Required Materials
Students are expected to bring their materials to class every day, unless instructed otherwise. Students must have their textbooks, notebooks, journals, folders, agenda books, and a writing utensil every day when class begins.
Class participation points will be affected by whether or not the student brings the required materials to class each day.
Journals
When students enter the classroom, there will be a journal activity posted at the front of the classroom. Students are expected to get their materials, be seated, and begin working on the journal activity as soon as they enter the classroom. Journals must be neatly written and must be a minimum of one full journal page. Journals must be completed in a timely manner.
Journal activities will affect class participation points.
Notes
Students will receive a notebook, which will be used during class for notetaking. When taking notes, students are expected to copy all material, as it appears on the Smart Board. Notebooks will be checked and graded for completion, organization, and neatness.
Notetaking activities will affect class participation points. Students who are absent are responsible for getting the previous day’s notes from another student.
Participation
Each student will receive a daily class participation grade. Participation grades are worth 3 points per day (15 points per week). Students are expected to participate in all classroom activities to receive 3 points. Deductions will be made for failure to complete classroom activities on time, failure to participate in class, failure to bring materials to class, or behavior issues.
STUDENTS WHO ARE ABSENT FROM CLASS WILL RECEIVE PARTICIPATION GRADES! Participation points will be based upon completion of ISS, OSS, and/or makeup assignments.
See below for more details…
Absences
It is up to the individual student to make up any work missed due to absence. Students will have one day per day absent to make up any assignments, activities, tests, etc. Makeup work should be turned in on or before the due date. Late makeup work or work that is not turned in will result in a zero grade on both the assignment and class participation.
Students must see me before school, after school, or during my prep period to get make up work. Please do not do so immediately before, after, or during class! I will not give you the assignments unless you see me at one of the designated times.
I will not track down students who are absent to discuss make up work with them. If the student does not request make up work from me upon returning to school, he or she will receive a zero on missed assignments, participation, etc.
ISS/OSS
Students who are in ISS or OSS are expected to complete all assignments for each day they are absent.
Assignments are due BY THE END OF THE DAY for all students in ISS.
Assignments are due on the DAY THE STUDENT RETURNS TO SCHOOL for all students in OSS.
Students in ISS and OSS will receive a class participation grade for the days they spend in ISS/OSS. Students will receive a zero out of 2 points if assignments are not returned to me on time. Students who complete their work will receive a participation grade based on the quality of their work, in addition to any grade for the assignment.
Absences due to Extracurricular Activities
Students who are absent due to their participation in extracurricular activities are expected to complete all assignments for each day they are absent. Students are expected to request work at least one day in advance.
Assignments are due upon the student’s RETURN TO SCHOOL.
Grades
This class is graded on a point system. The percentage is calculated by dividing points earned by total points. Grades do not carry over from one quarter to another. In other words, everyone starts each quarter with 100%.
Late work will not be accepted in most cases. Whether or not late work will be accepted is based solely upon the discretion of the teacher.
Turning in Homework
All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. This means that your work must be completed before you arrive in the classroom. I will collect assignments at the beginning of the period that they are due.
Graded Work
All assignments that are turned in will be kept by the teacher. This is important for accurate record-keeping. If there is a problem with your grade and the assignments are not available to be checked, then the grade will stand as it was recorded.
Under no circumstances should graded work leave the classroom. Students may obtain a copy of their graded work, if they want to take a graded assignment or test home.
Plagiarism
Most of my assignments are written so that plagiarism is not likely to happen. However, on some research-based assignments, plagiarism is a potential issue. All students and parents should familiarize themselves with exactly what constitutes plagiarism.
Any student who plagiarizes on an assignment will receive a grade deduction, up to and including a zero on the assignment and/or class participation, as well as disciplinary action.
Please read the Important Notice Regarding Plagiarism for details!
Hall, Library, Office, & Restroom Passes
Whenever possible, take care of anything not related to class before or after class starts. Leaving or entering the classroom once class has started should be limited to emergency situations only. Students are required to have signed agenda books before leaving the classroom for any reason.
Students who do not bring their agenda books to class will not be allowed to leave the classroom once the tardy bell rings.
If you are going to be sick, leave the classroom immediately. This is the only situation in which you may leave class without a pass or without waiting for permission from the teacher.
Working in a Group
There will be times when you are expected to work in a group of your peers. Groups may be assigned by the teacher, selected randomly, or created by the students. If you are assigned to a group in which you don’t like one or more of your group members, you are just going to have to find a way to work together.
Unfortunately, you are going to have to work with many people in life that you may not like. This is a skill you need to have, so you might as well start now. You will not be allowed to disrespect any member of your group and all work must be divided equally among group members. I will be watching carefully and will note the way you interact with your group. I will take disciplinary action, if necessary. You WILL be graded on how well you participate and your behavior during group activities.
Give other people a chance – you might be surprised to find out that you have something in common with a student you thought you disliked. Even if you don’t become friends, you may find that someone you don’t particularly like on a personal level can make great contributions to a group project.
Bullying & Respect
Bullying of any sort will not be tolerated. Many students feel that it is acceptable to laugh at, play jokes on, exclude, or make fun of others. You should always treat others with respect, whether you like them or not. A good rule to keep in mind is to treat others as you would like to be treated.
Enforcing School Policies
School policies are created by the school board and must be enforced by all teachers. Please be aware that, although you may not agree with school policies, you are expected to follow them. It is up to the classroom teachers to enforce all school policies. Please make an effort to comply with school policies at all times.
Language Arts 8 