Grading Policies and Classroom Procedures 2009 - 2010

Welcome to another exciting and productive year of Junior High School !

I enjoy working with the students, parents and volunteers of St. Michael Catholic School. The best way to reach me is through e-mail. An exciting development for this year is that you will be able to access your grades for all your classes on a secure Internet site. All future and past assignments are on www.trackmygrades.com and can be accessed 24 hours a day.

Mrs. Kyle Myres

651-6795 or sixthgrade@saintmichaelsc.org or http://www.saintmichaelsc.org/school/6thgrade

Classroom Rules

1. Be Safe
   
2. Be Responsible
   
3. Be Respectful

Messy Work, Late Work & Missing Assignments

• 5 points will be deducted for work submitted on ripped paper, sloppy work or a missing name. Neatness counts.
  
• Students will not be allowed to take a retest. Study well the first time.
  
• Late work will be penalized one letter grade per day. It will not be accepted if it is more than 3 school days late.
  
• Assignments are due in class when I ask for them. Any students missing the assignment will earn a Category 1 checklist offense.
  
• No late work will be accepted for Math homework. We go over it in class on the day it is due.
  
• Excused absences will have one day to make up work for each day missed. Tests and quizzes will be given on the day the student returns unless a medical excuse is submitted.

The Blue Box

• Assignments are always accepted in the “blue box” in my classroom. Do not put papers on my desk or hand them to me at random.
  
• Parents and students are welcome to put notes to me in the blue box or e-mail me at sixthgrade@saintmichaelsc.org.

 www.TrackMyGrades.com

• Please send an e-mail to sixthgrade@saintmichaelsc.org with student and up to 2 parents’ e-mail addresses so that I may register you for online grade access.
  
• I will update the website as papers are graded.
  
• The current average for each class will automatically be calculated as grades are entered.
  
• Special Codes You May See:
  
  
  
  • EX – Excused Absence ~ this will not lower the grade.
    
  • UN – Unexcused Absence ~ this will count as a zero.
    
  • NA – Not Applicable ~ this will not lower the grade. I use this for extra credit assignments that are not done.

 Math 5-8 Grading Summary

• 30% Tests
  
• 30% Weekly Quizzes & Projects
  
• 30% Homework & Classwork
  
• 10% Basic Skill Quizzes


• A-OK homework passes will be issued for any “A” on a chapter test in Math.
  
• Students should seek assistance, if they do not understand the material. We have tutors available during school hours through our resource teacher, Mrs. Stih.
  
• All students are encouraged to practice skills and take sample chapter tests on the Internet.
  
  
  
  • Grades 5 & 6 ~ www.progressinmathematics.com
    
  • Grade 7 ~ www.pre-alg.com ~ Click on the green roller coaster book.
    
  • Grade 8 ~ http://www.glencoe.com/sec/math/algebra/ca/index.htm and http://www.glencoe.com/sec/math/studytools/algcachaprev.shtml
  
  
• If the students can develop good Math habits now, then they can enjoy fascinating careers in Engineering or Medicine or…
  
• Final exam questions for grades 6-8 will be drawn from chapter reviews.
  
• Tests: By the time we get to the chapter test, the students have seen the same material at least 7 times.
  
• Quizzes:
  
  
  
  • On Thursdays we will have a homework quiz with questions from past math topics, focusing on the previous week’s homework, to ensure that everyone understands the material.
    
  • Review assignments will be added if needed. Normally, they will count as routine homework grades. Review homework assignments will sometimes be graded and count as a pop quiz.
    
  • We will have @20 basic skills timed worksheets each quarter. These will be included in the “Basic Skill Quizzes” grade.
    
  • Each chapter we will have a timed pretest. The initial grade will not count, but will give me an idea of how well the children know the material for this chapter. Then I will return the pretest and students will have one week to use their books to research the answers and correct the pretest for a quiz grade. What an easy A!
  
  
• Journals: we will use a bound composition book to record major theorems and vocabulary.
  
