Ms. Romero

2023/2024 School Year

 

Hello! My name is Emily Romero and I teach ELA6 and Special Education 6 as a project manager. I operate from a thought and belief that learning is a lifelong, fun, and daily endeavor. I hope this will be a valuable year of learning, introspection, and growth for scholars! I enjoy collaborating with my colleagues and my scholars to create standards-based project learning opportunities that utilize critical & creative thinking skills. Outside of school I have interests including spending time with friends & family, making stuff, traveling, exploring, reading, learning, unlearning, and resting.

 

ELA7 (English Language Arts) 6 focuses on reading, writing, speaking and listening with individual and collaborative work. These communication skills are valuable and can be applied in many aspects and areas of life. One overarching goal is to enable scholars to communicate effectively and interpret information from a variety of modalities. Scholars will work with a variety of sources including narratives and informational text, to develop inference skills. Scholars will be challenged as they learn to read and discuss increasingly complex texts for a deeper understanding, determining the central theme and assessing the author’s point of view. Scholars will evaluate both fiction and non-fiction (informational text) to support claims with valid reasoning and evidence. Scholars will practice identifying logical fallacies & bias and think critically about non fiction writing such as current events, advertising, and research. Weekly vocabulary practice, use, and acquisition serves to support the development of all areas of communication and comprehension. Creative and artistic project based learning integrated into this class to boost literacy and comprehension while also differentiating instruction and reaching a wider range of learners. The content aligns with the common core state standards www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy

 

FC (Fundamental Connections) 6 is an advisory class where we support academic success & growth, self-awareness & emotional regulation, being organized with time management & study skills, and participate in DARE-to-be-You lessons (to prevent substance abuse through education and building self-esteem). We also learn about & practice life skills such as setting & working toward goals (for high school, college, & workforce/career), financial literacy, social & emotional learning, and conflict resolution.

 

Classroom policies & information:

 

Norms for Scholars in the Classroom (Expectations during virtual teaching and learning are similar):

- Contribute positively

- Assume competency

- Think & wonder

- Use technology appropriately, respect your Manager, yourself, and others

- Respectful conversation both verbally and in the chat (no side conversations)

***one person speaks at a time

- Answer questions when called upon

- Participate actively and stay focused

- Enter class on time

- Limit distractions (&/or communicate in advance if these help you to focus; if evidence points to these not assisting focus, we will make a change)

- Complete work on time & reach out with questions

- Remember: a majority of the classwork will be in Google Classroom - use your time wisely

- Come to Wednesday FC tutoring & Friday morning tutoring if you have absences &/or are concerned about your grade or your understanding

- Dress appropriately for learning

 

Communication: The best way to reach me (when not during class) is by email. I will do my best to respond within 24 hours except during the weekend, when I may be away from email. My email is [email protected]

 

Late Work Policy: All work is due on the due date yet life does happen. If a scholar is absent, they may check google classroom and powerschool for missing work AND they are highly encouraged to email me and to come to Weds. FC tutoring or Fri. morning tutoring for guidance and small group help. One 'Amnesty' day will be offered per quarter where scholars can submit work to show mastery for smaller assignments. Late work is accepted until one week before the end of each quarter to allow for time for feedback & grading. Late work is graded after on-time work yet scholars who make tutoring appointments (lunch, after-school, or Friday) have a higher likelihood of receiving quicker feedback as they are reserving dedicated time to communicate and follow-up.

 

Participation/Classroom Community: Classes are a community and we all contribute. We have different strengths. We are positive and supportive. Come to class prepared, ready to learn, put effort in your coursework, follow the Norms, and you will receive all of the points.

 

Grading: My grades are set-up using weighted categories. These are Projects/Final Drafts = 40%; Quizzes/Assessments= 40%; Classwork (which includes work done at home)/Journals/Rough Drafts = 20%. Most shorter assignments will be graded within 5 days of submission. Longer assignments will take longer to grade; essays and projects may take 1-3 weeks to grade. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

 

Revisions and Low Quiz Grades: Most classwork/homework can be revised for a higher grade (up to 100 if on-time; up to 70 if late). For quizzes, one may request an independent research OR creative writing project or to earn back points. Please make these requests via email and I will send you the guidelines. These must be requested and completed before the last week of each quarter.

