Expectations:
It is assumed that each student is academically prepared for this course, and is ready and willing to work. I expect that each student will attend class, be punctual and adhere to the behavior codes listed in the classroom and in the student handbook. I expect each student to follow all directions the first time they are given, and to do his/her own work on all assignments. Each student should also bring paper, a pencil or pen, and other needed materials to class each day. Borrowing these materials during class time on a frequent or regular basis will be considered a disruption.
The use of music/voice/electronic communication devices is not allowed without prior consent/permission from the teacher. Use of such devices will result in their confiscation and further disciplinary action as outlined in the student handbook.
Students should consult the course calendar (and the board in the classroom) for the dates of quizzes and tests, and due dates for other assignments. See, especially, the policy regarding absences.
Failure to follow these expectations and others discussed in class will result in parent contact and disciplinary actions as outlined in the student handbook and those added below.
Parent Communication:
It is most efficient to contact me via e-mail, and these correspondences will be returned as quickly as possible. Please consult the provided calendar for the due dates of graded material and of quizzes/tests. Reports of student progress will be updated and available via the School-provided grading web site after each project, quiz or test is returned (homework scores will be updated at the end of each chapter/unit). Upon return of each chapter test, a printout of this report can be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to the teacher. If done so within 5 school days, 2 points of extra credit will be awarded to the student.
By making student grades available online and updating these grades in a timely manner I am fulfilling my responsibility to communicate your child’s progress to you. Having done my part it is deemed the parents’ responsibility to keep aware of their child’s progress. In light of this, please be advised that at any time the course grade is at or below 75%, you have been duly notified that your student is in danger of failing the course.
Absences:
Attendance is crucial. Students who are physically missing from class should make contact with me or a fellow student to “go over” material missed during class. It is the student’s and parent’s responsibility to be sure absences are properly reported. An unverified absence is considered a truancy until cleared. A truancy results in no credit for work associated with the class that day, including tests and quizzes, and a Citizenship mark less than “Satisfactory” being recorded for the semester.
Tardies:
… are as defined in the student handbook. The school’s consequences for tardiness are defined in the handbook, as well. In addition to the school’s consequences are ill effects on one’s Citizenship grade (see below).
Citizenship grades:
Citizenship marks reflect the willingness of a student to follow class/school/district rules as well as their contributions to the classroom environment. These grades have NO effect on academic grades and will never appear on a transcript. However, low marks do have unsavory side effects that may affect one’s eligibility for sports and/or activities. (see the respective policies of these departments for more information)
A student begins with a mark of Satisfactory and goes up/down based on the above. Some key behaviors that will lower one’s Citizenship mark include (but are not limited to) rude behavior, disrupting other students, failing to be prepared for class, truancy from class and violating two key school rules, punctuality and cell phone use. Once a U is earned, this mark will remain for the duration of the semester.
Since punctuality is important in one’s future, the student’s Citizenship grade will be affected in the following way: Upon the 4th day of being tardy to class the student will have an N in citizenship recorded and upon the 5th day of being tardy to class the student will have a U in citizenship recorded.
The cell phone/electronics policy of the District will be enforced. Students who use their cell phones/electronics against this policy will face the consequences published in the student handbook AND their Citizenship grade will be affected in the following way: Each time a cell phone is confiscated, the Citizenship grade will decrease one level.
The earning of an N or U has an adverse effect on course extra credit (see below).
A mark of “Outstanding” means that the student regularly goes above and beyond what is expected in class and has no detracting behaviors. Parents should feel good about Citizenship marks of S and of O.
Academic Grading Policy
IEP’s/504 Plans – there are many students who qualify for and have on file special/individual considerations often affecting the Academic Grading Policies outlined below. Such considerations will be honored and students utilizing these provisions will have a notation on their report card stating as such.
IEP’s/504’s notwithstanding, the following provisions apply:
Homework:
Homework is an important learning tool, and is assigned on a near-daily basis. Students are expected to complete what is assigned. It is up to each student to take this aspect of their education seriously. Since there are very few students who will sufficiently learn the material without doing any homework, the student is strongly advised to complete all of the problems assigned.
