Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

This is the beginning of your student’s First Quarter in the Transition Academy, Gainesville City School System.  Your son/daughter has been hand selected to attend the Transition Academy’s second year of accelerated studies in Pre-Algebra, Language Arts/English I, and Reading.  By attending the Transition Academy, your child is being given the opportunity to stay in the scope and sequence with his/her assigned class.  If your student passes the intensified studies in the classes offered this semester, and most specifically, this quarter, he/she will graduate from the eighth grade and become a ninth grader at Gainesville High School in January 2007.

The Transition Academy emphasizes three basic areas:  Academics, Attitude, and Attendance(AAA). With our motto in mind for this semester, “Reaching for the Stars,” our greatest desire is for your son/daughter to reach for those stars and even become a star by graduating in December.

As a Transition Academy student, your son/daughter needs to be reminded that following the district, school, and classroom rules is essential!  However, if any problems do arise, Mr. Jones and/I will make every effort to keep you informed.

Assignments given to the students will be posted on the school website on a regular basis.  If you need to reach either of us, please contact us either at the Transition Academy (770) 536-2062 or at Gainesville Middle School (770) 536-534-4237.  Also, we may be contacted via email:  Kenneth.Jones@gcssk12.net and Sandy.Mills@gcssk12.net.

We will also send home weekly reports about grades, behavior, attendance, and TA activities.  If you have any questions about your child’s progress, please contact me.  The parents, the teacher, and the student are a team working together to ensure each student’s success. We are here to support and serve you and your student in whatever way may be needed during this semester.  Furthermore, I am eager to talk with you over the phone, meet you I person, and work with you so that your student will succeed.

For success of any operation, guidelines must be followed.  Included is a syllabus, indicating the expectations, regulations, and supplies. After you and your student have read and discussed these guidelines, please sign this letter agreeing with and demonstrating that you understand the requirements and expectations for your Transition Academy classes and experience as a whole.  This letter with signatures must be returned by Monday, August 7, 2006.

I know we are all going to have a great semester as we all work together!

Sincerely,

Mr. Kenneth Jones, Math

Dr. Sandra S. Mills, English/Language Arts/Reading