5 November 2009
The number of cell phones being used in class and / or ringing during class is alarming. Hale has a set policy for cell phone use during school hours: NONE! Once students have arrived on campus and until they leave, they are not to use their cell phones. If your students are sick, they will receive a pass to go to the nurse's office and the nurse will contact you. They are NOT to text or call you. If your students need to reach you, they may use the phone in the attendance office or the main office during nutrition or lunch.
The next time a phone goes off during class, or a student is caught texting, their phone will be taken from them and a parent / guardian will have to go to the attendance office, see Mr. Nigai, the assistant principal, and sign for the phone.
2 November 2009
The first English assessment is behind us. There are two more weeks of the narrative unit and then we will be moving on to the expository unit. Students will get the opportunity to go over the Short Constructed Response tomorrow in English
My third / fourth period class went on a field trip last week and the docents at the Skirball said they were the best prepared group they have seen all year. It was great seeing Jackie Kodish, one of Hale's former English teachers who is now, in her retirement, a docent at the Skirball. I am investigating more field trips for both periods.
Book reports will be assigned tomorrow.
21 October 2009
I am concerned by the number of students who do not bring their supplies to class each day. Today students were given a pop quiz based on yesterday's English classwork / homework. This work was to be done in the English notebook, not history, science or math notebooks. The English notebook should only have English in it.
This is the seventh week of school. Students need to bring the following supplies to class each day: an English notebook
a history notebook
three to four sharpened pencils
two black and / or blue pens
two red pens for correcting only
one box of colored pencils
looseleaf paper in a 2-inch binder for work that is specified
to be done on a piece of paper; paper should not be pulled
from a notebook
If you are having financial difficulties, please email me and I will purchase notebooks for you.
I will continue to have impromptu pop quizzes until students
a. do thier classwork / homework
b. follow directions
consistently.
Thank you for your cooperation in making this happen.
11 October 2009
Thank you all for coming to Back-to-School Night. It was great seeing so many of you!
6 October 2009
Back-to-School is this Thursday! Please come! Parents and guardians only. See you on Thursday!
4 October 2009
More changes are in store for us. I am once again teaching sixth grade English and History. I will still have my students which is a great thing. My periods one and two will go to Ms. Belenkaia for Science and Math. My periods three and four will go to Ms. Sung (Yippee! She's back!) for Math and Science. I will not have a class set of History books, but I do have a class set of English books. Ms. Belenkaia will get my class set of Science books, and Ms. Sung has put in a request for a class set of Science and Math books.
Thank you for your patience. Our common goal is to offer your children the best possible education. Regardless of the change, we have been successful thus far, and will continue to do so. The three of us in the J building, and Mrs. Welsh who also teaches English 7 and now has one strand of English / History 6, will continue to work as a team.
See you on Thursday evening for Back-to-School Night (adults only, please).
30 September 2009
I want to let you know that I have class sets on English and Science. Students will not have to bring these textbooks to school each day. They will NEED to bring both science workbooks and the literature workbook in addition to their English and science notebooks to class each day.
Students also need four pencils, three black or blue pens, red pens for correcting, and loose-leaf paper in their binders (they should not be ripping paper out of their notebooks). Please check your child's supplies on a weekly basis.
29 September 2009
Classes are balanced as of today. Some of the classes will have additional students. I will now be teaching English and Science. I am looking forward to teaching these subjects this year. I have taught sixth grade science before so this is not foreign territory for me!
Mrs. Belenkaia (J191) and I are now teaming. She will be teaching History and Math. Students will take classes in my classroom (J194) and hers (J191). The upside of this is that we will have an empty classroom beside each of our classrooms so that we will be able to use both, especially when we break into small groups.
On Friday, I gave all my students Scholastic Reading Inventories. This will help me determine your child's reading level and allow me to tailor the books they read to their needs. I will be letting you know more about this at Back-to-School Night.
I look forward to meeting all of you at Back-to-School Night (adults only) on October 8.
16 September 2009
If you have not already done so, please join the PTSA! It's important to the school, costs only five dollars and does not involve any other volunteer committment!
14 September 2009
Please take a moment to subscribe to the NewsFlash! for your student's class. The link(s) is to the left. I will be using this to update you when grades are posted, projects are due and any other information relevant to my classes.
If your child is identified gifted or talented (GATE), or in an SAS class, please sign up for the NewsFlash Gifted and Talented / SAS to receive the latest information about meetings, opportunities and information.
7 September 2009
Welcome to the new school year. I cannot wait to meet all of you and to start our learning adventure.
If any of you went to the sixth grade orientation in August, and you were given either J193 or J194 as your Advisory, then I am your English and Social Studies for this school year. Please look at my supply list as this is what I will expect you to have for the year.
See you on Wednesday!
Mrs. Wexler