) Word, PowerPoint, and Excel – If students are working on a document at school and would like to work

on it at home, from their devices, or anywhere else, the best thing is to work on your document via Office

365. Students will have time in class to practice using these tools. Additionally, there is a detailed handout

on the next page.

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Creating Documents on Office 365

1. http://www.svsd.net

2. Select Haine Middle School from the drop-down list of schools.

3. Click on Microsoft Office 365 from the Site Shortcuts on the left side of the page.

4. Log in using your network username (username@svsd.net) and password (6 digit password).

5. OneDrive is Microsoft’s version of the cloud. It is web based which means that when you start a file it

saves automatically for you each time you work. Clicking on the App Screen will take you to your Email

and OneDrive.

6. Click New and click on the type of file you want to create.

7. When it loads that type of file then you can assign a name

for the file.

8. The file will save automatically. When you want to quit just click the X in the upper right corner.

9. If you would like to revise a document/presentation. Click on the file>Select Edit in Word Online.

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Curriculum

ELA

This year we are fortunate to have a rigorous sixth grade middle school text series entitled, Collections. The

Collections series is comprised of six multi-genre text offerings ranging in complexity ensuring the needs of all

learners are addressed through differentiation of content, process, and product. An interactive online support

system is embedded throughout each collection allowing students to reinforce, strengthen, and enrich their reading

skills on an individual basis.

21st Century Learners will embrace the digital tools designed engage the students through active online

exploration enhancing the learning process. Digital tools available to the students include modeled discussions

with audio and visual screencasts making complex text and analysis more accessible. Additionally, students have

the opportunity to cite text evidence online while reading directly through the myNotebook feature, online

glossaries and independently created word lists allow students to develop highly personalized vocabulary. Stream

to Start videos foster and capture interest, while options like the online Xplor eMagazine, Channel One News,

and Text in Focus videos support the anchor text.

Writing and grammar instruction are also embedded within each collection within the series while enabling

students to further develop their writing skills. Students drafts will be reviewed and edited online through the

myWriteSmart tool and all written essays will be screened for originality through turnitin, yet another digital

feature of the Collections series. Academic Integrity including plagiarism as well as other forms of academic

dishonesty and the consequences for such actions are reviewed on pg. 12 of the student handbook and have been

reviewed with all students.

The new ELA text series can be accessed through the portal under Language Arts, Electronic Textbook

Collections 2017.

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The student dashboard will open allowing student's access to all student resources offered through Collections.

Finally, ELA students will also explore historical fiction through an in-depth study of the featured novels below:

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse The story takes place during the Dust Bowl era of the Midwestern United States

in the early-mid 1930s. The novel is written in free-verse poetry and the author utilizes many poetic elements that

we will study. The story is about overcoming obstacles and celebrating what you already have. Tragedy strikes

the main character when she causes an accident that results in her mother’s and unborn brother’s death.

The Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank is perhaps the most renowned Jewish victim of the Holocaust. Her diary

has been translated into more than 60 languages. Through her diary, Anne documents her experiences while

hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands.

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Social Studies

Students will learn about the geography, civics, government, economics, culture, and

history of Asia and the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe. Additionally, they will

be involved in various instructional activities that focus on the integration of map skills,

interpreting data, research skills, communication skills, technology, and process writing

into a comprehensive study of today's society and yesterday's history. From this, they will gain a working

knowledge and understanding of the symbiotic relationships of geography, civics, government, economics,

culture, and history in the world.

Math

The students will continue to expand their knowledge of the number system this year. Specifically, we will

explore decimals, fractions, and percent and discover how these three concepts are related. We will also

investigate ratios, rates, and proportions; algebraic concepts; integers; statistics and probability; and geometric

concepts. Many new mathematical concepts will be introduced through hands-on activities that allow the students

to use manipulatives to build their own understanding. In addition to the provided textbook, student will use a

variety of online sites and programs to help further their understanding of new topics and help them strengthen

their understanding of math concepts.

Science

Students are using the SEPUP module Issues & Earth Science (IAES). It is an engaging, hands-on earth science

course based on the educational approach of scientific inquiry. A combination of experiments, readings, models,

debates, role-plays, and projects will allow students to discover the nature of science, learn science content, and

experience the relevance of science in today’s world. Specific topics include: Studying Soils Scientifically, Rocks

and Minerals, Erosion and Deposition, Plate Tectonics, and Weather and

Atmosphere.

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Health

The sixth-grade health curriculum includes four units:

1) Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco/Steroids

2) Immune System

3) Reproductive System

4) HIV/AIDS

Communication

Communication between parents and teachers is essential in the education of children. By working together, we

can provide the best experience for your child. We will be sending monthly newsletters via email to keep you

informed about what is happening at school. Our e-mail addresses are listed below. Since we have regular access

to our e-mail throughout the day, it would be easiest for you to contact us in this manner. In case of an emergency

or urgent matter, please contact the office directly.

Haine Middle School

724-776-1325

Mrs. Rogozinski (ELA and social studies)

rogozinskiml@svsd.net

Ms. Exler (math and science)

exlerjl@svsd.net