English Agenda for June 13, 2011

• Summer Reading List

• Senior Writing Project Feedback Sheets

• A Final Look at our English SIP for 2010-2011: What were we able to accomplish? Where are we for next year?

English Agenda for May 16, 2011

~Strengthening the Net Through Student Engagement~
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." ~John Adams (1735-1826)

Departmental Features:

• Argumentative Writing Preview for 2011-2011
• The Common Core Standards (CCS)
  

The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders:

• A Few Words from Dr. Perkins
• Thank You--English 10 HSA Prep/After-School Review Teachers (5 Weds. Classes) (Candice, Corey, Judy, Kristen)
• English AP Literature and Composition Exam Suggested Book Titles 1981-2011
  
• CHS Notes from May 11th ITL Meeting--Forwarded in an email 5.11.11
• Notes from May 4th SLA County ITL Meeting--Forwarded in an email 5.10.11
• English 10 Prep Summer Course--No Cost--Current Grade 9 Students
• The HCPSS Senior Writing Project--Mandatory Next Year
• Common Core Language--Argumentative Writing with Evidence
• Standards for English Language Arts 6-12 Packet--Writing Standards 6-12, Grades 9-12 (pg. 45)
  

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/05/
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/argument.html
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/ac_paper/logic.shtml

• Textbook Selection Committee (3 CPD Credits)
• Local Assessments 2011-2012--Annotated Teacher's Manuals
• Summer Monies--CCS Documents Defining Argumentative Writing
• Grade Level Team Meetings--County Assessment data discussions
  

English Agenda for March 21, 2011

~Strengthening the Net Through Student Engagement~

"A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well they strengthen their souls. Story-tellers and poets spend their lives learning that skill and art of using words well. And their words make the souls of their readers stronger, brighter, deeper."
— Ursula K. Le Guin

I. Departmental Features

March 11th PD Follow-up & Handouts--

• UDL (Universal Design for Learning) Guidelines
• CCSS (Common Core State Standards) Definition of Text Complexity

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders

• Flip Cameras & Flash Drives
• CHS Notes from March 17th Meeting
• Department Nominations for

1. HoCoPoLitSo 2011 Awards (Due March 30)--All-County Writing Competition (Poetry, Personal Essay, Short Story, Playwriting); Promise & Achievement in Language Arts (2 Seniors)
2. English Department Award (Due April 15)
3. Emily Davis Award
4. CHS 2011 Senior Awards (Due April 15)--Outstanding School Service; Outstanding Senior; Angelo Fortunato (Final year for this award)
   

• Senior Writing Projects--Third Quarter
• Grade Level Team Meetings--Please continue County Assessment data discussions

English Agenda for February 14, 2011

Monday, February 14, 2011~Room 209~2:20 PM
~Strengthening the Net Through Student Engagement~

I. Departmental Features

• English 2010-2011 SIP--Recommendations from Study Groups
• Eagle Rounding
• SIP Vision/Mission Statement

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders

• Teaching Requests for 2011-12--ASPEN Scheduling

What's the buzz...tell me what's happening...
1. COUNTYWIDE--

• County Assessment Teacher Manuals, Quarter 3
  
• Common Core State Standards Packet (Bring to March 11 PD)
• March 11 SLA PD--Engaging All Learners
• The Future of Testing 2014 (as we know it)

2. CENTENNIAL--

• Winter Pep Rally--TBA--4A Lunch Shifts
• Laptop Replacement Plan:
• Back up all DELL files in two locations ASAP
• March 8--Turn in old laptops by 3:00 PM
• March 9--Apples issued (NO network connectivity all day)
• March 10--Training (40 minutes)

Senior Writing Project Quarterly Reflections--ALL Grades

• Senior 2nd Quarter Reflections: Persuasive/Analytical Writing
• Third Quarter: Senior Writing Projects

Grade Level Team Meetings--Please schedule Q2 County Assessment data discussions

English Agenda for November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010--Room 209~2:20 PM
~Strengthening the Net Through Student Engagement~

I. Departmental Features--

• October Minutes
• UPDATE--PROPOSED English 2010-2011 SIP
• *New Spreadsheet--Please review attachment before meeting
• **NEW--Introduction of Eagle Rounding Site
  
• NEW Document Cameras (5) for English from Media

• *Grade Level Team Meetings--Please bring Q1 County Assessment data to discuss

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• Senior Writing Project Quarterly Reflections--ALL Grades
  
• Senior 1st Quarter Reflections: Narrative/Creative Writing

• ACCUPLACER Testing--November 10 & 11--English 11 Classes--Thank you!
  
