1. Welcome to English 9
With Mrs. Thomas

2. Welcome!
I hope you all had a wonderful summer break! My name is Mrs. Natalie Thomas, and I am beyond excited to officially welcome you to Germantown High School! My goal for each school year has always been the same—to see success and improvement among my students. I promise to do everything I can to make this a successful year for all of us, and I know you will do the same!

3. Please keep this document in the front of your binder as a reference point throughout the school year. If you have questions, reference this first. If it fails to answer your question, then feel free to ask!
Important Reminder

4.
(I check daily and do my best to respond within 24 hours).
Website: hs.weebly.com/
Contact Information

5. Supply List
Bring the following to class daily. Failure to do so may result in a loss of points on assignments.
Three-ring binder
Dividers labeled as follows:
ELA Notes
ELA Assignments
ELA Journal
Notebook paper (no spiral notebooks please)
Writing utensils including pencil and blue or black ink pens
Hi-liters
Post-it notes

6. Computer Use Requirements
Access to a computer and printer throughout the year will be necessary. Students must make arrangements before or after school to use the school library or use the public library, a friend, or a family member's computer if needed.

7. Classroom Policies Do your best…ALWAYS!
Arrive on time and begin bell work immediately upon entering class.
Come prepared with any necessary items and/or homework.
Be respectful – follow directions the first time, refraining from behavior that is disruptive to the learning process.
Refrain from personal grooming and consuming food or drink during class.
NO cell phones – unless directed by the teacher and used only for instructional purposes*

8. A Word about Cell Phones
*Cell phones are incredibly useful in class during certain lessons, and we will use them on occasion. This does not mean that students cannot have their cell phones taken up during these times. If the student is using any social media app or activity on their phone that was not instructed by the classroom teacher, then the phone will be confiscated according to school policy.

9. Consequences for Failing to Follow Classroom Policies
1st Offense—Verbal warning
2nd Offense—Phone call or to parent(s)/guardian(s)
3rd Offense—Disciplinary referral to school administration
*NOTE: Major violations will be dealt with by the administration, regardless of the above sequence of consequences.

10. Grade Scale A:
B: 85-92
C: 75-84
D: 70-74
F: 69 and below

11. Grade Categories Tests and Major Projects 40%
Unit exams, major essays, other long-term projects
Classwork and Homework 30%
Any classwork, homework, or short-term project graded for accuracy
Quizzes %
Assessments over unit sections to determine mastery
Participation Grades 10%
Any classwork or homework graded for completion

12. Late Work Policy
Students who have excused absences must turn in missed assignments within the same number of days they were absent in order to avoid deductions. Students who have unexcused absences cannot makeup work without receiving one letter grade deduction. Students who are not absent but do not turn assignments in on their due date will receive a 10% deduction each day for five days and then will receive a zero for the missed work.

13. A Note to You about the Note to Parents…
…It is 100% okay to need help!

14. Plagiarism
Germantown High School values academic honesty and believes plagiarism is a serious offense. Using the work of other people in any way is stealing intellectual property. In the high school setting, it can result in the failure of an assignment, but in a college setting, plagiarism can lead to failure in an entire course or worse. Most importantly, if a student plagiarizes, he or she is not learning, and the ultimate goal of the school is for students to learn.

15. A student has plagiarized if he or she:
Has failed to give credit to the proper sources any time an assignment has been completed with the aid of an outside source, whether that source is an electronic translator, literary analysis, or other students.
Has copied another person’s work, be it the work of an author or another student, without the use of quotation marks and proper credit following the quote.
Has paraphrased an item without giving the original author credit.
Has inappropriately collaborated with other students.
Has allowed another student to copy his or her work.
Has resubmitted his or her own work or the work of another student that was submitted in a previous class or activity.

16. Consequences for plagiarism:
If a student has plagiarized, been involved in plagiarism, or allowed plagiarism of his or her own work, even inadvertently, the student will receive a zero on the assignment.
If two students have turned in work that is the same, all or in part, both students will receive zeros on the assignment.
Students will also be asked to fill out an honors infraction form. Honorary clubs look at these forms to determine membership in the organizations.

17. Extra credit may be offered during the course of the year
Extra credit may be offered during the course of the year. Extra credit work means extra work and extra time put forth on a specifically assigned project. The work must be high quality, and late extra credit work will not be accepted.
Extra Credit

18. Tutoring
Tutoring will be available on an as- needed basis and by appointment only.

19. Parent Homework!
Congratulations! Your first homework assignment for English 9 is one that you don’t even have to do!

20. Don't forget to sign the syllabus & return to Mrs
Don't forget to sign the syllabus & return to Mrs. Thomas by Friday, August 10th for a participation grade.

21. How to Head a Paper Using MLA Format

22. Let’s Play a Game!!!
“2 Truths & a Lie”