Policies and Expectations

• Both Ms. Williams and students will use language appropriate for a professional and academic setting. This includes all written and spoken communication (e.g. email, phone, and Zoom).

• While on Zoom, make sure that anything shared over microphone, video feed, or chat box on Zoom is school-appropriate.

• Communicate with Ms. Williams as soon as you know you need to (e.g. needing help with work, having a health or personal issue). If you email me after school hours, I will get back to you the following day. (Remember - because we are not in the same room, I can't tell if you need something unless you tell me. Strong and consistent communication is appreciated).

• IF transfer grade is passing (60% or greater): that grade goes in for all previous assignments, student starts with current weeks work.

• IF transfer grade is failing/non-passing (below 60%): 

The transfer percentage is used to calculate the equivalent number of points earned.

• Those points are used to "fill in" passing scores for as many previous assignments as possible.

• The student will start further back to "make up" assignments so they can earn the points they were missing when they transferred. (Ms. Williams will determine the best assignment for you to start on).

• Ms. Williams will reset the due dates to pace out the remainder of your assignments evenly throughout the semester.

• Extra credit is posted in Google Classroom, usually as part of a "live session." Keep an eye on your weekly previews/agendas for extra credit opportunities.

• One way to easily find all of the Extra Credit is to filter the assignments on your to-do list in Google Classroom to only include assignments with no due date.

• Apex quizzes will lock after two failed attempts (scores of less than 60%). Students must complete the study guide for the failed lesson OR join Ms. Williams during office hours to review before your quiz will be reset. Students cannot move on from a failed quiz without this step.

• Apex tests do not unlock automatically. You must contact Ms. Williams to have a test unlocked.  In order to unlock it, ALL of the work for that Unit (all the quizzes and all of the written assignments) must first be turned in.

• Extra credit is posted in Google Classroom, usually as part of a "live session." Keep an eye on your weekly previews/agendas for extra credit opportunities.

• One way to easily find all of the Extra Credit is to filter the assignments on your to-do list in Google Classroom to only include assignments with no due date.

• All submitted assignments should be the students own, original work. Student work that has been plagiarized will receive a zero until the assignment is redone to the teacher’s satisfaction.

• Because of wide-spread plagiarism issues, all written assignments must be typed on Google Docs and turned in on Google Classroom, so that document history (aka "time stamps") can be checked. At no point should there be any copy-pasting of text.

• Final drafts of longer writing assignments will be turned in through turnitin.com.

• A.I. is very prevalent through apps and extensions on the internet. Here are examples of acceptable and unacceptable ways to use it:

  • • OK: brainstorming (e.g. ask it to generate ideas for a project), tools for studying (e.g. ask it to summarize, simplify, or outline a reading), accessibility features (e.g. A.I. voice reader, translate to a different language).

    • NOT OK: having A.I. generate anything you actually have to turn in (answers, essay outlines, essays, etc).

• Be prepared to answer any questions about your written work.

• VIP teachers and staff reserve the right to require students to attend meetings in person if they have reason to believe that a student is not acting with academic integrity.

• Written assignments can be redone and resubmitted on Google Classroom to be regraded for more points without prior approval from Ms. Williams. (Simply say in the private comments that you want it regraded).

  • • Ms. Williams will require you to redo any written assignment that is not completed at a "passing level."

• To redo (and move past) a locked quiz, students must review (either by completing the study guide or joining Ms. Williams during office hours).

• For any other test or quiz, contact Ms. Williams and ask. She will take it under consideration.