PassaicValleyHigh School
Social Studies Department
Mr. Francisco
Human Behavior2010-2011 School Year
Students and Parents/Guardians:
Welcome to a new school year. This syllabus is designed to serve as an outline of guidelines, procedures, and expectations for this course. It is best for everyone to be on the same page as well as let all concerned know what is expected of them, what consequences will be for certain actions, and most importantly what it will take to excel in this course. In addition to the standard practices outlined in this packet, also be aware that all major assignments will be posted online by the teacher for the students to keep track of their academic responsibilities. The added bonus to this posting online is that parent(s)/guardian(s) will be able to aid students in coordinating their completion of academic tasks.
After reading this syllabus, you will have covered all of the material that was covered with your child in class. After doing so, I am confident that you will feel assured that this class will be not only a structured and safe environment, but a learning atmosphere that prizes academic success, as well as an open discourse for questions and opinions that will build your child’s understanding of the behavioral sciences.
The last page of this syllabus contains a sign-off that acts as an acknowledgement that you have both read and understood all of the policies of this class. I will ask that this page be returned to me no later than ______.
If you wish to contact me with any questions or concerns, you may email me at , or call my school voicemail box @ (973) 890-2500 [3083].
Thank you for your time and let us all look forward to rewarding and productive year.
Jeffrey Francisco
Social Studies Department
Classroom Conduct:
In addition to all PVHS policies and regulations, I would like to further a number of points:
-Punctuality: You will arrive on time, being in your seat, and no where else, when the bell rings.
-Respect: …Is the basis to understanding and achieving.
You will be expected to interact respectfully with the teacher and peers. This also applies to your language, comments, gestures and overall attitude.
- Engaged: From bell to bell I will expect you to be alert, attentive, and involved in the lesson.
Dismissal:
- The teacher will determine who gets to leave the classroom and for what reasons.
- Students will not be able to leave class to retrieve materials they came without.
- Students will leave class when I dismiss class not the bell, and only after all student obligations have been met.
Your academic grade will be subjected to and decided upon the following system:
-Exams:
- Both mid-term and final exam procedures are subject to department policies. Both are graded on the following scale (0-100).
- All students will receive an exam review during designated exam review days.
- Extra Credit:
- With the exception of possible bonus questions on quizzes and/or tests, there will be no extra credit given in this class.
- Grading:
- All work is graded on the following scale (1-100)
- Your marking period grade is developed by adding all of your points together, then dividing the sum by the number of possible points earned
- All marking period grades, as well as final grades follow the PVHS grading scale. Students from start to finish…Earn Their Grades!
The following chart is a breakdown of what the “typical” grade and its worth looks like in this course.
1. Chapter Tests (est.50-75 pts.)
2. Quizzes (25-45 pts.)
3. Outlines (considered as quizzes)
4. Short Essays/Reactions (10-25 pts.)
5. Assigned Readings/Question Analysis’s (10-25pts.)
6. Projects/Papers (To be Determined)
7. Preparation/Participation (50 pts. per marking period, which breaks down to1.25 pts. per day. The does and will reserve the right to remove additional future points when a student commits more than one infraction on a single day )
8. Other assessments will periodically be introduced throughout the year.
Preparation/Participation: Is the bringing to every class a notebook, pens, textbook (when required) and all other materials needed for the given day.
… wearing your school-issued I.D.
… taking notes when they are given
… making sure all electronic devices are tuned off and put away
… submitting all assignments when I ask for them during a class period
… keeping in your possession the one and only copy of all papers given to you.
- You will receive a Par/Prep grade for every marking period. Everyone starts out at (100) at the beginning of the marking period.
- Every time a participation/preparation policy is disregarded, points will be deducted from the total.
- If the Par/Prep grade reaches zero (0) before the end of the marking period, then point(s) will be deducted from your overall class average when a preparation/participation policy is once again disregarded.
I will not always let you know that points have been lost. It is your responsibility to know you Par/Prep grade.
-Notebook:
- In the consideration of your notebook; It must be maintained in an organized, logical manner.
- I strongly recommend the use of a three-ring binder that will give you the ability to take notes but also catalog all handouts you are given. Students will be given class materials and papers only once.
- Classroom Folder:You will be given a classroom folder. These will be kept in the classroom with all graded assignments and work. Under no circumstances do tests or other sensitive materials go home.
Field Trips
- Only those students with a cumulative class average of seventy (70) or better will be permitted to attend any field trips that are offered.
Letters of Recommendation
- I only write letters of recommendation for students who earn at least an eighty (80) average every marking period and on both exams.
- Besides the minimum academic benchmark for a letter of recommendation, I also take into account other factors that may affect if I agree to write a letter. These factors may include a student’s attitude, behavior, participation etc.
Make-Up Work/Absences:
- Due dates are always given in advance. Therefore, if you are absent on either the day of a test or quiz, or the day an assignment is due, you should be prepared to either take the test or quiz, or submit the assignment, immediately upon your return to class.
- You are responsible for all notes, assignments, handouts, etc., given during your absence.
- It is your responsibility to come to me! If you do not make an effort to speak with me about what you missed during your absence, then I will assume that you have either gotten the notes and materials from a classmate, or are simply not interested in making up the work.
