Dear University Prep Middle
School Parents:
It is with great pleasure that I announce that it’s that time of
year again – BACK TO SCHOOL!!! This year
your child will be embarking on a totally great aspect of life – middle school
years! This part of schooling, for both parents as well as students, is very
interesting, academically rigorous, and rewarding to say the least.
My duty as an advisor for your child is to ensure that he or she
receives the best education afforded to them.
This means there will be plenty of collaboration with you, the parent,
as this cannot be done without you.
There is an old African proverb that states, “It takes a village to
raise a child”, and I am a firm believer in its philosophy. It has been my conclusion from my eight years
of teaching that a child receives their best education and values their
education most when parents and the community are seen as partners in their
quest for excellence in today’s current highly competitive academic arena. As partners in education, parents are
encouraged to “pop in” and see all the magnificent things that your child is
experiencing or creating for themselves. And if there is a conflict in time,
Ms. Andrews’ English Language Arts classes can always be virtually visited at
http://uprep-andrews.blogspot.com/. Upon
visiting, you will find up and coming project information, supplemental
resources for class concepts, student artifacts, as well as discussions
students have with one other in regards to class topics/concepts.
Below, you will find a brief overview of the English Language
Arts curriculum, as well as a supply list for students to extend the 2012-2013
school year.
English Language Arts
Springboard English Language
Arts is continuing to blossom at the UPA community this school year. It is a
very rigorous English precursor to prepare for accelerated courses in each
students’ future. Springboard emphasizes higher-order thinking skills that
challenge them to aim higher and achieve more, helps students personalize and
own their learning, and encourages self-exploration and the application of
learning strategies that work best for them as individuals. You can expect for your child to have
homework at least five times per week.
Attendance:
Regular and timely arrival
to class each day is important for academic success. Homeroom begins promptly
at 8:05am and is designed to reinforce skills from prior day’s lessons as well
as community building; therefore it is vital that your child arrives to school
punctually and consistently.
Homework:
Students will receive
homework at least five days per week.
Homework is an essential element in reinforcing lessons taught in
class. All homework should be returned
the next school day unless otherwise noted by the teacher. Homework will be scored and will assist with enhancing not only
your child’s overall grade but also their understanding of concepts from class.
Homework will receive a grade of a “check minus” for incorrect work; a “check”
for work that has few errors; or a “check plus” for work completed fully and
correctly. This is my homework grading scale for all assignments minus take
home tests, quizzes, and/or projects. At the end of each quarter, homework
grades will be examined, and those students who have succeeded at turning in ¾
or 75% of their homework assignments for a subject will be given 3% added to
their grade in the subject(s) in which homework has been submitted. Please make note that I do not accept
incomplete or late homework assignments.
Grading:
The following grading scale
will be implemented in each class for assignments.
100% - 90% = A
89% - 80% = B
79% - 70% = C
69% - 60% = D
59% & below = E
Overall Expectations:
Please be aware that as the
class wraps up a chapter in a particular subject there may not be a homework
assignment the day a test is taken in that specific subject. That is why it is
important that you encourage your child to read ahead to prepare for the next
section. Also, it has been proven to helpful if you quiz your child on classroom
concepts daily to reinforce skills taught during the school day. Please be
advised that often times a low test grade may be sent home so that it is
reviewed with the parent. After reviewing the assignment with your child,
please sign and return it back to school with your child the next day.
Also, in an effort to
prepare your student to be builders in the 21st century, students
will have various web based assignments to complete throughout the course. This
may include blogging, online collaborative projects to display information
known as Wiki, narrative creations using Voice Thread, as well as a variety of
other new and innovative technology tools to increase student comprehension of
class concepts in a real world context.
Materials &
Supplies:
Please send your child to
school each day with the following supplies:
- Pencils and/or pens
- Lined paper
- One spiral notebook per subject
- One folder per subject
- Flash drive
Thank you in advance. I look forward to working with your child as
well as you. For any additional
questions, I can be reached at (313)831-0100 ext. 109 or via e-mail at
kandrews@uprep.com.
Respectfully,
Ms. Andrews
