Dear 6th grade students and families,

It is that time again! I hope that you have had a great summer and that you are now looking forward to the sixth grade. Welcome to Middle School! This is a pivotal time for many, and I can assure you that both new and returning students will be experiencing a wide variety of new and exciting things this year.

            It is my pleasure to introduce myself to you. My name is Ms. Jessie Maldonado and I recently graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Though born in Manatí, Puerto Rico, I was raised right here in this Humboldt Park community. I am honored to give back by providing the sixth graders with challenging, engaging, and rewarding educational experiences in Social Studies and Language Arts. I will also be working closely with the other middle school teachers to plan and implement thematic and integrative units so that you may see the numerous commonalities and connections that exist among the different subject areas. Of course, we will all be working hard to foster the habits of heart, mind, and work as well!

As a new member of the Erie Elementary Charter School family, I am eager to meet and get to know all of you. We - as teachers, students, and family members - are all partners in the learning process. By working as a team, we will ensure maximum academic success. Throughout the year I will communicate with families through notes, telephone calls, emails, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule a meeting. I can be reached by telephone at (773) 486-7161 or by email at jmaldonado@eriecharterschool.org

Enjoy your last days of vacation and start looking forward to next Tuesday, September 6th! Come prepared for a busy 2011-2012 school year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Maldonado

6th grade Humanities teacher

University of Illinois Room