6TH GRADE ORIENTATIONMAY 21, 2013

Renaissance Academy

of Arts, Sciences and Social Justice

What Makes Us Unique?

School of Choice Everyone here chooses to be here

Strong Relationships Cohorts, Advisory System

Habits of Mind Importance, Cause & Effect,

Evidence

Habits of Character Passion, Integrity, Kindness, Effort

Depth over Breadth Essential Standards/ “I can..”

statements

Typical School Day

Schedule:Academic Class1 (80 minutes)Brunch (15 minutes)Academic Class2 (80 minutes)Academic Class3 (80 minutes)Lunch (35 minutes)Advisory (40 minutes)Physical Ed. (50 minutes)

AdvisoryAcademic Goal Setting & Monitoring

Exhibition preparation

Learner Led Conference preparation

School Culture/Habits of Mind/ Habits of Character

Social Justice lessons

Homework (asks questions/receives help)

GradesGrades are weighted so different assessments have different impacts on study habits. As your child progresses, the weights change to make tests a bigger portion of the final grade.

6th 7th 8th

Homework 20% 25% 30%

In-Class Participation 30% 25% 20%

Notebook/Class Work 30% 25% 20%

Tests/Benchmark 20% 25% 30%

HAC-Home Access Center

Online program to check student’s grades

Immediately updated when teacher adds grades

www.arusd.org/renaissancea click on HAC on this page

College Focus Based Learning

Notebooks: each class; whole year (five notebooks (8 ½ X 11” NOT 8 X10”)

Weekly Homework: Assigned and Collected on Monday

Midterms and Finals – every 6 weeks; three 12 week trimesters

Academic Exhibition – two per year

College/University Visits

CommunicationCommunication between:

teachers and students

students and parents

teachers and parents

are absolutely crucial for your child to be successful.

Learner-Led Conferences

Student prepares a 20-30 minute talk with cohort teacher and parent(s)

• Student Led• Discuss their goals• Reasons for their grades• Show student work• Develop action plan

•Mid October (for all students)•End of January (for all students)•April Conferences

• students who currently have a grade of a “C” or below

School Uniform Policy

Shirt: solid black, green, grey, or white collar shirt or Renaissance logo shirt

Sweatshirt: solid black, solid white, solid grey, or Renaissance

Pants/Shorts: khaki or black (no jeans)No blue or red fabric, details, stitching, or

designs allowed on any clothing, footwear or accessories

Materials Needed

Spiral Notebooks: 150 pages - 8 ½ x 11” -Not 8 x 10” - 1 per class/per trimester (about 10-15 for the whole year) 1 composition notebook Pocket folders pencils, pens, crayons, colored pencils, markers, highlighters glue sticks—lots Ruler Scissors Mini-stapler Handheld pencil sharpener w/shaving container Note cards (4x6) 2 exhibition boards, 36 x 48 $10 for science materials $10 for art materials USB memory drive, try to get one without sync software. Also known as:

flash drives, jump drives, memory sticks San Jose Public Library Card (know your pin and pay your fines)The following items are not allowed at school and will be taken away: Liquid White Out, Sharpies, Red and blue backpacks/clothing/accessories

Summer Learning Assignment

Designed to keep students reading, writing, and thinking critically over their vacation so they don’t have to spend the first part of school reviewing and relearning content from this school year.

Overview of assignmentAccess on the Renaissance websiteDue on first day of summer orientation;

August 12th