Welcome to Cuyahoga Valley Career Center, and to Mr. DeGirolamo's English class. In these paragraphs, I hope to give you a glimpse of what you can expect in my class. I will not go over the school rules, as you will be familiar with them from the handbook and the school’s TV broadcast.

In short, we will read, write, speak, and make connections in English. Some of the units are outlined for you below. Students often warn me: “English is my worst subject” or “I hate to read” or “I hate to write” or, most common of all, “I hate to speak in front of the class.”   I will strive to make comfort zones out of these areas of discomfort for you. Be assured I have you in mind when I make literature choices. Obviously, there will be some selections that you’ll like more than others. I ask you to keep your mind open to what a particular piece of literature can teach you. The writing activities, far from intimidating, are designed to allow you to find your voice in your writing. The small class size will soon set you at ease with speaking in front of your peers--you’ll probably even enjoy it! The “making connections” part is something you do all the time, and when you’re able to identify a relationship, say, between a concept in the reading and your own life, you’ll be less likely to whine those phrases that sound to teachers’ ears like nails on a chalkboard, “Why do we have to learn this? I’m never gonna use this in REAL LIFE.”

Although I try to accommodate my students, I do get impatient with attendance issues. I guess I take it personally if you miss my class. If you’ve got something contagious, do stay home. But if you’re simply bored, tired, or experiencing a bit of malaise (don’t worry, it’s a vocabulary word you’ll soon learn), do yourself a favor and get to school. I can’t think of a single student who failed my class when attendance wasn’t an issue.

Please come to class each day with paper and your favorite writing utensil. 

Show up, be respectful and supportive of your own ideas and those of others, do the assignments, and stay positive--it will be a great year!