To view grade lesson plans, go to "Download"

Tutorials: Morning, 8:00, Tuesday through Friday - After school, 4:00 to 4:30, Monday through Friday

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year. My name is Chuck Parkes, and this is my 7th year as a teacher at LDMS. I teach Basic Language Arts to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. I am certified by the state of Texas as a general education teacher from early childhood through 8th grade, as a special education teacher from early childhood through 12th grade, and as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher from early childhood through 12th grade.

You can contact me through the Lake Dallas ISD website, at cparkes@ldisd.net, or at 469-348-4543. Please feel free to call at any reasonable time, including evenings and weekends. Helping your child is my highest priority.

The Basic Language Arts classes have a mix of 6th and 7th graders and of 7th and 8th graders in the same class; therefore, most of the assignments will be the same, so that we can do activities as a class. The only homework assignments that parents should expect students to have are to learn vocabulary words, learn Greek/Latin roots, and complete unfinished work. New vocabulary words will be given to students on Monday of each five day week. Sometimes there will not be new spelling words due to the end of the grading period or a short school week. Please check the lesson plan area of this homepage for up-to-date vocabulary words and Greek/Latin roots.

Parents will receive "Progress Reports" half way through each grading period, "Report Cards" at the end of each grading period, updated "Individual Educational Programs" (IEPs) at the end of each grading period, a failure warning any time that a student is at risk of failing a grading period, and a call concerning behavior issues as necessary. I like to use email with parents as often as possible. Many of my messages will be to inform parents or guardians of an achievement on the part of their student.

6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will be respected as preteens and young teenagers. Mr. Parkes has high expectations for each student's academic performance and for good behavior. Maintaining a high level of performance will require teamwork among the student, parents, and teacher. Communication is the key to helping the student stay on track and get extra help as necessary.

Mr. Parkes is prepared to work with students before school and after school daily except when teacher meetings or other events interfere. Mr. Parkes avoids being alone with female students and will work with them in a public place or in a group if possible.

Mr. Parkes's "Classroom Rules" are:
1) Respect others and their property
2) Raise hand, be acknowledged, then talk
3) Ask correctly, politely, and specifically for what you want
4) Don't disrupt the class
5) No gum (Gum may be allowed as a priviledge)

Classroom rules will be enforced with teacher detention, where students will do useful school work. If students chose not to cooperate, they will receive a "Student Discipline Referral" to the grade level assistant principal. Mr. Parkes tries to contain all behavior issues to the student, the parents, and the teacher.

Mr. Parkes will contact each set of parents early in the school year to introduce himself, start the teamwork approach to helping the student, discuss initial impressions of the student, and coordinate communications with the parents (phone numbers and email addresses).