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Modified - Jan 17,2009
Class Rules and Procedures
Contact Louis Hopfer
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Summary: Many of the clas rules and expectations are outlined here.
Grace High School is a small necessary school that allows selected students an alternative approach to their education. As such the teacher has flexibility in designing coursework that is based upon the standards set by California but allows students alternative ways to discover, explore, learn, and demonstrate their understandings.
My classes will meet student needs through a variety of activities, most that are student based, and that will be directed and monitored by me. As teacher I will direct the activities in a way to combine multiple resources and the use of technology to help my students appreciate the joy of learning and a desire to show off their growing knowledge and understand.
For student achievement at their highest level requires a consistent, fair, and cooperative classroom attitude. That means each day I must work to have a learning atmosphere without distractions due to negative behaviors. The classroom MUST be a safe, organized, friendly place with a clean and uplifting atmosphere. In short discipline is always needed for mutual respect between teacher and students, students and students, and parents and students. The rules and procedures are all designed to create that learning environment, and can be altered and modified as the students' behaviors allow.
Remember, this is not "teen-age day care" but a second chance to make up credits and realize that learning can be rewarding and enjoyable.
My classes will meet student needs through a variety of activities, most that are student based, and that will be directed and monitored by me. As teacher I will direct the activities in a way to combine multiple resources and the use of technology to help my students appreciate the joy of learning and a desire to show off their growing knowledge and understand.
For student achievement at their highest level requires a consistent, fair, and cooperative classroom attitude. That means each day I must work to have a learning atmosphere without distractions due to negative behaviors. The classroom MUST be a safe, organized, friendly place with a clean and uplifting atmosphere. In short discipline is always needed for mutual respect between teacher and students, students and students, and parents and students. The rules and procedures are all designed to create that learning environment, and can be altered and modified as the students' behaviors allow.
Remember, this is not "teen-age day care" but a second chance to make up credits and realize that learning can be rewarding and enjoyable.
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Albert Einstein
Specific Rules and Procedures:
Cell Phones/communication devices - The use of cell phones are always distracting to the classroom environment and in all circumstances. The District policy and that of the Piner campus are clear. Violations of the policy will result in confiscation of the phone. First offense per student will result in taking the phone for the period. Second offense and I will keep the phone for the day. Third offense will result in the phone going to Piner's office for the day. Fourth and further violations will mean the phone can only be returned to your parent of guardian. Additionally, device violations will also affect the daily behavior points.
Music Players-Video Game Players - Students who are listening to music during class often distracts themselves and others, including the teacher. Since much time and effort is spent in "fiddling" with the devices as well as not participating in group work and receiving class instruction, I am not allowing the use of the devices in class at any time. I do reserve the right to occasionally reward good class behavior with time for private use, but that will be rare. I will occasionally provide music to accompany the lessons but it will be of my choosing and at the volume I feel is right for the lesson.
Seating Arrangements - I believe in creating seating arrangements that support the lesson work. All students need to work in an environment that encourages learning rather than just social interaction. Some lessons work best with small group on-task communication, and some do best with quiet or silent study. When students are respectful of each other I do not care to assign seats. Students are encouraged to change their seating choices often to interact with all their classmates.
If I determine that certain students cannot sit together I will assign those students specific seats that they will need to stay in, unless I decide to change them for a short time.
Work Turn in Procedures - For assignments that are to be turned in use the time clock next to bin. Stamp on the BACK SIDE preferably in an area that is not written on. Then place in the bin.
For other work that is in progress put into your folder. REMINDER: If you have multiple classes with me you have a folder in each period's drawer. Don't mix them up.
For projects or other work done on a computer, either at class or outside, you do not need to print your work. Send by email to me Lhopfer@srcs.k12.ca.us.
Maintaining Personal Class Folders - I will provide a hanging folder and an manila folder for each student in each class. Here you will store an assignment log, reading log, work in progress, instruction pages, and completed work. Keeping your work in order is a necessary life skill.
Basic Daily Tools and Supplies - Another important life skill is to be prepared with the necessary tools for the job. Not having tools with you wastes time and distracts the teacher from getting lessons started. The minimum is to have a few writing instruments, both pens and pencils and a binder with paper. A bound notebook with tear out pages is also acceptable. You will want to keep notes on your projects, separate from your folders.
You are encouraged to also have your own other supplies. At the beginning of class I will have pencils ($.25), and pens ($.50) for sale.
