John Wozniak, Science Teacher (jwozniak@nrms.k12.nc.

us)
Nash Central High School, 4279 Nash Central High Rd., Rocky Mount, NC 27804
January 25th, 2017

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to both a new school semester/year and to the wonderful
world of Physical Science. In Physical Science, students will learn about the physics (how and why things move) and chemistry
(how things are put together and what theyre made of) of the world around them.. In my science classroom, we are using an
instructional pedagogy called "Modeling" and using Standards Based Grading.

Modeling instruction is a method of teaching in which students construct their own model of the physical world. Modeling is
a student-centered process that allows students to create, explore, manipulate, apply, falsify, and continuously expand their models
(understanding). The goals of modeling include improving the critical thinking skills of students, requiring students to reflect on their
work and revise it as needed, using multiple representations to describe a situation, working collaboratively with their peers and
communicating their ideas supported by evidence.

Standards-based grading (SBG) is a grading system that measures students mastery of clearly defined course objectives
(Learning Standards). The goal of SBG is to break the topics or units into smaller measurable chunks or concepts that students are
responsible for learning (the Learning Standards). This allows students to have accurate feedback about which Learning Standards
(skills or concepts) they have mastered, and which still need work. Standards-based grading also allows students the opportunity to
continue working (remediation and retesting), without penalty, until they are able to demonstrate mastery of the Learning Standards.
Students will not receive a traditional percentage grade on their assessments (such as a 77 or an 86), but will instead receive one of
three possible scores (No Mastery = 0, Developing Mastery/Not Yet = 0.4, or Mastery = 1) for each Learning Standard. If they
do not master a specific Learning Standard the first time, they can do various remediation work to better grasp the concept(s) and then
retest for another opportunity to show Mastery of the Learning Standard. Please see the syllabus, as well as the Edmodo postings
and my website information on Standards based grading for more information.

Physical Science, and science courses in general, can be challenging to many students so it is very important that your child
keeps up with his or her daily class activities work which will include labs, hands-on activities, our post-game
analysis/results/consensus information, practice assignments, and occasionally homework assignments. Even when your child does
not have homework, they should spend at least a few minutes each night reworking practice problems and/or going over the current
results/understanding and terms that have been covered in class. The final exam for this class will be the North Carolina Final Exam
that counts as 20% of their final course grade.

It is essential that you are aware of your childs assignments and grades in this class. To this end, progress reports are given
out during the fifth week of each grading period. Report cards come out every nine weeks. You may view their attendance and grades
on the internet with Power School (provided through the guidance office). In addition, you may access classwork, assignments and
updates through our Edmodo.com class page. Simply have your son or daughter join our Edmodo.com Physical Science classroom
with the code: dsx36u then have them click the INVITE link to send you an invitation OR create a Parent Edmodo account using
the Parent code (both are on the bottom left of the class page).

I also send out reminder messages about upcoming quizzes and assessments, when grades have been entered in Powerschool,
or newly available remediation files or retesting opportunities through Remind.com. You can sign up for TEXT REMINDERS by
going to http://rmd.at/mrwozpsci or by texting @mrwozpsci to 81010. In the event that your child needs extra help, they can sign
up for an available time after school for one-on-one tutoring, remediation, and/or retesting. The available days and times are on my
calendar in the classroom, and students can sign up for available days/times on that calendar.

Your involvement in your son or daughters education is crucial to their success. The key to this is good communication
between the parent, teacher and student. To this end, I am posting this letter as well as sending home a paper copy of the course
syllabus for you to read over. Please take time to read and discuss with your child the class rules and expectations printed in the
syllabus, as well as the information about Modeling and Standards-based grading, before filling out and signing the Parent/Guardian
contact information on the last page. Please tear off and keep the bottom contact info strip from the last page so you have a copy of
my contact information as well as the Edmodo and Remind codes. The syllabus will be kept in your students notebook.

I hope this semester will be the best yet for your son or daughter, please dont hesitate to call me if you have any questions.
You may reach me at 451-2860 during school hours. The best time to speak to me is before or after school or during my planning
period from 1:05 to 2:30. You can also contact me by email at jwozniak@nrms.k12.nc.us or by messaging me through the
Remind.com app or website (again, please sign up for the reminders, as well as joining the Edmodo class with a Parent account). I
wish you and your son or daughter the very best in this coming semester.

Sincerely, John Wozniak (Science Teacher)