Ms. Anna Gay

Knightdale High School

Room 1504

(for student work only)

@coachgkhs

Dear Students and Parents/Guardians:

Welcome to English I at Knightdale High School! I am so excited to have you!This special section of English I for students in the Knightdale High Academy of Environment Studies (KAES) will be specially focused to coincide with the academy curriculum. English Iis required for graduation, and is also a requirement before taking English II and being classified as a sophomore.Class activities will be varied and material will be presented in several forms, and the course will also integrate project-based learning.

This course will follow the new NC Essential Standards & the Common Core State Standards. We will be utilizing a more inquiry-based approach, as we study the literary genres (novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and literary nonfiction). The course also includes influential documents and one Shakespearean play.

For this class students will need the following materials:

  • 3 ring binder (1.5” recommended)
  • Dividers
  • Notebook Paper
  • Pencils, Pens, & Highlighters
  • Composition book (to be kept in classroom)

Donations of the following classroom supplies would be greatly appreciated: Markers, Construction Paper, Index Cards, Glue, Scissors, Rulers, Tissues, Hand Sanitizer

For every class the essential questionsand agenda will be posted on their board. Essential questions will be due on test day for each unit. Students should read over these so that they know what academic goals they are expected to achieve. They should monitor their understanding & ask questions during class to help them reach this target.

Course material (all notes, assignments, and handouts for this class) should be kept in the students’ notebook dated and in chronological order. Dividers will allow students to separate their work by unit and organize their learning tasks.

Notebooks will be checked periodically and serve as a portfolio of learning in English. Ms. Gay is happy to help any student learn organization—it is a VERY IMPORTANT LIFE SKILL!

This course will be graded according to the following system:

Tests/Projects/Essays= 40%

Quizzes= 20%

Common Core= 20%

Homework/Classwork= 20%

The final course grade will be determined according to WCPSS policy. The final exam will be a “North Carolina Final Exam” created by the state of North Carolina & will count 20% of the final grade. Students must pass English Iin order to move onto the 10th grade, as well as remain in KAES.

Late assignments will follow the KAES late assignment policy: Late work will not be accepted outside of the current unit. A student may turn in work for partial credit (max 70%) up until the unit test. If a student is absent, the student has 3 days to turn in all makeup work for full credit. Beyond 3 days work will be accepted for partial credit (max 70%) until the unit test.

If a student is absent or “Swept & Kept” due to being tardy, they are responsible for obtaining the work from the class website & turning it in.

Absences and Make-Up Work

It is YOUR responsibility to make up work missed, including tests, when you are absent. Tests that are assigned before you are absent should be made up the day you return. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ABSENT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN YOU ARE EXEMPT!!!

Extra handouts and assignments will be stored by date in the folders assigned to your class. Please consult these folders before you come to me. Do not ask me for your assignments during class! I cannot focus on what you missed and continue to teach the rest of the class.

Remediation will be available during KNIGHT Time for your class period. Additional Tutoring is available after school on Thursdays or by appointment.

Plagiarism Policy (Adapted from the University of Pennsylvania)

This class will require documented research projects. Please note the following policy on plagiarism:

Plagiarism: using the ideas, data, or language of another without specific or proper acknowledgment.

If you present someone's words, thoughts or data as your own, you are committing plagiarism—you are stealing. The location of the information is irrelevant: when it comes to plagiarism, information from the Internet is equivalent to information from a physical book or journal. To avoid plagiarism you mustcite the original authorevery timeyou:

  • Use an author's exact written or spoken words. In this case, you must also identify the words by enclosing them with quotation marks or indenting the quote on both sides of the margin.
  • Paraphrase someone's written or spoken words
  • Use facts provided by someone else that are notcommon knowledge.
  • Make significant use of someone's ideas or theories.

It is also plagiarism to pay a person or Internet service for a paper, hand in someone else's paper as your own, or CUT AND PASTE TEXT FROM THE INTERNET TO YOUR PAPER WITHOUT CITING THE SOURCE.

Potential Consequences for Plagiarism Include:

  • Partial Credit for the Assignment
  • Zero for the Assignment
  • Referral to Administration

Discipline and Behavior Policies

Knightdale High School Discipline Policy

At Knightdale High School, we follow the 3-strikes policy in the classroom. Students receive warnings for the first 2 disruptions. If students are then involved in a 3rd disruption, the teacher calls the ISD room to have an administrator come and remove the student from class. Any student who is involved in a severe disruption or infraction will be removed from class immediately and a referral will be written.

Ms. Gay’s Classroom Rules

Any violation of any of these rules at any time during the class period will result in a warning. A student will be removed from class after the 3rd violation.

You have the RIGHT to:

1)A safe and comfortable classroom environment (physically and emotionally).

2)Be respected by both your peers and your teacher.

3)A safe and comfortable classroom to share your ideas and opinions.

You have the RESPONSIBILITY to:

1)Be respectful of your peers’ ideas, opinions, and personal belongings.

2)Be on time and prepared for each class.

3)Help keep our classroom a safe and comfortable learning environment.

4)Make up any and all missed work and/or assessments in the time frame designated.

I welcome your feedback, suggestions, comments, or concerns at any time. Email () is the fastest way to reach me, but please also feel free to call me at school (919-217-5350) and leave a message and I will return your call as soon as possible.

I am really looking forward to working hard and learning a lot TOGETHER this year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Anna Gay

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Please detach, sign and return your syllabus by Friday, August 29, 2014.

By signing your name below, you are acknowledging that you have READ and UNDERSTAND these rules.

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