4th Quarter Rules Review Last time this year!! YAY!!

RULES REVIEW 1. No food, drink, gum Water is OK (as always); NO FOOD unless medically needed (in this case, I need a note from your doctor, as does the nursing staff and administration). I will take your food if I see it. Even it’s lunch. Yes, the double standard will continue through the quarter. That’s what’s so nice about it being MY classroom! 

RULES REVIEW Restroom/water breaks/nurse’s office/counselor’s office/Mr. T’s office: You have the first 5 minutes of class (plus 3 minutes between each class) to use the restroom and/or get water. I only get 55 minutes with you – if you are gone for water or bathroom break, you might miss something and I do not always have time to get back to it. Once you enter my class, you are IN my class. You may go to the restroom or for water during the first 5 minutes AS LONG AS YOU HAVE CHECKED WITH ME FIRST. And NO – there is NO reason for a group to go to the bathroom together. That’s a major time waster. If you TRULY have to go to the nurse’s office, you will be allowed to go. HOWEVER, if you have been in the classroom for over 10 minutes, I don’t think you need the nurse that urgently. If you feel you are going to throw up, GO, DON’T ASK. If you want to visit any other office, you MUST ask at the beginning of class. If you can wait 15 or 20 minutes before you ask, you can wait until the end of class to go (REMEMBER: the guidance counselor is only available from 2:15-3:15 daily). In general, I feel waiting until the middle of class to ask to visit these offices constitutes a way to leave class and waste time.

RULES REVIEW 2. “Hands Up!” Let’s try this again: I say “Hands Up” when you are too loud; you put your hands up (one hand per student – putting more than one hand up per student gets the entire class in trouble); once silence begins, all hands go down; class goes on. YOU ARE NOT THEN TO RESUME YOUR TALKING MISBEHAVIOR. That will cause you to have to write... And write… and write until you get the whole point, which is letting me teach while you remain silent (except for questions and discussion).

RULES REVIEW 3. Late/Missing assignments Assignments are due on the due date. You will have one day for each day of an excused absence (if you are gone 2 days, you get 2 days to make up the work) to get turn in your assignments. Late assignments receive 50% of the grade, and will be accepted ON MY DECISION ONLY!! Do not assume late/missing assignments can be turned in at any time. If you have to make up work, look to the website for information, as well as the Assignments crate in the back of the room. ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE CHECKED BOTH AREAS CAN YOU ASK FOR INFORMATION. I do not have time to keep track of YOUR missing assignments. If your grade is important to you, you will be proactive this quarter about getting everything done and turned in on time. You will not have unlimited time to turn in absent work. If not turned in in the time allowed, it will be given a zero or decreased points as if turned in late. I will update grades in Jupiter as time allows. Although you turned in your assignment, it is late and I have other, current assignments to grade. Do not come to me, whining that you have some consequence at home and need that grade entered “now.”

RULES REVIEW 9th Hour: I will be assigning 9th hour from the beginning of the quarter. There are a number of you in GREAT danger of not making it out of 8th grade social studies or ELA. If you are planning to go to another high school, these grades on your transcripts can cause them to not allow into that high school. You will know when you are to be assigned – you are assigned once you are missing two or more assignments PER SUBJECT. It is up to you to get your missing assignments from me – again, check the website or the Assignments crate for the information.

RULES REVIEW Ultimately, this quarter’s assignments and grades are YOUR responsibility. I am not going to spend this quarter more concerned about your assignments and grades than you are. (This is what I did over the last three quarters, and nothing changed on your part). Your behavior in class WILL affect your grades this quarter. Part of EVERY grade you get contains a “Citizenship” portion of 1-2 points, depending on the total points of the assignment. If you do an assignment perfectly, but do not earn full points, think about your behaviors – THAT is where you will lose points. Do it too often, and your A grade will drop to a B very quickly. Fair warning…

RULES REVIEW Social Studies ELA Important Dates: Civil Rights Movement “The Decades” Economics and Personal Finance Creation and implementation of the Constitution ELA Epic poetry: “The Odyssey” Play: “Romeo and Juliet” AIMS: April 7, 8, 15, 16 PARCC test subjects: Mar 25, 26, 27 Important Dates: Mar 17: Start quarter Apr 18, 21: Spring holiday May 23: 8th grade breakfast May 27, 28: Finals May 29: Sunsplash May 30: 8th grade graduation