Computer Use Rules - We have a superior computer lab where we can do much of our work. Even with a large amount of computers we have usually more students than computer space available. Anyone who abuses their computer privileges will lose access to the computers. If you understand the rules and follow them there is so much to learn and know. In our student-based learning approaches computers are a tool to speed up access to information and ways to organize what you learn.
That means time you lose for not being on task or following the rules will need to be made up on your own time. We know that the activities we do will provide a much more amusing and fun approach to your education. We expect that you will excel in the assignments, making you proud. You will have a chance to learn new computers skills, resources, and applications that will do you well in the workplace.
While exploring links can be informative focus wanderings on meeting the assignments you have. That means NO SOCIAL NETWORKING sites (MySpace, Facebook, etc.). Time in class is also not the time for email or online chat. Also, visiting inappropriate sites will not be tolerated. I do not rely on the school's filters to be the only limit. I will be watching where you go.
Penalties: You will get a warning the first offense. After that you will lose rights to use our computers for the remainder of the period. A second violation and you will be off the computers in all your classes for 24 hours. Third offence will have you off the computers for three days. After that you risk losing privileges for the rest of the quarter, and your parents will be notified.
Grading Policy -Your grade will be determined by the percent of points earned from all your work out of the total points possible each semester. Grade points accumulate throughout the entire semester. No one assignment will hurt, but several missed assignments will.
Quarter grades will be based on the following:
Quarter credits are earned by a point system:
To have a quick check of how you are doing, ask at the end of class and I will show my chart.
Food and Drink Policy - While it is common for teens to be hungry all the time, eating in class can become a serious problem. When eating and drinking becomes a distraction to both teacher and other students it can't be tolerated. Distractions vary from sharing food, noisy eating, crumbs and spills, throwing food (how middle school), debris left on desks and floors, etc.
I will provide water for sale at $.50 each. Sales will only be made at class opening, between classes, and during student-centered time. A water fountain is just up the walkway and visits can be made with permission during student activity.
I am limiting eating to non-crumbly foods and students will immediately clean up papers, wrappers, and debris. Should I decide that eating becomes a problem the privilege will be stopped.
Bathroom use and Roaming - Students asking to use the bathroom distracts the teacher and the class. Certain students abuse the privilege and jeopardize comfort for all. The preferred time is to come to class and ask at the beginning to have a few minutes. Requests at other times may be ignored. Students who roam or abuse the privilege will lose the access.
If permission is given you will be given a blank pass. Fill in your name and period number. Insert into the time clock with the "going to bathroom" facing you. Push into machine. Upon return rotate the pass so the other end faces you. Deposit the pass into the bin.
Beauty products and grooming - I will not allow "beauty sessions" to distract from our learning time. If you are someone who applies makeup, do it before or after class, not during. Do NOT use bathroom time for makeup. If I feel the time out of class is inappropriate you can lose the privilege of bathroom time.
Late Work Missed Assignments and Makeup Work - Late work is always a problem and gives the sense that it is OK to procrastinate. Since we are set up to learn with problem based and project based activities "goof off" time affects the class and/or your group. We are giving you lessons in time management, which is required in the "real world of work" where you are paid to produces goods or services and continued employment is based on getting things done. This is why the date/time stamp wil decide when the work was turned in.
We will use several devices to keep on track. A few are an Assignment Log, Project Steps, time clock stamps, and other tools as appropriate. Because students work at different rates I will accommodate that into assignment due dates. Late work will suffer a grade loss for each day of 10% for ONLY TWO DAYS. After that the assignment will be marked as "missing" with a grade of 30%. Since much of our work will be project-based you will still need to complete all activities.
MAKE UP WORK is only available to students who have excused absences. You are still required to complete any class activities and projects that span more than one class. Each class has a different make-up opportunity so ask me what is acceptable.
Cheating and Copying from other students - Since cheating, plagiarism, and copying work are serious offenses I take them seriously. Collaborating and sharing information is different than a shortcut in which one person does the work and others copy and take credit for it. I hold the copier AND the person who allows copying equally wrong. If you don't create the answers you did not do the work and should not get the credit! Don't let someone pressure you into allowing copying. If there is a question, ask me.
Penalties depend on the type of cheating. Usually the copiers will share the score on the activity divided by the number of copiers. So, if Student A lets Student B copy an assignment and the work rates an "A" (94%) then each person shares and gets an "F" (47%). That is not much better than and "incomplete" of 45%!
