Caggia Social Studies

Week of 10/13 - 10/17

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 01:34:00 +0000

This week is a bit cRaZy!!! It is the perfect storm: PSAT, Pep Rally/Homecoming, and Early Release. So the schedule takes a hit as well as our time together. Wednesday will follow the normal bell schedule, just as we did on Thursday a week ago for the PLAN. All sophomores and a few juniors will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday. Sophomores will test in these designated locations, alphabetically by last name. Juniors will take the test in the Multipurpose Room. Needless to say, I am not a big fan of taking instructional time for standardized testing, I prefer learning to testing, but I am just the messenger.

Friday will consisted of 44 minute periods, followed by the Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally before we dismiss at 11:48. There will only be quick lunches offered to "Grab and Go" before students catch the bus.

Period 1: 7:25 - 8:09
Period 2: 8:15 - 8:59
Period 3: 9:05 - 9:49
Period 4: 9:55 - 10:39
Parade & Pep Rally: 10:39 - 11:48.

And don't forget spirit week! Dress the part:
Monday: American Day
Tuesday: Hawaiian Day
Wednesday: Adventure Day
Thursday: International Day
Friday: GREEN OUT

SMART Lunch seems to be working. That is to say, school-wide, most students are taking advantage of the opportunities to get extra help and make-up missing work during their longer lunch time. Teachers like the opportunity to spend time with students during the lunches helping students in a less formal setting than the regular class time. As long as student continue to use the time wisely and behave appropriately, SMART Lunch will remain a permanent fixture for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, being the furthest trailer from the building, I have the "pleasure" of intercepting an ample number of students who attempt to leave campus via the bus parking lot. I only hope that their behavior will not impede the progress of SMART Lunch so that it can remain.

If you are already keeping tabs on individual class twitter feeds, either by following directly or visiting the pages, please consider also following @caggiasocstud for more general social studies and class related content, not specific to any individual class.

Mr. C's SMART Lunch Availability This Week
Lunch	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
A	CLOSED	Open	CLOSED	Open	CLOSED
B	CLOSED	Open TUTORIAL	Open	Open	CLOSED

"If you take care of your character, your reputation will take care of itself."

- Joe Moore

Week of 09/29 - 10/03

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 01:08:00 +0000

Another week in the books but we have plenty of work left to do! The semester is moving along nicely, I hope everyone feels the same. This week Sophomores will be taking the PLAN. The test will run from 7:25 - 11:25. All teachers are supposed to post where students are supposed to go on Thursday, or you can see the list here. At this moment I do not have the bell schedule for that day but once I have it I will post it. (By the way, I am just as surprised by this as you!)

SMART Lunch seems to be working. That is to say, school-wide, most students are taking advantage of the opportunities to get extra help and make-up missing work during their longer lunch time. Teachers like the opportunity to spend time with students during the lunches helping students in a less formal setting than the regular class time. As long as student continue to use the time wisely and behave appropriately, SMART Lunch will remain a permanent fixture for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, being the furthest trailer from the building, I have the "pleasure" of intercepting an ample number of students who attempt to leave campus via the bus parking lot. I only hope that their behavior will not impede the progress of SMART Lunch so that it can remain.

Once again, I would like to remind all families this year is an accreditation year for Leesville. Every school must undergo this process every five years. This means that LRHS will be "audited" by an outside source, AdvancED, to ensure that we meet the high standards for accreditation. This is an important process, without it credits earned by students at LRHS will not be accepted by major universities and colleges. An important part of this process is input from all of the stakeholders, including parents. Please, if you have not yet done so, complete the AdvancEd survey to help Leesville remain recognized.

If you are already keeping tabs on individual class twitter feeds, either by following directly or visiting the pages, please consider also following @caggiasocstud for more general social studies and class related content, not specific to any individual class.

Mr. C's SMART Lunch Availability This Week
Lunch	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
A	CLOSED	Open	CLOSED	Open	Open TUTORIAL
B	CLOSED	Open TUTORIAL	Open	Open	CLOSED

"Don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to the person from yesterday."

