Room 1605SCHOOL YEAR 2017-2018

ENGLISH 9 HONORS

Jason P. Augustowski, M.Ed.

I,______agree to the terms and conditions stated below.

PART 1: COURSE DESCRIPTION

(Taken from Loudoun County Public Schools)

Instruction is aligned with the Virginia SOL and extends students’ skills in writing, reading, and speaking. The writing of paragraphs and informal essays encourages improvement in specific composing skills. Students study commonly confused words, parts of speech, sentence structure, usage, and punctuation to increase accuracy in speaking and writing. Students learn library skills in preparation for oral or written research products. Teachers review and practice activities to reinforce the skills tested on the Grade 11 SOL writing and reading tests.

Students read a variety of literature and apply literary terms to the discussion of the works. Vocabulary lessons are based on activities in the literature anthology. Speaking opportunities center on dramatic readings and specific group activities, as well as individual assignments.

PART 2: INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY

(Specific to Mr. Augustowski’s classroom).

I teach in a manner completely different from anything you have ever experienced. The theme of our classroom this year is The Office, except I promise to be a more productive boss than Michael Scott. Students will be working in four departments (listed below) at a rate of one department per quarter. Each department is responsible for different tasks within the workplace – all linked to the current month’s anchor texts, poetry/song analyses, quick writes, etc.

CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT: This department will host online discussion forums one night each week. Students in the other departments will have to participate in a minimum of one of the nine discussions available per quarter. These discussions must be connected to the current novel/poetry/songs being analyzed and must demonstrate competencies within the SOL standards. The hosting department will name one employee of the week based on their contributions to the discussion.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: This department will report to the class weekly on their own project management (their online/hard versions of their poetry/song analyses, current class novel analyses, and online writing portfolio). They will develop creative and engaging methods for connecting the source material to their colleagues.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: This department will review the novels, songs, poems, and quick writes with which we engage in class each quarter. They will hold and store our company data and strive to make meaningful connections across styles.

UPPER MANAGEMENT: This department not only supervises the other departments but also prepares a tri-weekly report to the CEO (teacher) including project updates, SOLs mastered, the goals of the next three-week period and plans on how to achieve those goals. This report will be combined with notes from the CEO and formulated into a newsletter which will be posted on our teacher websites for parents (who after all, are our stockholders).

Students will work together in an authentic and autonomous environment to solve real world problems using the ninth grade English standards as the framework. I will work to facilitate this environment by teaching and assisting students with the material, encouraging student leadership, expecting collaborative learning, and maintaining a fully functioning office environment where departments work together (developing different competencies) to meet the common goal of the whole office.

PART 3: OFFICE EXPECTATIONS

  1. Character Oath: Students must be RAMS. This means they must RESPECT all people and property, ADVOCATE for their own academic and social concerns, MOTIVATE themselves and get involved in classroom activities and discussions, and SERVE their classmates and greater classroom community.
  2. Punctuality/Preparedness: Students will always be on time to class (or early) as being absent or tardy for any unexcused reason is prohibited. Students will have all necessary materials and all assigned work present.
  3. Food/Drink: No food is permitted. However, I have a fully functioning refreshment bar (the break room) in my class office. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. will be available for student consumption. If you consume, please donate to this area to keep it operational. If you do not consume these items, you may bring your own water to class! I have a mini-fridge in my room too, where I will be happy to store creamer, half & half, and other school appropriate beverages students wish to bring.
  4. BYOT: Electronic devices are permitted! Please bring these to class. Cell phones, tablets, laptops, surfaces, etc. are great tools for enhancing our office environment. With that said, students are 100% responsible for their devices. Loudoun County, Riverside High School, and Mr. A. assume ZERO liability for lost/stolen/damaged items.

PART 4: OFFICE COMMUNICATION:

  1. REMIND: This feature will be used at times for reminding students of assignments or special announcements via the student’s cellular phone. Parents may also sign up to receive these messages. To sign up text @76938h to this number: 81010
  2. SOCIAL MEDIA: Students will be encouraged to create Twitter and Instagram accounts for professional networking between my classes. Please have them follow me @misteramistera for both media. I am very passionate about teaching students how to create positive digital footprints – something they will be proud of sharing with colleges and employers in the future. Rather than discouraging use, I like to hold students to high expectations and teach them how to properly and safely navigate these spaces. This of course is ultimately up to parental discretion.
  3. EMAIL: Students and parents are welcome to contact Mr. A. via e-mail t any time and will receive an appropriate response in a timely manner. However, STUDENTS are expected to e-mail for any missed assignments, to discuss ongoing work/projects, to schedule meeting times, or to address grievances.

PART 5: OFFICE MATERIALS:

Students must have (for every class):

  1. Five subject spiral notebook (Five Star are the best).
  2. Agenda
  3. Pencil pouch containing: sharpened pencils with erasers, blue or black ink pens, expo markers, highlighters, glue, and post-it notes.

