There is no homework packet over the break, but students should finish their fantasy independent reading books by January 5th.

I am missing Anne Frank projects from several students. I will take 5 points off for every day they are late, including the days we are out for the winter break. Students may email me their papers, but if they do not receive a conformation email from me, I did not get the email. The rubric is listed on this blog in a previous post.

Have a wonderful winter break and enjoy the holidays!

Leslie Heister
LHeister@paulcharter.org

4th period only: Students should prepare to present their 2 paragraphs of expository text to the class on Wednesday.

Project Guidelines

Pretend that you are one of the characters in the annex. You will create a diary with 3-5 diary entries informing others what happened to you upon your arrest from the annex by the Nazi police. You will base your entries on research. For example, if you find out through research that Mr. Van Dann was sent to Bergen Belsen concentration camp, you would include that in your diary entry as if you were him.

You will also include an epilogue. An epilogue is a concluding piece of writing that informs readers of what happened to characters at the end of a story. As all of the characters except for Mr. Frank died, an epilogue is needed to tell the reader of your diary what happened to you. If you are Mr. Frank, then much of your epilogue will be based upon the story and other research.

It is imperative that while your diary entries will be research based, you also remember to write in a humanistic way. You are the character from the annex, so the entries must include your personal thoughts and feelings of the events at the concentration camp. You may also have to fill some of your entries with fiction as none of us knows everything that occurred at those camps. The main elements that are required for this project are:
Research and Imagination. This project will culminate our study of the Informational text and the Literary text.

You should include pictures or drawings that help to illustrate the setting or the events. You must have at least 3 diary entries. They must be dated (day, month, date and year). The entries must be at least a page long. You may type them or write them in blue or black ink. Your sources should be listed inside of the cover at the very back of your diary. You must include sources!

You should be very creative when making your journal or diary with a cover, the diary entries, an epilogue and picture.

Rubric
A cover
3-5 full page entries
An epilogue
Pictures
List of sources
Work ethic

30 points for accurate completion.

December 12th

Students should make sure to choose an independent reading book and have it approved ASAP!

Anne Frank projects are due Friday, December 19th.

Students should be prepared to work on their Anne Frank projects in class tomorrow. Choose a character and do a little research before class.

Due Friday: Plot outline for the entire play (The Diary of Anne Frank), describing all 6 elements (exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)

Wednesday: Final quiz on The Diary of Anne Frank (Act 2, Scenes 3-5)

Independent Reading Project:

• At the students' request I have changed our independent reading genre to: Fantasy
• Students should choose their book by next Monday, December 8th
• The books need to be a minimum of 15o pages and on an appropriate reading level
• I will need to approve all books

Quiz (The Diary of Anne Frank):

• We will have a quiz on Act 1, Scenes 4-5, and Act 2, Scenes 1-2 on Wednesday
• The quiz for 4th period will cover the entire second act

November 25th

There is no homework over the Thanksgiving break, but students should start thinking about choosing a book of Science Fiction for our next Independent Reading Project. The books must be approved by me, and they need to be a minimum of 150 pages long and on at least an 8th grade reading level.

Students in periods 1, 2, 5, & 6 should answer the 8 questions about Act 2, Scene 1. This assignment is due tomorrow, Tuesday. (Students in periods 1 & 2 who were with Mr. DeShields today do not have to complete this assignment.)

1. How long have the Franks, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel been in hiding?
2. Why is everyone so excited about the cake?
3. Is Mr. Dussel’s accusation that Mrs. Van Daan gives Mr. Van Daan bigger portions correct?
4. Why does Anne ask Miep to remember all of the details of the party she is going to?
5. Why does Mr. Van Daan want to sell Mrs. Van Daan’s fur coat? How does she feel about it?
6. Why does Mr. Kraler think someone is blackmailing them? Explain.
7. How has Anne’s relationship with Peter changed?
8. Why is everyone in the secret annex so hungry?

November 19th

4th period: Vocabulary quiz tomorrow

Periods 1,2, 5, &6: The vocabulary quiz has been moved to Monday

November 17th

Due Wednesday: Use all 15 words from vocabulary list #5 in a sentences that demonstrate your understanding of the words.

