Business Communications

Business Communications

2026-27

Welcome to the 2023/2024 School Year. My name is Jessica Hartline and I currently serve as a Business Teacher and FBLA Adviser. I am really excited about this school year! This is my 25th year of teaching and I am excited to bring “real-world” applications to the classroom through hands-on experiences. I teach Foundations of Business Administration, Business Communications, and Introduction to Business and Technology. Each of these classes are full of standards that will help prepare students for their future. 

Assignments

Each day you can find our class lectures, activities, and information posted to Google Classroom. Class assignments will be turned into google classroom. Students are expected to turn in work that has been done to the best of their ability. Late assignments will follow school policy. It is the students responsibility to ask and complete missed assignments.

Grades

55% Tests and projects  

25% Daily work

           20% Midterm/Final Exam

Get involved!

Future Business 

Leaders of America

FBLA is a co-curricular student organization that plays an integral part in the components of the Business & Technology course standards.  FBLA activities are incorporated throughout this course and the rest of the Business and Computer Science courses.  Students are strongly urged to join FBLA to benefit from the wealth of opportunities the organization has to offer.  Dues for FBLA are $25. Each student will receive a tshirt with their dues.

Class Materials

Headphones/ Earbuds

Pencil/Pen

Course Description

What message are you sending when you speak, write, and listen? As one of the most important skills for employers, students will explore the value of communication in their personal and professional life. The digital presence and impact of written and visual communication in a technological society will be addressed. Students will create, edit, and publish professional appearing business documents with clear and concise communication. Creative design, persuasive personal and professional communications will be applied through research, evaluation, validation, written, and oral communication. Leadership development and teamwork skills will be stressed as students work independently and collaboratively. Presentation skills will be developed and modeled for students master presentation software in this course. Various forms of technologies will be used to expose students to resources, software, and applications of communications. Professional communication skills and practices, problem solving, ethical and legal issues, and the impact of effective presentation skills are enhanced in this course to prepare students to be college and career ready. Employability skills are integrated into activities, tasks, and projects throughout the course standards to demonstrate the skills required by business and industry. Competencies in the co-curricular student organization, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), are integral components of the employability skills standard for this course. Business Communications is the third course in the Business and Technology pathway in the Business Management and Administration cluster. Students enrolled in this course should have successfully completed Introduction to Business and Technology and Business and Technology. After mastery of the standards in this course, students should be prepared to take the end of pathway assessment in this career area. 

Standards

BMA-BC-1 Demonstrate employability skills required by business and industry.

BMA-BC-2 Examine and practice grammar, mechanics, and process of composing professionally written business communications. 

BMA-BC-3 Apply effective oral communication by communicating in a clear, courteous, concise, and professional manner. 

BMA-BC-4 Use active and intentional listening skills to respond appropriately to oral communication. 

BMA-BC-5 Master word processing software at an expert level to create, edit, and publish professional-appearing business documents. 

BMA-BC-6 Integrate multiple forms of communication in the successful pursuit of a career/employment. 

BMA-BC-7 Apply skills and strategies for the delivery of effective oral communication and presentations. 

BMA-BC-8 Use digital technologies (computers, PDAs, media players, GPS, etc.), communication/networking tools, and social networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information to successfully function in professional settings. 

BMA-BC-9 Master presentation software to create, edit, publish, and deliver professional appearing business presentations. 

BMA-BC-10 Explore how related student organizations are integral parts of career and technology education courses through leadership development, school and community service projects, entrepreneurship development, and competitive events. 

Food and Drink Policy

In general, food and drinks are allowed in my class as long as it is not on the computer stations.. This is contingent on it not becoming a distraction in class, and as long as students can handle the responsibility. This policy is subject to change at my discretion, and at any time.  

Classroom Expectations

Be Prepared:

-Be on time to class and in seat by the time the tardy bell rings and start your daily opener

-Have all class materials with you

-Complete your assignments on time.

Be Respectful:

-Respect yourself, your classmates, and the teacher

-Listen when instructions are given the first time

-Stay in your seat until the bell rings

-Clean up your work area

-Raise your hand when you need help

-Don’t interrupt adult conversations

-Stay attentive and on task

Work Hard:

-Bring your best each day!

-Complete your own work (Copied files will result in a zero!)

Hall/Bathroom Policy

We will try to limit bathroom/hall trips daily. You must ask to go.  

Lab Rules

1. No food, drink, gum, or candy allowed at the computers.

2. Do not exchange monitors, keyboards, a mouse, or unplug any device.

3. Computer games/ music sites can only be accessed with teacher approval.

4. Do not lean back in your chair

5. The Internet should be used for our classroom assignments and projects only.

6. Printing for personal use needs to be done in the media center.

7. Do not save work using inappropriate language, draw inappropriate pictures, or discuss inappropriate topics in class

8. Internet abuse is prohibited:

   1. No chat room sites are allowed.

   2. No blog sites are allowed.

   3. No proxy sites are to be used to bypass the firewall to access blocked sites.

   4. No networked games are allowed.

   5. No inappropriate pictures are allowed.

   6. No music videos can be viewed online.

ANY VIOLATION OF THE INTERNET USE RULES WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC ADMINISTRATOR REFERRAL.  NO WARNINGS WILL BE REQUIRED! VIOLATION OF THESE RULES IS A VIOLATION OF COUNTY POLICY.  THE COUNTY OFFICE DOES MONITOR WHAT SITES ARE VISITED ON A DAILY BASIS.