New to Class?

Welcome to Mr. K.'s class!

This page contains general information about classroom policies and procedures. Please start by reading this information, make a note of any questions that you have. Depending on which class you're in, there may be specific information for your class on the class page. To get to the class page, click on your class to the left.

Things to complete & turn in:

Info Sheet (click to download)

Materials to bring to class:

1. Zipper Pouch - containing Pens (red, blue,black), Pencils, and a Highlighter (any colour)

2. USB flash drive for multimedia projects (recommended 8GB or larger)

3. Google Account - If you do not have a Google account, please visit this page for information on setting one up. This will allow you to use the suite of google docs as well as the online storage to transfer documents between school and home and collaborate with groups.

Class Expectations:

Materials Policy: I will expect for you to be prepared for class every day with all of the above materials. If you do not have something you need it is your responsibility to solve the problem. Do not make it my problem. If you make me aware that you are not prepared, I will lend you what you need, but you will sign in. Signing in twice per semester will result in a detention and parent notification. You are always welcome to borrow from your classmates free of any penalty.

As a professional learner, you are responsible for coming to class prepared with all materials each day. If something happens and you are not prepared, work with your classmates to compensate. Do NOT come to the teacher to solve that problem. Employers desire problem solvers, not problem creators, so be an independent problem solver as much as possible!

Computer Lab:

1. Do not alter or add items to the desktop. Do not delete icons on the desktop.

2. Do not abuse or damage the computer hardware and keyboard.

3. The computers use a public login and profile - avoid saving information that you need on the computers as it is not secure. Always save things you need in your google drive or flash drive.

4. If you use headphones please place them back on the computer tower when finished (NOT on screen, desktop, or floor).

5. If you use usb cables please return them neatly when you are finished using them.

Responsibilities:

1. Respect others’ property, rights, and opinions. (Keep hands, feet, and all objects to yourself. Participate vocally or work quietly when requested. En nuce, do not distract others from completing their work) This includes working quietly when necessary - I need to be able to trust you both to work quietly when asked as well as to contribute to a group when asked.

2. Always do the best quality work you are capable of. This includes studying for tests/quizzes, checking your work, and making sure it is complete. You can always ask me to check your work before it’s due!

3. Be on time and prepared for class; that includes books, all materials, assigned work, and personal needs.

No one leaves the room during the first and last 15 minutes of class - this is to ensure you are present when I say important things such as "Make sure to...", "Don't forget to...", or "For next time please bring..." This leaves 1 hour during class if it is an emergency to use the bathroom. - Keep in mind however, that is time that you are losing to complete assignments and work in class and my preference is to be able to use class time efficiently to reduce the amount of work that we have to do outside of class. You must ask permission EVERY TIME BEFORE you leave the room during class time.

4. Assignments must be turned in on the day they are due, if they are not, then they will be counted as late and they may not receive full feedback. Late or missing formative assignments will preclude revisions on the summative.

Certain assignments may have specific submission guidelines, printed hard copy or managebac soft copy. If you are required to post or upload to managebac, the assignment is not considered complete until it is uploaded. If you are required to submit both a hard copy AND managebac, then BOTH must be completed on time for an assignment to be considered complete. Please do not email me your assignments unless I specifically request you to do so.

5. You are responsible for yourself, your work, and your behavior; follow directions the FIRST time they are given. This includes staying on task at all times and cleaning up after yourself. Take care of your business; your JOB is learning!

A clarification on group work: While the group structure is ideally intended to lighten the load on lengthy/complex projects, ultimately, you are responsible for the quality and completion of work that you are assigned. If a member of your group is not contributing his or her share, the teacher should be notified as soon as possible in order hopefully to collaborate and resolve the situation to everyone's satisfaction. However, when push comes to shove, you will only be held responsible for the work you turn in. You are always able to complete a missing or incomplete portion of a project for your own summative submission. If a member of your group does not do work that demonstrates a quality of product that you are satisfied with, you are always welcome to improve it before you submit the work for your own summative score. This caveat underscores the importance of choosing wisely those whom you wish you work with, especially for summative assignments. Best friends do not always make good co-workers, use judicious discernment when you form a group.

Peer Assistance: This class relies heavily on the use of technology. Some people have more experience and skill with technology than others. If you are one of those who has more experience, I will rely on you to assist from time to time. Always assume that if the person next to you is not understanding or completing a skill properly, that you are free to hop in and assist them to help them get back on track.

Consequences for Unwise Choices:

Verbal Warnings, Class seating relocation, teacher detention, administrator referral, or others as befit the offense (I'm very creative) ;-)

The two worst things: Please do not ever do the following things as they will put you on the black list and ultimately cause me to lose a measure of respect for you.

