English Class Guidelines and Procedures

RULE #1….RESPECTThis includes• Absolutely NO talking while I am talking• Respecting others in class• Please no smart comments during class on

what we are studying, what is said, etc., and please no talking back; please answer with “yes,” and see me after class with a problem

You will receive ONE warning before a referral

Restroom/Locker Passes

• 10 passes for the entire semester• Must give me a pass to go to the restroom or locker

(includes getting water or tissue)• No pass = no leaving the room• Limit = two passes per week • For each pass left at the end of the semester, you will

receive one point added to a test grade (10 possible points).

Materials• Bring all materials/assignments to class everyday

(books, pencils, pens, etc.)• Do NOT leave them in here• Leaving books in locker = a pass to borrow one from

Ms. Pournelle if she has any in the room• Leaving assignments in locker = a pass to retrieve

them• A book cover for textbooks would be NICE

Materials (continued)

• Borrow from a friend

Make-Up Work• YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!!!• YOU must make up work within 3 days of excused absences• Unexcused absences = 0; only 7 parent notes allowed and then

assignments will count as 0s • More than 10 unexcused absences = you cannot get your driver’s license• Quizzes and tests will more than likely have to be made up after school• Ask a group member about handouts, and see the “Make-Up Work

Station” in my room as well• Check your period’s envelope for any handouts you missed (YOU MAY

STILL HAVE TO COPY A FRIEND’S NOTES IF WE TOOK NOTES ON THE HANDOUT!)

• SIGN UP with me to make up tests/quizzes after school! During one-act season (August, September, and October), you will need to come on Fridays or during another period of the day; talk to me to set this up during these months.

• Find a reliable friend you can count on for notes• I WILL NOT ASK YOU for work. Go to a group member FIRST; you may

come to me with additional questions.

Class Discussion

• Raise your hand and be acknowledged before speaking

• Show respect for others’ opinions

Starting Class

• Tardy = Not in the class room BEFORE the bell rings

• 3 tardies = write-up• Bell = NO TALKING, in seats, copying and

completing warm-up (either model sentence, Power Writing, OR Journal)

Exemption Policies at VHS

• If you have missed more than 3 days, you cannot exempt.

• If you have more than 3 tardies, you cannot exempt.• To exempt, you must meet the absence and tardy

requirements and have at least a 75. • You cannot exempt the same exam both semesters.• EOCTs (Georgia Milestones) cannot be exempted.• If your class has a Milestone, you will still have some

sort of comprehensive test during final exam days.

Warm-Up: Model Sentences• Keep in Model Sentences section of your notebooks to keep

with you• When the bell rings, you must write the following on your

Model Sentence page:– The DATE– The sentence

• Follow directions for that day (you will have the same sentence all week)

• Model Sentences will be timed• I will regularly check for completion/effort and will take up

some weeks for a grade.

Power Writing• Power Writing will be kept in a section of your notebook that you keep

with you• There will not be a Power Writing every day, but if there is, the topic will

be on the board and will usually deal with the literature we are reading.• Power Writings will be timed.• At the end of the time, you will count your words; the goal is to increase

your word count each time we complete a Power Writing.• Power Writing will be taken up at the end of the semester for a QUIZ

GRADE.• Power Writing must include the following:

– The date (these will be checked and graded by date, so PLEASE include that!)

– A full paragraph– The number of words written at the end of each paragraph.

Anchor Journals• Anchor Journals will be kept in a separate section of your

notebook.• You will receive a list of topics and will work on these throughout

the entire semester.• An “anchor activity” is any activity that you work on when finished

with the day’s class work (you should never have time to just sit).• You will choose 60-75 journals from the Anchor Journal list (you

will receive the specific number of journals you must choose when you receive the list).

• You will write a FULL paragraph (at least 4-5 sentences) on each topic.

• Your Anchor Journal will be taken up at the end of the semester for a TEST GRADE (date to be announced).

