Welcome

1. Welcome Mrs. McGowan Northwest High School

2. Classroom Rules • Be on time to class and ready to work when the bell rings. • Be kind and respectful to others. • Bring all supplies to class daily. • Be prepared – discussions, homework, activities, etc… • ABSOLUTELY NO FOOD OR DRINK IN THE CLASSROOM. (Water with a lid is acceptable.) • The bathroom is a privilege not a right, do not abuse the privilege.

3. Classroom Materials Bring the following items to class DAILY Pencil or pen (blue or black ink only) Textbook or Novel Notebook Paper Class Binder/Folder Complete Assignments Student Planner

4. Grading Policy Grades come from many sources: class work, homework, quizzes, exams, projects, essays and presentations. All assignments are worth 100 points, except weekly bell-ringers. Bell-ringers are worth 50 pts. each week. Every student is given a notebook sheet to keep track of your assignments. PowerSchool is available for you to check your grades from home or during advisory with a library pass. Instructional time will not be devoted to checking grades. For opportunities to discuss your grade, please make an appointment with me to have an academic conference during advisory. There will be a sign-up sheet or I will notify you that we need to meet.

5. State Grading Scale A = 93 - 100 B = 85 - 92 C = 75 - 84 D = 70 - 74 F = 0 - 69

6. Schedules • Monday and Friday will be regularly scheduled days with no advisory. A copy can be found on my website (noted on the 1st day of school). • Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be advisory days. Advisory is attached to 2nd period. • There are three ways to leave class during advisory: • A pre-planned, pre-approved teacher pass. • A club card. • A pre-planned, pre-approved library pass. • Advisory movement will be extremely STRICT! There are teachers on each hallway posted to check and verify passes. If you do not have the correct pass, you will be stopped and your teacher will be notified. • A discipline referral for skipping will be written as warranted. • Roaming the halls will NEVER be permissible.

7. Absences Make-up work is your responsibility! Make-up work is your responsibility! When you miss a class, please see me during advisory (with a pass) or after school. CLASS TIME is NOT the time to discuss make-up work. Make-up work is YOUR responsibility! System policy states, you have the number of days you were absent to make up an assignment. I will abide by district policy. If you miss a quiz or a test, you will take this quiz or test ON THE DAY OF YOUR RETURN (provided you have all elements of the assignment in hand). You will not be given additional time to study for a quiz/test you were already prepared to take.

8. Late Work Assignments are due when requested. Late work is NOT accepted for any reason.

9. Hall Passes You must have a planner to leave class. No exceptions. You must have an advisory pass to leave class during advisory. No exceptions. Please do not ask me to alter this rule. This is school policy and I like my job here.

10. Tardy Policy • I follow the Northwest High School tardy policy. • 1st Tardy – Warning • 2nd Tardy - Parent contact • 3rd Tardy - Referral • Fill out the tardy log located by the door if you come to class late. You must state your reason for tardiness. • You will not linger at the tardy log or disrupt class. Choosing to do so will result in disciplinary action.

11. Discipline Policy Consequences for minor discipline offenses adhere to Northwest High School policy. Major offenses will be reported directly to the office. 1st Offense - Warning 2nd Offense - Parent contact 3rd Offense – Discipline referral

12. Copies of Documents I make ONE copy per student. ONE! If you lose a document required for class it I YOUR responsibility to go on my website (www.msmcgowan.shutterfly.com) and print yourself a new copy. No – you may not use class time for this. If it is a document I cannot put on my website, I suggest you keep up with it.

13. Daily Objectives Each day the focus for the lesson will be written on the board under the “I can…” section. Please read this daily. Any materials needed other than those needed daily will be distributed and discussed as necessary. You will ALWAYS need your textbook or novel. While there may be days we don’t use these items, we are not going to play the “I didn’t know I needed my book today” game. Always have it. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

14. Class Notebook Each student is required to keep a notebook with class assignments. The first page in the notebook is always the assignment sheet. There will be a notebook test each nine-weeks worth at least 100 points - an easy grade if the notebook is kept neat and in order. Notebook tests are ALWAYS UNANNOUNCED! Notebook contents are displayed on the wall at all times.

