Grading Policy

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English 1:

From the desk of Michael Barglow                                    Name:

                                                                                                Date:

                                                                                                Period:                                     Assignment #:

Dear parents/guardians,

 Welcome to Skyline High School!  I am your student’s 9th grade English teacher. I look forward to this year as a year for tremendous growth in students’ English skills.  I also look forward to meeting you at “Back to School Night.”  You will receive information about the date.

This year, for writing, students will be required to engage in numerous writing exercises to improve fluency and grammar.  These will include writing: various essays, research reports, a résumé for a job, and a business letter.

 We will also work on building up college level vocabulary, and making effective written and oral presentations in which one tries to persuade one’s audience about some problem or issue.

For reading, we will be using a new literature text.  Students will read novels listed on the State of California, 9th grade reading list and books of their own choosing as part of our “Reading Workshop” program (See below).

 Reading Workshop

 For homework, all students are expected to read a library book of their choosing at home, at least 15 minutes a day.  However, I recommend that students read at least 30 minutes a day.  This goal also applies to weekends.  Students will have a reading journal in which they record the title and author of the book they are reading, and then write about this book on a regular basis.  To pass the reading portion of this class, they must write a good letter at least once a week to their reading journal partner and one letter back.  A good letter is a letter in which students include some answers to questions 5-l2 at the front of their journals and at least one sentence starter from the list of "Wonderings and Wanderings", also at the front of their journals.  Students do not need to use all questions and sentence starters in each letter, but must include some each time.  The reason for these methods is that they help students to move beyond simple plot description to really examining the books they read and hopefully be able to relate these books in some way to their own lives.

 Students are expected to correct or at least try to correct every page in their journals where corrections are indicated.  These marks are made to improve student writing. Students must also attempt to answer every question that their journal partner or a teacher writes in their journals.

            Please ask regularly to see your child’s reading journal to check on progress.

Grading Policy

 • At the end of each marking period, students must turn in all assignments that they have attempted with their Assignment Lists on top, and their assignments in order from the first  to the last assignment.  They will place these assignments in their portfolio folders, which will be filed and used as evidence of student work for student and parent conferences. If students are missing more than 7 assignments from their portfolio at the end of the marking period, they should expect an “F” Grade.  This includes assignments that have been marked and recorded in my grade book.  Students should take this requirement very seriously, because it is a clear indication of their level of responsibility and the attention they give to organization and detail.  

 • Students must bring the required materials for this class every day (See #4 below).

Grade Break-Down

 1. Completion of assignments [40%] These are usually graded on a check plus/check/check minus basis.  Assignments must be properly labeled, kept in student binders, and turned in at the end of each grading period.

 2. Tests/Quizzes [20%]: Most tests in this class are SAT level vocabulary quizzes.  These are important because they measure ability to truly understand the vocabulary and to write meaningful sentences with difficult words.  You cannot receive a B or above in this class without being able to write good quality sentences.  If you are absent for a test or quiz you must make them up during the week following your absence. Otherwise your test score is recorded as a zero. You will know if we have had a test by checking your assignment list.

 Corrections: All work that is returned to you with marks and/or corrections must be corrected by you in your own hand-writing. If you don’t understand a mark or correction, ask a teacher or fellow student.

 3.  Bell Points [10%] At the beginning of class, short writing assignments are often given.  It is very important that students are on time to complete these.

 4. Participation/Materials [10%]: If you misbehave and/or refuse to read out loud or to participate in other required activities, your participation grade suffers.  Forgetting required materials (binder, paper, pencils, pens, books, reading journals), also lowers your participation grade. 

 5. Reading Journal [20%]: I must see your journal at least after every three letters you write. Each letter must receive a timely response from a partner to receive credit.  If you do not have a partner or your partner is not here, give me your journal.  If you are not a responsible student do not agree to be someone’s journal partner.  It will hurt your grade.

 6. Attendance: Every three unexused absences automatically lowers a student’s grade by one step, for example, from a B to a C. Every three unexcused tardies lowers a student’s grade one third of a step, for example, from  a B to a B-                                                                               

We at Skyline expect students to respect their teachers and each other.  For example, cussing or throwing things, calling other students names, talking without permission, no matter who starts anything, can result in a detention.

The first time students violate any of the above guidelines, or in any way show disrespect, they may, without warning, be required to serve a detention in my room for up to one hour after school. 

