My web site address has changed to the following:
http://TeacherWeb.com/CA/StPatrickSchool-Rodeo/MrsFrancis-Language Arts/

PLEASE SEND YOUR CURRENT (HOME & WORK) E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR THE 2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR.

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*Just a reminder to not send a reply from the NEWSFLASH. This page is meant to share announcements.If you wish to send an email just click on the email icon on my home page in the upper right hand corner or send a note directly to kfrancis@csdo.org using your own email provider.
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HOMEWORK REMINDERS
Just a reminder that all students and parents should be checking the homework website daily during the school year to make sure they have the correct information.

Each essay response is always 7 or more sentences in each paragraph.
The paragraphs vary from 3-5 depending on the genre sample or essay.

All reading responses are 3-5 paragraphs
All reading responses & sample genres are typed & stored in the school computers.

During the year your child should be working independently on the portfolio and publications.

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TESTING/ GRADING POLICY
Whenever I give a TEST and the student scores below 73% and/or if a GRADE DROPS below a 70% a progress report will be sent home for a parent signature.
The student has two days to return the test and/or progress report w/parent signature.

I started a new procedure in DECEMBER for students who were struggling with grammar exercises. Any student who does not do well on the quiz and receives a 73% or lower on the quiz would have to redo it the following day. They are given the option to use the YELLOW PAGES in the Write Source textbook as a resource during the test.

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PORTFOLIO & PUBLICATIONS

There is a color code will change in a rotational pattern every other month.

The color code for AUGUST -SEPTEMBER is as follows:
YELLOW is MONDAY(unless we have a holiday,then I will collect them on FRIDAY).
GREEN is TUESDAY
BLUE is WEDNESDAY
RED is THURSDAY

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READING:
Students should be reading from my 7th grade book list their 12 books for the year.
When they have finished reading the 12 required books, then they may read other novels at school,but they need to clear them with me first. They may always read any novels they want to at home under your discretion.

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MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION
We only use ORIGINAL CD's for music or they may download music from Freeplaymusic.com at school (NO FLASH DRIVE FOR MUSIC) Kids can check out the Freeplay songs at home and then bring the title selection to download at school.

For Mac users: All iLife'06-08 projects completed at home may not work on our computers at school. You are welcome to burn an iDVD and bring it to school to use for the project otherwise you will have to put the iLife '08 project at school.

FROM WHAT THE STUDENTS TOLD ME, A DVD WORKS THE BEST FOR AT HOME PRESENTATIONs; I CAN ALSO READ WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER (version 9.0) and QUICK TIME (version 7.6), BUT MAKE SURE YOU SAVE IT AS A MOVIE. I CAN ALSO READ WINDOWS MOVIE VISTA (WMV)
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FLASH DRIVES
Students are allowed to use flash drives with lanyards(cord) that contain only student documents onthem. We only use Microsoft Word processing documents. Make sure the word processing document is compatible with the school's Microsoft 2004 version. Students can use text edit but they have to convert it at school to a Microsoft document. We do not use MICROSOFT WORKS or WORD PERFECT.
Students can also type and print it from home and then type it again for the folder at school. Students must have the flash drive scanned everyday for viruses. The less information stored on the flashdrive, the faster the scanner works.It is very important that they know how to use the flash drive if they want to us it at home & school.