Students are strongly encouraged to bring:

  1. Monthly class novel (see below for details).
  2. Technology (Smart phone, laptop, tablet, surface, etc.)
  3. Refreshments for the break room (Keurig K-Cups), or a personal water/refreshment. Again, no food.

PART 6: OFFICE PROJECTS (aka Course Syllabus)

Each quarter, students will choose the department in which they wish to work (with the caveat they must work for all four before the end of the school year). This decision will determine the state English standards they are learning for that quarter. The class as a whole will use their individual and departmental expertise (the competency in these standards) to complete office-wide focuses (novels) which will change each quarter. These are listed below:

SEPTEMBER: Literature Circle Round 1 (novels supplied by RVHS)

OCTOBER: Literature CircleRound 2(novels supplied by RVHS)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER: Literature CircleRound 3(novels supplied by RVHS)

JANUARY: Literature CircleRound 4(novels supplied by RVHS)

FEBRUARY: The Odyssey by: Homer (located in ninth grade textbook)

MARCH: Romeo & Juliet by: Shakespeare (located in ninth grade textbook)

APRIL: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee

MAY: Of Mice & Men by: John Steinbeck OR Old Man & The Sea by: Ernest Hemingway

Students will also be reading a myriad classical poetry/modern song lyrics, maintaining a class website for online discussions/writing portfolios, and creating periodic newsletters/presentations to the company (classmates) and stockholders (parents).

PART 7: PAYMENT (aka Grading)

The Loudoun County Public Schools Grade Scale will be used in distributing all individual and final grades during the nine-week marking periods, semester averages, and year-end averages.

Overall grades are based on the number of total points earned per nine-week marking period. Formative assessments constitute 10% of a student’s grade (10/100 points) with summative assessments constituting the remaining 90% (90/100 points).

Students will be “paid” (graded) in a manner that reflects both their work-ethic and skills. Each quarter, students will have sixskill-based summative assessments each worth fifteen points (two novel analyses, two poetry/song analyses, one online writing portfolio submission and one online discussion). They will also have ten work-ethic based formative assessments worth one point each (their group departmental work).

Because all re-teaching occurs simultaneously with formative assessments (naturally imbedded) – my class has never had a need or use for a “retake policy.” Students will MASTER English. 

PART 8: HONORS PORTFOLIO

Because honors students receive a .5 boost in their GPA, the Virginia Department of Education requires that an honors course be explicitly more rigorous than an academics course. Honors students will be involved in a year-long project, which will require them to keep a writing portfolio. Students will create a project due the end of the 3rd quarter (written and project-based assessment). This project is a reflection on the large, inquiry-based question that they have been focusing on all year.

PART 9: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT RULES

Late work policy:

  1. 10% of the total points earned will be subtracted for each class day that an assignment is late.
  2. At five class days, the assignment receives 50% of the points earned.
  3. After five class days, the material may be turned in for discussion or remediation but will not be accepted for points.

Retakes and Reassessments:

Mastery: Mastery is the attainment of 93% and is the cut-off for the repetition of a summative assessment or unit exam

  1. Students have 1 retake per unit exam
  2. Students receive the higher of the two grades

Remediation: How will students be remediated?

  1. Remediation must occur before a reassessment takes place
  2. Remediation will not act as a gatekeeper exercise designed to keep students from re-assessing; instead it is a necessary step in preparation for the re-assessment. Therefore, all required remediation must be completed before a reassessment may take place.

When: Remediation and reassessment must take place before 2 weeks have elapsed from the date of the original assessment OR by the end of the next unit of study when appropriate. Teacher and student should agree on a time and place to hold the remediation session(s)

PART 10: FINAL TIPS FOR SUCCESS

I hold my students to the absolute highest of expectations. This is because I have watched (year after year) students mature and grow in ways they never thought possible. They may hate the rigor of this class at times, but almost every student I have ever taught has left class saying “I have never learned more or pushed myself harder. I can achieve great things.” YOU can too! This class will be enjoyable for you in many ways, but you will have to work your hardest in order to be successful. We are an office of people with high expectations for ourselves and one another all working towards a common educational goal in an authentic real-world setting.

REMEMBER: If you ever need ANYTHING, you can always e-mail me. I check my e-mail periodically every night until 10pm. Don’t wait until the last minute. Frontload your work so you can address issues early… rather than when it is too late. In school, I will make myself available during lunch and all free periods to help you in any way I can! 

Please return this signed syllabus to Mr. A. by next class!

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I have closely read the syllabus for English 9 Honors. I understand and will fully adhere to the course goals, requirements, procedures, grading policy, and expectations.

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Student name (printed)Student signature

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Parent name (printed)Parent signature

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