CLASSROOM GUIDELINES
Mrs. McDermott Newport Intermediate School
Welcome! I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to work with you this year. I want to keep our classroom rules really simple. I ask only two things of students. I expect students to work hard and be nice. Therefore, you can expect me to model this by being the kindest, hardest worker in return.
CLASS EXPECTATIONS
1. Follow all directions the first time they are given.
2. Come prepared for class each day ready to learn. Bring:
a. Paper and pencil/pen
b. Composition notebook math journal
c. Your homework assignment
3. Use common courtesy. Treat others with consideration and respect.
THE NEWPORT WAY:
All students at are expected to live by three simple, school-wide expectations. You will find that all the classroom expectations listed above fall under one of these all-encompassing guidelines. Here are the three guidelines that should guide all of your choices concerning your behavior and actions here at school:
· BE SAFE
· BE RESPONSIBLE
· BE RESPECTFUL
SOME OTHER VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS
Here are some other policies and routines you will find it helpful to know.
· Late work is accepted but there is a fine and a deduction of the score. It is critically important that you turn in every assignment. Set this as a personal goal for yourself. The option to “redo” is available.
GRADING POLICY
Mrs. McDermott Newport Intermediate School
In an effort to provide immediate and meaningful feedback to both you as a student as to myself as a teacher, I have developed the following grading policies.
The work for this course will consist of a variety of text assignments, in-class activities, problem solving and applied math projects. Homework will be minimal for this class. I am available every day after-school until 3:15 to help students with their homework for their main math class.
PROBLEM SOLVING ASSIGNMENTS
Learning the fundamental procedures and facts of math is meaningless unless you can apply those skills to solve meaningful problems. Problem solving will be a major focus of our year together. I will help you organize some basic problem solving strategies into a framework you can apply to any problem you encounter.
Problem solving assignments will generally take more time than text assignments and will be worth 25 points each. Scores will be given based on the 5-part scoring guide developed by the Oregon Department of Education. It will measure conceptual understanding, processes and strategies, verification, communication and accuracy. You will become very familiar with this scoring guide and it will become an integral part of your problem solving repertoire.
YOUR FINAL GRADE: Compliance with House Bill 2220 requires a change in grading procedures at Newport Intermediate School. A student’s grade will be comprised of ONLY THE ASSESSED PROFICIENCY OF THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACADEMIC CONTENT STANDARDS. This means only the marks for assessments will be factored into a student’s grade – not practice work, extra credit, participation, etc. There will be a separate “student responsibility” grade that will reflect their performance in the areas of practice, participation, timeliness, etc. At this time, the assessment portion of the grade will be weighted 100% and the “student responsibility” portion will be weighted at 0%. However, this new law is still being interpreted and it is possible there may be some variation in the weights later in the year. OMS will alert parents of any changes.Then your points will be compared to the following scale:
90% = A
80% = B
70% = C
60% = D
59% and below = F
CHECKING YOUR GRADE
You are expected to check regularly on your progress in this class. I will keep grades current on SchoolMaster and they can be checked from home via the HomeAccess system. You will be provided with a username and password at the beginning of the year. Do not lose it. It is your responsibility to know how you are doing in your classes. This is a critical skill for success in middle and high school. We have a class blogspot where we can ask/ answer questions: mcdermottmath.blogspot.com
