Dear Parents:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am looking forward to working with your student this year and am so pleased you have taken the time to visit my website. Since I know you are interested in your student's education, I hope you will read the information on this page regarding my classroom expectations, attendance/tardy procedures, grading calculations, and material requirements. To avoid any misunderstandings in the future, I have also included a few words about our Plagiarism and Honor Code policy. I hope you and your student will visit the various pages on my website often to review assignments, gain ideas, find links that will prove helpful, and mainly, to communicate, I encourage you to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions or would like to discuss your student's progress.
The school phone number is 757-925-5790. My email address is: allknappenberger@spsk12.net Urge your student to seek help outside of class, if necessary.
My tutoring days are Mondays from 2:30-3:30pm. I am available any other day after school by appointment. Let me know if I can help in any way.
Sincerely,
Allison K. Knappenberger
Classroom Expectations
Respect your fellow students and the teacher. Do not talk when someone else has the floor. Feel free to courteously share your ideas with the class. We all learn from each other. No question asked sincerely is ever a dumb question. Have books, notebook, paper and pen ready at the beginning of the period. Be on time to class! After 3 tardies, you will have an after-school detention. Upcoming quiz/test dates and assignment due dates are also posted on the board. Check it every day and note dates in your agenda book. Bring supplies to class EVERY day. Failure to comply will automatically reduce your participation grade by (a minimum of) 5 percentage points. No exceptions ! ! Written homework assignments are due at the beginning of the assigned class. The grade you EARN is the grade you will receive. Do not ask me to give you points or "extra credit" at the end of the grading period. You will have every opportunity to EARN your grade. Please attend to personal needs-- restroom visits, locker visits, grooming, and drinks of water -- before you come to class. No electronic devices in this classroom. Leave ipods, cell phones, etc. in your backpacks or they will be confiscated. Dress code is in effect at all times. English class time is not available for homework completion or studying of other subjects. Should I find you working on material for another class, I will collect it and dispose of it. I will not tolerate off color, lewd or insensitive remarks -- orally or in writing. Profanity in any work submitted will result in a zero on that assignment.
Plagiarism, the use of another's ideas or words without properly crediting your source is unethical, academically dishonest, and illegal. In many colleges, plagiarism can result in a student being expelled from school. Be certain that you know what constitutes plagiarism. It will not be tolerated in this class and will result in an automatic zero (0) on the applicable assignment. Further consequences may include detentions and/or a referral.
I am looking forward to working with your student this year and am so pleased you have taken the time to visit my website. Since I know you are interested in your student's education, I hope you will read the information on this page regarding my classroom expectations, attendance/tardy procedures, grading calculations, and material requirements. To avoid any misunderstandings in the future, I have also included a few words about our Plagiarism and Honor Code policy. I hope you and your student will visit the various pages on my website often to review assignments, gain ideas, find links that will prove helpful, and mainly, to communicate, I encourage you to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions or would like to discuss your student's progress.
The school phone number is 757-925-5790. My email address is: allknappenberger@spsk12.net Urge your student to seek help outside of class, if necessary.
My tutoring days are Mondays from 2:30-3:30pm. I am available any other day after school by appointment. Let me know if I can help in any way.
Sincerely,
Allison K. Knappenberger
Classroom Expectations
Respect your fellow students and the teacher. Do not talk when someone else has the floor. Feel free to courteously share your ideas with the class. We all learn from each other. No question asked sincerely is ever a dumb question. Have books, notebook, paper and pen ready at the beginning of the period. Be on time to class! After 3 tardies, you will have an after-school detention. Upcoming quiz/test dates and assignment due dates are also posted on the board. Check it every day and note dates in your agenda book. Bring supplies to class EVERY day. Failure to comply will automatically reduce your participation grade by (a minimum of) 5 percentage points. No exceptions ! ! Written homework assignments are due at the beginning of the assigned class. The grade you EARN is the grade you will receive. Do not ask me to give you points or "extra credit" at the end of the grading period. You will have every opportunity to EARN your grade. Please attend to personal needs-- restroom visits, locker visits, grooming, and drinks of water -- before you come to class. No electronic devices in this classroom. Leave ipods, cell phones, etc. in your backpacks or they will be confiscated. Dress code is in effect at all times. English class time is not available for homework completion or studying of other subjects. Should I find you working on material for another class, I will collect it and dispose of it. I will not tolerate off color, lewd or insensitive remarks -- orally or in writing. Profanity in any work submitted will result in a zero on that assignment.
- Attendance/Tardy Policies
The attendance policy established by Lakeland High School is strictly followed. Please check your student handbook. Attendance and punctuality are mandatory. If a student is at school he/she is expected in my class. Class begins at the designated start time. Please be in your seat and reading your SSR book by that time. You will be marked tardy otherwise. Unexcused and excessive absences and/or tardies will affect your performance in the course and will result in a phone call home, detentions, and a parent conference with administration.
