April Newsletter
Posted on 04/14/2016
Dear Parents,
Happy April! We are quickly approaching the end of the school year. Students are working hard on all of their simulations in preparation for the SOLs. Many students are also involved in Spring sports and the Lion King production. My family and I are stoked to see it!
While other subject areas require SOL testing, Spanish is a "Carnegie" class. This means your child is taking it for high school credit. This is both amazing that your middle schooler is making strides to receive credit in advance. It also means that instead of an SOL, your student will be preparing for a Final Exam. Like the Mid-term which was taken in December, the Final will cover the most recent chapters and count 20% of your student's semester grade. The Final Exam will be made up of the written exam and the oral exam. More details to come on the Oral (in May).
April is the sprint month for all Spanish students. If you've ever run in a track meet or even witnessed the 1600 meter race, you know that by the fourth lap students are exhausted and yet must continue with diligence and momentum to get through this "final lap."
Our final "400" of Spanish (whether 1, 1-A, or 2) will consist of review the days prior to the exam. Students will have 2 days to complete their written final exam. The Final written exam will be on Thursday & Friday April 21-22. It will be given electronically on Moodle, which they are quite familiar with.
Your student has received a FINAL EXAM Study Guide the week of 4/12. This packet has their name on it and outlines what the exam will cover and includes the vocabulary, culture, and grammar they will need to review. As their teacher, I am making sure they are hydrated with encouragement, fueled with all the Spanish knowledge they will need, and mentally ready to sprint this last lap.
I have also posted a "Practice Final Exam" on Moodle which can be accessed online. My Spanish 2 students need to complete this by Fri. 4/13. It will counted as a completion grade, not accuracy. In fact, I encourage students to take it again and again until they score a 90 or more.
As a parent, the most important thing you can do is make sure you child is rested, studying the NEON final exam packet daily, and completing the Practice Exam on Moodle! I have posted the Exam Study Guide on my teacher page if a student loses his/her packet.