Plagiarism – is seen very seriously in the academic world. In certain cases I am required to refer the student to the administration. A record of plagiarism can follow you. Give credit to your sources and use your own words.
Extra Credit Policy - Grace High students are encouraged to earn up to 2.5 additional credits per quarter. In order to qualify a student must be at 90% or above in attendance and passing the course for which you want the credit. A project schedule will be created with input from you with due dates and description of activities. Extra credit work is done outside the normal class time and is never a substitute for normal class activities. In order to make this opportunity enjoyable you are part of the project solution.
Why is my Grade So Low?
Music Players-Video Game Players - Students who are listening to music during class often distracts themselves and others, including the teacher. Since much time and effort is spent in "fiddling" with the devices as well as not participating in group work and receiving class instruction, I am not allowing the use of the devices in class at any time. I do reserve the right to occasionally reward good class behavior with time for private use, but that will be rare. I will occasionally provide music to accompany the lessons but it will be of my choosing and at the volume I feel is right for the lesson.
Seating Arrangements - I believe in creating seating arrangements that support the lesson work. All students need to work in an environment that encourages learning rather than just social interaction. Some lessons work best with small group on-task communication, and some do best with quiet or silent study. When students are respectful of each other I do not care to assign seats. Students are encouraged to change their seating choices often to interact with all their classmates.
If I determine that certain students cannot sit together I will assign those students specific seats that they will need to stay in, unless I decide to change them for a short time.
Work Turn in Procedures - For assignments that are to be turned in use the time clock next to bin. Stamp on the BACK SIDE preferably in an area that is not written on. Then place in the bin.
For other work that is in progress put into your folder. REMINDER: If you have multiple classes with me you have a folder in each period's drawer. Don't mix them up.
For projects or other work done on a computer, either at class or outside, you do not need to print your work. Send by email to me Lhopfer@srcs.k12.ca.us.
Maintaining Personal Class Folders - I will provide a hanging folder and an manila folder for each student in each class. Here you will store an assignment log, reading log, work in progress, instruction pages, and completed work. Keeping your work in order is a necessary life skill.
Basic Daily Tools and Supplies - Another important life skill is to be prepared with the necessary tools for the job. Not having tools with you wastes time and distracts the teacher from getting lessons started. The minimum is to have a few writing instruments, both pens and pencils and a binder with paper. A bound notebook with tear out pages is also acceptable. You will want to keep notes on your projects, separate from your folders.
You are encouraged to also have your own other supplies. At the beginning of class I will have pencils ($.25), and pens ($.50) for sale.
Computer Use Rules - We have a superior computer lab where we can do much of our work. Even with a large amount of computers we have usually more students than computer space available. Anyone who abuses their computer privileges will lose access to the computers. If you understand the rules and follow them there is so much to learn and know. In our student-based learning approaches computers are a tool to speed up access to information and ways to organize what you learn.
That means time you lose for not being on task or following the rules will need to be made up on your own time. We know that the activities we do will provide a much more amusing and fun approach to your education. We expect that you will excel in the assignments, making you proud. You will have a chance to learn new computers skills, resources, and applications that will do you well in the workplace.
While exploring links can be informative focus wanderings on meeting the assignments you have. That means NO SOCIAL NETWORKING sites (MySpace, Facebook, etc.). Time in class is also not the time for email or online chat. Also, visiting inappropriate sites will not be tolerated. I do not rely on the school's filters to be the only limit. I will be watching where you go.
Penalties: You will get a warning the first offense. After that you will lose rights to use our computers for the remainder of the period. A second violation and you will be off the computers in all your classes for 24 hours. Third offence will have you off the computers for three days. After that you risk losing privileges for the rest of the quarter, and your parents will be notified.
Grading Policy -Your grade will be determined by the percent of points earned from all your work out of the total points possible each semester. Grade points accumulate throughout the entire semester. No one assignment will hurt, but several missed assignments will.
Quarter grades will be based on the following:
a) Daily preparation (includes completing readings and review of previous notes).You can improve your grades by steady work through the year, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to succeed if you wait till the end of the semester to start working.
b) Attendance and tardiness
c) On task behavior (doing what is asked when time is given)
d) Quality of effort for each assignment
e) Group Projects
f) Class Participation
Quarter credits are earned by a point system:
Each day you can earn 4 points with block days being 8 points. A standard week has 20 points. The student, who is on time, participates in the opening activity, is on task most of the time, and is a good class citizen earns full daily points and will earn the full 2.5 credits for the quarter. However, a student who loses points could find a reduction in how many credits will be earned.Should attendance or poor behavior affect learning deductions will be taken. A student can earn 4, 3, or 2 points (8, 6, 4 on block days) depending on how you act. Once 3 of the 4 categories is lost I do not give single points. There is a sizable buffer built in so occasional problems will not effect credit earning ability.
