September 9, 2009

Dear advisees, parents, and guardians,

Welcome to The Beacon School!!! I am here to make your transition to high school as smooth as possible and to serve as your advocate/liaison for the next four years. I have been teaching History at the Beacon School since 2001, and will be teaching English this year as well. I am just returning from a one-year leave of absence. I’m happy to be back and look forward to getting to know you all.

Advisory meets every Friday from 11:15-12:00 pm. Attendance in advisory is mandatory. Given the size of our school, advisory is very important. First, it creates a small community of peers with whom you will face the challenges of the next four years together. I have now graduated two cycles of advisory and by senior year, the students really felt a unique bond with their advisees. Second, it creates the opportunity for you to build a relationship with a faculty member who will be in contact with all of your other teachers. During parent-teacher conferences (11/12 and 11/13), students and families will meet with me. I will collect all of the feedback from your teachers and we will go over them together. Third, advisory is an essential link of communication between the school and families. It is a forum for us to discuss what is going on and address school matters with the rest of the building. It is also a crucial avenue for getting information to families.

Each year, advisory will fulfill these roles while also addressing the needs unique to each grade. For example in eleventh grade, we will get ready for the SATs and start discussing college and post-high school options. This year in 9^th grade, we will learn about the school and get used to the new routines together.

Students and families should use the Beacon website. It is a vital source of information on schedules, classes, teachers, and events. Most teachers will post homework on the portal. Students can participate in discussion on the forums. Parents can communicate with teachers and check their students’ schedules. Also many teachers have their own website.

You can reach me at jradin@beaconschool.org or you can call me at (212) 245-2807. It will be an exciting, challenging and fun year ahead. Please contact me with questions or just to say hello. Parents: please send me an email from your preferred email of communication and let me know that you’ve read this letter.

Sincerely,

Jessica Radin