Congratulations on being assigned me as your U.S. History teacher. I know that we will have a great school year together. To be successful in U.S. history, you MUST do the following:

• Be an active participant. This means that not only are you taking notes and completing your assignments but you are asking questions, seeking clarification, and participating in discussions.
• Stay organized. It is imperative that you maintain a class specific binder. All notes are labeld by learning target at the top. Place these notes in order in your binder. Also keep up with bellringers and other work handed back to you.
• Complete your work. No one hates busy work more than I do. That is why every assignment I assign is specifically tailored towards your success on classroom assessments and the EOC. This practice work is vital to your success in the class as doing it will ensure you understand the content and will pass the test. Practice work also counts as 40% of your grade.
• Stop stressing. High school can be difficult at times, there will be times where you struggle, perhaps you fail a test or turn an assignment in late, etc. it happens to the best of us. Despite these struggles, it's important that you learn to manage your stress levels. If you are struggling in the class, I am here to help, but I can only help if (1) I know you're struggling and (2) if you're willing to put in the work to improve. Put your trust in the process and everything will work out. We are all in this together. 

Hello, I am Mr. Justin Sumner and I am excited to have you in my class this year. I am entering my 8th year teaching (7 and a half years to be exact), all of which have been here at Ola. I have taught most of the social studies courses including Geography, World History, US History, AP US History, Psychology, and Sociology. I graduated from Mary Persons High School in 2010, earned my Bachelors' from Gordon State College in 2014, my Masters' from Georgia Southern University in 2018, and my Specialist from University of West Georgia in 2020. I have a dog named George and two cats named Mickey and Madi. I'm currently the head girls basketball coach and the JV volleyball coach. 

The best way to contact me is via email. My email is justin.sumner@henry.k12.ga.us

• When writing an email please use proper email etiquette meaning: Use an appropriate subject, clearly identify yourself, and be specific in your request or concern.
• If you do not know how to check your student email, there is a video below. Remember, your student email is through Outlook, not GMAIL.
• I typically respond to emails rather quickly, but please allow for 24 hours to pass before emailing again. 

You can also contact me through Remind. All students must join the remind and parents are encouraged to do so as well. The Remind code is @ushsumner. Message the code to 81010 or join through the app. When joining the class, please ensure your first and last name are correct and select the proper role.