E-2 Excellence

October 21, 2022

Dear Families,

Happy October! We have had a busy two weeks since Fall Break and the pace will continue through conferences, October 31-November 10.

Here is a quick rundown of class news and school activities:

• College Week wraps up Friday the 21st with a slideshow and special guest: A Reed graduate and one of Mrs. Ellner’s former students! Ask your child what they learned and/or what they think about college when you see them after school.
• Reed’s Fall Festival opens this Saturday, October 22nd, from 1 to 5 PM. No worries if you did not order tickets ahead of time; they will be for sale on site. The auction is online, however, at this link: https://www.32auctions.com/ReedFallFestival2022. Please don’t miss the chance to bid on our class wreath, an ice cream party for 6, or your child’s hand-painted bookmark! (NOTE: Families only need to bid once for a bookmark; PTA and teachers will ensure that student bookmarks get into the correct hands. :o) 
• School Picture Retake day occurs Wednesday, October 26th. We are scheduled for this BEFORE lunch.
• The second BioSite Field trip happens Wednesday, October 26th after an early lunch. Students should wear a Reed t-shirt, pants or shorts, sturdy shoes, and sunblock. It’s OK to bring water bottles on this trip; it got pretty warm last time.
  • Note: I already have your signed field trip forms for this series of trips. Please remit the white photo release form at your earliest convenience, however. 
• Conferences are coming up! The official conference window is October 31st-November 11th. Many families signed up for a conference using the link shared at Back to School Night. One family has already successfully rescheduled, and one other family emailed me to reschedule-but I could not figure out which family it was! No worries- I will get in touch with all of you to confirm or reschedule next week so you have a conference day/time by Friday, October 28th. 
• Academics
  • Math-we start Module 3 this week, with a focus on Prime Numbers, comparing and ordering larger numbers, and calculating perimeter and area. Lessons emphasized will be based on student results of the Pre-Test taken today. Math Modules 1-3 and the corresponding Unit Assessment will be included on report cards. Please see the chart below for standards highlighted in Module 3.
  • Reading: Close Reading of non-fiction texts including our Social Studies book and related NewsELA articles. Monitoring skills while reading self-chosen texts, modeled and taught through a shared read of the grade-level text, The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo and our Social Studies text. Focus on Main Idea and Details, answering Text-Dependent Questions.
  • Writing: The Writing Progress Assessment (WPA) has been completed and is in the process of being scored. The score will appear on report cards; student work will be available for you to view at conferences. The focus here continues to be on Narrative Writing with emphasis on characterization and including sensory details. 
• Social Emotional Learning
  • Our class is working through Second Step Unit 2, Lesson 7 on Rethinking. Rethinking means to think about situations in different way and look for other aspects of them. Rethinking can help us by changing how we feel about situations. 
  • Our class asked themselves what they were going to do for their Self Care this week. Answers included: Exercise, eat right, get more sleep, and spend time with friends. Please take time to view the video linked below and consider including conversations about Self Care in your home routine.
  • Procedures, Expectations, and Consequences: Our class is retaught and expected to practice one or more procedures daily. We have also had class conversations about consequences for repeated, minor behaviors that can derail a lesson or activity.
  • September and October birthdays:
    • Kyle  9/6
    • Kaitlyn  9/15
    • Avery  9/27
    • Janie  9/13
    • Paarth  9/29
    • Saharai  9/14
    • Olivia  9/12
    • Athena 10/18
    • Malakai  10/18
    • Seth  10/22
    • Alexander 10/24

September 20, 2022

Good evening families,

Tomorrow will be the first of eight BioSite field trips your child takes this school year. Thank you for signing your child’s field trip form and having them turn it in!

Here is some information plus a few guidelines so you and your child are prepared.

–Students should wear sturdy shoes and clothing that can be layered- items that you are not too worried about – tomorrow.

–Each student has been paired with one or two students form our class and placed in one of twelve field group. Your child can expect to be with this partner and group for the year.

–Lunch will be at Reed, but at 12:15 instead of 12:45. Students will eat either their own or a regular SJUSD provided lunch from the cafeteria. During this time, every student will be reminded to use the restroom as there are no indoor restrooms at the field trip site. 

–We may have to sit 3 to a seat on the bus. Remind students to be patient with each other!

–Students will not be bringing backpacks, water bottles, lunch boxes, or other items on the bus or to the field trip site.  Personal effects will remain at Reed.

–We will return to Reed just before the end of the school day. Students may expect to go home or after school groups shortly after we return.

We have a great class. I think they will impress the student teachers, have a wonderful time, and learn a lot. Families, be sure to ask all about the field trip Wednesday night!