The second time students violate any of the above rules, a conference will be arranged with their parents and/or another detention will be assigned.

 The third time students break our rules of respect for others, a conference with a counselor and/or vice-principal will be arranged, and further action taken.

 So that there are no doubts about what constitutes unacceptable behavior, here are a few examples:

 1. Leaving assigned seats during the class period without permission (The teacher dismisses the class, not the bell). 

 2. Crumbling paper into balls or throwing anything (If the classroom is messy, students may be required to stay after the bell rings for one or two minutes until the room is clean).

 3. Wearing hats, or other head coverings that obscure your face. 

 4. Speaking without permission.

 5. Writing or marking on desks or other parts of the classroom.

 6. Complaining about or criticizing any teacher during class (I am very interested in hearing any of your concerns or reading about them outside of class time.  If you believe you are being treated unfairly, wait until class is finished to discuss the matter with your teachers).

 7. The following objects are not allowed.  This means they cannot be visible in my classroom: 

 CD players, head phones, cell phones, pagers, sunglasses, food, drinks, gum, and candy.  These, and other inappropriate objects will be taken away, and an attempt will be made to return all non-food items at the end of the semester if the student makes such a request at that time.  However, the teacher will not be responsible for saving nor returning any confiscated objects.

 Teacher unfairness: The fact that someone else may be talking or disrupting the class will have no bearing on whether you are disciplined by me. If you notice a pattern of unfairness on my part, I expect you to bring that to my attention after class is over, either in writing, or by talking to me.  If you raise the issue in class, you are likely to receive a referral in addition to your detention.

 Go to page 4.  Students are to keep pages 1-3 in their binders as a “Keep Assignment,” and must return page 4 to me with the requested information to receive credit.

Name:

Date:

Period:

Assignment #:

Dear parents and guardians,

 I am almost always available between 12:30 and 2 p.m. and after 3:30 p.m. for parent conferences.  The best way to schedule a conference is to call 879-3060, x 207.  If I do not answer, please try again, because I do not check for messages on a daily basis.  You may also email me at mbarglow@california.com.  If you have a question or problem with the information I have given on pages 1-3, write to me in the space below.  Otherwise, I will assume that the above information and guidelines for grading and behavior are acceptable to you.  Please copy the above information for your records in case you need to contact me.

Parent/Guardian comments:

 Please fill in the information below.  Your student must return it to me tomorrow.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I have read and I understand the information on pages one-three. 

My child's name is (Please print):_______________________________

Student's signature: _________________________________________

My name is (Please print): ____________________________________

Parent's/Guardian's signature: _________________________________

Home phone #:                            Work phone #:                          Cell phone #                                   Emergency #:

Student schedule:

 Subject                                                          Teacher                                                                   Room #         

1^st period                _____________________________________________________________________________

2nd period             _____________________________________________________________________________

3rd period              _____________________________________________________________________________

4th period              _____________________________________________________________________________

5th period              _____________________________________________________________________________

6th period              _____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Workshop

From the desk of Michael Barglow                Name:

9/05                                                                 Date:

                                                                        Period:

Dear Parents,                                                   Assignment #:

In my second letter to you I want to remind you of the importance of 9^th grade students’ reading a book they choose, every day, for one half hour until thy finish it.   There are many research studies that show students who do well in school, on their college entrance exams, and in college read regularly.   I have made this an assignment for this class.   I cannot monitor this work, but you can.  If there is one piece of advice I know I am right about, it is this.  Please find out the title of the book your student has chosen to read.  If a book has not been selected, please help in that process.

Discuss my 30 minute reading requirement with your student, and agree with them about a time every day when it will be done.  Perhaps you can arrange a reward if it is done and/or a “consequence” if it isn’t.

I would like to learn about the result of your conversation, so please provide the requested information below:

 ___ I/We have discussed this idea with our student.

 ___ I/We have not discussed this idea with our student yet.

 ___ We have agreed that our student will read the book he has chosen at this time:

 ___p.m./a.m.- ___p.m./a.m.

on these days:

 ___ We have made a different agreement.  It is the following:

 ___ We have not been able to make an agreement.

 Other results/ comments? (I would appreciate any feedback, ideas, or suggestions from parents, guardians, and students. Speak up!):

 Parent Signature:

 Sincerely,

 Michael Barglow

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