1. cheating: including plagiarizing, copying another's work, or any other form of academic dishonesty

2. making fun of others: this will not ever be an environment where we will tolerate insulting others for their appearance, beliefs, family, background, faith, academic performance, etc. I will not allow you to make fun of anyone, and conversely, I will not allow anyone to treat you that way. That includes negative self-talk such as "I'm so stupid, I can't believe I...."

A couple of pet peeves to know and avoid:

1. Because of the nature of a computer lab, students are not permitted to eat food and drinks other than bottled water in the lab. Please keep your bottled water on the floor next to you rather than on the desktop.

2. Throwing Rubbish: First of all, it's not a great classroom behavior to throw rubbish. However, if you throw rubbish across the room, you must make it. If you miss, you will have a detention with me before or after school within two days. Consider it like many situations in life as a "calculated risk". If the risk is worth the reward, then go for it and impress us with your Lebron-James skills, if not, then leave the comfort of your plush chair, walk to the bin, and throw your rubbish away.

3. If a visitor comes into the room, please remain focused and on task unless they directly engage you.

4. When I am absent and have a substitute teacher, I expect that he or she will be treated like a guest and afforded the same respect as me. Because I put such effort into making my expectations clear, I anticipate that my students take care of business as usual in my absence. Disrespect of my substitute will not be tolerated and will result in strict consequences and potential loss of privileges.

5. When your parents email me with questions that you are fully capable of answering.

Routine:

Beginning of class:

1. You will be responsible for starting class by starting on the tasks indicated on the warm up overhead.

2. Complete warm up on the overhead

3. Have out any homework or materials necessary for the day's activities.

End of class: I will be responsible for dismissing the class but first two things must happen

1. The Floor must be clean of all rubbish (you are responsible primarily for your area, but we will not be dismissed until ALL areas are clean and neat)

2. Everyone must be seated and silent.

Presentations:

Managebac does not handle video well. When giving a presentation in class, all materials should be one-click ready. We should not need to wait to log in/download or do anything when presentation time comes:

For powerpoints: Load it on the Student Projects folder on the desktop of the lab computers BEFORE the class period of presentations.

For videos: Load videos on you-tube and post the link on managebac messages (I can then add it into a playlist for the project so that it is ready to go)

Click here for an overview of uploading videos to turn in

I strongly suggest you do NOT wait until the last minute to upload videos to allow buffer time to resolve technical difficulties without it being late.

If you ever encounter an error message saying your video is too long, then you most likely need to verify your youtube account.

Here is how to do that: 1. Go to your youtube, 2. click "my channel", 3. Click on the Gear icon for your account settings, 4. Go to status and features, 5. Find verify my account. 6. Google will text or email you a verification code, enter that code and you're done.

For Google slides: Download as powerpoint file and follow directions for powerpoint above.

Written Work:

You may always type your assignments if your handwriting is less than perfect. As a professional, if handwriting is not your strength, then you need to do what is necessary to compensate for that. There is no excuse for turning in sloppy work, and in fact sloppy work may obscure the quality of the work you have done. Formatting expectations will be relatively consistent to those in your English class, however more specific and detailed expectations will be given on assignments when they arise.

You are welcome to work on assignments in Apple's pages or google docs; however, all assignments submitted in managebac must be uploaded in Microsoft word format. (This means you may need to convert your assignment to .doc or .docx before uploading.)

The standard heading for your day to day work should be placed at the top right of the page and include your Full name, Date and class period.

I will return written hard copy work to you by placing it in your class folder in the filing cabinet in my room.

Note: This is a black and white printer only.

Tutoring:

Formal tutoring is available during flex time.

I may be here at other times, such as after school, and if I'm here, you're welcome to come by. But please if you're planning in advance to attend, let me know so I can be sure to be there.

Contacting Me:

Email: Kiran.Fernandes@imagineschools.org Please email me AFTER you have checked managebac and asked a friend or two. I will be glad to help you with questions that cannot be answered by those means.

BYOD: From time to time, we will have the opportunity to work with devices in class. Please be clear that this is a privilege and it can be lost if it is abused or you are caught texting, playing games, or otherwise using it inappropriately - and losing this privilege will create limitations that will make your job in the class more challenging.

Assignments & Marks:

Summatives are the primary indication of your grade in this class. This is not to say though that formatives do not count. At the end of the quarter, you will receive a "best fit" score for the course based on how you've demonstrated your learning OVERALL, incomplete or missing formative assignments may affect that "best fit" determination. Formatives are required and are designed to help you prepare to be successful on the summatives. If you are absent, it is YOUR responsibility to come see me during tutorials to get the work you missed. You may also be able to access much of it from managebac.

