January 23, 2009

Dear 7th & 8th Dr. Data Computer Class Parents:

Welcome to Dr. Data's World!

Here are some tips for your perusal to help network with Dr. Data and your child for success!!

1. Here's how Dr. Data regularly communicates with parents which usually works very well with parents, students and Carmody's administration.
   
   
   • Weekly newsletters posted at: http://www.kuzmich.com/parent_newsletters.html.  So far, we have two newsletters posted thus far at that web site.  Many, many coming including today's newsletter.
     
   • I usually post grades daily before 4 p.m. before I leave school, so you can have a thorough assessment of your child's work on a daily basis.  Exceptions are when I'm absent, such as last Thursday and Friday  but I came to Carmody yesterday and updated the grades even though there was no school.
     
   • I'm available till midnight daily by e-mail:  jkuzmich@earthlink.net on a daily basis (even weekends) and will respond.
   • For those parents who are still concerned about the progress of their child, I will gladly sign a ledger on a daily basis, but every day of classroom instruction is already posted on my web-site so both you and your child can actively know what's taking place in class on a daily basis even when he is absent.  He can also make up anything and everything missing at home on a 24/7 basis plus you will always know what was assigned even before he comes home from school.  Go to:  http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/Curriculum_Preview99.html and go to either the 7th or 8th grade class link.  We are presently in unit 1 for keyboard instruction, and on day 7.  See Keyboarding Lessons with Alpha Smarts: 3 weeks, August to early September for first semester and January for second semester.
   • Beginning next week, 7th graders begin the word processing unit at:  Word Processing: and 8th graders continue on week 3 making business logos and putting them on business cards at: Week 3.  All assignments are number sequentially and you can print them out at home as well. 
     
   • Don't take lightly of : Success Guaranteed in Dr. Data's 7th & 8th Grade Computer Classes if Students/Parents Follow These Guidelines! Very important web page for both parents and students. Students can't fail if parents and students do their fair-share! and Dr. Data means that.
     
     If the above procedures are not sufficient to track your child's work on a daily basis, I invite you to attend any of your child's classes whenever needed to observe him in the classroom to assist you.  Just sign in at the office and come to the PC lab in room 110 and we have extra chairs so you can sit with your child. 
     
     
2. Grades are posted and up-to-date everyday. If you see missing work, students can still make up the work without penalty. Good news, they can make up all work at home because the entire curriculums for both the 7th and 8th grade computer classes are completely web-based. Go to http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/Curriculum_Preview99.html and your child has everything they need. Just signed the completed printout and date it with your child's name on it for submitting the work for full credit.
   
   
   
3. Both 7th and 8th Grade students can and should double or triple their typing speed over this semester if they practice daily at home between 10 to 30 minutes a day. To accomplish this, go to the first unit of instruction at my keyboarding instruction web site at: http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/keyboard_lessons.html. And practice diligently. Most students level off in their typing speeds but those that practice at home can and will double or triple their speed over the semester!
   
   
Below are some good free on-line web sites for your child to practice their typing at home on a daily basis and/or at school between 10 and 30 minutes a day. Eventually going through all four web sites throughout the semester. And these web sites are free! Nothing to purchase.


• http://www.sense-lang.org/typing
  
  
• http://www.powertyping.com with emphasis on Qwerty keyboard 
  
  
• Typing Test - TypingMaster offers a free online Typing Test service and
  
  Free On-line Games. ... Complete our certified typing test and get a printed certificate ... www. typingtest.com - Cached
  
  
  • Typing Games
  • Typing Software
  • Typing Certificate with lots of tests and games
    
