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Dear parents and guardians,
 
I am excited to welcome your son/daughter to one of my classes this year, and I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself to you. I was born and raised in Germany and have been living in the United States since 1997. Growing up in a family of educators, I always knew that I would enter the teaching field one day. Throughout my schooling, I interacted with a number of teachers who clearly enjoyed their job which also had a big impact on my career choice. I finally decided to become a secondary teacher when I first discovered my love for foreign languages as a result of taking both English and French for several years in Germany.
 
I graduated from the University of Kiel, Germany, in 1997 with the State Examination Certificate for Secondary School Teachers (which is equivalent to a BA in Secondary Education) with teaching majors in ELD and French, plus a MA in English and French Literature. After successfully completing the Single Subject Credential Program at UCI, I received my credential for teaching German in the summer of 2000. I am also qualified to teach French 1, Language Arts 1 and ELD classes.
 
This will be my 24th year in the profession (8th year at YLHS, after one year at Esperanza HS and 15 years at La Habra HS), teaching all levels of German, including Honors and AP, as well as French 1 and ELD. I also served as the World Languages Department chair for several years at La Habra HS. I have been living in North Orange County since I moved to the US, and I am well familiar with PYLUSD: Both my children attended Rose Drive Elementary, YLMS and YLHS (class of 2016 and 2022). I have also been a representative on the YLHS School Site Council for the past nine years both as a parent and a teacher.  
 
My schedule for the 2023/2024 school year looks like this:
 
Period 1: German 3/3H/4
Period 2: German 2/2H  
Period 3: German 1   
Period 4: ELD   
Period 5: ELA
 
My office hour this year will be period 6. Please contact me in advance if you would like to set up a parent-teacher conference. You can send me an e-mail at [email protected] (preferred method of contact) or leave a message at (714) 986-7500 ext. 14384. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Students can reach me through email Monday-Friday until 8 pm if they have questions about homework. They can also talk to me during break or lunch whenever I am available. Appointments need to be made for making up quizzes/tests.
 
Please read my classroom/grading policies and return the signed accountability form (posted on this website and on Google classroom as "German class - signature form") by Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Students will receive a printed copy in class and can upload the signed form directly to Google classroom. Thank you!
 
I am looking forward to working with you in a successful partnership this coming school year. Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. We are in this together!
 
INCOMING FRESHMEN: PLEASE CHECK OUT THE DOCUMENT "WHY STUDY GERMAN" AND THE SHORT VIDEO AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. I WOULD LOVE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE YLHS GERMAN PROGRAM NEXT SCHOOL YEAR!
 
Sincerely,
  
Daniela Picciotta