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JMJ

Marinac’s Consumer Math Course Policy

The goals for this course are two-fold:

1.  You won’t say “I will never use this!” The things you will learn in this class are very useful – sometimes immediately, others in the long run.

2.  You will have a much smaller chance of being a consumer victim and a much better chance of making smart financial choices.

Content:

This class is designed to help students meet the challenges of everyday life. Mathematics is interwoven intoalmost every aspect of our lives and the ability to solve everyday math problems is considered a basic skill. Among the skills students will learn are those needed to: find the best deal shopping; estimate tips; understand credit cards; figure loans, repayments, and interest; determine the nutritional value of foods; determine the Calories burned in activities;, clothing, and recipes; understand tax brackets and fill out a 1040EZ; prepare a budget; interpret pie charts and tables; understand some retirement plan investing; travel in a foreign country; understand odds and probability in games of chance, learn skills for job interviewing, and; take and use measurements for home improvements.

Required Daily:

Ø  Promptness: You must be in your seat when the bell finishes ringing or you are tardy.

Ø  ESLRs: “Participate in the life of the Church through prayer, worship and the sacramental life” – we will pray in class daily. “Respect yourself and others” – no making fun of anyone. “Accept responsibility for your choices” – you will be expected to try in this class in order to succeed. “Analyze critically, evaluate thoughtfully, and communicate effectively” – you must strive to see how to apply your knowledge. I want you to UNDERSTAND the mathematics, not just know procedures.

Ø  Every day you must bring your workbook, notebook, TI-83, TI-84, or NSpire calculator, pencil with eraser. Failure to have these items may result in a detention.

Notebook/Assignments:

·  Students will have notes to take and assignments every day. Often there may be enough time in class to complete them all.

·  Notebooks and assignments will be checked at the beginning of class the day after they were assigned. If they are not complete and available at that time, they will be considered late.

·  Assignments and notes will earn points at the time they are checked based on this scale:

points / % completed
5 / 90 – 100%
2 / 25 - 90%
0 / 0 – 25%

·  Notes and assignments will be accepted late until the chapter test to which they apply is taken. Once the chapter test is taken, notes and assignments from that chapter will not be accepted.

·  Assignments/notes completed and turned in late, but before the chapter test earn 4 points.

·  Late work is accepted for partial credit ONLY IF all work is shown for that assignment. [This is because the answers will have been read in class.]

·  A student may be issued an Academic Detention for failure to turn in notes and assignments on time.

Tests & Quizzes: Typically, there will be either a test or quiz every week, always announced.

Excused Absences:

·  Missing the review day before a test does not excuse you from taking the test on the assigned day.

·  Missing a regular day of instruction means you must get the notes from a classmate and either learn it on your own or schedule tutoring from me immediately. Learn the material before the next test or quiz, because you won’t be able to take it late.

·  If a test or quiz is missed, make-ups must be completed within 1 week (there are 3 makeup times available per week).

·  If the absence is longer than 1 day, arrangements with the teacher need to be made for possible extra time to make up missed work.

Extra Help & Tutoring:

I do not expect math to come easily to everyone. I realize that different people have different gifts. I am committed, though, to giving you the help you need. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions and take advantage of tutoring time. I am here to help you learn. I am available for extra help by appointment. The tutoring schedule is posted in class.

Grading:

Grades follow the percentages in the student handbook. Final percentages will be rounded.

Chapter Tests: / 100 points each
Quizzes: / 40 points each
Notebook: / 5 points per section
Assignments: / 5 points per section
Projects: / 40 - 100 points each
Quarter/Semester Exams: / 100 - 200 points each
No extra credit is available

Note: The grade in each category will be the greater of the mean or the median of the scores. Because of this, any one grade cannot hurt you very much.

E-mail policy: I read my school email between 7:30 AM and 3:00 PM on regular school days. You can expect me to read and for you to get a response from emails within 24 hours if your email is sent on a school day. If sent on the weekend, expect a response by 8 AM the following Tuesday morning.