Classroom Procedures

1. Classroom Procedures Mrs. Smith’s Classroom Levelland High School Levelland, Texas

2. Introduction • Welcome to Mrs. Smith’s class • Class Goals • I am here to teach • You are here to learn • Pass the STAAR ENG II Assessment • Get a FULL credit for ENG II • Positive attitudes for both of us are the key.

3. Entering in the classroom • Make sure you have all necessary materials for this class. • Enter the classroom quietly. • Grab your notebook and go to your assigned seat. • Get ready to work.

4. Electronic Devices • You have an assigned place to put your phone, iPod, etc. • Your electronic items should be place in the pocket inside my cabinet that coordinates with the number on your desk. • Items will be locked up during class and will be returned to you at the end of class. • If you are caught using an electronic device, it will be taken up and given to the office. You will not get a “put it up” warning. • You/your parents will be charged $15.00 to get it back.

5. Speaking of getting ready to work….. • It is your responsibility to come to class prepared. However, should you forget, I will allow you to borrow something from me but YOU MUST…. • TRADE ME FOR SOMETHING • That means you must give me something that I will return to you once you are done with your work. It has to be something you will remember to get when you leave • Examples of things from the past • Keys, shoes, backpacks, purses, phones, etc. • Anything of value to you that you will remember to trade back when you leave.

6. NOTEBOOK • You will need a 1 inch binder for this class. • You will also need 5 dividers • It is due by Friday, August 30 • If that is going to be impossible, please come visit with me. • We will put it together on Friday.

7. RIGHT AFTER the bell rings • Immediately start your journal. It will projected on the board. • Do it in the “journal” section of your notebook. • Your notebook needs to be kept on the shelf in the back. • When you finish, wait quietly for the next set of instructions.

8. Daily Grammar Practice (DGP) • You will have DGP four days a week. • Your DGP is to be kept in the part of your notebook labeled “DGP”. • We will do DGP right after you do your journal. • You are responsible for doing DGP everyday. • It makes up a portion of your notebook grade.

9. During INSTRUCTION • Listen to the teacher with full attention. • You will not sharpen your pencil, whisper, or talk during instruction. • Unless you are told to write something down, please do not write while the teacher is speaking. • Do not start working until instruction is over. You may miss important information and wind up doing your work incorrectly. • Ask permission to speak by raising your hand. • Ask questions related to the subject. If they are not directly related to the subject, please save them for later. • After instruction, make sure you understand the concept. If not, you need to ask.

10. WHILE YOU ARE WORKING • Make sure you read or listen to the directions about your work and understand them. • Use your time wisely. Put forth your best effort to finish your work on time. • If you are using your time wisely, you shouldn’t have to do much at home.

11. JOURNAL WORK • Each day, put the date first • Turn it in when you are asked. • I will let you know in advance if your journal is going to be due. You need to make sure it is ready to be graded. 

12. AFTER YOU ARE DONE • Check your work and the directions to make sure you have done the assignment correctly. • If the assignment is to be turned in, do so. • Find something to do quietly at your desk and do not disturb others. • I recommend reading your AR book. 

13. AR requirements • You will be required to read an AR book each six weeks. • Your AR test grade will count as two grades. • Your AR grade will be put in AFTER the 3 week grade report. It will be a zero until you bring me a test printout. • The only reason I am doing this is so you will know what your grade will be with a zero instead of being “surprised” at your grade at the end of the six weeks.

14. AR Requirements • 6 point book • Declare your book by 9/6 (You cannot change it after 9/6) • You need either myself or Mrs. Burnett present when you test • You will have to have the book with you • If you are reading an ebook from the library, you will need title and author, so we can make sure you have indeed checked out that book. • PRINT a TOPS report • If Mrs. Burnett is the one who puts in the password for you, she needs to sign your TOPS report.

15. DISMISSAL • Clean your work area and take all garbage to the trash can. • Wait for Mrs. Smith to dismiss you. The ringing of the bell does not dismiss you. • DO NOT line up at the door.

