Here We Go!

After a summer of anticipation and preparation, the first day of school is finally here.  The lights are on, and the curtain is about to open.  It is time for the 5th Grade students of the ASPIRE Academy to shine as never before.  Before we get started, I would like to share a few thoughts about the first week of school.  First, the entire ASPIRE Academy will be using the parallel curriculum model this year.  Because it is sequential, Social Studies is the anchor we plan around.  The other subjects will be integrated when they fit naturally.  This gives us the freedom to move through the curriculum in a different order while allowing the students to make important connections across disciplines.

Next, you may have noticed that I have not posted my syllabus yet.  This is intentional, as the students will have input on our classroom management design.  The syllabus will be finalized this week, and I will be sure to post it to my classroom website.

Google will play an important role in the ASPIRE Academy this year.  Students will be able to save assignments to their Google Drive, and turn them in through Google Classroom.  They will also create digital portfolios to highlight their favorite samples, which will allow them to monitor growth throughout the year.  I am anticipating that at least 50 percent of our work will be digital this year, as GCISD continues to provide teachers and students with the latest technology.

I am humbled to be in this position, and I am grateful for the support everyone has shown throughout the summer.  My goal is to challenge my students every day and to give them opportunities to think critically and creatively during every learning experience.  We will hit the ground running tomorrow, so they will know from the very first day it will be different.  I welcome all of your questions and concerns.  My door is always open, and I promise to respond quickly to your emails and phone calls.  Be sure to check back here every week for an in-depth look at one of our lessons.  And so it begins.  Have a great year everyone!