Saugus High School Algebra 1 Mrs. McAfee www.hartdistrict.org/saugus E-mail: amcafee@hartdistrict.org Website: www.shsmcafee.weebly.com Phone: 661-297-3900 ext : 4137 Saugus High School Mission Statement "We don t just teach students we develop people who build better tomorrows. Dear students and parents: Welcome to Algebra IA! This class will cover Algebra Standards including learning about equations, functions, inequalities, and statistical analysis. Students in this class will develop algebraic thinking, problem solving and analytical skills while building the necessary foundation for the upper level math electives, while preparing them for Geometry. Throughout the Common Core math curriculum at Saugus, we will be emphasizing the following 8 Mathematical Practices: 1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others 4. Model with mathematics 5. Use appropriate tools strategically 6. Attend to precision 7. Look for and make use of structure 8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning Algebra is an essential part to mathematical and life learning. I hope we can discover together how it applies to our daily lives. Please take the time to review this syllabus. It contains information that will be helpful to successfully complete the course. Textbook: HART Interactive. Students will receive the materials one module at a time and will be provided a binder to store the pages and other classwork. Students must bring their HART Interactive binder to class every day. The Hart Interactive Curriculum was modified from EngageNY materials through an intensive collaborative year-long (and ongoing) district effort. It is strategically aligned to the Common Core standards and structured to support student exploration, interaction, and deep conceptual understanding of each concept. Suggested Supplies: It is highly recommended that students in this class come prepared with certain materials that would assist in their organization, readiness, and ultimate academic success. The following are recommendations: Notebook OR lined paper HART Interactive Binder Highlighters Pens and pencils with erasers A scientific calculator (cell phones may NOT be used as calculators in class)
Grades: Grades will be calculated based on a weighted average. *Homework/ Warm-ups/Group Work/Performance Tasks: 25% *Tests/Quizzes: 60% *Final Exam: 15% Expectations: Saugus High encourages creative problem solvers who: Understand that problem-solving takes initiative and may require several attempts to find an effective solution; Identify and implement resources to analyze problems and use innovative strategies to solve them; Understand and practice conflict resolution skills. We really want our students to be able to THINK and COMMUNICATE as well. Assignments/Assessments: 1. Homework/Classwork: Homework will be assigned daily (including weekends and holidays) and is due the following school day. Homework is graded on a quality not quantity basis. Homework will be checked in a variety of ways (collected, spot checked, hw quizzes, etc.). Students must SHOW THEIR WORK in a neat and orderly fashion in order to receive full credit. Take homework seriously and attempt every problem! Late homework will be accepted for half credit up until the day before the unit test. Anything later than that will not be accepted. It is always the student s responsibility to turn in absent work and to find out what he/she had missed on the day(s) he/she were absent. Please ask a friend in the class or refer to my website which will be updated regularly. 2. Warm-ups: Daily, there will be a warm-up on the board reviewing previous concepts or preparing the students for the new section. They will be collected randomly throughout the semester, so please hold onto them. They are graded for completion and effort. 3. Test/Quizzes/Performance Tasks: Students will be held responsible on exams and quizzes for the material covered in the readings, on homework, and in the classroom. Major assignments may include embedded assessments, research, projects, collaborative teamwork, oral presentations and exhibitions. Tests will be announced in advance, but quizzes may or may not be. A missed test or quiz must be made up the day you return from your absence. If you miss multiple days in a row due to illness or a family emergency, you have one week to make them up! Make-ups are done during class, or on Student Help Wednesdays. It is YOUR responsibility to arrange your make-ups. I will not chase you down to do so. Classroom Rules and Procedures: 1. Be in your seat when the tardy bell rings and start on the warm-up. 2. Have paper for notes, pencils and last night s HW on your desk when the tardy bell rings. 3. No chewing gum, eating or drinking in class (except water). 4. Cell phones must be turned off or on vibrate, if I hear it or see it I will fill out an Electronic Violations form (see below). Cell phones may NOT be used as calculators in class. 5. No cell phones or any device that plays music in class. If I see it I will fill out an Electronic Violations form (see below). 6. Students are expected to be respectful of the teacher and fellow peers. Rudeness, interruptions, profanity, and defiance will not be tolerated. 7. When in doubt about behavior, consider the rule that Every student has the right to learn, and every teacher has the right to teach. 8. Cheating will not be tolerated and there will be serious consequences. A student will earn zeros for everything they are caught cheating on. ****A student will be positively rewarded for appropriate behavior. Grading Scale: 90%-100% =A 80%- 89% =B 70%- 79% =C 60%- 69% =D 0% - 59% =F
Consequences: Students who CHOOSE not to respect classroom or school rules will accept one or more of the following consequences: 1. Verbal warning 3. Classroom suspension 2. Parent phone call and/or conference 4. Administrative intervention Academic Integrity Policy Saugus High School will consistently enforce the William S. Hart Union High School District Board Policy on Academic Integrity, which is based on Educational Code 44806. The following actions will be deemed violations of Academic Integrity and/or Board Policy: When a student takes credit for work that is not their own or allows someone else to copy their work, this will be deemed a violation of our Academic Integrity Standards. If a student looks at another student s paper or sends or receives test data during or before a quiz or test or uses materials on a test or quiz that has not been approved, this is a breach of Board Policy. If a student plagiarizes someone s work, whether it is another student s or reference material, this will be a violation of Board Policy. The following consequences will be enacted if a violation occurs: The parents of the student who has been academically dishonest will be notified of the event and a report will be filed in the student s permanent record The student will receive an automatic zero (failing grade) on the assignment or test; no make-up work will be offered to compensate for the zero. The student will be dropped from the National Honors Society (NHS) if the student is a member of that organization. The student will be dropped from the California Scholarship Federation (CSF) if the student is a member of that organization. The following consequences may be enacted if a violation occurs: The student may be removed from the class for one day at the teacher s discretion, according to the California Educational Code. The student may serve a four-hour Saturday School. The student may face suspension from extra-curricular activities, including sports programs. Extra Help: I see it as a major part of my job to be available for students to answer questions. I will make myself available for extra help during most lunches and on Student Help Wednesdays. Teaching and helping students is my top priority, please take advantage of these times so you don t get behind. If these times do not work for your student, I am flexible. Just communicate with me and let me know. Contact Info: If you have any questions about this class or your son/daughter s progress, please feel free to email me at amcafee@hartdistrict.org Email is the fastest and most effective way to reach me during the day. However, if you wish you may call the school at 297-3900 ext. 4137. Thank you, Mrs. McAfee
Course Syllabus- Algebra 1 2017/2018 Mrs. McAfee After you have read and understand the course syllabus for Mrs. McAfee s class, please sign below and return. Student s Name (Printed) Student s Signature Parent s/guardian s Name (Printed) Parent s/guardian s Signature Preferred mode of communication: (circle one) Email or Phone call From the parent/guardian to the teacher: Here is some important information that I would like you to know about my child: From the student to the teacher: Here is some important information that I would like for you to know about me: **An Electronic Violations 1 st offense: Warning and an entry into the student s discipline file 2 nd offense: Entry in student s discipline file and a Saturday school. (Subsequent offenses will be treated the same as the 2 nd offense) **I understand that tutoring will be available for my student with Mrs. McAfee or with other math teachers at Saugus. **My student will have homework in Algebra 1 every night.