INSTRUCTOR: MRS. ENGLAND

LOCATION: ROOM 37

CONTACT INFORMATION

School Email: melissa.england@dysart.org

School Phone: (623) 876-7250

REQUIRED MATERIALS

You will need to have your charged chromebook with you every day so that you can access the curriculum and coursework during class time.

COURSES TAUGHT BY MRS. ENGLAND

• World History: A required course for graduation. In high school, students explore a variety of peoples, events, and movements in world history with a focus on inquiry into the impact of social, geographic, political, and economic influences on historical events. A world history course should include the study of the peoples of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. A balanced approach to the Eastern and Western Hemispheres is needed for a comprehensive study of world history topics. The course begins with the 15th century to allow for depth of content and connection to current issues and events.

• American & AZ Government: A required course for graduation. Government is .5 credit and takes 9 weeks to complete here at Sundown Mountain. In high school, students explore how to become active citizens. To become engaged citizens requires a knowledge of the history, principles, and foundations of our republic. A comprehensive study of civics can be approached from many angles and perspectives with a focus on inquiry.
  
  

 RULES

All students must follow all rules outlined in the student handbook as well as these classroom expectations (these rules apply in our online format as well):

All Students will respect each other, the teacher and the classroom

• Be Ready: Come to class on time and prepared to learn

• Be Respectful: Of the classroom, peers and teacher by using appropriate behavior and language

• Be Responsible: Respect the learning, appreciate differences, carry your ID
   

DISCIPLINE PLAN

• Infractions: Warning, Parent Contact, Referral

• Discipline Matrix

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

ALL personal electronic devices will be OFF AND IN THE DESIGNATED AREA during class.

During class time you should be engaged ONLY in the technology, websites, and applications that are being utilized for instruction at that time.

COMMUNICATION 

Our weekly agenda will be found in our Schoology course. Parents also may access our Schoology courses. ALL instructional materials can be found in Schoology. The gradebook portal is available to all students and parents.

I will contact you and your parents regularly regarding grades and attendance. There is a parent and student portal available online for both students and parents to check grades and attendance regularly. I am available before school (8:30 - 9:30 am daily), and after school until approximately 4 pm most days. I will also make appointments to meet at almost any time upon request.

I encourage parents AND students to monitor grades frequently on the parent/student portal online. 

GRADING SYSTEM

90 - 100: A

80 - 89: B

70 - 79: C

60 - 69: D

0 - 59: F

Classwork: 10%

Projects: 20%

Assessments: 60%

District Final Exam: 10%
*Students earn a HALF CREDIT each quarter and begin anew at the second quarter.

CLASSWORK 10% More "checks for understanding" about materials we just covered.

PROJECTS- 20%

These categories will include bellwork, notes, worksheets and journal assignments, research/inquiry topics, analysis, writing assignments and current events, etc. Each assignment will be worth a different amount of points with larger assignments worth more points. Projects will be the more difficult and lengthier assignments. PreWriting etc. will fall in that category as well.

ASSESSMENT/QUIZZES/ESSAYS- 60%

This is the largest category. Students will have at least one assessment per week, sometimes more. Typically assessments are the green or blue squares in Schoology. Students are typically allowed to use their class notes. For smaller assessments students can retake right away during AE etc.

Unit Exams are the same unit exams taken district wide. Test integrity is important. These UNIT tests weigh quite heavily in the gradebook. 

ALL assessments must be take at school using the LOCKDOWN browser.

If a student desires additional opportunities to retake the ASSESSMENTS they will have to have their notes for that unit and they can only be done before school or during AE.. 

Final drafts of essays will also be under this category.

EXTRA CREDIT:

There isn’t any; please don’t ask.

makeup work policy

All CLASSWORK for each unit must be made up within ONE WEEK of the UNIT TEST (or the end of the quarter- whichever comes FIRST). 

Students who do not complete assigned Classwork during class or make it up within this timeframe will receive a 0 in the gradebook for the assignment and will not be able to make it up.

As a reminder- Classwork assignments can be done anywhere and anytime students can access Schoology.

ASSESSMENTS and most PROJECTS will be able to be made up throughout the quarter. However- ASSESSMENTS must be made up with ME- either before school or during AE.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

We expect that your submitted work is your original work and not plagiarized or completed by someone else. We expect that you will not use Artificial Intelligence to complete your assignments. When using AI within an assignment you must cite it as you would with any source. Should you submit plagiarized or unoriginal work you will receive a ZERO. If you have questions about copyright, fair use and AI usage, please talk with a teacher.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and timely attendance is a determining factor in educational success. Students miss critical academic information each time they miss class. All students should be in class every day, unless there is a valid reason.

According to Dysart Unified School District policy, any student who is absent from any class ten (10) or more times, either excused or unexcused, per semester may not receive academic credit for that class.

If a student is absent it is up to the student to determine what assignments were missed and to obtain all missed materials. It is imperative that the student make up missed work as soon as possible.

All work, including makeup work and retakes, must be completed within the grading period.