Thursday: Quiz on vocabulary list #5

Due Friday: (4th period) 1 page research paper on WW II

***Historical Fiction Projects were due today. Make sure to turn it in ASAP!***

Vocabulary List #5
loathe
ostentatious
disgruntled
foreboding
appalled
wallow
zeal
indignantly
jubilation
vile
conspicuous
oppression
inarticulate
pandemonium
remorse

November 13th

Quiz on Act 1, Scenes 1-3 of The Diary of Anne Frank tomorrow, Friday

Historical Fiction Project due Monday, November 17th

Vocabulary #5 Quiz on Wedenesday, November 19th

(4th period) 1 page research paper on WW II due Friday, November 21st
*Students from all other periods may complete this assignment for an extra grade if they wish

November 6th

Grammar Worksheet due Monday, November 10th

Historical Fiction Project due Monday, November 17th

November 4th

Students have a project for their books of historical fiction due on Monday, November 17th. They should finish their books ASAP and get started on the project!

October 28th

The 2nd advisory has begun!

Part one of the new vocabulary list (#5) is due on Thursday.

Students should plan on finishing their books of historical fiction by Monday, November 3rd.

October 21st

The advisory ends on Friday. All work must be completed by Thursday at the latest!

October 17th

Study for the first advisory exam on Monday, October 20th!!!!

All late work is also due Monday, October 20th!!!!

October 14th

The personal narrative essay was due today. Five points will be taken off for each day this assignment is late.

There will be a vocabulary quiz tomorrow (list #4), Wednesday, October 15th.

Make up quizzes and tests must be completed by Friday, October 17th.

All late work is due Monday, October 20th

THE FIRST ADVISORY EXAM IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 20th.

Review packets will be handed out on Wednesday. The exam will cover all 4 vocabulary lists, author's purpose, the 6 elements of plot, personal narratives, and basic grammar.

I will be available after school every day this week to help students complete their work and answer questions about grades.

October 10th

A large number of students, especially from 1st and 2nd period, have not chosen a book to read. They must do so by the time we return on Tuesday and it must be historical fiction!

The final draft of the personal narrative essay is due Tuesday, October 14th.


We will have a vocabulary quiz on Wednesday, October 15th.

Any student who wishes to retake a quiz or test on which they scored lower than a 70, must do so by Friday, October 17th.


All late homework is due by Monday, October 20th.

Students should begin reviewing for the 1st advisory exam. I will distribute review packets next week. All 4 vocabulary lists will be covered, so make flashcards and study!

Have a wonderful weekend!

October 9th

There is no new homework for this evening. I will be checking the vocabulary packet (#4) tomorrow in class, and I will post the new due date for the personal narrative essay by the end of the school day tomorrow.

Please contact me with any questions about the progress reports. We only have two weeks left in the 1st advisory and students must turn in all missed work by Monday, October 20th at the very latest.

I will be available to help students with missed work for 1 hour after school every day for the next week. Encourage your student to take advantage of this opportunity.

Finally, all students should begin thinking about high school applications. Make sure they ask for recommendations at least one week before they are due.

Have a great evening!

October 8th

All students should complete all three sections of the new vocabulary handout (list #4) by Friday. The due date for the final draft of the personal narrative has been pushed to Monday. Also, students must have chosen a book of historical fiction by Friday!

October 2nd

Due Friday: Part III of the new vocabulary handout and the 2nd draft of the personal narrative essay. (Students in 6th peroid have until Monday to turn in the 2nd draft.)

Guidelines for Personal Narrative Essay

Personal Narrative Essay

1. The “what” or summary
We began this project by writing the “what” of our stories. The “what” is basically a summary of what the story. Our objective is to write a personal narrative, so it should be a true story about you. The prompt was, “write about your best or worst day ever”. You may, however, write about anything you like, as long as it is a true story and it is about you!

2. Outline
We then created an outline for our essays, based on the six elements of plot:

Ø Exposition (introduction to characters and setting)
Ø Inciting Incident (event that gets the story started, introduction to the conflict)
Ø Rising Action (the bulk of the story, the events that lead up to the climax)
Ø Climax (the boiling point, the most exciting part of the story)
Ø Falling Action (wrapping up the loose ends of the story, bringing everything to a close
Ø Resolution (the final moments, the end)
This outline should have included only one or two sentences for each of the six elements. The point was to organize the basic elements of the personal narrative, not to give details.

3. Rough Draft
The rough draft builds on the outline. Each of the six elements has its own paragraph, but at this point each paragraph only needs to be 2-3 sentences. The elements of plot structure (exposition, rising action, etc.) should not be mentioned in the rough draft. You are now writing the story, so you don’t need to write “The exposition is when . . .” It should be evident from the progression of your story.

