NAME:
Jonathan Ramey
SCHOOL:
Bandelier
CLASS:
5th Grade
SCHOOL PHONE:
255-8744
Mr. Ramey’s Class
Dear Parents and Families,
I would like to take this time to introduce myself to you and give you some information about the
upcoming year. My name is Jonathan Ramey and this will be my 8th full year in a classroom. I taught
fourth grade for my first four years of teaching in the Bay Area and three years here at Bandelier. My
educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology and a postgraduate teaching
credential from California. Both degrees were obtained from Sonoma State University. In addition to
this, I am currently getting a Masters in Elementary Education from UNM. I am very excited about the
upcoming year; Bandelier is a wonderful place to teach.
We will be following the district’s fifth grade curriculum and standards very closely. I am very
familiar with Bandelier’s academic success and I am committed to uphold these standards. I believe
in teaching in a variety of styles and your child will get to experience learning in many different ways
this year. I want the students to learn academics, but I also want them to learn citizenship and
responsibility. These characteristics will help them in their future academic endeavors, as well as in
life.
Homework
Homework will be a very important part of this year. It will be assigned every night except
Friday. Students may be given time to complete assignments in class. If a child does not finish a
major assignment then they are expected to take it home for homework and bring it back the next
day.
Also, students may have additional assignments or projects that need to be completed
throughout the year. These projects will have a due date and will be given with plenty of advanced
notice. The homework will be posted daily on my teacher website
(http://teacherweb.com/NM/Bandelier/MrRamey/)
Nightly Reading
Nightly Reading will also be part of your child’s education this year. I plan on using the agendas
your children will be issued as a place for you to sign and verify that your child is reading at night. It
should reflect about thirty minutes of independent reading each night. This reading does not have to
be a book. It can be a magazine, newspaper, or even internet or computer articles. If your child
chooses to read an alternative source, please indicate so on the reading sheet.
Nightly reading plays an important part in not only maintaining, but improving your child’s
reading skills and fluency. The old saying, “Practice makes perfect!” is right on. The more your child
reds, the better he/she will get and upon entering middle school; the higher your reading level, the
easier it is to learn. Your child is starting to read to learn as opposed to learning to read. So READ,
READ, READ!
Agendas
Each child will be issued an agenda by the school. The agenda will be an integral part of our
classroom. It will serve as a place to write down homework and will also serve as a way for you to
correspond with me. This way, there is strong communication taking place between your child,
yourself and me. The agenda issued to your child will be the only one issued to him/her this year. If
available, replacement agendas cost $5.00.
Textbooks
Textbooks will be issued to your child during the year. They are responsible for the treatment
and well-being of these books. Some books are in better condition than others. Please reinforce
responsibility for these books as they cost between $50 and $75 each. Lost or damaged textbooks
will be the financial responsibility of the parent or families.
Attendance
In order to assure your child’s academic success, regular and punctual attendance is vital. Please
make sure your child is at school everyday. I realized there are extenuating circumstances and that it
is not possible for everyone to be at school everyday, but try!
Tardies are also detrimental to your child’s education. They take away vital time that your child
could be spending learning. Tardies also affect the other students in the class. As late students
enter the classroom, they disrupt the learning of children already there.
Discipline
Because your child’s success in school depends in large part on working in an environment that
is safe and caring, I have developed a classroom discipline plan that includes rules that will guide
every student in making responsible choices about his or her behavior. Here is an outline of the plan.
Rules:
1. Follow directions the first time they are given.
2. Eyes on the teacher when I/they are talking.
3. Unless given permission to do otherwise, raise your hand and wait for permission to speak.
4. Stay in your seat unless you have permission to do otherwise.
5. Do not do anything to disrupt the lesson.
Positive Recognition:
To encourage students to follow these rules, I will recognize appropriate behavior with praise, class
rewards and occasionally, with positive notes or phone calls to you.
Consequences:
If a student chooses to make a poor choice, the following steps will be taken, in the order they
appear:
First time: Warning
Second time: 5 minutes in at recess
Third time: Parent in informed of behavior
Severe Disruption: Sent to principal immediately.
Your child has been thoroughly informed of the plan. Please review it together at home. Then sign
the classroom copy and have your child return it to me. I also welcome your comments or questions
about the plan.
My goal is to work with you to ensure your child’s success this year.
Thank you for your support and cooperation.
Classroom Procedures
Morning Arrival
Students are to enter the classroom in an orderly fashion. This means no running, pushing, or loud
voices. Once you are in the classroom, head to YOUR desk and begin working on the assignment on
the board. If you are tardy, you must get a Tardy Slip from the office, no exceptions!
Listening
Whenever someone else is talking, you are quiet and focused on that person. Your hands and feet
need to be still and your mouth is quiet.
Lunch
Lunch may be bought here at school or it can be brought from home. Regardless of where we eat
lunch, students are expected to clean up after themselves. I highly recommend sending your child to
school with a healthy snack they can eat at around 11:00. They do not eat lunch until around 1:00
P.M., and they do get hungry.
Recess
Students have three recesses per day at 10:40 (fifteen minutes), 12:50 (30 minutes lunch/recess),
and 2:05 (fifteen minutes). During these times, students should take care of personal business like
going to the bathroom, getting drinks, and arranging social gatherings. Occasionally, students will
miss recess due to disciplinary action (See Discipline Plan). They may also be asked to stay in to
finish work, make up work, or to conference with me about pressing issues.
I want to take this time to invite you into the classroom. Our doors are always open. You may
volunteer to help or simply just drop by to observe and say “Hi.” However, if you do drop by, please
be sure to go to the front office and obtain a Visitor’s Badge.
Communication is very important to me. I will occasionally send home notes or even give you a
call. I will be in my room before school (8:30) and after school (until 3:30) if you need to speak to
me about anything. You can also reach me at 400-3776, my home phone number.
Again, I would like to reiterate how excited I am about this year. I have a lot of energy and ideas
that I want to bring into the classroom. I am really looking forward to this year.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Ramey