Dear Student & Parent(S)/Guardian(S)
Dear Student & Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Hello, and welcome to health class! I am excited to be your teacher this year! You will learn valuable information in this class that will help you and your family lead long and healthy lives!!
Course Description:
Health is a semester long class, and passageof the class is required by the State of Ohio for graduation. During the first nine weeks the units we will discuss are healthy life skills, mental and emotional health, and injury prevention and personal safety. We will discuss the units of growth and development; drugs, alcohol, and tobacco; and nutrition during the second nine weeks.
Materials:
You are REQUIRED to bring your health folder, paper, and a writing utensil everyday! I prefer pencil, but will allow ink to be used. However, the assignment must be neat. Assignments done in neon colors will not be accepted. Tests must be done in pencil or blue or black ink only!!
Assignment Policy:
Assignments areto be turned in on the day they are due in order to get full credit! Late assignments will be accepted for half credit for up to one week after the due date. After a week, the assignment will no longer be accepted and will be recorded as a zero. Late projects will be graded at my discretion depending on the type of project and total points possible.
You are responsible for all missed assignments when you are absent. It is not the teacher’sresponsibility!! According to WMHS policy, you have one day for every day you are absent to make up missed work from those days.
Websites:
I will do my best to post assignments on ProgressBook by Monday afternoon for each week. Please be advised that what is posted is subject to change due to the pace of each individual class, interruptions in the school day, etc. If a change should occur, it will be posted to the web as soon as possible.
You can find a list of links to health related websites on my portaportal website. Many are informational websites, with the majority being news sources and sites backed by the United States Health Department. You can access these links at You will need to login using the guest pass name health_warriors.
Evaluation:
Grades will be based on performance on journals, in-class assignments, assignments to be finished at home, projects, tests, and quarterly assessments. There will also be a final exam in this class.
All grades will follow the WatkinsMemorialHigh School grading scale:
A = 94% - 100%B- = 83% - 84%D+ = 72% - 73%
A- = 92% - 93%C+ = 81% - 82%D = 67% - 71%
B+ = 90% - 91%C = 76% - 80% D- = 65% - 66%
B = 85% - 89%C- = 74% - 75%F = 64% and below
Class Policies:
1. If you are tardy to class without a signed pass from a staff member, the following consequences will apply: 1st time: free pass 2nd time: warning 3rd and subsequent times: detention
2. Food and drinks are not permitted in class. Same consequences as tardiness will apply.
3. At the end of class, the TEACHER will dismissyou, NOT THE BELL. Stay in your seat until the
bell rings.
4. MP3 players and cells phones are also not permitted in class. Use of these items in class will result
in being sent down to the office to Mr. Dahlman.
5. RESPECTeach other, the teacher, the administration, other teachers and staffof WMHS, and most
importantly … yourself!! You donot always have to like everyone, but you have to get along
and respect everyone’s differences. This is an important part of having good social health.
6. During discussions, it is important that we respect each other by not speaking when someone
else is. Every student has something important to contribute, and all thoughts and ideas are
important to me. Please allow your fellow classmates and me to hear all.
7. Keep the classroom clean – before leaving everyday, make sure all trash is thrown away. Even if
you didn’t make the mess, if you see it, please be kind and pick it up.
8. EVERY STUDENT can and will learn, however, EFFORT is needed!!!
Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
I believe that if we work together, we can make your child’s health experience a positive and successful one. I encourage you to ask your child what we are talking about in class and discuss it with them. Health is a subject that is constantly bringing about new information. This is what makes it interesting and important.
On the following page(s), you will find a permission form for some of the activities we may do in class throughout the semester. Please review the following information and mark what your child is allowed to participate in.
One of our units will cover growth and development. We will discuss the reproductive systems, sexually transmitted infections (diseases), and pregnancy. Throughout the unit, abstinence will be highly stressed! Guest speakers might also be here to present a program called FirstString. One of the days they are here, boys and girls will be separated and pictures of the different infections will be shown.
Other guest speakers will also be scheduled. One speaker is from LifeLine of Ohio and will speak to the students on organ donation. The speakers or I may also show videos that may be rated PG or
PG-13 to reinforce what is being taught in class.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me at school or e-mail me. Due to my schedule, e-mail will probably receive a quicker response. For my records, on the following page, please list your daytime phone number and e-mail address if available.
Miss Shaeffer
Permission Form Page
______
Student Name Class Period
Pleasemark what your child is allowed to participate in. If this page is returned signed but all or none of the boxes are checked, it is assumed that permission has been granted for all activities.
Growth & Development Unit:
- My child has permission to remain in health class for all parts of the growth & development unit.
- With the exception of the day pictures of infections are shown, my child has permission to remain in health class for all parts of the growth & development unit.
- My child does not have permission to remain in health class during the growth & development unit. I understand they will be sent to the library to complete other work.
Guest Speaker:
- My child has permission to remain in health class for the presentation about organ donation from LifeLine of Ohio.
- My child does not have permission to remain in health class for the presentation about organ donation. I understand they will be sent to the library to complete other work.
Movies:
- My child has permission to remain in health class should a movie rated PG be shown.
- My child does not have permission to remain in health class should a movie rated PG be shown. I understand they will be sent to the library to complete other work.
______
Mother/Female Guardian’s Signaturedaytime phone number e-mail address
______
Father/Male Guardian’s Signaturedaytime phone number e-mail address
Student Signature
I ______have read and understand what materials will be needed for class, how
(print name) I will be evaluated, and the classroom policies.
Signed ______Date ______
Prevent Assault & Violence Education - PAVE
Unfortunately violence is something teens are dealing with on a daily basis. Tragic instances of violence in the nation’s schools have brought the issue of student safety to the top of the agenda for parents, educators and community agencies. Research indicates that teens are victims of violent crimes twice as often as adults and crimes against teens are more likely to be committed by other teens than by adults. The violence they face is physical, emotional and/or sexual.
According to statistics, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys will be sexually assaulted before age 18. 42% offemale teens and 54% of male teens feel forced sex is acceptable under certain circumstances (i.e. if a guy spends a lot of money on the date, if the girl has had past sexual experiences or if you have been dating more than six months).
To reduce their vulnerability, Mental Health America (MHA) of LickingCounty offers PAVE, an assault/rape prevention program to LickingCounty high school students, their parents and teachers in LickingCounty. The student workshops are held in individual classrooms. College student volunteers discuss healthy relationships, assault situations and how to prevent such situations from occurring or what to do if it has happened to them or someone they know. Physical and emotional assault, cultural diversity, anger management, sexual harassment and sexual assault including date/acquaintance rape can be topics for discussion. There is an emphasis on the fact that rape does not occur due to the sexual desire of the perpetrator but because of the power and control he/she wants to have over another.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ashley Shaw at Mental Health America at
(740) 522-2277.
If you DO NOT want your student to participate, complete the form below and return it to your child’s teacher. PAVE is scheduled for your student’s school in fall 2010. Students who do not return this form will remain in the classroom to view the presentations.
YOU ONLY NEED TO SIGN BELOW IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR CHILD
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PAVE PROGRAM.
I DO NOT give my permission for ______(Name of student)to
participate in the PAVE program at WatkinsMemorialHigh School.
SIGNED DATE