• *Interesting observations to share regarding scheduling

• HAMLET In-County Field Trip--Monday, November 29 (B Day)--8:15 to 11:00 AM--100 Seniors

English Agenda for October 18, 2010

Monday, October 18, 2010--Room 209~2:20 PM
~Strengthening the Net Through Student Engagement~

I. Departmental Features--

Media Updates--Linda Norris

Student Services Info--Julia Southern

CHS SIP Plan for 2010-2011--Mag & Joelle
New Template Online
Impetus from Race to the Top--Teacher Accountability for Student Progress
Designed to be a Working Document--Open to Revision Throughout the Year
Collaborative Alignment of Goals on INROADS:
_HCPSS_CHS_English Department_Grade Level English Teams_Appendix Ds
Seminal to Teacher Planning and Instruction

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

October 20--NCTE's National Day on Writing--Rus

Senior Writing Project Quarterly Reflections--ALL Grades
Student Writing Folders
English CPR--Digital Portfolios--Rus, Kristin, Shanea, Mag

ACCUPLACER Testing--November 10 & 11--English 11 Classes

Grade Level Team Meetings--November 15th Department Meeting

English Agenda for August 24, 2010

Tuesday, August 24, 2010--Room 209 following Staff PD
~Strengthening the Net Through Student Engagement~

I. Departmental Features--

"The Unwritten" by W.S. Merwin (See links in previous post)
Student Engagement Criteria

MSDE AYP Data; HSA, SAT, and AP Results
CHS SIT Plan for 2010-2011

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

September 3rd PD; Senior Writing Project

Classroom Supplies and Equipment
English Birthdays/Addresses/Phone Numbers

Vocabulary Workshop Books--Numbers

High School Writing Manuals

English Web Page
Teacher Web Pages

Language Arts Expectations
Student Writing Folders
Student Aides

CHS English Department Plagiarism Policy
Signed Classroom Copy
Student Notebook Copy
NYTimes Article on Plagiarism 8.01.10

Syllabi, Etc.—3 Copies to Mag: Include Grading Policy, Class Procedures, Expectations, Materials, Departmental Plagiarism Policy, and turnitin.com

Substitute Lesson Plans: Keep updated and current in a clearly visible folder in the classroom; include Syllabi, Objectives, Seating Charts

III. Grade Level Team Meetings--

Book Charts--As a team, please review your syllabi for BALANCE and DIVERSITY (Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Time Periods, Genres)

Check current English Book Inventory Binder in 601 for ordering needs

~Thank you for all that you do for our students and for CHS.~

English Agenda--June 8, 2010

TUESDAY, June 8, 2010--2:20 PM in Room 209

I. Departmental Feature--

• English AP Lang & Comp Exam--May 2010--Holly Pasciullo & Kristin Shipp
  
• English AP Lit & Comp Exam--May 2010--Doc Costantini & Mag Polek

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• Senior Writing Project Pilot 2010-2011
  
• CHS English Summer Reading List 2009: Input for 2010
  
• HCPSS Approved High School Textbook List
  

Taking the Summer to Read and Write Ourselves into Better Readers and Writers: School may be out, but now’s not the time for students to stop learning. As NCTE’s Reading Commission Guideline "On Reading, Learning to Read, and Effective Literacy Instruction" points out, learning to read is a lifelong process, and, of course, the more we read, the better readers we become. This goes for writing as well. NCTE’s "Beliefs on the Teaching of Writing" give us principles for teaching the “increasingly multifaceted activity” of writing. Summer is a perfect time for reading and writing for personal pleasure—and learning, too.

• Howard County Library High School Summer Reading List
  

• English Awards 2010
• English Schedule 2010-2011

• End of the Year Items : Writing Folders, Final Exams & Keys, Books, Classrooms, Teacher Materials
  

Thank you!

English Agenda for April 19, 2010

English 11 & 12 Teachers:
Room 209 from 2:20 to 3:20 PM-- *Please plan to meet for one hour.

• High School Professional Development Session: "The Essay, The Forgotten Genre?"
• Mary Teague, Instructional Facilitator, Secondary English

English 9 & 10 Teachers:
Room 207 at 2:20 PM--*Please bring a few student writing folders to share.

