Dear Parents and Guardians of students in Ms Purcell’s class:
I welcome your children to my class this year. This will be a year of growth, work and responsibility for them, but if they try, they will end the year knowing how to read, write, think, be creative, responsible and self-starting, and know more about grammar than anyone!
Please read and keep this letter because it will answer a lot of questions that come up through the year and save a lot of miscommunication.
What we will be doing in class, What counts for grades, and What you need to look for as a parent
I expect students to be mature and responsible about their work. I expect projects I give three weeks to work on to show three weeks of work, and not be done the night before. I can tell, and it will not get a passing grade, as is fair.
I expect students to help each other, ask each other questions, and work with each other. If they have ANY questions or problems, I expect them to come to me and ask about it--I am here for private help before and after school as well as on break, and lunuch. We do a lot of work through a draft process, so all students should bring in drafts and get them checked for correctness to ensure final work is done correctly.
There are some class routines you should be aware of:
-EVERY quarter your child is expected to read 600 pages ( every student at IVCMS should read daily for homework) of any kind of BOOK they choose. See last page to sign off on this.
This ends up being 20% of the language arts grade and makes a BIG difference. This is the biggest grade killer when students don’t do this, or saver if they do.
They should always have a reading book with them for ALL classes if they finish their work.
-EVERY day we will do WAGS--Writing and Grammar Skills-- ALL that your child needs to do is what we do each day and not lose it. At the end of each week they will get a stamp for completed WAGS that week, and at the end of the quarter, the stamps are counted for a grade. They must not lose their work. If they are absent, it is their responsibility to copy missed work from another student and make sure I stamp it. If they don’t do ANY part of the work for the week, they will not get a stamp.
At the end of each week we will have a summative quiz on the topic of the week.
This will make them amazing writers with a great knowledge of the craft.
-Journal writing is an easy “A+” grade.. The ONLY RULE in journal writing is they must write the whole time and do the minimum number of pages/words (1st Q is 250, 2nd 300, etc., increased 50 words per quarter.) If they are absent or miss work, they are expected to make up the work, which is on the board, Calendar, and on thte homework website. (See website for detailed information: https://sites.google.com/site/amspurcell/useful-information-to-help-with-daily-work) Those behind will be calling home until they are made up. Prompts will usually be discussed on Mondays and Wednesdays and written on the board all week long as well as on the website homework page, and Calendar. As long as they write enough and do them all, it is an “A.” This is fabulously successful in allowing them to improve their writing skills immensely.
--I do projects regularly because students are often more successful on them than on tests, so you will be seeing them regularly. I ALWAYS give a handout with directions that say what is required for the assignment, and I usually give a rubric, which is basically a self-grading checklist about what their grade is. I encourage and expect students to always ask for help and bring in drafts to get checked. I expect hard work, time, thought, and creativity in relation to the amount of time they have to work on it. An “A” means excellent, not adequate or some. READING the DIRECTIONS is often the biggest problem as well as not doing the work over the time given, so try to really help them check.
All final work must be neat and in pen or typed. Drafts can and should be what works for you and look like a draft. Typing up is not necessary and takes more time for some students.
They have a portfolio here in class where all work not in their binder is kept, so there is NEVER any excuse for not having anything they need or losing something. NEVER, EVER throw any work away, EVER. All work is always in their binder or in class.
CLASS RULES
*Be Responsible: Be in class on time and ready for work. Class time is for class work.
Always be prepared with all necessary materials.
*Be Respectful: Respect each other and the teacher—good manners and behavior.
*Be Safe: Absolutely NO food, gum, drinks, or inappropriate dress.
Students are responsible for any books checked out to them and they must return the same one given to them or pay for it. Each classroom has a class set of Chromebooks on a mobile cart that students will have access to during class time. Students will be sharing these classroom Chromebooks with 4-5 other students throughout the day. While students are using the Chromebooks in class, they are responsible for the Chromebook and to ensure it is not damaged. Students should immediately report any damage on a Chromebook to the teacher right away as soon as the assigned Chromebook is used in class to ensure that they are not held accountable for any damage that may have been caused by another student. All students have a Chromebook and are expected to use it for learning, not video games, Youtube, social media, etc. They will be connected to Classroom, Calendar, and my website, where they will have access to materials and information.
Grading policy adheres to district guidelines: 20% formative work (practice) and 80% summative/final work (tests, projects, etc.) They are on a percentage scale from 0 to 100% of how much is correct, so if they get 70% on a quiz, that is a C, if they do 20% of the work, that’s a low F, etc.
