1. Expectations, Rules & Routines
7th Grade ELA
Mrs. Hargrove
Hopewell Middle School

2. CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS
Be Prepared
Be Prompt
Be Productive
Be Positive
Be Polite

3. Be Prepared, Polite & Positive
You must have your materials when you walk into class. Always have a supply of paper, your journals and binder, any assignments, pencils, and a silent reading book.
THE GOLDEN RULE:
Treat others the way you want to be treated.

4. Be Prompt When entering the classroom
If I am not at the door, please wait outside quietly and line up against the lockers.
Put your things down.
Sharpen your pencil, if needed, and collect needed materials.
Copy the agenda that’s written on the right side of the front board, and the TEKS that are written on the left side of the front board. Be sure to note any due dates and/or homework assignments
Follow directions on the front board.
Once you finish the opening warm-up activities, get out your independent reading book and silent read until instructed to do the next activity.

5. During class: Sharpen pencil
Grab your writing binder and reading response journal
Copy the agenda off the board
Complete warm up
Read quietly

6. When you are in class… PARTICIPATE!
Be aware of and respect the different activity levels
Start and Finish your assignments on time
Keep your area and supplies neat

7. The last 5 minutes of class..
Make sure you have what you need (homework assignments written in agenda and any handouts
Pick up any trash at and around your table
Put up binder/journal in correct location

8. CLASS DISMISSAL
Begin packing up ONLY when instructed to do so (last 2-3 minutes of class).
Pick up and throw away any trash- including from the floor and tables.
Straighten desks, books, and materials.
Sit quietly until excused.

9. Labeling your paper Label the upper right hand corner of the paper.
Write your first name AND last name.
You must write the class period.
Write the date. If you were absent, write the date the work was assigned, and write “absent”.
Also, write my name… Mrs. Hargrove.

10. Be productive: turning in work:
All assignments are due at the beginning of class.
If it is not ready to turn in when you walk in the door, it is late.
If you do not have your homework with you the next day, you will receive a *lunch opportunity.
If you need to turn in corrections, absent work, or late work, you must turn it in to the appropriate class period tray. Label your assignment correctly to ensure you receive credit!

11. Returned work All returned work should be kept in your LA Binder!
DO NOT throw away returned work! (I suggest keeping it in a shoebox that can slide under your bed.)
If for some reason, my gradebook indicates you have a missing assignment, or your grade has been entered incorrectly, your returned papers are your only proof that you completed the assignment.
If you don’t have the proof, you’ll have to do the work over.

12. Class calendar and website
You can access our class website by first clicking on school directory from the Hopewell home page.
All assignments and homework are in a Google calendar. This means, you and your parents/guardian can sync the calendar to your electronic devices.
To sync to the Google calendar, send your to

13. Late/missing work
If you have any missing/late work, you will be required to come in at advisory or lunch to complete it.
*You will receive a weekly progress report which must be signed and brought back the following school day for a homework grade. This allows your parent/guardian to track you’re your progress
Tutorials are after school on Mondays, and everyday during 5th period advisory (by appointment only).

14. Late work policy
Late work (not absent work) will be accepted for a period of 1 day past the due date for up to a grade of 70.
I will not accept late work past 1 late day.

15. absenteeism
District Policy: you have one day for each day you were absent to make up your work.
You are responsible for getting your assignments, making up the work, and turning them in on time.
If you are absent more than 2 days, I can gather assignments and leave them in the office for someone to pick up for you.

16. When you are absent…
Any assignments from the day will be placed in the absent work file under the day it was assigned.
When you return from your absence, your job is to retrieve the materials that have been placed in the file folder and to copy that day’s agenda from the classroom webpage.
You can also ask me for agenda information, but please do this during advisory or after school- not during class (daily class agendas are posted on my class website at the end of each school day).

17. Hornet bucks
Students earn Hornet Bucks (our classroom money system) for making good choices (participating, having materials, having homework, etc.
Students may use their earned Hornet Bucks to go to the bathroom, get water, retrieve missing supplies from their locker, buy supplies from the teacher, or buy things from the math auction at the end of the year.
Unless a student has a documented medical condition, or a true emergency, they will not be permitted to leave the classroom without their student ID and a Hornet Buck. **Students may not leave the classroom to use the bathroom within the first or last 10 minutes of class

18. Academic honesty Do your best. It is okay if you don’t know something.
Do not look on someone else’s paper during a test.
Do not copy someone else’s homework/ class work.
If you allow someone to copy your work, you BOTH earn a zero and NO corrections.
If cheating or plagiarism occurs, a phone call will go home the first time.
The second time cheating or plagiarism occurs, a referral will be given. 

19. CLASSROOM LIBRARY POLICY:
You will find an IN CLASS SIGN-OUT/IN sheet in your class period folder in my classroom library. While you are welcomed to check out book from my library, the book may not leave my classroom, and must be checked back in before the end of the period.

20. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
TEKS and ELPS (things you need to learn) are posted on the side board. These will help guide us in knowing what you need to know in order to pass 7th grade ELA and be prepared for life after school (college or job).
Focus Questions are posted to help you know the global/big idea that we are answering for the day/week.
At ANY point in time, another teacher/administrator or I may ask you what we are covering. Be prepared to answer.

21. QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS? Don’t wait until you are super stressed out!
Ask questions!
Come to me (or Ms. Mitchell-LoveJoy/Ms. Copley if you need help!
We can work it out!

22. Best way to contact me:
is the fastest way to reach me, even in the evening. My address is

23. Classroom discipline CONSEQUENCE LADDER:
WARNING- MAY BE VERBAL, BUT IT CAN BE AN EXPECTATION THAT HAS BEEN SET OR GIVEN TO THE WHOLE CLASS (EXAMPLE- WRITE IN YOUR AGENDA). I WILL USUSALLY PLACE A BLANK STICKY NOTE ON YOUR DESK AS A SILENT REMINDER TO GET BACK ON TASK.
REFOCUS- YOU WILL RECEIVE A CHECK ON YOUR STICKY NOTE IF YOU HAVE NOT REFOCUSED YOURSELF AFTER RECEIVING A STICKY NOT. ONE CHECK=A 5 MINUTE LUNCH DETENTION
LUNCH OPPORTUNITY- IF YOU RECEIVE A SECOND CHECK ON YOUR STICKY NOTE, YOU WILL SPEND YOUR LUNCH IN THE CLASSROOM MAKING UP FOR THE LOST LEARNING TIME. YOU OR I WILL CALL YOUR PARENTS TO LET THEM KNOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS LEVEL OF DISCIPLINE.
THREE CHECKS/STRIKES AND YOU’RE OUT- UPON RECEIVING A THIRD CHECK ON YOUR STICKY NOTE, YOU WILL EARN A WRITTEN OFFICE REFERRAL AND A CALL HOME

24. Rewards A positive self image Verbal praise
Positive note phone or call home
Eligible for special privileges
Student recognition
Hornet Bucks to use for bathroom breaks and class store

25. staar
There are two parts to the STAAR test in 7th grade: Reading and Writing. Look for more information to come home throughout the year. If you are an active learner and try your best, you will be 100% ready to ACE THE STAAR!

26. Mrs. Hargrove’s Contact Information:
Class Website: staff/language_arts/samara__hargrove
Conference Times: Mon-Fri from 10:10-10:50 (by appointment only)
Tutorial Days and Times: Mondays after school from 3:30-4:00 and during 5th period advisory (by appointment only).