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My name is Dr. Julie A. Brua, and I am very excited to return as a member of the staff at St. Joseph Catholic School! I have been blessed to work in education for over 36 years, teaching students from grade kindergarten through adults.

 

I have earned the following degrees:
 
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from University of Illinois at Urbana with 13 years of experience in teaching English Language Arts in grades 6-7-8 while at Deer Path and Northbrook Junior High Schools;
  
Master of Education with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Illinois at Urbana;
 
Type 75 Endorsement in Administration from DePaul University;
 
Doctorate in Educational Administration and Superintendent Endorsement from Northern Illinois University;
 
Chief School Business Official Endorsement from Northern Illinois University; and, 
 
English as a Second Language and Bilingual Endorsement from Benedictine and St. Francis Universities.
 
I have spent over 22 years in leadership positions while also serving in many roles associated with my faith: cantor, RCIA sponsor, religious education teacher, 8th grade Confirmation sponsor, Catholic school principal, etc.  My daughter Audrey, who went through religious education at St. Joe's, is going off to college this fall. My husband RJ and I live in Libertyville, and in our spare time, we enjoy exercising, spending time with family, and spoiling our dogs Paisley and Colsen. I feel blessed to be here.
 
About our English language arts program:
 
All of our middle school students will complete HMH Grammar lessons, and we will incorporate Gretchen Courtney's writing program and other genres of writing. 
 
Our program offers support to students in many forms.  In addition to the help and support I provide to all students in the classroom, IXL, an online practice program, offers additional support to students, including step-by-step demonstrations.    
 
All of our students will leave St. Joseph Catholic School with a solid foundation in grammar and writing and will be ready for the challenges of high school English language arts. 
 

Posts

Week at a Glance: November 21-22

Note: Students will go outside for recess in the snow and cold. Please dress appropriately. 
 
Grade 6:
  • to produce clear and coherent research recipe writing  in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to produce clear and coherent memoir writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with with sentence patterns: direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives - S-V-DO-IO Retake Check In - Monday
  • to produce clear and coherent elevator speech writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 

Week at a Glance: November 14 - 18

Note: Students will go outside for recess in the snow and cold. Please dress appropriately. 
 
Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using conjunctions and interjections: Review Tuesday; Assessment Wednesday 
  • to produce clear and coherent research recipe writing  in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to review demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with with sentence patterns: direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives: 
  • Module 4 Grammar Test Retake - Tuesday
  • to produce clear and coherent memoir writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with with sentence patterns: direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives
  • to produce clear and coherent elevator speech writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 

Week at a Glance: November 7-11

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using adverbs and prepositions
  • to produce clear and coherent journal/Bingo Card/research writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with with sentence patterns: direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives: 
  • Module 4 Grammar Test Review Tuesday; Test Wednesday
  • to produce clear and coherent memoir writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with with sentence patterns: direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives
  • to produce clear and coherent speech writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 

Week at a Glance: October 31 - November 3

Note: Please subscribe to Miss Gutierrez's webpage so you are informed of any updates throughout the week.
Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using verbs
  • to produce clear and coherent journal/Bingo Card writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with with sentence patterns: direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives
Grade 8:
  • to produce clear and coherent speech writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 

Week at a Glance: October 24 - 28

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using verbs
  • to produce clear and coherent recipe writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives
  • to produce clear and coherent descriptive writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (Describing an unusual holiday to someone who does not celebrate it using a friendly letter format).
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives
  • to produce clear and coherent speech writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 

Week at a Glance: October 17-19

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using nouns, pronouns, and adjectives - Module 2 Review Tuesday and Wednesday; Assessment Monday, October 24
  • to produce clear and coherent recipe writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections - Module 3 Review Tuesday and Wednesday; Assessment Monday, October 24
  • to produce clear and coherent descriptive writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (Describing an unusual holiday to someone who does not celebrate it using a friendly letter format).
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections - Module 3 Review Tuesday and Wednesday; Assessment Monday, October 24
  • to produce clear and coherent speech writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 

Week at a Glance: October 11-14

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using nouns, pronouns, and adjectives
  • to produce clear and coherent Bingo card writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with verbs (linking and helping) and adverbs
  • Linking Verb Check - In - Wednesday
  • Review how to write using dialogue and correct narrative multi-paragraph essay 
  • to produce clear and coherent descriptive writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (Describing an unusual holiday to someone who does not celebrate it using a friendly letter format).
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with verbs (linking and helping) and adverbs
  • Linking Verb Check - In - Wednesday
  • to produce clear and coherent descriptive writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (DAR writing essay introduction)

Upcoming Special Dress Days!

Friday, October 14 is a Spirit wear dress down day to send off the State track participants!
 
Monday, October 17 is Wear Pink dress down day for Breast Cancer Month. Bring $1 to wear pink!

Week at a Glance: October 3 - 7

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using nouns, pronouns, and adjectives
  • to produce clear and coherent 4-paragraph narrative writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with verbs
  • Narrative multi-paragraph essay with dialogue due Monday (short week due to Camp Duncan :)
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with verbs
  • to produce clear and coherent 4-paragraph argumentative writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience including citations, works cited page review, title, etc.

Week at a Glance: September 26-30

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking using nouns, pronouns, and adjectives
  • to produce clear and coherent narrative writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience 
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with nouns, pronouns, antecedents, adjectives, articles, and demonstrative and proper adjectives: Module 2 assessment (Tuesday)
  • to produce clear and coherent narrative writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through effective leads and use of dialogue  
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with nouns, common and proper nouns, pronouns, and demonstrative and relative pronouns: Module 2 assessment (Wednesday). 
  • to produce clear and coherent argumentative writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience including citations, works cited page review, title, etc.

Week at a Glance: September 19-23

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with compound subjects and verbs, simple and compound sentences, and kinds of sentences: Module 1 assessment on Friday.
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through character descriptions/analysis
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with nouns, pronouns, antecedents, adjectives, articles, and demonstrative and proper adjectives: Module 2 assessment (next Monday)
  • to produce clear and coherent narrative writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through effective leads and use of dialogue 
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking with nouns, common and proper nouns, pronouns, and demonstrative and relative pronouns: Module 2 assessment (next week). Note: short week due to Camp Edwards

Week at a Glance: September 12-16

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking through sentence work (predicate, complete predicate, verb phrase, compound subjects and compound verbs, simple sentences and compound sentences
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through character descriptions/analysis
Grade 7:
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through narrative story arc and character description
Grade 8:
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through argumentation writing including in-text citations

Week at a Glance: August 29-September 2

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking through sentence work (sentence vs. fragment, run-on sentences, subject of a sentence)
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through email and social letter writing
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking through sentence review work (types of sentences, run-on sentences, subject of a sentence, coordinating conjunctions)
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through email and social letter writing
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking through sentence review work (types of sentences, run-on sentences, subject and predicate of a sentence, coordinating conjunctions)
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through email, social letter, and argumentative writing

Week at a Glance: September 6 - 9

Grade 6:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking through sentence work (complete and simple subject of a sentence, verb phrase, Module 1 check in)
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through Tomorrow's Alphabet activity and character descriptions/analysis
Grade 7:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking through sentence review work (predicate of a sentence, compound sentences/verbs, Module 1 Sentence review and assessment)
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through narrative story ideas, story arc, and character description
Grade 8:
  • to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking through sentence review work (simple subject and simple predicate of a sentence, compound subjects and compound predicates, Module 1 Sentence review and assessment)
  • to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience through argumentation analysis via text and writing outline