August 14, 2024

Dear students,

Welcome to the new school year! My name is Ms. Sara Calvin and I am very happy to be your English
teacher this year. Summer is always hard to say goodbye to, so while I reluctantly bid farewell to lazy
mornings, beach days, fun memories with friends who live both near and far, and lots of free time, I am
also excited to start this new year with you; a new year is a fresh start with new possibilities. In this class
we will focus on critical thinking, communication, and written skills by challenging ourselves to read
relevant and significant works of literature. We will work together to make meaning from this literature,
and hopefully learn more about the world around us and about ourselves (in my opinion, this is the true
magic of English class). I grew up in the Bay Area, specifically in Burlingame, and I went to Burlingame
High School. From there, I went to Sonoma State University, where I earned a B.A. in English (emphasis
in English education). I fell in love with the literature I studied, curating lists of books that inspired me
and writers whom I longed to emulate. I also met some of my dearest friends here and knew even then
that they’d be in my life for the rest of it. For those reasons, SSU holds a special place in my heart. After
my undergraduate years, I got my teaching credential from San Francisco State University, and then
began teaching here at Carlmont in 2016. Teaching here has taught me a lot. I believe that one of my
greatest strengths is listening with compassion. One of my weaknesses is self-criticism; sometimes it
helps me grow, but sometimes it does the opposite, so that’s something I consciously try to work on.

A little background on my family: My parents still live in Burlingame and I enjoy going over to their
house for dinner sometimes or just spending time with them in general. It’s funny, but I find that I love
and appreciate them now as an adult much more than I did as a kid (I think that can happen when you
grow up if you’re lucky enough to have parents who love and support you). My mom is also a teacher;
she teaches pre-school and is also the director of the school. My dad is an estimator for a construction
company, but for a long time before that he worked as a contractor, building and remodeling. This
summer he helped me refinish a small piece of furniture. I have one brother who is four years younger
than me, who lives at home with my parents and the family dogs – Ivy and Willow (two Australian
Shepherds…lots of fun, lots of fur).

In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, going on walks (my favorite form of exercise), shopping for
shoes, spending time with my family and friends, and watching crime shows. Some of my all-time
favorites are from the Law and Order franchise: SVU and Organized Crime. Netflix also released two
seasons of a true crime show by one of the producers of Law and Order, called Homicide New York and
Homicide Los Angeles. This was one of my favorite things to binge-watch over the summer!

This year, I expect great things from each of my classes. I promise to do my best to help you improve
your critical thinking and analytical writing skills, while also providing a space that feels safe to learn and
grow. I teach because I love literature, but more so because I love connecting with people. I’m looking
forward to making connections with you and having a meaningful, productive school year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Calvin
AS English 2, English 2, and English 2 Support
Carlmont High School
 Letter of Introduction Assignment
(20 points)
The main goal of this assignment is to introduce yourself to me at the beginning of a new school year.
You will also have the opportunity to practice following assignment instructions, writing a formal letter,
and organizing your thoughts.

Directions
Write a letter to me introducing yourself. Please follow the format of the letter I wrote to you (note: this
assignment does not need to be in MLA format, but please check the rubric for details regarding
formatting). Your letter must contain a heading (date in the upper right corner), a greeting, at least four
body paragraphs (optional fifth paragraph), complimentary closing, and a signature. This assignment
should be typed and is due to CANVAS during the first week of school. We will have some class time to
work on it. Please organize your letter’s body paragraphs in the following way:

Paragraph 1
Introduce yourself (your name, and any other important aspects of your identity, such as preferred
pronouns, etc.). What schools have you attended? What do you like about school? Describe what you
think are your personal strengths or weaknesses (this can relate to academics, extracurriculars, etc.).

Paragraph 2
Describe your family, or the folks you live with. How many siblings do you have? Do you have pets?
Have you or your family lived in any other countries, states, or cities? Do you speak any languages other
than English?

Paragraph 3
Describe your hobbies and interests. You can discuss musical instruments, sports, favorite books/tv
shows/movies/plays. Do you like to read? What are some of your favorite books or stories? Name at
least one thing you have done that you are proud of.

Paragraph 4
What are your expectations for this school year, and for this class? What do you expect to learn, or
what would you like to improve? What are your goals for the future or after high school? What is your
dream job, and why?

Paragraph 5 (OPTIONAL)
Is there anything specific you would like me to know? For example, do you have any hearing or vision
needs that I should consider when creating a seating chart? Are there any learning needs I should be
aware of?
Rubric

Criteria Exceeds (5) Skilled (4.25) Meets (3.75) Developing (3.25)

Greeting & Closing The letter contains The letter contains The letter contains The letter is missing
both an appropriate both a greeting and either a greeting or a greeting and/or a
greeting and closing closing with 1-2 a closing, possibly closing.
with no errors in errors in spelling, with 1-2 errors in
spelling, capitalization, or spelling,
capitalization, or punctuation. capitalization, or
punctuation. punctuation.
5 pts

Organization of The letter is clear The letter is The letter lacks clear There is little to no
Thoughts and focused, using somewhat focused, focus and fluidity. organization.
transitions when using few There are few to no
appropriate to transitions to transitions used.
create cohesion connect thoughts Ideas seem
between thoughts and paragraphs. scattered and/or
and paragraphs. There is some disconnected.
Ideas are arranged logical arrangement
logically. of ideas.

5 pts

Content The letter fully The letter fully The letter is missing The letter does not
satisfies all listed satisfies most of the some of the listed meet the content
requirements and listed requirements requirements and requirements.
includes all relevant and includes some lacks relevant
information in each relevant information in each
paragraph. information in each paragraph.
paragraph.
5 pts

Format The entire letter is A majority of the Most of the letter is The letter does not
formatted correctly. letter is formatted formatted correctly, meet the formatting
correctly. with some requirements.
inconsistencies.

5 pts

Total: ____/20 pts