SEVEN KEYS TO SUCCESS


        1.   Do all work to the best of your ability and turn it in on time.

        2.  Ask for help if you are having trouble or do not understand.

        3.  Attend class regularly and be on time.

        4.  Come to class prepared.

        5.  Respect the rights of others.

        6.  Accept responsibility for your own actions.

        7.  HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

GRADING
1.  Most assignments will have a grade on it that shows how many points you earned out of the number of points possible.  For example:        42 / 50   
You earned 42 points out of a possible of 50 points.
Typically, homework and class work are worth 5-20 points, tests 30-70 points.  Some papers will have a checkmark on it.  This means that the student received all of the available points.

2. Late work will have 10-50 percent of the point total deducted, and some assignments will not be accepted late.  Late grading will become successively stricter as the year progresses.

3.  Assignments turned in without a name will be given zero points.  When these assignments are turned in with a name they will be treated as late work.

4.  Teachers do not give grades; students earn grades. Each quarter grade is assigned according to the percent earned on all work for that quarter.  Grades will be posted periodically and parents and students will have access through Power School.

5.  Letter grades will be assigned according to the following percents:
    A+ =  100% or higher       B+ =  87 - 89%       C+  =  77 - 79%      D+ = 67 - 69  
    A   =   93 - 99%                 B    =  83 - 86%      C    =  73 - 76%      D   = 63 - 66
    A-  =   90 - 92%                 B-   =  80 - 82%      C-   =  70 - 72%     D-  = 60 - 62
    S+, S, S- (satisfactory) are sometimes used, especially at interims
    U (unsatisfactory) = Below 70% is usually unsatisfactory   
 
6.  Students should keep all assignments for the quarter organized in a Science folder in the classroom.  Students should be able to produce papers in case there is ever a question about the grade.  Math materials are kept in a separate 1” or 1.5” Math binder and are turned in at the end of the unit.

7.  Citizenship grades will be earned based on the following basis:
    1-Outstanding student-leads class in positive ways (about 10% of class)
    2-No behavior problems-always on task (about 30% of class)
    3-Occasional difficulties-needs to be reminded, but comes back to task (about 50% of class)
    4-Often has problems-Parents have been contacted (about 10% of class)
    5-Very severe-student is not in control of behavior  (I am working with you and your child)

            
HOMEWORK
Students are expected to work for 1 hour every night for all their classes.  Students will have short homework assignments and longer range assignments. Mr. Hoeflinger will try to coordinate with other 6th grade teachers to be sure that no one night is overloaded, but if students don’t work for an hour one night, they should expect to work two hours the next night.  A large project put off until the last minute may accumulate to many hours of work in one night.  If the student is consistently working more than 1 hour, please contact us.  Extensions are almost always granted if a student has a note from home.
Parents who wish to monitor student’s homework assignments should check the Assignment page of my website every week.  Use the information on that page to check against what students write in their planners.  Assignments are always given verbally and written on the board, students are told to write them in planners.  Every student has at least two study buddies to call in case of absence or confusion.

ATTENDANCE
1.  Students should be in seats prepared to learn when the bell rings.

2.  Tardies:  Students who are late go to the office to get a tardy pass.   The office tracks tardies for all classes.  If students get three tardies in one nine week period, students will receive a written referral, parents will be notified, and detention time arranged.  For every tardy beyond the third, students will receive another written referral for detention, and parents will be notified.  If students are more than five minutes late for class they must have an excused pass, otherwise the student will receive a referral for detention.

3.  Absences: Students will be able to make up the work missed or be given an alternate assignment.  IT IS THE STUDENTS’ RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT WHAT WORK WAS MISSED, and students may ask for make up work during NON-CLASS TIME ONLY (before school, lunch, or after school).  If students cannot come in either time, they can have the House office staff leave a note (with phone #) in my mailbox and I will call with the make-up work.

SUPPLIES
Students are required to come to class prepared everyday by having the following items in the desk when the bell rings.  Passing time is for preparing for class.
No one is allowed to go to lockers during class time.
    1.  Pencil (sharpened) and/or pen         3.  General Binder               
    2.  Planner                                          4.  Homework                     
Some of these items should be out on the desk.  A list will be posted on the board.

BEHAVIOR
1.  Everyone is expected to be respectful of others in the classroom:  respectful of their property, respectful of their opinions, respectful of their right to learn, and respectful of their feelings.

2.  Everyone is expected to be respectful of school property, which includes textbooks, lab equipment, hallways, etc.

3.  Everyone is expected to be responsible for his or her own actions.  Remember that only you are in control of what you do; no one can make you do something you do not wish to do.

OTHER GUIDELINES
1.  To leave the room, please ask permission without interrupting.  Students must present planners as a pass in order to request permission to leave the room regardless of the reason  (no matter how big an emergency it is).

2.  Students should keep the classroom conducive to learning; please refrain from swearing, rude gestures, talking out of turn, and leaving the room without permission.

3.  Please do not disrupt the class.  You have made a disruption when you get anyone's attention off the subject at hand.

4.  Observe written safety rules and special rules given by the teacher when doing labs.

5.  At the end of class you must be in your seats until the teacher dismisses you.  The bell does not signal your departure from class...the teacher does.

6.  Backpacks are not allowed in any classroom; they should be left in lockers.

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the following:
Step 1:  Alert
Step 2:  Warning and counseling: during class, after class, lunch, or after school
Step 3:  Referral for detention and/or sent to principal's office and/or call to parents.

COURSE CONTENT
--Earth Science--               

Measurement and Scientific Process
Catastrophic Events (Meteorology and Geology)—Unit from National Science Resources Center
Earth In Space--Astronomy Unit from National Science Resources Center
Hydrology--Unit written by AAPS

 

 

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me:
School phone #         (preferred-leave message)        994-1978
Home phone # available upon request
E-mail            (checked almost daily)        hoefling@aaps.k12.mi.us
Website            http://clague.aaps.k12.mi.us/class/hoefling/hoefling.html

Mr. J. Hoeflinger
Advisory/Science/Math Teacher