Looking Ahead to the Spring: Design and Development Preview
This week, I'd like to share with you a preview of what Design and Development (D&D) will include next semester.  As a reminder, the Jasper students currently have American Studies 1 and English 9.  Next semester, they will move to D&D and Global Science Inquiry (GSI).  D&D will count as the students' Computer/STEM requirement course at EHS to count towards overall graduation credits.  It also serves as a foundational course for problem-solving skills that we hope to capitalize on in future years in Jasper.  

This short, 2-minute video gives you a sneak peak at what is ahead next semester.  I will release a similar video next newsletter previewing Global Science Inquiry.

EHS Stinger Article
Our school newspaper, the EHS Stinger, recently released an issue with an article about Jasper written by student, Heather Fabritze.  Please click here to read the article.
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Student-Led Conferences
After Thanksgiving break, students will learn about Student-Led Conferences through Jasper Advisory.  They will be given details about the Who-What-Where-When-Why of this idea.  For now, I just want this to be on your radar:
Who?  This will be a very small group.  It's basically the next step up from the summer conversations I had with most of the Jasper students.  Just like the summer meeting, it will be Mr. Mihalik representing Jasper, the student, and now the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be invited to the conversation.  
What?  The students will be running the meeting and following a template/script given to them through Advisory.  They will share a few things, including updates on their own progress, successes, challenges, and goals.  Mr. Mihalik and the parents are there to support the student.
Where?  These may occur in-person or online.  More details about this later.
When?  The goal is to have these meetings in the month of December.  This allows us to also chat about registration for next year.  
Why?  There are several great things that can come of student-led conferences, including:

• They're much more engaging for students than a parent-teacher conference!
• Students take responsibility and ownership for their learning .
• Self-advocacy and communication skills need to be practiced.  Let's start this work now as 9th graders so that they are more prepared for future opportunities.
• Parents and school employees find out how we can help and support the student.

End of Marking Period 1
The first marking period ended on Friday, November 6.  As a reminder, MP1 grades are 50% of the final course grade.
The second marking period will go until January 26.  That's when the spring semester begins and in Jasper, this means the start of Global Science Inquiry and Design & Development.

American Studies Project
​We will begin a small individual project/assignment on the Progressive Era starting on Friday, 11/6. Students will connect the challenges of the Progressive Era with their school or community. 

English Project
We’ll begin studying rhetorical appeals and the art of persuasion.  Students will analyze classic and contemporary models of rhetoric and the success of their messages. Students will then apply their knowledge of rhetorical appeals to an argumentative project of their own.
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