GeorgetownPreparatory School
Spanish 1, Spanish 5, American Studies
Academic year2017-2018
Teacher: Mr. Matt Fitzgibbons
E-mail:
Back-To-School Night Information
Biography: This year marks my 23rd year teaching; my 6th at Georgetown Prep, and my 31st consecutive year as a student or as a teacher in Catholic independent schools. While I spent my first 12 years teaching at Catholic schools in Massachusetts, I eventually discovered that I wanted to reconnect with the Jesuit tradition, since I had attended a Jesuit college, the College of the Holy Cross in central MA, for my undergraduate studies. That desire led me first to St. Joe’s Prep in Philadelphia in ’07, and then here to Georgetown Prep in ’12. In addition to my work in the classroom, I also serve as the ESL Department Chair and have established two service trips during my time here - serving migrants with the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, AZ and Nogales, MX, and serving the homeless and encountering the formerly gang-affiliated with Homeboy Industries and Blessed Sacrament Parish in Los Angeles.
Attendance: When a student has a planned absence, Georgetown Prep asks
that he notify all teachers at the earliest opportunity, as a measure of courtesy and respect.
Homework: Homework is assigned and checked regularly, and represents an essential component of a student’s quarterly grade. At times, homework will be checked for completion; however, there are other times when homework will be checked for accuracy. Late homework is accepted within one day only, and at 50% credit.
Assessment: Students will experience a variety of assessments in this class, with the objective of helping students strengthen their skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Toward that end, students should expect not only assessments of all four skills. For some, this class may provide students with their first pronunciation assessment or their first timed oral vocabulary assessment. To strengthen students’ language skill development, students need to frequently study with the assistance of Additionally, it will frequently be required that all students prepare vocabulary flashcards on index cards, so that they learn both correct spelling and proper accentuation of Spanish vocabulary and verb forms.
Required Materials: Students are expected to have all required materials with them at the start of class -- textbook and workbook, binder with the current semester’s handouts, writing instrument, and vocabulary flashcards from the
current chapter. While the failure to have these items at the start of class once during a given quarter would not affect the student’s quarterly average, he will
incur a deduction of one point per subsequent infraction for that quarter.
Make-up Work: It is recommended that students contact a reliable classmate during any absence they may have in order to get information about missed work. When students return however, it is expected that they see me to confirm that they have the correct information about missed assignments, to submit work owed, and to collect handouts they may have missed. For any absence a student incurs, he is given one week to make up all missed work, unless he has made another arrangement with me prior to the end of the one-week deadline. Each assignment not completed within this timeframe will be scored as a zero in my gradebook. The only exception to this policy would be in the unfortunate event of a death in the student’s family or a student hospitalization reported to the school administration.
Extra Help: I will ordinarily be available for extra help several periods during the school day, and after school most days, in the Modern Language Department Office. If a student is struggling with the language, he is encouraged to see me as soon as possible to prevent him from falling too far behind. That said, it should be obvious that the morning of a test would not be regarded as an appropriate time to come for extra help. Rather, it is expected that students are
learning time management skills that will help them experience academic and personal success in college and beyond.
Quarter Grades:
This class uses a system of total points to determine a student’s grade for the quarter. Typical approximate point values are as follows:
-- Tests - 400-500 points
-- Presentations - 300 points
-- Projects - 300 points
-- Quizzes - 100 points
-- Homework - 50 points
-- Classwork - 50 points
Communication: Please let me know at the earliest opportunity if you have a
question, a concern, or an insight that you think would be helpful. Although email is the most efficient way to reach me, I am available for phone conversations and in-person appointments as well. My email address is .