4. Second Draft Typed or Handwritten Due Friday, October 3rd
This should be your first attempt at the final product. Do your best to omit all spelling and grammatical errors. Make sure you have six complete paragraphs (5 sentence paragraph format), one for each of the six elements of plot (exposition, rising action, etc.).

5. Final Draft Typed Only Due Friday, October 10th
This is your opportunity to revise your personal narrative essay. Take my comments into consideration and correct all errors. Points will be deducted for spelling and grammatical errors.


Notes:
Remember, 5 points will be deducted for each day this project is late.

Receive one bonus point for every vocabulary word from our list that you use correctly in your essay, up to five points total.


Rubric

The six paragraphs of your personal narrative will be graded based on the list below. Your paragraphs will receive one point for each of the following criteria. Each paragraph is potentially worth 7 points; therefore, the essay will be worth a total of 42 points. Use the following list to revise your essay by reviewing each paragraph to make sure it follows these guidelines.


__ Paragraph is at least 5 sentences long


__ Paragraph stays on topic


__ Paragraph is recognizable as one of the six elements of plot structure


__ Paragraph contains descriptive details


__ Paragraph contains no grammatical mistakes


__ Paragraph contains no spelling mistakes


__ Paragraph is typed

September 30th

Due Wednesday: Part I of the new vocabulary handout (everyone except for 6th period)

Due Friday: 2nd draft of the personal narrative essay

September 29th

If students have not yet picked a title from the historical fiction genre, they need to do so ASAP! I want to make sure that everyone has time to finish their independent reading books and write a report by the end of the advisory.

We are taking DC-BAS tests today and tomorrow, so there is no additional homework this evening.

September 25th

We will have a vocabulary quiz tomorrow, Friday. Students also need to pick a book to read from the historical fiction genre by Monday. I look forward to seeing you all at Back to School Night this evening!

Historical Fiction: Historical fiction is a sub-genre of fiction which is set during a specific time in history (18th Century France), or which centers around an historical event (the American Civil War), at least 30 years in the past. The stories are fictional (made up), but they try to capture the reality of the period in history in which they are set. Setting is one of the most important literary elements in this genre, and information about the time period must be accurate. Authors of historical fiction must research the time period in great depth, right down to the details of what the people ate and how they behaved in their daily lives. The characters may be imaginary, or versions of people who actually lived. Events in the story may be based on things that actually happened, or they may be imaginary as long as they don’t contradict reality.

Vocabulary Words:
prosperous
deftly
sinister
console
hazard
impulse
intuition
tedious
minimal
elated

September 19th

I apologize for not keeping up with the blog, but I was having trouble logging in!

Due Monday: Part I of the new vocabulary packet

Have a great weekend!

Due Thursday, September 4th:
A free verse poem inspired by the Civil Rights Movement

Due Friday, September 5th:
Two summer reading projects
The summer reading test on either Warriors Don't Cry or Speak

There will be no homework assigned over the weekend; however, students should make sure that their English binders are organized by Monday, September 8th.

8th grade summer reading list:
http://www.paulcharter.org/PAULCHARTER/documents/Summer_Reading_List_GRADE8.doc

Both the summer reading projects due date and the test for the required book have been postponed until next Friday, September 5th. Students should make sure to use the long weekend to get caught up!

The homework for this evening is to list 3 test taking strategies. Keep working on your summer reading projects!

Welcome to a new year at Paul Public Charter School!  I am very excited about the upcoming year.  I will post homework assignments on this blog everyday.  First on the agenda:

• Write a BCR about your goals for this class.  (Example:  What do you hope to accomplish?  What do you expect from me?)  Due tomorrow.
• Summer reading projects are due Friday, August 29th.
• The summer reading test will be given on Tuesday, September 2nd.
  

If you are reading this blog, please post a comment!

Homework for Friday, May 16th

The poetry quiz has been postponed until Monday due to the Aladdin, Jr. performance today.

Extra Credit: Find a fact relating to Shakespeare, or the time in which he lived, that we have not yet discussed in class. Submit by Tuesday, May 20th.

Homework for Thursday, May 15th

Periods 1, 2, 5, & 6 should study for the poetry term quiz tomorrow, Friday.

Period 4 should study for a quiz covering chapters 11-19 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X tomorrow, Friday.

