• Be on time, please. Tardiness that becomes a habit will result in a detention.

• Please have a pen and/or pencil (only blue or black ink please), writing paper, handouts, class texts, and any other needed materials in class each day.

• Please ask questions about concepts or assignments that you don't understand or that are unclear to you. The best time to do that is during class, before classes begin in the morning, at activity period, or after school. Because of other duties and obligations that I have, I may not be able to respond exactly when you need me to, but I will make an effort to try.

• Daily work assignments (see homework link below for assignments) must be done on time and turned in on the day and the time they are due. Failure to do so results in an automatic zero for that assignment and a detention in study hall during your activity period where you must still complete the missing assignment and turn it in. I will correct the assignment, but you'll still receive a zero for it. If your work is not with you when class begins, I consider it not done and the penalties above will apply.

• Other kinds of assignments, like compositions, may be turned in late without the penalty of a zero. However, you must stay in for study hall to work on the missing assignment until it is complete and turned in. Although you won't receive a zero, you should expect a reduction in points for each day the writing assignment is late.

• If you are absent and therefore not here to turn in assignments, you will not be penalized (unless the absence is unexcused). However, you must turn in the missing work in a reasonable amount of time. Usually you get one day extra for each day you have an excused absence. If you are absent on Wednesday, for example, and return to school the next day (Thursday), then you have until Friday to get Wednesday's assignment in (Note well: you would still be expected to turn in Tuesday's assignment on the day you returned (Thurs.), not on Friday.) It is your responsibility to find me to get any assignments, tests, or quizzes that you missed because of absences. A zero will result for each assignment not turned in or test or quiz not made up in a timely manner.

• Percentage Grading Scale:
  
  95-100 = A
  92-94 = A-
  89-91 = B+
  86-88 = B
  83-85 = B-
  80-82 = C+
  77-79 = C
  74-76 = C-
  71-73 = D+
  68-70 = D
  65-67 = D-
  64 and below fails

• I use weighted categories to calculate your grade, as follows: writing assignments—25%; tests—25%; daily work—15%; quizzes—15%; and spelling—20%.

• Don’t give in to the temptation to cheat. It’s wrong and never a good substitute for hard work. If caught, you’ll receive an automatic 0 for that assignment or test. Your student handbook--you received a copy the first day of school--also explains further consequences for cheating.

• Neither eating nor drinking during class is permitted.

• Please respect school property.

• Most bathroom needs can be taken care of before you arrive to class (you have three minutes between classes to take care of those needs). Occasionally, you may need to leave class to take care of a more urgent need, but please ask my permission first (unless it's an emergency).

I know that I can count on your cooperation with these expectations. We’re going to have a fine year and learn some valuable skills about how to use our language well. I look forward to working with you.