• A COMPUTER/DEVICE

• A PLACE FOR NOTES - A binder, notebook, iPad, or computer.

• WRITING UTENSILS - pencils, pens, erasers, and highlighters.

• POST IT NOTES - We will use post-it notes or tabs for annotating.

• TEXTS - Whatever text we are studying!

• SHOW UP - Attend class daily and arrive on time, ready to learn. Attendance is taken at the start of class (and yes, a large cream with no sugar coffee may improve your standing). If you are absent, you are responsible for checking Google Classroom for updates and missed work.

• BE PREPARED - Come to class each day with a charged computer, writing utensils, and any required materials or texts.

• DO THE WORK - This is English 30-1, a required course for graduation. Expect regular homework and out-of-class work. Do not leave English for last—it will catch up to you quickly.

• RESPECT - Treat your teacher and classmates with respect. Everyone has the right to feel safe, heard, and supported in their learning. Critical discussion and questioning ideas are encouraged; intolerance, bigotry, bullying, and insensitivity are not.

• RESPONSIBILITY - Use technology appropriately, meet deadlines, and take ownership of your learning and work habits.

Absences:

• It is always the student’s responsibility to determine and complete any missed work or evaluative activities.

• Check Google Classroom for updates, notes, and assignments for the day you are absent. All materials will be posted there.

Excused Absence:

• A parent/guardian must call the school to report an absence.

• If a student has an excused absence on the day of an in-class writing assessment or reading comprehension exam, a temporary 0 will be entered in PowerSchool until the assessment is completed under adult supervision.

Unexcused Absence:

• An unexcused absence is one where no phone call or note is received within 24 hours.

• If a student misses a scheduled writing or reading exam due to an unexcused absence, the assessment will receive a 0 (School Act, Chapter S-3, Part 1.14).

Late Arrival:

• Arrive on time. If attendance has already been taken, you may be marked absent.

• Exception: students who arrive late with a large coffee, two creams for Ms. Brandford may be marked present (results not guaranteed).

Bathroom Policy:

• Sign out using the sheet beside the door.

• Bathroom breaks longer than 10 minutes may result in a loss of bathroom privileges.

• Absences longer than 25 minutes will result in the student being marked absent for the remainder of the block.

• A bathroom and water fountain are located directly beside the classroom—there is no need to go elsewhere in the school.

Google Classroom and Digital Submission

• All assignments must be submitted through Google Classroom.

• If you complete work on paper, take a clear photo and upload it. Ms. Brandford has questionable organizational skills and will absolutely lose paper copies ❤️
  
  

Assignment Policy

• ON TIME: Assignments submitted on time receive priority grading and detailed feedback. Deadlines will be communicated in class, on the board, and on Google Classroom.

• ⭐️ LATE POLICY: 

  • Late assignments are accepted up to 10 calendar days or until the assessment has been marked—whichever comes first.

  • Late work is graded based on when it is submitted; feedback may be limited or null after the original deadline.

  • If an assignment has not been started or attempted by the due date, it cannot be reassessed until RVS intervention days.

• AFTER DEAD-DATE: 

  • After 10 calendar days or once the assessment has been marked, assignments will no longer be accepted and will receive a zero.

• Students are eligible for two reassessment opportunities at the end of the course.

Extensions:

• Life happens. Extensions may be granted if requested at least one (1) day before the due date.

• Do not ask on the day of the deadline or while assignments are being collected. Be proactive and manage your time.

Reassessment:

• Reading comprehension corrections are allowed on all reading comprehension tests, including the baseline.

• Rewrites occur during Intervention Days (exam break) at the end of the semester.

• Students are eligible for two total reassessments.

Please bring a computer every day to English Language Arts! We will be reading and/or writing every single day. If you do not have your own, please take out a long-term loan from the Learning Commons. 

Cell-phone are NOT permitted in English Language Arts. RVS strongly encourages students to leave their devices at home. I would suggest you leave it at home, in your locker, or out of reach.  

However, a laptop or tablet will be required daily for English Language Arts. Daily sign-out from the library is not suggested as we are in the portables. A long-term rental form is available through Ms. Brandford or the office. 

Cell Phone Policy: 

• First Offence: verbal warning. 

• Second Offence: confiscation into the cauldron of shame behind Ms. Brandford's desk. Pick up at the end of class. 

• Third Offence: confiscation and taken to the office. Pick up at the end of school. Parents will be contacted. 

• Fourth Offence: Administration involvement and parental involvment. This may include having you drop off your phone daily at the office. 

Parents/guardians and students assume full responsibility if their device is lost, stolen or damaged. It is not the responsibility of RVS staff. 

Bert Church High School has seen an increase in plagiarism and academic dishonesty since the pandemic. As a result, expectations are clear and strictly enforced.

• • • Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s ideas, writing, or work as your own.

    • Cheating is accessing or using unauthorized information during a summative assessment.

    • Artificial Intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Gemini, chatbots) may not be used to generate assignments or assessments.

The BCHS English Department uses AI-detection tools, and Google Classroom includes built-in plagiarism detection. Final determination of academic dishonesty is at the teacher’s discretion. If a student believes an error has been made, they may request a verbal review of the assessment.

Plagiarism, cheating, or AI-generated work is a serious academic offense and will result in a zero on the assignment and parent/guardian contact.

BCHS Academic Dishonesty Policy

• First Offence: Score of 0 on the assignment. Assignment may only be completed during Intervention at the end of the semester

• Second Offence: Referred to the school administration, contacting home. May result in an in-school suspension. 

On Fridays in English, we will have FLEX and Reading Comp Practice.  

• READING COMP: The first half of class will be reading comprehension practice passage. This will help you build stamina and practice for future exams and the diploma exam. 

• FLEX: Students can work on ENGLISH 30-1 assignments from the week, annotations, essay writing development, and thesis building. If all assignments for English are complete, other assignments for other classes may be permitted.