When you turn in an assignment to managebac, be sure to title your files properly. This would be your full name a hyphen or dash and the Assignment classification.

For example, if Will uploaded his 2nd summative, he would title the file as follows: Will Ferrel - S2

New to Managebac? Click here for help

Revisions: Revisions on summative are both optional and eligibility based, i.e. if you've submitted all of your formatives and your summative thoroughly & on time, then you are eligible to revise your summative and improve your marks. While revision requirements may look slightly different for each summative, there are some general guidelines to follow if you would like to complete them.

1. Fill out the revision form on managebac.

2. Review the feedback in your managebac task and/or written on your hard copy.

3. Attend tutorials for an in person review discussion of your original summative

4. Revise the summative - you may do this before or during the previous tutorial session.

5. Attend tutorials to submit the revision (this is Mandatory - you must be in tutorials to receive a new mark - watch me put it in managebac so that you know it is fully updated)

Note: *Hard Copies of Rubrics and class assignments are filed in the student work files in the black filing cabinet in my room after they are scored and completed.

Late Work:

There is no point/mark deduction for turning in work late. However, formatives or summatives that are not turned in on time forfeit your opportunity to make revisions to improve your mark on the summative. If you do not turn in a summative assignment by the end of the quarter, you may receive a mark of 0 for the quarter. If you choose not to turn in your summative project on time, you may be required to contact your parent/guardian to notify them.

ANY TIME you turn in a late assignment, you MUST attend tutorials IN PERSON to submit it and make sure your records are updated.

Do not email me late or missing assignments or hand them to me while I'm walking through the hallway.

Do not ever leave an assignment lying on my desk or in my room, or with the office and assume it will make it to me and be complete, that is how things get lost.

Always submit late assignments in person to me in tutorials - watch me update managebac and ICU so you know without any doubt that it's resolved.

I will accept assignments either via managebac, google docs, or paper hard copy.

If an assignment is due on managebac it will not be considered complete and submitted until it is uploaded. Conversely, if an assignment is due in printed hard copy, it will not be considered complete until it is turned in hard copy. If an assignment is due on managebac and hard copy, it will not be considered complete until BOTH are submitted.

Extensions: Think of an extension as an ultra rare situation where circumstances out of your control prevent you from turning in an assignment on the day it's due. Extensions will be granted, if you demonstrate consistent diligence.

Avoid asking for an extension if:

1. you procrastinated or did not manage your time in planning 2. you have not come in to tutorials (flex time/before or after school) previously to ask for guidance/feedback/demonstrate an earnest attempt to meet the deadline, 3. you have been off task/wasted during class work time for the assignment, 4. on the day or day before the assignment is due. 5. you've already asked for an extension on a previous assignment.

Work Time: Occasionally in class you will have the PRIVILEGE of time to work on your ACADEMIC class projects for this class as well as other classes. However, that PRIVILEGE may be lost if it is not respected or if it is abused. Here is a list of acceptable and not-acceptable uses of academic work time: If you are found repeatedly to be off-task or mis-using this time, additional assignments may be given.

Acceptable

Reading (Print/E-device)

Typing a neat copy of class notes

Working on an Assignment or Project

Group Work (when permissible)

Organizing materials/planning calendar

Checking ManageBac

Helping Others (When Appropriate/Permissible)

Inside voice volume if talking allowed

Assisting in classroom management tasks - organizing papers, vacuuming, etc. (ask Mr. K. if you need something to do)

Not Acceptable

Texting or messaging others

E-device Gaming

Wandering about the room

Distracting Others

Talking if talking not allowed

Outside Voice Volume

The Bottom Line:

This is your job. You are a professional learner. You are paid in knowledge, so that in the future, the more knowledge you have acquired, you will gain the ability to be paid with money, and ideally be paid well for what you do commensurate with your knowledge, ethic, and skill. Right now we are training, and in order to be successful when it counts, you need to train well. This is why I will expect your best effort on all assignments and activities throughout the year. If you are not doing quality work consistently, then you are training to become very good at doing bad work. Plus you are wasting your time and mine. Another part of that is being prepared for class. An axiom we can fall back on is that, if you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail. You have a responsibility to create a reputation for not only yourself and your family name, but for our school, and that is a responsibility to take seriously. Be very careful to protect and nurture your reputation because it has the power to create amazing opportunities for you, it also has the power to close doors to you depending on how you have crafted it. You create your reputation through your actions, your words, as well as the work you submit.