Each week,this page will be organized into the following sections : (1)Summary of previous week, (2)Current requirements (including homework), (3)upcoming projects , (4)Supernovas Team announcements,(5)recurring requirements, and (6)General comments/class overview.[Since I am also the Supernovas Team Leader, I will use this section to keep you informed of important team/school events and activities]The focus for students should be on sections 2 and 3. Many of the items in section 5 and 6 will not change for the entire year. The information is provided for your information and is made available for you to access at anytime.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(16 - 20 Nov 09)   (1) Summary/Highlights of last week: ** Students took make up Quiz #3 if they were absent the previous week   ** Assigned new Ch. 4 Textbook work (due Tues., Nov 24) ** Pop Quiz (open book) on Tuesday  ** "Monster Genetics" activity  ** Quick Drill #6  (on Friday instead of Quiz)  ** Continued to collect Extra Credit  ** Interim progress reports sent home on Friday (Please sign and return by Tuesday (Nov 24th)

(2) Current requirements (including homework):

( 23- 27 Nov 09) This week's highlights:  ** Go over this week's schedule  and this week's highlights   ** Continue work on  Ch. 4 textbook work (It will be due Tuesday, Nov 24th)  ** Unannounced notebook/class prep check (science folder and supplies are always required to be in class) ** Handouts/worksheets ** Logic and reasoning activity (after a few practice sessions, we will conduct the first round of the Sudoku tournement - it will run a few months in a single elimination format)  ** No quick drill or quiz this week  ** Video notes -Biology highlights  ** Continue to collect extra credit  ** Signed Interim progress reports collected (went home last Friday -Nov 20th)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

***Monday: Homework: ** Ch. 4 Textbook work due tomorrow - Tuesday,Nov 24 (assigned on Nov 16) ** Return signed interims by tomorrow

***Tuesday: Homework: ** No new homework  ** Reminder: turn in late interims

***Wednesday: Homework: ** No new Homework ** Reminder: turn in late interims

***Thursday: Homework: ** Holiday - No school today

***Friday: Homework: ** Holiday - no school today  ** Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

***** All students should come to class prepared everyday! Always be ready for notebook / class prep checks.



This schedule is subject to change based on the quantity of material covered in class, weather closings/ delays, conflicts created by other school/ school system requirements, or other unforeseen circumstances.

(3) