OFFICE HOURS
My morning office hours begin at 7:15 and end at 7:45. My afternoon office hours begin at 15:30 and end at 16:00. There are times during my study hall I am also available. I am typically not available on Wednesdays and Fridays after school. If you need to make up some missing work, need help on an assignment, or have a situation where you would like my undivided attention please sign up for Office Hours using this link, the one to the right in the Help Center, or the one found at the end of my signature line.
HELP CENTER
If you need help with course material, need late work graded, work regraded, or a plethora of other items please utilize one of the links below to ensure that I receive your request.
Late/Incomplete Work or Retake Grade Request
HALL PASS USAGE AND EXPECTATIONS
Passes can be used if permission is granted and you abide by the following expectations: 1) you sign out using the class sign in/out form and 2) you take a hall pass.
*Hall pass usage can be denied for the following reasons: 1) we are in the middle of something important, 2) you choose to not use your passing time wisely, 3) and you don't return in a timely manner.
EXPECTATIONS
Do not ask to leave the classroom if we are in a whole class activity including teaching, giving instructions, class discussion. Appropriate times to leave the classroom include small group work, individual work time, transitions between activities. Please think before asking to leave the classroom.
*If you are going to vomit or have an emergency, please feel free to leave the classroom.
If you are using the restroom you will use the one on either side of the auditorium. There is NO reason to go to the other restrooms.
If you are using a hall pass please do not dawdle or take side trips.
In most situations only one person is allowed out at a time,(per the MS-HS Handbook. Pg. 14)
ELECTRONICS USAGE
*Per the MS-HS Handbook. Pg. 26
Students are expected to bring their charged Chromebook to class each day.
Cell phones and all other personal communication devices (PCDs) are not allowed in classrooms during the school day.
If a student is using their PCD in class the following consequences will apply
1st Offense: Staff will bring the student’s PCD to the office for the student to pick up at the end of the day.
2nd Offense: Staff will bring the student’s PCD to the office, and a parent(s)/guardian(s) will pick up the cell phone. The student must turn in his/her cell phone to the office for the next five (5) school days.
3rd Offense: Staff will bring the student’s PCD to the office, and a parent(s)/guardian(s) will pick up the cell phone. The student must turn in his/her cell phone to the office for the next fifteen (15) school days.
4th Offense: Staff will bring the student’s PCD to the office, and a parent(s)/guardian(s) will pick up the cell phone. The student must turn in his/her cell phone to the office for the next thirty (30) school days
5th Offense: Staff will bring the student’s PCD to the office, and a parent(s)/guardian(s) will pick up the cell phone. The student must turn in his/her cell phone to the office for the remainder of the school year.
USEFUL LINKS
Daily assignments and agendas will be updated on each class calendar, which can be found on each individual class page. The above information can be found on my board in class . Click here for an example.
Moodle-Is an online learning management system that will may be utilized in Physical Science for quizzes, reviews, and unit assessments. Moodle is password protected and accessible to the students who are members of my classes. Students will be given the information for accessing Moodle when they need to access it.
Pivot Interactives and Positive Physics will be used for some learning in Physical Science, Chemistry, and Physics.
Nearpod-Some class presentations and lessons will be presented using Nearpod.
Most classwork and example problems can be accessed on Miroboard.
Turnitin-Students will use turnitin.com to turn in any projects. Students will be given the information for accessing turnitin.com when they need to access it.
ABOUT ME
My name is Meredith Smith and I grew up near the zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. I was lucky enough to spend a year overseas in Austria as an AFS exchange student my junior year in high school. When I returned to the US I wanted to turn around and go back to Europe. I graduated high school a semester early and went back to Austria for around a month. I ended up joining the Army in hopes to go back to Europe, but I was sent to Texas where I met my husband, got married, and was honorably discharged from the Army. I spent the rest of his career moving, having kids, and trying to stay somewhere long enough to finish school. We spent time in Maryland (Washington D.C. area), Kansas (I received my BS at K-State University while in Kansas), and Puerto Rico before retiring back to Wisconsin. I teach high school science (chemistry, physics, environmental science, and physical science) at a small school in southern Wisconsin. In 2011 I received my MS in Physics Education from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
I have three adult children and three dogs. I love to travel and learn about different cultures. I also love skiing, sailing, camping, biking, and paddling. When I have a free moment to myself I like to read or watch TV.
I still love to learn and wish I could be a professional learner (get paid for it), but I have to support this expensive habit with a job. I do love my job and I can’t see myself doing anything else.
Just like many of my students I didn’t like science when I was their age. I avoided it like it was “The Plague”. When I had to take science classes in college and pay attention I really decided I loved chemistry. I hope if you think you don’t like something you will keep an open mind and realize that you might like it if you allow yourself to. I don’t like hearing, “I’m bad at this.” or “I can’t do this.” Everyone can do anything if they try. Everyone is good at something. If we all were good at the same thing our world would be a very different place. It takes all of our different talents to make our “world” work.
I would like to dedicate my life and work as a science educator to the memory of my Grandpa Clay, a UW Madison Physics Professor. He could see the science in everything around him and his love of science was always shared with everyone he met.
Find what you enjoy, what you are good at, and do wonderful things!
~Mrs. Smith
