Course Policies

You will be assessed for knowledge of all content on these pages on Monday, September 18th.

Know Our Resources- ALL materials are ALWAYS accessible to you

1. ALL presentations can be found in our main course folder on Google Drive
a. Shared with me English II
b. You can quickly find a certain date by searching that date in the following format: month.day
i. Example: 9.13 = September 13

2. Anything that has to do with DRAFT or Writing/ Composition can be found in the Writing Workshop sub-
folder
a. Shared with me English II Writing Workshop

3. Anything that has to do with Grammar can be found in the GUM (Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics)
sub-folder
a. Shared with me English II GUM (Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics)
b. Grammar is defined as language rules and systems, so anything we learn about formally
correct English, is Grammar

4. All ACT/ SAT Vocabulary word lists, charts, and quizlet links can be found in ACT/ SAT Vocabulary sub-
folder
a. Shared with me English II ACT/ SAT Vocabulary
b. ACT and SAT are pre-college entry examinations. Our words are pulled from complex
vocabulary that most frequently appears on these examinations.
c. These quizzes are cumulative, and will have review from previous Groups
d. Group One quiz is on September 20th

5. Anything to do with Silent, Sustained Reading + Metacognitive Log can be found SSR+ sub-folder
a. Shared with me English II SSR+

6. All readings, forms, and processes for Socratic Seminar can be found in Socratic Seminar sub-folder
a. Shared with me English II Socratic Seminar
b. Socratic Seminar readings will be collected by topic in folders inside of this sub-folder

7. All text analysis work- reading an assigned text and analyzing content as well as authors craft- can be
found in our Text Critic Work sub-folder
a. Shared with me English II Text Critic Work
b. This sub-folder will have two folders inside of it: Informational Text and Literary Text
i. Informational Text = non-fiction (articles, speeches)
ii. Literary Text = literature (poems, short stories, memoirs, novels, and novel excerpts)
c. Content means we look at what the author chose to say/ include
d. Authors Craft means we look at how the author chose to write a text

Know Our Processes

1. Course folders should only contain current weeks News, and completed work specifically requested
to be submitted by Ms. Staples
 a. Writing Fluency and SSR+ are not assessed after every entry. Please do not put in your folder
unless requested.
b. If the work I need to score is not the first thing I see when I open your folder, you receive a 0
and I move on. This means if your work for that day is on the back of a page, your page should
be facing back-side up. I do not have time to dig. Put it in the front the following day for late
credit.
2. Daily Do Nows are completed continuously on the same sheet of notebook paper for one week,
labelled by the Week # at the top, and with each Do Now labelled by its # and the date.
3. Exit Tickets are completed underneath the days Do Now.
4. All working documents should be accessed via our shared course folder; a copy should be made and
completed, and that copy should be placed in the same sub-folder of your personal course folder
as it was originally found in our shared course folder.

Know Our Ways to Success

1. Do Nows, and any other assignment, can be revised within 5 days of the original due date for an
improved grade. Revised work must be highlighted and placed in the very front of your folder, so
it is the first thing I see when I open your folder. The days Do Now would be behind any revised work.

2. If you are absent, automatically check through the previous days Presentation, accessing any
mentioned sub-folder documents.
a. A zero will be placed in the gradebook as place-holder for assignments, along with a missing
to let me know you were missing from class that day.
b. A purple S will be located in the top-right corner of slides that require work submission.
c. Ask me questions about the presentation and/or missing work AFTER you have completed a
and b. They must be specific questions, not What did I miss?
d. DO NOT begin catching up before completing the current days work.
e. You have 5 school days from your return to school to submit work.
f. Full credit can be received for fully complete work.
g. When work is completed, let me know the specific assignments you completed just below the
heading for that days Do Now. You must highlight this information.

3. If you fail to complete OR share any in-class or homework, you must make it up/share/ submit within 5
school days.
h. You will receive a zero in the gradebook (or partial score if work is incomplete), along with a
late to let me know you were in class that day.
i. You are no longer eligible for anything higher than an 80%. An 80% will only be awarded
if all directions are followed, and work is accurate.
j. **If you run into an unexpected internet access issue, you must bring a dated, signed note by a
parent or guardian.**

4. You MUST read and follow ALL directions for ALL assignments, attempting ALL parts.
a. Failure to follow any direction, or to attempt any part of the task, means you are no longer
eligible for anything above a 79%.
b. I dont know is not an attempt. If in class, ask me. If out of class, access any relevant
materials/notes, and write specific questions you have for me about the particular task.

5. A is above and beyond. Achieve A work by fulling meeting the purpose of the assignment, writing
more than the minimum, explaining meanings thoroughly, justifying your answers with evidence or
process,, using course vocabulary, providing examples
6. B work follows all directions, meeting the purpose of the assignment, and shows accuracy,
understanding, and thoughtful effort on all parts.

7. C work misses some directions/ purpose of assignment, but still shows understanding, with some
inaccuracies.

8. D and F work fails to meet purpose of assignment, shows minimal effort, and/or many inaccuracies.

9. Completion grades are weighted 2x. Accuracy grades are weighted 3x. Quizzes and long-term
assignments, such as Writing Fluency and SSR+, are weighted 7-8x, depending on amount of material
assessed.

10. SSR+ is assessed via one-on-one conferences.

a. PRGs and Logs will be reviewed together and must be present at conference. If you are
unprepared at conference date, the assignment is considered late.
b. PRG = Personal Reading Goal
c. See rubric in related sub-folder.
d. Log count is maintained on left-hand whiteboard.