Bobs English Classes

Bob Anderson: Instructor, Room 132 2012/2013 School Year September 4, 2013 Dear Parents, Welcome to the start of the 2013-14 school year. This year all my students are either juniors or seniors. Please take a minute to read this letter and sign the last page for return by your son or daughter. Returning this form is actually his or her first scored assignment in this class. Here are some changes and things to know for this year: 1) Using Synergy online for Grades. This is the new grade and attendance program being implemented by Portland Public Schools this year. Parts of the system are still not up and running as of this time, so well all have to be patient while the bugs are being worked out. As with Ed Box, there will be a student/parent log-in page for you to keep up to date on your son or daughters progress. Hopefully, this program will actually work for standards-based teaching (another program to be implemented district wide). 2) Proficiency Based Grading. The standards-based or proficiency-based model is a best practice in education. There is a lot of information on the web about this method, and many school districts around the country have adopted this model. Portland Public Schools is going to be completely standards-based by next school year to match the change in state-wide assessments (replacing the current OAKS testing). Basically, there is no point system for homework, assignments, or tests. This method shifts the focus for grades away from doing stuff to the demonstration of ones learning of year-long targets (called standards) through application and performance. Students are scored with a tool called a rubric, which represents a scale of proficiency. The higher the rubric score, the stronger the skill or knowledge was demonstrated in an assignment. The rubrics I will be using this year are six-tier. Instead of a rubric number being equivalent to a letter grade, the six numbers stand for degrees of understanding or proficiency. Rubric proficiencies are as follows: Rubric Score 6 5 4 3 2 1 Explanation Exceptional: Work far exceeds expectations Exceeding: Student demonstrated abilities beyond proficiency Proficient: Student meets the target learning objectives Developing: Student is close to meeting the objectives Emerging: Student has shown growth, but still needs practice & study Beginning: Student is just starting work on the objective

As an example of a rubric, your childs first assignment for this class is to bring this letter to you, have you read and sign the last page, and return it to class by Friday, September 13, 2013. The standard being measured is a classroom skill: turning work in on or before the due date. Here is the scoring guide for this assignment: Rubric Score 6 5 4 3 2 1 Standard CR: 2 Parent letter is returned two or more days early Parent letter is turned in one day early: September 12 (Thursday) Parent letter is turned in on the day due: September 13 Parent letter is one day late: turned in on September 16 Parent letter is turned in two days late (on September 17) Parent letter is turned in more than 2 days late

Classroom Rules: Students

Students are to arrive on time daily. Being tardy is taken seriously, and repeated tardies without excuses will result in disciplinary action. Anyone who arrives in class after I have taken attendance is considered tardy. Please do not move the furniture unless asked to. If requested to come to tutor time (in writing), you MUST attend or make another arrangement with me. Failure to show results in a detention (with time/date being next tutor time). Second failure results in a referral and 3-days detention. Bobs corner of the room (where my desk and computer are) is an area off-limits to students, as are the file cabinets and wall cabinets. Students are welcomed and encouraged to check out books from my classroom library. As you will see, there is a vast selection. One book per student at a time may be checked out, except those marked reference (with yellow dots on the spine). Reference books must never leave the classroom. When I call attention of the class, please stop talking and any other activity and look up at me (and smile, please). I should only need to ask once for class attention. I expect to only have to remind a student of the rules once. All Wilson school rules and PPS school rules apply in my classroom, including the dress code. All school and teacher provided materials are to be treated respectfully and well cared for. I have spent a lot of my personal money to provide some materials. Please take care of them. If you have a problem with the class, other students, or what is being taught, please ask for a private conference with me. I will do the same with you. This is a matter of respect. I expect all students to be KIND to on another and to me. No insults. No profanity. No offensive remarks. Follow the golden rule. No food or drink in the classroom. A water bottle is OK. NO CELL PHONES or MUSIC MACHINES (see policy below). Students may be requested to see me for tutor time if needed. An excused absence (cleared through the attendance office) is the only way work wont be counted late or allowed to be made up.

