CLASS NEWS |  |
MARCH
| APRIL | MAY | EXTRA | Wavra Word | JUNE | EXTRA II
| March 24, 2004 | Volume I - Issue I |
A Heartrending Day
A Heartrending Day
Mrs. Wavra has left us! At this time of change I am reminded of a quote “Oh, my friend, it's not what [we] take away from [her] that counts. It's what [we] do with what [we] have left.” - Hubert H. Humphrey. It is sad that we will not have Mrs. Wavra in the room for the rest of the year but we will take her with us. As my duty is to pick up where she left off, I will do my best to inspire and motivate as she did. On the few occasions that I was able to come in to teach and observe, it has been a wonderful experience. The class has a brilliant atmosphere and the children seem to have a huge desire to learn. So here I am, at your service, to try and fill the gap of a fabulous teacher.
About Mr. Cornwall
I have lived in Washington pretty much my whole life. However, I did live in New Mexico for about five years when I was a kid, and I lived in Taiwan for a couple years while I taught English. I graduated from Washington State University. I was just recently married on August 8th to my wife Jenni. We just moved to Sammamish from our previous home in Bothell, and we are enjoying living in such a beautiful area. I love the outdoors, and I love the Mountains - too bad the snowboarding session is just about over. I enjoy art, music, and the occasional movie. I play the Baritone Saxophone and I love to sing. Writing is a small hobby of mine as well. I have written my own picture book about my niece, which I may share with the class at a later date this spring. I am very excited to be working in Samantha Smith at this time, and I truly hope we will be able to have a successful experience together.
E-mail Access
I am now in the loop here in the Lake Washington School District. I have received an email address that you will be able to contact me through with questions and/or comments. Mrs. Wavra will be checking in once and awhile and will be meeting with me for updates. My email is as follows: scornwall@lkwash.wednet.edu (Please feel free to contact me)
Things to Come
The plan thus far is to use the format that Mrs. Wavra has set for the class. As things move along I may or may not change things. I am a big believer in the big three - reading, writing, and math. Reading everyday and we will aim for about an hour of math a day. I am attempting to use feedback from you to monitor and adjust homework amounts. I am emphasizing the reading portion of the homework because I believe it to be the basis of all learning. I have found that the home is the best place for a child to read. Because of this I have shortened the other subject areas; not because they are less important but because we work hard on them here. Remember there is always the Smith website for extra homework ideas, plus extra credit, if you should want more. I appreciate your support. Homework in 2nd grade should be mostly about READING!!! It also sets the stage for accountability and practice. Nothing should be too difficult. Thanks so much.
--Mr. Cornwall
