A Special Message to

Parents and Students

Hello parents, students, and Villa visitors. I teach 7th Grade English Language Arts and 6th & 7th Grade AVID and AVID Excel. I am passionate about both of these assignments. Specifically, I am passionate about literacy and both of these subjects fulfill that passion. The single most important activity that will help your student to succeed is for them to read everyday. Please encourage them to do this. Especailly now as many of my students are expressing that they are bored. During this time of home confinement, they can practice this skill. Here are some free online reading sources for middle school students: EPIC, Tween Tribune, Project Guttenberg, DOGOnews, National Geographic for Kids, Readworks.org, Science News for Students, Teaching Kids News, Library of Congress, Sports Illustrated for Kids, and Sora (which is a SAUSD app containing many fabulous free books to read online). 

During this unique and unprecedented time period we, every single one of us (parents, children, teachers, administrators, all SAUSD employees), are approaching remote learning with best intentions. We are learning, growing, and changing due to our circumstances. My philosophy about the hierarchy of importance regarding learning, mental health, and physical health during the Pandemic is this: your entire family's mental health is first (meaning as stress free as possible), next your physical health, and then learning. It is difficult to accomplish the last, without success of the first two. That being said, I am not saying learning should not occur; however, it should occur at each child's comfort level. Basically, I am expecting my students to try. That's it. Just try.

Since we are in Remote Learning mode, the best way to reach me is at christina.thomas@sausd.us, christina.thomas@sausdlearns.net, a message through Google Classroom, or on Instagram. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions, concerns or clarifications.