Welcome, Freshmen! This year marks my twentieth as an AHS Eagle. Before moving to Indiana from my home state of Alaska, I taught for five years at Angoon High School--another school of proud Eagles. Every day, I ride a bicycle to school and do my best to conserve resources because I am honored to preserve and protect this amazing planet for the next generation. It is not too late to do all you can to reduce the burning of fossil fuels--the main cause of climate change.
Every day, we will practice some or all of the key skills of English: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. I want you to be able to understand and be understood, so please come to class every day. In the unwelcome event that you miss class, be sure to come see me the next day before school in order to try to catch up.
Course maps can be viewed with buttons in the left menu. Specific assignments may be found on Moodle (link below). This robust LMS platform is hosted by ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and does not put students' identity at risk of monetization like for-profit platforms like Google Classroom
https://www.rose-prism.org/moodle/
Interested in energy conservation, recycling, the environment? Join the Austin Recycling Guild. We are a positive, proactive group that receives no school funding. We have planted and maintained over 40 trees on campus, sponsored an annual talent show, and maintain a well-run recycling service with the help of SEIRD. Kids are our future and if you're not recycling, conserving energy and resources, and voting for candidates who have a commitment to a sustainable energy and resource policy, you can hardly say you care about kids!
Keys for Success in English 9
Attendance: Students need to be in class every day. In the event of an unavoidable absence, all work must be made up.
Reading Skills: Too many students are behind in reading skills. Sustained, daily reading has been shown to be the best way to raise reading competency. Every student can benefit from 30-60 minutes of sustained reading each night. Make sure you provide a quiet, well-lit place to read/study and a dictionary. All students need to earn at least 6 AR points first quarter, 8 for second, 10 for third, and 12 for fourth. Use AR BookFinderand the Card Catalogto select the right books before you go to the library.
Habits of Work: Attendance, work ethic, behavior, materials, and preparedness will be tracked and graded. Monitor your student’s HOW points, posted each three weeks. Anything less than a 90% shows problems with the areas listed above and indicate a need for more encouragement and /or discipline at home.
Parent Involvement: Your interest and attention is so important. Ask your kids about school and monitor their grades on Harmony on the high school website. If your student has a grade lower than a B (or a C if you expect your child to just be "average") please require her/him to read and/or study for one hour per night until all grades rise to your expectations. You are the most powerful influence your kids have. Don't let the TV, Internet, or cell phones mean more to your kids than you do. More ideas for parents and future parents are found below.
Communication: 794-8730 ext. 212 / email: [email protected]
Thinking about becoming a parent?
Don't get in a rush! If you're a kid, don't have a kid. Get an education!
Plan Ahead - The journey to earn a diploma starts very early. Children are our greatest responsibility. This is why I encourage future parents to plan. Far too many children are conceived and born to “parents” who are unprepared and immature. These children suffer the consequences of the misguided and/or misinformed choices of their parents. Therefore, practice abstinence if you want to be absolutely sure that you do not bring a child into the world before you are completely prepared to provide for, nurture, educate, discipline, and love him or her. If you are sexually active, it is your responsibility to educate yourself on the proper and effective use of contraception. Since Indiana does not encourage schools to educate students in this matter, it is the parents' and/or student's responsibility to seek contraception education and resources. For now, a resource for these services are available here: https://www.newhopeservices.org/services/hopecare-clinic/
Start Early - Read to your children in the womb and beyond birth daily. Expose your child to a steady diet of literature. She should see you reading. He should have books available to choose. Visit the local library often. Keep all screens away from children 0-2 years of age. Pediatricians have been clear on television and infants: babies have better things to do than watch TV. They need to play, crawl, and interact with you and their siblings. Allow the TV to be your babysitter and you will be delaying and decreasing your child's language acquisition, cognition, and attention, possibly for life! Beyond the age of two, limit screen time and keep computers and TVs out of bedrooms and homework/reading areas.
Breastfed babies are the best fed babies. As long as mom is eating a nutritious diet, breastfeeding is superior to store-bought formula in every conceivable way.
Do Your Homework - Nutrition, sleep habits, exercise, stability in the home all have huge effects on kids' ability to learn and succeed in school. Parents are the first and best teachers kids have. Thanks to all the parents out there! You make our school great! You have the power to make America's future bright.