Warmly,

Ms Seyan

September 19, 2022

Hi Families,

A few quick reminders for this week:

–The first BioSite field trip of the year will take place during the afternoon of Wednesday, September 21st. Staff and students will take two buses to the site, which is the creek bed behind Pioneer High School. No chaperones needed. Permission slips are, however! Please have your child return their form, signed by you, Wednesday morning at the latest! That being said, if they turn in the form after Wednesday, they are good for the remaining BioSite trips this year, but will stay on campus Wednesday.

–This week we are starting Origo Module 2, where students practice rounding and estimating with larger numbers and delve more deeply into multiplication facts. In ELA, we are working on the short e spelling pattern, growing our reading stamina by reading for longer periods of time, practicing the steps of Close Reading nonfiction (particularly social studies) texts, and writing personal narrative. We will have a personal narrative pre-test shortly, probably by the end of this week. In Social Emotional Learning, we are working on setting SMART goals, working with others in the classroom, and class procedures! All students in the class use Dreambox weekly, and we are all still taking time for Istation as the class isn’t quite ready for small group work yet.

–We have a Scholastic books account, and a fantastic family helper. Thank you, Mrs. Blomseth! Flyers and a short note with our online login code will go home with Thursday envelopes this week. Exciting!!

Thank you for your attention! As always, please reach out with your questions, comments, and concerns at sseyan@sjusd.org.

Warmly,

Ms Seyan

September 13, 2022

Dear Families,

Here are a few quick updates about your child’s 4th grade class at Reed:

–Picture Day is tomorrow, Wednesday, September 14th. Our class is scheduled to take their pictures at 10:45 AM, but that could change depending on how it goes! For ordering, our school Picture Day ID on mylifetouch.com is: EVT4TM7TT.

-Reed will hold a Hun, Hide, Defend drill on Thursday, September 14. We will not have to create barricades. However, STUDENTS MUST BE SILENT DURING THE DRILL. Even if Mr Ramezane comes to our door and makes a comment, students are to remain silent. Please work with your child on this important point. Thank you! 

-Procedures: We have been working very hard on class procedures, and will continue to review, model, and practice until good classroom and study habits are the norm! The extra effort now will pay off later in the year, when students are attentive through a lesson and can work together productively in groups. This week, we will work on basic procedures such as moving from our seats to the carpet quietly, sitting and focusing on instruction while on the carpet, and what to do when you hear one of our class’ callbacks (respond, eyes on the teacher, voices off). 

– Here is some information on the homework, in case you were wondering about the  Spelling Words: 

…Studies have shown that spelling tests and memorization don’t support development of spelling skills or the understanding of word meanings.

Providing the words we are working with each week on the front of the homework gives you a peek into the classroom. The following week you will see a couple of pages of work that use the current words/spelling pattern we are exploring so that students can review. 

Please check the blog at https://msseyan.com/links-and-resources/ for more information about the Spelling Words. 

Thank you for your attention!  Please reach out with any suggestions, comments, or questions via email at sseyan@sjusd.org.

September 7, 2022

Dear Families,

May I just say a huge THANK YOU to the families who visited our class’ Amazon Wish List and came through with teaching tools and students support materials! I am overwhelmed by the generosity of Reed families. I have never experienced such support at a school, and I am grateful.

And another thank you to everyone who attended Back to School Night and was able to complete the family survey and/or sign up for a conference. I will be in touch with families who have not signed up for conferences in October. If you would like the link to sign up for a conference online or would like to access the family survey, please email me at sseyan@sjusd.org.

Today’s Blackboard update answers a few questions I received on BTS night:

Q: Do 4th Graders get free passes to National Parks?

A: YES, they do. According to the State of California website, “Applying for the free pass online is simple. All that is needed is a name, address, phone number and an email address. For individuals who do not have access to a smartphone, computer or printer, and/or do not have an email address to use when applying online, they can still apply for a pass by visiting a State Parks Pass Sales Office or by calling (800) 444-7275. 

Please check out https://www.parks.ca.gov/AdventurePass for more details. 

Q: May my child bring goodies or treats for their birthday?

A: MAYBE. In our class this year, we have students with severe allergies. Reed’s school nurse advises that we remind students not to trade/share lunches and that we hold no class parties involving food this year. I take student safety very seriously, so will not offer nor help distribute food treats to my class this year.

That being said, non-food goodies or bags that can be shared at the end of the day are more than welcome. Students may have flowers, balloons, or gifts in class during the day-though they may be moved if they block the whiteboard or are super distracting to other students. ;o)

Q: When will homework start?

A: THIS WEEK. Students took home their Bobcat folders with their first homework packet on Tuesday. The homework will have spelling included in future weeks, so there will be daily reading, some math review, and/or a spelling activity. It should take around 30 minutes to complete at most. Families really aren’t required to do anything with the homework, as it is the student’s responsibility. That being said, if you have any observations, suggestions, feedback-I’d love to hear it! I’m always looking to improve.

