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7th and 8th Grade ELA

August 15, 2018

Welcome back to school! I’m Miss Ruby and will be teaching 7th grade writing and one section of reading, along with 8th grade English Language Arts. I hope you all had a wonderful summer I know I did. I’m excited to meet the new 7th graders and see my 8th graders again. As many of you know, this is my second year teaching at Putnam County R-1, along with that my partner Matt and I are expecting our first child in just a few short weeks. Students will begin the year with me and then transition to a substitute teacher for a few weeks, during that time I will still be available via email (sruby@putnamcountyr1.net). My plan time this year is during 8th hour 2:34-3:19 if you need to speak to me or have a question please try to contact me during that time.

• My Belief: I believe that as a student your job is to learn and my job is to help you. I am here to help you learn and better your education, if you need help with homework or do not understand the assignment, it is your job to come in and get help before class.  I am a strong believer that we are a family when we are in a class together and that learning should not be a competition but rather a team effort.

• Homework Policy: I will follow the school policy of; 75% credit if turned in late (you have until the end of the unit), if the assignment is turned in after the unit ends that assignment will be a zero. In our class the unit ends when papers are due, speeches are given, or the final exam on the book we are reading. If the essay signifies the end of the unit and the essay is not turned in on time you will receive a zero for the essay. I do not offer re-do’s, do your work correctly and legibly the first time to save us all time. Work done in pen of any color will be thrown away and given a zero. If you forget to put your name on your paper you will have one week to claim it from the basket in the back of the room after that it will be thrown away.

• Starting the first full week of August spelling and definition tests will take place every Friday. We will have activities during the week to practice those words and definitions but I ask that you also study at home. If students choose to, they may write words and definitions 10 times each for 5 extra credit points to be added to their test score. If a student misses a spelling test on Friday they have until the following Friday to make that spelling test up, if the test is not made up during that time it will be entered as a 0.

• The first full week of school we will start writing a “How To” paper for 7th grade and an expository paper for 8th grade. Questions are always welcome and please feel free to ask whenever you have one.

I look forward to a wonderful year!