1. Welcome to English II
Mrs. Thomas

2. WELCOME!
I hope you all had a wonderful summer break! My name is Mrs. Natalie Thomas, and this is my first year with Shelby County Schools. I am a 12-year teacher and am eager to continue my career as an educator at 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. Reminder
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!

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

5. Supply List
Bring the following to class daily. Failure to do so may result in a loss of points on classwork assignments.
Binder with dividers labeled as listed below
Bellringers
Assignments
Notes
Agenda or personal calendar
Notebook paper (no spiral notebooks)
Writing utensils including pencil and blue or black ink pens
Hi-liters
Post-it notes
Composition notebook
Self-selected reading material

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. There are no exceptions to the printing of typed assignments when it is required.

7. Areas of Study/Performance
This year's literature study includes a variety of works, including short stories, novels, drama, poetry, speeches, and other mediums of various genres. Students will build upon previous skills in reading analysis, writing, and presenting as well as prepare for the TNReady exams, which are given in the second semester. Students will also practice writing a variety of essays in various modes.

8. Classroom Policies Do your best…ALWAYS! Arrive on time.
Come prepared with any necessary items or homework.
Be respectful
Follow directions the first time, refraining from behavior that is annoying or disruptive to fellow classmates or to the teacher.
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*
Have initiative to learn and enjoy class!

9. A Note Regarding 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. Students will be reminded of this every time we use phones during class.

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

11. Grading Policy A: 93-100 B: 85-92 C: 75-84 D: 70-74 F: 69 and below
Semester Grade:
40% - Quarter One
40% - Quarter two
20% - Semester Exam

12. Late Work Policy
Work that is not turned in at the beginning of the class period for which it is due will receive no greater than 90% credit. Work submitted after the class period is over, but on the day it is due, is still late and will receive no greater than 90% credit. Work submitted after it was originally due will be docked an additional 10% each day it is late. Work submitted more than one week (5 school days) late will NOT receive any credit and parent(s) or guardian(s) will be notified.
*NOTE: Absent students have as many days as they were absent to make up an assignment. To clarify, if a student is absent for one day, he or she has one day to make up absent work before the Late Work Policy goes into effect.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. Progress Reports
Students will be notified of their grade bi-weekly in class in addition to regular progress reports sent home school-wide. It is the student's responsibility to let me know immediately of any discrepancies in their grade and their returned work.

17. Extra Credit
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. No students who have more than two (2) missing assignments will receive credit for extra credit assignments.

18. Reminder
Don't forget to sign the final page and return to Ms. Thomas by Monday, August 14th for a classwork grade.

19. Parent Homework
I try not to assign too terribly much homework, but sometimes parents need a reminder of what it was like to be a student, so the first homework assignment is for them!

20. Quiz TIme
What is your teacher’s name?
What class are you in?
Where should you keep your syllabus?
What should you bring to class each day?
What are some solutions if an assignment requires a computer and you do not have access to one?
What are the Classroom Policies?
What do you need to remember about cell phones?
What are the consequences for failing to follow Classroom Policies?
What is the late work policy?
What is plagiarism?
What are the consequences for plagiarism in this class?
What is the classroom policy on extra credit?
When is your signed syllabus due?
What is the first homework assignment?

21. Other Classroom Information
Please keep our classroom tidy…pretty please! 
Make sure you put the appropriate heading on all assignments.
Makeup work will be at the front of the room on the desk beside the door. Check there for missing assignment first. If you do not find any missing assignments, then check with Mrs. Thomas to make sure you don’t have missing work.
BE ON TIME FOR CLASS (it’s a pet peeve for your teacher)!
If you MUST leave class:
Only one student may leave at a time.
You MUST have a hall pass.
You may NEVER leave during the first or last 10 minutes of class.
You must sign out using the sheet beside the door to our classroom.