English 9 Syllabus

Ms. Kolinskis Important Info

Contact Info: Nkolinski@bbchs.org
815-927-3707 ext. 6510
Twitter: BBMsKolinski
Availability: Monday Thursday 3:00 to 4:00

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Text the message: @mskolin to (712) 320-8549

Course Description: By the end of this year Students will develop and analyze arguments and themes
using textual evidence in both literature and informational text. Students will communicate in a variety of contexts

Materials list:
Loose leaf paper
Pens/Pencils
Binder
Dividers
Assignment notebook

Classroom Policy

1. Be respectful of your classmates as well as your teacher and any adult/student that may
enter the room during class. This means that no one should be interrupted, laughed at, or
ridiculed. Bullying will NOT be tolerated!
a. Respect each others property and opinions as well as school property.
2. Follow all regular school rules at all times
3. Come prepared to class
4. ALL book bags and purses belong under or next to your desk throughout class time.
5. Tardiness students are to be in the classroom before the bell rings. If another teacher
keeps you after class, it is YOUR responsibility to get a pass.
6. Absence It is YOUR responsibility to ask for your missing work. For each day absent, you
have the same amount of time to make up the work.
7. Locker/Bathroom policy Students will receive 4 passes a semester to go to their
locker/bathroom. Once these passes have been used, students will have to take a tardy in
order to go to the bathroom or locker.. It is highly suggested that students use the 6
minute passing period to go to their locker/bathroom.
8. Participation Everyone does Everything: Sleeping during class is not permitted! In this
class you must be an active member every day. The more you participate the faster class
will go. A daily basis for success in life is the ability to communicate your ideas and
thoughts. Remember not to shout out in class or talk over other students.
Student expectations:
I expect you to do your best every day.
I expect you to come to class prepared daily.
I expect you to make mistakes. Mistakes show that you are trying, learning, and growing as a
student. Do NOT be afraid to make a mistake in this class.
I expect you to participate and ask questions.
I expect you to communicate appropriately with all classmates and staff members

Tardy policy (pg. 10)
- Cumulative for ALL classes. A student is considered tardy any time he or she is not inside the
classroom or study hall 5 minutes after the bell rings. After 5 minutes it will be considered a skip
and a referral will be completed. After a student is marked tardy in Infinite Campus, a phone
dialer will be sent to their parent/guardian. Tardies will start Thursday, August 21.
Technology:
Technology is your life and your future. It will be intergraded in this class on a daily basis.
Students are given a BBCHS G-mail account that can be accessed anywhere there is an internet
connection. This is a great resource that enables students to contact me if they have any
questions throughout the school year as well as submit work when needed.. Students and parents
have access to Infinite Campus which can be found on the BBCHS website. By accessing this site
both students and parents are able to check on cademic progress as well as attendance. If you
have any questions about this service, please contact Dolly LaRocque at 815-937-3707 Ext. 6039

Cell phone/IPod acceptable use policy (pg. 12)
Students will be permitted to use cell phones and iPods during lunch, in the hallways during
passing periods, and during non-academic study halls only. It is teacher discretion within the
classroom. If a student violates the policy and refuses to turn phone over, SAO will be notified
and a referral will be given.






English 9 Syllabus
Grading policy
At BBCHS, our goal is for student grades to be consistent, accurate, meaningful, and supportive of each
students mastery of learning. Learning will be measured both qualitatively and quantitatively.

A students grade will be an accurate measure of learning without the influence of non-academic
factors. However, these factors (effort, attitude, and participation) ARE essential to student success.
However, they will be communicated separately via parent contact and through the comments feature
in Infinite Campus. The grading system focuses on the level of mastery that has been demonstrated
rather than the accumulation of points.

In order to understand the process by which students will be graded, students and teachers should use
the following terms:
Mastery The student can independently perform skills required to accomplish a curricular outcome
and apply those skills within various contexts over time.
Grade A number or letter reported after a period of time as a summary statement of student
performance. It will include a combination of summative and formative (80/20).
Tracking Any documentation of progress that is not included when calculating the student grade.
This number should be a measure of where the student is in relation to mastery of
components/outcomes (not completion).
Feedback Meaningful information provided to student in order to improve learning.
Feedback will be provided on all work whether it is calculated into the grade
or tracked.
Feedback can be written, verbal, whole class, group, or individual.
Feedback is not solely a letter grade or a number.