 

Absences: Most assignments will originate through Google Classroom. That is the first place you should check to see what is due. Complete the assignment and turn it in. It may be helpful for you to email me to let me know that you are going to be absent and that you are checking for work that is due. Communicate with me and we can work it out.

 

Missed Quizzes: Reminder: If you miss a quiz due to being absent, you need to come to tutoring on Friday that week OR take the quiz during the next time your class period meets. Please ASK me for the quiz at either of those times and I will share the link with you. If you do not ASK me for the quiz at either of those two times, the zero will remain. Please study and practice in advance. Email me if you cannot find these materials and I will help you. The honor code continues to be in effect during online quizzes; do your best unassisted.

 

Cell Phone or other electronic devices not related to our class: In general, please keep devices in your pocket or backpack and on vibrate or silent. There will be days where we will use these devices, but it will not be everyday and I will let you know. If a scholar repeatedly uses their phone when it is not necessary and it is distracting themselves or other scholars, they will be asked to put it away. If they persist and get to three (3) warnings, the phone will be sent to the front office labeled with their name to be picked up at 4pm from Ms. Mary Lou. If this happens more than one time, they will be written up and assigned lunch detention. Parents & Guardians: The classroom extension is 109. Please call the main campus phone line and ask to be transferred if you need to speak with your scholar during class. Thank you.

Classwork, Homework, & Projects: Weekly, there will be vocabulary (&/or grammar/usage) quizzes on Thursdays. Study materials will be given on Monday or Tuesday in class. We will practice pronunciation, definitions, and using these words in context. Studying at home is an expectation. There will be daily or regular reflection or reading journals (please see Independent Reading Practice below) and periodic entrance & exit tickets, classwork, papers, and projects to complete, with time and effort inside & outside of class. Project based learning will happen approx. 1x/month. When we are reading a novel, there will be reading to complete outside of class. When available, a link to the online PDF of the current novel we will be reading can be found in the 'Classwork' tab on Google Classroom under the novel's name. I appreciate and welcome scholar ideas for assignments & projects (think creative & with a learning challenge): these are some of the best ideas!

Independent Reading & Sustained Silent Reading: Scholars are expected to complete 20 minutes (or more) of independent reading daily or nightly with an expectation of 140 minutes (or more) a week in addition to their classwork. You can read more than 20 min. daily but you still have to read everyday (7 days/wk.). When we are reading a novel as a class (The Outsiders &/or Coraline, for example), it comes first. After that reading, you are free to choose what you read as long as it is appropriate for school (it can be a novel. blog, comic book, news, info. about a topic of interest, etc.), to read outside of your reading/grade level, to re-read, and to change your mind. There will occasionally be classwork and journals related to independent reading. At the end of each semester, we may also do project based learning connected to these books if the schedule allows. These will be posted in google classroom and due by 11:59 pm as many scholars have after school commitments. During class, there may be time to complete these and often we will do a reading practice called Sustained Silent Reading. This gives us all a chance to individually connect with the book and to transition into being fully present in the learning space in a positive way. Occasionally, we may utilize audio books and if these help you, please pair them with your independent reading! If you need to use headphones in class to do this, communicate first please.

 

Plagiarism: Plagiarism (copying work from another scholar, a source, a website, a book, etc. and passing it off as your own) is a serious offense.  The assignment will be entered as a zero in the grade book, a referral will be written, and a phone call or email home will be made. We will practice giving credit where credit is due & we will practice how to cite and use evidence. You are not alone in learning how to do this.

 

Assignment/Product Expectations:

Scholars are expected to produce high quality, thoughtful work that shows evidence of the time given. As a Project Manager, I will return work to be re-done if the work does not meet ASK standards of excellence. Please read the directions and answer the questions. Homework will be assigned as necessary; however, work not completed in class will be assigned as homework. Penalties will be assessed on late work. It is the responsibility of the scholar to make arrangements to turn in assignments/products if an absence occurs. Any missed test/quiz will be taken on the day the scholar returns or in support hour. It is the responsibility of the scholar to be prepared for the test/quiz upon return.