Homework for Thursday, April 18th

Students in all classes should write 5 sentences using compound subjects, making sure that the verbs agree.

Students in 4th period should also prepare for a discussion of ch.14-15.

Lesson 3 Vocabulary

ruse
blunt
wrath
gaudy
phobia
remorse
consistent
skeptical
shun
hues
morsel
languish
wary
allege

Homework for Wednesday, April 16th

The persuasive essay due date has been moved to Friday, April 25th. The essays need more work, so we are going to have a writing workshop in class this Friday. The homework for this evening is to find at least one statistic/fact to support the thesis of the essay, and site the source.

Homework for Monday, April 14th

Students should work on revising their persuasive essays, the final draft of which is due on Friday, April 18th.

4th period students should work on their essays, as well as continue to read 10 pages per night of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and to write a brief summary of what they read. Students in this class should also write a 1-2 page response to chapters 11-14 for Wednesday.

Homework for Tuesday, April 8th

The first draft of the 6 paragraph persuasive essay is due on Thursday. Students should pick a serious social or political issue, such as education or health care
There will be a vocabulary make up quiz offered on Thursday for those who failed the quiz on Monday.

4th Period: Students in this class should complete the assignments listed above, in addition to reading at least 10 pages in The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and writing a brief summary about what they have read.


Persuasive Essay Format
I. Introduction
II. 1st supporting argument
III. 2nd supporting argument
IV. 3rd supporting argument
V. Address the opposing viewpoint and explain why it is invalid
VI. Conclusion (a call to action)

Homework for Monday, April 7th

Complete pg. 167-168 of the Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics workbook for Tuesday.

The first draft of the persuasive essay project is due Thursday. This will count as a homework grade. We will work on the drafts in class on Tuesday of this week, and the final drafts will be due on Friday, April 18th. Students need to write a six paragraph essay which works to persuade someone about an important social or political issue such as health care, education, etc.

4th Period: Read at least 10 pages of The Autobiography of Malcolm X and write a brief summary about what you read. Work on your persuasive essays!

Homework for Friday, April 4th

Vocabulary Quiz Monday!

Homework for Thursday, April 3rd

Periods 1, 2, 5, & 6:

• Complete pages 165-166 of the G.U.M. workbook for Friday
• Decide on a topic for the persuasive essay project by Friday
  

Period 4:

• Read at least 10 pages of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and write a brief summary (2 or 3 sentences minimum)
• Decide on a topic for the persuasive essay project by Friday

Homework for Tuesday, April 1st

• Use each of the 15 words from Vocabulary Lesson 3 in a senetence that shows your understanding of the word's meaning.
• Review vocabulary for the quiz on Monday, April 7th.
• Organize your English notebook by Thursday.
• Decide on a topic for the persuasive essay project by Friday, April 4th.

4th Period: All of the above + Write a summary of what you read tonight. Try to read at least 10 pages!

Homework for Tuesday, March 18th

There is no homework this evening. Students should concentrate on studying for their other exams, and completing any missing assignments. Late assignments for my class will not be accepted after the end of the school day on Thursday. The advisory will be ending, and any missing assignments will be entered as a "0". There will be no homework packet over spring break, but 4th period students should use this time to catch up on their reading, or maybe even get ahead!

3rd Advisory Exam Review

An adverb modifies (describes) a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
The adverb is in bold:
1. The twin sisters spoke vividly about their new dollhouse. (modifies spoke)
2. Cammie visits her grandmother sporadically during the summer months. (modifies visits)
3. The men ate the turkey and gravy heartily. (modifies ate)

A preposition links nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words in the sentence.
The preposition is in bold:
4. People enjoy talking with one another.
5. They share news of their daily lives.
6. News about international events is broadcast on television.
7. Many people find current news on the Internet.

A proper noun has two distinctive features: 1) it will name a specific [usually a one-of-a-kind] item, and 2) it will begin with a capital letter no matter where it occurs in a sentence. Examples: Paul Public Charter School, Mrs. Heister
A common noun names general items. Examples: chair, book

An adjective modifies (describes) a noun or pronoun.
The adjective is in bold:
8. The enthusiastic dancer leaped across the stage. (modifies dancer)
9. Hot water shot up from the building. (modifies water)
10. The literary club met inside the library. (modifies club)

Tone is the writer’s attitude toward his or her subject. A reader can identify the tone of a story by paying attention to details, dialogue, and description and monitoring his or her response to these elements.
Think about tone as related to the author or writer: his or her feelings about what they are writing about and how that comes through in the text.