*The examples listed above are not the only forms assessment can take. Formative and summative assessments
can take many forms depending on student and subject. There are many ways to assess learning; teachers are
encouraged to explore a variety of assessment methods in order to differentiate for students learning needs.
Formative Assessment
20% weight
10 points in gradebook
Summative Assessment
80% weight
100 points in gradebook
Practice
0% weight
10 points
Each component (smaller
checks of learning) will be
assessed through formative
assessments. This may be in the
form of a quiz, exit slip, verbal
explanation, small project, or one
of many other forms of formative
assessment. Feedback on this
assessment will be provided and it
will be assessed for the
demonstration of mastery. This is
included in the gradebook to show
progress toward the outcome.
Formative assessment may be
used to assess readiness for the
summative assessment. This
allows the student to see exactly
which components need
improvement. This portion of the
gradebook is worth 20% of the
reported grade.
Outcome (larger checks of
learning) will be assessed in a
summative assessment. This may
be in the form of a test, essay,
project, etc. The grade will
represent the level of mastery in
that outcome. Teachers should not
give a summative assessment if a
student is not ready. This
determination will be made based
upon the students achievement on
the formative assessments.
Students may reassess on these
assessments. Students receiving
below a 70% are required to
reassess at least once. This portion
of the gradebook is worth 80% of
the reported grade.
Practice is an essential piece in
the learning process. This may
be in the form of homework,
class activities, and discussions.
It is important in preparation for
both formative and summative
assessments. Failure to practice
may influence a students
achievement on formative and
summative assessments.
Teachers will assign this work
and provide students with the
necessary feedback in order to
support mastery of the learning
outcome. These assignments
will be tracked in the gradebook
to communicate progress toward
the component/outcome. This
portion of the gradebook is
worth 0% of the reported grade.
Reassessment Procedures and Process
Reassessment is offered to all students on summative assessments. Students receiving a score below a
70% on a summative assessment are required to reassess at least once. Students should reassess only
those portions of the assessment that do not meet the objective/criterion of mastery.

A student may reassess twice after initial summative assessment (3 times total). If the assessment score
is below a 70%, a parent contact must be made before the second reassessment. It is recommended that
reassessments be completed in a timely manner and before the next summative assessment. It is
recommended that all reassessments be completed the week prior to the end of the semester. A teacher
may be flexible with the timeline depending on situation and student need. Reassessment opportunities
must be made available before, after, and during school. After the reassessment, the highest grade will
be recorded in the gradebook. The original score will be kept in the comments section of that
assessment for tracking purposes.

Process for reassessment:
1. Teacher provides feedback and score to student on the original assessment. If a student receives
a 70% or higher, they may choose to reassess. If a student receives a 69% or below, they are
required to reassess at least once.
2. Student and teacher meet to complete the reassessment contract. This contract includes
timelines and learning tasks to be completed before the reassessment. It is recommended that
this be done within two class days from when the initial feedback on the assessment was given.
*Students will not reassess immediately. Time must be provided for re-teaching and feedback
on learning. The time frame will be agreed upon in the reassessment contract.
3. Student completes all learning tasks listed within the reassessment contract. Teacher provides
feedback on the students growth. Student must meet terms of the contract before reassessing.
4. Student reassesses before, after, or during school.
5. If a student needs to reassess for a second time, the teacher will contact the parent and a new
reassessment contract will be agreed upon.

Learning tasks for reassessment include (but are not limited to):
Conference/re-teaching Projects
Content Area Study Hall (CASH) Videos
Before/After School Tutoring Research
Completion of homework/classwork/practice Group Work
Graphic Organizers Small group teaching

Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty is any action to obtain credit for work that is not ones own. Academic dishonesty
interferes with the learning process. Students violating the policy will be required to complete the work
in order for the teacher to accurately assess the students mastery. After completion of work, feedback
will be provided. The grade the student earns will go into the gradebook. The student may reassess as
needed per the reassessment procedures. Engaging in academic dishonesty could result in discipline up
to/including a suspension from school. See page eleven in the student handbook for further details.













Missing Work
All work is essential to learning. In the gradebook, the flag of M (Missing) will be used for all missing
work. Zeros will not be entered into the gradebook for missing work.

Formative- If a student is absent for a formative assessment or does not turn it in by the deadline,
an M should only be placed in the gradebook if the student fails to make-up the work by the agreed
upon time. Students should not be allowed to take the summative assessment until all formative
work is assessed.

Summative- If a student is absent for a summative assessment, an M (Missing) should only be
placed in the gradebook if a student fails to make-up the work by the agreed upon time. Parents will
be contacted if a student misses the agreed upon time.

Practice- If a student doesnt complete a practice assignment, place an M (Missing) in that
assignment for tracking purposes.




What will this new curriculum look like?





Semester 1 Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are what students will know and be able to do by the end of that unit. The following
are the learning outcomes for 1
st
semester.

Outcome 1: Students will create questions and respond to diverse perspectives in order to analyze and
synthesize claims through speaking and listening.

Outcome 2: Students will analyze characterization to create a claim using standard English grammar.

Outcome 3: Students will identify, create, and support a claim about an inference using textual
evidence and transitions.

.



Unit Outcome
EI.1
Students will create questions and respond to diverse
perspectives in order to analyze and synthesize claims
through speaking and listening.

EI.1.1 Create higher order questions.
SL.9.1a
EI.1.2 Defend and support claims with or without textual
evidence.
SL.9.1a,c
EI.1.3 Analyze others claims in order to support, refute, or
elaborate on diverse perspectives
SL.9.1 c,d
EI.1.4 Synthesize questions and responses, through discussion,
in order to draw inferences and make connections
SL.9.1c,d

Vocabulary
higher order questions, refute, analyze, debatable, synthesize,
elaborate, inference


These
are
Common
Core
State
Standard
This is an
outcome.
Outcomes are
like units- they
describe
overarching
ideas and skills
These are
components.
A component
is just one idea
or skill that
could be
taught in one
day or across 3
or 4 days.
Ms. Kolinski
2014-2015
Classroom Expectations

Student/Parent Contract
I have read and understand the classroom policies and expectations
presented.

Student Signature:_________________________


Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________ Date:_________
Parent/Guardian Contact information

Phone number: _____________________

E-mail: _____________________________