Believe it or not, today is the last day of the first quarter! It is incredible how fast this year is moving. I hope you guys come out to watch the Platte County Pirates take on the Kearney Bulldogs at home tonight.  Anchor Down and Go Pirates!

I wanted to give everyone a quick update about grades coming in at the end of the quarter:

1) Narrative- This is an assignment that we have been working on for five weeks. The kids created an original narrative using dialogue, character description, pacing, and many other elements that we learned and practiced. This assignment is work 36 assessment points.  These do take a while to read and grade, so please do not expect to get these grades before Wednesday, October 19th.  

2) Accelerated Reader- The Accelerated Reader (AR) program has been going on all quarter. If you remember way back during the first week, Language Arts teachers sent home an AR parent sheet detailing the program. Students are to read four (4) books this first quarter and then five (5) every subsequent quarter. Those books are due today. I sent home a reminder a few weeks ago, along with updating the blog. These books are worth five (5) points a piece, meaning a total of 20 assessment points for the quarter.  

As always, let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. I would be happy to answer/talk with you. My door is always open.

Best Wishes,
​Derek Yost 

Hello everyone! Happy Homecoming week to Platte City! 

I just wanted to give parents and guardians an update on how our class is going. Right now, students are taking their first round of STAR testing. This program helps track student reading levels.  It is not a test to prepare for; instead, it is just a measuring stick to see how they are developing. 

Our students have begun a narrative unit in which they will create a character and eventually use that character as the protagonist in their own creative pieces.  Students have been generating a lot of great ideas and are learning how to apply those ideas into a cohesive story.  I will be excited to read these soon!  Be asking your student if he or she has been working on these and how their individual character is coming.

Grades will be in the grade book soon! I am sorry that it  has taken me a while (almost two weeks) to figure out the new system.  There are grades out there, and they will be completely up to date by Monday, September 12. 

I hope you and your student are doing well. As always, do not hesitate to call or email if you have any questions. Thanks!

Best Wishes,
​Derek Yost 

​School is full speed ahead, and we are already into the routine of hard work.  Through the first two full weeks, the students have been discussing the 6-Traits of Writing, which creates a common language and a baseline to discuss writing.  We have done several activities using individual whiteboards and dry-erase markers to answer questions and rewrite paragraphs. They have done a great job with discussing writing!

Along those same lines, our students will be taking a Narrative Pretest on Friday, September 2. This is just a pretest and is not going to count against your student's grade.  It is designed to give us, the teachers and parents alike, an insight into where our students are in their writing.  Using this pretest, we will establish some tangible goals for students to strive for over the next few weeks. 

On the reading front, our students are already diving into books. Monday was the first day in the library and students are already asking to go back and get new books. I am thrilled with their appetite for reading.  Our Accelerated Reader tests are not quite ready yet, but as soon as they are, I will let you and your student know!

I hope you are having a great start to the school year as well. Let me know if you have any questions, and I would be happy to answer them. Thank you! 

Best Wishes,
Derek Yost 

Be sure to follow me on twitter to keep up with everything going on in my class! My Twitter is linked here or follow me at @MrYost_PC 

Thanks!

Platte City Middle School's Back to School Night is scheduled for August 25th, from 6-8 p.m.  We want to welcome you to school and get you oriented with your student's schedule and teachers. Below is a sneak preview for what I will be discussing on that night. Feel free to take a look and come ready with questions and comments. I look forward to meeting all of you. 

Check out my Back to School Night presentation here! 
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Best Wishes,
Derek Yost

7th Grade Language Arts
Platte City Middle School
816-858-2036 Ext. 2633

We are only a few weeks away from starting the 2016-2017 school year. I am excited to be a first time Pirate and to see what Platte City Middle School holds in store. It should be a fantastic year. It is my hope that as more and more of you start poking around the website, that you will see what will be going on in my classroom and come to this site to  keep you up to date on all the things Platte City Middle School. I am excited for a new school year. Anchor Down and go Pirates!