- Author Unknown

Week of 09/22 - 09/26

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 01:48:00 +0000

This is the week for interims to be distributed. But, as is usually the case, Power Schools was down on the weekend leading in. As a result, Dr. Muttillo has given all teachers the option to distribute interims Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Also be prepared for a day off for students on Thursday to observe Rosh Hashanah - "head of the year" or the Jewish New Year.

Last week Leesville raised money for JDRF research. While the exact totals have yet to be announced, I feel pretty confident that we have exceeded our totals from last year! And even if we haven't, much thanks goes out to everyone who contributed, no matter what amount.

Something new being offered by Wake County beginning this year is CDM or Credit Earned by Demonstrating Mastery. The VERY short of it, a student can earn credit for a course, Pass/Fail, by completing a series of tasks, including a portfolio, and a test, that shows they are proficient in the course. This will allow the student to receive credit for the course counting toward their graduation requirements but not impacting GPA. This will allow the student to take other classes in their schedule that will impact their GPA. It is so new, I am not entirely sure of how it works, but WCPSS has released this "Parent's Guide to Credit by Demonstrated Mastery" page. If you feel you student may wish to take advantage of this opportunity, please give this a read.

SMART Lunch seems to be working. That is to say, school-wide, most students are taking advantage of the opportunities to get extra help and make-up missing work during their longer lunch time. Teachers like the opportunity to spend time with students during the lunches helping students in a less formal setting than the regular class time. As long as student continue to use the time wisely and behave appropriately, SMART Lunch will remain a permanent fixture for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, being the furthest trailer from the building, I have the "pleasure" of intercepting an ample number of students who attempt to leave campus via the bus parking lot. I only hope that their behavior will not impede the progress of SMART Lunch so that it can remain.

Otherwise, this should be a normal week. We will have a fire drill Friday at the beginning of 2nd period.

Mr. C's SMART Lunch Availability This Week
Lunch	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
A	CLOSED	Open	CLOSED	Open	Open TUTORIAL
B	CLOSED	Open TUTORIAL	Open	Open	CLOSED

"The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice that which we are for what we could become."

- Charles DuBois

Week of 09/15 - 09/19

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 02:55:00 +0000

Things are really rolling along! Thank you to all the students and their families that have contributed to the classroom supplies, your generosity is truly appreciated and will be put to good use. And while I am on the subject of generosity, this week Leesville will be collecting money to donate to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF). While collecting money in the classrooms from donation by students and their families is popular, you can also choose to donate online. I will be sure to post that link once I can confirm the site. All donations will also be credited to LRHS JDRF Team.

This year is an accreditation year for Leesville. Every school must undergo this process every five years. This means that LRHS will be "audited" by an outside source, AdvancED, to ensure that we meet the high standards for accreditation. This is an important process, without it credits earned by students at LRHS will not be accepted by major universities and colleges. An important part of this process is input from all of the stakeholders, including parents. Please, if you have not yet done so, complete the AdvancEd survey to help Leesville remain recognized.

Otherwise, this should be a normal week. We will have a fire drill Friday at the beginning of 2nd period.

Mr. C's SMART Lunch Availability This Week
Lunch	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
A	CLOSED	Open	CLOSED	Open	Open TUTORIAL
B	CLOSED	Open TUTORIAL	CLOSED	Open	CLOSED

"A problem is a chance for you to do your best."

- Duke Ellington

Week of 04/14 - 04/18

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 14:18:00 +0000

This week is a short week. Due to the weather this semester, a rarity! There will not be school on Friday. Please remember, Monday, April 21 was formerly a teacher workday but is now a regular school day. Please be sure the students will be in attendance.

Not too many things that will directly impact our classes this week. Tuesday the school will finally be able to administer the ACT after at least two postponements due to weather.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period After School	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period After School

"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you."

- Lao Tsu

Week of 03/17 - 03/21

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 02:26:00 +0000

As we move ahead this week in our curriculum, we are going back to the ACT with the modified schedule originally set for two weeks ago. Tuesday and Wednesday are modified, BUT so is Friday as we look forward to Pridefest!