15. Bellringers We will have a bellringer every day; it will be on the projection screen when you enter the classroom. Have a seat and begin completing the bellringer as soon as you take your seat. Write the full date and clear target each day. Follow the directions carefully. Always circle or underline your answer. All students will be called upon to answer bellringer questions. No one is exempt. Approximately every Friday there will be a Bellringer Quiz over the week’s objectives.

16. Bellringers Continued . . . Write the bellringers for each week on the same piece of paper. Label each with the date – full date! You will turn in the bellringer on Friday. It is your responsibility to keep up with it. If your are absent, write the date and “absent” for your bellringer. With the exception of weekly vocabulary, bellringers do not have to be made up. Please get vocab lists from a classmate. Bellringers are worth 50 pts. each week.

17. Turning in Papers • Each paper you turn in should be headed appropriately in the upper left corner: • Your Name • My Name • Class • Date • In the upper right hand corner, please write NBP#______ • Pass papers to front of row for collection. • If the assignment to be submitted was last night’s homework, this should be placed in the folder UPON ENTRY!

18. Turning in Papers continued... Follow manuscript rules at all times. See your manuscript guide. If I cannot read your paper, I cannot grade it. Daily classwork and homework may be in pencil and you may write on the back. Formal writing should be in ink and only on the front of paper.

19. Literature Textbooks Our textbooks are for your use and the use of students to come, please be gentle with them. Any book you harm, YOU will pay!

20. Classroom Reminders Personal space is important. YOU have your space and I have MINE. A student work station equipped with hand sanitizer, facial tissue, stapler, 3-hole punch and tape is provided for your use. Each student has a desk, please keep your hands and materials to yourself.

21. Reminders continued . . . No student will be allowed to leave the room while instruction is being given. ONE student out of the room at a time, you must have YOUR planner or you will not leave the room. Permission to speak will be given when a hand is raised.

22. Keep NWHS Beautiful • Respect your surroundings; you want NWHS to look nice for years to come. • Writing on desks is not permissible and I look at it as a discipline offense. • Food and drink = NO! Water with a lid is acceptable.

23. Emergency Procedures Tornado • Quietly file out the classroom door. Sit along the wall by Mr. Smith’s office and under the bulletin board omitting the area directly in front of the double doors. Sit in the huddle position against the wall. Please note, if the weather seems bad – IT’S NOT A DRILL! WE LIVE IN TORNADO COUNTRY! Fire Drill • In an orderly fashion, file out of classroom emergency exit door. Make a line ON THE SIDEWALK NEXT TO THE BUILDING. Do not go past the end of the building. No, we will not burn up standing next to a brick wall. Stand silent until roll is called and all students are accounted for.

24. Emergency continued . . . Lockdown • If you hear any “Lockdown” announcement, we are in lockdown. Remain silent, and move from your desk to the front corner of the room behind my teacher station area. I will lock the doors and turn out the lights. We will wait for further instructions.

25. Computer Rules We are fortunate to have access to rolling labs. Obey the code of conduct when using the computers. You will be assigned a computer number. You will use the same computer each time we use the labs.

26. STATE TESTS You will take two major tests in English II. In September, you will take the PLAN. This the precursor to the ACT. It is very important that you do well on this test. The scores are part of your permanent file and assist with class placement – all class placement, not just advanced or honors. In May, you will take the End of Course test. This test counts for 30% of your final average. This is approximately the same weight as a complete 9-weeks grading period. This test is a one-shot deal. There are no RETAKES! Everything we do throughout the school year leads to your success on this test. It is not enough to pass it, you must do better this year than you did last year. It is not only the score that counts, but how much you’ve grown as a learner! It matters!!!

27. How to Succeed in My Class Enter the class with a good attitude, an open mind, and your book! Arrive on time. Be neat and courteous. Complete assignments. Try your hardest and don’t give up. Ask questions. Come to me with problems. Do not wait until you are struggling to mention a situation, approach me! Yes, I’m strict. But, I’m also here to help you learn – that is the ultimate goal. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!