Academic Policies

Papers/Essays—READ CAREFULLY!

You will be writing 3 papers first semester and at least 2 papers second semester.

All papers must be typed.  No exceptions.

You will turn in two (2) hard copies of each paper, one for me to comment on and one for your portfolio.  You may not “turn in” a paper to me via email.

All papers in this class will go through multiple steps: proposal, several drafts, and a critical reflection.  In general (except for your second World Literature paper), this process will take 4-5 weeks.

Your papers will be due during a given WEEK, not on a given day.  For example, if your Taming paper proposal is due during Week 3 (Sept. 15-19), can turn your paper in on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday (by 4 pm.).  During Week 4, your first Taming essay draft will be due.  Again, you can turn it in on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday (by 4 pm.).  And so on. 

This requires a lot of discipline on your part.  Why?

1.      There is no late work.  I must have your paper by 4 pm. Friday (whether you’re absent or not, whether you’ve had a crisis or not) or you’ve missed your opportunity to get in your paper that week.

2.      I will need 1-2 days to read your work.  So if you turn your paper in on a Friday, you will not get it back until the next Monday… and yet you’ll have to turn in the next part of your paper by the next Friday. 

All of your papers should have a title and also heading with the following:

                                    Your Name

                                    Name of the Assignment  (e.g., Taming Paper Proposal)

                                    Draft #___  (to differentiate first drafts from revisions)

IB World Literature

                                    Due date (be sure to change this for revisions you turn in)

Late Work

There is no late work for credit.  You can turn anything in late, and it will be looked at, but not graded.  If you are absent on the day a SMALL assignment is due, you must bring me the assignment and a note to excuse your absence the day you return to school.  If you are absent the day an essay or large project is due, you must make arrangements to get your paper or project to school even if you won’t be there.  Oral commentaries cannot be rescheduled so be there for yours.

Diploma Candidates and Extended Essays

Your extended essay assignment for IB will be broken down into several steps and your work on these steps will be embedded into your grade in this class (see above:  This will count towards your first and second quarter ORALS/IMPROMPUS/EXTENDED ESSAY part of your grade… worth 15% each quarter.)

Attendance Policies

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).

Tardiness

Don’t be tardy.  It will hurt your grade.  You have approximately 1 minute after the bell to get inside my classroom or you will get a tardy slip and lose your chance to earn participation points that day.

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.

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

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

Here is where/how you can find me.

            Free periods: 1, 3, 5, 7, and I will usually be around 9^th period as well. 

          (I am not available Thursdays after school.)

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

            English office phone: 773-535-2138

            Cell phone: 773-456-3318

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

            E-mail: sspach@hotmail.com

(Please put something in the subject to indicate it’s class related or I might think it’s just spam.)

            AIM and MSN messenger: sspach

            Yahoo:  s_spach