Thank You!

A big thank you to the Vitale family for contributing a set of bookshelf speakers to my classroom. My film classes can now view and analyze movies with proper sound.

Wooo Hooo!

Struggling with Technology

This is why we need to be ensure the presence of trained, certified, and professional information specialists (librarians) in our schools. Those professionals cannot be replaced by Google. Students need a deeper understanding of logic and rhetoric.

"As important as it is for students to expand their sense of community and learn to collaborate — it is more crucial that they learn how to sift thoughtfully through increasing amounts of information. The Internet presents a unique challenge to scholarship — many of the questions that once required extensive research can now be answered with 10-minute visits to Google. The issue now is distinguishing between rich resources and the online collection of surface facts, misinformation, and inexcusable lies that masquerade as the truth. It will be hard for our students to be thoughtful citizens without this ability to discern the useful from the irrelevant. This is especially clear during this election season. If they are never asked to practice dealing with this new onslaught of information, they will have to practice when the stakes are much higher."
from Matthew Kay's "Putting Technology in Its Place" -- OpEd piece, New York Times Opinion, October 12, 2008

Parent Conferences

Snaps to all parents and students who attended conferences on October 2nd. Katy and I enjoyed talking with everyone. We wish that we had more opportunities to have those very important discussions (on contracted time).

Student Senate Meeting October 7th

Please note that the district Student Senate Meeting on October 7th will be earlier than usual. The meeting times are 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Doyle Administration Building.

Superintendent Nerad will be joining the meeting to talk with students.

Wishlist1

Needed for English Dept.

Bookshelf-sized speakers for a video / digital projector unit.

Voter Registration

Are you or will you be 18 on or before November 4th, 2008? If so, and you have not yet registered to vote, Lori Bennett and Denise are certified to register you. Lori can register only people who live in the City of Madison. Denise can register anyone who resides in the State of Wisconsin. Please see us to complete the appropriate form.

Do it now! Don't wait! The deadline to early register (and have us mail in the form) is coming up.

And, if your parents or other Wisconsin relatives have yet to register (because of name changes, new voter status, or change of address) -- please have them come in before school, after school, or during parent conferences -- and See Denise.

Voting is not only your right but also your responsibility as a U.S. citizen.

Happy Constitution Day

September 17th is Constitution Day.

Please take some time to reflect upon and celebrate the freedoms and responsibilities outlined in our nation's ideological doctrine.
Keep those ideas close to your heart as we enter the final stretch of our national election.
Get involved in your government -- locally, state-wide, and nationally.
Raise your voice.
Let your vote count.