	Tuesday (ACT)	Wednesday (Schedule Balance)	Friday (Pridefest Assembly)
Period 1	7:25 - 11:40	7:25 - 8:25	7:25 - 8:40
Period 2	Not Meeting	8:31 - 10:40	8:46 - 10:01
Period 3	11:45 - 1:48	10:46 - 12:49	10:07 - 12:07
A Lunch	11:45 - 12:20	10:46 - 11:21	10:07 - 10:42
B Lunch	12:27 - 1:02	11:28 - 12:03	10:47 - 11:22
C Lunch	1:13 - 1:48	12:14 - 12:49	11:32 - 12:07
Period 4	1:54 - 2:18	12:55 - 2:18	12:13 - 2:18

4th Period on Friday is extended to include the Pridefest Assembly: a program filled with Leesville performance talent (vocal, dance, and instrumental) as well as the announcement of the this year's Pridefest King and Queen! Some classes will see it live in the main gym while most will watch it in their 4th period classrooms. Senior classes will have priority, then Juniors, and so on, so it seems likely that we will be watching it in the classroom.

So, besides all that, not much going on except the possibility of some more weather Monday night. I don't know about you, but I am over the winter at this point. And should we experience a delay on Tuesday, then the ACT will not be administered that day and the bell schedule will be whatever the delay bell schedule should be.

Pridefest 5.0
I hope you have been monitoring the events for Pridefest 5.0! This year we are replacing Winterfest with the all new Pridefest, which promises to be packed full of events and entertainment, beginning on Monday with Spirit Week, an assembly 4th period on Friday, and culminating with loads of events and performances through the afternoon and evening. Mark your calendar as "BUSY" on Friday, March 21, and come out to experience, watch, or even participate in the events! I will definitely be there, I hope you will be too! If you aren't sure what I am talking about, check out the Pridefest 5.0 Website!

Spirit Week!
As part of Pridefest, this week is Spirit Week! Earn points for your class in the class competition by wearing attire to match each day's theme:
Monday: Green Out
Tuesday: Famous Performer
Wednesday: Sports Related
Thursday: Goals and Dreams
Friday: Class Colors (Freshmen: Light Blue, Sophomores: Black, Juniors: Red, Seniors: Lime Green)

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	After School		Pride Period	After School

"Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching."

- Thomas Jefferson

Week of 3/10 - 3/14

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 00:45:00 +0000

I hope everyone has set their clocks ahead!

Last week didn't go according to plan, but this week should be more "regular" (whatever that is this semester). The only thing to look forward to that is not on the original schedule is a fire drill Wednesday during 4th period, at 1:05. The ACT has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 18. We will follow the modified schedules that were planned for last Tuesday and Wednesday. The schedule has been posted on the Leesville Road High School website.

Pridefest 5.0
I hope you have been monitoring the events for Pridefest 5.0! This year we are replacing Winterfest with the all new Pridefest, which promises to be packed full of events and entertainment, beginning on Monday with Spirit Week, an assembly 4th period on Friday, and culminating with loads of events and performances through the afternoon and evening. Mark your calendar as "BUSY" on Friday, March 21, and come out to experience, watch, or even participate in the events! I will definitely be there, I hope you will be too! If you aren't sure what I am talking about, check out the Pridefest 5.0 Website! In addition, we are looking for more teams to compete in the Tug of War competition. Every participant will earn points for their class in the overall class competition.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period After School

"You've got to stand for something or you're gonna fall for anything."

- John Cougar Mellancamp

Week of 3/3 - 3/7

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 03:09:00 +0000

What an interesting week we have coming up (and I am not even talking about the potential for more weather on Monday - I mean seriously, 70 degrees Sunday, to freezing precipitation on Monday?). Tuesday is the ACT. All Juniors will be taking this test, as a result, the bell schedule will be modified on Tuesday and Wednesday. The modified schedules have been posted on the Leesville Road High School website.

Pridefest 5.0
I hope you have been monitoring the events for Pridefest 5.0! This year we are replacing Winterfest with the all new Pridefest, which promises to be packed full of events and entertainment, beginning on Monday with Spirit Week, an assembly 4th period on Friday, and culminating with loads of events and performances through the afternoon and evening. Mark your calendar as "BUSY" on Friday, March 21, and come out to experience, watch, or even participate in the events! I will definitely be there, I hope you will be too! If you aren't sure what I am talking about, check out the Pridefest 5.0 Website! In addition, we are looking for more teams to compete in the Tug of War competition. Every participant will earn points for their class in the overall class competition.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period After School

"The object of teaching a child is to enable him to get along without a teacher."

