6th Grade Policies

Dear Parents and Students,

      Welcome to Middle School at Sky Ranch! We are looking forward to taking FLIGHT with you and your student. SRMS is focused on collaborative and innovative student learning and leveraging the best technology tools available to support and enhance the learning of every student.

     This Policy Guide will help you and your student navigate the expectations of a technology rich 6th grade in the Middle School setting. SRMS uses a blended model of digital and physical school work.

     Many challenging, enjoyable, and engaging activities are planned for this year. We will journey to ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia , Egypt, Greece, and Rome, expand our sense of numbers, mathematical practices, geometry, and algebra, enjoy a variety of outstanding literature and writing, as well as hands on science labs. Your  student’s education will be memorable and meaningful.

     Through our cooperative efforts, between home and school, your student will experience success academically and socially. We will work hard and be pushed to new heights. We expect your student to do his or her personal best.

     Sincerely,

     6th Grade Sky Ranch Middle School

Attendance

Students attend school every day. Please review WCSD's absence policy. Students are in the best position to learn by attending every day.

Grades

Grades should reflect your student’s ability to demonstrate a skill or standard; therefore, the overall grades for each subject are broken down as follows: Classwork/Homework 25%; Assessments/Projects 75%.

 Make-Up Work

When students return after an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to ask the teacher for make-up work. WCSD does not offer temporary distance learning. No work will be provided before or during the absence. For each day of absence, the student will be given one day per missed day plus one day to make up the late work. Please keep absences to a minimum. It is not possible to recreate a rich dynamic learning experience with a paper worksheet.

Test Retakes

Students may retake a test if they have completed all of the requirements for the retake including turning in ALL WORK related to the assessment. Students must make arrangements with individual teachers.

Homework

Homework is essential practice of Reading and Math skills. Homework will be assigned Monday through Friday. WCSD requires 60 minutes of homework per night for sixth-graders. Students must read at least 30 minutes along with 30 minutes of Math practice per night. Ask your student to show you his or her list of Assignments in their Sky Ranch Planner and Base Website.

6th Grade in Middle School

Your student is assigned to a 6th Grade Team (called a Base) of two teachers. One teacher for ELA and Social Studies and the other for Math and Science. Each teacher has about 100 students between the four core classes and electives or interventions. Middle school teachers do not have as much time with students as they would in an elementary setting.

6th grade is a year of accountability for students. This is a year in which students are expected to practice and demonstrate effective work and study habits. Students need to use their time wisely in each class and at home.

Weekly Schedule

Students attend school EVERY DAY. 

Tuesdays and Thursdays are flipped. Students attend 6* first and end the day with 1*.

At SRMS, using time wisely is essential. Unlike  elementary, 6th grade teachers do not work with their students all day.

Students need to come to class prepared with completed work, pencils, notebooks, materials, independent reading book, and be ready to learn with the right mindset and attitude. Completing work prepares students’ brains for the next step of knowledge construction.

Each day, class is about 50 minutes. Wednesday’s periods are 45 minutes long with a 1:15 PM early release.

Late Work

Completing work and turning it in on time is an important life skill. 6th grade students at Sky Ranch are expected to complete every assignment to the best of their ability and turn the work in on time. Students have a list of assignments that are due for each of their classes on the Base website. Due dates matter for proper skill practice and knowledge construction.

Late and missing work is ineffective practice that does not prepare students for the rigors of life. Students lose 10% per day late. After two weeks past the due date, late work will NOT be accepted.

Communication

It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with each of his or her teachers. Students can communicate directly with the teacher, and/or send an email using Outlook. We welcome parent questions and want open communication between home and school; however, we want to help each student to be able to self-advocate for his or her educational needs. This means the student needs to contact directly his or her teacher about any questions or concerns.

Enrichment

Your student attends a daily class called Enrichment. During Enrichment, your student has the opportunity to:

• Work individually and in small groups
• Meet with teachers to ask questions
• Work on classwork, projects, and read
• Receive additional help in all subject areas
• Build SEL skills
• Fill out SR Planners
• Weekly Grade Check