Syllabus
Welcome to 8th Grade Language Arts. Below you will find our policies for class participation, grading, and discipline, as well as information regarding our curriculum materials.
Assignments/Absences
Our class website, mrsdavy.blogspot.com, is updated daily with assignment details. This is where you will be directed when you are absent, or should you need additional copies/clarification of assignment expectations. I encourage parents to access our class website, so that they may be aware of the content their child is learning.
Remind
Remind is one way that I will communicate with families. Please enroll via remind.com using the code for Language Arts on the Remind page.
Discipline
The following steps will be taken in the event that a student does not follow a classroom rule/procedure:
- Warning
- Take-home Detention/Parent Contact
- After-school Detention/Parent Conference
- Referral
School and county rules or larger infractions may result in an immediate discipline referral.
Textbook
Students will have access to a class set of textbooks in their teacher’s classroom. Should a student need a textbook for additional time on an assignment, it will be the student’s responsibility to check out a book from his/her teacher. Not having access to a textbook will not be a valid reason for a late assignment.
Logon information for electronic access of the textbook will be provided to the students as soon as student logon information is shared from the county.
Curriculum Materials
Our Common Core standards require that students develop research skills. This means that students will be accessing many different types of sources via the Internet.
Our curriculum also includes topics, such as the Holocaust, which requires brief historical instruction for background knowledge as we read related texts.
Should you have any concerns regarding the sources (texts, visuals, videos, etc.) your child might encounter, please share these with me as soon as possible.
Grading
Students will be graded according to Volusia County School’s grading policy. Formative assignments will make up 40% of a student’s grade. Summative assignments will make up the remaining 60% of the grade.
Students are allotted one day to make up any missing assignment while they were absent for each day of absence.
Generally, students are given due dates and ample time to complete missing assignments. After this point, the assignment will not longer be accepted for credit.
Technology
To better meet the Common Core standards, some assignments will be completed and submitted using technology.
Students will be provided class time to complete assignments requiring the use of technology; however, students needing more time for these assignments (including if they were absent) will need to access the program/app on their own. Our media center is a great place to access the program before school or during Warrior Time. Students will need to plan accordingly and let me know when technology becomes a problem. Lack of technology at home will not be a valid excuse for an incomplete or missing assignment.
Students will also be permitted to participate in BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology). Use of individual devices will not be permitted when the assignment is not a BYOT assignment.
Warrior Time
Warrior Time will be used for students to complete any work including missing or late work. Students will also be permitted to study for upcoming tests/quizzes, complete their homework for that night, and/or remediate/retake a summative assignment. This is a great time to simply get out a book and read. Reading for 100 minutes per week is required.
Students will not be permitted to use this time for recreational or social purposes.
Questions?
Please contact me.
Mrs. Davy
