English I Syllabus
2015-2016
Mrs. Salter
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (512) 260-5500 ext. 7105
Mission:
To empower students to grow academically, emotionally, and socially in connection with the
thinking and communication skills they need to be successful in the future.
 All students can be successful in my class.
 Reading can be enjoyable and enlightening.
 Writing is a good way to communicate thoughts and ideas.
 It is important to use critical thinking skills.
 You usually get out of something what you're willing to put into it.
 There is a connection between what happens in class and the world you live in.
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS
 Respect other people and their beliefs even if they are different from you!
 Follow directions the FIRST time they are given.
 Take an active and positive part in classroom activities. Participate! Participate! Participate!
 Be prepared for class everyday with ALL supplies
 Control talking to class discussions and activities.
 No food or drink, except for water bottles.
 NO iPods or cell phones in use at ANY TIME DURING CLASS…….
Textbooks & Supplies
You will need to purchase a 1 ½ ” three ring binder, a set of dividers, notebook paper, notecards,
BLUE, BLACK, RED & GREEN PENS, and color highlighters. Each student MUST have their
own RED/GREEN/BLUE PENS for their Paragraph Writing. You will also need a Spiral Notebook for
your Journal writing. You need to bring a box of Kleenex at the beginning of school. You will need to
bring all supplies to class every day. You will be assigned a Literature textbook, if requested, that you
will take home. We have a Classroom Set to use while you are in class. You will also be assigned
specific novels throughout the year. Once assigned a textbook or novel, you are fully responsible for that
book. If you are not prepared for class with supplies and/or required book, you will be assigned a
detention.
Tutorials and Conferences:
I will be available for tutorials every day, except for my duty day, from 7:35 – 8:00. My conference is
scheduled for 3rd period which is from 10:40-11:30. If this time does not work for you, we can make
other arrangements if necessary.
English I Agenda:
1st Six Weeks – “The Necklace”, The Scarlet Ibis”, “The Most Dangerous Game”, STAAR Paragraph &
Essay Writing, Vocabulary
2nd Six Weeks -- “The Miracle Worker” STAAR paragraphs, essays, vocabulary EOC
STAAR Worksheets (PRE-AP: Research Project)
3rd Six Weeks –“Romeo & Juliet” , project, STAAR paragraphs, essays, vocab., EOC/STAAR
Worksheets
4th Six Weeks -- To Kill A Mockingbird, STAAR paragraphs and Expository Essays,
Vocabulary, EOC STAAR Worksheets and practice
5th Six Weeks –Con’t. To Kill A Mockingbird, Things Fall Apart or The Odyssey
6th Six Weeks –Vocabulary, grammar, Research Project: Civil Rights
(Pre-AP-Independent Reading and Project)
(Due to some pending curriculum changes, the sequence of materials studied may be changed)
Grading:
Daily Grades (any daily activities completed in class; Vocabulary, paragraphs, essays, and quizzes)
=40%;
Homework Grades (reading pop quizzes, other assigned homework activities) = 10%;
Test Grades (Major tests; projects, major Vocabulary tests) = 50%
Notebooks may be a Daily Grade or a Test Grade, at my discretion.
TARDIES: If you are not in your seat when the bell rings, you will be considered tardy. If you come
into my classroom after the bell rings, you are Tardy. No disciplinary action occurs for your first tardy,
but your 2nd tardy will result in a teacher detention. Your 3rd tardy will result in a referral to the Assistant
Principal. The 4th tardy will result in other disciplinary action, and the 5th tardy could result in the student
facing possible placement into in-school suspension. Don’t be late!!!
ABSENCES:
 If you missed class due to illness, or for personal reasons, it is YOUR responsibility to find out
what you have missed.
 If you are out on an extracurricular activity, you must get your assignments prior to your
absence.
 If an assignment was already given and you are absent on the due date, you are still responsible
for turning in the work as soon as you return. You will not be given additional time for
completion if you already had the assignment, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
 If you have questions on makeup work, you will need to come by BEFORE OR AFTER school.