Mood is the feeling or atmosphere the writer creates for the reader. Unlike tone, which reflects the writer’s feelings, mood is intended to shape the response of the reader. A writer can use the following elements to create mood: Setting, Descriptive details, Figurative language, Sound, & Rhythm.
Think about mood as related to the reader or audience: what the author is trying to make the reader feel.

Author’s purpose: to entertain, to persuade, to express an opinion, to inform, to instruct, to explain

Vocabulary words from Lessons One & Two:
impulse

console

infuriated

intuition

munitions

precautions
deftly

elated

flaws

tedious

prosperous

impediment
lapse

minimal

precipitation

flexible

longing

taunted
reverie

ignite

ailment

hazard

calamity

clamor
obstruct

pauper

consequence

sinister

punitive

impartial

Review the Flowers for Algernon quiz!!!

Homework for Friday, March 14th

All students should review for the 3rd advisory exam on Tuesday. I have given the students a review handout, and posted it here on my blog.

All assignments must be turned in by Thursday, March 20th. Assignments not received by that time will be entered as a zero in the grade book and counted toward the final 3rd advisory grade.

4th period students should also make sure that they are caught up on their reading( through chapter 12).

Homework for Wendesday, March 12th

Periods 1 & 2: Finish the new vocabulary worksheet, and turn in any late assignments.

Period 4: Complete the new vocabulary worksheets, and catch up on your reading.

Period 5: Review your grammar and vocabulary worksheets, and turn in any late assignments.

Period 6: No class today.

Homework for Tuesday, March 11th

Periods 5 & 6: Complete the new vocabulary worksheet and turn in any late homework assignments.

Periods 1 & 2 : No class today.

Period 4: Complete pg. 163-164 of the Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics workbook and finish chapter 11.

Homework for Monday, March 10th

Periods 1, 2, 5, & 6:

• Complete pg. 163 & 164 of the Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics workbook (G.U.M.)
• Late: Find & read a current events article and write a BCR
• Flowers for Algernon quiz will be given during mert time on Tuesday (only for students who failed the first one)

4th Period:

• Read the first half of ch. 11 (10 pages)
• Prepare 3 questions or comments to contribute to the discussion of ch.11
• 1 page response due from all students who have not yet turned one in (they have been notified of who they are)

Homework for Friday, March 7th

Periods 1, 2, 5, & 6: Find and read a current events article. Write a BCR for Monday.

Period 4: Study for the test on chapters 1-10 on Monday.

Homework for Thursday, March 6th

Book reports are due Friday.

4th Period: The Malcolm X test has been moved to Monday.

Homework for Wendesday, March 5th

Periods 1, 2, 5, & 6:
Book reports are due Friday. We will be in the computer lab Thursday or Friday to type the final drafts. A few students still have not turned in the 1st draft. Students should also remember to bring their complete English binders to class EVERYDAY.

Period 4:
Students should keep reading, and review the study guide questions for the test Friday.

Homework for Thursday, February 28th

Periods 1, 2, 5, & 6: Review vocabulary and work on 1st draft of book report, due Monday.

Period 4: Finish chapter 9 and bring in an artifact or point of interest for Friday's salon.

Homework for Tuesday, February 26th

Periods 1, 2, 5, & 6:  

Complete the vocabulary worksheet if you have not already done so.

Use each of the vocabulary words in a sentence.

The 1st draft of the Flowers for Algernon book report is due Monday, March 3rd.

Period 4:

Prepare for a discussion of chapters 7-8.

Read chapter 9.

Homework for Monday, February 25

Students in periods 1, 2, 5, & 6 have a vocabulary worksheet to complete for tomorrow, Tuesday. They should take the time to look up any words they do not know!

4th period students need to prepare for a discussion of chapters 7-8 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. They should prepare at least 4 or 5 comments or questions to contribute to the discussion. A few students still need to turn in the one page response to chapters 1-7 that was due today.

Homework for Thursday, February 21st

Students in periods 1, 2, 5, & 6 should complete the grammar worksheet for tomorrow, Friday.

Students in 4th period should be ready to complete our discussion of chapter 6 and possibly chapter 7. Students must finish reading through chapter 8 by Monday. A one page personal response to chapters 1-7 is due tomorrow, Friday.

