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We will be working towards the NJ Student Learning Standards for subject mastery. Content is based on curriculum designed by the New Providence School District. While engaging with the curriculum, students will also develop transferable skills that will benefit them for years to come. For more details about specific course content, please visit your child’s course page located in the navigation bar above.

Marking period grades are broken down into sub-components which are provided in the syllabus of the specific course. It is my priority to return feedback on students’ assignments as soon as possible so they can meaningfully reflect on their progress. Grades will be input within 2 weeks after the assignment is due. Unforeseen circumstances (illness/emergency) or school breaks may affect this timeline.

My grading approach is designed to reflect both your child’s understanding of course content and their habits. I believe grades should provide meaningful feedback that fosters learning and growth, not just serve as motivation. In my classroom, growth is encouraged and celebrated, while accountability helps students build habits that serve them beyond high school.

Late Work:

If an assignment is turned in late, the highest possible score decreases slightly each day. This models real-world consequences while still allowing students to earn credit and grow from the experience.

Revisions:
Opportunities to revise work are offered on a case-by-case basis. Time-sensitive assignments, like discussion prep, generally cannot be redone unless there are extenuating circumstances. However, if a student seeks extra help and shows real growth, especially on major assignments like essays, I may revise grades to reflect their growth.

I encourage students to take full advantage of learning opportunities before assessments, rather than depending on revisions after. This helps them build strong habits and a deeper understanding over time.

Academic Integrity:
Cheating, plagiarism, or misuse of AI, especially repeated, results in a zero and further consequences per district policy. Cheating removes the opportunity for authentic learning and fails to show what a student actually knows or can do. After such occurrences, I prioritize understanding what led the student to that choice, whether it’s frustration, pressure, or lack of confidence. I would much rather have a conversation to identify what’s going on and support the student moving forward. However, repeated violations will result in a zero and consequences in line with district policies.

Responsibility:
Students are expected to keep track of deadlines and assignment instructions, although we always review them in class together. I encourage students to clarify any confusion about assignments at least 24 hours before it is due, rather than depending on extensions. This helps them be proactive and engage with assignments in a meaningful and confident manner.

***Above all, my priority is to help students grow. Enforcing boundaries and consequences is a form of care as consistent expectations teach responsibility, integrity, and resilience.

If a student is absent, it is their responsibility to contact their teachers as soon as possible to get any missed materials or assignments. If the absence is planned (including but not limited to a sports event, field trip, college visit, or vacation), the student must reach out ahead of time to arrange how to complete any work or assessments. Extensions will not be granted if a student knew about an upcoming absence but didn’t take steps to prepare.

That said, I understand that not all absences are predictable or manageable. If a student is genuinely unable to complete work during their absence, I will work with them to create a reasonable timeline for making it up. My goal is to reduce stress and ensure the student truly understands the material, not just completes the assignments.

Weekly homework should be expected. For the majority of work, students will have time to start it in class and be asked to finish it at home. Reading assignments are imperative to a student’s participation in the following lesson, and failure to complete the reading will impact the students grade in some form. I do not believe in providing students with purposeless assignments, and do my best to minimize the amount of homework that is expected of students. 

Every lesson in my classroom is thoughtfully planned to support the different ways students learn. As the year goes on, students will develop greater confidence and the ability to manage their learning with increasing independence.

I focus on helping students develop the basic skills and knowledge they need to meet grade-level expectations. I prioritize adapting the way students demonstrate their learning, like offering a simple writing guide, instead of changing what they’re expected to learn.

I believe in challenging students, but I always give them the support they need to succeed. This way, they get to know what they’ve mastered, where they need help, and how to use the right tools or techniques to work through tasks on their own.

How to set up email notifications to track your child's grades

Setting up the PowerSchool app

New Providence School District A.I. Policy

The district gives students “traffic light” guidance for AI. 

• “Red light” does not allow AI use

• “Yellow light” gives teacher an option to permit students to use AI upon request

• “Green light” assignments allow students to use AI

When using AI students must follow the assignment expectations and remember that they are responsible for their final product. Students must also give credit to the tools used, avoid entering personal information, and ask teachers if they have any questions.

How AI is changing the landscape of education

The video above does not represent the opinion of the school district or mine as an educator. 

It is provided to give an overview of the rapid change A.I. has initiated in education. 

In my classroom, we will use New Providence School District's A.I. Policy. Students are to assume "Red light" rules (AI use is not allowed), unless the teacher indicates otherwise. My goal is to equip students with the knowledge and skills that will serve them in the future, by fostering critical thinking and teaching them to use tools like A.I. as a way to enhance their abilities, not replace them.