STUDENT LED CONFERENCES

This October 25^th and 27^th will be conference days for our seventh graders. We, as a seventh grade staff, value the idea of having student led conferences. With that we invite all seventh graders and their parents or guardians to join us for conferences. This will be the fifth year we have had student led conferences and from year to year we average a 90% turn out rate. It has been a great success.

Conferences will be held in the cafeteria and there should be about a dozen or so conferences taking place during each scheduled time period. Yes, teachers will be available to speak with you if you have any questions. Please, be prepared to devote about 30 minutes for this valuable conference. (We generally do have a couple conference times more crowded than others. We will still work to speak with you. Please, however, be patient as there are a number of conferences going on at the same time.)

We have discovered that when students take ownership of their grades and assignments within each class, they tend to do well. Moreover, a pride takes place within each child as they demonstrate what they have achieved. We think you might be pleasantly surprised with how well your child presents him/ herself. You will also learn more about your child from this type of conference.

Students have been preparing by practicing in their homerooms, accumulating necessary materials, and having a dry run conference with a classmate. We look forward to seeing you on either Tuesday, October 25^th or Thursday, October 27^th.

The seventh grade staff

Parents,

I hope you are receiving your Tuesday grade checks. Most students are doing well. If, however, a child has at least one grade of a 73/ D+ or lower, we do ask that you sign your child’s paper and send it back. As always, we will be glad to answer any question you have about your child’s grades. We believe that communication between parent and teacher can be very beneficial for your child.

Also, grade checks did not go out this Tuesday, September 27th. That is because interims will be sent out Friday, September 30th.

Jim Arter, history teacher, has been teaching at South Vienna for somewhere beyond 30 years.  He has a B.S. degree in elementary education from Murray State University and a Masters in English from Wright State University.  Jim enjoys being the eighth grade Power of the Pen coach and co-directing Northeastern’s High School’s musicals.  Jim’s wife, Paula, is a psychologist in the Urbana City Schools.  They have one son, Seth, a graduate from Urbana High School.  Jim is president of the Urbana City School Board.

Carey Cunningham has taught 7th grade Reading at South Vienna since 2004.  She is currently the National Junior Honor Society advisor.  She graduated from Northeastern High School, later earned a B.A. degree in Middle Childhood Education (Language Arts and Math) from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and is presently taking coursework in a masters program at Wright State University.

Jeremy Doss, Intervention Specialist, is currently in his 8th year of teaching. Mr. Doss graduated from Wright State University with a B.S. in Integrated Business Education and continued as a GRE at Wright State to get his Master’s in Special Education. Mrs. Doss is a first grade teacher at Northridge Elementary. Together, they have two young children. Ella is an almost walking 11 month old, and Oliver is a wonderfully busy two year old. Mr. Doss has several hobbies which include fishing, woodworking, running, and coaching sports.

Carla Johnson, the seventh grade math teacher, is starting her 34th year of teaching at South Vienna.  She earned a B.S. degree in elementary education from Morehead State University and a Masters of Education in Classroom Teacher:  Middle School Math from Wright State University.  Carla is a graduate of Northeastern High School and is married to Colin Johnson, an Industrial Arts teacher at Northeastern High School.  They have a daughter, Katie, who also graduated from NEHS and is a teacher at Rolling Hills Elementary.  

April Saunders, the 7th grade science teacher, is excited for her third year of teaching at South Vienna. She graduated from Wittenberg University with a B.A. in middle childhood education in 2009. April, along with Mrs. Calhoun, will be advising student council this year. After getting engaged last February, April will be getting married next summer. 

Susan Sharp, the 7th grade Title 1 Math Specialist, is beginning her second year at South Vienna.  She has a B.A. in Middle Grade Education from Wittenberg University and is certified to teach Language Arts, Math, and Science in grades 4-9.  Susan got married a year ago in June, and she and her husband live in Centerville.

Lisa Truitt, language arts (writing) teacher, is in her 10th year of teaching 7th grade at South Vienna.  A South Vienna girl herself, she graduated from Northeastern High School in 1989.  She received her Bachelor's degree from Wright State University in 2001 and received her Master's degree from Antioch University McGregor in 2008.  Lisa designs the South Vienna yearbook for grades K - 8.  She and her husband Chip have four children.  Cody is a senior at C.T.C.; Jake is in 6th grade and Corynn is in 5th grade, and Josie is in kindergarten, all at South Vienna.