Dear Carmody Middle School 7th Grade Elective Computer Class Parents:

This newsletter can only be read at: <http://www.kuzmich.com/parent_newsletters.html>.

    1. Current Grade for the entire semester are now posted on Dr. Data's Web Site at: <http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/Grades.html> because this posting will give you the overall grade for the semester including all grades for the present third grading period. Yes, there are still are a lot of missing assignment for this grading period. But all of them can be done at home: spreadsheets and Internet search engines thus far. Please be aware that I don't accept the spreadsheet assignments without formulas actually being printed out. Note: spreadsheet assignments can also be made up at home if you have Microsoft Office or have just about any spreadsheet application such a Lotus 123, Excel, Quattro, etc.. Just be sure the formulas are displayed when printed and have a parent signature and date to verify the completion of the spreadsheet assignment at home. In other words, there are few excuses for not completing the spreadsheet assignments in school since I use Fridays generally as a makeup day and because most parents have a spreadsheet application at home for the student to make it up that night or on the weekends. For the Internet assignments, you would need Internet access to do them at home, your work place or in the public library

      Final Internet Search Engine Project:

    2. How does your child's semester's grade compared to your expectations? Although one can't make up any missing work from the first two grading periods, they certainly can makeup anything low or incomplete between now and June 1st. On-line progress reports are also available weekly for your convenience which not only reports the status of every assignment/test for your child, but also the class ranking of your child for that class. Grades are available 24/7 at: <http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/Grades.html>. Ask your child for their special Dr. Data user ID and pin number or password. Then go to their appropriate class period and enter that data and you will know "The Rest of the Story." Here are the mean grades for only the third grading period which represents now three week's of classes.

      • 1st Period: 84.4% = 78.8% or a B- = 1st week, second week = 73.6% and third week is 72.9%
      • 3rd Period: 88.9% = 78.7% or a B- = 1st week, second week = 81.9% and third week is 78.0%
      • 5th Period: 89.6% = 83.9% or a B = 1st week, second week = 63.4% and third week is 65.4%
      • 6th Period: 87.9% = 79.6% or a B- = lst week, second week = 80.4% and third week is 83.7%

      3. These grades represent the median which is the middle of the class with half of the class earning a lower grade and half of the class earning a higher grade. It will not be until next week when I will post the grades for the entire first and second grading period so you will be able to view a composite grade for the entire semester thus far. I'm more concerned about a better start with the third grading period now so that is why 3rd period grades are being posted this week. But next week I promise, you can start to estimate what your child's final grade might be in the 7th grade elective class. Important note: if you see your child losing points for class participation and yet they are not absent from school, they probably are losing the points via chewing gum in class on a regular basis or actually not staying in their seats! Yes, there is a lot of gum chewing these days! Perhaps, the supply of chewing gum is rather plentiful. Yes, spring fever is here when the gum is in full harvest.

    3. 25 Extra-Credit Special for all parents who participate as follows. Dr. Data is interested in having his student's parents rate him in terms of what their observations are with reference to his teaching. Here is the information you have been waiting for about parents rating Dr. Data as a teacher based on your observations. This web site is entitled: "Rate Your Teachers" that allows parents and students to rate their teachers anonymously.

      4. The process is quite simple,

      Please do not just rate Dr. Data with numeric ratings, but please provide some specific comments as well. Dr. Data feels it is important for parents to be apart of the learning environment, especially since you know your child best and have observed the class in many ways since January. While anonymous surveys may have questionable values, Dr. Data is always willing to read and study your comments from parents and hopefully, he will learn some informative things about what may or may not be working with your child in his class. It is never too late to improve!!

      Dr. Data is far from perfect as is evident by the parents comments below that have been copied from <http://us.ratemyteachers.com/ShowRatings.php?tid=836687&type=1>. And he will continue to improve because of your constructive comments. And the good news is that Dr. Data continues to get better every year he teaches. Hopefully, you believe that statement! All of your comments are welcomed: the "Good and the Bad."

      Rate My Teachers On-Line Parent Comments for Dr. Data

    4. What's coming next in Dr. Data's classes: PowerPoint Slide shows this coming week. For more insight, go to: <http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/Curriculum_Preview.html> and specifically for the PowerPoint unit: <http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/powerpoint_syllabus.html>. You mut, must, must view the student PowerPoint, Klik & Play and web site projects from last semester's classes at: <http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/power_point_projects.html>. Student projects will again be posted this semester though not in as much quantity because of increased web space expenses for Dr. Data's school web site.

      Here is what follows next in the sequence of upcoming instruction. PowerPoint Multimedia Slideshow Presentations: 2 to 4 days, Newsletters and Web Pages: 3 to 5 days, Drawing and Painting: 1 week, Computer Music: 4 days, Designing Computer Games with Animations & Sound Effects: Individual Unit Final Projects! (nine of them) for the remainder of the semester with option Final Two Weeks Syllabus by Creativity With Graphics! Choose various projects with Microsoft Publisher, Band In-A-Box, Clarisworks, and Klik & Play.

    5. Double grades in Dr. Data's classes! Different 7th grade teams are having PowerPoint Projects in their classes. Dr. Data will let your child work on them during his class periods in lieu of his own PowerPOint assignments between now and the end of the semester. Thus, your child can earn a separate grade for the PowerPoint project with their team as well as with Dr. Data's class! Not a bad deal.

    Hope of this information is helpful.

    Till next time,

    Dr. Data
    7th Grade Computer Class Teacher