- Make-up work is not to be done during a class period (yours or another). You must make arrangements with me to complete make-up work before school, after school, or during your lunch period.
- All make-up work must be completed within ten (10) calendar days of your return to class (as per PVHS policy). However, not all assignments are given ten (10) days; therefore you can expect to receive the same amount of time to complete an assignment as your classmates did who were not absent. After the given amount of time, all uncompleted work will earn a grade of zero (0).
- Extra Help:
If you are having difficulty understanding the subject matter see me. I will GLADLY give EXTRA HELP. DO NOT, however, wait until test day.
-Plagiarism/Cheating:
- Plagiarism is the act of either knowingly or unknowingly submitting another person’s work, either in part or in whole, as your own. “The penalty for plagiarism is a grade of zero on the particular assignment and the reporting of the incident to school administrators and to the student’s guidance specialist and parents or guardians. A parental; conference with school officials may also be required.” [PassaicValleyHigh School Student/Parent Handbook and PassaicValleyHigh School Faculty Handbook.]
-Cheating is the act of purposefully using a resource, individual, electronic aid or other tool (without permission) to improve one’s academic performance on an official class assignment. The act of cheating also applies to a student allowing another, to use them as a source for answers or information (without permission) to improve their academic performance on an official class assignment.
-Submitting Of Work:
- I will not accept assignments on disc, via e-mail, nor in my school mailbox (unless this is specifically asked for in the assignment). Always submit all assignments directly to me.
- If I am absent, submit all assignments from that day and that day only to the substitute. Do not give assignments to the substitute or any other teacher.
- All assignments are due at the designated time, and are considered late thereafter.
- Late assignments will receive automatic deduction of points.
- If an assignment is due on a regular school day, then you have until the end of that school day to submit a late assignment on that day. After such time, the late assignment earns a grade of zero and will not be accepted.
- If an assignment is due on a Friday, a day before a holiday, a day before a day off, or a day with an early dismissal, you have until the end of 8th period to submit a late assignment on that day. After such time, the late assignment earns a grade of zero and will not be accepted.
- Under no circumstance will I allow a class to be (yours or another) interrupted to collect late work or to answer any questions. It is your responsibility to find me before or after the bell when I am not engaged with another class.
-Textbooks:
- You are responsible for the care, safe-keeping and cost of any textbook assigned to you and any book you borrow. You will have to reimburse for any lost or damaged book at the price amount set by the Department Supervisor.
-Written/Typed Work:
- All work that is handed in to me:
- has your name on it
- is stapled together in the upper left corner when there are multiple pages
- is removed neatly from the notebook with no fringes or tears
- has no cross-outsor handwriting on typed papers
- has white-out to correct all known errors before being handed in
- is legible for myself to read, free from tears, rips, folds, stains or other signs that show lack of effort
- points will be lost when the following realistic expectations are not met
-Films/Streamed Video/Online Content:
(Parent(s)/Guardians(s)
Movies, online video content and other media resources along with hands-on activities such as reading, discussions, and research projects, give students a well-rounded opportunity to discover this important social science course. For that reason, over the course of this school year I will utilize a number of different mediums to further some of the essential topics and lessons that are dealt with on a daily basis.
Be assured that I will use proper discretion when showing entire films, excerpts of films and other streamed and online content. All media resources used have been previewed and all content and scenes that are deemed inappropriate will not be shown.
Any particular film or content that I feel goes above and beyond this general description and that will be displayed in class will have an additional notice sent out with it to keep you informed or answer any concerns you might have.
Below is an incomplete list of possible titles:
Rain Man, A Clockwork Orange, Requiem For A Dream, The Lobotomist The Teenage Brain, The Growing Brain, Primetime: Basic Instincts, Charly, Sybil, The Three Faces Of Eve, The Basketball Diaries, Away From Her, etc.
-Website Posting:
-As was instituted during the 2009-2010 academic school year, all teachers at PVHS will be creating a basic website in which they will be posting all major assignments. The administrative reasoning behind this policy is that it will allow students and parents the ability to plan for assignments, major tests, and exams ahead of time and give students the opportunity to stay organized and prepared.
P.6 Please sign and return this page.
-I Have Both Read and Understood All Policies and Expectations Explained In ThisSyllabus.
- I Am Aware That Considering The Nature Of Teaching And The Often Unpredictable Occurrences That Occur Throughout A School Year, Mr. Francisco Reserves The Right To Modify The Policies And Procedures In This Syllabus Over The Course Of The School Year.
- I Understand Mr. Francisco’s Movie, Website, and Media Policy And That All Programs And Media Sources Used Are To Supplement And Support Traditional Teaching Methods and Curriculum-Based Subject Matter.
- I Acknowledge That The Student’s Name That Appears Below Assumes Full Responsibility For The Quality Of His/Her Conduct, Academic Work, Participation, Preparation, Grades Earned, And Use Of Mr. Francisco’s School Website.
- I Concede That The Student’s Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Assume(s) Full Responsibility For Maintaining Contact With Mr. Francisco In Order To Remain Informed Of Their Student’s Performance In Class.
Student Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
Printed name:______Signature:______Relation to Student: ______
Signature:______Signature:______
Relation to Student: ______