- Elbert Hubbard

Week of 02/03 - 02/07

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 02:34:00 +0000

Let's try this again, shall we? Now that the snow days are behind us, we have make-up days ahead of us. At some point, you always have to pay the piper. Wake County has already posted the make-up schedule. It is not all good news - 4 former teacher workdays are now regular school days, including the Friday before Spring Break. Please adjust your schedule accordingly.

Not the WCPSS was predictable last week, I'd like to guess that we will have five days of school this coming week; after our 6-day weekend, everyone should be rested and ready to go. Report cards will be distributed this week, I am guessing on Monday. Parents, if you are interested in receiving periodic email updates about things we have done in class including pictures of their work and efforts, please complete the form above on the page.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period After School

"The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it."

- Pearl S. Buck

Week of 01/27 - 01/31

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:43:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who has already donated supplies to the class. They will be very useful in helping to make the class fun and efficient.

And away we go! We are off and running. It was nice to get back in the groove with a short week but this week is a full five! Rest and breathing will be the key. Barring any weather (that may or may not be coming this week) there is nothing out of the ordinary going on at school this week. Report cards will be distributed on Tuesday. Parents, if you are interested in receiving periodic email updates about things we have done in class including pictures of their work and efforts, please complete the form above on the page.

I hope you are following your class' twitter for homework and announcements, but encourage you to follow me @caggiasocstud for various updates on general social studies and history things, as well as school and county updates.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period After School

"The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it."

- Pearl S. Buck

Week of 01/06 - 01/10

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 03:17:00 +0000

This is it, the end of the semester. Our last week of class together. I am sure you are overtly glad to be getting another semester behind you, but somewhere inside you are just a little bit sad to see this semester go. I know I am, even if you are not. I know that things will be amping up in all your classes as you make the final push to final exams, but remember, nothing is set in stone: your final grade for any course this semester is not a done deal, there is still time to make a difference. Your final exam in most of your classes is worth 20% of your total grade for the course (25% in EOC courses) which means there is still a lot to be written in your grade; a lot can change for your final grade in the next two weeks, why not make that change for the better? Also, be sure to check out the Exam Schedule and notes from the Leesville website.

Many students have applied to do test correction this quarter but few have actually signed up for them! I mean, sure, it is less work for me, but that isn't what I am going for here. I am going for giving you the opportunity to pull your grade up higher to make it easier for you to achieve your goal for the course! Be sure to sign up on the form on the American History I page or the notebook in class. We will also have 1st Semester Awards Day on Tuesday. We will be voting for "Students' Choice" on Monday (and if necessary, conducting a run-off on Tuesday). The students in each class with the highest average (so far) will also be recognized.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period

"Take a deep breath, count to ten, and tackle each task one step at a time."

- Linda Shalaway

Week of 11/18 - 11/22

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 02:31:00 +0000

My apologies for last week's absences. After a visit to the doctor Wednesday after school, I was advised to rest my voice. Combined with 4th period's inability to control themselves and needing a reprimand from me WITHOUT a voice on Wednesday, the best way to ensure I rested my voice would not be in front of the class. My voice is better, and even after my full regiment of anti-biotics, my voice is still not what it should be and I am still congested. So I continue to ask you to bear with me as I recuperate.

This week we will begin test corrections on the Unit 3 test that was returned to students Wednesday last week. While the results were better than the previous test (for all classes) the opportunity for test corrections remains. Unfortunately I have meetings after school EVERYDAY this week. I will be available during Pride Period everyday however, and test corrections will continue through the remainder of the semester. Below you will find my availability for test corrections and extra help:

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning."

