Welcome to Prep English I
This syllabus includes some helpful information to reference throughout the year. Feel free to contact me with
any questions or concerns. I look forward to getting to know you, and to helping you be successful during and after high
school. My contact information is below.
Travis Koneschik, M. Ed.
[email protected]
Conference availability:
3rd period (Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 9:50 – 10:40; Wednesday 9:20 – 10:50); or by appointment.
Tutorials:
Last 30 minutes of B Lunch on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays; or by appointment.
Course Description:
This course is designed to prepare students for success in subsequent English courses and for applying English
language skills as adults. This course builds a foundation of study, writing, and analytical skills. Students are expected to
read, comprehend, and analyze fiction, literary non-fiction, poetry, and drama. Students will write often, create their
own works, and they will learn to recognize and correct writing errors.
My weekly lesson plans will be posted on my website at the beginning of each week.
You should gather and maintain the following items throughout the year. Bring them to every class.
 A five-subject spiral
 Blue/black pens, pencils, and highlighters
 Novels as announced throughout the year (Don’t worry about this yet).
 A folder or binder exclusively for this class.
The following is a brief summary of some behavioral expectations:
 Be on time and prepared. Class begins promptly at the tardy bell. I will respect the passing period, so please
respect the time reserved for class.
 Be friendly. Do not interrupt another person, and wait patiently for the opportunity to speak. Honor your
classmates’ opinions, viewpoints, and perspectives.
 Seek help. I do not offer extra credit, but you are more likely to succeed if you ask for help and are polite and
courteous in our interactions.
 Follow all school and Westside Way policies, especially regarding tardiness, dress code, use of electronics, and
identification tags.
 Do your best! It is better to make mistakes with gusto and fervor than to never try at all.
WHS English I Grading Policy
Major Grade assignments will comprise 60% of the 6-Weeks average, while Minor Grade assignments will
comprise 40% of the average. For minor grade assignments, the score will reflect the score earned. For major grade
assignments, assignments scoring lower than a 50 will be reflected as a 50 in time for publication of report cards. This
may not be reflected at the time of progress reports.
Only major grade assignments are eligible for a retake to earn a score up to a 75, and students are limited to one
retake per 6-Weeks per subject. The retake will not be the same as the original assessment, but will be of similar length,
rigor, and content covered. In order to be eligible for a retake, the student must fulfill the following requirements:
 The student must have earned lower than a 75 on the original assessment.
 The student must attend a tutorial, complete an alternative assignment, complete necessary homework, or
complete test corrections, as determined by the teacher.
 The student must inform the teacher of intent to complete a retake.
 The student must complete the retake within one week of the original grade being posted in Gradespeed
(Parent-Student Connect).
***If you have not already done so, please create an account in Parent-Student Connect so you can monitor your
child’s grades as each grading period progresses.***
Cheating, plagiarism, and other academic fraud and dishonesty will NOT be tolerated. If a student is caught
cheating, plagiarizing, or committing any form of academic dishonesty, it will result in a “0” on the assignment and no
opportunity to redo that assignment. It will also result in a phone call or e-mail home, a discipline referral to the dean,
and an automatic “P” in conduct for that grading cycle. See the Westside Honor Code for more details on what
constitutes cheating, plagiarism, and academic fraud.
Classwork
We will regularly engage in a variety of activities during the class-period. I will clearly indicate when an
assignment is due by writing the due date (and indicating whether it is due at the beginning or end of the period) on the
board or directly on the assignment itself. Students who do not turn in assignments at the indicated date and time will
fill out and turn in a “Yellow Card” in its place (to be described in class), and then will have the option of turning in the
assignment for reduced credit, as described below.
Late Work Policy
Work will be accepted for two days after an assignment is due. After that, the assignment will not be accepted.
For each day an assignment is late, the grade will be reduced by 10% of the earned score. For example, If a student has
an assignment due on Monday, but he or she doesn't turn it in until Tuesday, the score will be reduced by 10%. If they
bring it on Wednesday (two days late), this results in a 20% reduction of the earned grade.
Days late are considered absolute. This means that weekends and days the student is not scheduled to attend
class count toward the number of days late. It is expected that a student make every effort to turn in a missing
assignment, including bringing it to my class before or after school, or emailing me a word file or scan of the assignment.
(Yes, this means that if an assignment is due Friday and is not turned in, I will not accept it on Monday. It will need to be
sent to me over the weekend. If email is not an option for your household, other arrangements can be made by phone if
necessary.)
This policy honors the effort required to meet a time constraint, a constraint that is ever-present in college
courses and any chosen career path.
Make-Up Work
Students who are absent have the opportunity to make up any missed work. For each day a student is absent,
he or she has that number of days to complete any missed work. (For example, if a student was absent two days, he or
she has two days to complete and turn in any missed assignments) It is the student’s responsibility to come to tutorials
to learn the content he or she missed and to reschedule any missed quizzes or tests.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Please fill out the following form with the information you’d like to give and return it to me. Feel free to scan
and email it to me, or send it to me with your child. This form confirms that you have received and read the syllabus and
policies for English I. I look forward to a wonderful year.
My very best,
Travis Koneschik, M. Ed.
Westside High School
[email protected]
Student’s Name ______________________________________________________________
Student’s E-Mail Address_______________________________________________________
Home Phone Number _________________________________________________________
Mother’s Name ______________________________________________________________
Mother’s E-Mail Address _______________________________________________________
Work Phone Number __________________________________________________________
Father’s Name _______________________________________________________________
Father’s E-Mail Address ________________________________________________________
Work Phone Number __________________________________________________________
Guardian’s Name _____________________________________________________________
Guardian’s E-Mail Address ______________________________________________________
Work Phone Number __________________________________________________________
Relationship _________________________________________________________________