Mr. Sullivan

This site will contain all of the essential information.  Assignments, homework, upcoming tests, and ongoing projects will all be detailed on this website.  The VAST majority of our assignments will be completed on your school-issued Chromebook.

This page of my website contains information that would normally be contained in a syllabus.  Grading policies, classroom expectations, assignments, a class calendar, and my before and after-school availability, will all be updated here regularly.  When in doubt, come look here.

If you have any questions pertaining to school-wide policies, please refer to the Monomoy Regional Middle School Student - Parent Handbook.

Units to be Covered:

• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

• Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk 

• Promise Boys by Scott Brooks 

• Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

• In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

• Independent Reading 

• Various Short Stories 

• Various Poems

Everyday please bring with you: 

• Writing utensil

• Chromebook

• Whichever book we are reading as a class

• A positive attitude

All assignments will have a point value.  The more points an assignment is worth, the more impactful that assignment will be on the final grade.  

Mastery (70%)

Mastery, or summative, assignments are ones which are meant to measure a student's ability to master the Massachusetts English Language Arts (ELA) state standards.  Mastery assignments may include, but are not limited to; essays, short writings, tests, and quizzes. 

Practice (20%) 

Practice, or formative, assignments are assignments meant to capture progress that students are making while working towards mastery of a specific Massachusetts English Language Arts (ELA) state standard.  Practice assignments can include, but are not limited to; short writings, writing drafts, graphic organizers, and exit tickets.   

Habits of Work (10%) 

Habits of Work assignments are assignments which are meant to measure a students readiness to access the curriculum.  Habits of Work assignments can include, but are not limited to; assignment checklists, check-ins, exit tickets, homework checks, and assessments.  

Grading Scale (Per Monomoy Student - Parent Handbook)

100 - 90 - A

89 - 80 - B

79 - 70 - C

69 - 60 - D

Below 60 - F

As with anything in life, communication is everything.

If you are absent, you must advocate for yourself.

If you are absent, refer to the "Weekly Plan," and if you have any questions about the assignment you missed, please come see me. 

If you miss class, it is your responsibility to reach out to me for any help you may need.

I will not reach out to you if you are absent.   

Most assignments for ELA are able to made up, however there may be some exceptions.  

On Aspen, any assignment that is labeled as "Missing (calculates as zero)," is able to be made up.  Any assignment with a zero (0%) is not able to be made up.  

All Mastery Assignments which are writing based, are able to be revised and improved during the marking period.  This would include essays or any other writing which was assessed using a rubric.  

In order for any grade to be changed in Aspen, an email must be sent to me.  No grade in Aspen will be updated unless an email is sent to me by the student.  

Extra Help Availability for Team Herring River (click to access)

I grew up in Eastham and went to Eastham elementary as a child.  I left Cape Cod when my parents divorced when I was in fifth grade.  I moved to Florida with my mother, while my brother stayed in Eastham with my father.  I lived in Florida for five years before moving to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 10th grade. In tenth grade I moved from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, back to Eastham, to finish out high school at Nauset.  

After high school, I went to Bridgewater State University on a swimming scholarship, but quickly realized that I was not mature, or responsible enough, to pursue a college degree.  I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I knew that I was not ready to put in the effort it requires.

After a year at Bridgewater State, I dropped out of college and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina (which is on the coast of North Carolina).  I lived in Wilmington for four years before moving back to Eastham in 2008.  

I then moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to live with my now wife and to enroll at Temple University.  While at Temple I earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education.  I taught a high school graphic design and visual communication class in Philadelphia before moving once again, to Wilmington, North Carolina.  

After teaching seventh grade history and Latin in North Carolina, I realized that as much as I may fight it, Cape Cod is my home and it is where I am most comfortable. 

I want you all to know that I am proud to call this place my home.  I am also aware that not everyone experiences the same thing on a day-in, day-out basis here on this little island.  However, we are all a part of this community and we must lean on each other in times of need.  I am here to listen to you all, and my door will always be open. 

-Mr. Sullivan