• Responding to Student Writing: Where are we? Where are we going? How do we "deliver useful feedback, appropriate for the writer and the situation"? How do we "analyze writing situations for their most essential elements"? from "NCTE Beliefs about the Teaching of Writing"
• NCTE Writing Beliefs
• Judy Ryan, English 10 Teacher, will facilitate this session.

English Agenda for March 15, 2010

English Department Agenda
Monday, March 15, 2010--Room 209 at 2:20 PM
"Beware the ides of March."
*Please plan to meet for one hour.

• CHS Administrative Updates

• Student Course Registration Review
• Course Placement Reviews due by March 31st
• TENTATIVE English Schedule 2010-2011

• Sadlier-Oxford replacement vocabulary books for 2010-2011
• Damaged books = $10.26 @ (includes tax)
• Obligation form (3 copies needed for front office at year's end)
  

• HoCoPoLitSo Promise and Achievement Awards--Nominations (2 Seniors)
• The Emily Davis Memorial Scholarship Award--Nominations
• English Department Award 2010--Nominations

• English HSA After-School Tutoring--Wednesdays (5 weeks) beginning April 14
• SIP Objective: With administrative support, English 10 teachers will conduct after-school intervention classes as warranted for those students identified as needing additional support to improve their English and reading skills, based on the results of class performance and quarterly assessments.

• Ideas/input for next year--
• Responding to Student Writing: Where are we? Where are we going? How do we "deliver useful feedback, appropriate for the writer and the situation"? How do we "analyze writing situations for their most essential elements"? from "NCTE Beliefs about the Teaching of Writing"
• NCTE Writing Beliefs
• Asian-American Literature Study Group--Ha Jin, Maxine Hong Kingston, Jhumpa Lahiri, Chang-rae Lee, Amy Tan, etc.

• Data Conversation Team Meetings: *Please bring documents as needed. Teachers will meet in grade level teams to discuss 2nd quarter assessment results and implications for instruction.
• SIP Objective: English teachers of Grade 9, 10, and 11 classes will each meet quarterly as a team to analyze county assessment data and to collaborate effective strategies for differentiating instruction.
  

• Reminder--
• High School Professional Development Session
• "The Essay, The Forgotten Genre?"--Monday, April 19th; CHS English Department Meeting with Mary Teague--Grade 11 & 12 English Teachers; Room 209 from 2:20 to 3:20 PM

• Open Agenda

English Agenda for February 8, 2010

~CANCELED due to SNOW~
English Department Agenda
Monday, February 8, 2010----Room 209 at 2:20 PM

• CHS Administrative Updates
• English HSA After-School Tutoring--Wednesdays (5 weeks) beginning April 14: SIP Objective: With administrative support, English 10 teachers will conduct after-school intervention classes as warranted for those students identified as needing additional support to improve their English and reading skills, based on the results of class performance and quarterly assessments.
  
• Responding to Student Writing: Where are we? Where are we going? How do we "deliver useful feedback, appropriate for the writer and the situation"? How do we "analyze writing situations for their most essential elements"? from "NCTE Beliefs about the Teaching of Writing" NCTE Writing Beliefs
  
• Data Conversation Team Meetings: *Please bring documents as needed.Teachers will meet in grade level teams to discuss 2nd quarter assessment results and implications for instruction. SIP Objective: English teachers of Grade 9, 10, and 11 classes will each meet quarterly as a team to analyze county assessment data and to collaborate effective strategies for differentiating instruction.
  
• Reminder: High School Professional Development Sessions--Thursday, February 11, 2010; LA Teachers, Grades 11 & 12; Centennial High School from 12:00 to 2:30 PM
• Open Agenda

English Agenda for November 16, 2009

English Department Agenda
Monday, November 16, 2009----Room 209 at 2:20 PM
Recorder: Kristin Shipp

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility,
But when the blast of warre blows in our eares,
Then imitate the action of the tyger:
Stiffen the sinews, conjure up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-featured rage,
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostrill wide,
Hold hard the breath, and bend up every
Spirit to his full height! On, on, you noble English!

