ProspectHigh School

Course: Sophomore English / Instructor: Ms Yakopatz
E-mail:

Course Description:The focus of Sophomore English is on beginning literary analysis; deciding what you think about some thing we have read in class, why you think that way, and discussing those points of view with the class.

Course Materials

Required:
3 Ring Binder with dividersdedicated to English
Notebooks / paper (college ruled)
Pens / Pencils
Portfolios/Folders (for projects) / Helpful, but not necessary
Flash drive / CD / Disk
Student Dictionary / Thesaurus
Student Planer / Calendar

Classroom Rules

Follow directions

Be prepared for class

Always bring your materials to class; English binder/notebook, pen/pencil, books, etc.

If you have to be excused from class to retrieve something you forgot, the attendance will be changed and you will be counted as tardy to class

Leave your backpacks/bags and/or purses in your lockers – it is your choice if you lock your locker or not

Bags left in isles become a hazard and get in the way of every one – the school is small and you have plenty of time between classes to retrieve your materials

Bags that are too large to fit in your locker may be placed under the large front table

No Food or Open Drinks in class

Drinks in plastic bottles or cups with spill proof lids are acceptable

As per the school wellness policy, soft drinks are not allowed

No glass bottles

Energy Drinks are banned from school property and are not allowed at all

Be respectful towards your classmates

No cell phones, MP3 players, IPods, CD players

Cell phones are not allowed in to be used class

If you have a family emergency your parents need to contact the office

  • Teachers are allowed to confiscate phones if they are seen or heard during class time and turn them into the office for students/parents to pick up from the office

Use appropriate language: No sexist, racist, vulgar or derogatory language of any kind is tolerated

Bathroom breaks:

None during the first and last 10 minutes of class unless it is an emergency

Only one student may be out of class at a time WITH the hall pass

  • Students must check out when using a hall pass, and much check back in when they return

Do not ask to leave class to interrupt another teacher for any reason; and do not leave your other classes to interrupt English

Attendance

ProspectHigh School has specific policies on attendance and tardies, please refer to your student handbook for those policies

If you come into English late have a tardy slip from the office or a signed note from a teacher – otherwise it is unexcused

Attendance affects your grade – if you miss class, you miss assignments and instruction and will need to speak with Ms. Yakopatz on your own time (do NOT interrupt class when you come back) to make up any missing work

Grading Practices

Assignments are weighted:The Average of all scores is the final

grade for the semester:

Daily On Task
Participation Assessments / 5% of grade
Bell Activity / 5% of grade
Drafts of Assignments
In-class Assignments Homework Assignments / 35 % of grade
Final Essays
Projects
Presentations / 45 % of grade
Million Word Campaign / 10% of grade
A / 90 – 100%
B / 80 – 89%
C / 70 – 79%
D / 60 – 69%
F / Below 60%

Drafts, In-class, and Homework assignments as well as Final Essays, Projects and presentations are evaluated using the Common Core State Standards

Each standard is evaluated SEPERATELY per assignment
Not all CCSS are applied to every assignment
The standard(s) being graded will be indicated on assignment sheet, the grade sheet for assignment, and/or on in the Narrative section of the assignment in the grade book
Each standard is graded on a scale of 1 – 4
If students do not achieve a passing grade on one standard, they will receive another chance to pass that specific standard on the assignment
Students will not have to redo any portion of an assignment where they have met the CCSS
All standards being evaluated must receive a minimal passing grade to pass the assignment / Basic Scoring
4 / Mastery of Standard; student not only demonstrates proficiency, but goes above and beyond what is required
3 / Proficiency: Standard is met in the most basic manner; student shows basic proficiency
2 / Nearly Proficient: Standard is NOT met, but is nearly proficient
1 / Not Proficient: Standard is NOT met; does not demonstrate proficiency
A score of 3 or higher is considered passing for a standard
It is possibly to go up in .5 increments

Daily On-Task and Bell Activities are graded daily. All other assignments are graded on a weekly basis with grades up-dated as soon as possible.

If you miss a day you cannot make up the in-class participation points; they are excused if it is/was an excused absence. You CAN make up any assignments missed that day.

Due dates are posted for major assignments on the calendar in the front of the room and are also noted on unit outlines; as well as being noted in the daily agenda on the front board.

