Dear Parent:

My name is Coach Frederic, and I am your child's Geometry teacher here at Center Hill High School. First, I would like to take the opportunity to tell you how excited I am about the opportunity to teach your child. Also, I have some special things planned to make this an interesting and memorable year.

Administrators and teachers at Center Hill High School are working hard to insure that your child receives the very best educational experience that we can provide. In order for your child to take advantage of learning activities, it is extremely important that each student follows classroom procedures. I have tried to be as detailed as possible so that there will be little room for misunderstanding. I have attached a copy of these rules and procedures for you and your child to discuss together. Please sign in the appropriate places and return them to me as soon as possible. These will become part of your child's file for this school year.

Your child will be issued a textbook and a sign on to access their textbook online. The materials needed for Geometry will be a $5 activity fee for classroom supplies, a 1 ½” or 2” three ring binder for math only, one pack of loose leaf paper, 3 dividers, small composition notebook, colored pens other than black, scientific calculator, a colored pencils (1st Block), glue sticks (2nd Block) and many pencils.

I provide resources/educational links through my teacher’s website than be found under Neil Frederic at and you can access homework help/other resources at

I am also the Head Baseball Coach, so please communicate so that I can plan accordingly. I encourage students to inform me when they need my assistance and to not wait until test day, which at that point it's too late. The Math Department will designate one day a week after school to make up test or individual assignments that will take away from normal instructional time.

If you have any questions, please call the school at 662-890-2490 and leave a message. I will be happy to return your call. However, email is the fastest and most reliable mode of contact, even if you wish for me to call you by phone. If you have any questions or concerns about my classroom, please feel free to schedule a conference or visit the classroom.

I am looking forward to a terrific year, and I am confident that your child will be successful in my class if he/she follows the prescribed rules and procedures.

Thank you,

Coach Frederic

Parents and Students: Please read and initial each statement below. Then sign and complete the information section. Return this page for homework credit within two days.

Parent StudentStudent Name: ______

______I understand Coach Frederic’s expectations for respectful behavior in his class.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s expectations for completing assignments.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s expectations for following all school and district rules/procedures.

______I understand the consequences of not meeting Coach Frederic’s expectations.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s purse and bag policy.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s bathroom policy.

______I understand the structure of Coach Frederic’s Geometry class and that each student is responsible for his/her own work even though we will be working together in study teams.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s homework, classwork, testing, and quiz policies.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s notebook requirements and grading policy.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s make-up policy.

______I understand that Coach Frederic’s supplies are required and due immediately.

______I understand Coach Frederic’s pen/pencil policy and will make sure all work to be graded is completed with a pencil, or Coach Frederic will not grade my work.

______I have read and understand Coach Frederic’s study team strategies.

______I will follow Coach Frederic’s study team strategies.

I have read and understand the classroom Rules & Procedures for Coach Frederic's Geometry class.

I also understand that progress reports will be sent home after 4 weeks and will require a parent signature and comment. I also understand that return of the signed progress report will count as a homework grade.

______

Parent SignatureStudent Signature

______

Date Date

Contact Information:

Student Name: ______

Contact Person / Relation to Student / Best Phone # to Reach You / Email address

Please list any other information that I should know as your child's teacher. This includes, but is not limited to, medical information:

______

Please feel free to make your own comments below:

____________Coach Frederic's

Rules & Procedures

Welcome to Center Hill High School! We have an exciting and very busy semester ahead. In order to ensure our semester together is both productive and successful the following rules & procedures have been established.

Class Rules:

1. The Golden Rule = "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

2. Bring ALL necessary materials to class EACH day = includes, but is not limited to, textbook, notebook paper, PENCIL, notebook, assignments, and positive attitude.

3. Be an ADDITION TO not a subtraction from the class = do ALL your work, participate, ask questions, have a positive attitude and ALWAYS do your best!

4. We will ALL be successful = you will contribute, be respectful of yourself and others, and give 110% effort!!!

5. Center Hill HS Student Handbook Rules, Rule = we will ALL follow the rules printed in the CHHS Student Handbook and any other rules set forth by the administration.

Consequences for breaking any class rule:

1st Offense: Verbal Warning - This means think about what you are doing; be conscious of your behavior at ALL times. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS THE FIRST TIME!!!!!

2nd Offense: Break detention – Strike 1.

3rd Offense: Two break detentions with parental contact – Strike 2.