- Catherine Aird

Week of 10/28 - 11/1

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 22:35:00 +0000

I hope you enjoyed last weeks normal schedule because this week is back to the shenanigans! With a workday on Monday, the PLAN on Wednesday, and a "make-up" bell schedule on Thursday, this week will be yet another adventure. The good news, Tuesday and Friday are normal. Take a look at the bell schedule for Wednesday and Thursday below:

	Wednesday	Thursday
	PLAN Testing
Period 1	None	7:25 - 9:34 (No Pride Period)
Period 2	7:25 - 11:00	9:40 - 10:40
Period 3	11:06 - 1:09	10:46 - 12:49
"A" Lunch	11:00 - 11:41	10:40 - 11:21
"B" Lunch	11:48 - 12:23	11:28 – 12:03
"C" Lunch	12:29 - 1:09	12:14 – 12:49
Period 4	1:15 - 2:18	12:55 – 2:18

Wednesday is the PLAN (which is the ACT version of the PSAT). All 10th graders will be taking this test. Although you did not receive a booklet prior to this test as you did for the PSAT, please remember to bring a calculator for the exam; a calculator will not be provided to you. Although Thursday's schedule is out of the ordinary, there are no special events planned for that day. The change in the time so to make up for the time lost on Wednesday for the PLAN. As good an idea as this may be for freshmen, juniors, and seniors, it does nothing for us who will be without the time altogether since you all will be taking the exam.

I seemed to have found an adequate RSS feed embed for the main page so "This Day in History" above and "The Mycenaean" school newspaper below are up and running again.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
	Pride Period After School		After School	Pride Period After School

"I choose not to project my past onto my future.“

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Week of 10/21 - 10/25

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 00:37:00 +0000

Can it be true? Is this week really a "normal" week? No alternate bell schedules? Five full days? Yes, a "normal" week. Whew. The last two weeks have been pretty difficult keeping up with the different bell schedules and testing. Picture Retake / Make-Up day is this Thursday, 10/24. If you want an order form for pictures, I have a few copies otherwise they have order forms in the Main Office.

On the other hand, this week marks the end of the first quarter. The last day of the quarter is officially Friday. Therefore, the last day for make-up work will be Thursday by 2:30! I have a meeting Thursday at 2:30, if I do not have your work, IN MY HAND by 2:30 it will not make it onto your grade.

This week, October 18-26, is National Teen Safety Week which includes safe driving. State Farm is sponsoring the "Celebrate My Drive" competition. Once per day go to the Celebrate My Drive website and vote for your school. Leesville could win one of ten $100,000 grants or one of 90 $25,000 grants. If you think we don't have a chance, think again. Last year during a different program, Leesville won $2,500.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period After School	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period After School

"It's how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success.“

- David Feherty

Week of 10/14 - 10/18

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 02:51:00 +0000

I hope everyone enjoyed Spirit Week, culminating in the Pep Rally and Homecoming Game victory by the Pride football team, and the Homecoming Dance Saturday Night. But get ready, this week is even crazier than the last, and unfortunately, not as much fun. Three days this week we have a different bell schedule:

	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
	PSAT Testing		Early Release
Period 1	7:25 - 11:00	7:25 - 8:25 (No Pride Period)	7:25 - 8:26
Period 2	None	8:31 - 10:40	8:32 - 9:34
Period 3	11:06 - 1:09	10:46 - 12:49	9:40 - 10:41
"A" Lunch	11:06 - 11:41	10:46 - 11:21	None
"B" Lunch	11:48 - 12:23	11:28 – 12:03	None
"C" Lunch	12:34 - 1:09	12:14 – 12:49	None
Period 4	1:15 - 2:18	12:55 – 2:18	10:47 - 11:48

Wednesday is the PSAT. All 10th graders will be taking this test. You should have received a booklet about the PSAT, materials to have at the test, and other information regarding score reporting and scholarship information. Thursday does not have any special event planned; the change of schedule is to make up for the lost time to 1st Period on Wednesday. And Friday is a county-wide traditional schedule Early Release Day. While there are no Lunch Periods scheduled that day, there is a "grab-and-go" option for students to buy a carry out lunch to take with them after school before the buses roll.

October 18-26 is National Teen Safety Week which includes safe driving. State Farm is sponsoring the "Celebrate My Drive" competition. Once per day go to the Celebrate My Drive website and vote for your school. Leesville could win one of ten $100,000 grants or one of 90 $25,000 grants. If you think we don't have a chance, think again. Last year during a different program, Leesville won $2,500.

