September, 2015
Dear Parents/Guardians:
I welcome your child to his/her fourth year of studying the Latin language. Below, and on the following pages, please find some pertinent information as well as guidelines for a successful year in College Latin.
We are offering qualified high school seniors the opportunity to earn college credit through the St. John’s University College Advantage Program. College Admissions officers want to see that students take the most rigorous course work available to them, and in the case of Latin, persisting in the course of study through the capstone course offered by Garden City High School. This will provide admissions officers with evidence that students have studied Latin at the highest level available.
The curriculum, written by the teacher teaching the course, has been approved by St. John’s University. The College Latin course will build upon the skills learned in other Latin high school courses and will continue to work on translation proficiency with more intensive reading and analysis within the context of the literary work. Each course is one semester in length, and students who continue their study of Latin in their senior year will therefore have the potential to earn six college credits; that is, three credits per college semester. Students must remain in the course for the entire school year; however, he/she may opt not to take the course for college credit but for high school credit. It is to be noted that we will grant college weight (1.06) to our College Latin course. Also, as with any course, should you be having difficulties with the course, I am more than happy to assist you; however, you must seek the help.
To qualify for the program, St. John’s requires that at the time of registration in September and/or January, seniors have a minimum of an 80% average in the five academic subjects (English, Language, Math, Science, and Social Studies), and a combined math and critical reading SAT score of 1000. Your child will need to officially register in September in his/her Latin class and complete the paperwork from St. John’s, which will be provided to each student by Mr. Giacalone, the World Languages Coordinator. It is at this time that your child will need to notify his/her teacher if he/she is taking the course for college credit. After this time, no changes may be made. If your child is taking the course for college credit, he/she will also be required to submit a check or money order payable to GCHS for three-hundred twenty-five dollars. College Advantage students who later enroll in St. John’s University will receive a $2,000 tuition grant for each of the four years of their undergraduate study. Any student who chooses to attend another college/university must request from ST. John’s that an official transcript be sent to the college/university of his/her choice. This is the responsibility of the student, not of Garden City High School. It is to be noted that when taking a college course, the University considers you an adult; therefore, the request for a transcript must be made by the student, not the parent/guardian.
Please be advised that since this is a college course, if your child is taking this course for college credit, he/she will receive a grade on the GCHS report card as well as an official grade report from SJU with letter grade equivalents. They are as follows:
A = 96-100% B- = 80-83 D+ = 65-69
A- = 90-95 C+ = 77-79 D = 60-64
B+ = 87-89 C = 73-76 F = < 60%
B = 83-86 C- 70-72
If your child took the course for College Credit, in July, it is the responsibility of the student to contact SJU to request an official transcript by writing to:
Office of the Registrar
St. John’s University
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
The student must include his/.her name, high school, course, year, last four digits of his/her SSN, DOB, and complete name and address where the transcript is to be sent. Please also remember to sign the letter. NOTE: As per SJU Policy, all requests must come from students, not parents/guardians.
Points of Information as per St. John’s University:
1. The course will be offered at a reduced tuition rate of $325.00 per course, which is one semester in length.
2. Withdrawals are not permitted unless the student leaves the school or is dropped from the course by administration.
3. A failing grade does not automatically warrant a withdrawal.
4. No new students may be added to the roster after registration.
5. All students must have a Social Security number to be enrolled
What follows is a syllabus of the course for student and parent perusal. Please contact me with any questions.
Overview of Course
This credit-bearing course emphasizes the structure of the language, using close reading and interpretation of primary source material in order to build cultural awareness. Students will understand the historical, political, literary and cultural context behind the works read while developing the skill of analyzing a Latin text for grammar and syntax. Students will learn figures of speech and style, including how this relates to text as a whole, and will learn dactylic hexameter for Vergil in order to read and scan the Aeneid in meter. The ACTFL language proficiency level expected of students is level Intermediate high in terms of the reading and listening competencies.
Learning Goals:
· read and comprehend passages of Latin prose and poetry
· translate Latin texts into English as literally as possible
· relate the Latin texts to Roman historical, cultural, and literary contexts
· analyze linguistic and literary features of Latin texts
Required Course Materials:
· Index cards (to keep at home and to be used throughout the year for assignments)
· Pen (blue/black ink) and pencil
· A 3-ring binder with loose-leaf OR a notebook and a folder dedicated to Latin
· Textbooks (will be distributed and must be covered and brought to class as requested)
· English translation of your choice of the Aeneid. (West, Fagles, Lombardo, Mandelbaum)
Extra Help: Please come in as soon as you need something explained; do not wait until the last minute or when problems become too large. You may e-mail me with questions or concerns at . I will be holding extra help weekly before school on Tuesdays.
Grading Policy: Points will be awarded based on quality (N.B. thorough, accurate, timely, creative) in each of the following categories:
· Classwork
· Homework
· Quizzes
· Exams
· Projects
· Participation
Your grade is calculated by dividing the points you have earned by the total possible points.
e.g., Points earned = Your grade 880 = 88%
Total possible points 1000
Work Policies
· Assignments will be given frequently to reinforce content (see late work policy below). It may be collected or checked at random, at the teacher’s discretion.
· Homework will be posted on the website before the end of each school day. Students who are not in class or do not get the work must obtain it via website or e-mail.
· Homework must be complete and brought to class on the assigned due date/date of return. NO late or missing work will be accepted unless the teacher has specified an extension.
· Missing quizzes/tests must be made up within a three day period, or else receive a zero. It is your responsibility to come to extra help or schedule a make-up session. Please note that since advanced notice of these assessments will be given, absence the day before a test or quiz is NOT an acceptable excuse for not taking the test upon return to school.
Student Procedures and Responsibilities
· All students must come to class on time, prepared to participate and work hard for the whole period. Make semper parātus/a (always prepared) your motto this semester!
· Absences: Absent students with a documented excuse are required to obtain missed work to be handed in to the teacher upon return (see the late work policy above).
· Students will be respectful of their classmates, their teacher, and themselves.
· Cutting class will result in a zero for any test/quiz/assignment during that period.
· All expectations as outlined in the Student Handbook in the Planner will be enforced.
Please sign below in order to show that you have read the syllabus and agree to all the terms listed within this syllabus. Both the student and a parent/guardian must also sign this document, agreeing to the terms within. This is your first assignment!
------CUT HERE------
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Student Name (Print) Parent/Guardian Name (Print)
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Student Signature Date Parent/Guardian Signature Date
Best Number(s) to Reach Parent/Guardian: ______
Parent/Guardian e-mail: ______
(e-mail is the easiest way to communicate any course and student info!)