Policies and Procedures
1. Each
student should maintain a section in his/her notebook for Bible behind which a
set of 5 tabbed dividers are to be labeled
as follows and inserted in this section of the
notebook:
(1)
Notes
and handouts (this will also included
Guided Reading worksheets and review sheets)
(2)
Portfolio
work (in progress)
(3)
Write
Now
(4)
Portfolio
instructions
(5)
Syllabus
NOTE: At the end of
each unit, all materials directly related to that unit should be moved to a
folder kept at home. Whenever portfolio
work is complete, it should be moved to the portfolio notebook (at home).
2. The
portfolio will necessitate a 1 ½” to 2” three ring view binder. Page
protectors are recommended but not
required. Detailed information will be
provided on this website and in class about
the portfolio.
3. Due to
our increasing use of technology, the following are required:
·
Access to the Internet
·
A
flash drive (aka: thumb
drive, usb drive) for storing and transporting files
·
An
email account where
files can be sent and received
4. The
following must be brought to class everyday:
- Notebook (with Bible section set up and properly maintained)
- Agenda book
- Bible
- basic supplies including notebook paper, pen (blue,
black or dark ink) and/or pencil, a red (or other bright color) checking
pen or pencil, highlighter
5. The following
items should be kept available in the student's locker and
brought to class as needed:
- colored pencils
- colored markers
- ruler
- small bottle of glue or a
glue stick
- 3"x5" index cards
- extra pencils and red pens
- extra notebook paper
6. In
order to save on last minute trips to the store, it is helpful to keep the
following on hand at home to bring to class
as needed:
- extra notebook paper,
pencils, pens, highlighters, etc.
- page protectors
- poster board, construction
paper, white computer paper
- markers, glue, scissors
7. In
addition to these routine school supplies, students may on occasion need
materials
for the construction of a project. Adequate notice will be given.
Grading and Academic Expectations
1. Grades
will be derived from a combination of objective and subjective evaluations,
which include class work, homework,
quizzes, tests, projects, activities, group work,
written and oral communication, etc. Attitude, participation,
cooperation, and effort
are given strong consideration in every
aspect of evaluation.
2. Grades
will be reported in Net Classroom which will be updated at least every two
weeks by Monday P.M.
3. The
student’s average will be the percentage of points the student has earned out
of
the total points possible. Please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook
for the
grading scale.
4. The
importance of studying (even when there is no formal assignment) as well as
doing
the assignments on time
cannot be over emphasized. (Students who develop a
strong work ethic are the students who are
most likely to reach their potential and to
be successful in high school, college, and
on into their adult lives.) Students
will
generally be given ample time in class to
work. If they use the time well, there should
routinely be less than 15 minutes of
homework per night for Bible class. Exceptions
would be when there is a test or project to
prepare for.
5. For
Bible class, sixth graders will not have a final exam in either semester. They will,
however, have a year-long project, referred
to as their “portfolio”. The component
parts of the portfolio will be graded
throughout the semester as the work is
completed; however, at the end of each
semester, the student will assemble the
portfolio as directed and a grade for the
entirety will be earned and counted as the
culminating activity grade for each
semester. Because of the magnitude of
this
project, it is critical that the student
keep up with the project throughout the
semester.
6. A
variety of mini-projects and activities will be interspersed throughout the
year. All projects will be thoroughly explained
both orally and in written
format.
Parents: The project guides will also be available on this
website.
7.
Enrichment and extra credit
opportunities will occasionally be offered and
interested students are encouraged to participate
in these opportunities.
NOTE: In order not to skew the student's
grade average during the
semester, extra credit points earned during the semester will be added
to the final semester grade at the end of
each semester they were earned.
A maximum of two grade points for extra
credit can be earned per semester.
Please
Note: Extra credit opportunities are in
addition to, not in place of,
required work. A student who is
behind in his/her required work will not be allowed to do extra credit work
until he/she is caught up and remaining current for at least three consecutive
weeks. A student who cannot keep up with the regular assignments certainly
does not have time to do additional work!
8. An Independent Studies will be available
for any student who is exceptionally
knowledgeable about the Old Testament, is
internally motivated, self-disciplined, and
desires to be challenged beyond the
standard curriculum. Interested students
should
initiate this option with the teacher.
At GACS,
we consider homework to be an important part of the student’s academic growth
and development. The following are
specific guidelines regarding assignments:
1.
Assignments will always be written on the assignment board in the
classroom, and students should develop a
habit of copying the
assignments
word for word
everyday upon entering the classroom..