If due dates are changed, Ms. Yakopatz changes the class calendar and will have the entire class change their unit outlines.

Late Assignments:

If you are present the day the assignment is due and do not turn it in, you MUST fill out a “Missing Assignment” formand turn it into the class tray

When you turn in a late assignment, it needs to go into the class Late folder

You can still pass the CCSS standards on a late assignment; HOWEVER you will not receive full points on that assignment if it is late. This will be noted in the grade book notes.

In the case of:

  • Prearranged / School absence
  • Turn the assignment in early, before you leave or as soon as you return to school
  • Assignments will be counted as late if they are not turned in by the day you return
  • Missing a day due to illness, family emergency etc.
  • If it is excused in the office you may turn in the assignment when you return to school with no loss of points. Prospect school has an unofficial policy for extending due dates; one day for each day excused starting from the day you return to school.

Please make sure you speak with Ms. Yakopatz about any missed assignments or due dates as soon as you return.

  • If the absence is not excused, assignments will be counted as late

Unacceptable Excuses:

  • “The computer ate my work”
  • You will often be given class time to work on assignments, anything you choose to do at home is your responsibility. In the case that your computer is acting up, not printing, etc. email the assignment either to yourself, or to the teacher so that it may be printed at school:
  • “I left it at home”
  • You are to keep track of when assignments are due. All due dates are recorded in your unit outlines handed out at the beginning of each unit, there will be reminders on the board, and all due dates are posted on the class calendar. Making sure your assignments get to school is your responsibility.

Assignments that cannot be made up:

  • Participation points – if you are not present, you cannot earn the points
  • Points maybe excused if it was an excused absence – However too many absences will still hurt your grade
  • Scheduled Presentations – if we set aside specific class days for presentations make sure you are present; extra days will not be added for one person

Ms. Yakopatz is aware that sometimes “life happens” and situations come up where it is difficult to get an assignment done on time. Please let her know and she is willing to work with anyone. However be aware that it might also involve a phone call home to check on how your student is doing.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Plagiarism and cheating of any sort is taken very seriously by Prospect High School and results in an automatic ‘F’ or failing grade on an assignment, and it is left to the teacher’s discretion to allow students to make up or redo the assignment.

Plagiarism: the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.

This includes:

  • “Copy and paste” on the computer
  • Printing off a webpage and putting your name on it
  • Using or purchasing an assignment from any sort of internet site designed for cheating
  • Not citing your sources

Cheating:Trying to pass off the work of another as your own

This includes:

  • Copying assignments – either by hand or “copy and paste” on the computer
  • Changing the name on an assignment to your own
  • Having another do the assignment for you; this includes friends, siblings and parents

In other words:

If it is not your own, original work – it will NOT be graded

Note to students:

Remember, if you can find it on-line so can I. If I find that your essay, even just a portion (1 paragraph), has been copied from the internet, or bought from an essay site, I will not grade the essay (it is not your work). You and I will have a meeting with the principal to discuss the assignment and your parents/guardians will be notified.

Student: This page will be turned in to Ms. Yakopatz. Please print your name on the blank below, and sign at the bottom after we have gone over this in class. This simply states that you and your parents/guardians understand the expectations.

I, , have read the English course syllabus and understand what is expected of me as a student taking English at ProspectHigh School.

I understand the English classroom rules.

I understand the attendance policies.

I understand the grading practices.

I understand the English policies regarding late assignments.

I understand the English policies regarding plagiarism and cheating.

If at any time I have a question about any expectations in English, I will ask Ms. Yakopatz for clarification.

I will take this syllabus home and share this information with my parents/guardians and explain the policies to the best of my abilities. I will also give my parents/guardians the back “Parent/Guardian” page for them to keep. If my parents/guardians have any questions, I will let Ms. Yakopatz know so she can answer them.

SignatureDate

Parent SignatureDate

* Signatures mean you have gone over the information in this syllabus and understand Ms. Y’s expectations.

Parent Contact Information

If something comes up in class where I need to contact you when is the best time to reach you and how? Please circle your preferred method of contact.

NamePhone NumberBest times to contact

Home:
Cell: / Personal e-mail:
Work e-mail:
Home:
Cell: / Personal e-mail:
Work e-mail: