1. Welcome to B-4 Day Creek Intermediate 7th Grade Mrs. Susan Ralston-Williams Language Arts/Social Studies/Art 2014-2015

2. Fundraisers Nothing to sell this year. Nothing to sell this year.

3. Student’s CODE OF CONDUCT I will be polite at all times. I will be polite at all times. I will work quietly and not disturb others. I will work quietly and not disturb others. I will listen courteously when others are talking. I will listen courteously when others are talking. I will be friendly to fellow classmates. I will be friendly to fellow classmates. I will be truthful and honest. I will be truthful and honest. I will respect my teacher and other adults. I will respect my teacher and other adults. I will be prepared for class everyday. I will be prepared for class everyday.

4. I will arrive at class on time. I will arrive at class on time. I will cooperate with others. I will cooperate with others. I will always do my best. I will always do my best. FOOD AND DRINK FOOD AND DRINK Food and beverages are generally not permitted in the classroom. Food and beverages are generally not permitted in the classroom. Water bottles having tight-fitting caps and filled only with clear drinking water are permitted. Water bottles having tight-fitting caps and filled only with clear drinking water are permitted.

5. CONSEQUENCES FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR 1ST INFRACTION: VERBAL WARNING 1ST INFRACTION: VERBAL WARNING 2ND INFRACTION: Lunch Detention 2ND INFRACTION: Lunch Detention 3RD INFRACTION: Parent Contact 3RD INFRACTION: Parent Contact 4TH INFRACTION: Referral to office & parent will be notified. 4TH INFRACTION: Referral to office & parent will be notified. SEVERE CLAUSE: some steps will be bypassed and/or sent to office immediately. SEVERE CLAUSE: some steps will be bypassed and/or sent to office immediately.

6. “KUDOS” Rewards for appropriate behavior will change throughout the year: Rewards for appropriate behavior will change throughout the year: Examples: Points, Passes, Praises, Recognition Examples: Points, Passes, Praises, Recognition

7. My Pledge to Students I will work with you to meet your learning goals. I will work with you to meet your learning goals. I will respect you and work with you to solve problems. I will respect you and work with you to solve problems. I will offer extra help and alternative assessments should you require them. I will offer extra help and alternative assessments should you require them. I will correct and offer feedback on your work. I will correct and offer feedback on your work.

8. SUPPLIES A suggested list has been provided in your pack of paperwork. A suggested list has been provided in your pack of paperwork. Anyone wishing to donate class supplies is welcome to do so. Kleenex, Wet Wipes, pencils, pens, erasers, and dry erase pens are some items used on a regular basis. Anyone wishing to donate class supplies is welcome to do so. Kleenex, Wet Wipes, pencils, pens, erasers, and dry erase pens are some items used on a regular basis.

9. PACK PLANNER: “If you plan to learn, you must learn to plan.” Handbook/Organizer/Calendar Handbook/Organizer/Calendar Lists of school & district policies and procedures Lists of school & district policies and procedures Descriptions of offered programs Descriptions of offered programs Academic Standards at each grade level Academic Standards at each grade level Weekly calendar pages to be used daily to list homework & pertinent information Weekly calendar pages to be used daily to list homework & pertinent information Communication tool between teacher & parent Communication tool between teacher & parent

10. PACK Planner Checks Weekly, your child will be responsible for recording their academic progress. Students need to look up their current core subject percentages on ESPRI, and record those percentages in their PACK Planners on pgs. 24-26? Parents need to sign in the last column. By doing so, you are indicating that you reviewed your child’s percentages.

11. REQUIRED SIGNATURES Corrected Failing Tests Corrected Failing Tests Any and all notes sent home Any and all notes sent home Pack Planner pp.24-26 ? Pack Planner pp.24-26 ? Office correspondence Office correspondence Other pages in the PACK Planners showing district benchmarks results. Other pages in the PACK Planners showing district benchmarks results.

12. WEEKLY FOLDERS Every FRIDAY, unless told otherwise, folders will go home. Every FRIDAY, unless told otherwise, folders will go home. Grades & Missing Work will be available online through the ESPRI account. Grades & Missing Work will be available online through the ESPRI account. Weekly citizenship behavior will be notated in the folder. Weekly citizenship behavior will be notated in the folder. Parent signatures will be required. Parent signatures will be required.

