Classroom Policies
Classroom Policies and Procedures – Mrs. Stoner (Room #1)
E-mail address: kstoner@helena.k12.mt.us Phone #: 324-2596
These policies and procedures are to be followed at all times. This sheet needs to be kept in the front of your English binder and referred to when you have questions regarding policies and procedures.
- Be in your seat and ready to work when the bell rings.
- Food, drinks (except water), Ipods, walkmans, Discmans, cell phones, and other electronic devices are not allowed in class. They will be confiscated if seen/heard. *Gum is allowed as long as it cannot be seen or heard. *Water is allowed as long as it is in a plastic bottle with a lid.
- Bring all necessary materials to class each day. This includes your binder, pen/pencil, book(s), and homework. *Pens, pencils, books, etc. will only be lent in exchange for a pass (see pass information below). *If you write with ink, make sure it is only blue or black. No other colors are accepted. *Only use paper that is white.
- Textbooks must be covered at all times. After a warning, the book will be taken and only returned when you come to class with a cover for it.
- Incomplete assignments are not accepted and will receive a grade of zero. Therefore, make sure that you complete all assignments by the time they are due.
- Passes: Each student will be given five all-purpose passes at the beginning of each quarter. These passes can be used to borrow a book, a pen/pencil, or paper; to go to the bathroom, to your locker, or to get a drink; and to turn an assignment in late. Late assignments must be turned in no later than the beginning of the next class period after the assignment was originally due. You must staple a pass to the upper left-hand corner of the assignment when turning it in. If you do not follow the above guidelines for turning an assignment in late, it will not be accepted and will receive a zero. Writing assignments and projects cannot be turned in late, and on occasion you will be told that an assignment cannot be turned in late when it is assigned. Lost passes will not be replaced, so make sure you keep them somewhere safe and accessible so you have them when you need them. Once you have used your five passes for the quarter, you are done. You will not be allowed to borrow books, pens/pencils, or paper; to leave the room during class (unless you get a pass from the office/counselor); or to turn assignments in late. Passes cannot be carried over from one quarter to the next, but you will get extra credit points for any unused passes turned in at the end of each quarter.
- Cheating will not be tolerated. A grade of zero will be given to anyone caught cheating, and the student’s or students’ parents will be notified. You may also be sent to the office for further disciplinary action
- It is expected that respect be shown for others and for property at all times. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. Students whose behavior interferes with others students’ ability to learn will be removed from the classroom.
- Each student is required to keep a three-ring binder for this class. This binder should not be used for other classes. The binder should be separated into sections with labeled dividers, and all handouts and returned assignments for the semester are to be kept in the binder. This is for your protection. If you keep your assignments, it is easy to correct any problems or mistakes with grades. If you do not have an assignment and you think a grade has been recorded incorrectly, you have no way to prove that a mistake has been made. You will also need to use some of your returned assignments to prepare for the final exam that you will have for the semester.
- Absences: Students are responsible for turning in any work that was due when absent upon their return to class. Any assignments that were due on a day or days you were absent must be turned in right away when you return in order to receive credit for them. If a test or quiz was given on a day you were absent, and you were in class the day before the test or quiz, you will be expected to take the test/quiz the day you return. If it is not possible to take the test/quiz at this time due to other activities scheduled for the class period, arrangements are to be made to take the test/quiz at a later time. School-related absences: Students are responsible for notifying the teacher if they will be gone for a school-related absence prior to the absence so that they can get the work for the day(s) they will be absent. This is the responsibility of the student, and failure to do so will result in zeroes for assigned work. This work is due when the student returns to class.
- Make-up work: It is the responsibility of the student to pick up any make-up work for days absent from the make-up work binder that is kept at the front of the classroom for each class. This should be done as soon as the student returns to class from being absent. In each binder there is a card for each day of the week that informs the student of anything that was done that day, and any materials handed out that day are in the binder and should be taken by the student. Students get two days to make up any work from the first day absent and one day for each additional day absent. Work not turned in according to this schedule will receive a grade of zero. (This make-up time does not apply to school-related absences, which were addressed above.)
- All school rules regarding tardies, absences, make-up work, and behavior also apply to this class.
- Grading: The grading scale for the English department is as follows:
A = 93-100% A- = 92% B+ = 91% B = 83-90% B- = 82% C+ = 81% C = 71-80% C- = 70% D+ = 69% D = 61-68% D- = 60% F = 0-59%
Each assignment is given a point value based on difficulty, importance, and effort required. Points are converted to percentages when entered into the computer. Grades run throughout the entire semester, so a student’s second and fourth quarter grades will be the same as their first and second semester grades, respectively. - Please make me aware of any situation (such as illness or family difficulties) that is interfering with your ability to complete your school work. Special arrangements can be made if deemed appropriate. However, do not wait until things have gone downhill for several weeks to try to fix them. I reserve the right to verify any information that you share with me.