Preparedness Grade

In an effort to promote personal responsibility in preparing students for high school, I will be adding a grade category "Preparedness" for 25 points in every class.

Each student will begin the quarter with 25 total points, or an "A."

If a student comes to class without assignments that are due or without the materials we use daily, they will lose 5 points for each incident.

If students have an assignment that is due in a hard copy, but they haven't printed it out yet, they will also lose 5 points.

If there are extenuating circumstances -- or there was a last minute change in what materials are needed on a given day -- students will be given flexibility.

For the record, on NORMAL days students should always bring:

1)  Their sentence composing journal
2)  A choice novel
3)  A pencil, pen, and/or highlighter
4)  Their planner
5)  And any work that is due that day in hard copy (unless otherwise stated).

Additionally, we will be rotating curricular phases where either:

1) the HMH Collections textbook,
2) the HMH Close Reader workbook,
or 3) the HMH Performance Assessment workbook

... will also to be brought to class regularly.

Finally, on Flex Friday students may bring work from other classes, earphones or earbuds, or other personal work.

This "squishy skill" is not only important for their future academic success, but success in life.

It is my sincere hope that by providing both a positive incentive and a gentle consequence students will develop good habits that will serve them well in the future.