Missed Work:
It is the student’s (and parents’) responsibility to know of all assignments and their due dates. Provisions are as follows:
Homework: The homework is assigned for each section of each chapter. These assignments should be attempted/completed the night it is assigned. The homework for each chapter will be collected at the end of the period the day following a lesson. This usually means there will be a “homework day” a.k.a. “Practice Day,” but not always. Homework submitted after this time is considered late and will lose value. A homework assignment’s value will lose 2 points per school day late until it is worth zero (0) points.
Other assignments: Due dates are published on the Algebra 2+ calendar available on this website. Tests and quizzes will be taken on the scheduled date and time (note provisions below), otherwise the score will be recorded as a zero (0). Tests and quizzes must be completed in the time allotted and in one sitting. Make-up tests for “absent” students may be a different version of the test covering the same material.
Provisions:
If you have been absent (excused) and thus missed 2 or more consecutive days during a chapter, at least one of which was a day of instruction, you may either take the test on the scheduled date or postpone it to class time on the date of your third day of return to class, whichever is later.
Unless affected by the provision above, if you are absent on the date of a test you should expect and will be required to take the test upon your return to class.
Calculators:
Calculators are an important tool in the study of mathematics and it is expected that each student will bring a dedicated calculator* to class each day . However, many students far too quickly reach for one out of reflex. Because of this, on many quizzes/tests the use of a calculator may be disallowed when one is truly not necessary.
* scientific recommended – cell phone apps are not ever allowed and graphing and/or programmable calculators are not allowed during tests/quizzes
Class Materials:
Students are expected to come to class prepared each day and this includes days of quizzes/tests. Should a student borrow from me needed class materials on the day of a test or quiz the result will be a 5% penalty deducted from the score.
Discrepancies:
Parents and students are encouraged to keep a record of student assignments and points earned. Only those students who have retained their records will have grounds to discuss any discrepancies between my records and those of the parent/student.
Test Make up:
A chapter/unit test may be retaken under the following conditions:
- All homework for the chapter/unit must have been completed/submitted on time with scores of 3 or 5 on each section,
- The student must attend individual tutoring sessions with the teacher or designee,
- The make up test is taken prior to the date of the next chapter/unit exam,
- The new score will replace the original score – higher or lower – and will be capped at a maximum score of 70%.
Students wishing to make up a test are encouraged to contact the teacher as soon as possible to schedule the individual tutoring sessions and test make up date/time.
Quiz re-scoring:
If a student scores higher (%) on the chapter/unit exam than was scored on a quiz from that chapter/unit, the student may ask the teacher to “bump” the quiz score up to the same percent equivalent as was scored on the chapter/unit test. This request MUST be made within 5 school days of taking the chapter/unit test. See the teacher for the required form.
Grading — It is a School District policy that a student must earn at least 70% to pass a course. it is a School District policy that there is no D grade at the high school level, and it is a School District policy that the standards by which grades of C or above are earned is not adjusted in light of the absence of the D-grade option. Grade rounding (e.g. 89.5% rounds to a 90%, A-) is in effect.
At the end of each semester, the lowest non-zero chapter test score will be dropped from the grade calculations.
The assessment of a student’s understanding will include a demonstration of one’s proficiency via homework, chapter tests and quizzes, and a District Final Exam. Scores are earned as follows:
Homework — varies by chapter length and is earned at 5 points max per section. To earn full points the homework must be submitted on time, complete with work shown, and be the student’s original work.
Quizzes — usually 15 points each for scheduled quizzes.
Unit/Chapter Tests — 100 points each (partial credit is usually given).
District Final Exam — 100 points, multiple choice. Should the Final Exam be administratively cancelled, the course grade will be the grade earned prior to the Final Exam.
Extra Credit — Extra credit assignments are provided on occasion. These assignments are either not related to course objectives (e.g. submitting signed grade reports) or are related to course objectives but are not required in order to meet course expectations. These opportunities are provided to all students and there are no individual extra credit opportunities. While successful completion of these opportunities will have a small positive effect on the final grade, these opportunities should not be relied upon nor begged for to raise one’s grade. Also, since these assignments are optional perks, the benefit of these assignments can be lost. To lose your extra credit, merely do anything to earn an N or U in citizenship. Categories having this effect include behavior issues, electronic device policy violations, and attendance issues (truancies and/or punctuality problems).
Of the points possible, scholarship marks are earned based* on the scale …
A = 90% – 100% B = 80% – 89% C = 70% – 79% F = less than 70% *
