Staff Spotlight on Mrs. Szpila

Janice Szpila has been teaching at Monte Vista since 1992. What she really likes about teaching here is the great proffessional staff and her walks through Monty Park. Mrs. Szpila received her undergraduate degree in History and English from the University of L. A. in 1972. And before coming to Monte Vista, Mrs. Szpila taught grades kindergarden through fourth for 17 years at R. D. White in Glendale. Mrs. Szpila grew up in Glendale and she has wanted to be a teacher ever since the third grade. In the 5th and 6th grades her teacher was Mr. Wilson, who is still her favorite teacher because he taught her to work hard and to do her best.

Little known fact: Mrs. Szpila has also worked as a credit operator at Sears, as a pre-school teacher, and as a tour guide at a water treatment plant while at college and during the summer.

Little known 'Happy Days' fact: Mrs. Szpila remembers going to a student's house for lunch. she got to know personally each member of the family.

In her free time, Mrs. Szpila likes to sew, ride bikes, play tennis, and visit boutiques.

When it comes to books, Jumanji and Wump World are her favorite children's book and she also likes books by James Marshall and Shel Silverstein.
The civil war epic Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell is Mrs. Szpila's favorite adult book and her favorite author is Mary Higgins Clark.

Curious culinary fact: Mrs. Szpila's favorite food is artichokes.

Mrs. Szpila's favorite type of music is country and western, and the Judds are her favorite group.

Dogs are her favorite animals.

And if you're wondering what her favorite movie is, it's Mr. Mom.

Mrs. Szpila has been to Austria, where The Sound of Music was filmed. She would like to revisit Austria and Switzerland. She has two lovely children Laura, age 17, and Christopher, age 14.

Mrs. Szpila's Homework Tip: "Learn from it! Use it as practise."

Email Mrs. Szpila: Click here

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Daily Schedule

Field Trips

Book Reports

Homework Policy

Purposes
1. Strengthen basic skills.
2. Reinforce study habits.
3. Extend classroom learning.
4. Develop initiative, responsibility, and self-direction.
5. Stimulate independent thinking.
6. Increase range and scope of interests.
7. Foster worthwhile use of leisure time.

Types of Homework
1. Completing classwork.
2. Practice in the basic skills of reading and mathematics.
3. Solving problems similar to those studied in class.
4. Preparing for tests.
5. Reading for book reports or research.
6. Preparing a current event report in social studies, science, or communications.
7. Summarizing a historical event, a story, or a science procedure.
8. Collection or classifying materials.
9. Constructiong a model or doing an experiment.
10. Preparing a science research project.
11. Reading additional books about a topic introduced in class.

Suggested Time Schedule
1. Grades 1 through 3 - 10 to 20 minutes daily.
2. Grades 4 through 6 - 20 to 30 minutes daily.

Homework/Missed Class Work
Homework is assigned daily for a 4-day period. Should your child be absent for more than two days, please notify the office and the homework and missed class work will be ready fy 3:00 PM unless it is for an extensive absence whereby the teacher needs additionla planning time to adequately prepare for your child's home study. If your child is only going to be absent one or two days, he/she may get the work missed on the day your child returns to school.

It is the policy of Monte Vista not to assign work for unexcused absences; however, you may wish a program of daily study to be undertaken wher the student engages in 20 to 30 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of math practice and 20 minutes of writing. This may be accomplished by:
Your having pleasure reading books available.
Calculating money spent on a trip or in various restaurants, (keep a budget log).
Keeping a daily journal of events.

The above activities are merely suggestions and will not replace the regular assigned work. Students do not receive credit for work that is missed during unexcused absences.

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Discipline Policy

My discipline policy is based on the Assertive Discipline Philosophy where responsibility of behavior rests on the child.

Classroom rules:
1. Listen carefully.
2. Follow directions.
3. Work quietly and do not disturb others who are working.
4. Respect others with kind words and actions.
5. Respect school and personal property.
6. Work and play safely.
7. Complete assignments.

What happens when I forget:
1. Change green ticket to yellow, (warning).
2. Change yellow ticket to red, (time out, recess).
3. Change red ticket to black, (note home to be signed by parent).
4. 2 black tickets in one week - visit Dr. Willebrands.

What happens when I remember:
1. Stickers
2. Free time
3. Parties
4. Good notes

Daily and take home work will be marked:
check and minus = Needs improvement
check = Completed
check and plus = Completed well, very neat
star = Completed and graded in class with teacher's help

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Spelling Philosophy

Spelling is critical in the writing process. The purpose of learning to spell is so that writing may become easier, more fluent, more expressive, and more easily read and understood by others. Therefore, active daily writing for real purposes and real audiences is necessary for spelling development in all grades.
This spelling curriculum is based upon teaching the high-frequency writing words using activities to help gain an undestanding fo spelling as well as build a general language ability.

Our purpose as a committee has been to suggest an approach based upon Rebecca Sitton's research-based spelling instruction program. This approach will assist teachers in making choices about how to teach spelling and relate it to writing and reading. In Glendale, spelling is important!

"Spelling is not how many words a student spells correctly on a spelling test ... covering words and then testing students on them reflects an inaccurate concept of spelling mastery. Spelling mastery is the ability to spell words correctly in everyday writing."

Rebecca Sitton (1993)

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Weekly Schedule Sheet

Description of Cursive Writing Approach

Examples of the Cursive Alphabet

Description of the 'Book It' Program

'Book It' Verification Form

Room Representative: Yvonne Proffit

Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to Monte Vista.

Copyright © 1996, Monte Vista Elementary School, Last Updated - Wednesday, October 8, 1997 4:05 pm
Webmaster -Mary Beth Baker
Staff Advisor - Carla Walker