Homework• MOST homework will be READING outside of class.• I will assign pages or chapters to read, and you will have a

READING CHECK the next day as a homework grade.• These CANNOT be made up. If you do not read and don’t

know the answers, the grade stands.• Any homework assignment that we go over in class the day

it’s due CANNOT be made up.• Any assignment that we do not go over (essays, etc.), you will

be allowed ONE day to turn it in late for a 75. Indian Café this year will be given on an individual basis by each teacher.

• For major assignments (essays, projects, etc.), you will be allowed ONE day to turn them in late. Points for promptness will be deducted on the rubric.

IF YOU FINISH AN ASSIGNMENT EARLY…

• Complete an assignment I have for you on the board, or. . . • READ!!!!• READ!!!• READ!!!• WORK ON ANCHOR JOURNALS OR other ANCHOR

ACTIVITIES!!• I NEVER want to see you sitting at your desk doing

nothing, putting your head down, OR working on any work (reading, homework, etc.) from any other class (I WILL TAKE IT UP!).

• If you don’t have an assignment, ALWAYS get out a book of your own, or GO GET A BOOK OR FROM THE SHELF!

Class Participation Grades• Each Monday, you will start with a 100 for the week in Power School (grade

book) for class participation.• Each day you will get to keep 20 points, and your 100 will become permanent

on Friday if you participate in class every day.• You will receive deductions to your 100 for the following:

– Not paying attention or not knowing where we are when Ms. Pournelle calls on you– Putting your head down in class or sleeping in class– Consistently not having materials (pencils, books, study guides, worksheets, etc.)– Not having attempted your warm-up when Ms. Pournelle comes around to check

(Model Sentences, Power Writing, Journals)– Not helping your group when we are working together– Not fully participating in PALS reading when assigned– Not completing silent reading assignments and reading guides– Not working on your Anchor Journal or any other assigned Anchor Activity if you finish

early– Texting or looking at your phone during class– Reading/working on something not pertaining to this class– Any other lack of participation that Ms. Pournelle sees

Ms. Pournelle does not want to see…

• Cell phones, text messaging, iPods, CD players, ear buds (even in hallway; teachers ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE EAR BUDS IF SEEN AT ALL) etc. (School policy: Cell phones will be taken up if they are seen IN CLASS. – 1ST offense = taken for the day– 2nd offense and above = taken for a week (You may use them before and after school,

at lunch, and between classes!)• Students out of dress code = trip to the office/referral• Food, drink, or gum in class• Applying make-up in class, brushing hair, looking in compacts, etc.• Completing work, reading textbooks, etc. from OTHER classes. The work

will be taken up.• CHEATING (punishable by a zero and/or an immediate write-up) – no

mercy• Getting out of desks without permission (Please stay seated until the bell

rings.)• Packing up before given permission• Spraying cologne, perfume, or ANY scented spray/lotion!!!!

Grades• All grades are out of 100 points

– Class work, homework, and participation = 22%

– Quizzes, minor essays, and minor projects = 23%

– Tests, major essays, major projects, Recitations, research = 35%

- Final Exam/Milestones = 20%

Grades

20% 22%

35% 23%

Groups will…

• be set for the 1st 9 weeks (maybe longer)• work together in class on some assignments• Work on some projects• Compete for points with review games

Sticky-Note Bonuses!

• I often award sticky-note bonuses. These can be given out for winning a group competition, listening, following instructions, participating in class, etc.

• If you receive a sticky-note bonus, I will specify if it can be used on a test grade or a quiz grade; you can save it and stick it on whatever test or quiz you want throughout the semester (these cannot be used on essays).

Test Re-dos

• I will allow you to re-do one test per semester. • You must choose whether or not you want to

re-do the test within five days of me returning your grade to you.

• Once those five days pass, you cannot re-do the test, and once you re-do a test, you cannot re-do another one. Choose wisely!

• This applies to tests only, not quizzes.

Remind 101

• Don’t depend on it!!• I will use it sometimes, not all the time!• All parents and students, send a text to this

number: 912-386-0383• 10th grade: type @vhs10 as the text and send

it• 9th grade honors: type @vhs9 as the text and

send it

As a review, remember that . . .

VHS DRESS CODE REMINDER

VHS

SHIRTS

PANTS

Shoes