Longhorns
The Longhorns team takes their job very seriously. We work hard to stay informed of the current trends in education,
to plan interesting and relevant lessons, and to make our classrooms inviting places for our students. Education is very
interesting, challenging, rewarding, and important work. We hope that you agree that your child's education is the key to
his/her future.
What can you do to help your child?
We would like to encourage all of you to be actively involved in your child's education throughout their middle school years (and
beyond). Our main goal, the academic and behavioral success of your child, is a shared one. When we work together to accomplish
this goal, success is almost assured. As your child continues to mature, more responsibility for academic and behavioral choices rest
with him/her. We must all work together to encourage your child to make appropriate, safe, and wise choices. There are many oppor-
tunities available to you if you wish to be an involved, contributing member the Longhorns Team.
- Volunteer in school or at home.
- Engage in meaningful conversation with your child about his/her school experiences on a daily basis
(student planners are a nice place to begin these conversations). - Encourage your child to do homework assignments and keep their school materials organized.
- Keep in touch with your child's teachers on a regular basis.
- Encourage after-school tutoring.
Keys to Success
Communication and support are the keys to success. Our doors are always open for you, so please feel free to contact us if you ever
have any questions or concerns. We look forward to having a productive and successful year with your child! We have high expectations
for our students. Most of them can do more than they think they can. If they try their best, we can make this year a success!
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Ms. Ferreira - 6th grade AVID Reading Teacher
Parents, as you are aware, reading is not only essential to your child's academic success but their future as well. Please remind them to read every
night for at least 30 minutes. They must complete their reading logs Monday-Thursday and turn them in on Friday. Once a month, they will have a
book presentation that will be due on the last day of every month. This book should also be used to complete the reading log. I will be introducing
your child to a lot of great novels that will surely help them grow on their love for reading. Please remember to read their Guided Questions in their
planners on Mondays. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at ext. 2204.
Ms. Fleetwood - 6th grade AVID Science
Parents, please check your child's Interactive notebook on a daily basis. All of your student's notes, homework, labs, experiments, tests and quizzes
can be found in this notebook. The notebook is set up using the left side as the creative output side and the right side as the new information input
side. I look forward to helping your child grow a love for science! Should you have any questions please contact me at ext. 2917.
Mr. Rahill - 6th grade AVID Geography
I believe that understanding Geogrraphy is crucial to each student's success and their future. As our students grow and become adults, my hope
is that they will have gained an understanding and appreciation for all the world's peoples and cultures. One of my daily goals is to show our
students the state of current events all over the world and how they relate to the textbook. Parents, please check your child's Geography note-
book on a daily basis. All of your child's notes, homework, projects, tests and quizzes can be found in this notebook. Every few weeks I conduct
a notebook check to make sure it is in a chronological order. Another weekly grade I assign is homework every Monday and it is always due on
Friday. Should you have any questions about your child's progress, please email me or call me at ext. 2902.
Mr. Thomas - 6th grade Language Arts
Parents, this year in Language Arts we will be focusing on the reading/writing connection. The students will be doing many different types of
writing such as expository and persuasive essays, research papers, journals, poetry, and many kinds of creative writing. Much of the writing
will be related to what the students are reading. Please check your child's planner every night. The student will have homework 2-3 times a
week and many times it will be a journal entry. The journal topic should be written in the planner. Students should be keeping all of their papers
in the Language Arts section of their binder. Please feel free to contact me at any time at ext. 2202.
Mr. Conaughty - 6th grade AVID Math
Parents can greatly assist their child by helping them to get organized and to stay organized. Parents should check their child's binder on a
regular basis. Student work needs to be organized in the appropriate section with the most recent completed work on top. While checking
your child's binder, please also check his or her backpack. Papers stuffed in a backpack need to be placed in the correct section of the
binder. Parents should also check their student's planner to ensure that assignments for each class are being written on a daily basis. Notes
or comments may be written in the planner for a teacher to see. Math homework is normally assigned every night except Friday. Homework
should take no more than 15 minutes a night. Please call me with any questions or concerns at ext. 2203.
Ms. Crangle - 6th grade AVID elective/Pre-AVID/Strategies for Success
Hello! I am thrilled to be teaching 6th grade AVID elective and strategies/pre-AVID classes at Jackson Middle School! This is my 4th
year teaching AVID and every year I am amazed at the growth made by our students by the end of the year! AVID is probably the
biggest academic challenge that your child has encountered so far in life. It takes some adjusting to the demands and hard work but
most of the students really thrive in this challenging new lifestyle! With a little patience and support, our children will flourish. Please
feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Ms. Carter - Reading/Strategies for Success
Reading
A successful reader on any academic level needs to successfully learn, practice, and master reading. This course will include: fiction and non-
fiction reading passages that give the opportunities for students to read about interesting topics. Homework is given every night except for
Friday. It consists of activities that support the classroom instruction, such as reading comprehension, grammar, and study skills. Reading/
reflection log: Students are asked to read for 30 minutes each night and write a reflection about that section of the book. Students are required
to read four books per nine weeks.
Strategies for Success
This course is based on the principles of the nation-wide program called AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination). Students are
learning skills and strategies that will help them build better academic habits, improve their testing scores, and have an overall better school
experience. Homework consists of reviewing work from all classes, rewriting class work using the Cornell Note strategy, and maintaining
a neat and organized binder.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at ext. 2225