Introduction to Sophomore English for Parents

The Sophomore English Curriculum is based on American Literature from Revolutionary Times to present. Students will be engaged in reading, analyzing, and writing in many genres. We will be taking a Then and Now approach in which we will examine the relevancy of what we read to the present. There will also be extensive focus on language, grammar, a vocabulary.

A word about grades: I use the point system to give weight to assignments so that grades are not skewed by an inordinate amount of grades in one category. I assess through homework, classwork, quizzes, tests, and projects.

It will be a challenging and rewarding year! I wish your children much growth and success.

Introduction to Freshmen Curriculum for Parents

I thought you might be interested in the areas of study in Freshmen English. We will be studying all the literary genres, making sure that students understand the terminolgy and structures of each. We will examine essays, biography, autobiography, short story, novel, and poetry. The variety of literature makes this a stimulating class. We will use a variety of texts which I will share with you on back to school night.

I also use a variety of assessments: homework, classwork, quizzes, tests, essays, and projects. I use a point system to give weight to the assignments and make sure the grades are not skewed by a disproportionate number of assignments in a category. Please check the grades on Homelogic weekly to keep track of your son's or daughter's progress. Here's wishing them great growth and success !

Parents of My Students

Welcome to my BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT BLOG. Mr. Gorski asked us to provide you with contact information. As you know, I have already sent home a letter with my contact information as well as the rules of my classroom. I am pleased that most parents signed and returned this document. Just in case you misplaced my e-mail, here it is: rosemary.mcniff@wmtps.org. This year's classes are large but seem well behaved; therefore, I feel confident that a lot of learning can take place. If you need to contact me about any concerns, please use the e-mail instead of the phone since there is only one phone available for the English/World Language wing and is difficult to access. This e-mail address is stored here for whenever you need it. You might even get a glimpse of what is going on in your child's class. Thanks for coming tonight and showing your support and interest in your student's English class.