1. English Class Guidelines and Procedures

2. RULE #1….RESPECT This includes
Absolutely NO talking while I am talking
Respecting others in class
Please no smart comments during class on what we are studying, what is said, etc., and please no talking back; please answer with “yes,” and see me after class with a problem
You will receive ONE warning before a referral

3. Classroom Ca$h 10 passes for the entire semester
Must give me a pass to go to the restroom, locker, water fountain, etc.
Must give me a pass to borrow a book, a pencil, paper, etc.
No pass = no leaving the room/no supplies given
You are not allowed to leave the room the first 15 minutes of class or the last 15 minutes of class.
For each pass left at the end of the semester, you will receive one point added to a test grade (10 possible points).

4. Materials
Bring all materials/assignments to class everyday (books, pencils, pens, etc.)
Do NOT leave them in here
No book= classroom cash to borrow one from Ms. Pournelle (if she has any in the room)
Leaving assignments in locker = a pass to retrieve them
No pencil = classroom cash to borrow from Ms. Pournelle
A book cover for textbooks would be NICE

5. Materials (continued)
Borrow from a friend

6. Make-Up Work YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!!!
YOU must make up tests and quizzes within 3 days of absences (this includes unexcused, excused, and SCHOOL ACTIVITIES); if you don’t make up a test or quiz within three days of your return, you will receive a zero, per handbook.
More than 10 unexcused absences = you cannot get your driver’s license
Quizzes and tests will more than likely have to be made up after school.
Ask a group member about handouts, and see the “Make-Up Work Station” in my room as well
Check your period’s drawer for any handouts you missed (YOU MAY STILL HAVE TO COPY A FRIEND’S NOTES IF WE TOOK NOTES ON THE HANDOUT!)
SIGN UP with me to make up tests/quizzes after school! During one-act season (August, September, and October), you will need to come on Fridays or during another period of the day; talk to me to set this up during these months. Most of the time, another teacher will monitor you for tests and quizzes if I am at rehearsal.
Find a reliable friend you can count on for notes
I WILL NOT ASK YOU for work, and I WILL NOT ASK YOU TO MAKE UP A QUIZ OR A TEST. You must ask me. Go to a group member FIRST for notes; you may come to me with additional questions.

7. Class Discussion Raise your hand and be acknowledged before speaking
Show respect for others’ opinions

8. Starting Class Tardy = Not in the class room BEFORE the bell rings
3 tardies = write-up
Bell = NO TALKING, in seats, copying and completing warm-up (either DGP, Power Writing, vocabulary, etc.)

9. Exemption Policies at VHS
If you have missed more than 3 days, you cannot exempt.
If you have more than 3 tardies, you cannot exempt.
To exempt, you must meet the absence and tardy requirements and have at least a 75.
You cannot exempt the same exam both semesters.
EOCTs (Georgia Milestones) cannot be exempted.
If your class has a Milestone, you will still have some sort of comprehensive test during final exam days.

10. Warm-Ups:
Keep in the Daily Grammar or Power Writing section of your notebooks to keep with you
When the bell rings, you must write the warm-up.
Follow directions for that day (you may have a grammar warm-up, silent reading, reading guide questions, vocabulary practice, etc.)
I will regularly check for completion/effort and will take up some weeks for a grade.

11. Power Writing
Power Writing will be kept in a section of your notebook that you keep with you
There will not be a Power Writing every day, but if there is, the topic will be on the board and will usually deal with the literature we are reading.
Power Writings will be timed.
At the end of the time, you will count your words; the goal is to increase your word count each time we complete a Power Writing.
Power Writing will be taken up at the end of the semester for a QUIZ GRADE.
Power Writing must include the following:
The date (these will be checked and graded by date, so PLEASE include that!)
A full paragraph
The number of words written at the end of each paragraph.

