English with Miss Skoudis
~Emily Dickinson
Dear students,
I am truly saddened that I will not be able to see you all in person these next few weeks. I am grieved for the situation that our country, and even more alarmingly, that our entire world, is currently facing. If you are feeling frustrated or disappointed, know that you’re not alone: I feel it too.
But take heart. As trite as it sounds, I do believe that beauty can come from ashes—that suffering and struggle can ultimately lead to some good. We might only catch faint glimmers of that good during our lives; in fact, we might not even be able to see what that good purpose is at all. But it is there.
Perhaps this break from the daily grind could serve as a time for us to draw closer to our families. Perhaps this period could provide us with a much-needed time of rest. Perhaps this hiatus could give us a chance to pursue a hobby—drawing, music, even board games. Or perhaps this forced stillness could serve as a time to reevaluate what is truly important.
To access your assignments for the week, click on the 8th grade homework tab if you are in 8th grade and the 11th grade homework tab if you are in 11th.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at jskoudis@bfcsaz.com.
About Miss Skoudis
I grew up on the beautiful Jersey shore. And though my heart will always feel most at home at the sea, I am very much looking forward to my new life here in the significantly less watery but none-the-less lovely Arizona desert. Obviously, I love literature, and Gatsby is definitely my favorite book. In addition to reading, I also enjoy drawing, painting, and studying art history—Van Gogh is one of my favorite painters (if you hadn't gleaned that already). This is my first year teaching at Benjamin Franklin, and I am very much looking forward to starting off the new school year, reading some fantastic books, and (hopefully) seeing you develop a love for literature and the English language itself.