16. Class Work and Homework • You will be given homework on certain days. Unless otherwise stated, it is due THE NEXT DAY. • Late assignments will be grading according to the 2013-2014 school-wide policy • I day late = loss of 20 points • 2 days late = loss of 40 points • 3 days late = loss of 50 points • 4 days late = office referral/1 day of lunch detention/loss of 50 points • 5 days late = office referral/ 2 days of lunch detention/loss of 50 points • 6 days late is too late, and the work cannot be submitted.

17. HOMEWORK • All homework needs to be turned into the correct tray for your class period. • Please do not put work on my desk. That is a dangerous idea!

18. GRADING • Daily work and homework will count once. • Quizzes will count once • Tests will count twice • Projects will count twice

19. Extra Credit • During the year, some of you will start asking about extra credit. • The only extra credit you will get is for unused hall passes. • IF you are completing all of your work, you will not need extra credit. • I have a very busy life with lots of kids and kid activities. I refuse to spend time away from my family grading work that you needed because you didn’t do the original assignments.

20. IF YOU ARE TARDY • Stand by Mrs. Smith’s desk • Sign the tardy log and write your excuse. • You will not be excused from any bellwork you might have missed. Get the assignment from a classmate and do it at home. • The Levelland High School tardy policy will be enforced in regards to punishment for excessive tardies.

21. LEAVING THE ROOM • You will only be allowed to leave when direct instruction is NOT taking place. • You will get three passes each six weeks. • You will sign and date your hall pass log after you have received permission to leave the room. • Just because ask, does not mean you will get a yes. • You will NOT be allowed to leave the room when there is a sub or someone covering this class. • At the end of the six weeks if you have not used ANY of your hall passes, you will get extra credit.

22. WHEN YOU ARE ABSENT • There is a bulletin board at the front of the classroom. • There is a folder with your class period in the hanging file on that bulletin board. • If you have been absent, you need to find the paper with the date you missed. • Get that paper out of the file, do it, and turn it in. • You have one day for every day you’ve missed to get your work turned in. • In other words, if you miss two days, you have two days until the missing work is due. • After that, work will be graded according to the late work policy. • If there is nothing in the folder, do not assume that you do not have any work. You still need to ask me for the assignment.

23. CLASSROOM RULES • Work quietly • NO ELECTRONICS • Turn work in on time • Treat others with RESPECT • Come prepared • Be on time

24. CONSEQUENCES • 1.) Warning • 2.) Conference with Student • 3.) Parent Contact • 4.) Coach Contact • 5.) Referral to Administration

25. Dress Code • As a student of Levelland ISD, you are expected to follow the dress code. • If your shirt is inappropriate (for a number of reasons), your hair is not correct, you need to shave, or your shorts/dress/skirt is too short, etc. you will be sent upstairs. • There have been several changes to the dress code, so refer to that to make sure you are in compliance.

26. About ME • I grew up in Odessa, TX – Home of Friday Night Lights. • I moved to NM the summer before my senior year of high school. • I graduated from Eastern New Mexico University

27. Communication • I will be testing a new communication tool this year. It is called Remind 101. It is for both you and your parents. It is OPTIONAL, but I think you will find it worth it. • Remind 101 was heavily researched and designed with schools is mind. • It is a one way communication program and due to the encrypted nature of the program, I will never see your cell phone numbers nor will anyone else who signs up. • Likewise, you will not be able to reply to messages sent.

28. Sign up for Remind 101 • To sign up, send a text message to (469) 293-3945 with the code for the correct class. • ENG II – @572c8 • ENG II – Pre-AP - @572c9 • I will send reminders during the year of major tests, project due dates, picture day, AR test days, and other things as needed.

29. Children • Dustin (21) attends Texas A&M Corpus Christi. • Shane (19) attends Texas A&M Corpus Christi. • Holli (16) is an 10th grader @ LHS. • Grant (14) is a 9th grader @ LMS. • Reed (8) is a 4th grader @ LIS. • Tripp (6) is a 1st grader @ South.

31. LET’S HAVE A GREAT YEAR