Classroom Syllabus, Policies, and Procedures
Mrs. Harnish - English II
Contact Information:
Mrs. Katie Harnish817-237-3314, ext. 8185
Conference Period: 6th
**Email is the best and most efficient way to contact me.**
Classroom Expectations:
1. Be courteous and respectful to yourself and others at ALL times (as you would want to be treated).
2. Be an active listener and participant.
3. Bring all needed materials and supplies to class at all times.
4. Be responsible.
5. Bring a positive attitude and expect a great day!
Our time in class together is valuable, so please be in class on time and ready to participate. Penalties for tardies are the following:
1st Tardy: Warning
2nd Tardy: 10 minute detention
3rd Tardy: Parent Contact and Referral
4th Tardy & Additional Tardy: Referral
Classroom Rules:
1. Follow directions and focus on the task at hand.
2. Use electronic devices appropriately and only during allowed times.
3. Keep all bags, purses, cosmetics, brushes, hair care products, etc. put away during class time.
4. If you get it out, please return it. Pick up after yourself.
5. Allow others to learn.
6. Talk at appropriate times and in an appropriate manner.
7. Stay seated while I’m giving instructions and teaching.
Supplies:
flash drive (min. 4 gb) – may be used for all classes – MARK YOUR NAME ON IT!
One1/2”-1” binder (for Writer’s Notebooks)
Dividers or you can make your own!
Notebook paper
Pens (blue or black ink)
Highlighters
#2 pencils (may be mechanical if desired)
Facial Tissues!!! PLEASE
An additional item (these will be stored for use in the classroom)
7th and 8th periods –square sticky notes (package of 3) AND facial tissue
The Writer’s Notebook
A Writer’s Notebook is a place for writers to collect ideas, practice specific strategies, and experiment with language. From generating ideas, to revising and editing, to eventually publishing a polished piece of writing, students use their Writer’s Notebooks to keep up with their drafts as they work through the writing process. The notebook will also serve as a place for students to keep their final drafts so that, as they move through high school, they can reflect on their own individual growth as writers. This will be an essential element in our work together, and we will use the notebooks daily, as an important tool for students to grow in their writing this year.
Assignment Guidelines
- Turn all assignments in ON TIME. Homework is due at the BEGINNING of class – when you walk in the door! Any homework not turned in at the beginning of class is considered LATE!
- Write neatly and provide your name. If I can’t read it, I won’t grade it. If there is no name, you can’t receive credit.
- If an assignment is required to be typed, it should always be in Times New Roman, size 12 font with 1” margins unless otherwise stated in the instructions.
Grading Policy:**District Grading Policy will be followed strictly**
Daily grades = 40% of total grade
*Daily grades include (but are not limited to) classwork, homework, and participation.
Major grades= 60% of total grade(at least three major grades will be taken each six weeks)
*Major grades include (but are not limited to) tests, projects, and major essays.
Late Work
Late work is defined as any assignment not turned in on the assigned and teacher communicated due date. An assignment may be turned in under the following guidelines:
- 1 day late – maximum score is 85
A 100 would record as an 85 (100 x .85)
An 80 would record as a 68 (80 x .85)
- 2 days late – maximum score is 70
A 100 would record as a 70 (100 x .70)
An 80 would record as a 56 (80 x .70)
- 3 days late – maximum score of 60
No late work accepted after 3school business days and a zero is recorded in the grade book.
Make-Up Work- You will have time equal to the days you were absent from class plus one day to complete all missed assignments. Make up tests will be administered before or after school to prevent you from missing additional class time. (You must make arrangements for transportation.) Work, including tests, assigned prior to an absence is due on the first day you return.
Remember that you are responsible for all information covered during class when you are absent. This includes notes, exam dates, assignments, handouts, special topics of discussion, group and individual work, projects, and special announcements.
Retesting (aka Redo/Reteach) Failing Grades
- The student must make the request to redo the major assignment or retake the test for which he/she earned a failing grade within 3 days of the failing grade being posted in Family Access.
- The student, at teacher discretion, may be required to attend tutorials prior to the opportunity to redo/retest. The number of tutorials or reteach opportunities is determined by the teacher.
- The teacher will determine the redo/retest due dates based upon the assignment/assessment length and/or time-line for tutorials/reteach.
- The assessment may be of an alternative variety from the original assignment/assessment as long as it is coverage of the same TEKS and at the same level of cognition as the original assessment.
- The highest available grade on the retest for a failing grade is a 70%.
- The opportunity to retest is a one-time offering per assessment.
- Students will ONLY be allowed to retest if effort was given on the original assessment. Grades of zero are NOT permitted to be changed by retesting.
- Re-teaching and redo/reassessing provisions do not apply to daily assignments (minor grades), quizzes, six-weeks test given last week of six weeks, and semester final examinations.
Retesting (aka Redo-Reteach) Passing Grades
The following retest option is available for students who passed a major graded assignment or assessment and earned a grade of 70-84 the opportunity to retest based upon the following criteria:
- The student must make the request to redo the summative assessment for which he/she earned a passing grade within 3 days of the original passing grade of 70-84 being posted in Family Access.
- The student, at teacher discretion, may be required to attend tutorials prior to the opportunity to retest on a summative assessment. The number of tutorials or reteach opportunities is determined by the teacher.
- The teacher will determine the redo/retest due dates based upon the time-line for tutorials/reteach.
- The summative assignment/assessment may be of an alternative variety from the original assessment as long as it is coverage of the same TEKS and at the same level of cognition as the original assessment.
- The highest available grade on the redo/retest of a passed major graded assignment or assessment for an initial grade of 70-84 is an 85.
- The opportunity to redo/retest on a passed major graded assignment or assessment is a one-time offering per assignment/assessment.
- Re-teaching and redo/reassessing provisions do not apply to daily assignments (minor grades, quizzes, six-weeks test given last week of six weeks, and semester final examinations.
Academic Honesty:
If you copy someone else’s work and put your name on it, you have plagiarized. Plagiarism is also known as cheating. This also covers essays and papers where you do not properly cite your sources. If you fail to cite a source, you are plagiarizing.
If you are caught plagiarizing a homework assignment, paper, or exam, you will receive an automatic zero, and your parent will be notified. You will also receive a referral to the academic principal. I expect honesty in my classroom. You are expected to do your own work and not rely on others to do the work for you.