It is September 20th and we are already into a full workload of classwork and homework.  It is crucial that all work get done and handed in on time.  High school has some challenges and Freshmen will soon learn that personl resposibility is critical to being successful.

Mr. A and I are here to reteach lessons, assist with assignments and help with major writing tasks.  Students are responsible for completing and handing in their work. 

We are looking forward to seeing each student progress and succeed to the best of their abilities.  Let's make it a great year!

It's the week before Spring Break.  My, how the school year flies!  We have less than seven weeks of regular classes left and it is time to buckle down.  Now is the time to finish all assignments on time, and start preparing for finals and Regents.  Reread class notes often.  Ask questions in class.  Go to teachers during Activity Period if you don't understand something.  

Tests, finals and Regents should not be seen as scary or punitive.  They are opportunities to prove just how much you know; just how well you paid attention.  Soon you will get that opportunity, take it and shine!

Well, next week is Spring break and we all know how fast the school year goes after we get back.  There will be seven weeks left to accomplish our academic goals. We must stay focused and "Finish Strong!" Keeping up with assignments is vital to being successful.  We know that all of our students can succeed when they put in the effort.  

Let's FINISH STRONG and enjoy these last few weeks.

It's June!  There are only a few days left of regular classes. Finals are in full swing. Regents are right around the corner.  All students should be looking over their notes, studying, and practicing for their tests.  Everyone CAN succeed with hard work and perseverance.  Good Luck! FINISH STRONG!!

We have finished Michael Vey-The Prisoner of Cell 25 and I believe the students thoroughly enjoyed it.  One student even went to the library to borrow and start reading the second book in the series.  We are now moving on to another novel; Walk Two Moons.  This is a story of loss and empathy.  It is a quick-paced story that weaves some goofiness and charm into a serious subject matter.  Stay tuned.

A quick note: there are 27 days of regular classes left in the school year.  Students MUST stay focussed and up to date with all assignments.  The time left will go very quickly.

Our Skills Class always starts the year with some basic phonics, phonemic awareness, and penmanship (both print and cursive).  We begin with the short vowel sounds and then dive into Blends, Digraphs, and long vowel sounds.  This is slow-going and tedious, but we have found that reinforcing the basics has made a difference in the reading and writing skills of our students. 

We have received a new reading program, Fountas and Pinnell's Leveled Literacy Intervention, and have begun working in small groups.  The program uses short fiction and non-fiction books to help improve accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.  We work on vocabulary and we have detailed discussions about the content, as well as structure and style.  Students practice reading independently and they seem to feel comfortable bringing questions about the text and vocabulary to the group. We are learning about some interesting topics and the group really seems to be enjoying the program.

Another key component of our Skills class is for our students to hear books, as well as read them.  We are currently reading a novel, Michael Vey- The Prisoner of Cell 25.  They are thoroughly enjoying this Young Adult novel by Richard Paul Evans.