13. MISSING AND CORRECTED WORK Missing work from the week will be accepted, but due the following Monday for a 50% credit. GFA’s (Grade First Aid) will be permitted on some of the work. Missing work from the week will be accepted, but due the following Monday for a 50% credit. GFA’s (Grade First Aid) will be permitted on some of the work. Some tests falling below a 70% may be corrected, but the highest score possible on a corrected test is a 70%. Some tests falling below a 70% may be corrected, but the highest score possible on a corrected test is a 70%. Parent signatures will be required before I regrade GFA’s. Parent signatures will be required before I regrade GFA’s.

14. HOMEWORK Homework may be assigned Monday- Friday. Homework may be assigned Monday- Friday. Studying for tests, preparing for lecture, & written assignments are types of homework Studying for tests, preparing for lecture, & written assignments are types of homework TeacherWeb will post homework on a daily basis. TeacherWeb will post homework on a daily basis. TeacherWeb.com/DCIS/Ralston-Williams TeacherWeb.com/DCIS/Ralston-Williams

15. DIFFICULTY WITH HOMEWORK Students are instructed to attempt all assignments. If help is required, they are to ask a parent. Students are instructed to attempt all assignments. If help is required, they are to ask a parent. Parents, if you need my help, please indicate at the top of the paper that more help is needed, include a signature and the date you attempted to help your child. Parents, if you need my help, please indicate at the top of the paper that more help is needed, include a signature and the date you attempted to help your child. If an emergency occurs, send a note with your child the next day or email me. If an emergency occurs, send a note with your child the next day or email me.

16. CLASSWORK & TESTS Unfinished class work will need to be completed for homework. These assignments will be posted on teacherweb. Tests dates will be posted on teacherweb.

17. PROJECTS Information giving specific requirements will be sent home several weeks before a project due date. Projects & the due dates will be posted on Teacherweb.

18. ABSENT WORK It will be the student’s responsibility to see the teacher to receive the missing paperwork. It will be the student’s responsibility to see the teacher to receive the missing paperwork. Due dates will be determined on an individual basis; however, the common practice will be one day for each day absent. The level of difficulty for each assignment will determine the # of days to complete an assignment. Due dates will be determined on an individual basis; however, the common practice will be one day for each day absent. The level of difficulty for each assignment will determine the # of days to complete an assignment. Tests makeups will be arranged. Tests makeups will be arranged.

19. ACCELERATED READER *Read a book every three weeks & take a test. If more books are read during the 3-week period, the highest test score will be entered into the gradebook for a Language Arts grade. *Students will select their own books from the DCIS & city libraries. *Tests can be taken before & after school in the DCIS library, during scheduled library times, and in the classroom. *Audio books are available at the DCIS libarary.

20. LANGUAGE ARTS LANGUAGE ARTS Reading: 6 thematic units (relationships, heroes, beauty, conflict, change, & patterns) Reading: 6 thematic units (relationships, heroes, beauty, conflict, change, & patterns) A writing component for each unit will be seen in the performance task assigned at A writing component for each unit will be seen in the performance task assigned at the end of the unit. the end of the unit.

21. Spelling: There will be a weekly lesson & a test will be administered at the end of the week. All Lessons can be found on TeacherWeb; weekly worksheets will be given to the students. There are no books for this portion of Language Arts.

22. Grammar: Individual skills will be taught throughout the year over several week periods. Tests will be given for particular skills, as well as, cummulative tests. Grammar: Individual skills will be taught throughout the year over several week periods. Tests will be given for particular skills, as well as, cummulative tests. There are no books for this portion of Language Arts. Worksheets will be given to the students. There are no books for this portion of Language Arts. Worksheets will be given to the students.

23. Vocabulary: 1-2 week lessons will be taught, followed by a test. Vocabulary: 1-2 week lessons will be taught, followed by a test. There are no books for this portion of Language Arts. Worksheets will be given to the students. There are no books for this portion of Language Arts. Worksheets will be given to the students.

