• Students will receive a copy of class rules, communication plan, standards, and Web address for homework page on the first day of class. This packet will include a sign off sheet for the guardians.
• As part of the sign off sheet parents will be given a copy of my email, my 800 telephone number and asked to send an email so that I may have theirs.
• Midterms that will be sent home include a list of all missing work.
• Nine-week report cards will include a copy of all grades for the grading period.
• Parents will be encouraged to come in during open house and parent-teacher conference days.
• Regular notices will be sent to student services about students with grades of Ds or Fs.
• Student IEP folders, coaches grade reports and other inter-school communications will be completed as needed.

Dear Parent(s):

I am glad that your child has decided to enter the French program. It is imperative that the students and you realize that they must participate in class not only by completing written work, but also by speaking the language. The students may be nervous about speaking, but they need to realize that everyone is nervous and is at the same starting point.

Indiana's and National Foreign Language Standards require that students must be able to communicate in the target language, discuss the culture and history of the target country, compare the target culture to their own and identify influences of the foreign culture. Therefore, many of the activities that we do in class are project-based. The students will be producing skits, books and other products in the target language.

Your child may feel frustrated at times, but please assure them that they need to keep trying. Studying a foreign language is new and requires daily work. Students need to look over vocabulary, verbs and grammar rules in addition to reading aloud on a regular basis. They also need to be in class. Absences will make it very difficult for your child to keep up.

I believe that all students can learn and that studying a foreign language helps many students develop better English communication skills. Students will be expected to learn by doing. There will be traditional spelling tests in addition to other assessments, but I do not really use many multiple-choice or true-false type tests. Instead, students will be expected to demonstrate the skills that they gain. Attached you will find a copy of the class rules and grading scales. Work is due on time and students are expected to come to class prepared. If there are true emergencies I will try to accommodate.

I maintain, or try to make sure that I maintain a Web site on which student homework is available by class, there are links to practice sites and other pages of interest. Many of the students' projects will be available through this site, at least while we are working on them. I hope to see you at open house, parent/teacher conferences and other school events. Please feel free to contact me through email, or by calling my home. It is difficult to reach me at school.