I noticed "This Day in History" and "The Mycenaean" RSS feeds are no longer working, it seems my free subscription has run out. I will be looking for a new, FREE, RSS reader to plug in there and get it going as soon as possible.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	Pride Period After School

"The true definition of madness is repeating the same action, over and over, hoping for a different result.“

- Albert Einstein

Week of 10/7 - 10/11

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 01:31:00 +0000

We made it back safely today with enough time to recuperate from the miles of walking we did. This week at Leesville is a very busy one mostly because of Spirit Week and Homecoming. We also have a fire drill (Tuesday Afternoon) and a Lockdown Drill (Friday Morning). For the Spirit Week festivities, the classes compete through their first period for spirit wear. This week's schedule is:

Monday: Preppy v. Grunge
Tuesday: Tia and Tamara Twin Day
Wednesday: 90s Character Day
Thursday: Throwback Thursday
Friday: Green Out!

This week also sees Community Night on Wednesday, from 5:30pm - 8:30pm, at LRHS. There will be food tricks, game booths, and a students v. faculty basketball game. $2 is the price of admission with food and games at additional prices. And don't forget about the Homecoming Dance this Saturday, from 7pm - 11pm at LRHS. We will also have a Pep Rally on Friday. For those who are new to Leesville or forgot from years past, festivities begin with a parade the includes the marching band, clubs with homemade parade floats, and sports teams that will lead the students into Marshall Hamilton Stadium. The bell schedule will be different for that day will be altered as follows:

Period 1: 7:25 - 8:40
Period 2: 8:46 - 10:01
Period 3: 10:07 - 12:07
"A Lunch": 10:07 - 10:42
"B Lunch": 10:47 - 11:22
"C Lunch": 11:32 - 12:07
Period 4: 12:13 - 1:24
Pep Rally: 1:24 - 2:18

October 18-26 is National Teen Safety Week which includes safe driving. State Farm is sponsoring the "Celebrate My Drive" competition. Once per day go to the Celebrate My Drive website and vote for your school. Leesville could win one of ten $100,000 grants or one of 90 $25,000 grants. If you think we don't have a chance, think again. Last year during a different program, Leesville won $2,500.

I noticed "This Day in History" and "The Mycenaean" RSS feeds are no longer working, it seems my free subscription has run out. I will be looking for a new, FREE, RSS reader to plug in there and get it going as soon as possible.

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period	After School

"Peer pressure is a scary thing. Be a good leader and others will follow.“

- Anonymous

Week of 9/30 - 10/4

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 01:43:00 +0000

This should be a very interesting week. For starters, I will only be in class Monday and Tuesday. I will be out of town for the rest of the week and next Monday too. The classes will be in good hands with Mr. Johnson, a former Leesville teacher. He knows the ropes and having subbed for me before, knows what to expect. Speaking of expectations, I expect the students will behave appropriately under less than ideal situation. (I know I do not need to mention it, but why not, right?)

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period After School	Pride Period

"Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.“

- John Ruskin

Week of 9/23 - 9/27

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Interims will be distributed this week on Wednesday!
Friday is an Early Release Day, be advised of the changed bell schedule:

1st Period: 7:25 - 8:26
2nd Period: 8:32 - 9:34
3rd Period: 9:40 - 10:41
4th Period: 10:47 - 11:48
NO PRIDE PERIOD
NO LUNCHES

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period After School (Make-Up Only)	Pride Period

“If at first you don't succeed, find out why before you try again.”

- Joe Moore

Week of 9/16 - 9/20

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 01:20:00 +0000

Friday is Picture Day. A chance for immortality in the yearbook (yes, I have a copy of every yearbook since I started at Leesville in 1996), this is how you will be remembered!

Mr. C's Availability This Week
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pride Period	Pride Period After School	Pride Period	Pride Period	Pride Period After School

"Success or failure is caused more by mental attitude than by mental capacity."

- Walter Scott

A Good Start

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:06:00 +0000

Welcome to the 2013-2014 School Year! I trust you had a restful summer, but here we go, I full school year with plenty to learn and do! I am looking forward to a great first semester teaching American History 1 all day long! This is very exciting for me; this part of American History was my major in college: Antebellum America. It is always a great thrill to be able to use exactly what you learned in college in you everyday work.

The curriculum is new this year, a change from US History, where US History was the entire history of the United States in one semester and American History is now two semesters. In addition, it has been a while since I have specifically taught American / US History (18 to be exact), and I am looking forward to the task!

