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Welcome to Ms. Smyth's Agriculture Biology Course!
Attendance Being in class each day is extremely important for you to get all the information and instructions. 1. Absences - If you are absent, it is your responsibility to make certain your absence is excused in the attendance office.
EXCUSED ABSENCES - You have as many days as you missed to make up the work. For example - If you miss Monday, return Tuesday, your work is due Wed/Thurs. UNEXCUSED ABSENCES - Any absence that is not excused (or approved in advance) will result in a zero score for all work turned in or done when absent. This includes tests. HOW DO I KNOW WHAT I MISSED? I respond promptly to email and readily available at lunch. 2.Tardies - You will be given a tardy if you are late to class even when you come in before the bell rings and tell me you have to go do something. This means you do not get to do the Warm Up. If you are late because you were in counseling or finishing a test, bring a note from that person and you will be given your warm up points. What about being tardy because your ride was late (your car did not work, your tire was flat...) and Mom writes a note - NO points. If you are tardy please come see me to make sure I did not mark you absent for the period.
I understand that things happen (restroom, homework in your locker, left a book in another class). Every student will receive 1 emergency pass to leave the class per semester. Inevitably someone will use their pass and still have some great emergency, in this case you must serve 30 minutes detention at lunch or pick up trash for 15 minutes. Absences and Grading 1. Participation - Each week you will be graded for the following: being in class on time, showing interest by asking and answering questions, taking notes, working productively on labs and assignments, cleaning up after labs, doing your best, and being positive and helpful. Disruption of class will result in a loss of weekly participation points. 2. Packets - Homework will be assigned almost every day Homework will be stamped or collected at the beginning of class. Late or incomplete work will not receive a stamp which is worth points towards the packet grade. Keep all handouts, notes, lab sheets, quizzes, tests, etc. in order as assigned in each chapter. Keep your packets in a binder to use on the final exam. Packets will be graded for accuracy, completeness, neatness, etc Late work - I don't accept
late work. I do understand that emergencies do happen. I will allow one late assignment per semester. I will accept it one
day late at lunch or on your own time. I will not accept them during class 4. Labs & Activities - You are the scientist. For each lab, you must follow safe procedures, cooperate and clean up. These labs illustrate and review facts and principles studied. If you are absent during a lab, you are still responsible for the content. Some but not all labs can be made up. You will not receive stamps for labs you did not actually do even if you had an excused absence. 5. Tests & Quizzes - Exams are typically over material covered in an entire chapter including labs. Quizzes will cover smaller topics. They will be 40% of your grade. It is your responsibility to have a parent call the day of the absence. If your excused absence is on a test/quiz day, you will need to make that up within the specified time. It is your responsibility to come in at lunch or before school the day you return and schedule an appointment to make up that test. I will not administer make up exams during class. 6. FFA Participation - FFA offers numerous opportunities to meet people and develop leadership skills. FFA involvement makes up 10% of your grade. Each quarter I require one 4 page typed paper about an assigned FFA topic. Attend one meeting per quarter and you will be excused from writing that paper for FFA credit. 7. Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAEP) - Hands on practical experience program in agriculture. These projects will be chosen by each individual student. Record books will be issued and hours of work will be documented. 8. Extra Credit -I firmly believe that extra credit should not replace assignments related to curriculum. Extra credit will only be accepted at the end of the quarter for students missing low point assignments. Ms. Smyth will notify students of extra credit opportunities. Absence Procedures This is a college prep lab science course. We have a lot of ground to cover this year and I have lots of great things planned. In order to have time for all of the fun things I have to maximize every minute of class time. So, I will not handle issues related to absences during class. I have over 120 students, so there is no possible way I can keep track of absences of each student. For example if you are absent the day of a test, you must come to class early the day you return, tell me you missed the test, and make an appointment to make up that test during lunch that day. I will not save a test for you, remind you, or make any effort to give you the test unless you see me the day you return. Unexpected Absences (illnesses, emergencies)
Expected Absences (Field trips, sports, ect.)
Unexcused absences - I will not allow any work to be made up Help is available! My email csmyth@espartok12.org Email is the best way to receive a prompt response from Ms. Smyth My Website http://www.crystalsmythespartoagriculture.com Please send me an email if it is not updated, I check my email frequently.
Set-up for an appointment: I am able to meet with you during lunch most days. Please see me at lunch or outside of class time to deal with individual issues (grades, help, making up tests, turning in absent work)
Grading - A = 90.0-100% B = 80.0-89.9% C =70.0-79.9% D = 60.0-69.9% F = 0-59.9% |
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The day you return, find out what you missed. There are several ways to find out this information