12. Homework MOST homework will be READING outside of class.
I will assign pages or chapters to read, and the next dayyou will have a READING CHECK as a homework grade.
You will always have a reading guide that goes with any assigned reading outside of class; if you complete these and use them as a review before the reading check, they will help you.
I will always be glad to look over your answers to a reading guide or answer any questions about the reading, but you must bring the guide/questions to me at least one day before the reading check (not the day of the reading check).
These CANNOT be made up. If you do not read and don’t know the answers, the grade stands.
Any homework assignment that we go over in class the day it’s due CANNOT be made up.

13. Homework (continued)
I will accept homework/daily grades late for -11 points per day; I will not accept any homework late if we go over the answers in class.
NO HOMEWORK/DAILY grades will be accepted after each 4 ½ week grading period (after each progress report).
If you know about an assignment ahead of time and are absent on the due date, it is due the day you get back. If not, you will receive -11 points.

14. IF YOU FINISH AN ASSIGNMENT EARLY…
Complete an assignment I have for you on the board, or. . .
READ!!!!
READ!!!
WORK ON ANCHOR ACTIVITIES if they are assigned!!
I NEVER want to see you sitting at your desk doing nothing, putting your head down, OR working on any work (reading, homework, etc.) from any other class (I WILL TAKE IT UP!).
If you don’t have an assignment, ALWAYS get out a book of your own, or GO GET A BOOK OR FROM THE SHELF!

15. Ms. Pournelle does not want to see…
Cell phones, text messaging, iPods, ear buds (even in hallway; teachers ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE EAR BUDS IF SEEN AT ALL) etc.
Cell phones must be turned in during tests and quizzes; they also may be collected during other activities (School policy: If students are instructed not to have cell phones out during class, but they are seen, the teacher may take them for the day):
1ST offense = taken for the day
2nd offense and above = taken for a week (You may use them before and after school, at lunch, and between classes!)
Students out of dress code = trip to the office/referral
Food, drink, or gum in class
Applying make-up in class, brushing hair, looking in compacts, etc.
Completing work, reading textbooks, etc. from OTHER classes. The work will be taken up.
CHEATING (punishable by a zero and/or an immediate write-up) – no mercy
Getting out of desks without permission (Please stay seated until the bell rings.)
Packing up before given permission
Spraying cologne, perfume, or ANY scented spray/lotion!!!!

16. Grades All grades are out of 100 points
Class work, homework, and participation = 20%
Quizzes, minor essays, and minor projects = 25%
Tests (including benchmarks), major essays, major projects, recitations, research = 35%
- Final Exam/Milestones = 20%

17. Grades
20%
20%
35%
25%

18. Tests
Tests will mostly be over SKILLS covered in the Common Core standards; therefore, most tests will NOT be recall.
Recall = reading, remembering/memorizing information, and being tested over that information
Most tests will be cold read tests, where you read a section of material that we have not read or discussed together in class; the test will assess how well you comprehend a new piece of material and how well you can use the SKILLS that we have practiced in class together to analyze the new material.

19. Sticky-Note Bonuses!
I often award sticky-note bonuses. These can be given out for winning a group competition, listening, following instructions, participating in class, etc.
If you receive a sticky-note bonus, I will specify if it can be used on a test grade or a quiz grade; you can save it and stick it on whatever test or quiz you want throughout the semester (these cannot be used on essays).

20. Test Re-dos
For re-call tests (not reading tests,) I will allow you to re-do one test per semester and one vocabulary quiz.
You must choose whether or not you want to re-do the test within five days of me returning your grade to you.
Once those five days pass, you cannot re-do the test, and once you re-do a test, you cannot re-do another one. Choose wisely!

21. Remind 101 Don’t depend on it!!
I will use it sometimes, not all the time!
All parents and students, send a text to this number: 81010
11th grade college prep: as the text and send it
10th grade honors:

22. Warm-Up Finish the Learning Style Inventory.
When you finish, write your highest-ranking category across the top of the front page.
Finish the questionnaire on the back.
Turn your inventory in to your class’s basket.
Pick up a copy of the pre-test.
Begin the pre-test.

23. As a review, remember that . . .

24. VHS DRESS CODE
REMINDER

25. SHIRTS
VHS

26. PANTS

27. Shoes