Course Expectations and Policies

Ms. Furnia

ELATeam 7D

Van Wyck Junior High School

227-1700 Ext. 20134

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND POLICIES

ELA 7

Dear Students and Parents,

Welcome to seventh grade! I am very excited to be your teacher at such an important time in your school career. I know this letter will contain a great deal of information for just one of your classes, but the most important thing to remember is that organization is the key to your success! Start off the year organized and establish a routine. The next most important thing to remember is to do all of your assignments.This will help to let both of us know how you’re doing.

Student Expectations:

Be respectful and courteous to everyone
Be on time
Be prepared with required materials
Use appropriate language
Gum chewing is not permitted
Water bottles only are permitted
Please do not talk out of turn
Have a positive attitude and an open mind!

Consequences for Misbehavior:as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct

1st time-warning
2nd time-2nd warning/teacher lunch detention
3rd time-phone call home
4th time-administrative referral

NOTEBOOKS/SUPPLIES

Students are expected to have a binder, or section of a binder, for ELA. The binder should contain loose-leaf, as well as dividers labeledassignments,class notes, terms/vocab, reading, andtests/quizzes.Additional supplies should include pencils, pens, highlighters, sharpeners, erasers, and Post-it notes.

PLANNERS/HOMEWORK

Students are to bring their own planners to every class, every day. Homework will be written on the board each day. It is the student’s responsibility to write the homework in his or her planner.Even though homework assignments will be updated on my website,which can be accessed through the district’s website, students should get in the habit of keeping track of their own work.

ABSENCES/MAKING UP WORK

Students are responsible for making up any work that is missed due to absence. Assignments can be requested through guidance in the morning for an absence of two or more days and picked up at the end of the school day. If assignments are requested to be sent home, it will be expected that the student have them completed upon his or her return to school. Long term assignments given prior to the student’s absence will be due the day the student returns to school. If material was covered during a student’s absence, he or she will be given time to make up the work before being given the test/quiz.

CURRICULUM

The 7th grade curriculum is designed to meet the Common Core Learning Standards. District and teacher selected resources and materials will be used to ensure that students become critical readers, writers, listeners, speakers, and most importantly thinkers.

HOMEWORK/INDEPENDENT READING

In addition to any reading materials handed out for homework, ELA 7students will beexpected to be reading an independent book at all times. Sometimes, the book will be an independent reading book of the student’s choice, at other times, the book will be specific and handed out, as in the case of literature circles.In both cases, homework assignments will be given surrounding the book, as well as in class writing assignments.Independent reading books should be brought to class each day by students.Time is built into the daily bell schedule for reading, but students should be reading additional time each night.Parent/guardian please initial here. ______

WRITING

Students will be responsible for completing writing assignments each quarter, as well as self-assessing, revising and editing them. Much of this work will be done in class. These writing pieces will be placed in the students’writing portfolios, which will be kept in the classroom. Additional smaller focused writing pieces will be given as class work and will be done in the marble composition book, which will also be kept in the classroom.

SPEAKING/LISTENING

Part of the students’ grades will be based upon their participation in class discussions, both small group and whole group. Students will learn to discuss the ideas in the texts that they read and back up their points with textual evidence. They will be formally assessed during Socratic seminars.

GRADING POLICY

Assignments will vary from quarter to quarter, and the quarterly grade will be based on a Total Points system. The points will depend on the assignment, but generally speaking, the longer and more complex the assignment, test, or quiz is, the more points it will be worth. Rubrics will be given out when a long term assignment is given.

PREPARATION/LATE OR INCOMPLETE WORK

Students will automatically begin each quarter with 40 points for a Preparation grade. This is approximately equivalent to a test grade. Each time a student is unprepared with materials (reading book, signed materials, etc.), he or she will receive two points off the quarterly preparation grade. In addition, if a homework assignment is not done on the due date, two points will be deducted from the preparation grade for each day it is not completed. If the work is still not completed by the second day, students will serve a lunch detention until the workis complete. The assignment will be graded as usual. Points will only be lost on the preparation grade in order to assess the students’ understanding of the work accurately. In the event that a homework assignment is not done that is gone over together as a class on the due date, the student will receive a zero for that assignment. At the beginning of each quarter, the preparation grade will reset to 40.Parent/guardian please initial here______

PARTICIPATION

Student will begin each quarter with 40 points for a Participation grade. Student will lose points on their participation grade if they do not complete assigned classwork, do not contribute to group work, or do not stay on task during a lesson. At the beginning of each quarter, the participation grade will reset to 40.

COMMUNICATION

I am striving to give parents and students as many ways as possible to keep updated on assignments. Should you ever have any questions or concerns, you may contact me at school at 227-1700 ext. 20134. I also encourage the use of e-mail, since everyone’s busy schedule often makes phone contact difficult. I can be reached at .

Please complete and return to Ms. Furnia

I have read and understand the above information regarding the policies of Ms. Furnia’s ELA 7 class.

Student’s Name:______

Student’s Signature:______

Parent/Guardian’s Signature:______

Contact Information:

Name(s) of parent/guardian(s) (first and last please):______

______

With whom does student live?______

Address of student: Street______

City______Zip______

Home phone number:______

If I need to contact you, please fill out those of the following you would like me to use:

Work number______Whose?______Times/Days______

e-mail address (not the student’s)______