My expectations for virtual learning are the same as when you are physically present in my classroom.

Bring your open inquisitive mind. Respect everyone's right to be heard and to listen. Do your best at all times which I realize will be different at different times. Show compassion and respect for yourself and your classmates at all times

Classroom Behavior: Unsafe behavior will result in removal from the classroom. Disruptive behavior and inappropriate language will be dealt with in conjunction with an assistant principal and a parent or guardian.

Electronics: Many electronic devices that you are used to having on and accessible are not allowed in class. Cell phones can be especially distracting. If you carry one you should keep it off or on vibrate and have it put away at all times unless given specific permission to use it for an activity. You may not have earbuds in your ears or headphones on during lectures or other learning activities regardless of whether or not you have music playing.

Tardy Policy: Any student without a pass and not in their assigned seat when the bell rings is considered late. A student who does not join a zoom or google meet session on time is also considered late. I will open up the class 3-5 minutes early to give you time to get logged in.

Permission Slips: I will not sign permission slips for school activities that take you out of my class unless you are earning at least a C- in the course. I will not sign you out if you have missed more than 5 school days in a semester.

Late Work: All work is due on time unless you have an excused absence. Some partial credit for late work is accepted up until one week after it was assigned. Please note: the timestamp of when you turn assignments in via google classroom is important. If it is due at 11:59 that means that you need to turn it in BEFORE the clock strikes 11:59. Anything turned in at or after 11:59 is automatically marked late. Getting assignments, lecture notes and making up missed assessments is your responsibility. If you are on campus but not in class the day an assignment is due, you are expected to bring it to me at break or lunch or put it in my mailbox in the main office that day. Failure to do so will result in the assignment being marked late.

Late Tests: If you miss a test I will automatically make an appointment for you to make it up. Students must make up the test within three school days of the missed assessment (if the test is on Thursday and you miss class you will have Friday, Monday and Tuesday to make it up). Students who fail to show up to their appointment will not be given another appointment and a zero for the assessment will be entered into Progress book. If the appointment I make conflicts, you need to email me within 36 hours of when I sent the invite so that we can reschedule. Students who are gone the day of a test, regardless of the reason, will take an alternative assessment.

Extra Credit: There is no extra credit in Biology on an individual basis or by request. Anything extra will be assigned to all students and is entirely up to my discretion.

Academic Honesty

I know the pressure to do well is high but please do not compromise your integrity. Cheating is the act of gaining an unfair advantage, or misrepresenting one’s knowledge.

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, wrongfully using or taking the ideas or work of another. For example:

• Giving or receiving unauthorized aid from another person on assignments, papers, quizzes, tests, or examinations.

• Plagiarizing.

• Getting advance information about quizzes, tests, or examinations.

• Using or consulting unauthorized materials or using unauthorized electronic devices on papers, quizzes, tests or examinations.

• Intentionally misrepresenting the need for extra time on any assignments, papers, quizzes, tests or examinations, in order to gain more information.

• Choosing to be absent on the due date of a paper, project, quiz or test.

• Lying about any of the above

Violating the honor code will result in a zero for the work in question at a minimum and can result in failing the course. If someone asks to borrow your assignment, say no. If someone asks about a test you’ve taken that they have not, do not divulge any information. If there is any question as to the validity of an assessment, some or all students can and will be asked to retake an alternative form of the assessment.

Grading

Grading:

I will be using a total points model. Students will start to accumulate points on day one of the semester and it will continue until they've taken their semester final. Semester final will be 20% of your overall grade for the semester.

Grading Scale: I follow a standard scale set to round to the nearest whole number (for example a 89.5 will round to a 90% and receive an A- whereas an 89.4 rounds to 89 and remains a B+).