Welcome to Eighth Grade Language Arts! We are very proud of our Language Arts program at Strack, and we feel that by working together as a team of students, teachers, and parents we can have a very successful year. Therefore, we ask you to take a few minutes with your child to go over the following information. Then please sign the slip at the bottom of this page, keep the top portion, and return the signed slip to your child’s teacher.
I. Expectations
A. Supplies – All students are expected to come to class each day with their designated books, pen, pencil, paper, markers, assignment due, and any additional materials required by the teacher.
B. Rules - Students are expected to follow handbook rules at all times, and they are also expected to comply with the teacher’s classroom procedures.
Absentee Rule – When a student is absent, the student is allowed only that number of days to make up the work missed. For example, if a student is absent two days, that student will have two days to complete the work missed. If a student is absent only on the day an assignment is due, the assignment must be turned in on the day of the student’s return to school. No make- up time will be given. Absences during a long-term assignment will not affect the due date.
II. Late Assignments
All assignments and projects will be accepted late as follows:
· 10 points will be deducted per day for each day the assignment is turned in late until the grade reaches a 70.
· If the assignment is not turned in after three days, students will receive a second opportunity to turn in the assignment for a maximum grade of a 70 with points being deducted for missing or incorrect information.
· If the student has still not turned in the assignment, there will be a third opportunity to attend a PRIDE session to complete and turn in the assignment for a maximum grade of a 60 with points being deducted for missing or incorrect information. The PRIDE sessions will be available the week before progress reports and the week before report cards.
o If a student is eligible to attend a PRIDE session before progress reports and does not, the grade will be recorded as a zero. There will be no additional opportunities to redo this assignment.
o If a student is eligible to attend a PRIDE session before report cards and does not, the grade will be recorded as a zero. There will be no additional opportunities to redo this assignment.
III. Make-up Work
A. Make-up tests – These will be scheduled by the student with the teacher.
Students who are absent may find the current day’s activities and assignments by accessing their teacher’s web page through Strack’s web page.
B. Your child’s teacher may also have a make-up binder that your child must review upon returning to school. It will then be his/her responsibility to turn in any missed work and make up any missed assignments or tests. After reviewing the binder, if the student has any additional questions, he/she may ask the teacher. If a student is absent only on the day an assignment is due, the assignment is due immediately upon his/her return to school.
**Continued on back**
IV. Grading System- tentative pending administrative approval
A. Major grades – These are worth 60% of the six weeks average. A minimum of two major grades will be taken during grading periods of less than 28 days; a minimum of three major grades will be taken during grading periods longer than 28 days.
B. Minor grades – These are worth 30% of the six weeks average.
C. Homework/Daily grades- These are worth 10% of the six weeks average.
D. Language Arts Test Days –Tuesday and Thursday
V. Parent/Teacher Communication
A. Approximately once a week, your child’s teacher may e-mail to those parents who are interested a weekly update of upcoming events and homework as well as project and test dates. Information regarding the distribution letter and sign-up information will be sent home in the next several weeks.
B. You may reach your child’s teacher at the following email addresses: .; ;
VI. Procedure for Raising Failing Test and Quiz Grades
Students may raise failing test and quiz grades as follows:
· If a student fails a test or a quiz, he/she must attend a remediation session during PRIDE within five days of the grade being returned.
· After attending a remediation session, the student has five days to come in and retake the test or quiz.
· Students who receive a failing grade on a project will be given an alternate assignment comparable to the original assignment for redo purposes. After receiving the alternate assignment, the student has five days to complete and turn in the assignment.
We feel privileged to be able to teach your children, and we are pleased to address your concerns whenever they occur. Feel free to contact the school and leave a message or send an email. You will be contacted as promptly as possible. We are looking forward to a great year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Fulkerson, Mrs. Muskiet, and Mrs. Triola
RETURN THIS PORTION TO YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER
______
Please review the information above carefully with your child. Then cut along the dotted line, keep the guidelines for your records, and have your child return the signed slip below.
STUDENT’S NAME (printed please) Period
PARENT’S SIGNATURE