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Mark Braam » Greetings from Mr. Braam!

Greetings from Mr. Braam!

Hi, I am Mark Braam.
I am an English teacher at Fairfield High School. During the 2022-23 school year, I am teaching five bells of sophomores in College/Career-Ready English 10 and one bell of a fifth-year Journalism/Media course.
In addition to being an English teacher, I have been a journalist for the better part of a quarter century, working both in Washington, D.C., as a sports and political reporter and editor, and here as a news editor and designer at The Cincinnati Post and The Cincinnati Enquirer. You might see me at many school events with a camera in my hands and journalism students at my side!
I hope to meet you all, in the classroom, at parent-teacher conferences, or via Zoom, phone or email; meanwhile, here is my own webpage on the district website.
I have this page for a number of reasons:
1. So I can send home news (and sometimes share photos!) of what we are doing or will be doing;
2. So I can post reminders and class-specific files
3. So I can post some educational videos that I make from time to time;
4. So I can post some links to some great educational resources;
5. So I can permanently post some files, such as the class syllabus and class policies, and update them as needed; and
6. So parents and students can get an easy notification each time that I post something new.

How does this work? On the right side of this page, there is a "SUBSCRIBE" button. If you click on the subscribe button, and register, you will get an email notification every time that I post something new to the page. Please note that there is a separate page for class files, which is actually where most new things will get posted. That means you need to subscribe to both pages, please!

Now, not everything that I post will be earth-shaking(!!!), but at least you will know when and if I do.

This is a good and fast way to pass on news, get copies of homework assignments, and to permanently post some items (such as the class syllabus).

Take a look and see how it works! Please feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Mr. Braam
P.S. Many things are still different this year due to the COVID-19. THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE!!!! That means there will also be many messages that will go back and forth, and sometimes from different platforms. PLEASE ... be patient as we all (teachers, students, parents and administrators) continue to adjust, sometimes on the fly.
 

Posts

Progress Reports Thursday

FYI, Parents: Progress reports are being distributed in homeroom Thursday, Sept. 20, so be aware that your child should have one in hand when they walk in the door Thursday evening!!!

Upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences

Just a reminder that Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming soon, and that you need to sign up online or contact the school to arrange for an appointment.
The date is Thursday, Sept. 27.
The following is a copy of an earlier message sent home by the school on how to register:

PTCFast.com – Conference Scheduler

Parent/Guardian: FHS is using PTCFast.com Conference Scheduler to make signups as convenient as possible. Please use the following instructions to register and sign up for conferences for your student(s). If you registered for conferences last year, you will need to RE-REGISTER every school year (but not for every conference). Conferences will be held on Thursday, September 27, 2018 at FHS by appointment only. Appointments run in 15 minute increments and are scheduled with each individual teacher. The last day to schedule a conference is Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at 12 p.m. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Roseida Riggs 513-942-2999 ext. 142 at the high school. Thank you.

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTERING WITH PTCFast.com:

 ● Enter the following address DIRECTLY into your browser window (DO NOT use a search engine): https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Fairfield_High_School

 ● You will be prompted to pick a conference (teacher name) – you only need to pick 1 teacher at this point - then hit submit.

 ● You will then have to register your student and enter an email address. Once this information has been submitted, an email will be sent confirming registration along with a link to sign up for additional appointments that evening and/or to register another student.

 ● PLEASE REMEMBER: you must FIRST register online and then follow the link to schedule conferences and pick a time. A conference is not considered “scheduled” until a time has been picked. You will receive an email with all conferences and times that have been scheduled.

Why We Proofread ... (A Continuing Series)

Not sure where this sign is sending us.
I would hope that this Columbus road sign directing drivers to an I-71 ramp means the Queen City, but the spelling is, ummm, a little wonky.
 
Welcome to “Cinicinnati”?!?!?

Welcome to CCR English 10 with Mr. Braam

The attached video is a brief introduction to CCR English 10 and to myself!!! It was first posted a year ago, but still applies today (and to a degree, it even applies to my journalism class).

Why We Proofread (A Continuing Series)

Sometimes proofreading involves more than just reading words.
So what exactly is wrong with this USA Today graphic about marijuana coming out of Colorado?
Hmmmmm.
Need a hint?
(Where is Wyoming in this map?!?!?!?)

Students Taking Pre-AP, AP Lang, or Other Advanced Courses in 2018-19

This is just a reminder for all students who are planning on taking Pre-AP or AP Language in English (or, truthfully, in any advanced course).
* You MUST get your summer reading assignments and 2 books from Mr. Braam, if you have not done so already 
* If you plan to drop the course and stay in the CCR track, you MUST go to your counselor and officially drop the advanced course BEFORE the end of this school year. All students still registered in the course over the summer will be expected to have done the summer assignments, and will NOT be allowed to drop the course next year. They will receive a zero for the assignments that are due on the first day of school. This is a change from previous years. There is no problem dropping now; however, you will -- again -- NOT be able to drop the courses later.
Decide Now!!!

English Schedule for Remainder of Year

My students have been being told of this schedule for the last several weeks (with some minor modifications), but I figured some parents would also like to see this.
 
This week
Today: We took the Act 1&2 /Act 3 Vocab test. Act 2 Reading Guide and Act 3 Vocab were due
Wednesday: Makeup day. Students who did not take Act 1&2 test will do so. All other students are to work on late work for me or HW for other classes. Bring a book or review if you have nothing else. This is the BEST opportunity for students to catch up. All late work MUST be turned in by Friday, June 1
Thursday: Begin Act III, work on Act III Reading Guide
Friday: Finish Act III, work on Act III Reading Guide. All late work MUST be turned in today, June 1.
 
Next week
Monday: Review for final test
Tuesday: First day of final exam. Act III Reading Guide is due
Wednesday: Second day of final exam
Thursday: Last day of school. Any students needing to take/finish makeup exams will do so at this time. Watch remainder of A Raisin in the Sun.

Why We Proofread .... (A Continuing Series)

Huh? Are two heads REALLY better than one?!?!? Are they using Scotch, duct, masking, or Gorilla tape?
To make sense of this headline, try switching in your mind which word is a noun and which one is a verb!!!

READ THIS!!!! Need to have/bring Monday

Greetings!
It is wonderful to be done with testing (at least for most students), so that we can finally get back to work!
On MONDAY, APRIL 23, please bring all things related to doing the final Independent Novel paper. That includes your book, a flash drive (if you use one), your notes, and all other prep work that you may have done.
Because testing attendance was strong, I managed late Friday to convince the administration to release a laptop cart to me Monday ... MUCH earlier than expected. The next few days will be centered on finishing the paper that students were assigned before spring break (and the paper that I have been consistently telling students to continue organizing in preparation for the day we could have a cart or a computer lab)!

Why We Proofread ...  (A Continuing Series)

Someone should have paid for another proofreader at the Virginia Pilot newspaper, because they seem to be lacking a little journalism "Excellence"!!!

Review: Figurative Speech for EOC

Attached are several review sheets of things such as Figurative Language, Sensory Details and Vivid Verbs. This has been passed out twice this year, and will NOT be distributed again, but it is here now for review before the AIR test. Focus on the figurative language portion as a reminder. 

Tips and Tricks to Ace the AIR Test at FHS

Attached is "Tips and Tricks to Ace the AIR Test at FHS." It is a step-by-step guide to how to best prepare for next week's EOC exams, with some very specific Fairfield High School ties and explanations. It has tips for the days leading up to the exam, for the morning of the exam, and for actually taking the exam.
It will be passed out and discussed in class on Thursday, April 12, 2018.