[ http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/William_Shakespeare/ ]
William Shakespeare, King Henry V, Act 3 scene 1

I. Departmental Features--

• Media Center Resources Update--Linda Norris
• CHS School Improvement Plan (SIP) 2009-2010
• Instructional Strategies Database (Intranet--Secondary Language Arts)
• Instructional Strategies Database
• Poetry Out Loud--Rus VanWestervelt and Corey O'Brien
  

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• Book Orders
• Administrative Updates
• ACCUPLACER Testing--College Readiness Initiative--HCPSS and HCC--Rescheduled for Tuesday, December 1--English 11 (86 students)--In the DELL Lab--All Day
  

Monday, October 19, 2009

I. Departmental Feature--

• October Minutes
• Media Center Resources Update--Linda Norris
• CHS School Improvement Plan (SIP) 2009-2010
• Instructional Strategies Database (Intranet--Secondary Language Arts)

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• Book Orders
• Updates from CHS (10/15) & County (10/14) ITL Meetings
• ACCUPLACER Testing: College Readiness Initiative--HCPSS and HCC--English 11 on Thursday, November 19 in the DELL Lab--All Day
• HoCoPoLitSo Poet-in-Residence Visit: Terence Winch; Wednesday, October 28th during Period 5

September 21, 2009

I. Departmental Feature--

• Outcomes of Data Conversations from September 4, 2009: Implications and Goal Setting
  
• Individual Reading Conferences (IRCs)
  
• Metacognitive Log Prompts
  
• October 10 SAT
• October 14 PSAT

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• SGA Letters to Soldiers Feedback
  

• NCTE National Gallery of Writing: http://galleryofwriting.org
• October 20, 2009--the National Day on Writing: http://www.ncte.org/dayonwriting
• National Writing Project: http://www.nwp.org
  

• Letters About Literature--Maryland Humanities Council

Updates from CHS (9/17) & County (9/16) ITL Meetings

• Budget
• Schedule Changes, Drop/Add Signature Forms
• Interim Reports issued to students on October 9
• Hall Passes
• CHS Staff Reference Info Folder on CLC
• Contact chsabsence@hcpss.org to report flu-like symptoms
  

• Printshop
• Textbook Replacement Plan
• Quarterly Assessments--Grades 9-11
• Sample Anchor Papers Needed
• Poetry Out Loud: http://www.poetryoutloud.org
• Writing Manuals
• Textbook Selection Committee
• LA Coordinator/Facilitator Visits

• Student Writing Folders
  

• ACCUPLACER Testing
• College Readiness Initiative--English 11

• Substitute Lesson Plans
• Please keep current in a clearly visible folder in your classroom
• Include Syllabi, Objectives, Seating Charts

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

• Room 209 at 1:00 PM
• Warm greetings to all, and a special welcome to Shanea Bradley in English 9 & 11 this year
  and to Christine Duignan, Johns Hopkins English Intern!

I. Departmental Feature--

• Letters to Soldiers--Fall 2009 SGA Project--Ann Mulhollen

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• Classroom Supplies and Equipment
• Vocabulary Workshop Books--New Procedures
• High School Writing Manuals--Revisions & Inserts
  http://www.hcpss.org/aboutus/writing_manual.pdf
• English Web Page: http://englishroost.blogspot.com/ Teacher Web Pages
• Language Arts Expectations
  Student Writing Folders
  Student Aides
• CHS English Department Plagiarism Policy
  
  • Signed Classroom Copy: http://docs.google.comDoc?id=dgf8pxs2_92rrbtfjdj
  • Student Copy: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgf8pxs2_93dc2bm9gz
• Three-year Textbook Replacement Plan
• Syllabi, Etc.—3 Copies to Mag
  Include Grading Policy, Class Procedures, Expectations, Materials, Departmental Plagiarism Policy, and turnitin
• Substitute Lesson Plans
  Keep updated and current in a clearly visible folder in your classroom
  Include Syllabi, Objectives, Seating Charts

III. Grade Level Team Meetings--

• Book Charts-- As a team, please check your syllabi for BALANCE and DIVERSITY
  (Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Time Periods, Genres)
• Check current English Book Inventory Binder in 601 for ordering needs
  

~Thank you for all that you do for our students and for CHS.~

June 8, 2009

I. Departmental Feature--

• English AP Literature & Composition Exam--May 2009--Mag Polek
• English AP Language & Composition Exam--May 2009--Holly Pasciullo & Kristin Shipp

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• April Minutes--Liz Chung
• English Awards 2009 at http://englishroost.blogspot.com
• English Schedule 09-10
• CHS English Summer Reading List Input
• Echoes and Reflections: A Multimedia Curriculum on the Holocaust
  http://www.echoesandreflections.org
• Summer School Classes--June 29 to August 7 (8:00 to 12:45 PM at CHS)
• End of the Year Clean-up--Final Exams & Keys, Books, Classrooms, Teacher Materials

