1. to 7th Grade English Language Arts
Mrs. Thomas
Room 138

2. Where Do You Sit? A seating chart is posted by the door.
Find your name and sit in your correct seat.
Remember that your seat can change at any time at my discretion.

3. About Mrs. Thomas
I have one son named Landon who is 7-years-old and in second grade at North Miami.
I have one daughter named Addyson who is 2-years-old.
My husband was in the Marines for 8 years. He went to Afghanistan once and Iraq twice, and has been to many other places.
I grew up in Gilead and graduated from North Miami.
I’ve lived in Hawaii and North Carolina!
I went to college at IU and East Carolina University. I graduated from ECU in 2009.
I love to read all kinds of books!
Some of my hobbies include baking, riding bikes, crafts, and spending time with my family.

4. Some of My Favorite Books!

5. My Family
Addyson
My husband, Kyle
Landon

6. What Will We Learn This Year?
Literary genres (types of fiction and non-fiction)
Elements of Fiction
Persuasion
Poetry
Writing
Providing evidence from the text to support your answer
And much, much more!

7. Classroom Expectations
The following guidelines are the expectations I have for you in my classroom.
Failure to follow the guidelines may result in a white slip and/or parent contact.

8. Guideline #1
Be in your assigned seat and working when the bell rings.

9. Guideline #2
Bring all books and materials to class and take them with you when you leave.
I will NOT give you a pass to go to your locker because you forgot something!

10. Guideline #3
Follow directions the FIRST time they are given.

11. Guideline #4
Treat everyone with dignity and respect.

12. Guideline #5
Follow all school procedures and policies outlined in the front of your agenda.

13. Following the Guidelines will Result in
Verbal acknowledgement
A stress-free learning environment
A pleasant and orderly classroom atmosphere

14. Not Following the Guidelines will Result in
1st- Warning and documentation
2nd- Move to a new seat and/or parent contact
3rd- White slip and parent contact

15. Severe Clause
Any student who uses profanity, fights, damages school property (including the property of the teacher and other students), or is strongly disrespectful (as defined by the teacher) will be IMMEDIATELY sent to the office.

16. White Slip
If you are given a white slip, you must have it signed by a parent and return it to Mrs. Simons.
If you are sent to the office, you will be given a white slip before you go.

17. Classroom Procedures When you enter the classroom:
Please enter quietly.
Sit in your assigned seat.
Take out your materials.
Copy down any homework from the board into your agenda.
Begin working on your bell work quietly.

18. Getting your Attention
I will say:
“If you can hear my voice, clap once. If you can hear my voice, clap twice.”
You should clap when asked.
After clapping twice, you should be sitting quietly and your attention should be on me.

19. If You are Tardy: Enter Quietly!
Excused- Put your pass on my desk if I am teaching. If I am not teaching, hand your pass to me.
Unexcused- A pass will be used from your agenda. If you do not have any passes left for the 9 weeks or you do not have your agenda with you, a white slip will be given to you every time you are late to class.

20. Absences
If you are absent, see Mrs. Thomas before or after class to get your missed assignments.
You are permitted the total number of days you missed to make up work (for example, if you miss 3 days of school, you have 3 days to make up your work).
It is YOUR responsibility to get any assignments missed while you were absent!

21. Missing Work
If you do not turn in your assignments on the assigned due date, you will need to fill out a Pink Slip!
Fill out your pink slip and turn it into the correct homework box.
If you do not turn in your work and you DO NOT complete a pink slip, you will NOT be able to make up your late assignment!

22. Homework Policy
You will have 1 week only to complete any late assignments.
You will have 2 school days after the due date to turn in your late assignment and receive full credit.
You will have 3-5 school days after the assignment is due to turn it in for ½ credit.
After 1 week, you will receive a score of ZERO for the assignment and it cannot be made up.

23. Ready to Work Grades You will be given a “Ready to Work” grade daily.
Each day, you can earn 2 points for bringing all of your materials to class, copying down homework into your agenda, and following all directions without receiving any warnings.
This will total 10 EASY points per week. Some weeks I will not total your Ready to Work points and therefore, you will not receive a RTW grade.

24. Finish/Abandon Logs
We will NOT be using AR in class this year (Hooray!). So, in order to keep track of your reading, you will complete finish/abandon logs and reading dialogue journals (these will be discussed later).
Finish/Abandon logs should be filled out each time you get a new book, finish a book, and abandon a book.
I will check your finish/abandon logs weekly to make sure you are writing down this information.

25. Status-of-the-Class
Almost every day, we will take status-of-the-class.
I will keep track of the books you are reading, as well as which page number you are on.
When I call your name for status-of-the-class, you will tell me which book you are reading and which page you are on in the book. That’s it!
You will receive a grade for status-of-the class MOST weeks based on how often you brought your book to class, evidence that you read your book at least 30 minutes each night, and how often you abandon books.

26. Conferencing
I plan to meet with each of you weekly to discuss the book(s) you are reading.
Each conference will only last 2-3 minutes and we will discuss your book, as well as some of the things we are learning in class.
This will also be your opportunity to ask me questions about your book, book recommendations, and things we’ve been learning/reading in class.

27. If you Finish Early… Read your novel.
Read over your notes from class/organize your notebook.
Work on your Language Arts homework.
You may work on homework from other classes as long as you have no Language homework, and with permission from the teacher.

28. Schedule Check-Outs
If you have a scheduled check-out, please let me know before class.
When it is time for you to go, please raise your hand quietly, and you will be dismissed.

29. Getting Out of Your Seat
You must ask permission to get out of your seat for any reason.
Please raise your hand quietly and I will call on you.
Please DO NOT ask to sharpen your pencil, get a kleenex, etc… while I am teaching!
Please DO NOT ask to go to the restroom while I am teaching unless it is an emergency!

30. Using the Restroom
Use the restroom before or after class. Please do not ask to use the restroom during class unless it is an emergency!
You will be permitted to use the restroom as long as you still have passes in your agenda for the 9 weeks.
Please DO NOT ask while I am teaching.
If you do not have your agenda OR do not have any passes remaining, you WILL NOT be permitted to use the restroom.

31. Restroom Emergencies
If you have a restroom emergency and do not have your agenda or have used all of your passes, please raise your hand quietly and wait on me to call on you.
If I am teaching, please do not interrupt me. You may ask one of the other teachers in the classroom to use the restroom (Mrs. Murphy, Mrs. Shewman, or Miss Brooks).

32. Exit Tickets
On occasion, you will be given an exit ticket at the end of class.
You must answer the question(s) on the exit ticket and hand it to me before you can leave the classroom.

33. Class Dismissal Remember, I dismiss you, not the bell!
DO NOT start packing up your materials before the bell rings, unless directed so by the teacher.
If the bell rings while I am talking, you must WAIT until I am done talking and dismiss you.
If you are given an exit ticket, you may NOT leave until it has been completed and handed back to me.

34. These will be introduced on an ‘as needed’ basis.
Special Procedures
Library/Media Center.
Distance Learning Lab/Video Conference.
Special Guests.
Progress Reports.
Working Cooperatively.
Fire Drill.
Intercom Announcement.
Assemblies.
Substitute Teacher.
These will be introduced on an ‘as needed’ basis.

35. Let’s have an awesome year!