Still improving letter's format below:

September 5, 2008 Dear Family Member, As your child’s new Language Arts teacher, I would like to welcome you and your child to South Orange Middle School. I’m excited about this year and the challenging work we will be doing in the classroom to help your child grow into a strong reader and writer. Our beginning unit in reading is “Developing Comprehension, Stamina and Fluency.” We will look at how to create individual goals to improve our reading, and we will learn and practice “fix-up” strategies to assist us in improving reading comprehension. In this unit, your child will choose independent books that are appropriate for him or her. Also, throughout the year we will learn how to purposefully apply the reading strategies that proficient readers use in a variety of genres. In writing, our beginning unit is “Personal Narrative." Through process writing, your child will write a story of personal significance. We will focus on Ideas, Organization and Conventions as key traits in producing quality pieces, exploring techniques and strategies that “real” writers use. This year your child will continue to develop important writing skills within other units of study, such as a “Courage” Unit, an Author Study, a Poetry Unit and a Mystery Unit. Of course, your help is important to your child’s continued success. You can best support your child’s efforts by providing a quiet environment for him or her to complete nightly assignments as well as teaching your child how to organize his or her time and to plan ahead for assignment deadlines. Also, you may assist your child by checking over assignments together, especially final published pieces or projects. Your child will need the following materials in this class as soon as possible: 1-inch binder with inside pockets (no larger please; remains in the classroom) 1 pencil holder pouch (3 ringed to remain in binder) 1 package of dividers (could be shared with other subject areas) 1 package of mini-post-its 1 package of 3x3 inch post-its 1 black marble journal (no rings please) 2 folders, 3-hole punched 1 highlighter 1 green pen (for editing) 1 package of filler paper for binder (could be shared with other subject areas) 1 package of index cards (could be shared with other subject areas) Pencils/pens throughout the year I look forward to a great year. Please visit our team website at http://somsteam6a.tripod.com/. If you have any questions, please call me through the main office at 973-378-2772 or e-mail me at aforero@somsd.k12.nj.us.
Sincerely,
Angela Forero