I would like to welcome both students and parents to the sixth grade for the 2008-2009 school year at Nativity. My name is Mrs. Lynn Elfers, and I am beginning my twentiy-first year of teaching. I look forward to an exciting and fulfilling year with you.

Course Description
My goals for the year include encouraging personal responsibility among my students, and expanding and exploring growth and expression in learning about our faith. I will also encourage both written and oral expression through the Language Arts.

My academic goals in teaching Religion include deepening students’ understanding of the Scriptures, and how they relate to the way we live our lives. We also will do in-depth studies of the Sacraments and the Liturgy. We will work from the Finding God Series, Loyola Press.

In Language Arts we will be examining literature through the reading of short stories, poetry, plays, and novels. We will use the Houghton Mifflin Reading Series, Level 6, with Senior authors J. David Cooper and John Pulaski. We will focus on strengthening writing skills, with a concentration on the conventions of writing, and the creative writing process. Sixth graders will also work on grammar, vocabulary, and spelling throughout the year.

Homework
Students can expect homework nightly in the Language Arts, and two to three nights a week in Religion class. Students should write homework assignments daily in their assignment books. I expect students to turn in assignments when they are due, and will not accept late work except when a child has been absent. Students are responsible for reading two Accelerated Reader books on their own, per quarter. These must be of a 5.7 reading level or higher. (The lists are in the classroom, on the web, and in our school library.) The students then choose one of the books they’ve read, and do a project on it towards the end of each quarter. The students are given guidelines for these projects at least four weeks ahead of the due date.

Grading
I use a computer grading system that consists of points for correct answers out of a possible amount. On more subjective evaluations such as writing assignments, I use rubrics to determine scores. Class participation and effort are also used in my grading. I pass back graded papers once a week on Thursdays and students are expected to return these, signed by a parent, on Friday. If a child has missed assignments, there will be a form filled out by the student sent home with these packets. These are also to be signed by a parent and returned with the packet.

Classrom Management
I expect courtesy from and among my students. I use a Responsibility Training Program with my students. This is a plan where students set goals for themselves, plan actions to achieve these goals, and then evaluate their effectiveness. There are several steps to this plan in which students take responsibility for their behavior and actions, and look to alternate ways of behaving when needed. I also give extra assignments on occasion, for inappropriate behavior. If further action is needed, children will be sent to the office.

Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me anytime. You may call the office (458-6767), or email me at lelfers@hotmail.com. I will get back to you promptly. I have a website at Scholastic.com which gives news for each quarter citing important events, field trips, and long-term projects. The user name is lesixth, and the password is schooltime.

I look forward to working with you this year!

For the Scholastic Web Page: user name; lesixth, and password: schooltime.