Be Responsible Be Prepared Be Respectful

Language Arts

with Mrs. DiBurro

September 2007

Dear Parent and Students,

Welcome Back! This year, much the same way as they saw Mrs. Pipitone last year, students will join me for reading and writing. This class appears to be just one class, but it is important to note that it is actually a “double” class; I will be seeing the students twice as much as any other individual teacher. With this in mind, it is very important that we start out positively and have clear expectations.

This will be my 13th year in education and my 6th in Fremont, and I bring with me a variety of experiences that I hope will enhance this year. I believe I have a strong curriculum, grounded in the standards adopted by our school board. I am especially proud of the work that kids in my room have done in the area of writing. In this digital age and small world in which we increasingly live, students must have a solid grasp of written communication skills.

In addition to the strong emphasis on writing skills, we will be focusing on relevant adolescent literature, Holocaust/Anne Frank literature, epic literature such as the Odyssey, real-life grammar and punctuation skills, and so much more.

As students will soon learn, I place a large amount of trust, freedom, and responsibility in my students. Students are given many choices and will even assist in guiding the direction of the class. In turn, I expect the highest level of effort and respect from each student; I find when you expect the best, you usually get it.

Throughout the year, I urge students to share their writing and reading choices with their parents, and I urge parents to stay involved and ask to see these choices. Most importantly, I ask both to keep lines of communication open with me. If there are issues or concerns, please bring them to me so that we can work on them together. If you call and I am not available, I will return your call as soon as possible. Parents and Students are also urged to take advantage of my e-mail address – ddiburro@sau83.org.

Sincerely,

Dawn DiBurro

Language Arts, 8th Grade

“GRADING” INFORMATION

The focus this year will be on how well each student meets both state and Ellis Expectations. The New Hampshire State standards provide specific Grade Level Expectations in every area of Language Arts, from essay writing, to literature comprehension, to vocabulary. Our school also has three very clear expectations: Be prepared, responsible, and respectful. Throughout the year, parents and students will receive feedback on how that student is doing in each of these areas. More information about this will be coming soon.

In order to gather evidence to show a student’s progress on these expectations, all completed work will be kept at school and periodically compiled into a portfolio. At the end of each trimester, the portfolio will be sent home for parents and students to discuss. Parents, however, can sign out their child’s portfolio at any time or make an appointment to discuss it with me.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Several favorite writing utensils – the color is your choice as long as it is legible!

A 3-ring binder with 3 dividers (“Notes”,” Vocabulary”, “Mechanics”)
Loose leaf paper

A free read book (novel, selection of short stories, non-fiction…)

I will provide your Writing Folder, Portfolio binder, conference sheets, and many other needed items.
There is no official text book for this class. You will instead be using a variety of books in my room.

OUR LINUX LAB

This year, we are again fortunate to be hosting a Linux computer lab in my room. There are 24 computer terminals with flip-up monitors embedded in tables. Not only are these Linux terminals an economical alternative to a traditional Windows computer, but it offers students a chance to expand their computer skills and future opportunities.

Every student will have computer access every day and will be expected to conduct themselves in accordance with our school’s Acceptable Use Policy. A student who misuses any part of our computer lab risks losing his/her computer privileges. If this should happen, completing daily work will be very difficult and may have to be done manually.

WHAT I EXPECT FROM THE STUDENT

Be Responsible

This class will be designed to challenge and push each student to their personal best. Each student is expected to show 100% effort and performance; any student who does so can expect a comparable progress.

All work turned in for a grade must be neat, on time, free of errors, and of the student’s highest caliber.

Students are responsible for collecting all assignments from the teacher before an absence, if possible. If this is not possible, the student must request this on the day he/she returns. Work not requested, or not completed in a reasonable time, may not be accepted. Always check with me when you return!

Students must be responsible for their belongings and their work. Materials, such as the notebook, drafts, and handouts, must be kept in a safe place to guard against loss. If any part of these is misplaced, the student is expected to make it up in order to meet requirements and deadlines.

Plagiarism, or copying another’s work and passing it in as one’s own, will not be tolerated. Plagiarized work will not be accepted and will result in other consequences (PBIS - Major). This is a serious offense and will be dealt with just as seriously.

Be Prepared

Students are expected to have and maintain their materials at all times.

Students should enter the class prepared to work. When Bellwork is presented (D.O.L., Freewrites, Vocabulary, etc.), students are expected to begin without significant teacher prompting.

Students are expected to maintain their assignments in their planner. Students will be given many long-range projects. Though I will break down the project into smaller sections with target dates, students will ultimately be responsible for their time management. Parents will not be called for each and every missed assignment, rather only when large assignments are missing or a pattern emerges. Often students will be required to make these calls themselves.

Be Respectful

Because of the nature of this class, student behavior is critical. Students who must be removed from conferences or whole class discussions will find it difficult to maintain the desired progress. Disrupting other’s learning time or working time will not be accepted.

Students will be expected to follow the directions of the teacher and the guidelines of the school’s Acceptable Use Policy in all matters relating to the computers. Students will make every attempt to keep their computer free of damage.

Above all else, Students must show respect for the teacher, their fellow human being, their school, the work and ideas of others, and themselves. Lack of respect will not be tolerated.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE TEACHER

Students have the right to expect to be challenged and to be reinforced when they meet the challenge.

Students and parents have the right to expect fairness, kindness, and 100% effort and performance from the teacher.

Students have the right to ask for and receive assistance without fear or undue criticism.

Parents have the right to discuss their child’s progress and to expect the teacher to be a partner in helping their child reach success.

Above all else... Students have the right to expect respect for themselves, their ideas, and their work, both from the teacher and others.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN

MS. DIBURRO, THE STUDENT, AND THE PARENT(S)

Please refer to the September letter for details

I have read this newsletter and I understand the guidelines and expectations of this class. I understand that it is my responsibility to give 100%! I also understand that if return this on the first day and write my name on the board as soon as I get into class, I get a free homework pass. (This is a test to see if you read – do NOT tell anyone or you will not get one!)

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Student signature date

I have also read this newsletter and understand my child will be responsible for giving 100%! I understand the guidelines and expectations, and I agree to contact Mrs. DiBurro if I have an issue with them. I also agree to make myself aware of the material my child is writing and reading (especially for maturity content).

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Parent(s) signature date

I acknowledge the guidelines and practices I have outlined, especially the expectations of the student and teacher. I also agree to give 100%!

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Teacher signature date

Reading Material Clause - Please initial below, do not use checks or Xs.

__________I give my child permission to check out materials from the “mature” shelf in Mrs. DiBurro’s room. Books on this shelf are often bestsellers by authors such as Steven King, Tom Clancy, Anne Rice, and Patricia Cornwell. There are also magazines such as Reader’s Digest, Rolling Stone, and Teen People. I agree to monitor my child’s selections for mature subject matter.

__________I would prefer to give my child permission for individual books and magazines. Please send home a note listing the title, author, and general content of the material before letting my child check-out any item from the mature shelf.

__________My child does not have permission to take out any items from the mature shelf during this school year.

Other Concerns

Parents, please give me any information about your child that will help us work better together.

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Student, please give me any information that you think would help us work together.

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