Stilwell Junior High School

1601 Vine St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
515-633-6000

April 17, 2017

Mr. Boyle
1601 Vine St
West Des Moines, IA 50265

Dear Mr. Boyle,

One of the best parts of school is the extracurricular activities. It is important for students to try
as many different activities while in school. Extracurricular activities are an excellent way to
provide this to the students. After all, even school principals once performed in extra
curriculums.

It is important to make sure we have a large support from the students prior to developing a new
club. A recent study was performed and it seems that there is much support for a Tabletop
Roleplaying Game group. The survey that was done gave the results of 12 of the 20 8th graders
were in favor of this group while 16 out of the 20 7th graders were in favor of this group. Though
it would seem that 7th graders are more interested in this, this is still a high number of students in
favor that would possibly join the group especially if we would expand these result to the rest of
the school. Teachers were also included in this survey and 18 out of the 20 teachers asked were
in support so it should not take too much effort to gain faculty involvement in this group.

Seeing as how this is a highly-wanted group, we would like to have a club dedicated to learning
tabletop roleplaying games. These games are set up to build social relations between peers and
helps with trying out other personalities. It also will go into understanding game development,
strategic thinking, and mathematical reasoning.

Since this should not be too difficult to start up, we would appreciate the creation of a Tabletop
Role Playing Game group with a small budget to get the necessary materials to ge the group up
and running. This will give a much-needed group for students to join that has community, group
work, and social development that is necessary for all students at all ages.

Thank you for your time Mr. Boyle. We appreciate your effort in making this the best school for
students to get the best school experience possible.

Respectfully,

Mr. Vaught
Student Teacher
Written Communication
EMERGING DEVELOPING PROFICIENT ADVANCED
0-2 3-4 High School Ready High School Level
4-5 5

ORGANIZATION When appropriate, When appropriate, When appropriate, When appropriate,

WHAT IS THE argument/thesis/
EVIDENCE THAT controlling idea is absent
THE STUDENT CAN
Ideas and evidence are
disorganized or loosely
ORGANIZE AND
sequenced
STRUCTURE IDEAS Transitions are missing,
FOR EFFECTIVE unclear or confusing
COMMUNICATION? Conclusion, when
appropriate, is absent or
does not align with the
argument or prompt
argument/ thesis/controlling
idea is unclear or
contradictory
Ideas and evidence are
organized but not sufficiently
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sequenced to show
relationships
Transitions are used
sporadically, awkwardly or in
a formulaic manner
Conclusion, when
appropriate, restates the
introduction or the prompt
argument/thesis/
controlling idea is evident
but may not be present
throughout text
Ideas
and evidence are
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formulaic structure to
show some
relationships
Transitio supports the argument/thesis/
n words or phrases are
used to connect
sections of the text
Conclus
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expands on or refines
the introduction or the
prompt
argument/thesis/ controlling idea
is presented clearly throughout
the text
Ideas and evidence are
sufficiently developed and
sequenced to show relationships
Transitions connect ideas
with minor lapses, but without
impeding understanding
Conclusion, when
appropriate, follows from or
controlling idea

LANGUAGE AND Language and tone are
CONVENTIONS inappropriate to the
WHAT IS THE purpose and audience*
EVIDENCE THAT
Norms and conventions
of writing in
THE STUDENT CAN
discipline/genre are not
USE LANGUAGE followed**
SKILLFULLY TO Has an accumulation of
COMMUNICATE errors in grammar,
IDEAS? usage, and mechanics
that distracts or seriously
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Citation of textual
evidence (when
appropriate) is missing
Language
and tone are somewhat
appropriate to the
purpose and audience
with major lapses*
Attempts to follow
the norms and
conventions of writing in
the discipline/genre with
major errors**
Has some minor
errors in grammar, usage,
and mechanics that
partially distract or
interfere with meaning
Citation of textual
evidence (when
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Language and tone Language and tone are
are mostly appropriate appropriate to the purpose and
to the purpose and audience*
audience with some Follows the norms and convention
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conventions of writing in Has some minor errors in gramma
the discipline/genre with usage, and mechanics that do not
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some errors**
Has some errors in meaning
grammar, usage, and When appropria
mechanics that distract for the task, cites textual
from or interfere with evidence with some minor erro
meaning
When appropriate for the
task, cites textual
evidence partially
consistently and correctly
KNOWLEDGE & THINKING
EMERGING DEVELOPIN PROFICIENT ADVANCED
G High School High School Level
0-2 Ready 5
3-4 4-5

PROBLEM SOLVING Little Survey Survey Survey data provided

What is the evidence or no data data and discussed in its entirety
that the student mention provided but provided Difference between
understands the of survey not and different populations is
problem and the data is discussed discussed discussed thoroughly
mathematical used in Differen Differen
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REASONING AND Argu Argume Argume Arguments soundly

PROOF ments are nts are nts are made and based on data
What is the evidence either not made but made and Reasons make sense
that the student can made or do not tie in data is used for idea
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reasoning/procedure used with data some
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*E.g. uses variety in syntax, rhetorical techniques in English; uses precise definitions and accurate representations in math
** E.g. accurate use of scientific/technical terms, quantitative data, and visual representations in science; use of multiple
representations in math