Welcome
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Welcome to my corner of the world. I created this site for several reasons: to provide you with the resources and materials for class, to help you connect to classroom activities
and assignments especially when you are absent, and ways to collaborate with classmates. I encourage you to use this site to not only access materials, but as a vehicle for
collaboration and discussion. Please take a few minutes to check out videos below. It provides a little insight into who I am and where I plan to steer our ship this coming year.
In the following pages you will find information and resources to help you navigate one of the many courses in the Social Studies department.
Please click on the links on the top to navigate to the pages and resources you need. Finally, if you have questions about assignments, projects, or submitting your work, check
out the contact page and share your ideas and questions.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
I want to create an open line of communication between my class and my students and their parents. I have created a Parent Letter to provide an overview of my classes and the vision I have for this year. Please click on the link and contact me with any questions or comments.
Parent Letters Syllabus
MOVIES -
Parents I also want to bring to your attention my policy about movies in my classroom. I included an overview of my rationale for using movies and especially the occasions why and how I use those with an R rating. I included more detail about this policy on the Classroom Happenings page above. If you have any questions, please contact me and we can discuss the policy or any specific movie. I appreciate your feedback and support in creating a meaningful educational environment.
EVALUATION POLICY CHANGE-
Another change this year is with my evaluation system. Here is a short video o utlining part of my intentions. I apologize for the brevity of the explanation, but there is a limit to how much information a video can contain. If you have any questions, please contact me. I look forward to working with you and your student this year. I hope you will support me in my evaluation system this year. It is very important to me that every student completes every summative assignment because these measure how well they have mastered the content.
I intend to hold students accountable to complete all summative tasks or they will not earn credit for the course regardless of their current grade. I feel each of these tasks is the completion of a significant part of the course curriculum. It would be like a factory sold you a car that was 60% complete. It looks like a car, has tires, windows, seats, but no engine. I wouldn't consider this factory to have demonstrated they can build a car. The same in my classroom. If students don't complete all of the summative tasks, these again are the products, tests, projects, presentations and papers, they haven't demonstrated knowledge of all parts of the content we have studied.
I need your support in this endeavor, I will update powerschool regularly with their formative and summative tasks and with our new RtI period I will work to help those students may be behind. During this time, you may be receiving communications home to inform you that your son or daughter is missing tasks, having some struggles, and hopefully positive communications throughout the year as well.
I am embarking on this change with the best intentions for all students and hope this will make positive changes in our learning environment. I understand this is a risky proposition and hope my intention of this policy will be supported by all parties involved. I do not want any student to come to the end of the term and not be eligible for credit that is why I am going to post information in the gradebook. I will discuss the progress with the students frequently in class. I will use RtI time to help those students who are in jeopardy or struggling in some way of completing tasks. I will contact you and hope you will contact me when there is an issue with student progress.
I look forward to talking with you and discussing your son or daughter's work, progress, accomplishments, and anything about the course you would like to know more about. I appreciate your support!
Finally check out some of the work that students have completed as part of my classes. Students have created some amazing work. Click here to see some student rock star projects!