4th Offense: Third check (3 STRIKES - YOU'RE OUT!). Discipline referral to the office.

***I reserve the right to move a student to Step 4 at any time based on the nature of the infraction***

Structure of Classroom:

The school district has adopted math textbooks written by College Preparatory Mathematics (CPM). This textbook is designed to induce deeper thinking and understanding by the students, preparing them to excel in the 8 Mathematical Practices set forth by the Common Core State Standards. There will be team study group work daily. Each student is responsible for his or her own work. There will be no more than one group project grade during the semester. There may be group review work that will be recorded as a classwork grade. Each student will sign a contract during group grading to indicate whether he/she chooses to have their work graded with the group or individually. All other work will be graded on an individual basis. It has been proven time and time again that the ability to brainstorm with peers during the learning process produces higher levels of learning and understanding for all learning levels. Student behavior and effort will play into my decision to continue team study groups. It is to the students’ benefit to perform these activities collaboratively, discuss their findings, and work together to form conclusions and make conjectures. However, these activities may also be performed individually without the benefit of discussion with other students. Class time is for learning, not playing. If this becomes a problem, students will lose their team study group privileges. A common myth is this is a means for the teacher to “not teach”, but that is in no way a fact. This structure is a way of allowing students, with guidance from the teacher, to make discoveries through deeper thinking, without the teacher directly providing the answer. As the teacher, I will play a vital role in keeping the students on the right tract through various forms of questioning, as they work through problems to discover mathematical concepts.

Classwork:

There will be team activities daily. These activities will help the students understand mathematical concepts. With these activities, students will have questions to ponder and answer. Each student is required to keep a notebook with their work written in their own words. This is not up for debate!! It is a requirement. Students caught copying another students paper will be punished for cheating. Students caught passing papers for another student to copy their work will also be punished for cheating. The goal is to help one another understand, not provide answers directly to another student. Students will be given a weekly class participation grade.

Homework:

There will be homework daily. The students will be provided with many resources for homework help. If a student is unable to complete a homework problem, there should be a written attempt in trying to solve the problem. Some problems will require written explanations. Students must show work, draw all figures and/or provide written explanations when requested in order to earn full credit.

Testing:

At the conclusion of each chapter, there will be a closure/review section, which may include a team review grade. This will be recorded as a classwork grade and the students may indicate their desire to have their work graded separately. All resources, including notes and textbooks, will be available during the team review. Each member of the team must complete their own work for every problem. One to three days following the team review, there will be an Individual Test. This will be an opportunity for the students to demonstrate individually what they have learned. The Individual Test will be counted as a test grade.

Math Notebook:

Each student is REQUIRED to have a 1 ½” or 2” three binder with loose leaf paper. Each skill/section should be arranged in chronological order by date but grouped based on whether the material is classwork, homework or ACT material. Any worksheets should be placed in order with the associated classwork/homework/ACT area. There may be random, unannounced notebook checks.

Learning Log/Tool kit:

In addition to the subject spiral notebook, students will keep a Math Notes/Learning Log/Tool Kit notebook as a reference source that may be used throughout the semester and the remainder of their math careers. This will be kept in a composition graphing or lined notebook. Learning Log/Tool Kit books can be graded twice during the semester and can be recorded as 20% Exam grade.

Supplies:

I have tried to keep the supply list to a minimum. Class activity supplies such as rulers, protractors, paper, project materials, etc. will be provided through math lab fees ($5) and other funds provided for the classroom. Supplies are REQUIRED. Please speak to me if you have any problems with the supply list. Students should bring ALL their supplies to class EVERYDAY.

Pencils and Pens:

Colored pens are required and may be used for note taking, checking classwork/homework (colored pen/NO black) or color coding in your notebook. However, graded work (homework, classwork, tests, quizzes) must be completed with a pencil. I will not grade work written with a pen unless specifically called for in the instructions. The only exception will be the students’ colored coded notes (if desired) in their notebook. If students choose to use a mechanical pencil, I usually have some to provide to you.