Parents:
Assignments and due dates will be shown in Net Classroom;
however, the
assignments written on the assignment board in the classroom,
if different from Net
Classroom, are the ones for which the students will be
held responsible.
2.
Sometimes assignments will be graded for accuracy and sometimes they will
simply be checked for effort and
completion. All assignments will be
discussed and students are expected to use
a checking pen to correct their
errors. Reading assignments will randomly
be checked by means of a quiz.
3. In
order to receive full credit for an assignment, the work must be complete
when the tardy bell rings on the date it is due. Any time after that moment,
it is considered late.
4. Regarding late work:
A. Under normal
circumstances, a student
should never have late work.
For daily
assignments not complete when due, the student will receive a zero.
However, if
there are extenuating circumstances, the student must
communicate
with me as soon as possible regarding the situation.
B. If due to an excused-absence: (also refer to
Parent/Student Handbook)
1)
Remembering to turn in make up work is the student's responsibility.
2)
Assignments
made before a pre-arranged excused absence which are due during the time
of the absence should be turned in before the absence commences or the day the
student returns to class unless other arrangements have been made prior to the
absence.
3) Missed tests must be made up at the earliest
possible opportunity –
usually on the following Thursday during test make-up time.
5.
Regarding responsibility to groups:
a. Failure to bring materials or work
which impairs group progress in an activity or
project will result in an automatic
0 for that student for that day. In addition,
the student may forfeit the
privilege of participation which will result in the
having to do the entire project
alone.
6. From
time to time students may earn a praise prize. These
tickets may be
used / not used in the following ways:
a.
Each
has a value of 2 points.
b.
May
be used
·
to
offset the late penalty point deduction toward receiving full credit for a late
assignment provided the assignment and the ticket/s (as needed to equal the
full value of the lost points) are turned in the next school day.
·
May
be accumulated toward extra credit (please refer to section in syllabus on
extra credit for details); tickets should be turned in at the end of the
semester.
·
25
tickets may be accumulated and redeemed for a pass to the Spartan Store
including 15 minutes out of class.
c.
May
NOT be used
·
towards
any part (team or individual) of a group assignment.
·
to
add points to tests, quizzes, projects, or other larger
assignments except when the occasional offer is made by the
teacher
to use them for bonus points.
d.
Regardless
of circumstances - whether lost, stolen, eaten by the dog, etc. – they are not
replaceable!
1. The
student's Agenda Book is a very important tool in developing responsibility and
good study habits and in aiding good
communication between school and home.
a.
Every
student is expected to bring
his/her agenda book to class every day and to use it to copy each
assignment exactly as it is written on the assignment board.
b.
If
there is no assignment, the student should write "none" in the box for that subject
for that day. If the student has already
done the assignment, he/she should still write the assignment down and then put
a check mark over it or write "done”.
2. Parents, please look at your child’s agenda book regularly to
make sure
that the assignments
are being recorded, to see what the assignments are,
and to check for any
notes from the teachers. If you see a lot of blank
spaces, it would be a
good idea to check Net Classroom to be sure your
child has been
completing his/her assignments on time.
3.
Details concerning major projects or other important information will be
posted on this web site and will often
require a parent signature
to ensure
parental awareness.
4. Every
two weeks, students and parents
will be expected to go to Net Classroom
together and review the student’s progress.
If the student has missing work due to
not turning in assignments related to an
excused absence, it will be indicated by an
“M” which counts as a zero until it is
replaced with the grade. If work has not
been
turned in within a reasonable amount of
time (refer to Handbook), the student will
receive a zero. It is the student’s, not
the teacher’s, responsibility to find out what the
assignment/s were and to complete and turn
in the work in a timely manner.
- Parents: Since e-mail is available
directly at my desk, it is the method of com-
mnication that I prefer that you use and the one that will get the most
timely response. If your concern is more
involved than a simple question or comment, please request an appointment or a
phone call rather than writing a lengthy email message. When sending an e-mail message, please write your student’s first and last name on the
subject line, so I will not mistake it for “junk mail” and delete
it. Thank you.
If you do not have e-mail (or it is down),
don’t forget the “old fashioned” way -
send a note by way of your child.
If the matter is urgent, you may call the JH office (770/243-2300) and
give the message to the receptionist who will then forward it to me.
Help Sessions
- A Help / Review Session will
be offered before every major test.
These will be announced on the assignment board and in Net
Classroom.
