Dear Students and Parents,

Please allow me to take a moment to welcome you to Andover Middle School for an exciting and eventful seventh grade year. My name is Ms. S. Cowart and I will be your child’s Language Arts teacher. This will be my second year teaching at Andover, but I have ten years total teaching experience. I am looking forward to an exciting, fruitful learning experience! 
During this first week of school, my students will have the opportunity to cover some rules and expectations for my class. I will be sending a copy home with students for your signature and please ask that you sign and return, so that through working as a team, we can ensure that your child finds success in my classroom.

1. Be Prepared – Please bring to class each day a pen (black or blue), colored pencils, binder (filled with plenty of filler paper), and book of their choice to read. (Students are to keep their Daily Journals in class).

2. Our class textbook is quite large, therefore, I have included a link for classzone.com AND it is also on the student’s portal where they can access the book at any time. We are very fortunate to have the ability to access the entire textbook, and supporting materials, online at any time. In order to utilize the online version of the textbook, students will need to enter our school’s keycode (code forthcoming) and set up a personal account with their own login and password.
After the initial set-up of your account, you can then access the materials by simply going to the address www.classzone.com and entering your selected login and password. Once you are logged in, you have access to not only the textbook but also a wide variety of review and study activities.

3. Hand in all assignments when they are due. If assignments are frequently turned in late or missing, I will contact the parents to advise them of my concerns. In the event of an absence, the student will need to personally contact me during my planning period (4th) to receive make-up work.

4. My grading policy requires that all work be completed by the due date in order to receive full credit. (Of course, if a student has an excused absence, the school’s policy is adhered.) For assignments that are handed in late, students will receive one grade drop of the assignment's final grade. Home Learning is a requirement and counts 40% of thier grade. Monthly missing assignments reports will be handed out in my class so students are aware of any work that has yet to be handed in.

5. In addition, we will have some repeating assignments that are given on a regular basis throughout the school year. Daily Language and Daily Journals are a regular activity that will be assigned throughout the school year. Daily Language is completed in class and focuses on the basics of correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and mechanics as well as Daily Journal writing as a focus on clarity and coherence in their writing.

6. I welcome and encourage open communication amongst the parent, student and teacher. Please don’t hesitate to call me at 305-654-2727, ext. 2215 (or leave a message) should you have any questions or concerns relating to your child's progress. You can also email me at scowart@dadeschools.net. if this is more convenient. Please allow 24 hours for a timely reply, however, I usually check my email daily and will respond as soon as possible.


Again, I want to welcome you to AMS, the Eagles Team, and to my class. I am looking forward to working with your child and you throughout the upcoming school year.

Sincerely,


S. Cowart
7th Grade Language Arts Teacher
 Andover Middle School
 

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Andover Middle School
Ms. Cowart