English 4 - North Mesquite High School

2015-2016 Course Guidelines

Teacher: Wendy Gaskin
Room Number: D-4
E-Mail Address: wgaskin@mesquiteisd.org
Remind Texts: To receive class text reminders,
text @gaskin4 to 81010
(You can opt-out of messages at any time by replying unsubscribe @gaskin4)

Welcome to English 4 and your senior year of high school. I look forward to a positive year as
we work toward the reward for your years of hard workgraduation! Our focus this year is
British literature with an emphasis on the reading and writing skills needed for post-secondary
education and adult life.
Major Units of Study
Beowulf
Research paper
The Canterbury Tales
Lord of the Flies

Macbeth
Poetry
Literature circles

Tutoring Times
Wednesday & Friday, 8:00 8:30
Tuesday, 3:45 4:15

If you are absent

All information about missed work and makeup assignments is in the English 4 Absent
Binder. Locate the sheet(s) for the day(s) you were out to see what you missed.
Pick up any handouts in section marked for your class in the binder.
It is your responsibility to check this binder on the day you return to class. See me if
you have any questions about what you need to do.
Communication with the teacher is mandatory when dealing with missed assignments.
The student is responsible for turning in all assignments as instructed. It is NOT the
teachers responsibility to remind students to turn in missed assignments. It is advised
that you communicate with the teacher by email prior to returning to the classroom.

Late Assignments
Assignments submitted after the due date will lose one letter grade for each class day late.

Absences
If a student is absent from class the day an assignment is due, the assignment is due the
day the student returns to class. It is your responsibility to take care of this.
Makeup assignments must be turned in within one week of the students return to
school to receive full credit (NOTE: please note the final late/makeup work submission
date for the six-weeks on the calendar). After one week, unless there are special
circumstances, the assignment will be considered late.
Group Assignments
Each group member when working on a project is equally responsible for the components of
the project during the work time and presentation. It is the entire groups responsibility to
turn in all components of the project by the due date, or points will be deducted from
everyones final grade.
Individual commitment to a group effort that is what makes a team work, a company work,
a society work, a civilization work. Vince Lombardi

School Appropriateness in Writing Assignments

Instructional assignments are expected to be school appropriate in language, topic, and content.
Cursing, derogatory remarks, sexual harassment or bullying will not be tolerated. This includes
all writing assignments regardless of prompt.

Electronics/Cell Phones
Students must keep cell phones and other electronic devices silenced and put away unless
specific permission has been granted by the teacher. Also, there is no headphone use in class
without specific permission from the teacher.
Campus phone policy:
1st offensewarning
2nd offensephone will be taken up and turned in to the office. Teachers are not allowed
to return the phone at the end of the class period; we must turn it in to the office.
o 1st time turned in to officestudent may pick it up at the end of the day
o After the first time a students phone is turned in, a $15 fine will be charged when
it is picked up (at the end of the day).
Phones may not be charged in the classroomthis is a safety issue.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. Students are responsible for upholding the
highest standards of honesty at all times. Activities that have the effect or intention of interfering
with education, pursuit of knowledge, or fair evaluation of a students performance are
prohibited.

Examples of prohibited activities include, but are not limited to the following:
Cheating
o Acquiring answers for any assigned work or examination from an unauthorized
source
o Working or collaborating with others on an assignment when not paired or the
teacher has not specifically assigned group work
o Looking at another persons paper during an examination
o Using a cheat sheet, including technological devices, during an exam, test, quiz
or writing.
o Providing the contents of an examination or quiz to another person who will be
taking the examination or quiz
Plagiarism
o Failing to acknowledge and cite all sources utilized in a project or paper
o Using the ideas, data, or language of another without acknowledgment
o Turning in work which has been purchased in whole or in part from individuals or
other sources
o Recycling or submitting the same paper (or other type of assignment) for two
courses without prior approval
Fabrication
o Falsifying an interview that has not been conducted or creating false sources
o Altering a graded work after it has been returned
Collusion and Coercion
o Collusion is intentionally or unintentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in
an act of scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to, failing to secure
academic work; providing a paper or project to another student; providing an
inappropriate level of assistance or unauthorized collaboration; communicating
answers to a classmate about an examination or any other course assignment;
removing tests or answer sheets from a test site; and allowing a classmate to copy
answers or giving out answers.
o Coercion is bribing or bullying a student for answers, to do an assignment, or to
write a paper.
Because of our course content and atmosphere, as well as the clear expectations for academic
honesty, it is the responsibility of each student to adhere to a high code of honor and integrity.
Our students work hard and deserve to succeed. This relationship of mutual respect between
student and teacher requires honesty in all situations.
Should cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, collusion, or coercion occur, the student will lose
all or partial credit for the particular assignment/assessment. In addition, a student
involved in an instance of academic dishonesty should be aware of the ramifications
regarding teacher recommendations and college admission.

CLASS CONDUCT
1. Be prepared learn.
2. Dont do anything that keeps you (or anyone else) from learning or that interferes with my
teaching. And yes, this means no personal phone use during class.
3. Follow all campus and district guidelines. Even the ones you dont like.

GRADING POLICIES
GRADING SCALE
40%: Major assignments such as in-class essays, projects, tests, etc. These will be limited, so
missing a major grade will seriously impact your average.
40%: Process grades, which generally refer to assignments that constitute a step in the learning
process rather than a final product.
20%: Six-week test
Most process assignments are holistically scored with a check system detailed in the chart below.
Accuracy may include mechanics and appearance factors. Insightfulness refers to perceptiveness
in analysis and demonstration of ability to make meaningful connections.
Symbol
++
+
+

Grade
100
95
88
80
73
50-?

Level of Completion
Complete
Complete
Nearly Complete
80% +
70% +
Mostly Incomplete

Level of Accuracy
Fully Accurate
Mostly Accurate
Mostly Accurate
Mostly Accurate
Some Accuracy
Little Accuracy

Insightfulness
Insightfulness/analysis
Some insight/analysis
Some insight
Lacking
Not enough to tell
Not enough to tell

Student ContractEnglish 4

Please sign, detach, and return this sheet to your teacher by _________________. Please keep the
guidelines in your possession. By initialing and signing, you indicate that you understand and agree to
follow the above guidelines and will accept the consequences if they are not followed. Please speak with
your teacher prior to signing and initialing if you have a question or issue with any of the above
procedures, as your signature implies understanding and consent.
____ Students, please initial, indicating that you understand and will follow the class guidelines and
will accept the consequences if the guidelines are not followed.
_____ Students, please initial, indicating that you understand my definitions of cheating,
plagiarism, fabrication, collusion and coercion and will accept the consequences if the policy is not
followed.
STUDENT email __________________________________________
STUDENT Signature____________________________________________________
STUDENT Name Printed_________________________________________________
PARENT Signature ________________________________________________
PARENT Name Printed ________________________________________________
DATE__________________________________________________

Dear Parents,
In an effort to foster better parent-teacher communication, I am requesting an email address from at least
one parent/guardian for each of my students. I check my email several times a day and will be able to
respond to/contact you with greater expediency than I am able to provide by phone. You are also
welcome to sign up for Remind to receive notices about class due dates and activities. Instructions are on
the first page of this handout. Please provide a preferred email address and daytime phone below:
The following email address belongs to: ________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian email address: _______________________________________________________

The following email address belongs to: ________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian email address: _______________________________________________________
If you would prefer to be contacted by phone, please provide the best number to reach you during the day:
Name: ______________________________________ Phone: __________________________________