Please continue to contact me with suggestions, information about your child, and questions about anything. I do apologize if I have been delayed in responding to you this past week. I am making changes to my communication procedures so my responses should be much more timely. I appreciate your patience!

Warmly,

Ms Susan Seyan, Educator

Hi Families,

Thank you to everyone who attended Back to School Night!  Here is some follow up information as promised:

*To sign up for conferences November 7-10, please click here. Contact me through school if you would like a different day or time!

*To complete my family survey, follow this link.

*Reading lists for 4th grade can be found here.

*The NEA Read Across America suggested books for this year is linked here.

Warmly,

Ms. Seyan

March 23, 2022
Ms Seyan’s 8th Grade Academic Language Development (ALD) UPDATE

Dear Families of my 8th Grade ALD students,

Spring has brought renewed energy and enthusiasm to our classes. It’s exciting to see your children’s growth academically and socially! To keep you in the loop, here are the Spring updates for my ALD classes:

*We have mostly completed ELPAC testing– a few students are completing makeups- and are making our way gradually through Springboard Unit 3.

*To create solid reading habits and review essential English skills, students have been assigned online Daily Work in Canvas as well as 20 minutes of reading 3 times per week through the Epic! program. Information on this is available through your child’s Canvas account.

*I hope you will be able to attend Hoover’s Open House on Wednesday, April 6th. The English Language Arts department will present as a team in one of the outdoor courtyards on campus. I would love to meet you and connect family with student! More details about the event will follow soon via Mrs Palmeri’s Principal’s Messages.

*NWEA Reading Growth testing in our classes started Wednesday the 23rd, and students are making great progress! We will continue the NWEA on Friday the 25th; students who finish may complete our class assignments or read in the EPIC app.

*Thank you for reminding your child to charge their Chromebooks and bring them to school each day. Even when we are not testing, we- like many Hoover classes- require Chromebook use daily, so this is a big help.

*Speaking of electronics, students are becoming much more responsible with their cell phone and device use. I see far fewer phones and earbuds in class when I have asked that they be put away, and I have only had to call Admin twice this week for student noncompliance in this regard. Keep up the great improvement!

And finally, speaking of enthusiasm: We have seen a lot of physical displays of energy in the classroom recently. Throwing objects, defacing or damaging school property, and roughhousing with other students are against Hoover and SJUSD rules. Here are the consequences:
-Students who become physical with other students (even if they are “having fun”) will get help from me in calling guardians during class so they can explain to you what they were doing. If students refuse, I will complete an Office Discipline Referral (ODR).
-Defacing or damaging school property- writing with permanent marker on furniture, tearing trim off student tables, breaking the window blinds, or cutting into chairs with the string from face masks, for example- will result in after school detention.
-Throwing any objects – this includes but is not limited to books, pencils, hand sanitizer, paper airplanes, crayons, and wadded up pieces of paper- in class will result in classroom floor cleanup duty, detention, or both.
-Finally, if any or all of these behaviors become chronic, Office Discipline Referrals will be created and a referral to an Administrator made.

Thank you again for supporting your child in being successful at Hoover. Please contact me with any questions, suggestions, or concerns! I look forward to hearing from you.

Warmly,
Ms. Seyan, Educator

Hoover Middle School

*408) 535-6274 x 53208 // sseyan@sjusd.org

*****

23 de marzo de 2022
Actualización de primavera de ALD de Ms Seyan

Estimadas familias de mis estudiantes ALD de octavo grado,

La primavera ha traído energía y entusiasmo renovados a nuestras clases. ¡Es emocionante ver el crecimiento académico y social de sus hijos! Para mantenerlo informado, aquí están las actualizaciones de primavera para mis clases de ALD:

*Hemos completado en su mayoría las pruebas ELPAC, algunos estudiantes están completando las recuperaciones, y estamos avanzando gradualmente a través de la Unidad 3 de Springboard.
Para crear hábitos de lectura sólidos y repasar las habilidades esenciales en inglés, a los estudiantes se les ha asignado trabajo diario en línea en Canvas, así como 20 minutos de lectura 3 veces por semana a través de Epic! programa. La información sobre esto está disponible a través de la cuenta de Canvas de su hijo.

*Espero que pueda asistir a la jornada de puertas abiertas de Hoover el miércoles 6 de abril. El departamento de Artes del Lenguaje Inglés se presentará como equipo en uno de los patios al aire libre del campus. ¡Me encantaría conocerte y conectar a la familia con el estudiante! Más detalles sobre el evento seguirán pronto a través de los mensajes de la directora de la Sra. Palmeri.

*Las pruebas de crecimiento de lectura NWEA en nuestras clases comenzaron el miércoles 23, ¡y los estudiantes están progresando mucho! Continuaremos con la NWEA el viernes 25; los estudiantes que terminen pueden completar nuestras tareas de clase o leer en la aplicación EPIC.

