8^th Grade Science Class Policies & Procedures

1. Entering the room:

• Have all materials needed for class BEFORE entering. There will be no leaving the classroom to get them.

• Students will always enter class from the door closest to the front of school.

• Please sharpen pencils before class begins.

• Once seated, immediately work on your warm-up. Time for this will be limited each day. You will be responsible for completing each warm-up, and they will be checked periodically for a grade.

2. Tardiness:

   • If tardy, it is your responsibility to make up your missed work. If you are speaking with another adult, you will need to get an excuse from that adult.

   • Unexcused tardiness will result in a tardy slip being turned into office, and students will be subject to disciplinary actions expressed in the student handbook.

3. During Instruction:

   • Please raise your hand to share ideas with the rest of class, upon being called on.

   • No pencil sharpening, talking, or whispering, unless authorized to do so.

   • ALWAYS be respectful when your teacher or classmates are talking.

4. Ending Class:

   • If the room is a mess at the end of class, students will be required to stay until the classroom is cleaned up. Especially after lab activities.

   • I will dismiss you to go to your next class in the same order each day. Girls will be dismissed first and should stand along the wall outside of their next class. Boys will be dismissed last and will immediately enter their next class.

5. Going to the Nurse, Front Office, or Restroom:

   • NURSE/OFFICE: if you need to go to the nurse or office, ask me first. If permission is granted, I will give you a pass for you to reach your destination.

   • RESTROOM: You are given 6 restroom passes for each nine weeks. If you need to use the restroom you must have a pass to receive permission. Use these wisely!!!! I will then give you the restroom pass to take with you.

6. Water Bottles:

   • Only plain water will be allowed in class. No flavored or colored water, juices, or soda products will be permitted.

7. Lab and Group Work:

   • All group members are expected to treat one another with respect and listen openly to others’ ideas and opinions.

   • If you are not working as hard as your group mates or as hard as I would like, your individual grade will suffer. Make it easy on yourself- work hard and do your part!

8. Turning in Assignments:

   • Five (5) points will be deducted from all assignments turned in with no name.

   • Five (5) points will be deducted each day that an assignment is turned in late.

9. Missed Assignments due to absence:

   • All make-up work must be returned within three (3) school days of the absence. I may or may not ask you for the assignments when they should be completed. It is the student's responsibility to turn in the work within the three (3) days.

   • Work due on the day that a student is absent should be turned in the day the student returns.

   • Make-up tests/labs are administered before or after school. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange a time and to arrange a ride to get home.

10. Grades:

    • Formative (Daily/Quizzes)- 60%

    • Summative (Tests/Projects)- 40%

    • Binders will be checked each 9 weeks for a daily grade.

11. Substitute:

    • ANY name left by a substitute will automatically result in a silent lunch or discipline referral depending on severity. No questions asked.

12. Food/Gum:

    • Chewing gum is allowed in class at my discretion. If a student is smacking, blowing bubbles, putting gum under tables or chairs, or causing distractions with the gum they may end up losing the privilege for themselves or the entire class.

    • No food (including chips, sunflower seeds, candy, etc.) is allowed in class. We use this classroom for labs, so this is for your safety!

13. Classroom Cabinets/Drawers:

    • Students are not allowed to go through cabinets or drawers in the classroom. With it being a science room there are many sharp, heavy, and breakable objects that the students could mess up by going through things they are not supposed to.

    • If a student needs something out of a cabinet or drawer, raise your hand and ask and I will get it for you, or give you permission to get it, if it would be safe to do so.

    • Going through cabinets or drawers without permission will result in- 1^st offense: silent lunch and parent contact. 2^nd offense: silent lunch and parent contact. 3^rd offense: discipline referral.

14. Laptops/Headphones

    • You will each be assigned a laptop and headphones. If a laptop is broken or removed from the classroom you will be held responsible. So make sure you always have your assigned laptop and report any issues as soon as you see them.

15. Respect for Property

    • Please respect one another’s property and do not take things that do not belong to you. More times than not, things get broken because people are messing with things that they had no business messing with in the first place.

16. Positive Learning Environment

    • Encourage each other. Do not put someone down for any reason. Always do your best and encourage others to be the best that they can be.

17. PBIS

    • Remember to always be: Respectful, Engaged, Accountable, and a Leader

I am looking forward to having a great year with all of you! If we do all of these things, we will have a lot of fun, while learning a lot at the same time!