Core will get two grades from me each quarter, one for history and one for language arts. Each quarter begins a NEW grading period.
If students are absent, they are responsible for making up work. If they are absent for a period of time, call or email for work.
Make sure your child has a good three inch binder and requested school supplies. This is a school rule and will help them stay organized.
E-mail me with ANY questions, concerns, etc. I usually respond most quickly this way Communication is the best way to resolve things. spurcell@nhusd.k12.ca.us
489-0700 is the school number, and my ext. is 60590. The office can put you through to me directly when I’m not in class, before school, after school, or during my prep 1st period.
You have online access to grades and class notes where I will write what we are doing that week. This way parents can check grades at any time. You will get a letter in the mail with your personal access to Zangle: http://sis.nhusd.k12.ca.us/regconnect
My website is: http://sites.google.com/site/amspurcell/ On the homework page I do at least weekly updates, often more, and post assignments you can download. There is also TONS of great information on the site. I can also connect parents with Calendar if you request it--students can automatically connect. Google Classroom has resources, also. The access code is on the main page of my website.
Back-to-School Night is Thurs. Sept. 8. I hope I will see you then. It’s REALLY helpful if you can come.
Thank you,
Shareen Purcell, S-8, IVCMS
Print student last name___________ first________________
Please read over the class rules and guidelines with your child and that you both understand them.
Please keep that page for your reference. Return this page only to Miss Purcell.
Please answer the questions below, sign, and fill in all possible contact information so I can get a hold of you if I need to. Have your child return this page only by __________________.
Here is an opportunity to tell me a little about your child. Please feel free to answer any question or add anything you feel necessary.
What is best about my child:___________________________________
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Concerns I have about my child: __________________________________________________________
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Something the teacher should know about my child to make him/her happier/more productive in class (medical problems, requirements, behavior, strengths/weaknesses, etc.):
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Guardians:
#1--relation:_________________ #2--relation_________________
name: _____________________ name: _____________________
home phone #_______________ home phone #:_______________
work phone #:_______________ work phone #:_______________
work hours:__________________ work hours:_________________
cel phone #:_________________ cel phone #:_________________
email:________________________ email:_____________________
reprint email___________________ reprint email_______________
I have read the rules and expectations of Miss Purcell’s class. I understand them/I have gone over them with my child. I will do my best to be productive, responsible student in class/I will support my child’s good behavior and work ethic in class.
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student signature parent signature date
Independent Reading/SSR (Silent Sustained Reading) for Purcell
All students are required to read a MINIMUM of 600 pages a quarter. All IVCMS students are expected to read a MINIMUM of 20 minutes a day. (Minimum 20 pages a day= minimum 100 pages a week=minimum 600 pages in six weeks very easily.) How each teacher records this varies. Go through this document carefully to make sure you understand my requirements for reading.
* All reading must be books, not comic books, graphic novels, or magazines.
* You may read any type of book you’d like. Try to choose something at about your grade level of reading, not too easy or difficult.
For each quarter, you must turn in AT LEAST 300 pages of completed book or books before the end of the deficiency period. You may choose one 300 pages + book, several shorter books, or a longer book. If you choose a longer book, one that may get your reading done for the whole quarter, you still MUST turn it in by the deficiency. If you know you will have trouble with a longer book, don’t do it. Choose books YOU like and feel comfortable for you. You should be turning in a book every two/three weeks.
You will get a grade for the first half of the reading and the second which will add up to about 20% of your grade.
A week before the end of the quarter is the LAST day to turn in the rest of the minimum 600 pages due. NO ONE should wait until the last day to turn in anything.
Books need to be turned in with the chapter summary sheets as SOON as you finish them. You must bring in the book (or reader) and the book review or summary sheet to do this. I will just talk to you a few minutes about the book, which will be very easy if you read it. You may turn it in during class during appropriate times, before school, after school, etc. This is the easiest way to do reading.
DO NOT wait until the last days to turn in reading. I expect good students will be turning in books in the first two/three weeks of the periods. Students who wait until the last week will get progressively less than 100% (60% last day, 70% two days before, 80% three days before, 90% four days before.)
The chapter summary sheets or book review sheets are designed to be simple, but make sure you do them correctly. They are also designed to practice writing a concise summary for each chapter so they are practicing their writing skills, also.
I have read the requirements for independent reading in Ms Purcell’s class and understand them. I will make sure to do the reading as required, or support my child in doing this.
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parent signature date