“Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.” –John Jake

Welcome back! 

This year you will have an opportunity to experience what it means to be an author: one who understands the process of writing as being continuous and following a sequence of steps, one who learns how to communicate his/her thoughts effectively (even though it WILL take multiple attempts), one who accepts constructive criticism as the stepping stone for success, one who uses creativity to help fuel the mind, and one who takes pride in his/her finished products.

You will have the opportunity to be a scientist: one who explores the natural world around them, one who solves problems within their everyday surroundings, one who designs experiments to test their hypotheses, one who shares their findings with others in hopes of answering questions within their everyday lives.

You will have the opportunity to be a mathematician: one who sees the value of numbers within their everyday life activities, one who exercises their ability to solve real-life application problems, one who works collaboratively to perform step-by-step processes, one who communicates the importance of understanding the power of numbers.  

Below, I have highlighted some key qualities of an effective classroom.  These expectations should be adhered to, in hopes of establishing a positive classroom climate. 

What can I do to help myself succeed?

      Come to class prepared everyday: Homework is NOT an option…it is a  REQUIREMENT to submit QUALITY work to ensure learning!

      Be an active participant in the classroom: Silence makes for a boring experience within the classroom.

      Work cooperatively with your peers: You will be expected to respect your peers  and treat them as your EQUALS.  We all have something valuable to bring to the table!

      Follow Directions: Sometimes silence is a good thing!  Listening can make all the difference in understanding the “how to’s.”

       Be responsible for your own learning: Help is always available!  Be sure to voice when you need to receive extra support.  If you miss an assignment it is your  responsibility to make up the work. 

      Be prompt!: You must submit all assignments ON TIME.  Late homework assignments will result in half credit.  Failure to meet deadlines for graded assignments/process pieces will result in a 10 POINT DEDUCTION for every day it is late.

What are some things I can expect to happen if I do NOT follow these classroom expectations?

      I will miss out on the FUN!

      I will notice a drop in my grades.

      I will have difficulty connecting with the concepts being explored.

      I will fall behind and find it difficult to get caught up.

      I will create my own obstacles and make it harder to reach my goals.

Grading Policy

Due to the fact that I believe everyone possess unique skills and strengths, I believe it is essential to provide everyone with a fair chance to succeed.  Therefore, the following is a breakdown of the grading policy which reflects this notion:

                        Homework/Participation: 20%

              Classwork/Quizzes/Rough Drafts of Essays: 25%

              Projects/Presentations/Cooperatively Learning Opportunities: 25%

              Tests/Final Essays: 30%

I hope that you have taken the time to thoroughly review this framework for a great school year with a parent/guardian.

Please be aware that I encourage the lines of communication to remain open.  Therefore, if you have any questions, comments, and/or concerns, feel free to contact me at any time: Email: Jenna. Gnade@plps.org.

Thank you in advance for your continued efforts in making this school year a huge success!

                                                                            Best,

                                                                        Miss Gnade