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=Welcome to Honors Math with Mr. Mokriski=

August 26, 2013 Dear Parents,

I am happy to let you know that I will be your child’s Honors Math Teacher for the 2013-14 school year. My experience before becoming an administrator was in the field of Math and Science, mostly in the Middle school. I had taught Honors Math at St. Hilary’s (Rydal, PA) and Good Shepherd School (Orlando, Fl). I likewise had taught Honors Math to 6th and 8th Grade here at OLGC. I am truly excited about the prospect of sharing my love of Math with your children. As you are aware, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia adopted the Common Core Standards for all of its schools during the 2011-12 school year. This was ahead of most of our local public school districts. These standards are designed to answer essential questions about the curriculum, identify 21st century skills woven into the standard, recognize cross curricular integration, and determine which tools are needed to assist the student in the learning process.

The statement below reflects the commitment of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and indeed, Our Lady of Good Counsel School:

“The Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Office of Catholic Education, is pleased to offer the new Mathematics/ Algebra I Common Core State Standards for implementation throughout its schools. The Common Core State Standards offer educators the opportunity to ensure that all students are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in a globally competitive society. The Common Core State Standards establish high expectations for all students and allow for in-depth development of core competencies by focusing on fewer standards over the K-12 program. Adopting the Common Core State Standards will require shifts in the way educators instruct and assess students. As educators gain understanding of the Common Core State Standards and how they impact teaching and learning, they will develop new best practices, new methods of relevant assessment, and will use student performance data to pinpoint student achievement.

The Office of Catholic Education is committed to supporting teachers throughout the implementation process.

The course requirements will essentially be the same for Grades 6-7-8:

1) There will be five (5) assessments per trimester. (tests, quizzes, reports, projects) 2) Homework will be checked for accuracy/correctness. 3) Communication between teacher and parent is essential and will be ongoing as needed. I encourage parents to check wiki pages and Grade Connect for homework, announcements etc. 4) Grades will be posted online within a reasonable amount of time. This should be no later than two days after the test was taken. Projects/reports may take longer to post. 5) My preferred method of contact will be through email: frank.mokriski@olgc.org . I will likewise do the same for my contact with you. 6) Reviews will be conducted prior to major tests. Students will be notified of dates for major tests. 7) A quiz may be given to determine the understanding of a concept or standard. 8) Grades will be based on assessments, class participation, quizzes, and reports or projects assigned. 9) Each student must have a notebook specifically for Math as well as a folder in which will be kept assignments, homework, tests and quizzes. I hope you share my excitement for the upcoming school year. Mathematics is truly important to all of us. Very few things in life can be done without at least a basic knowledge of it. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “No employment can be managed without arithmetic, no mechanical invention without geometry”.

Mr. Frank S. Mokriski