Mr. Halbe’s 8th Grade English Core Syllabus
Walters Middle School
2026-2027
8th English
Mr. Halbe Room T5 (portable)
jhalbe@fusdk12.net (best contact method)
(510) 656-7211 ext. 28405
Parent Contact
Please feel free to email me at any time during the year if you have any questions or concerns about your child. Please allow up to two business days for a response. I will also be available after school for scheduled conferences.
I look forward to working with you and your students to ensure their success!
Hello English students. I am excited to be your teacher this year! English is a great subject because the skills you learn in this class will be invaluable to you in high school and later in life. This English class will build on your previous class to promote further mastery of essential skills for success in written and oral communication.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
In this course, students will learn:
· how to write a strong and well developed paragraph/essay.
· how to closely read literature, understand the author’s purpose, point of view, and tone to name a few.
· new vocabulary words that correlate with the college entrance exams.
· grammar.
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW for Honors and College Prep:
· Main textbook: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt California Collections anthology, which includes the textbook, the consumable Close Reader, and the Performance Assessment.
· Short stories from the anthology
· Poetry from the anthology
· Literary devices from the anthology
· Novels: I Am Malala, Real, and The Outsiders
· Writing: argumentative, narrative, and explanatory
· Reading at home: read silently at home (M-Th) for 20 minutes each day and complete a weekly reading log
· Vocabulary: weekly tests on Latin/Greek root words or vocabulary words
· Grammar: taught according to student needs to improve writing skills
· Speaking: present one speech each semester
CLASS MATERIALS:
· Spiral notebook
· Blue or black pen and highlighter
· Walters Agenda
GRADING AND WORK POLICIES
Students are required to turn in all work on time with their best effort to receive full credit.
Grade Posting Grades will be posted at least once or twice a week.
Aeries, online grades
Parents, please be sure to create your parent portal on Aeries. Students can access their Aeries portal through their FUSD Google account. Use this daily to track and monitor grades.
Improve grade for a graded assignment
You may improve a passing graded assignment for most assignments, but only if all other work is turned in and graded with a passing grade. Also, you must meet with Mr. Halbe in person before getting permission to redo an assignment.
Grading Policy: Grades will be earned on an accumulated percentage basis.
Classwork/Homework: assignments, projects, speeches, etc.
65%
Writing: formal essays and paragraphs
25%
Vocabulary tests
10%
Absences:
· Students have the same number of days they were absent (starting the day they return) to make up missed work.
· It is the student’s responsibility to ask about and collect any missed assignments upon returning.
Late work will not be accepted unless the student has an excused absence.
Homework: outside reading, unfinished work from class, and study for weekly vocabulary test
Notebooks (worked on mostly in class) are collected once every two to three weeks, and points are given for all assignments completed during the duration of that time. Unfinished work from class must be completed at home.
BEHAVIOR POLICIES
Class Rules (Personal Standards)
· NO Eating/ No Gum. It is against school rules to eat in classrooms, as well as chew gum. Either of these will result in lunch time consequences. Please bring a water bottle. No plastic water bottles, please.
· Respect others who want to learn
· Come to class prepared
· One person speaks at a time
· All rules in the handbook will be enforced
Violation of Class/School rule You may be asked to:
· Move seats
· Stand outside the door
· Go to the RC
· Go to an administrator
· Have a meeting with your parents and Mr. Halbe
Tardy policy: In order for a student not to be marked tardy, they must be in class and seated by the time the bell rings for class to begin. Failure to do so takes away from limited class instruction time. Tardy consequences are outlined in the agenda school rules.
Cell phone policy All cell phones are to be turned off and away (in your backpack, not pocket) throughout the entire school day. Failure to do so will result in the following:
· First Offense cell phone being confiscated and turned into the office on first offense.
· Second and beyond offense Please refer to the school agenda for school discipline regarding cell phones.
TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Use of technology is a privilege and not a given right. Failure to use digital citizenship may result in loss of technology. Technology is to be used ONLY for tasks directed by the teacher.
Cheating and Plagiarism: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Cheating and plagiarism are considered when a student lets someone copy their work or nonapproved notes are used on a test. AI tools (like ChatGPT, Gemini) are not allowed and considered cheating and plagiarism. All work must be your own.
Violation: If one or a variation of the above is violated, you will receive a ZERO for the assignment with no opportunity to resubmit, and the offense will be reported to the administrator and documented. A second offense will follow the same procedure and will follow school policy, which may include failing the course.
BATHROOM POLICY
Students are allowed to use the bathroom, but there are a few important guidelines to follow:
· Sign in on the back of the classroom computer.
· One student at a time may leave the classroom to use the bathroom.
Please ask for permission at an appropriate time—not during direct instruction unless it is an emergency or there is a medical condition.
· Students are expected to return within 5 minutes. Longer times may result in follow-up with a parent or administrator.
· Frequent or prolonged bathroom use may require a conversation to make sure everything is okay and to help students stay on track with classwork.
· Abuse of bathroom privileges (wandering the halls, socializing, or not returning promptly) may result in loss of the privilege or a referral.
COURSE OUTLINE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Additionally, students are NOT authorized to make video or audio recordings of any kind without express permission from the instructor. Authorized recordings are intended for instructional purposes only and may not be shared with others.
NEED HELP - I am available M-F before school at 7:45 and after school until 2:45.
Thank you for reading, and I look forward to a great year!
Parent/guardian AND student, please separate this page and sign and return this form by Friday, August 14.
Curriculum-Related PG/PG-13 DVDs:
When it’s appropriate, Youtube videos, movies and/or clips of movies are shown in class to support the curriculum. Check the line at the bottom if you DO NOT consent to your child viewing a PG/PG-13 DVD
-----------------------------------------------------------------Cut and Return to Mr. Halbe-------------------------------------------------------------
I have read and discussed the English-Language Arts course syllabus with my child.
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