Parent Information

Parent Information TEACHER  In my opinion, I am the expert of my curriculum and my classroom, but you are the expert of your child. I encourage you to call me at school between 2:30 and 3:00 to Mr. Mike Piavis speak directly about your child's progress or to schedule a conference. We both want Education: your child to be successful in my class. Welcome  Master's of Science Education, East  My classroom rules reflect three important Carolina University, 1981 values -- respect, responsibility, and  Bachelor's of Science, East Carolina equality. It is important that you have read University, 1979 to my expectations prior to our conferencing. It  Postgraduate work including training in is important to state that all assignments are Special Education and Reading. to be completed on time and are prepared  Crisis Intervention Training according to directions. Late and/or poorly  Red Cross CPR and First Aid Certification Physics prepared work is not acceptable.  Maryland Governor’s Academy for Biology, 2006  If your child has been absent because of a  USA Rugby Certified rugby coach long-term illness or a vacation, he will need to work with me after school in completing Experience: his missed assignments.  1 year Physics Teacher at Waynesboro  Although various meetings are scheduled Area High School, Waynesboro, PA after school, I will gladly give individualized  10 years teaching at Bowling Brook Prep, instruction to your child after school if he Middleburg, MD asks for that help.  1 year teacher at Victor Cullen Academy, Sabillasville, MD  I use various teaching methods to enhance  3 years Director of Vocational Education at instruction for the various learning styles. Victor Cullen Academy, Sabillasville, MD with  1 year Director of Education at Victor  Your child is required to pass three credits of Cullen Academy, Sabillasville, MD Mr Piavis high school science and complete the High  Football Coach 2 seasons, VCA Colts School Assessment  12 years ICP, Biology, Environmental Science, and Ag Science Teacher at Urbana High School Urbana High School, Ijamsville, MD 3471 Campus Drive  2 years School Support Teacher at Urbana Ijamsville, MD 21754 High School, Ijamsville, MD (240)236-7600  5 years Girls Track Coach, Urbana High x67676  10 years Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 97 [email protected]  9 years Rugby Coach, West Carroll Marauders Uhs.sites.fcps.org  The student will apply critical thinking to the reading and o the interpretation of various Expectations readings. Oral Communication: I choose to teach because I believe in the  The student will apply critical listening and importance of education to the individual and to speaking skills in the classroom. our democracy. I choose to teach Science  The student will apply appropriate listening because it demands thinking, reasoning, and and speaking practices in both formal and logic. Critical thinking skills, higher cognitive informal situations. thought, creativity, and self discovery are part of the challenge and enjoyment of Science.

Science is timely and timeless. A student may never again examine a cell or balance a Content chemical equation, but he will note the following in "real life": The definition of salmagundi, "a mixture, a Decision making, fact gathering, information medley, a hodge-podge; a little bit of Content, cont. sifting, rational judgement, investigation, everything," applies to our Science curriculum. responsibility, survival, power, and respect. Hence, there is something in my content area Experimentation: that an individual will love and probably  The student will apply the scientific method The student will use discovery as a means of something that he will hate, too. when performing formal and informal understanding the world and environments in investigations. which he lives. He will explain, interpret, create, Our areas of study in Physics classes are safety,  The student will conduct himself in a safe evaluate, infer, summarize, cooperate, prepare, scientific method, Newtons’s Laws of Motion, manner at all times in the Science describe, wonder, and evaluate. forms of energy, wave characteristics, forces, classroom and laboratory. machines, characteristics of flight, and  The student will perform investigations as The student will be prepared for class both electricity. directed and approved by the teacher. physically and mentally and will conduct himself Assessments: in the classroom. He is responsible for all Written Communication:  Assessments are designed to evaluate the material presented in class, regardless of his  The student will compose reports in an student's understanding and his mastering attendance. acceptable scientific fashion using charts, the concepts studied in class. graphs, and conclusions.  Course grades will be determined by one's The student will perform investigations in a  The student will keep a journal with "free performance in examinations, note taking, laboratory setting in a safe manner. writing" to share his reactions, questions, projects, labs, homework, classwork, and inspirations from the assigned material deportment, and conduct.  The student will write short answers which  I will use the recommended school grading will demonstrate an understanding of the scale. concepts.  The student will maintain a folder that will hold written work performed in and out of class. Reading Comprehension:  The student will identify and use terms expressed in science in oral and written discussions.