Subject Information

8B Syllabus

Teacher:        Ms. Paige Kinney

Classroom Rules:

1. Be respectful of yourself, others, and the classroom.
2. Be prepared.
3. Please raise your hand and wait to be called on.
4. Participate in all activities.
5. Do your own work.
6. Silently pass through hallways.
7. Wear appropriate school assigned uniform.
8. No cell phones, mp3 players or electronic devices.
9. Use the bathroom only with teacher permission and pass.
10. Always clean up after yourselves.
11. Please do not bring food, drink, gum or personal items into the classroom.
12. All other school rules apply.

Classroom Procedures:

1. Line up outside in a calm manner.
2. Calmly enter the room, go to your assigned table/seat, and take out the materials you will need for the lesson, which are listed on the board.
3. Take out your homework and place it on the upper left corner of your desk to be collected.
4. Silently begin working on the first, “Do Now”, activity on the agenda.
5. Follow the teacher’s instructions to complete the assignment or project for the day.
6. Be sure to clean up your workspace, the floor, and return any materials you may have used to their proper place at the end the project.
7. Write down the homework in your planner.
8. All students must be quiet and in their seats before they will be dismissed by the teacher!

Discipline Policy:

1. Verbal Warning 1
2. Verbal Warning 2 and after class detention.
3. Student writes letter of apology. A copy is given to the teacher, the parents and the administration. The student will return the parent copy signed the next day.
4. Teacher/Parent/Administration Conference.

Grading Policy

In accordance with school policy, grades will be given on the following scale:

A      100% - 96%                         C-     73% - 70%

A-      95% - 93%                         D+     69% - 67%  

B+      92% - 91%                               D      66% - 63%

B        90% - 87%                         D-     62% - 60%

B-      86% - 84%                          F       59% and below

C+      83% - 81%

C        80% - 74%

Progress report will be handed out monthly.        

Grade Weighting:

• Tests/quizzes:                                               35%
• Daily Assignments/ Projects/Homework:     55%
• Participation:                                                    10%

Late Work/ Absence Policy:

• NO late assignments will be accepted.
• If an assignment is late due to an absence the assignment will be accepted with a valid excuse note from a parent or physician.
• Missed tests must be made up after school within 48 hours of the original test date, or the next regularly scheduled school day.  

Absent Policy:

If a student has been absent, he/she must check the “Absent Folder” for any missed “Do Nows”, activities, assignments, and/or journals.   The student must then check with other students at his/her table for additional instructions. The student should then check with the teacher, after class, for additional instructions.

Students will be allowed two days per day missed to make up assignments.

Bathroom Policy:

Each student may use the bathroom three times throughout the semester. Students may use the bathroom if they have been granted permission by the teacher and received the bathroom pass. All students must be accompanied by a partner when using the bathroom.  Once a student has used their three passes they will not be eligible to use the restroom. If an emergency arises the student will be granted permission to use the restroom and the student will be penalized through a point deduction from their grade. Students are not permitted to use the restroom during lecture, quizzes, tests, presentations or silent sustained reading. Exceptions for valid medical conditions will be made.

Tests and quizzes:

• Quizzes will be given throughout each chapter, in each subject.
• Tests will be given at the end of each chapter and unit in each subject.
• Spelling and vocabulary tests will be given at the end of each week.
• If a student receives %100 on the pre- spelling/vocabulary test they do not need to take the regularly scheduled test at the end of the week.
• One cumulative midterm and one cumulative final will be given in each subject each semester.
• Each quiz and test will contain a variety of sections including:  Matching, Multiple Choice, Interpreting Graphs/Maps/Chart/Documents, Short Answer, and Essay items. 
• Students who receive less than 84% (B-) on any quiz or test (excluding midterms and finals) can raise their grade up to 84% (B-) by identifying the correct answer in each incorrect question and writing a 5-7 sentence explanation for the correct answer. This make up work is due within two school days of the test results.  

Homework:

• Students should expect a total of 75-90 minutes of homework a night, Monday through Thursday. Homework will not be given on the weekends or holidays, but students will be expected to review content, prepare for tests and work on ongoing projects on weekends.

Plagiarism and cheating:

Any student who plagiarizes, copies, or cheats on an assignment, quiz, or test will receive a zero for the work and will face disciplinary action.

For the purposes of this class, plagiarism is defined as knowingly copying an entire paper, or parts of a paper (as little as one sentence), and claiming it as your own. If you are using someone else’s words you must give them credit!

Technology Use:

*Students should use technology for academic purposes only.

*Students must sign and return the technology contract before they are eligible to use school technology.

* Students who violate the technology contract will face disciplinary action. 

Teacher Contact Information:

School Phone:  415-647-8662                *    Email:  pkinney@sanpedro.org

                                                                          Class Schedule