Citrus Hills Intermediate
Success for School
Mr. Hoy
Phone 951-736-4600
DESCRIPTION
Success for School is a course designed to encourage reading to improve vocabulary and comprehension through daily reading. Further, students will be monitored academically and organizationally through frequent student planner checks and monthly grade checks.
GOALS
1. To increase vocabulary range and reading comprehension levels through daily reading.
2. Monitor academic progress through planner checks and jag reports.
3. Promote academic success through tutoring, mentoring, and encouragement.
4. Promote daily reflective writing.
5. Students read at least 3 novels per semester
CALIFORNIA READING/WRITING STANDARDS
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as historical and literary context clues, to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words.
Writing Strategies
Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits students’ awareness of audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.
STUDENT OUTCOMES
Students will be expected to read daily and complete a daily reading log. Students will track assignments daily in their student planners. Students will be held accountable for their work and results through communicating with their parents. The students will:
1. Develop their vocabularies through reading, discussion, and writing.
2. Students will write daily developing coherency and purpose.
3. Students will assume responsibility for their academic progress.
4. Students increase their grade equivalency through daily reading.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Ø Research/discovery activities
Ø Powerpoint presentations / lecture
Ø Cooperative learning teams/ peer tutoring
Ø Guided practice & Independent work
A majority of work will be completed in the classroom. Students will be reading, viewing, logging and answering questions during class about their reading. If students fail to use their time wisely then classwork will become homework. Students should dedicate 15 minutes nightly to reviewing concepts and ideas from the day’s lesson in order to be successful on assessments.
Course Outline (continued)
STAR TEST FOR GRADE EQUIVALENCY
Ø Students will be tested for Grade Equivalency about every 10 weeks
10.0 or higher on STAR TEST = Test on 1 book per semester (still responsible for logs daily)
8.0-9.9 on STAR TEST = Test on 2 books per semester (still responsible for logs daily)
7.0-7.9 on STAR TEST = Test on 3 books per semester (still responsible for logs daily)
6.9 or below = Test on 4 book per semester (still responsible for logs daily)
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
Ø Classwork / Activities (reading, logging, and discussion)
Ø Projects
Ø Presentations (verbal/visual)
Ø Homework
Ø Quizzes & Tests
MATERIALS
Ø (2) blue ink pens (not markers) and (2) black pens
Ø 100 index cards
Ø Colored pencils
Ø Composition Book (no spiral notebooks)
GRADING POLICY
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 59 – 0
ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS
All assignments must be completed on time to receive full credit. Students who are absent will be provided the number of days they were absent to complete the work for full credit. Any absent work not completed within the extra time allowed will be late (60% of points received if completed correctly). Work that is deemed unsatisfactory (by teacher only), will be returned and will become late. Late work will only be accepted within the semester from which it was assigned and ONLY ONE ASSIGNMENT will accepted per day. The student is responsible for obtaining all missed work from Mr. Hoy’s class page at the Citrus Hill’s website. Students will be expected to pay attention in class and remain on task for the entire period. Participation and being on task are part of the student’s citizenship and participation grades.
CALENDAR / STUDENT PLANNER
Calendars with the assignments posted for the entire month, including tests and quizzes, and due dates also are posted on Mr. Hoy’s link through the school website. Students will receive stamps for work that is completed on time. You may check your student’s progress throughout the month as to eliminate surprises come progress report or report card periods. The student planners were fundraised for by the PTA , are a great tool for organization, and will be required utilized daily in my classroom . The student planner will be graded periodically and students will have at least one weeks notice before they are graded. If they lose their student planner they must get copies of blank planner sheets and complete them.
ZERO’S AREN’T PERMITTED! (ZAP!)
Students who do not complete assignments on time, and then fail to complete them as late work, will be required to complete them during a school approved intervention period. Work in Success for School is NOT optional! Students will be EXPECTED to complete their work on time earning full credit or complete the work during Lunch Academy earning partial credit. If the student continues not to complete his/her assigned work, intervention opportunities will be provided to offer even more time such as Saturday School.
Course Outline (continued)
STUDY HABITS
Students are expected to review class work for the day from their novel due to fact that material covered will appear on quizzes and tests. Because all work is announced ahead of time (calendar & website) with due dates, students should be able to keep up with assigned tasks and prepare for quizzes and exams. Again, students should dedicate 15 minutes nightly to reviewing concepts and ideas from the day’s lesson in order to be successful on assessments.
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
Students are expected to behave in a respectful manner that will contribute towards his/her academic progress, in addition to the progress of his/her fellow classmates. Grades for Citizenship will also be determined in part by the student’s cooperation and understanding that the physical, academic, and emotional safety of all students is paramount to that of a single student.
DRESS CODE
Citrus Hills has a dress code policy (see Student-Parent Handbook) that will be enforced. If any student violates the dress code policy he/she will be issued alternative clothing and parent contact will be made. Please review the Corona-Norco Unified School District Dress Code Policy. (http://www2.cnusd.k12.ca.us/198410811164532283/lib/198410811164532283/PDF%20Files/bp5332.pdf)
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Daily attendance is essential to a more complete understanding of the novel being taught primarily daily reading, logging, and team interaction. In the study of U.S. History, like many other subjects, the material presented builds or scaffolds itself to the prior lesson. Therefore, if students miss a lesson there will be gaps in their overall knowledge of a particular topic or standard. Classroom discussion and multimedia presentations cannot be recreated for an absent student with a worksheet.
Again, students who are absent will be provided the number of days they were absent to complete the work for full credit. The student is responsible for obtaining all missed work due to an absence or otherwise from either Mr. Hoy’s link from school website. Consistent attendance is encouraged in order that your student achieve at their highest potential.
We are looking forward to a productive year with we as teachers, students, and parents working together to ensure that we all achieve our academic potential.
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically... Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”
Martin Luther King Jr.