Wilson Tardy Policy

1 Tardy Teacher speaks to student about classroom expectations 2 Tardies Teacher speaks to student about classroom expectations 3 Tardies Parent contact. 4 Tardies - Referral for truancy 15 minutes or more late requires a pass from the attendance office and student marked absent

Cell Phone/iPod Infractions

1st I take item for rest of the period 2nd Same as #1, plus detention 3rd Same as #2, plus parent contact More: Administrative action, beginning with a referral

Here is a little about me

I LOVE TEENAGERS. I decided to become a teacher later in my life because this is what I really want to do. I like to be seen as a coach rather than a general. I enjoy students having lunch with me in my room and having time to chat with students outside of classroom lesson time. My room is always open for students who come to me for help (on any issue) and I will problem solve with them. I want my students leaving my classroom every day feeling good about him or her self, to feel they have been heard, and to want to come to class every day. I admire and encourage creativity and thinking outside the box. I will always listen to a proposal for an alternative assignment. I welcome students address me as Bob. After all, it is my name , so dont be surprised if you hear your students talking about Bob, their teacher. (Some kids call me Mr. Bob). I believe that even though all people are different, all can learn. I use a variety of teaching methods to address several learning styles. I also enjoy learning WITH my students, and every year I feel stronger about my teaching because I continue to learn from students. Grades. As mentioned above, grades are solely based on how proficient your son or daughter can demonstrate his or her learning. The new on-line grade book (synergy) calculates the grades based on accumulated rubric scores. Students have a list of Final Scores which grades are based on as well as practice scores. In most cases, students have an opportunity to re-assess a particular standard. More on this as the year unfolds. Watch for my bi-weekly (hopefully) newsletters. My goals for this year. My goal this year is to become more electronic. I plan to have a web page for both bi-weekly newsletters and electronic versions of assignments that may be downloaded from home. I am also planning to start a school-wide Wilson Film Festival of student made & produced films. If all goes well, we will have a film viewing night in the auditorium this spring. More on that later. As for the past two years, I will be coaching the Wilson Creative Writing club. The goal is to publish student work in a literary magazine this spring. I encourage students who like to write stories and poems to consider joining! My e-mail address is: bobander@pps.net. E-mail works best for me when communicating with parents, so I am asking all parents to fill out the attached parent info letter and have your student return it to me. That way I have current e-mail addresses. I dont give out my cell phone number because my wife will kill me

September 4, 2013 RETURN TO BOB BY SEPTEMBER 14

Dear Parents, I value contact with parents and plan to share information with you regularly through e-mail. To facilitate this, I am asking for every parents e-mail address. E-mailing information has several advantages. For one, I am sure information is delivered to you, the parent, (and not accidentally left in a locker, on a bus, etc.) Second, e-mailing saves paper resources, which benefits us all. Finally, e-mailing saves time so I can spend more with students. In addition, you will be able to view your childs current assignment and grade status using Synergy. This letter is your students first assignment, and when returned, is a required score toward his or her grade. As with all assignments this year, it will receive a rubric score based on when it is turned in. Please take a minute and fill out the information below and have your son or daughter return it to me. It is my goal to have 100% return of all parent letters Friday. Please keep the top pages for your reference, and return this page only. I have included my e-mail address. Please use it often for any questions or concerns. I check my e-mail daily (usually after school) and in most cases, I reply within 24 hours. I can, of course, be reached by calling the main office. My room extension is 132, however, I appreciate not receiving calls during class time. My email is bobander@pps.net. Students are welcome to e-mail me as well. Sincerely, Bob Anderson Students Name: ______________________________________ Students Signature: ___________________________________ Class Period: _____________________ Date: ___________________________

Students E-Mail: _______________________________________________________________________ Students (new) Google E-mail (for class related activities): _______________________________________ Students Phone (optional): ______________________________________________________________ Parents Name(s): _______________________________________________________________________ Parents Signature: ______________________________________________________________________ Phone Number #1: _____________________________ Phone #2: ________________________________ Parents Primary E-mail Address: ____________________________________________________________ Parent E-mail Address #2: __________________________________________________________________ I HAVE READ THE CLASS RULES AND PARENT LETTER I dont have an e-mail address, sorry Is there anything you want me to know about your student or family (use back if more space is needed)?