Grading

Per John Paul II High School’s grading and grouping policy, major grades average together to be worth 60% of your overall average. You will see major grades in the form of tests, projects, or essays. Minor grades are worth 40% of your overall grade. You will complete minor grades in the form of homework assignments, book annotations, quizzes and small projects.

 Expectations and Policies

Class Rules

 1. The Golden Rule

·         Applies to me, other students, substitute teachers, and anyone else in our classroom

2. Arrive in class on-time and prepared to work

3.  Be seated when the bell rings

4. Do your own work

            Discipline

            First offense – verbal warning and death glare

Second offense – You will attend a before-school detention in my room where you will compose an apology letter for your behavior which includes at least 10 current vocabulary words. The second offense also includes a call to your parents to notify them of your detention.  

·         If you are unwilling or unable to attend my detention, you will attend an all-school detention, which automatically comes with an office referral.

            Third offense – office visit and parent conference

*Disclaimer to discipline – Depending on the situation and the student handbook, some offenses are an automatic office referral.

Make-up Work due to absence

Students who have an “excused” absence for any reason are permitted to make-up their work in a timely manner. As soon as you return to school, it is YOUR responsibility to make-up any tests, quizzes, or homework from the day you missed, as well as to turn-in homework that was due on the day you missed.

Upon your return to school, you must write on the grey clipboard: the day you missed, what test/ quiz/ timed writing, etc. you need to make-up, and which Wednesday (of the two closest to the date you missed) and what time (morning or afternoon), you will be making-up that assignment. No one will make-up an assignment without having written it on the clipboard. If you miss your scheduled Wednesday, 15 points will be deducted from the assignment. Make-up assignments older than two weeks may only be completed for partial credit at your teacher’s discretion.

Make-up work due to leaving class early

If you have a note to leave class early, you are responsible for both turning-in homework/ projects, etc. the day you leave early, and you are also responsible for completing the next day’s homework.

Late work

This year I will not be accepting ANY late daily work. For major grades such as projects or papers, I will specify on the assignment sheet what the late policy will be for that assignment.

You should expect some lecturing and lots of discussion based on the current reading. I respect all informed opinions and statements. I do not respect uninformed opinions and statements. Read carefully and speak up. If you do not read carefully, sit quietly and blush.

Extra credit

Each nine weeks I offer the opportunity for every student to earn extra credit. That being said, the extra credit opportunity is one that takes motivation and time to complete. Each nine weeks, I will assign a book or choice of books to be read during that nine weeks. The student will read the book, write a two-page, double-spaced response paper, and attend a book club discussion of the book. The book club discussion date will be given around the beginning of the nine weeks. Both the book club discussion and the response paper are required for the assignment to count.

If the response paper and book club attendance are satisfactory, the student’s lowest test grade will be dropped and replaced with a 100.