- Other help session times may
be requested / arranged on an as-need basis.
1.
Regarding absences:
Please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook
for official school policies
Regarding absences. While a student should not come to school sick, please
bear in mind that any time a student is absent, he/she misses out on a
learning opportunity that cannot be replicated.
Parents: For this reason, you are encouraged whenever
possible to try and
schedule appointments
for students outside of school hours, and if they must miss
class frequently for
appointments that cannot be scheduled after school, please try to
rotate the times
and/or days of the appointments so the same class is not missed
repeatedly which can
really hamper a student’s success in a class. Please keep in
mind that missing block-day class is equal to
missing two class periods of that
class.
2.
Regarding tardies:
The Junior High Tardy Policy applies
to an entire semester. Occurrences and
consequences are as follows:
1st tardy = warning
2nd tardy = parent notification
3rd tardy = detention
4th tardy = referral to assistant principal
1. Every
sixth grader receives a hall pass with 12 uses on it that is good for
one six week period. (that averages
out to about one use per subject class
every three weeks). The hall pass may be used to offset a tardy
to class or
to leave class for personal reasons such as
going to the restroom, locker,
office, or to make a phone call.
2. Hall
Passes are assigned to the student and are not transferable to another
student. They are also non-replaceable (so don’t
loose yours or wash it in
your pants pocket!)
The
purpose and need for classroom conduct rules is to ensure an optimum learning environment for
every student as well as to maintain the dignity of every person. For these reasons, each student is expected
to adhere to the conduct expectations or to accept the consequences for
choosing not to do so.
My
discipline plan is based upon the six pillars found on the Junior High
crest: Character, Service, Leadership,
Citizenship, Diversity, and Scholarship.
A copy of
the discipline plan has been given to the students in class and can also be
found on and printed from the last two pages of this document.
Parents and Students, this syllabus serves as a reference for any
informational or procedural questions you might have about this class. Please refer to it whenever you are unsure
about a policy or procedure.
Students, please follow the instructions on the handout you
received in class.
Parent/s, please confirm that you have reviewed this syllabus by sending a
brief email to Mrs. Cook at pcook@greateratlantachristian.org (be sure to include your child’s first and last name on the
subject line). Thank you.
Conduct Assessment Rubric Student: ______________________
Mrs. Cook’s Bible
6 class Parent signature:
________________
Remember,
your conduct is the outward expression of your inward values and
attitudes. How does yours rate? (Circle one box in each category. On the back of the page, write a specific plan
of action for change based upon the area/s that are unacceptable or need
improvement, have it signed by your parent, and return it tomorrow when you
will begin to implement your plan.)
|
|
Exemplary |
Acceptable |
Needs improvement |
Unacceptable |
||
|
|
I always conduct myself with
the highest integrity and honor – no
lying, stealing, cheating, intent to deceive, etc. I exercise self-discipline, self-control,
and show respect for spiritual matters. |
My
conduct in qualities of character is good; however, I am having just a little difficulty with
….. and plan to improve by doing…. |
My conduct in qualities of
character reflects a deficiency. I
need to make improvement in the specific area/s of ……... by doing …… |
My conduct reflects blatant
disregard for the qualities of character. I need to make significant changes
in the specific area/s of ……… by doing… |
||
|
service |
I put others ahead of
myself. I volunteer to help wherever there is a need. I am always courteous,
enthusiastic, kind and caring. I look
for ways to serve others. |
My conduct in qualities of service is good.; however, I am having just a little difficulty with ….. and plan to improve by doing…. |
My conduct in qualities of service reflects a deficiency. I need to make improvement in the specific area/s of ……... by doing …… |
My conduct reflects blatant
disregard for the qualities of service. I need to make significant changes in
the specific area/s of ……… by doing… |
||
|
leadership |
I will do the right thing
even when it is not popular. I am a positive example for others to follow. I
am dependable and responsible. I make
wise choices and offer sound advice. |
My conduct in qualities of leadership is good.; however, I am having just a little difficulty with ….. and plan to improve by doing…. |
My conduct in qualities of leadership reflects a deficiency. I need to make improvement in the specific area/s of ……... by doing …… |
My conduct reflects blatant
disregard for the qualities of leadership. I need to make significant changes
in the specific area/s of ……… by doing… |
||
|
citizenship |
I show respect for and obey
rules, laws and authority. I am cooperative, loyal, and just. I help to maintain or even improve the facilities
and campus. I help keep things clean and orderly. |
