Required Materials:

• Pens/pencils
• 3 ring binder, 2”
• 5 tab dividers with designated ELA section
• College ruled notebook paper (no spiral notebooks unless neat-tear)

Optional Materials:

• Pencil sharpener (shavings must be contained)
• Highlighters (yellow, pink, green, orange, purple, and blue)
• Ruler (for Cornell Notes)
• Pencil pouch

Classroom rules will be as follows: 

Rules

• Treat others as you would like to be treated
• Be a good listener
• Be respectful and polite
• Respect yourself and do the work
• Respect your peers and allow them to do their work
• Respect your abilities and ask questions
• Respect your teacher and pay attention and listen while he is talking
• Respect this classroom and pick up after your self
• Be prepared for class
• No drinks, no food
• ---Exception- Water with lid on top to stop spilling
• Enter the classroom quietly and get ready for instruction
• The bell does not dismiss you the teacher does
• Follow all school rules (Follow Dress Code!)

Discipline:

The following behavior will result in a step or referral:

• Disrespecting the teacher or other students
• Foul language
• Refusal to work

Assignment/Test Procedures:

• Homework is meant for PRACTICE
• Homework is due at the BEGINNING of class. Work turned in after it is collected and/or stamped will not be accepted for full credit.
• If a student is doing their homework after the bell or copying from a neighbor, they will receive NO credit for that night’s homework. It is better to get partial credit for your own work that was done at the appropriate time than no credit.  
• Late homework will NOT be accepted as full credit with the exception of excused absences.
• Students will have the same number of days for an excused absence to complete the work they missed while out. It is the student’s responsibility to get missed assignments.  I will do my best to remind absent students, but ultimately the responsibility will lie with them. 

• Essays, projects, and other large assignments can be turned in up to two days late at any time with the knowledge that each day late will result in a grade reduction for the assignment.

• Missed tests due to excused absences may be taken up to two days upon returning to class, unless otherwise arranged with the teacher.

• No extension will be given to assignments when the student has an unexcused absence or cut. This also applies to the two-day window for essays, large assignments, and make-up tests.

• Students must turn in assignments before/after school the date they are due if they are participating in a school-approved activity. If this is not possible (i.e. leaving before the office is open), other arrangements must be made with the teacher prior to the trip/activity.

Independent Reading:

• Students will complete a minimum of 600 pages of reading within the term. Silent IR reading time is provided in class; however, students are also expected to read a minimum of 20 minutes at home daily.  Students will also answer literary response questions which will be collected and graded weekly.  Three book reports will be assigned throughout the semester.  Books may be obtained through the school library, the Dinuba branch of the Tulare county library, or from home.  The teacher must approve each student’s IR book selection. Not bringing a book to class will result in various consequences.      

Email and Google Drive

• Students will be using Gmail to communicate with me and each other. IR logs, Essays, and some other assignments will be turned in via Google Drive, through their Gmail accounts.

Grade Weighting:

Varies depending on the grade level

Students and parents are encouraged to stay up to date with grades/scores via Power School.  If you are in need of your Power School log in, please contact the counseling department or consult your schedule or Emperor Report.

Miscellaneous Procedures:

• Bathroom Privileges: Students will be allowed to use bathroom as necessary but regular or excessive use is not allowed and will result in a call home or meeting set up to talk about constant use and time missed within classroom.  If Doctors note is made available bathroom use can be modified.  Otherwise bathroom use is discouraged unless emergency basis or there is a natural break within the classroom.  One student at a time will be allowed to go and students must sign out and sign back into class.   
• Honesty Policy: Plagiarism is stealing someone else’s ideas and presenting them as your own.  This includes copying another student’s work, copying text from the Internet, and cheating.  Students caught violating the DHS Honesty Policy will receive a major referral and a “0” on the assignment. 

                                                            Thanks,

                                                        Mrs. Smith

                                                Email: taylor.smith@dinuba.k12.ca.us