8th Grade English Language Arts

Spring Semester
Welcome back to 8th grade ELA!
Dear Parents, I am excited to introduce myself as your students teacher for the spring semester. My name is Ms. Freedman, and I have been working with Mrs. Quijada all year as part of the Teach Arizona program. I am currently well on my way to earning my Secondary English teaching certification and my Masters degree in Teaching and Teacher Education through the University of Arizona. I am a Tucson native and received my Bachelors degree in English/Creative Writing and Anthropology in December of 2010 from the U of A. Go Cats! I was, and continue to be, active in UA leadership programs. Additionally, I was part of the 2011 Teach for America corps. I have a strong background in literature, writing, journalism, and theatre arts that I am eager to share in my teaching! I cannot express how excited I am to be teaching at Gridley Middle School this year! I intend to get your 8th grader ready and excited for the start of their high school career. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Quijada or myself with any questions or concerns! You will find our contact information in the following expectancy sheet. Best regards, Ms. Freedman

Classroom Procedures and Expectations

Expectations: 1. Be Respectful! 2. Always Bring All Necessary Materials! 3. Always Be Ready to Learn!

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Positive Consequences
1. Complimentary Call or Email Home 2. Extra Credit Points 3. Extra NQA Pass 4. Extra Beat the Bell Tickets

Late Work Policy: Work needs to be turned in on time. You are given clear deadlines for all assignments, and you are responsible for keeping these hard deadlines. If for some reason you are unable to complete your work, it may be turned in late for a penalty. Late work will be accepted with a loss of 10% of the total point value per day late. That means if you turn in a 100-point assignment one day late the highest possible grade you can receive is a 90%. The exception to this is using an NQA pass. No Questions Asked Passes (NQAs): This semester, you will be given two NQA passes. These no questions asked passes allow you to turn in one late assignment per pass. These should be used carefully! These are to be utilized for unforeseen issues. Put them to proper use. Beat the Bell Tickets: Each day, we start class with bellwork. I encourage each of you to get to class early and get started on the bellwork. If I see you in class, seated, and doing your bellwork BEFORE the bell rings then I may give you a Beat the Bell ticket. These can be traded in for treats, extra NQA passes, and other privileges. You can redeem 10 tickets for 3 extra credit points on any assignment or 20 tickets for an extra NQA. You can also lose these as a negative consequence! Absences: If you are absent, check the back box for any assignments you missed. You may use 2nd period to make up any tests or quizzes. You will have the number of days absent plus one to turn in any work you missed.

Negative Consequences
1. Verbal Warning 2. Move Seats 3. Email or Call Home

4. Loss of a Privilege (extra

5. Referral and Removal
*Severity Clause: You may be immediately moved up the consequence ladder, at my discretion, for severe infractions.

credit points, NQA, Beat the Bell)

The Semester at a Glance

This semester we will be working to prepare you for a very successful transition into high school. You, Gridley Grizzlies, will be ready to take on 9th grade and thrive! Our semester will consist of the following units:

Poetry: From Pop Lyrics to Lyrical Poems that Pop! The Diary of Anne Frank: A Look at History through Literature Informational Texts: Making Sense of the World We Live In The Essay: Every Way, Shape, and Form! Building Vocab & Being Testwise: Rocking the AIMS, PSATs, and Beyond! How To Reach Your Teacher: Email afreedma@email.arizona.edu Meetings/conferences may be setup before school hours or in the evenings! You may also contact Mrs. Quijada at amy.quijada@tusd1.org

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ I have read and understand the classroom expectations, rules, and procedures outlined in this expectation sheet. I understand that student actions may result in positive or negative consequences. This signed sheet is due for 10 points during our next class. Parent Signature_________________________ Date:______________