Hello parents and guardians,

We hope that the new year finds you well and adapting to the ever-changing demands of “the now”. In this installment of our Spanish newsletter, you will find an update on what your child is studying in Spanish class, important up-coming dates, and notes/requests from the teachers.

In December, Grade 7 students completed a unit on expressing their likes and dislikes and they’ve begun their next unit of study describing how they are as a person. We will be focusing on connecting these two concepts and helping students expand on their speaking and writing abilities: tying what they like to do with how they are as a person; for example, “I like to sing and dance because I’m artistic and out-going” (Me gusta cantar y bailar porque soy artístico y sociable). The cultural focus in this unit is understanding perspectives on friendship.

                       
 
Grade 8 students are finishing up a unit on going to places in the community. They can put together substantial sentences and they can ask each other questions to both start conversations and obtain details. Cultural emphases in this chapter have included: papel picado and a brief exploration of San Juan, Puerto Rico, among others. The next unit is about leisure activities and pastimes. Students will be learning how to extend, accept, and politely decline invitations to do different activities.

                                                                                
 
Important dates
●    Monday, January 17, 2022: Martin Luther King Day, no school
●    Tuesday, February 1, 2022: Early Release Day, students leave at 11:35AM
●    Monday-Friday, February 21-25, 2022: President’s Day and February vacation
●    End of February-first week of March: High school placement recommendations–8th graders

A note regarding homework:
Students are responsible for checking Schoology for assignments, completing, and submitting homework. If they have any questions about an assignment, they can email their teacher.

A request concerning health and safety:
Students must wear their masks correctly. We request that you review the correct mask protocol with your child; please also check that your child’s mask fits their face, especially when they’re speaking.

A note regarding the high school placement process:
There is no “placement exam” this year. Teachers, knowing the demands of the high school course offerings, will use all data collected this year plus knowledge of a student’s class behavior, work completion, and participation to make their recommendation. The recommendation will be shared with you.

We appreciate your continued support. Thank you for encouraging your child to practice learning and using their newly-acquired skills and to complete and submit assignments on time.

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year,

Sincerely,