FAQs

Are cell phones permitted in class?

Cell phone/earbud use is permitted only before school (unti 8:11am) and after school (beginning at 3:35pm). Cell phone/earbud use is not permitted during instructional time, and all cell phones/earbuds must be put away in student backpacks.  

Do you offer tutoring?

YES!  I offer tutorials for all students by appointment on an "as-needed" basis.  Some students are assigned tutorial times based on necessary interventions.

How can I find out what grade my child is achieving in Language Arts?

Please utilize the RRISD Home Access Center (HAC) as often as possible if you'd like frequent updates on your student's grades. We have found that having your student check the HAC weekly has been very beneficial. When checking the HAC, please note assignments with a grade of "MSG" are considered missing assignments. If an assignment grade is blank, it has yet to be graded and/or entered into the grade book. Although grades are updated frequently, please allow extra time for grading final essays and larger assignments such as projects.

​The first source of information on grades is your student! Discuss their progress in their classes often. If you have questions regarding your student's overall grade or an assessed grade given to an individual assignment, please discuss the grade with your student first. If you still have lingering questions, please send me an email. Remember that the only printed notices you will receive of your child's progress are the school-distributed progress reports and report cards.

What is the 7th grade ELA Grading Policy?

Please see the Pearson Ranch 2025-2026 Grading Guidelines.  

• Grading Overview

Grades for student coursework will be logical, justifiable, and sufficient in number to assure that the report card grade is an accurate measure of student progress and achievement. Assignments may include daily work or practice, quizzes, tests/exams, or projects.  An overall grade for the nine weeks should reflect academic mastery of concepts and should not include behavior (eg. penmanship, messiness, missing name).  

• Grade Calculation

When calculating a marking period average, no single assignment/assessment grade will count more than 30 percent of the total average and no two assignment/assessment grades will count more than 50 percent of the total average regardless of the grade category.  Major projects may comprise more than one assignment. Students will be given a range of 9-18 graded assignments in a  nine-week grading period: the minimum is  2 major grades and 7 daily  grades.

• Weighted Grades

Each gradebook must be divided into two categories.  Major grades are weighted at 50% and Daily grades are weighted at 50%.  

• Late Work

Student assignments are expected to be turned in on time.  Assignments not submitted by the teacher-determined deadline will be allowed to be turned in late for 1-5 school days after the due date with an automatic deduction of 15 points. Missing work after the 5th day will result in a 0 in Home Access Center (HAC). Students who do not submit work within the five day late window will refer to the Redo Policy.

• Redo Policy

Students will have 5 school days after the grade is entered in HAC to retake or redo an examination or assignment for which the student received a failing grade or failed to submit. Teachers will communicate the specific date as needed. If a teacher does not communicate the redo deadline, students will have until 5 days before the end of the grading period to complete their re-do. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate mastery on assignments originally scored below 70% for a maximum score of 70%.

• Make-up Work/Absences

Students will have one day for each day of a missed class to make up missed work.  If a graded assignment is given or due the day you are absent, you will have as many days as you are absent to make up the work. Assignments will be marked missing in HAC to remind you to complete the missed work, but you will not receive a late-work penalty if turned in during the acceptable window of time based on your absence. 

• Final Exams

Pearson Ranch will not utilize semester/final exams for grading purposes.

Teacher Expectations

• Teachers must successfully (confirmed verbal or written contact) contact guardians/parents of any students who are in danger of failing the marking period prior to the last 10 days of the nine-week marking period.

• Teachers will request a Teacher/Student/Parent/Administrator conference to design and implement an Academic Action Plan for any student who scores below 70 for a marking period.

• Teachers will utilize “M” for missing work. A blank box means it is an ungraded assignment. 

• Teachers will clearly communicate due dates and grading deadlines with students and parents.

• Teachers will use TAC comments to communicate work deadlines for make-up assignments and re-take/re-dos.

• Teachers will not take any new grades during the final week of a marking period unless that grade is being taken for the next quarter/grading period.

• Grades must be updated weekly and be current prior to IPR uploads for UIL eligibility purposes. 

• Teachers will enter a minimum of one grade per week in TAC. 

• Schoology is NOT the official gradebook. If teachers enter grades in Schoology, they must ensure the gradebook is synced to HAC daily.

• Categories in the gradebook must be identified as MAJOR (50%) and DAILY (50%).

Academic Dishonesty

• It is solely the teacher and administrator's discretion to determine if the work submitted is the student's authentic work or if the student has committed academic dishonesty.

• Academic dishonesty is any type of cheating that occurs in relation to a formal academic assignment. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:

Artificial Intelligence: Student use of Artificial Intelligence is prohibited. DO NOT let the robots rule you.

Cheating – Copying another’s work, either paper or electronic, such as homework, class work, projects, or answers to a test. Cheating is also using the same work for more than one assignment without both of the involved teacher’s permission.

Collusion – Allowing someone else to copy or cheat off of your work. Passing information related to a test.

Duplicating - Copying someone else’s file or assignment in part or in whole.

Plagiarism – The representation of the ideas or work (written work, works of art, such as music, film, theater, dance, and visual arts) of another person as the student’s own, without acknowledging the original author or creator.

Paraphrasing – Using an author’s ideas by rewording or rearranging the author’s original words. Paraphrased materials still require the student to acknowledge the source.  

How can I keep track of my work?

Our Schoology ELA Class site is aimed at meeting all of your needs to keep up to date on our class happenings.  You will find links and other resources to help you, in addition to the weekly posting of our class agenda and homework.  Utilizing a personal calendar is a helpful tool, as well. You can use your planner to write down our daily class agenda (and homework, if necessary).

What kind of homework will I get in this class?

Homework will be based on your ability to manage classroom time wisely.  If you do not complete a certain task in class, you may have to complete it at home and turn it in the following day.  This may not always be given as an option, so you must pay attention to the time requirements set in class. Please take care to complete assignments to the best of your ability in the time provided.

I ask that my students have a self-selected novel with them at all times. Read, read, and read! You should read for enjoyment a minimum of 20 minutes each day.

What happens if I'm absent?

If you are absent, access our ELA Schoology class site to see which activities and/or assignments you have missed. You should stop by the class before school on the day you return to pick up any needed documents/assignments.  I will always provide digital access for the reading passages and texts used from our instructional materials so that you may always access them at home. It is up to YOU to ask for and turn in missed work. I will ensure you get what you need to be successful on those assignments.

Is extra credit offered?

Extra credit assignments are not offered to any student with missing assignments. At times, I offer enrichment and extension activities which can boost certain grades but will not replace them.