From: 	Ronald Brown
Sent: 	Friday, January 28, 2005 10:54 AM
Subject: 	Algebra Mid-Year Policy Adjustment

Algebra Parents:

Attached is a set of "policy adjustments" that I handed out to the
 students in class yesterday. Feel free to contact me if you have any
 questions about this.

Also, I am showing the students their mid-year exams today. They are
 not allowed to take them home. Overall, the scores were fairly low.
 The school grading procedures for the final grades are described in
 great detail on page 5 to 7 of the Student-Parent handbook. To
 summarize, the mid-year and final exams are combined into a score for
 a "fifth marking period". The final grade for the course is the
 average of the 5 marking periods (i.e., the normal 4 marking periods
 and the extra marking period for the exams). My plan is to score the
 final to get that fifth marking period grade and apply any appropriate
 adjustment ("curve") on the combined scores of the two exams. 

Mr. Brown

Algebra 1A Mid-Year Adjustments

The following are changes to how our class will be run the second half
 of the year:

Homework:
1.	Late homework will not be accepted.
2.	Homework without work will not be accepted for credit. Don't
 bother to copy the answers from the back of the book or a classmate -
 you will not get credit.

Notebooks: You are required to have a notebook for this class. Your
 notebook should contain:
1.	Class notes and classwork
2.	Homework problems
3.	Graded quizzes and tests (useful for studying for final exam)
4.	Any other handouts and useful items from class
Occasionally we will have "notebook quizzes" where I may ask questions
 like "what topic did we cover on 1/31?" or "what score did you get on
 the such-and-such quiz". 

You must start treating our room with more respect. If I find a piece
 of paper with your name on it any place other than the garbage, you
 will have a detention to come in and clean up the room.

You must start treating me with more respect. When we are in
 whole-class lecture do not get up from your seat for any reason
 without permission. It is disturbing to the rest of the class and rude
 to me. Getting up to sharpen your pencil because it has broken is not
 acceptable. Either bring 2 pencils, get a mechanical pencil, take
 notes in pen or come up with some other system. Sit where I have asked
 you to sit. If you have a problem with your seat see me and we can
 discuss changing it.

You must start treating your classmates with more respect. If you do
 want to pay attention that is fine, but you can not disrupt class for
 other students who are trying to learn. You will be removed from class
 if you are being disruptive.