September 4, 2018

Dear Parents of Regents Living Environment Students:

I am sure we are all excited to be back in the routine of a school year, and so I welcome
you to Regents Living Environment, especially if this is your first high school science class! To
start the year, I am requiring the all students bring home this letter to show to their parent or
guardian for their review of the following information and attached syllabus. Please sign and
return the following page. The photo-release section is optional.

As living things, we have much in common with millions of other organisms alive on
Earth. What makes us similar? What makes us different? How do living organisms carry out
their basic functions? What is the role of humans in the environment? These questions and more
are what we will explore this year.

Because of the importance of this class for future reference (for example, understanding
what a doctor is telling you, or what a scientist is saying on the news about the newest superbug,
etc) and the importance of making myself available to parents as easily as possible, I have set up
a Remind classroom for parents which will allow me to send out only very urgent updates, but
more importantly this will allow you to contact me easily. To join the classroom, text @372g6k7
to 81010. Once I activate the classroom, you will be able to message me throughout the year if
you wish. Alternatively, if you prefer to receive or send any messages as emails instead of texts,
you can make an account on remind.com and use the same code to join the classroom.

Attached to this letter, you will also find attached a copy of the syllabus. This is the
student’s to keep for the year, but I encourage parents and guardians to review this information
as well so that you may understand the course expectations and policies.

It is also important that, as a parent or guardian, you familiarize yourself with the content
that can be found on my teacher website (burdickscience.weebly.com). This website can also be
found on the teacher pages section of the school website (www.ccsdk12.org). On my teacher
page, you will find all of the slides used in class and a Google Calendar detailing when
assignments are due as well as when quizzes and tests will take place. This Calendar may be
added to a Google account so that students and parents may have notifications sent to their email
or phones.

One of my goals for the school year is to provide an experience to the students where
they are able to see and hear from professionals in biology in my class. In the past, I have hosted
university professors and graduate students who have shared their research with my students. I
am looking for suggestions for visitors to my classroom who work in biology or a related field
such as medicine. If you know of anyone who would be a good fit, please write their name, job
or experience, and contact information at the bottom of this letter.

Sincerely,

Jim Burdick, Chemistry Teacher, Living Environment Teacher, Science Olympiad Coach
(315) 386-8561 ext. 3213
jburdick@ccsdk12.org
Room 213
Room 213 Living Environment Mr. J. Burdick
386-8561 ext. 3213 Syllabus jburdick@ccsdk12.org
Room 213 Living Environment Mr. J. Burdick
386-8561 ext. 3213 Syllabus jburdick@ccsdk12.org
“I have read the letter and syllabus and have reviewed and understood all the policies explained
in them.”

Student name: ________________________Student signature: _____________________

Parent name: ________________________ Parent signature: ______________________
Preferred method of contacting parents (please give a phone number or email below):

Suggestions for visitors to the classroom (please give name, job, and contact info below):

Optional: Please read and consider the following statements and mark your corresponding
wishes and signature below.

______ I DO grant permission for the teacher to use photographs of my child in his tenure
portfolio (seen by school administrators and the Board), website slideshow (open to the public,
but link only provided to students and parents), and potentially on a private YouTube channel
with a link only given to students.

______ I DO NOT grant permission to use photographs of my child for any reason.

Parent signature: _________________________

Room 213 Living Environment Mr. J. Burdick
386-8561 ext. 3213 Syllabus jburdick@ccsdk12.org
Room 213 Living Environment Mr. J. Burdick
386-8561 ext. 3213 Syllabus jburdick@ccsdk12.org

Overview: Regents Living Environment has several goals: to have students uncover the
fundamental principles of ecology, biochemistry, cell biology, human anatomy and physiology,
genetics, and evolution; to explore how these principles in biology are applied to our lives and
society; to combine the theory, application, and impact of biological concepts on our society.

Expectations: It is expected that you will (1) challenge yourself and allow yourself to be
challenged, (2) maintain a positive learning environment for all students, (3) arrive on time and
ready for class, (4) complete work on time and with effort, (5) ask questions!!

