1. LANGUAGE ARTS “The more you read, the more things you know The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ~Dr. Seuss Ms. Vann & Miss. Hart Crestwood Middle School 2015-2016 TWO Rules: WORK HARD. BE KIND. What if I’m Absent? If you are absent for any reason, it is your responsibility to set up a conference with me the day you return to class. Each class period is action-packed, so we will likely not have time to discuss what you missed during our class period. You will need to arrange an alternate time. Students are 100% responsible for taking ownership of making up missing work. msvanns.weebly.com We are looking forward to a fantastic school year with you! We will read (a lot), write (a lot), talk (a lot), collaborate ( a lot), and Laugh (a lot) during our time together. As a result, you will leave Crestwood Middle School ready for high school and will hopefully have a deeper appreciation for the power of words. We want you to feel challenged, learn new things, become more self-directed, share your ideas, be a part of a community, and have fun while you are in room 203. Your Planner 2 Mechanical Pencils (always have back up) Your Reader’s Notebook Your SSR Book Your Folder Electronic devices are not allowed in room #203. If seen or heard, they will be taken and turned into the front office for parent pick-up. One of our main goals is to help prepare you for high school. One of the most important skills you will need is self – advocacy; this means being able to identify when you need something and being able to seek out what you need. If you ever have a question or need help with something, please ASK! Do not wait for us to notice you are struggling. You can ask during class, before or after class, during lunch, during Enrichment, before school, or after school. You can even write us a note or send an email. We became teachers to help YOU! Nothing makes us happier than to help a student who has the guts to ask for help or feedback on a assignment! I promise…we don’t bite. PARENTS – Please e-mail or call at any time with questions or concerns, but please encourage your child to approach us as well so that they can work on their self-advocacy skills! Please allow 24 hours for us to respond. What do I need to bring to class every day? Can I bring my own technology? What if I need help?

2. Class progress reports will be sent home once every trimester. Parents and students must check the ParentVUE/ StudentVUE on a weekly basis to view the most current grades for EVERY class. Grade Scale You will receive a LETTER GRADE in ParentVUE/StudentVUE and on assignments. A = AMAZING Above and Beyond /Exceeds Expectations/Requirements B = BASICALLY FINE Meets Expectations/Standards C = COULD BE BETTER Almost Meets Expectations/Standards D = DIDN’T MAKE IT Well Below Expectations/Standards E = EHHHH… Incomplete/Does Not Follow Guideline/Not Enough to Determine Whether Standards Have Been Met How will I check my grade in class? Do I have to read outside of class? All students will be expected to read independently on a daily basis. Students must bring a book to school and EVERY class so they are prepared for independent reading during our school wide SSR and Language Arts. Students in 6 th grade will read a total of twenty books this school year. Everything will be kept track of in their Reader’s Notebook. This is a staple in our Language Arts classes, and must be brought to class everyday. This seems like a huge undertaking however; last year Crestwood Middle read close to 10,000 books – so we know you can do it! What types of writing will I do this year? We will rewrite all the time and produce various published pieces. Writing is an integral part of Language Arts and we will do a little everyday. What is a Reader’s Notebook? A Reader’s Notebook is a portfolio of student work for reading and writing. A composition notebook is needed; students are responsible for bringing it to class with them DAILY! A huge portion of the ELA grade is based on this notebook. The majority of classwork, notes, study guides, vocabulary, reading and writing will be completed in the notebook. It is imperative that it be complete and up to date, neat, and not lost. Ms. Vann & Miss. Hart Crestwood Middle School 2015-2016 A note on Plagiarism… Students may never copy websites, images, texts, or another student’s work - or the general idea of someone else’s work – without giving credit and /or proper citation. If plagiarism happens, the student will have to re-do the work under my supervision and complete additional requirements. How will I be graded? You are working on YOUR education! You have a voice and an input in your grades in two areas: Performance= 60% Comprehension checks, writing assignments, projects, presentations, quizzes, Reader’s Notebook, Etc. Participation = 40% Homework, reading goal, in class activities, practice assessments, drafts, Etc. *Not all categories are mentioned here. msvanns.weebly.com

3. PLEASE READ THE COURSE INFORMATION, SIGN, AND RETURN THIS SHEET TO MS. VANN. Students: Please sign below to signify that you have read the course sheet for Ms. Vann’s class, will keep it in your folder, be responsible for the information throughout the year, and will check StudentVUE at least twice per week at school or at home. _______________________________ _____________________________________________ Student printed name Student signature Parents/Guardians: Please sign below to indicate that you have read the course sheet for Ms.Vann’s class and that you will help your student remain accountable for the information. If you have questions about the course or your student’s work, please do not hesitate to contact me; email is the best way to reach me quickly. _______________________________ _____________________________________________ Parent/Guardian printed name Parent/Guardian signature _______________________________ ______________________________________________ Parent/Guardian e-mail Parent/Guardian daytime phone number (please print) Parents and guardians, please CIRCLE the best way for me to contact you immediately: e-mail phone Ms. Vann & Miss. Hart Crestwood Middle School 2015-2016 Check all the statements that apply to how you would like to communicate with Ms. Vann about your student’s progress. I will, of course, call for major concerns or accomplishments,; however with approximately 130 students, I like to know how you would prefer to communicate. _____I/We have internet access at home, so we will check ParentVUE at least once per week to check on my/our student’s progress. I/We will contact Ms. Vann about any concerns we have. _____I/We plan to email Ms. Vann for an update when necessary (erika.vann@kentwoodps.org) _____I/We do not have internet access at home, but I/we would like to have regular contact with Ms. Vann. I/we will communicate via agenda, note or phone for an update on a regular basis. _____I/We will check Ms. Vann’s Weebly Site (see bottom of sheet for address) for assignments and other relevant communication. msvanns.weebly.com