A scientific calculator can be purchased for fifteen dollars or less at Wal-Mart or OfficeMax. A scientific calculator is one with the standard functions of add, subtract, multiply, and divide, as well as the trigonometric functions of SIN, COS, and TAN. Although TI-84 graphing calculators will be beneficial to the student in future classes and on the ACT, a standard scientific calculator is adequate for Math and Algebra II. I do have a classroom set of TI-84 calculators, but students need a calculator at home for homework. I WILL NOT accept the excuse, “I couldn’t do homework, because I didn’t have a calculator.” In my experiences, CASIO scientific calculators are much easier to operate than other brands. However, any brand is sufficient as long as it is scientific.

Study Team Strategies:

1. No talking outside your team.

2. Discuss questions with your team before calling the teacher over.

3. Within your team, keep your conversation on math.

4. Explain and justify your ideas. WRITE statements and reasons in your notebook.

5. You must try to help anyone in your study team who asks.

6. Helping your teammate does not mean giving answers. Help by giving hints and asking good questions.

7. No one alone is as smart as all of us together.

8. Do not leave anyone behind or let anyone work ahead. Your team is not done until everyone is done.

9. Clear off desks before getting to work so you can easily share and compare.

10. You MUST use study team voices at all times.

An effective and participating team member will:

  • Respect the right of others to learn.
  • Help anyone on the team who asks-by giving hints and asking good questions, but NOT by giving answers.
  • Ask the teacher for help ONLY if no one on the team can answer the questions.
  • Justify and explain ideas, instead of giving up when others don’t understand.
  • Listen carefully to ALL team members and consider their responses thoroughly.
  • Not leave anyone behind or let anyone work ahead.
  • Not talk to another team.

Classroom Procedures:

1. Students should enter class EACH DAY on time and ready to learn. All students will need to sharpen his/her pencil and grab his/her/groups calculator(s) before the bell rings and get started. It is then, that I will begin our day. If you are tardy, go get a tardy slip, place your pass on my desk, be seated, and begin your bell activity. Do not interrupt class.

2. Once seated, students are to take out class supplies, classwork, homework and consult/compare/check/correct. There should be little or no talking for at least 10 minutes while you consult/compare/check/correct with your teammates. If you have a question that your group/teammates can not answer after we have gone over the answers, this is your time to ask the teacher for assistance. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get with a group member and/or the teacher to make corrections.

3.When the teacher requests your attention you are to stop what you are doing, no talking and face forward. This includes any announcements and MTV. Follow instructions the first time!

4.Anytime you have a question pertaining to class, when I am addressing the class, please raise your hand. Do not be afraid to ask questions, there is never a dumb question. However, if you have a question not pertaining to class, please do not interrupt unless it is an absolute emergency. If you have something to discuss about yourself only, you may see me when we are working independently.

5. While students are working, the teacher will circulate around the room to assist.

6. After the classwork and homework discussion, the teacher will begin the day's lesson. It is here that students are to pay complete attention, take good notes, consult with their teammates and ask questions whenever the entire group is confused.

STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ASK QUESTIONS OR TO ASK FOR HELP AT ANY TIME!!!!!!!

7.At the conclusion of class, the teacher will allow time to close and recap the day. All students should be on the same page with the teacher.

8. The bell does NOT dismiss the class, the teacher does. The class will only be dismissed once the classroom is in order. This means that there is no trash on the floor, desks are organized, calculators are accounted for and pencils are returned if borrowed. All garbage will be thrown away when you walk out the door. The teacher WILL & CAN hold the class past the bell if the room is not in order and will NOT write students a pass for being tardy to the next class.

Classroom Etiquette:

1.Practice good listening habits. I give instructions several times. Do not ask questions I have already answered.

2. There should be ABSOLUTE silence during any quiz or test. Communication of ANY KIND during a test will result in an automatic ZERO as well as an office referral and parent conference. Communication during a quiz or test is considered cheating and is a violation of school policy as well as of one's honor.

3. No one will be allowed to leave during class to go to their lockers or run errands unless it is an emergency. Please attend to personal needs BEORE you come to class. If you have a problem, I need written documentation. Each student will be issued 3 RESTROOM PASSES each 9 weeks to be used for emergencies. Once the 3 passes have been used, I will use my judgment regarding you going to the restroom. Students who do not use ANY of their restroom passes during the 9 weeks will receive 5 bonus points on their lowest test grade.

4. When there is a substitute in for the teacher, students are to be on their BEST behavior. In fact, students are expected to behave BETTER than they normally do. You will be graded on Effort and Behavior. Learning will still take place; these are not 'busy work' days. Students will be held accountable for their actions once the teacher returns to class.