To have a quick check of how you are doing, ask at the end of class and I will show my chart.
Food and Drink Policy - While it is common for teens to be hungry all the time, eating in class can become a serious problem. When eating and drinking becomes a distraction to both teacher and other students it can't be tolerated. Distractions vary from sharing food, noisy eating, crumbs and spills, throwing food (how middle school), debris left on desks and floors, etc.
I will provide water for sale at $.50 each. Sales will only be made at class opening, between classes, and during student-centered time. A water fountain is just up the walkway and visits can be made with permission during student activity.
I am limiting eating to non-crumbly foods and students will immediately clean up papers, wrappers, and debris. Should I decide that eating becomes a problem the privilege will be stopped.
Bathroom use and Roaming - Students asking to use the bathroom distracts the teacher and the class. Certain students abuse the privilege and jeopardize comfort for all. The preferred time is to come to class and ask at the beginning to have a few minutes. Requests at other times may be ignored. Students who roam or abuse the privilege will lose the access.
If permission is given you will be given a blank pass. Fill in your name and period number. Insert into the time clock with the "going to bathroom" facing you. Push into machine. Upon return rotate the pass so the other end faces you. Deposit the pass into the bin.
Beauty products and grooming - I will not allow "beauty sessions" to distract from our learning time. If you are someone who applies makeup, do it before or after class, not during. Do NOT use bathroom time for makeup. If I feel the time out of class is inappropriate you can lose the privilege of bathroom time.
Late Work Missed Assignments and Makeup Work - Late work is always a problem and gives the sense that it is OK to procrastinate. Since we are set up to learn with problem based and project based activities "goof off" time affects the class and/or your group. We are giving you lessons in time management, which is required in the "real world of work" where you are paid to produces goods or services and continued employment is based on getting things done. This is why the date/time stamp wil decide when the work was turned in.
We will use several devices to keep on track. A few are an Assignment Log, Project Steps, time clock stamps, and other tools as appropriate. Because students work at different rates I will accommodate that into assignment due dates. Late work will suffer a grade loss for each day of 10% for ONLY TWO DAYS. After that the assignment will be marked as "missing" with a grade of 30%. Since much of our work will be project-based you will still need to complete all activities.
MAKE UP WORK is only available to students who have excused absences. You are still required to complete any class activities and projects that span more than one class. Each class has a different make-up opportunity so ask me what is acceptable.
Cheating and Copying from other students - Since cheating, plagiarism, and copying work are serious offenses I take them seriously. Collaborating and sharing information is different than a shortcut in which one person does the work and others copy and take credit for it. I hold the copier AND the person who allows copying equally wrong. If you don't create the answers you did not do the work and should not get the credit! Don't let someone pressure you into allowing copying. If there is a question, ask me.
Penalties depend on the type of cheating. Usually the copiers will share the score on the activity divided by the number of copiers. So, if Student A lets Student B copy an assignment and the work rates an "A" (94%) then each person shares and gets an "F" (47%). That is not much better than and "incomplete" of 45%!
Plagiarism – is seen very seriously in the academic world. In certain cases I am required to refer the student to the administration. A record of plagiarism can follow you. Give credit to your sources and use your own words.
Extra Credit Policy - Grace High students are encouraged to earn up to 2.5 additional credits per quarter. In order to qualify a student must be at 90% or above in attendance and passing the course for which you want the credit. A project schedule will be created with input from you with due dates and description of activities. Extra credit work is done outside the normal class time and is never a substitute for normal class activities. In order to make this opportunity enjoyable you are part of the project solution.
Why is my Grade So Low?
- Do you pay attention in class? (really?)
- Do you ask questions when you are confused?
- Do you complete all your work?
- Do you complete your work on time?
- Do you participate in class discussion?
- Do you study? Even when there is no homework?
- Do you use tutorial, or meet with the teacher?
- Do you have a set homework time at night?
- Do you have a quiet homework place to work?
- Are you willing to change your behavior in order to be successful?
