10TH Grade Driver Education

Instructor: / Amy Wheeler / Work Phone: / 540-433-2651
Office Location: / Rm. 327 (Girl’s PE Office) / E-mail: /
Office Hours: / 3rdBlock / Website: /

WELCOME to the new school year and HPE10! This course is a combination of Driver Education and Physical Education. There will also be a separate grade for Driver Education, which will determine whether or not students are eligible to take Behind the Wheel in order to receive a Virginia driver’s license.

The purpose of Driver Education is to provide students with a detailed understanding of the fundamentals of driving as well as to foster responsible attitudes and behaviors while on the roadway. Guidelines for Driver Education are developed by the Virginia Department of Education. Students are required to successfully complete at least 36 hours of classroom instruction. However, the classroom portion is not needed in order for a student to get a learner’s permit. If students do not meet the 36 hour requirement, then they will not earn their Certificate of Completion and must retake the course. This certificate is necessary to get a license.

Driving is a lifelong skill that must be respected and appreciated. In order to fully develop a strong understanding for the driving task, the classroom environment must remain as a “learning lab.”

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES-

  • Class Agreement: “I will not do anything that keeps me from learning, others from learning, or the teacher from teaching.”
  • In the RARE event of a TARDY: Being on time is a good life skill to acquire sooner than later! Be seated appropriately and ready to begin class activities as soon as the bell sounds. Students must remain seated until the dismissal bell or announcement: Refer to HHS Tardy Policy!!!
  • Dress Code/Electronic Devices: Please refer to the student handbook. Let’s all avoid conflict and difficult situations by using good judgment; dressing appropriately & securing electronics.  Electronic devices should be off and put away during classroom instruction. Students who refuse to put their device away &/or choose to continue using their device will receive an office referral. (Student initials ______)
  • Miscellaneous: Food & drink are to disappear before entering the classroom - the only exception is bottled water. You will be expected to use appropriate language at all times. At the end of each class period, you need to clean up your work area-- throw all trash and straighten the desks into neat rows!! Let’s be prideful of our daily space.

GRADING PROCEDURES-

  • Bell Ringer: A writing assignment, known as the Bell Ringer, will be given at the beginning of each class. They are mandatory to complete and will be averaged into each quarter’s grade. Bell ringers are given to develop stronger writing skills & prepare the student for the eleventh grade writing SOL. This is required according to school’s literacy program.
  • Criteria for writing assignments will be covered on the first day of driver education. Types of writing assignments may include position papers, essays, and / or research papers.
  • Class Work Assignments: These learning activities may come from a variety of resources; the textbook, a news article, the Internet, etc. Assignments will be graded on neatness, organization, and completion. Incomplete / or unreadable assignments must be redone in order to be graded.
  • Quizzes & Tests: You will need to study! Any material covered in class is fair game on quizzes & tests; so listen carefully!!!
  • Each student will receive a log-in and password to access these assessments online at It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all quizzes in each section are completed by their due date prior to the test. (Student initials ______)

ORGANIZATION-

  • A 3-ring binder is preferred, however, if another way of organization suits your needs better, then you are invited to use an alternative form of tidiness
  • (i.e. folders, spiral notebooks with pockets, etc).
  • Notebooks will be checked for completion & organization!!
  • A supply of paper
  • Writing utensils (pencil &/or pens)
  • A daily PLANNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We’ve got soooo much to learn about so many important topics; LET’S GET STARTED!

Student Name (PRINT):______Date:______

Parent Signature:______Date:______

Frequently Asked Questions

“How does my child get their learner’s permit?”

  • Students are eligible for a learner's permit when they reach the age of 15 years and 6 months. Students need to go to the DMV and take a test. The test is broken into 2 parts. The first part of the test focuses on signs. Students must score a 100% on this part of the test or they will not be allowed to continue. The second part of the test is for general knowledge. They will be asked 25 questions and must get at least 20 of them correct. Classroom driver education is not a prerequisite for a learner's permit. A student may take the DMV test up to three times. If they fail it a third time they will be required to complete the classroom portion of driver education before being allowed to test again. Once a student gets a learner's permit they must complete 45 hours of documented, supervised driving with a parent or guardian. Fifteen of those hours must be during nighttime.

“What are the steps to get a driver’s license?”

  • In order to take Behind the Wheel instruction, students must hold a learner’s permit, show their Certificate of Classroom Completion (DEC-1), and have started their 45 hours of supervised driving. Behind the Wheel instruction consists of 7 driving periods, 7 observation periods, and a road skills test. Students can sign up for BTW with Mrs. Thompson. They will then be given instruction based on the issue date of their learner's permit. The cost of BTW is $150 and must be paid before instruction begins. Students are eligible for their license after holding their learner’s permit for at least 9 months and completing all the required steps.