Student Outcomes: (1) Demonstrate critical thinking via the processes of scientific inquiry by
observing, hypothesizing, modeling and testing, evaluating, comparing and contrasting concepts
and characteristics, and organizing and interpreting data; (2) demonstrate lab skills and
competency such as measuring, dissecting, graphing, charting, and interpreting; (3) discuss
biological concepts, terminology and technology and relate these to real-life situations.

Resources:
-The Living Environment, A Brief Review of the NY Regents Exam (purchase)
-Textbook: Biology, Miller and Levine (provided)
-burdickscience.weebly.com

Materials Needed: a binder and notebook (can be combined with other classes), writing
utensils; helpful materials: a scientific calculator and a pack or two of 3”x5” index cards.

Grading: Each quarterly grade will be based on the following. I will grade assignments as fast
as possible. *The final exam will be the Regents Exam at the end of the year and will be 20%
your final grade.
Unit Tests/Big Projects 35% Homework/Participation 30%
Quizzes/Small Projects 10% Labs 25%

Homework/Classwork: This is your responsibility to get done. Homework will be due as

announced in class and a calendar will be kept on www.burdickscience.weebly.com.
*Participation/completion grades will be graded on levels of 25% based on how much is
completed

Quizzes and Tests: These will always be announced in class prior to the assessment. Test
corrections will be a required assignment and will count as 25% the weight of a regular test.
Students will do test corrections as specified by the teacher no matter what grade they earned on
the test. Students who earn a 100 on a test will be excused from the test corrections.

Late Policy: You are in high school and as such, should be able to complete all work on time
under normal circumstances. Come see me for about abnormal situations for an extension prior
to the deadline. However, I do understand that life happens. 10 points will be deducted from
what you earn if the assignment is turned in the same day it is due, but after the start of class. 20
points will be deducted from what you earn for each school day that the assignment is late. After
the 5th day late, no points will be awarded for an assignment.
Room 213 Living Environment Mr. J. Burdick
386-8561 ext. 3213 Syllabus jburdick@ccsdk12.org

Absences: If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check with me ASAP to see
what you have missed, preferably not during or immediately before class time. For all graded
events that occur during class time, you will have one week from the day you return to complete
it for full credit.

Availability: I expect to be in my classroom around 7:30 each morning. My free periods are 1 st
and 5B. You can also reach me by email, school phone, or Remind.

Cell Phones: Taken from the Student Handbook: “…cell phones, headphones, and other
electronic devices are only permitted on the bus and in the cafeterias during lunch by
students Grades 9-12 as long as they do so respectfully and responsibly. Otherwise, said devices
will remain out of sight and silent. Cell Phones are not permitted to be used in the
classroom. They are also prohibited in the bathrooms and locker rooms due to privacy
concerns. This includes all school related activities and field trips during school hours. If a
teacher has an instructional need for students to use cellphones in class, the teacher will have
received prior administrative approval to do so.”
Therefore, without explicit permission, the use or appearance of cell phones is prohibited
during class. Note that this rule prohibits the placing of phones on top of the desks. Note that a
cell phone is not a calculator. On a first offense, the phone will be confiscated to the teacher’s
desk for the remainder of the period and a discipline referral will be written. Further offenses
will result in the phone being confiscated to the office for at least the remainder of the day.

Backpacks: Due to limited classroom space, safety concerns resulting from cluttered classroom
floors, and health effects from students tending to use backpacks far too heavy, the following
policy from the school handbook will be in place: “Due to a variety of safety factors, book bags,
or any bag being used as such, may only be used to carry supplies to and from school for
students in Grades 9-12. During the school day book bags must be stored in a student issued
locker. Each student will be given a serviceable locker on the first day of school with a working
combination.”

Food: Due to safety issues because of the proximity to a chemistry lab, the consumption of food
in the classroom is prohibited. Exceptions will be made on a case by case basis. See the teacher
for an exception. Drinks are allowed in the lecture area of the classroom, but never in the lab.

Snow Days: In the event of a snow day, any assignments, quizzes, tests, or any other announced
events will be due on the next school day. A snow day will not postpone a test or any other
announced event past the next school day.