Welcome to Blackville Hilda High!!

SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS

August 17, 2017

Dear Parents and Students:

Hello and welcome to the Study Skills class at Blackville Hilda School. My name is Ms. Mary
Christiana Gurrala. I am very excited about working with you and your child. I know we will have
a successful and productive school year.

In order for this school year to be even more successful, I will need full support from both parents and
students. Please review the rules, discipline plan, grading policy, and classroom procedures with
your child before he/she returns to class. I will be available after school, Wednesdays from 3:30pm
– 4:30 pm. Also feel free to contact me with any concern at (803) 284-5700 or through my email:
mary.gurrala@barnwell19.net .

Thanks.

Mary Christiana Gurrala.

 COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE TITLE: Resource Class LEVEL: 9th,10th,11th,12th

TEACHER’S NAME: Mary Christiana Gurrala ROOM NUMBER: 2

SCHOOL PHONE NUMBER: (803) 284 - 5700

SCHOOL EMAIL: mary.gurrala@barnwell19.net

ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE DAY AND TIME: Wednesdays (3:30 - 4:30 pm)

SCHOOL HOURS: 7:45 am - 3:15 pm

I. Course Description/Academic Outcomes/Objectives

The study skill class is designed to offer support services to all Special Education
Students in their skill area of need. This service is intended to help students improve on their
deficit skills in reading comprehension, math problem solving and calculation and functional
behavior which may affect their academic performance.

II. Student/Class Expectations

All students are expected to adhere to the following class expectations:

1. Follow all teacher directions.

2. Bring all materials to class (notebook, pencil & erasers)
3. Be seated in your assigned desk and ready to work when the tardy bell rings.
4. Respect teacher and fellow classmates.
5. Do not drink, eat, and sleep in class.
6. Obey all district and school rules.
7. No cell phone usage in the class.

If a student does not follow the rules, they are informed that there are consequences.
1st Offense Warning
nd
2 Offense Student/Teacher Conference
3rd Offense Parent/Teacher Conference
Severe Clause: If a student is severely disruptive, he/she will be sent to the
office immediately.

III. Materials Needed

Pencil
Pen
Eraser
3 Ring binder
Loose leaf papers and 3 subject composition book.
V. Homework Policy

Homework will be given once weekly. Students will keep all homework, and notes.
Homework will count 10% of your grade, when checked by me, and will go in the grade
book. Homework will be checked on most occasions for accuracy and understanding of
the content.

VI. Absences and Assignments

If you miss a class due to a school related activity (sports, music, clubs, field trips,
etc), you are expected to check in with me PRIOR to your absence to get your work
and turn it in on time with the rest of the class.

MAKE-UP WORK

If a student misses a day in class, then it is his/her responsibility to get all

assignments, notes, and homework either from the teacher or classmates. All
students are required to make up work after school before the present nine
weeks are over.

VII. Retake Policy

There is no reason for a student to fail at BHHS. Every student will have the opportunity
to retake test, assignments, projects, or quizzes. Students are allowed a TOTAL OF 5
RETAKES for each nine weeks per class. You are responsible for arranging suitable
times for the retake. Work made up due to an absence does not count as a retake.

VIII. Grading Policy and Procedures

BHMS SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GRADE SCALE

90 - 100 A
80 - 89 B
70 - 79 C
60 - 69 D
Below 59 F

Grades will be determined at the end of each nine weeks using the following criteria:
Homework (10%) Classwork (20%)
Test/Projects (40%) Quiz (30%)

.
IX. Tardiness to School and/or Class

Any student arriving to school after the tardy bell, without a pass, will report to the Main
Office for an unexcused tardy pass.

Students are expected to arrive at class on time and be prepared to begin work. Students
will receive an office referral after every 3 tardies. Consequences are as follows:

1st Referral: Student Conference/ Warning

2nd Referral: 1Day Character Coaching
3rd Referral: 1 Day Out of School Suspension
4th Referral or more: 1 Day Out of School Suspension

X. Student Dress Code Policy

Students are expected to adhere to rules and guidelines for the dress code for BHHS.
Clothing for students should consists of normal school attire. Any clothing that promotes
negativity or considered a disruption to the learning process will not be tolerated. You
must adhere to the dress code policy while on campus during the day. SEE STUDENT’S
HANDBOOK FOR A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE.

Each time a student incurs a dress code violation, the date and offense will be marked in a
notebook in the front office. For every THREE DRESS INFRACTIONS, a student will
receive a discipline referral. Consequences are as follows:

1st Referral: Student Conference/ Warning

2nd Referral: 1Day Character Coaching
3rd Referral: 1 Day Out of School Suspension
4th Referral or more: 1 Day Out of School Suspension

**If clothing attire is not appropriate as deemed by administration, student must call
parents to bring appropriate clothing and/or assigned to Character Coaching class
until clothing has arrived.

XI. Mission/Vision/Title I/Barnwell 19 Statement

Mission: The mission of BHMS is to prepare all students to achieve excellence by creating an
environment conducive to learning where students, staff, and families work together to
promote the skills needed in a continuously changing world.

Vision: We at BHMS believe all individuals have certain basic rights, are worthy of respect, and
are important to society. We believe all students can learn. We further believe learning is a
lifelong process influenced by experience and environment. The development of positive
 relationships is essential to the productive social, emotional, physical, and cognitive
development of every individual. This development of the whole individual requires that
education be a responsibility shared by the home, school, and community. As the foundation
of these beliefs, we at BHMS believe society, as a whole, will benefit from a unified effort to
educate all individuals and from a common desire for the community to succeed.

Title I: Barnwell 19 School District is a Title I District. The purpose of Titile I is to “ensure that
all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain high-quality education
and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards
and stay academic assessments.” The program provides supplemental services to children in
Title I school programs to improve the academic performance of students.

Barnwell 19 School District will provide equal employment opportunities and educational
opportunities to all persons without regard to race, religion, color, disability, sex, age,
national origin, immigrant status, English-speaking, or marital status. Barnwell District 19
will make reasonable accommodations for an individual who is otherwise qualified for a
position unless accommodation would impose undue hardship upon the district.

IX. Miscellaneous

The following are special notes that you need to remember:

1. All work that needs to be turned in should be in done in PENCIL.

2. Absolutely NO CELL PHONES are to be allowed in the classroom. Cell
phones may be used prior to entering the building at 7:45 am and after
exiting the building at 3:15 pm.
3. If you would like to contact me through email, my email address is
mary.gurrala@barnwell19.net .
 Parent/ Student Signature Form

I __________________________________ (student) have received, read, and discussed the state

standards and the course syllabus with my teacher. I understand these handouts and realize it is
my responsibility to complete makeup work and hand it in within a specific number of days. If I
miss the makeup deadline and have not made arrangements with my teacher for a different
makeup deadline, I realize that I will receive a grade of ZERO on the work not completed,
regardless of whether it was an assignment, project, test or quiz.

Signed,

________________________ __________________________
Student Signature Date

To Parent or Guardian:
Please read the above contract and go over my course handout with your child that further
explains grading policies and procedures in my class. If you do not understand the policy for
making up work in the class or any other aspect of the grading policy or class expectations,
please contact me at Blackville-Middle School (803) 284-5700 or email at
mary.gurrala@barnwell19.net . I can explain the policy in more detail. If you understand the
policy described above, please sign below. This “contract” will be kept on file for the school
year. Thank you.

Ms. Mary Gurrala

I am aware of and understand the makeup work policy described above. I am also aware of the
classroom expectations and the Algebra I grading scale described in this handout.

________________________ __________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Date

Parent/Guardian Work Number: ___________________________________

Parent/Guardian Cell Number: ___________________________________

Email ______________________________________________________________________

Is there any condition (medical, physical, social, etc) that I as a teacher would need to know
about your child?