*Gracias por recordarle a su hijo que cargue sus Chromebooks y los traiga a la escuela todos los días. Incluso cuando no estamos probando, nosotros, como muchas clases de Hoover, requerimos el uso diario de Chromebook, por lo que es de gran ayuda.

*Hablando de electrónica, los estudiantes se están volviendo mucho más responsables con el uso de sus teléfonos celulares y dispositivos. Veo muchos menos teléfonos y auriculares en clase cuando he pedido que se guarden, y solo he tenido que llamar al administrador dos veces esta semana por el incumplimiento de los estudiantes en este sentido. ¡Sigan con la gran mejora!

Y finalmente, hablando de entusiasmo: recientemente hemos visto muchas demostraciones físicas de energía en el salón de clases. Arrojar objetos, desfigurar o dañar la propiedad escolar y jugar bruscamente con otros estudiantes está en contra de las reglas de Hoover y SJUSD. Aquí están las consecuencias:
-Los estudiantes que se vuelven físicos con otros estudiantes (incluso si se están “divirtiendo”) obtendrán mi ayuda para llamar a los tutores durante la clase para que puedan explicarles lo que estaban haciendo. Si los estudiantes se niegan, completaré una referencia de disciplina de la oficina (ODR)
-Deteriorar o dañar la propiedad escolar, como escribir con un marcador permanente en los muebles, arrancar las molduras de las mesas de los estudiantes, romper las persianas de las ventanas o cortar las sillas con el cordón de las máscaras faciales resultará en una detención después de la escuela.
-Lanzar objetos (esto incluye, entre otros, libros, lápices, desinfectante de manos, aviones de papel, crayones y pedazos de papel arrugados) en clase dará como resultado la obligación de limpiar el piso del aula, detención o ambos.
-Finalmente, si alguno o todos estos comportamientos se vuelven crónicos, se crearán Referencias de Disciplina de la Oficina y se hará una referencia a un Administrador.

¡Gracias por apoyar a su hijo para que tenga éxito en Hoover! Por favor contácteme con cualquier comentario, pregunta o sugerencia. Espero escuchar de usted.
Sra. Seyan, Educadora
Escuela secundaria Hoover
(408) 535-6287 x 53208
sseyan@sjusd.org

Hi Students and Families,

Today I reminded many students about our class expectations and consequences. The above are screenshots from the Hoover Detention Form; below are our class priorities (rules or expectations) and consequences.

Priorities:

1. Health and Safety: Masks on in class, hands off classmates (social distance), no eating or drinking in class
2. Cell Phone Limits: Cell phones in backpacks per Hoover expectations and out only during class breaks or with teacher permission; teacher holds phone for entire class after a verbal reminder to student.
3. Respectful Behavior: Listen to speakers, take turns talking; kind words and actions. Disrespect or disruption includes: insulting anyone, raised voices, swearing, throwing items of any kind (books, paper, pencils, for example), leaving the class without permission, academic or personal dishonesty, saying “No” to a reasonable teacher request or refusing to attempt class assignments, and persistent off task behavior that disturbs others.

Consequences:

1. Verbal Reminder
2. Move Seats (disruption)/Teacher holds phone (cell phone violation)
3. Call/Email home
4. Detention (see above)
5. Office Discipline Referral/ Administrator called

Please note that ignoring class’ priorities is considered disregard of teacher procedures. Refusing to accept a consequence, such as moving to an assigned seat or giving me their phone to hold, is disregard of teacher consequence. Any of the behaviors listed in #3 would be considered defiance or disruption.

If you have received emails from more and/or I have spoken with your child, be aware that they may be assigned detention and/or receive an Office discipline referral.

As always, please contact me with your suggestions or any questions at sseyan@sjusd.org.

Warmly,

Ms. Seyan

This week’s assignment is pretty light; we will be asking for your opinion on Spelling Bees.

Read one of the articles (“max” lexile or grade level) and view each video, below. Then pick one of the texts-article or one of the videos- and share your opinion on it in the comments.

Here are a few language frames to get you started:

-I think it’s OK to have an 8-way tie because________________. That’s just my opinion!
-I think we shouldn’t end up with 8-way ties because___________. That’s just my opinion!
-It’s a good idea to have an online Spelling Bee because_________. That’s just my opinion!
-It’s NOT a good idea to have an online Spelling Bee because_________. That’s just my opinion!
-6 year olds can go to the National Spelling Bee because___________. That’s just my opinion!
–6 year olds should not go to the National Spelling Bee because___________. That’s just my opinion!

I look forward to your responses!

Ms Seyan ;o)

“With spelling bee canceled due to coronavirus,
two teens launch online bee
 By Ben Nuckols, Associated Press on 04.29.20
Word Count 819″

With spelling bee canceled due to coronavirus,
two teens launch online bee
By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.29.20
Word Count 437