  
  
  • Students can use their journals on homework, tests and quizzes.
  
  
• 10 points will be deducted for math work submitted in ink. Everyone makes mistakes in math. Pencils only.
  
• Calculators will be allowed in math class or on math tests only for certain types of problems.
  
• Math Homework – Practice makes Perfect
  
  
  
  • Expect 1-3 pages of Math homework almost every day.
    
  • No points will be deducted for wrong answers, but missing questions & answers will loose points.
    
  • Do every single problem. Go as far as you can go with each problem. Write down a specific question that you need to know to finish the problem.
    
  • All Math homework will be graded based on effort, completeness, and following the Math format.
    
  • Everyone starts the day with a 100% in their math homework grade.
    
    
    
    • All points will be deducted for missing homework.
      
    • Half the points will be lost if students do not show their work.
      
    • Partially completed and sloppy work will have points reduced.

Grade 6 & 8 Religion Grading Summary

• 40% Tests
  
• 30% Quizzes & Projects
  
• 30% Homework & Classwork
  
• Religion final exams will be from the chapter and unit reviews in the book, not the chapter tests.
  
• Projects & Classroom Presentations
  
  
  
  • Expect a project at least once a quarter. More than one grade will be earned for each project.
    
  • Since public speaking is an important skill to practice and kids can learn from each other, most projects will include a classroom presentation.

Old Testament Religion ~ Grade 6

• We will travel through the Old Testament from Genesis to the Gospels !
  
• Visit www.webelieveweb.com for study sheets and cool games about our faith. Students are encouraged to take the online practice test before each chapter test.
  
• First quarter, each student will become our resident expert on one Old Testament person.
  
• We will be highlighting a student a week.
  
  
  
  • Our “Miracle” student will present their poster and get special privileges during their week.
  
  
• We will start each day with God by writing at least half a page in our Religion prayer journals.
  
  
  
  • Since these are private prayer journals with God, I will not check for spelling or grammar.
    
  • Journals will count as one quiz grade each quarter. They will be graded on completion.
  
  
• We will learn and review many prayers this year. Students will copy the prayer exactly from the book. The prayer will be posted around the classroom. We will say it daily as our afternoon prayer. After several weeks, we will have a quiz where the students have to write down the prayer from memory.

Church History Religion ~ Grade 8

• Our year will center around four questions as we prepare for Confirmation.
  
  
  
  • How Do We Nourish God’s Gift Of Faith?
    
  • Who Are Our Ancestors In Faith?
    
  • How Can The Church’s Heritage Give Us Hope?
    
  • What Does It Meant To Be Catholic?
  
  
• Logon to www.weliveourfaith.com to enjoy a safe learning environment with family-based faith activities that are motivating and fun for students. Students are encouraged to take the online practice test before each chapter test. We are in Volume II of the blue We Live Our Faith.
  
• Students will maintain a Question Book this year. Writing and reflecting on questions they have about their faith.

Grade 6 Classroom Reminders

• School begins at 7:45am. Excessive tardiness will result in detention.
  
• Lockers should be kept free of trash and dirty clothes. Students may only use the locker assigned to them. Lockers will be inspected at least once a quarter.
  
• Desks are shared by 5 different classes. All books should be in the locker.
  
• Planners are especially important in Junior High. Students will be changing teachers/classes all day long and each teacher tracks their own assignments.
  
  
  
  • We urge all parents to check their student’s planners daily and www.trackmygrades.com weekly, especially the first quarter.
    
  • All teachers are more than happy to sign planners daily or weekly. Students must ask the teachers at the beginning or end of class. Teachers will not automatically do this.
    
  • Encourage your student to use the planner to keep track of all the responsibilities in life. Write down important dates…play practices, sports practices, games, tournaments, etc
  
  
• Drop us a line. All teachers will answer e-mails & give you feedback as you request.
  
• Remember that 6^th grade is a time of tremendous change, growth, and independence. Students and parents should expect some uncertainty and stress the first months of school as students adjust to changing classes and having seven different teachers.