ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 9 – MRS. STUBBS
September, 2012
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians:
Welcome to Airport High School! I look forward, once again, to working with the students and this community.
The entire staff feels that all students should have the opportunity to develop their abilities and continue to learn in a positive and safe environment. This is my wish for the classes I am teaching this year. I hope the following information will be of use to you regarding the general class guidelines.
The grading scale, rules for the classroom, attendance policy and general codes of conduct are the same in my classroom as in the Student Handbook. Please make sure that you are familiar with this guide, and that your student is following it. In order to receive a diploma, students must pass virtually every class. The only way to make up credit is through summer school, which occurs at the expense of either the student or the parent, not the school district. For English Language Arts 9, the grades are determined by dividing the student’s earned points by the total number of points that have been accumulated in a given marking period. Incidentally, extra credit may be offered at various times throughout the semester only if the student has turned in all major assignments (40 points or more). The total amount of extra credit available will not exceed 5% of the total points possible for each term.
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Each student will be required to have the following for English 9 this year:
· A spiral notebook to be left in the classroom for journal assignments
· A personal notebook, spiral or 3-ring binder, for notes from which to study
· A folder to keep all handouts neatly organized
· 3x5 Notecards for Vocabulary
HAC!!! If a parent, guardian or student wishes to be updated as to their present grade there are two ways of getting this information: I am happy to discuss the information at a convenient time after school, or during my prep hour, or it can be found through HAC. I try to update grades weekly. This is the best way to keep track of the grades, attendance and what is happening in the class in general. I also intend to send periodic emails through this system to let you know if an important assignment is coming up. To get the passwords and information about accessing HAC, check with the school district website and the High School Main Office. If you do not own a personal computer, I would highly recommend getting to a local public library regularly and using the computers there. HAC is a convenient and speedy way to check up on what’s going on in the class.
We know that employers want people who are reliable and meet required deadlines. Therefore, as part of authentic assessment, students will be required to meet deadlines. If a student has a quiz or test to make up, it must be done before the last week of the term. I work on grades during the last week of each term in order to meet my deadlines. This is only for quizzes and tests. For other homework assignments there are no late grades! An assignment is due and accepted on that day only! If a student is absent the day an assignment is due, I expect it to be turned in the day they get back. If they are absent the day it is assigned and it is a one-day assignment, they need to turn it in the day after they get back. If it is a longer assignment and was due a day or two after a student gets back, I expect it on time. If there is going to be a problem with getting an assignment in because of illness or some other unforeseen emergency, please feel free to come talk to me so that we can work something out; I try to be open and understanding with students as long as they communicate the problem to me in a reasonable manner.
Students who have been extremely ill will be given an “I” for incomplete until the work can be made up and an attendance appeal has been successful.
I feel it is important that students and parents understand my concerns regarding attendance. In order to receive a passing grade in this class a student needs to be here. We do many assignments orally, much of the teaching is done orally, and daily participation is a requirement. Remember that a student must have four years of English credit to graduate, so please keep the attendance policy in mind. For more information please refer to the Student Hand book.
The following are the types of assignments and activities that will be graded in this course in order to adequately prepare your student for their present and future high school career:
READING ASSIGNMENTS – this class is literature based and there will frequently be homework and in-class assignments that involve reading, as well as writing assignments which stem from the reading assignments. Beyond the text assignments, students will be expected to independently read both at home and in school with books of their own choosing. As changes are required by federal, state and local levels, one thing stays the same: All students need to know how to read, think and communicate. There is only one way to do so – through practice! I want my students to read, and read, and read…
QUIZZES – 10-25 points (mainly 10-point vocabulary quizzes, weekly, and some literature unit and grammar quizzes).
TESTS – Objective/essay tests range anywhere from 100-150 points. The objective part will be gone over in class and/or by stopping in at an alternate time. Students will be allowed to keep their essays.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS – Points vary from 10 to 100 points (usually 40 points) determined by complexity; some are completed in-class, others will be given as homework. Writing assignments sent home may be typed; some will be required to be typed. We encourage 9th graders to start finding their system for getting this accomplished early. Writing is a form of communication required in all jobs and so, along with reading, I want my students to write, and write, and write…
HOMEWORK – students will be assigned homework that will help to enforce positive study habits. This may be work that they did not complete during in-class work time and have been given permission to take home to finish, but will also include materials to supplement the curriculum that we are studying. Students should have homework every night! Even if no homework is directly assigned, they could be studying materials from class each day and re-reading material read in class. They can also be reading anything appropriate they would like to read. Studies show that the most successful students are those that read independently. This is also an excellent way to ensure daily academic habits. Homework and reading habits quite often determine what kind of a student your child/teen will be.
DAILY WORK – monitored on a daily basis and graded anywhere from 10-20 points.
RESEARCH PAPER - a research paper and/or project will be assigned at a future time during the year and must be turned in to receive credit for this class.
If a student consistently fails to follow the guideline of the school and/or classroom (such as attendance, homework, being an attentive student), the natural consequences are that the student’s grade will suffer. I am trying to prepare my students not just for the academic world, but for the job market as well, and thus the expectations regarding behavior are the same as those in the “real world”.
One final note – cell phones and mp3 players have become a problem. They are not allowed in my classroom, unless I give special permission. Cell phones are not only disruptive when they ring, but students text message others on them, constantly, and can be used to draw their attention away from the assignment at hand, and also to cheat. The student handbook requires that they be left in the locker, or if they are out, that they be confiscated and given to the office. If you need to get in touch with your student, please call the school office. Mp3 players allow students to tune everything and everybody out. Sometimes I allow students to bring them during exams, to be used quietly when they are done with the test, but they are not to be seen in my classroom unless prior permission has been obtained.
Please feel free to discuss any aspect of this letter with me during school hours. The best way to communicate with me is through email. My email address is . I can get back to you quickly. If it works into your schedule, the best time to reach me by phone without having to leave a message is during my planning period from 10:30 – 11:30 in the morning. If this does not work into your schedule please leave me a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. The phone number at the high school is (734) 654-6208.
Sincerely,
Laura Stubbs
In order to verify that you have received this parent letter, I’m asking you to sign this paper, tear it from the packet, and send just this paper back. This is worth 10 points toward your student’s grade and allows you to keep the information regarding the class. I’m also leaving space for comments. If there is anything that would be useful/helpful for me to know, please write it down and send it back. Communication is key to helping your student succeed.
Thanks,
Laura Stubbs
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