You MUST bring these each day:

• iPad which has been charged at home the night before

• Independent Reading Book

• A pen or pencil

• Earbud style headphones that you plug in (if there is an issue getting some, please reach out to me through as Schoology message)

You MIGHT also be bring the following if you choose:

• A spiral notebook if you prefer your reader's notebook to not be digital

• Sticky notes

• Color pencils or crayon, scissors, pencil sharpener, etc. (I won't always have the materials you might want, so bring what you like)

How are some important points to consider about assignments and due dates this year:

• Unless there is an emergency or if you are sick, I expect you to turn in any work that's due by the date given on Schoology. If something is preventing you from completing your work I would like us to talk about it, so please send me a message.

• For certain assignments, you will have the option to revise your work and to resubmit. I will let you know ahead of time of this is an option.

• If you are absent please use the Daily Learning Plan to stay up to date as much as you can. Before asking about what you missed, please review the DLP.

All students are expected to follow the Howell Township Schools Policies outlined in the student handbook.

This section is UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

We will read novels, short stories, and nonfiction together as a class. I will also provide you with practice texts that you will work with to develop into a stronger reader.

But it's also important for you to own your experience and to have choices. . Independent reading is your opportunity to explore reading in a way that is less "school is forcing me to do it" and more about developing your own interests. I will expect you to read on your own and time will given in most class periods to do it.

Your reader's notebook will be a record of the thinking you do with your own text and samples will be collected, graded, and used for discussion between us.

We will also open the door to moving beyond just text to also listen to podcasts and to view live action media.

If you are a person who likes that feel of paper for reading and for note taking, feel free to read a paper book and to take notes in a physical notebook. Just know that when I collect a sample from your notebook I will ask you to take a picture of it with your iPad so I have a record of it.

This year, we will follow the same procedures for going to the restroom as the rest of Middle School North.

We have all used Schoology before. All Daily Learning Plans, assignments, assessments, reminders, and materials for my class will live on Schoology. Please know this does not mean everything we do must be digital. It just means that Schoology is where a record of assignments and submission will be. This helps us have conversations that support your growth and learning and helps to keep parents updated about what's going on in class.

I use the Schoology gradebook as the main gradebook. You will still see scores in the Parent Portal. But all feedback and important information will be viewable on Schoology. There might be a slight delay in when something is graded in Schoology before it shows up in the Parent Portal.

I am sure many of you used Apple Classroom last year, but in case you did not: When Apple Classroom is on I can see your iPad screen, I can tell which apps you are using, and I can push out resources or links to you. This is not intended to be a spying tool for me. I will try to earn your trust as I hope you will try to earn mine. I'm not looking to try and catch anyone doing something wrong. Apple Classroom gives me ability to easily and quickly help you or give you feedback about work that I couldn't do the same way if I had to bounce from screen to screen.

But please remember that I can see a record of what you did during class. Unless I give you directions that say otherwise, your iPad is a learning tool.

Common Lit is a really cool website that provides texts and learning experiences for students at every reading level. This year we will use many texts from the site as well as many of the tool and resources they have to offer. More information to come. For now, please click here to find out more about the site.

Just like a basketball player wouldn't skip every practice in a season and then show up at the championship game expecting to play well, we shouldn't expect that learning in school will just magically happen. There are certain behaviors, ways of thinking and acting, that help develop into stronger learners and individuals. We will discuss these throughout the year. For now, click here to get a brief description.