Dear Students and Families,
Welcome to Teen Living at Knox Doss Middle School at Drakes Creek! My name is Miss Libby and I look forward to educating your child over the next nine weeks. This is my second year at KDDC and I am so happy that we get to be a part of such a wonderful school. I have listed some of my basic classroom policies below along with the curriculum that we will be covering.
What is Teen Living?
Teen Living is the middle school course offered through the Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum which is designed to empower individuals and families across the life span to manage the challenges of living and working in a diverse, global society. Our unique focus is on families, work, and their interrelationships.
Benefits of Teen Living:
Teen Living is designed to help students in grades five through eight develop skills needed for living now and into their teen years. Students develop skills in problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, interpersonal communications, and the use of technology. The application of basic academics is reinforced in this course.
Instructional Content in Teen Living Emphasizes:
• Academic Enrichment • Personal Development • Life Management • Career Exploration • Consumer Economics and • Housing and Living Environments • Nutrition and Foods resource management. • Textiles and Apparel • Decision Making • Critical Thinking • Communication Skills
• 8th grade students will cover a unit on decision making which will lead to the Real Care baby project. Real Care babies are a simulation baby that will allow the students to experience the responsibilities as the caregiver of a new infant and to understand the full time commitment of child care. Alternate assignments are available. I will be sending more information home with your child in the future.
Classroom Policies:
I go by the three R’s in my classroom. Students should be READY, RESPECTFUL, and RESPONSIBLE at all times. ? Ready- students are expected to be in their seats working on their daily journal entry when the bell rings. Students should come to class with all supplies necessary to participate. ? Respectful- Students are expected to respect class equipment, fellow students, and all adults inside of the classroom. Cell Phones are NOT permitted in the classroom. ? Responsible- Students are responsible for all class work and makeup work. I will provide a folder that students will keep all completed work in. We will have periodic folder checks throughout the quarter.
I USE ENGRADE.COM AS MY GRADE BOOK. YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR STUDENTS GRADES BY GOING TO : www.engrade.com > Click sign up > enter your students code: _______________________
My Homework Policy: Most work will be done in class, however, occasionally there will be an at home assignment. I expect students to turn in all work at the beginning of the class period. It is the students responsibility to follow up with the teacher about any missed assignments or late work.
Sumner County Grading Scale: A- 93-100 B- 85-92 C- 75-84 D- 70-74 F- 69 and below
Important Dates: September 30, 2010- Parent Conferences December 20-21 2010- Exam Days February 1, 2011- TCAP Writing Assessment Mach 10, 2011- Parent Conferences April 12-19, 2011- TCAP Achievement May 24,25, 2011-Exam Days
Please mark those dates on your calendar. Studies show that parental involvement in a child’s education is one of the strongest indicators of student achievement. I hope you will make it a priority this year to attend as many school sponsored events as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, want to schedule a conference, or if you would like to visit the classroom, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached at (615) 824-8383 ext 3217 or at Kaitlin.Libby@sumnerschools.org. The best times to reach me by phone are 7:10am-3:45 pm. However, I try to check my email as frequently as possible.
Once again, welcome to Teen Living! Let’s work together to make this the best year ever!
Sincerely, Miss Libby
Teen Living Wish List: I have listed items that are needed in the classroom below. I know that so much is asked of you on a daily basis so please do not feel any obligation to donate. However, if you have any extras of these items (used or new) that you are willing to donate, I would greatly appreciate it. Kitchen Items: Paper Plates, paper bowls Plastic forks/knifes/spoons, Flour, Sugar, Salt, Spices, any non perishable foods that could be used for food demonstrations, Pasta Strainers, Mixing Spoons, rolling pins, cutting boards, household cleaners, dish sponges. Class items: glue, markers, colored pencils, scissors, construction paper, card stock, paint, newspaper, old magazines(age appropriate). Apparel: Fabric scraps, Fabric, Thread, Needles, Pins, Pin Cushions, Shears, Patterns, Ironing Boards. Old clothes that we could do fabric stain tests on. Laundry Detergents, Stain Removers, Bleach.
***Wal-Mart or Kroger gift cards would be especially helpful for buying the food supplies that I need for cooking lab days. More money for food= more days that I can do lessons on cooking.
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