Welcome to 7th grade English Language Arts.  My name is Dana Kosmark and I have been teaching in the North Bergen School District for over 25 years.  During this time, I have taught 3rd and 4th grade here at Franklin School and 5th grade at Lincoln School.  After I left Lincoln School, I became a Literacy Coach for a few years before taking on the role of 7th-grade English teacher here at Franklin.  This will be the start of my fifth year in 7th grade and I look forward to working with your child.  I feel reading is essential in life and that is why I will encourage reading every day.  As a class, we will read independently and work towards our goal of reading One Million Words.  So what is the impact of reading? Students become better writers, develop richer vocabulary, and increase background knowledge.  Reading also improves focus, memory, empathy, and communication skills.  These are some of the reasons why reading is so impactful.