~Thank you for all you have done this year for our students and for CHS.~

April 21, 2009

National Poetry Month Resources--
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/41
Ars Poetica: Poems about Poetry: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20035

I. Departmental Feature--

• English HSA Bridge Plans & Mastery Class--Kelli McDonough
• After-School HSA Prep--6 Thursdays (10th Grade English Team)
• Online HSA Testing--Week of May18-22

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• March Minutes
• Nominations for the 2009 English Award and The Emily Davis Memorial Scholarship
• Summer School Classes--June 29 to August 7 (8:00 to 12:45 PM at CHS)
• Letters from Home--SGA Writing Project
  

March 16, 2009

"We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry." William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) (Awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in Literature)

I. Departmental Feature--

• Vocabulary Development--A Model Lesson--Jill Eisner
• Developing Effective Practices in Vocabulary Instruction
• NCTE Council Chronicle article (March 2009) "Everyday Writing: Words Matter More Than Ever in the 21st Century Workplace" http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Magazine/CC0183_Everyday.pdf

II. The Nitty Gritty/Updates/Reminders--

• February Minutes
• Dear Soldier--SGA Writing Project
• Local English Assessment Data from INROADS
  Grade Level Team Meetings
  4th Quarter Assessments & Final Exams
• Official Ballots for Senior Superlatives--Rus VanWestervelt
• Feedback on Great Source 2005 Vocabulary Books
• --Vocabulary for Achievement, Third Course (9th Grade)
  --Vocabulary for Achievement, Fourth Course (10th Grade)
  --Vocabulary for Achievement, Fifth Course (11th Grade)
  --Vocabulary for Achievement, Sixth Course (12th Grade)
• Utilization of the High School Writing Manual and Style Guide (especially for MLA Research Paper Guidelines) http://www.hcpss.org/aboutus/writing_manual.pdf
• English Academic Support Day--Wednesday, March 25
• Junior interviews will take place March 31 to April 2 during English classes this year; please complete the resume writing lesson by March 23
• End of Third Quarter--Friday, April 3
  

February 9, 2009

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."
--Ludwig Wittgenstein, Austrian Philosopher 1889-1951

I. Departmental Feature

• Vocabulary Development--
  "Content-Area Vocabulary: A Critical Key to Conceptual Learning" by Janis M. Harmon and Karen D. Wood from Adolescent Literacy in Perspective, October 2008
• PowerPoint Summary and Discussion
• Survey of Great Source 2005 Vocabulary Books

II. The Nitty Gritty--

• Administrative Visit
• English Academic Support Day--Wednesday, February 11
• Poet-in-Residence Liz Rees visit--Thursday, February 12
  Kristen McManus' 4B 10 GT class
• International visitors from England--Tuesday, February 17
  Mag Polek's 4B 12 AP class
• Junior interviews will take place March 31 to April 2;
  complete the resume writing lesson by March 23

Updates--

• ETS Criterion Online Writing Evaluation Program
  Grades 9 and 10; Regular and Review Classes
  http://criterion28.ets.org/cwe
• ACCUPLACER--English 11 Classes
  College Readiness Elective
• CPR Rhetoric Activities

Reminders--

• Celebrate African American Writers throughout February: Twentieth National African American Read-In

October 20, 2008

I. Departmental Features

• Welcome to Rachel Grap--Longterm Sub for Kristen McManus
• September Minutes--Val Watson
• ETS Criterion Online Writing Evaluation Program
  Grades 9 and 10; Regular and Review Classes
  http://criterion28.ets.org/cwe/index.php

II. The Nitty Gritty

• ACCUPLACER--English 11 Classes
• English SIT Objectives 08-09
• INROADS--Accountability and Planning Data
• High School Writing Manual and Style Guide
  http://www.hcpss.org/aboutus/writing_manual.pdf
• PTA Reflections Program
• Grub Street Poetry Competition-- Towson University
• NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing 2009--Juniors
• English Academic Support Day: Oct.22
• End of First Quarter (47 days): Oct. 31
• Reminders--
  English Course Placement Review Folder 08-09
  English Web Page
  Language Arts Expectations
  Teacher Web Pages
  Student Aides—Attendance, Activities, Grades
  Substitute Lesson Plans
  Writing Folders Swap