24. 3 Instructional Shifts established by the district for the Academic Standards: #1- Building knowledge through content-rich non- fiction & informational texts fiction & informational texts #2- Reading & writing grounded in evidence from text text #3- Regular paractice with complex text & its aca- demic vocabulary demic vocabulary

25. SOCIAL STUDIES SOCIAL STUDIES Unit 1: New Empires, New Faiths Unit 1: New Empires, New Faiths Roman civilization, Islamic civilization, Roman civilization, Islamic civilization, Medieval Africa Medieval Africa Unit 2: The Middle Ages Unit 2: The Middle Ages China in the Middle Ages, Medieval China in the Middle Ages, Medieval Japan, Medieval Europe Japan, Medieval Europe

26. Social Studies (continued) Unit 3: A Changing World Unit 3: A Changing World Renaissance, Reformation, Renaissance, Reformation, Americas, Age of Exploration, & Americas, Age of Exploration, & Enlightenment Enlightenment

27. P. A. C. K. Period P. A. C. K. Period Personally Achieving Character & Knowledge: This period offers differentiated instruction to various levels of academic performance. Personally Achieving Character & Knowledge: This period offers differentiated instruction to various levels of academic performance. Students are placed in homegenous groups based on CST, Benchmark tests, academic grades, & teacher recommendations. Students are placed in homegenous groups based on CST, Benchmark tests, academic grades, & teacher recommendations.

28. PACK (continued) Monday – Thursday: 2 days in a Language Arts PACK class & 2 days in a Math PACK class Monday – Thursday: 2 days in a Language Arts PACK class & 2 days in a Math PACK class PACK is the 3 rd period of the day. PACK is the 3 rd period of the day. PACK classes will be revised periodically. PACK classes will be revised periodically.

29. GRADING A district grading program is used and assignments are entered by categories (Homework 10%, Class work 25%, Quizzes/Projects 30%, & Tests 35%). A district grading program is used and assignments are entered by categories (Homework 10%, Class work 25%, Quizzes/Projects 30%, & Tests 35%). An accumulation of points and percentages calculate the overall grade. An accumulation of points and percentages calculate the overall grade.

30. IS ALL WORK GRADED? NO NO Some work is merely done for practice and a check off system is used. Some work is merely done for practice and a check off system is used. If an assignment is graded you will either see a percentage score or a star. If an assignment is graded you will either see a percentage score or a star. A star is used to indicate full credit on work that is checked off. A star is used to indicate full credit on work that is checked off.

31. PROGRESS REPORTS & REPORT CARDS 3 Trimesters (12 week sessions each) 3 Trimesters (12 week sessions each) Progress Reports go home every 6 weeks. Progress Reports go home every 6 weeks. The first Trimester report card will be handed out during parent conferences. All others will be mailed home. The first Trimester report card will be handed out during parent conferences. All others will be mailed home.

32. OTHER REPORT CARD SYMBOLS O represents Outstanding O represents Outstanding S represents Satisfactory S represents Satisfactory N represents Needs to Improve N represents Needs to Improve U represents Unsatisfactory U represents Unsatisfactory Receiving N’s & U’s can result in students not participating in school events & loss of academic rewards. Receiving N’s & U’s can result in students not participating in school events & loss of academic rewards.

33. COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION We encourage an ongoing open line of communication. We encourage an ongoing open line of communication. Website addresses: (can also be accessed through the Daycreek website). Website addresses: (can also be accessed through the Daycreek website). susan_williams@etiwanda.k12.ca.us susan_williams@etiwanda.k12.ca.ussusan_williams@etiwanda.k12.ca.us diane_larkin@etiwanda.k12.ca.us diane_larkin@etiwanda.k12.ca.usdiane_larkin@etiwanda.k12.ca.us School phone number (909) 803-3300 TeacherWeb/CA/ DAY CREEK/ Ralston- TeacherWeb/CA/ DAY CREEK/ Ralston- Williams or Larkin Williams or Larkin

34. FIELD TRIPS & END OF YEAR ACTIVITIES Field trips are a part of your child’s curriculum and should be attended. Field trips are a part of your child’s curriculum and should be attended. At the discretion of the teacher or administration, any student who has demonstrated a lack of self-discipline may be left at school and given an alternative assignment. At the discretion of the teacher or administration, any student who has demonstrated a lack of self-discipline may be left at school and given an alternative assignment.