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Welcome to the 2026-2027 School Year!
Class overview
Throughout the year, we will be working on developing our reading, writing, and speaking skills through fun, creative, and collaborative ways to help each student grow in their abilities and confidence. Our plan is to read several books: A Wish in the Dark, A Long Walk to Water, and a book of the student's choice in a book club setting. We will also be reading short stories and participating in a poetry slam towards the end of the year. In addition, we have the exciting opportunity to host talented storytellers from our area a few times throughout the year. That is always a favorite day for many students! The goal is to set our students on a path to success in their high school years and beyond.
***In 6th grade, students are encouraged to read independently. The school and I have tons of books to choose from or they could grab something outside of school. I encourage you to check in with your kiddo about what they are reading and make sure it aligns with your expectations.
I love donuts- plain chocolate frosted donuts for me. No need to get fancy!
I am the oldest of 3 siblings. My sister lives here in Littleton and my brother lives in Cincinnati, Ohio
My dog, a maltipoo named Oakley, is 8 years old
My favorite movie of all time is Pretty in Pink
My secret superpower is being able to find good deals wherever I go
My perfect Saturday is sleeping in, going for a bike ride on a beautiful day, then trying a new restaurant for dinner
If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would visit Scotland.
My Story...
I grew up in the Midwest, mostly Indiana, and earned my teaching degree from Ball State University. I taught middle school in Texas for a couple of years before getting married and moving to Cincinnati, Ohio where I worked as Director of Education at Sylvan Learning Center for almost a decade before starting a family and staying home. I have 3 kids- a daughter who graduated from college last year, a daughter in her senior year of college, and a son starting his sophomore year this year at Heritage! All of my kids attended Goddard, and I have been a part of the Goddard family for 9 years. This is truly a special place with wonderful staff and administrators, and I am thrilled to have the chance to get to know, teach, and care for your new middle schoolers this year.
What we're working on this quarter:
This first quarter we will begin by reading a whole class novel, A Wish in the Dark, by Christina Soontornvat. This is a highly engaging and fun book that the students usually really love! While reading the novel, we will focus on thinking strategies, inferencing, fiction signposts, and how a character changes throughout a story. At the end of the quarter, we will write our first piece of formal writing- a CER on character change. In addition, students will be expected to read outside of school for at least 2 hours each week and fill out a short reading log which will be due before the beginning of class on Fridays. We will spend a lot of time making sure students feel welcome, accepted, and comfortable with the all of the new experiences in middle school and set them up for success for the rest of the year.
Resource for families: Literature Circle Scope and Sequence
**Families may request optional assignments if the planned curriculum offends their religious or personal values. Please inform me in writing if you prefer that your students read an alternative selection to a particular literary work, and please offer a reason for your preference. Please see the district’s website for more information: Parents' Rights
We will be following standards based grading in class so we can best assess how each student is progressing toward 6th grade mastery. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Resources
Here are links to some helpful resources:
Student sites
**Families may request optional assignments if the planned curriculum offends their religious or person values. Please inform me in writing if you prefer that your students read an alternative selection to a particular literary work, and please offer a reason for your preference. Please see the district’s website for more information: Parents' Rights
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