So sit back and enjoy the ride as we figure out, in part how we got to where we are by learning where we have been.

Please NOTE: The embedded vocabulary from Quizlet does not seem to be working. At this time, I am assuming it is a problem on their part, but will continue to monitor any development thereabouts to make sure it will work.

One for the Books

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 01:47:00 +0000

This has been an exceptional weekend. Most of you know that my family was hit pretty hard by Hurricane Sandy a couple of weeks ago. My parents, aged 66 and 70, had the unenviable task of discarding 40+ years of memories in their home in order to begin the process of healing and rebuilding. This is the same house I grew up in; I lived my first 25 years of my life in. And I felt it important that I return to my childhood home and help. This past weekend, I have been working non-stop from Friday morning through Sunday evening helping to destroy my parents' home. The downstairs took on almost 4 feet of water and practically all their personal belongings on that ground floor had to be discarded. All the furniture, electronics, files, and decades of accumulated memories (and junk) were ruined. Hundreds upon hundreds if vinyl records (33, 45, and 78 rpm) were all left at the curb for the bull dozers and dump trucks. In addition, my parents' full size, slate top pool table may not be salvageable. All I ask of this coming week is that you bear with me as I recover physically and emotionally from such a taxing event as I may not be 100% while I try to catch up on preparing for school and the students. I promise, I am giving it my all, and I intend to be back on track before the end of the week. And I know that everyone will be kind and understanding as we get things moving in the right direction. I truly appreciate everyone's cooperation.

Plan for the PLAN

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, December 6, Leesville will be administering the PLAN to all sophomores during the school day. As a result, the schedule for both the test day, and the day after have been altered as follows:

Tuesday, December 6
Period 1: 7:25 - 10:40 (No Pride Period)

No Period 2

Resume Normal Schedule

Wednesday, December 7
Period 1: 7:25 - 8:25 (No Pride Period)

Period 2: 8:31 - 10:40

Resume Normal Schedule

Another side effect of the PLAN is the registering of sophomores during the school day. This will take place during Pride Period and 2nd Period on Thursday, December 1 and Friday, Decmeber 2.

I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:10:00 +0000

Sorry for being out for the last two days. There was a death in the family and I was needed in New York. I also apologize for not keeping up the website these past few days, needless to say things have been pretty busy.

Be on the lookout for the Pep Rally this Friday! Always a fun time, especially since the class schedule is shorter! Don't forget about spirit days this week:

Monday: "Twin Day" - Dress as a twin
Tuesday: "Heroes v. Villains Day" - Dress as your favorite Disney Hero or Villain
Wednesday: "Going to Disney Day" - Dress as a Disney Tourist
Thursday: "Classic Movie Day" - Dress as a classic movie character
Friday: "Green Out Day" - Wear your green to support Leesville Teams at the Pep Rally!
Saturday: Homecoming Dance (7pm - 11pm at the LRHS Food Court)

Don't forget about Community Night at the LRHS Football stadium from 5 - 8:30. $4 at the gate for entry and bring money to play the games. Freshman/Sophomore Powderpuff Football game will be from 6:30 - 7:00. The Junior/Senior Powderpuff game will be from 7:15 - 8:15.

Picture day is also this Thursday, here is the phone announcement from Mr Lyons.

Getting Ready!

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Its August and I am warming myself up for the coming school year. That means I am getting the website ready, adding content and this year I am adding the AP Economics page! I am excited for this school year, for me it means another chance to do it better than the last time. That is a challenge I relish semester after semester and year after year. So be on the look out for updates on the website, including the AP Economics page, updated Twitter feeds, and calendars.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Writing Test

noreply@blogger.com (M Caggia) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:04:00 +0000

This week is different than most, especially if you are a sophomore. Tuesday is the 10th Grade Writing Test. The bell schedule is adjusted for the day but only until lunch. Third and fourth period, as well as all the lunches, the bell schedule is as normal.

Period 1: 7:25 - 8:19 (No Pride Period)

Period 2: 8:25 - 10:40 (Writing Test)

Resume Normal Schedule

If you are taking the 10th Grade Writing Exam and are not sure where you should be, view the Student Locator.