Homework for Wednesday, February 20th

I need short story drafts from several students. These will not be accepted after Friday.

Students who received an incomplete for the second advisory must turn in the make-up assignment by tomorrow at the very latest. Those students who have not taken the make-up exam must do so during merit time tomorrow.

Students in periods 1, 2, 5 & 6 should prepare for the Flowers for Algernon quiz tomorrow, Thursday.

Students in period 4 should prepare for a discussion of chapter 6 on Thursday, a discussion of chapter 7 on Friday, and make sure to finish reading through chapter 8 by Monday. A one page response to chapters 1-7 is due this Friday.

Homework for Monday, February 11th

I still need plot outlines and drafts of the short story creative writing project from most of my students!


Students in 4th period should begin chapter 6. Students must keep up with the reading.

Homework for Friday, February 8th

A plot line and draft of the short story creative writing project is due on Monday for periods 1, 2, 5, & 6

Students in period 4 should read at least through chapter 5 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  

Homework for Tuesday, February 5th

No homework tonight!

Not so fast 4th period! You need to be prepared to finish the discussion of chapters 2 and 3 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. We may begin discussing chapter 4, so make sure you have finished reading it! You should begin reading chapter 5 as well.

Homework for Monday, February 4th

Students should remember to keep their vocabulary study guides, as the quiz today is not the last time they will see these 15 words.

4th period students should make sure that they have finished chapter three of The Autobiography of Malcolm X and that they are prepared for a discussion of the material in class tomorrow. To help them prepare, they should have in mind one main idea for chapter 2 and one for chapter 3.
Read p.59-72 (chapter 4)

Vocabulary List

console
deftly
elated
flexible
hazard
impulse
intuition
lapse
minimal
munitions
obstruct
prosperous
reverie
sinister
tedious

Homework for Thursday, January 31st

Vocabulary Quiz Monday, February 4th

One page rough draft of short story due Monday, February 4th

4th period students should also read pages 33-58 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Homework for Wednesday, January 30th

Students who have not completed the vocabulary handout should do so, and turn it in ASAP.

We will have a vocabulary quiz on Monday, February 4th.

A one page rough draft of the creative writing project is due Monday, February 4th.

Students in my fourth period should also read pages 24-32 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and be ready for a discussion of chapter one.

Malcolm X Website Link

http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm

Homework for Tuesday, January 29th

Students from all classes should complete the vocabulary worksheet for tomorrow, Wednesday. Please keep in mind that we will have a quiz covering this material on Monday, February 4th.

Students should also make sure that they have completed a plot outline and least one character description, in addition to a brief explanation of theme, for the creative writing project we began on Monday.

I need for all the students who have not yet brought in a composition notebook to do so as soon as possible. I need to have these in order to properly assess the daily journaling we are doing in class.

Students in my fourth period should also make sure to finish chapter one in The Autobiography of Malcolm X and be ready for a discussion.

January Book Report

Book reports were due Monday, January 28th. Unfortuanetly, quite a few students have yet to hand in a report. Please get these to me ASAP!!! The grades for the second advisory were brought down by a widespread failure to turn in homework assignments. I want for this advisory to be different!

Letter of Introduction

Dear Parents and Students,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself! I am excited to be teaching 8th grade English at Paul Public Charter School. I realize that I have some big shoes to fill, and I am sure that you had a wonderful fall semester with Mrs. Carroll. She has left me a detailed account of how the classroom was run, and I will do my best to maintain this format for the spring semester. I love the idea of keeping a blog for the classroom. It seems like a great way to keep parents and students informed about what is going on, and I encourage all of you to post comments and use this resource. If at anytime you have any additional questions or concerns, please email me at LHeister@paulcharter.org.
As I am sure most of you know, this Friday, February 1, is a parent-teacher conference day. I will be here from 12-7pm, and I look forward to meeting as many of you as can attend. If you are unable to attend Friday, I would be happy to meet with you at another time to discuss the class or just to get to know one another. You can email me or call the school and leave a message, and I will do my best to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
A little about me . . . I am currently working on my master's degree in secondary education at American University. I have a BA in English, with a focus in Creative Writing, from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Most importantly, I am so very excited to be working with you all towards a successful semester. I want for you to know that I am committed to the success of each and every one of my students and that I will do everything I can to help them accomplish their goals!

Sincerely,
Leslie Heister