 

No extra credit is offered*, however, scholars may work with me in tutoring (By lunch or after-school appointments, Wednesdays during FC class, &/or Fridays from 8-10am by appointment) to revise classwork, as allowed. There are no quiz retakes however scholars may request an independent creative writing or research project to complete and earn back points. Please make these requests via email and I will send you the guidelines. These must be requested and completed before the last week of each quarter. *Please note: Occasionally when projects offer multiple choices to achieve and demonstrate mastery, scholars may complete more than the required portion to earn extra credit. This is a rare opportunity and will be communicated directly with scholars.

 

Grading: The grading scale will follow the ASK Academy standards: A+ = 96-100 % A = 90-95 % B = 80-89 % C = 70-79 % N/C = Below 70 %

Quarter Grades: 

40% Projects & Final Drafts

40% Quizzes & Assessments

20% Journals & Daily Classwork

 

Evaluation per semester (makes up semester grade):

1st quarter                                                    40%

2nd quarter                                                    40%

Final exam grade                                         20%

 

Campus Wide Policies to be Aware of:

ATTENDANCE 

ASK Academy scholars are expected to arrive on time (8:00AM) and be adequately prepared for their day. Please contact The ASK Academy on the website at: https://www.theaskacademy.org and click the Attendance link on the home page or call 505-891-0757 to notify us of your scholar’s absence. 

Uniform Policy

The Academy requires that all scholars wear a prescribed uniform. 

Tops (Shirts) – All scholars must wear an ASK polo shirt, with the ASK logo, purchased from an approved ASK vendor. The color of the ASK polo shirt identifies the scholar with their selected career pathway.  Polo shirts will not be overly baggy, nor exceedingly tight. Shoulder seams must be at the shoulders, and shirts cannot hang down below mid-thigh level.  Middle School – Red or Light Blue  High School –  Biomedical Sciences – Dark Green or Purple  Engineering and Design – Royal Blue or Burgundy  Bottoms (Pants) –  Allowable pants/slacks of solid color (khaki or black) and should meet our uniform expectations. They should be of a non-stretch, khaki or similar material.  No shorts, skorts, skirts, cargo pants (pants with many pockets) are allowed.  No excessive “sagging” is allowed. Inseam of pants must be where legs and torso join.  Excessively tight pants such as spandex, yoga pants, leggings, sweat pants or other non-uniform fabrics are not allowed. 

Footwear

 Scholars must wear closed-toe shoes at all times at the Academy (no sandals, flip-flops, crocs, open-back shoes, slippers, or shoes made out of foam are allowed). Please remember that our learning spaces have sharps, blades, power tools, solvents, and acids so adherence to this policy is a priority. No headwear Hats, bandanas, beanies, headbands with extraneous distractors, etc. including sweatshirt hoods, are not allowed inside the Academy. Exemptions for headwear that may be required for religious reasons will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Outerwear 

Jackets will not qualify as a replacement to an ASK polo. Jackets may be worn as long as they have a zipper front and are not excessively baggy (shoulder seams are at the shoulders and cannot hang below mid-thigh level). When worn inside, jackets must allow full view of the ASK polo (be worn unzipped indoors). Scholars can wear sweatshirts and hoodies under, but not over the ASK polo. Please remember that the ASK polo is one of our layers of security. Clothing or jewelry that are determined to pose a risk to potential injury while in the learning environment will not be permitted. Attire or accessories which advertise, display or promote any drug, alcohol, tobacco, gang, sexual activity, violence, disrespect or bigotry towards any group, or items that are associated with a gang are not permitted. All attire should be suitable for a professional environment.  

 

Supply List Items for ELA6 2023/24:

 Thank you!

 

Supply List Items for FC: 

• One notebook of any style
• One heavy duty 2 pocket folder
• Box of Tissues - Please!
• Clorox (or other anti-bac) Wipes - Please!
• Thank you!