    
• http://www.typing-lessons.org with very specific lessons
  
  
4. There are five traditional ways to earn unlimited extra-credit in Dr. Data's classes. Take Advantage!!!!!
   
   
   • Your child can earn 25 extra-credit points every week if you print out their progress report each week from Carmody's Parent Portal and sign and date the print out. See the Carmody Parent Portal at: https://campus.jeffco.k12.co.us/campus/portal/jeffco_IC.jsp
   • Reminder: students can earn unlimited extra-credit for every page (2 points per page) if they type assignments for their other teachers. Just have your child submit the graded paper to Dr. Data after being graded. Unlimited number of points!!! So encourage your child to type all school papers and earn credit both the other teachers and Dr. Data simultaneously!
   • Students can type at home for practice and every 10 minutes of typing equals one extra-credit point the gradebook! See the typing programs above for free on-line typing programs. Parent signature and date is required for the points. For example, 30 minutes of practice earns 3 extra-credit points.
   • Students can also make computer games with Klick & Play in class whenever they have completed their daily assignment and earn 10 extra-credit points with each level they make. On-line tutorials on how to make games will shortly be on-line for students to learn how to design and create their own computer games. Klik & Play is a free application that Dr. Data can give your child if they bring a brand-new CD-ROM burn for the program for them.
   • Students can also create and design computer games in Multimedia Fusion which is a slicker application for 20 extra-credit points per game leve. Unfortunately, it is not a free game for home use, but it is an outstanding program for creating computer games and Carmody has a site license because our computer club, Whiz Chips, was a beta tester for the company, Click Team. There are two excellent tutorials on Dr. Data's web site for your child to learn it at:
     
     
     • Multimedia Fusion Tutorial. Part I: Intro Concepts. Click here.
     • Multimedia Fusion Tutorial. Part II: How to make a Short Frame. Click here.
       
       
   
   Believe it or not, the Whiz Chips Club sponors a computer gaming contest with nearly $800.00 in prizes based on both Klik & Play and Multimedia Fusion. See 9th Annual Whiz Chips Annual Klik & Play Gaming Contest With Multimedia Fusion Added! Details for last spring's competition are at: http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/whiz_chips_intro.html

   Contest Donors and Winners!! Click here!

5. Now there's a super way to earn even more extra-credit points!!! Must see to believe it! Creativity in the Carmody Computer Program. Dr. Data is now sponsoring many extra-credit opportunities for both 7th and 8th grades to do on computers for Carmody faculty members. Whenever they have finished their daily and/or weekly work, these students can be assigned to undertake special assignments for Carmody staff and to be rewarded extra-credit . Most of the seventeen projects deal with multimedia applications including graphics and layout, such as newsletters, banners, flyers, PowerPoint slideshows, web pages, and much more. For more details, go to http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/Projects.html for actual samples of work done by our students for Carmody's faculty. Not only a great way to provide valuable services to our faculty, but talented students who participate in these extra-credit projects can also apply to be a student assistants next semester specializing in creative computer generated projects for Carmody. With practice, both my 7th & 8th grade computer students will gain confidence and real-work experience using computers as they contribute to the Carmody environment. And I already have some qualified 7th grader students who will be doing award certificates for our faculty for Carmody staff as well for extra-credit. If your 7th or 8th grade child would benefit from such experiences , please e-mail Dr. Data about this matter as several faculty members already have projects to be done ASAP! Already several award certificates designed by 7th graders are now posted at: http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/Projects.html for your perusal.
   
   
6. Suggestion: have your child saved all graded assignments in either their notebook or just leave them in the out-baskets in the PC lab so we can verify any missing assignments. Students tend to throw away old papers.
   
   
7. If you ever need to contact Dr. Data, please e-mail him at: jkuzmich@earthlink.net as his primary e-mail address. You will get a faster response with this Earhtlink.Net e-mail address.
   
   
8. Dr. Data's computer lab classroom is being updated with better server connections so the PC lab should be highly functional thanks to our school tech faculty member, Mr. Josh Whalen.
   
   
9. Students can do makeup work after school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and most Fridays as well. Just make arrangements with Dr. Data to make sure he is available that day and not in a faculty meeting along with open-lab buses available to transport your children home after 3:15 p.m.
   
   
10. Eight grade class began Week 3 instruction on Wednesday and will continue through mid-week next week at:  http://www.kuzmich.com/carmody/business/Week3.html .  Students will starting making business logos for their newly created teenage business this week and into next week.
    
    
11. Seventh grade classes begins the Word Processing unit on Monday at: Word Processing: 4 weeks January to February for second semester classes. Culminating all projects with a Korean Penpal letter due at the end of February. Go to: Penpal instructions for details and expectations.
    

Hope this all helps and looking forward to a successful Week 4 of the semester!

Till next time,

Dr. Data