PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK
EFFORT
 Effort means you have to try, every day, to do your best in school. Think about your own personal goals this year: To earn all “E”s on your Report Card? To qualify for Honor Roll (5th & 6th Grade)? To participate in after school sports (3rd and up)? To earn a Reading Ranger patch (1st and 2nd)? If you try your best every day, and ask for help when you need it, you can reach your goals! Some of the areas that are influenced by your effort are:
HOMEWORK: Homework is considered an important part of our academic curriculum at Pinecrest. It is a direct extension and review of classroom instruction. By doing your homework every night and turning it in the next day, you maximize your academic success. Regular homework assignments are given at every grade level. The following general guidelines will apply Mondays through Thursdays:
JK/Kindergarten 10-15 Minutes
1st Grade 10-20 Minutes
2nd Grade 20-30 Minutes
3rd/4th Grades 30-45 Minutes
5th/6th Grades 45-60 Minutes
*Allow extra time for special projects like book reports and research projects. The above homework times are minimum time periods.
All Pinecrest students will receive a Homework Assignment Notebook. In it, students will write down all your assignments each day. When homework is completed, your parents will sign your Assignment Notebook and it will return with your completed homework the following day. Even if your homework is finished at Study Hall, your parents should check your homework and sign your Assignment Notebook. This is their “homework”! Also, in the Assignment Notebook, you will have a place to write down your spelling words, and a pocket in which to keep your papers so nothing can get lost and you can always keep good track of your assignments. Use this system properly every day, and you will see definite positive results in your grades!
Because homework and other out-of-class assignments are so important, the following consequences will apply to all students who fail to complete them on time:
*Completed by next day/class meeting loss of a full letter grade for graded assignments, or – 50% credit for ungraded assignments
*Unless excused by absence (with note from parent), no other credit for missed work will be given.
 PROGRESS REPORTS AND REPORT CARDS: You will receive a Report Card every ten weeks. Each quarter is graded separately. In addition, Progress Reports are sent home five weeks before each Report Card. These are very important for you as a student because they tell you where you are strong and where more work needs to be done. It’s important to talk about your grades with your parents so that you can get the help you need if necessary. If you earn a grade below “C” on a test or quiz, we send it home for your parent to sign. Again, this is a good opportunity to get more help and review concepts you have not yet mastered. Be proud of the work you do well and work hard to make improvements where needed.
HONOR ROLL (Grades 5 and 6): In Grades 5 and 6, marks on your Report Card will be given “grade-point” according to the following scale:
| A+ |
(98-100%) |
4.0 |
| A |
(93-97%) |
4.0 |
| A- |
(90-92%) |
3.7 |
| B+ |
(87-89%) |
3.3 |
| B |
(83-86%) |
3.0 |
| B- |
(80-82%) |
2.7 |
| C+ |
(77-79%) |
2.3 |
| C |
(73-76%) |
2.0 |
| C- |
(70-72%) |
1.7 |
| Any work below a C- will be graded NP = Not Proficient |
If you earn a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher with no academic grades below a “B” and no grades below an “S” in effort or citizenship, you will have earned SELECT HONORS. Achieve a grade-point average of 3.0-3.6 with the same grade requirements and you will earn HONOR ROLL status. If your grade-point average in below 2.0 you will be placed on academic probation, which means you may be failing. We will work with you to develop a plan of action to help you achieve the best grades you can.
STUDENT HONORS: At Pinecrest, we want to recognize all of our students who excel in school work and those who exhibit excellent citizenship. Special award assemblies are held each month for Kindergarten through 4th graders, and quarterly Honors for 5th and 6th graders. At the end of the year we celebrate those students who have perfect attendance for the entire year.
STUDY HALL: Classrooms are set aside Monday through Thursday afternoons as Study Hall rooms for 1st through 6th grade students. Your teacher will let you know which room is open for your grade. Study Hall is a quiet and supervised place in which to review, do your homework, or enjoy recreational reading. If your teacher and parents agree that this time is required for you to get better grades, you will be assigned to Study Hall. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to help yourself do better!
READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM: We understand that the more reading you do, the more you will grow as a learner and as a person. At Pinecrest, we encourage you to do this through two programs that congratulate and reward your recreational reading.
KINDERGARTEN READERS: When you read ten books to your parents, you will be a Kindergarten Reader! During the school year, your teachers will send home information and forms to your parents. We will have a special Awards Assembly just for you at the end of the year.
READING RANGERS: If you are in the 1st or 2nd grade, you can be a Reading Ranger. When you are in 3rd grade you will participate in the “Pizza Hut Book-It” program.
Information about these programs will be sent home from your teacher. The requirements to be a Reading Ranger will be posted in your classroom and are available online as well. We recognize all our readers who meet these requirements at special assemblies each quarter. 
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