Centennial Middle School

2015-2016

WELCOME TO

8TH GRADE ENGLISH

Mrs. Judkins | room 58 | malloryj@provo.edu | (801) 370-4621

Class Overview
This year, we will work together
to become better
communicators and achieve
success. To do this, we will
study and write various types of
texts. We will also practice
mechanical skills, good
spelling, and effective
vocabulary choices within the
context of reading and writing.
We will also incorporate
research, independent reading,
class novel studies, and oral
presentations. Im excited for
this year!

Class Rules
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be Prepared
Be Honest
Be a Contributor
Students who do not follow
these rules will lose study skills
points. Points may be earned
back through meaningful
contributions to our class.
I support and enforce all school
and district policies.

Judkins English 7

Key Assignments and Readings

This I Believe Essay
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Night by Elie Wiesel
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Articles of the Week
Each novel and unit will conclude with a final assessment (test).
There will also be quizzes and other formative assessments.
Other assignments can be expected throughout the year; however, I
will give at least a weeks notice in advance before the assignment is
due so you will have adequate time to complete it.
We will also be reading several short stories and plays this year from
our classroom textbook.
In addition each student will be expected to read on their own each
week. I will explain this more in detail in class.
*Parents: Due to the large volume of available reading materials, I
ask for your help by being aware of what your child is reading. I
have a small classroom library that students may borrow from if
they wish.

Hall Pass
You are not permitted to use the hall pass during the first or last 10
minutes of class or during teacher instruction. During the rest of
class, the hall pass will be used at my discretion. You will be given
two hall passes to use during the term. If you have an emergency,
please talk to me; otherwise, stay in class. Our class time is
precious!

Centennial Middle School

2015-2016

Grading
Categories
Homework, Tests, and Quizzes: 85%
Outside Reading: 10%
Study Skills: 5%

Materials Needed
Each day, students should
come prepared with the
following:
Single Subject Composition
Notebook (this notebook
will remain in our
classroom)
2 inch binder (to stay in our
classroom)
Personal Reading Book
Loose Leaf Paper
Pens and Pencils
Students will also need
access to a computer with
Internet access for several
assignments.
*If you have difficulty
providing any of these items,
please let me know quickly!*

Contact Information
1. Come see me in my room
before (7:30-7:55) or after
(3:00-3:30) school
2. E-mail me at
malloryj@provo.edu
3. Call the office and leave
me a note.
Please dont hesitate to
contact me with questions or
concerns throughout the
year.

Judkins English 7

*If you need to visit with me about your grades,

please do so before or after class or before or after
school. We can always schedule an appointment to
discuss your concerns in private.*

Scale
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
0-69

A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CI

Late Work
I expect you to have all of your assignments completed on
time. However, I understand that sometimes unforeseen
circumstances occur, so each term you will be given two
Oops! passes, which will allow you to turn in an assignment
one day late without penalty. Use these wisely! If you dont
use your homework coupons during the term, I will give you 5
extra credit points for turning them in.
All late work will fall into one of the following categories:
+ Reading logs: You may turn these in for one week only for a
maximum of 70% credit.
+ Biweekly articles and other daily assignments: You may turn
these in late until the end of the term. Your grade on the
assignment will lose 10% for each school day it is late, until
your score reaches 70%.
+ Essential assignments and projects: These may also be turned in
until the end of the term. At the end of each term, I will give
you a study skills score for your essential assignments and
projects (worth 5% of your final grade). For every essential
assignment or project that you turn in late, you will lose 3 study
skills points. For every assignment that is not turned in, you
will lose 5 points.
Every time that you turn in an assignment late (whether you were
absent or not), you must staple a late slip to the assignment
explaining why it is late.
Late work will not be accepted after the end of the term, even with
your Oops! pass.
Why do I care about this? I believe that most of the learning that
we will do happens in the context of our classroom, and if you do the
work late it loses some of its value. Also, what you turn in helps me
know if youre learning and understanding what we do in class. If you
dont turn in your work, I can never know how things are going for
you.

Centennial Middle School

Students with
Disabilities
Several federal laws are
designed to protect your
educational rights. If you have
a learning disability, you may
qualify for additional
protections or
accommodations. Feel free to
talk with me, an administrator,
or your counselor for
additional assistance.

2015-2016

No Name Work
Any work that is turned in without a name will be returned to the
No Name box. If you are missing an assignment, check there first.
No-name assignments will automatically lose 5% when
they are turned in.
Absent Work: It is the students responsibility to get
missed work. Assignments given before an absence are due
upon return to school. If an assignment is given while you
are gone, you have one day per absence day after you
return to turn in your missed work. If you have
extenuating circumstances, please communicate with me
so that we can make arrangements. Our class website is
your new best friend! If you are absent, check the
website first for class notes, bell work, and handouts; you
will be required to make up whatever you missed when
you return. When you get back, go to the make-up
workbox to get your handouts and assignments. All makeup work should be done at home or after school, not
during class.

Extra Credit
Extra credit will be available to all students; however, it
will be very limited in opportunity and point value.

Class Website
I will work hard to keep our class website updated. You
can find copies of past assignments on this website, as well
as get many of your questions answered. The website is
your new best friend!
judkinsenglish.weebly.com

Judkins English 7

Centennial Middle School

2015-2016

PLEASE DETACH AND RETURN TO MRS. JUDKINS

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Due Date (10 points) ___________________

I am excited to teach your child this year! I sincerely care about each of my students, and their progress
and success is of the utmost importance to me. Because of all that we will learn this year, this class will
require the cooperation of parents, students, and the teacher. If you are concerned about your childs
academic standing, need clarification regarding this document, or have other concerns about my class,
please contact me at school or by email (malloryj@provo.edu). Contacting me via email is the best
way to get in touch with me. I check my email each day and will respond within two school days of
receiving your message.
I have created a class website that is designed to help students with their assignments. I will update the
website daily with class notes, handouts, and announcements. Exemplary student work will occasionally
be displayed on the website; students will be identified by first name and last initial only. I will also use
the website and email to inform you about upcoming assignments, tests, and activities in class (including
film clips that we may watch as they enhance curricular objectives), and I hope that it will be a useful
resource for you.
I anticipate that this will be a successful year for your child. I look forward to working together!
Best,
Mallory Judkins
________________________________________________________________________________
Student First and Last Name ___________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian First and Last Name ___________________________________________________________
Parent Contact Information
Email__________________________________

Phone Number _______________________________

Mailing Address _______________________________________________________________________________

Best Way to Contact You _____________________ Best Time to Contact _____________________________
Other information about your student that I should know:__________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
I have read the disclosure document for English 8.
I understand that English fulfills the district and state requirement for Language Arts and my student
must pass each term with a 70% overall percentage and at least 70% on all benchmark assignments in
order to be advanced as a traditional student to Timpview.
My student and I are aware that the class website will contain important calendar and assignment
information and we will access it from home or another location.
_______________________________
Student Signature
Judkins English 7

__________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature

____________
Date
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