Reid+Otto

Reid Otto Parent Letter 2-25-2008

Welcome to English II: Books To Film! My name is Reid Otto, and I am new to the family here at Lake Country Lutheran High School. I attended Milwaukee Lutheran High School when it was Principal Bahr’s last year as an assistant principal there, and then continued my education at UW-Madison, where I received a degree in English. Prior to my graduate school program at Concordia University Wisconsin, I took care of my nephew for a few months, and then served as a waiter at The Chancery in Mequon to stay afloat financially. It is my firm belief that art imitates life, and in this class, we’ll learn that art imitates art as well, and students must then make observations and relate that to their lives. The works that I have chosen for us to cover have been deemed culturally significant by many. It is therefore my goal to help them uncover the hidden themes that these works present. After taking this class, I hope that everyone involved is enhanced spiritually and mentally.

Coursework: - Participation is vital to this course (as is attendance, and I’ll get to that later), so students must be present in order to watch film or discuss the assigned readings. With that, I will assign worksheets that feature guided questions on the material presented. - The midterm and final papers will be significant parts of a student’s grade. Students must break into groups of about 3 or 4 and select a book that has been made into a movie, and I must approve of its appropriateness and cultural significance. During writing workshop days, I will consult with each group and make sure they’re on the right track. Homework Policy: All assignments must be completed on their assigned due dates. This isn’t Blockbuster Video, so each day an assignment is late, 10% will be docked. Extensions for ill students or students or those who have extenuating circumstances will be at my discretion, and I will consider every option that seems to be fair.

Grading Scale: A: 100-92 A-: 91-90 B+: 89 B: 88-84 B-: 83-82 C+: 81-79 C: 78-72 C-: 71 D+: 70-68 D: 68-62 D-: 61-60 F: Below 60

Discipline: Refer to the parents’ handbook for disciplinary standards, referrals… Tardiness: If a student is not within a 5 foot radius of their desk at the time the bell rings, he/she will be marked tardy. Academic Integrity: Cheating is something I don’t take lightly. Anything I see that resembles cheating will result in a 0 grade and a contact to a parent/guardian and Principal Bahr. Plagiarism is also a major issue. Adequate citations while quoting someone else’s work is completely necessary. All works completed by students will be originally authentic, with proper citations.

In-class Requirements: 1. Pen for a writing utensil 2. Notebook paper with no frills 3. A folder which you can use for journal entries. 4. Respect for others around you, as well as for yourself and me.

Parents’ name(s):

Signature:

Student’s name:

Signature:

Parents’ Contact Information:

Thanks again; I look forward to the year!

Reid Otto