Dear Parent/Guardian s45

English 2 Syllabus/H. Marshall

Dear Parent/Guardian,

My name is Heather Marshall, and I am delighted to be your child’s English 2 teacher this year. I have a B.A. in English Literature, with a minor in Journalism, from the University of South Carolina, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Queens University of Charlotte. In addition to teaching at the K-12 level and at Greenville Technical College, I’ve worked for newspapers and magazines and am a published author.

The GTCHS handbook states that “a Greenville Technical Charter High School student accepts academic rigor as the main focus of high school, is expected to attend college for training or a degree, has reached the maturity and skill level required to begin taking college courses, has reached a developmental level that allows independent work, and seeks the challenge to learn and to grow.” Keep these expectations and goals in mind as your child begins their education at this remarkable institution.

If this is your student’s first year of high school, it will be a time of great change and growth; if it is your student’s second year, it will be a time on continued growth and more challenging expectations. In either case, they and I will need your support in order to ensure their academic and social success. My goal is to prepare your student for future academic endeavors, which includes teaching responsibility, accountability, and self advocacy in addition to academic content. I have high expectations for my students, but I will never ask something of them that they are not capable of doing. I ask that you consistently discuss my class with your child in order to remain aware of his/her assignments and grades.

Please take time to review this syllabus with your child and complete and return the last page of this document which provides your contact information and indicates that you both understand the expectations of my classroom. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will respond within at least 24 hours or on the next business day if you contact me on the weekend or a holiday. The most reliable method of contact for me is e-mail (see address below).

Best,

Heather Marshall

English 2 Course Syllabus

Instructor: Ms. Heather Marshall

B.A. in English, University of South Carolina

M.F.A. in Creative Writing

Location: Building 120, Room 209

E-Mail:

Office Hours: Tuesdays from 2:50-3:30 p.m. in Smart Center (MPR)

Course Description: English 2 is study of world literature, covering a wide range of genres, including fiction, creative nonfiction, informational texts, drama and poetry. In addition to continued development of grammar skills, students will develop as thinkers and writers as they master key writing, reading, and research standards. Students will demonstrate proficiency in reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing and the writing process, and research.

Required Materials:

ü  Course text: Collections: Grade 10 — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (supplied by GTCHS); Supplementary texts (supplied by instructor)

ü  GTCHS-issued agenda

ü  Composition book—college or wide ruled (whichever you prefer)

ü  3-ring binder

ü  College ruled, loose leaf paper

ü  #2 Pencils

ü  Blue and/or black pens

ü  Highlighters

ü  Flash drive to be kept in backpack at all times

Classroom Policies

Assessment: In my class, grades are earned and not “given.” Good grades are earned by completing high-quality work in a timely manner. Grades for each quarter are calculated according to the following formula:

Classwork: 10%

Homework: 10%

Quizzes: 10%

Major Tests: 20%

Projects: 20%

Formal Writing: 30%

A Mid-Term Exam and a Final Exam will each count for 10% of the semester grade.

Proficiency is measured according to following percentages:

Mastery: 100-93%

Proficient: 92-85%

Basic: 84-80%

Below Basic: 79-0%

If a student fails a course with a grade of 70-79, the student is eligible to retake the course through credit recovery. If a student fails a course with a grade below 70, the student will not be eligible for credit recovery and should contact their school counselor for summer school options.

Office Hours: My office hours are on Tuesday afternoons from 2:50-3:30 p.m. in Smart Center (MPR).

Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are mandated to attend office hours if their F1 (overall average for the year) average is below 80%.The purpose of office hours is to give academic assistance proactively and reactively. This is not a time for make-up work to be done. Students will arrive on time and are required to stay for the full time or until their F1 grade is above 80%. Extracurricular activities do not warrant an excused absence. There are repercussions for unexcused absences.

Students will notify parents via e-mail on Mondays during advisory when their F1 average falls below 80% and once again when the grade rises above 80%.It is highly recommended that all students who earn below 80% on a major assessment attend Office Hours in order toreassess or earn points back up to, but not to exceed, 80%. The manner of reassessment is up to the teacher’s discretion.Reassessments must be completed within two weeks of the original assessment.Only major assessments can be reassessed and the reassessment can only be done during office hours and may not be done at home.

Late Work and Absences: Assignments are due at the beginning of class.

·  Homework and Classwork: Late assignments will be accepted for half credit.

·  Major Assessments: There will be a 10 point penalty for each school day that major assessments are late.

If you are absent from school, it is your responsibility to contact me for missed assignments on the day you return to class following an absence. Work should be submitted and tests made up no later than5 school daysafter the excused absence. Work will not be accepted after this time period and a grade of “0” will be entered.

Tardies: First Offense: Warning / Second Offense: Parent Contact / Third Offense: Lunch Detention

Technology: The following items are prohibited in GTCHS classrooms unless teacher permitted: Cell phones, pagers, electronic games, CD players, and IPODs.

Throughout the year, we will be utilizing articles, essays, news clips, and videos in our exploration of literature in all of its various forms. Videos may be rated PG-13. We will take advantage of the technology that is available at GTCHS. This includes but is not limited to desktop and laptop PC and MAC computers, tablets, and SMART Boards. All GTCHS students are given an e-mail address under the school domain. I expect all students to check this e-mail address at least once daily and use it for correspondence with me.

Print before coming to class—if you print after the start of the class, the homework will be considered late. I expect all students to use a flash drive, come to school early to print in one of the computer labs, stay for after school tutoring if they need time to print, or print at home. Please anticipate technology problems in advance and always make back-ups of your work. You are in high school and you are responsible for your work.

Cheating and Plagiarism: These offenses will not be tolerated in any form. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, copying another student’s work (OF ANY KIND) with or without his/her consent. Allowing someone else to copy your work is also cheating. Plagiarism includes cheating but also copying or using the ideas of a published author without giving proper credit.

Once we have studied proper documentation, the repercussions for plagiarism will be: a referral, a grade of 0% for the plagiarized assignment, and a research paper implementing proper MLA citations.

Discipline: My classroom is an atmosphere of mutual respect. Students will be respectful to me, their classmates, and themselves. Interfering with my teaching or the learning of others will result in consequences.

Ms. Marshall’s Classroom Rules:

1.  Absolutely no phones or other electronic devices should be powered on.

2.  No food or drink other than water.

3.  Students will only leave the classroom in case of an emergency.

4.  Everyone will be treated with respect.

Tentative Content Syllabus

Quarters 1 and 2: the United States and the British Isles. We will read selections from a variety or authors and genres, including, but not limited to:

·  Billy Collins

·  Diane Glancy

·  Martin Luther King, Jr.

·  Lorna Dee Cervantes

·  Oscar Wilde

·  William Shakespeare

·  Naomi Shihab Nye

Quarters 3 and 4: the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Selected authors include, but are not limited to:

·  Etgar Keret

·  Khaled Hosseini

·  Chinua Achebe

·  Haruki Murakami

·  Azar Nafisi

Please enter your contact information below and then sign and date, indicating that you have read and understand the content of this syllabus. This page should be returned to Ms. Marshall for the first homework grade.

Students: Please keep the syllabus as a reference for the rest of the year.

Parents: You are welcome to make a copy of this syllabus, but a copy must remain in your child’s binder at all times.

Parent name (Please print): ______

Parent e-mail: ______

Parent phone: (Home) ______(Work) ______

I have read this syllabus and understand the requirements and expectations of Ms. Marshall’s class.

Parent signature: ______Date: ______

Student signature: ______Date: ______

Comments for Ms. Marshall:

Subject to change.