Do not ask me about makeup work during class!
 I always put the weeks assignments on the board on Mondays; that makes YOU responsible for
all work when it is due, or the 1st day back from your absence!!!!!!!!!!
LATE WORK:
TEST GRADES:
 Test grade assignments must be submitted during your class period on the day it is due.
 I will accept work until 4:00 pm on the day it is due with a 10 point late penalty.
 Test grade assignments may be turned in the next day during class with a deduction of 20 points for
being late. Therefore, an 80 is the highest grade you will receive if it is turned in one day late.
 No test grade assignments will be accepted after that point. You will receive a zero on the
assignment. (unless specific arrangements have been made.)
 Being absent will not excuse you from meeting a deadline on a prior assignment; make
arrangements to turn in test grade assignments on or before they are due if possible, or on
the day of your return for any reason. See Absences for more information.
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DAILY GRADES:
I will not accept daily grade assignments if they are late. (unless there are extenuating
circumstances)
BINDERS: (KEEP ALL OF YOUR PAPERS!)
You are responsible for keeping certain papers in a 1 1/2” notebook/binder. A test or daily grade will be
given each six weeks, determined by the organization, completeness, neatness and accuracy of the binder.
I will make that determination, depending on the 6-weeks that we are studying at the time. The binder
should contain the following:
Cover sheet (name, #, and class period) and Syllabus
Divider sections:
1. Literature: Author notes, literary elements, flow charts, character maps, etc.., anything
having to do with our reading.
2. Vocabulary: All vocabulary worksheets and papers pertaining to vocabulary.
3. Writing: All writing, including instructions, samples, and grading criteria.
4. Grammar – any activities or notes on grammatical exercises.
5. EOC/STAAR Worksheets
PARTICIPATION:
I expect full participation from all my students. My classroom will be a safe environment for everyone to
share ideas freely without chance of ridicule, harassment or confrontation. Each one of you have
valuable insights and ideas, and you will have a safe place to share them without worrying about negative
peer comments.
I will also expect all students to participate during class readings. If you are called upon to read and have
not paid attention or do not know where we are, you will be given a lower grade.
I will give a participation grade during every Six Weeks grading period for contribution and engagement
during class discussions and activities.
Much of the reading will be done inside the classroom. When there is reading outside class time, it is
your responsibility to do the reading assignments at home on your own time before the discussion date. .
You will be assessed in a variety of forms the next class period to make sure you have completed the
assignment. Your assessment will be counted as a homework grade. You either read it or you didn’t.
DISCIPLINE AND DETENTION:
Because my class expectations and rules are clearly defined, I do not expect many discipline issues to
arise. However, in the instance that small disciplinary problems should arise, you will be given one
verbal warning first, followed by a detention which will be served. If you do not show up for your
detention, you will be given 2 days of Detention. If detention does not solve the issue, the next step will
be a referral to the Principal’s office. For more severe infractions, a verbal warning and/or detention
may not be given and a referral may be required
CELL PHONE POLICY: Students will NOT use cell phones unless instructed to do so. If a Cell Phone
is out and in use, it will be taken up and sent to the Office. A Parent is the only one who can retrieve the
cell phone from the office. If a student refuses to turn in the cell phone to me, a Referral will be written
for non-compliance. When there are Testing/Quizzes occurring, all Cell Phones will be turned over Face
Down on top of their desk so that it is visible to me. If a student refuses to do this, the phone will be taken
up and sent to the office. Misuse of a cell phone during Tests/Quizzes will result in a “0”, and the phone
will be taken up. A Parent is the only one who can retrieve the cell phone from the office.
I HAVE READ THE SYLLABUS FOR MRS. SALTER’S ENGLISH I CLASS, AND
UNDERSTAND THE GRADING POLICIES AND CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS.
Parent signature: ___________________________________________________
Student signature: __________________________________________________
Date: ___________________________