³ Class Requirements and Policies ³

Class Rules

1. RESPECT each other’s right to learn and teach.
2. Don’t interrupt each other.
3. Clean up after yourself.
4. No name-calling or insults.  Choose your words carefully.
5. Late work will be accepted* at a penalty of -5 points per day. (See “Late Work Policy below.”)

School Rules

6. No food, no drinks (except bottled water), no jackets.
7. Wear your ID where it can be seen at all times.
8. Come to class ON TIME (5… 4… 3… 2… 1… tardy!).

Grading

There are FOUR different kinds of grades in this class.  Each type of grade is worth a certain amount of your overall grade.  Imagine that your total quarter grade is worth 100 percentage points*.  Then,

                                    WRITING & PROJECTS are worth                  35 points*

                                    READING is worth                                            25 points*

                                    OTHER CLASS & HOMEWORK is worth      25 points*

                                    PARTICIPATION is worth                                15 points*

* Percentage points do not equal the points you might receive on a single assignment.  See me for a demonstration.

THIS IS IMPORTANT:  All the points you earn from the beginning to the end of the semester COUNT.  Your first quarter grade does not “go away” once second quarter begins.  Both your first and second quarter grades (and your final exam which is worth 10%) get averaged to determine what your FINAL grade is in this class.  When second semester begins, this process starts over.

I will post your grades on a weekly basis so you know how you are doing in this class.  It is your responsibility to see me before or after class if you have a question or see an error in your weekly grade.

WARNING:  All work completed by a student in this class is expected to be the student’s own.  If a student is found to have copied work from another or former student, or if the student has plagiarized (e.g., copied something off the Internet with the express purpose of passing off the work as his/her own), the student will AT MINIMUM receive a zero for the assignment, and if done on a major writing assignment or project, the student will lose 20% of his/her quarter grade.  (If the student was earning a 85% B, the grade would drop to a 65% D.)

Late Work Policy

All assignments are to be finished and turned in on the date due when collected during class.  However, assignments that are due on a day where they are not needed for class (e.g., needed for class discussion, group work, or individual writing process or project work), will be accepted at a penalty of -5 points per day until the assignment is worth zero points.  If you are absent for an excused reason on the day an assignment is due, you may turn the assignment in for full credit on the first day you return to class.  Cuts, unexcused absences, and suspensions do not excuse you from late work penalties.

Attendance

Absences

When you are absent it is your responsibility to bring me a note from a parent or guardian explaining why you were absent.  IF I DO NOT SEE A NOTE, your absence is unexcused. If you know ahead of time that you will be absent for several days in a row, please notify me so I can give you assignments you might miss.  You lose the right to make up work if you are absent due to cuts, an unexcused reason, or in-school/out-of-school suspensions (unless you make arrangements with me before your suspension).

School Functions, Sign-Out Policy

If you play sports, are part of a club, or go on a field trip for another class, you MUST get signed out of this class by me at least 5 days before the day you’ll miss class.  BE SURE YOUR COACHES AND SPONORS ARE AWARE OF THIS.  If you show up asking to be signed out on the same day that you need to miss class, I WILL NOT sign you out.  Finally, excessive numbers of sign-outs will not be tolerated.

If you are interested in attending a school function (like a football game or a play), DO NOT BUY YOUR TICKET and then expect to be signed out of this class.  Before I even consider signing you out, you must have a minimum 75% C.  Also, excessive numbers of sign-outs will not be allowed no matter how good your grades are.

Please note that missing class for a school function is not an excuse for turning an assignment in late or missing a test or quiz.  Make arrangements to see me before you go to turn in your work, pick up work, or take tests/quizzes you might miss.

At any point, I reserve the right to not sign you out.  Academics come first.

SQUIRT, Independent Reading, and Reading Cards

Sustained Quiet Uninterrupted Reading Time (aka SQUIRT) is mandatory at Curie High School.  Therefore, you should bring a BOOK of your choice to read with you to class EVERY MONDAY. 

The READING part of your grade in this class includes class reading assignments and independent reading.  To earn an adequate grade in this class (a C or better), you must work on your reading.  As part of this focus on reading, each of you will receive a Reading Card.  You will get one of these cards at the start of each quarter.  It is your job 1) to NOT LOSE this card, 2) BRING THE CARD TO CLASS WITH YOU, and 3) to complete enough reading to fill your card with punches.  You can earn many punches on your card by completing reading assignments from class.  HOWEVER, YOU MUST ALSO DO SOME INDEPENDENT READING TO COMPLETELY FILL YOUR CARD.  The grade you get for your Reading Card depends on how many punches you earn by the card’s due date (see the back of your card for details on this).

If you lose your Reading Card, you have to buy a new one (50 cents).  Also, punches do not carry over from quarter to quarter.

Here is where/how you can find Ms. Spachman.

            Free periods: 1, 3, 5, 7, and usually 9^th period as well. (I am not available Thursday after school.)

            Location during free periods:  9 times out of 10, I’ll be in the English office (242) or 262.

            English office phone: 773-535-2138

            Website:  http://s.spachman.tripod.com/home.htm

            E-mail: sspach@hotmail.com (Put something in the subject to indicate it’s class-related.)

            AIM and MSN messenger: sspach

            Yahoo:  s_spach