Grading Calculations
I utilize the Suffolk Public Schools grading scale.
Assignments are each worth a specified number of points. Your average, at any point in time, is based on the total number of points you have earned divided by the total number of points available.
Not every homework assignment is graded. It is expected that students will do the homework whenever it is assigned and realize the importance of doing homework as an aid to independent study. Of course, keeping up with the homework assignments will help improve project grades and keep test scores high as well.
- All assignments are due on the assigned date. They will be collected at the beginning of each class period. No late assignments are accepted in Honors English, which has college level expectations. English 9 late assignments will be downgraded 5 percentage points every day late.
Exception: Major assignments that are announced well in advance must be turned in on the assigned date and will receive a zero if late. You will be advised in advance of any project for which late work is unacceptable.
Make up work is YOUR responsibility. I maintain a "class file box" in the back of the room for each of my classes. I keep it updated each week. This file box contains copies of handouts for absent students in file folders. You should ALWAYS check the file box assigned to your class and the related file folder(s) following an absence. Make up work should be placed in my hands to eliminate any problems.
Students are expected to be in school on days of announced tests and on days of announced timed in-class writings. If you are absent on any such date AND your absence is excused, expect to make up the test or writing five days from the day you return. Alternatively, and with my permission, you may make up the test or writing AFTER school within ONE week of your absence on the immediately following "make-up day". Generally, the date and time for my make-ups is Monday at 2:30 PM.
Materials Required
Each day, please bring the following materials to class:
Literature Book - Binder (with loose leaf)
- Pencil/Pen (your preference)
- Any homework or assignments that are due that day
Plagiarism, the use of another's ideas or words without properly crediting your source is unethical, academically dishonest, and illegal. In many colleges, plagiarism can result in a student being expelled from school. Be certain that you know what constitutes plagiarism. It will not be tolerated in this class and will result in an automatic zero (0) on the applicable assignment. Further consequences may include detentions and/or a referral.
What you can do to help...
1. Keep up with your students agenda book. Every class my students are expected to enter an assignment into their agenda book.
2. Talk to your student about what is going on in class. The more he or she talks about what he or she has learned, the more information retained.
3. Look at the work your student is going to turn in.
4. Call to ask about your student. I have 180 kids, it's hard for me to get around to every one for a call.
5. Check if your student is reading. I included the following passage in order to facilitate reading for comprehension outside of school:
"Reading is more than saying words...it is comprehension!"
One of the most important things we can do to ensure each child's success is to encourage daily reading.
That means it is okay for students to read whatever they so choose. (Even if it means they are reading below their level.)
The very first gift you give to kids is the love of reading.
Books, cartoons,newspapers, other children's work,menus, bulletin boards, food boxes and cans,the list is endless.
However, reading is much, much more than reciting the words! Children need to process the words and develop an understanding for the story ... comprehend what has happened.
One way to help your child with reading comprehension is to ask questions.
After your child reads, ask him/her questions. Talk about the material,discuss the answers with your child.
Below is a short list of possible questions to get the conversations going.
Just spend a few minutes talking about what was read.
1. Who were the main characters in the story? Why did the characters act the way they did?
2. What would you have done differently if you were the main character?
3. Can you make any predictions about the story?
4. What is the message the author was trying to get us to think about?
5. What details in the illustrations helped clarify the story?
6. Could you make any connections with any character in the story? Why or why not?
2. Talk to your student about what is going on in class. The more he or she talks about what he or she has learned, the more information retained.
3. Look at the work your student is going to turn in.
4. Call to ask about your student. I have 180 kids, it's hard for me to get around to every one for a call.
5. Check if your student is reading. I included the following passage in order to facilitate reading for comprehension outside of school:
"Reading is more than saying words...it is comprehension!"
One of the most important things we can do to ensure each child's success is to encourage daily reading.
That means it is okay for students to read whatever they so choose. (Even if it means they are reading below their level.)
The very first gift you give to kids is the love of reading.
Books, cartoons,newspapers, other children's work,menus, bulletin boards, food boxes and cans,the list is endless.
However, reading is much, much more than reciting the words! Children need to process the words and develop an understanding for the story ... comprehend what has happened.
One way to help your child with reading comprehension is to ask questions.
After your child reads, ask him/her questions. Talk about the material,discuss the answers with your child.
Below is a short list of possible questions to get the conversations going.
Just spend a few minutes talking about what was read.
1. Who were the main characters in the story? Why did the characters act the way they did?
2. What would you have done differently if you were the main character?
3. Can you make any predictions about the story?
4. What is the message the author was trying to get us to think about?
5. What details in the illustrations helped clarify the story?
6. Could you make any connections with any character in the story? Why or why not?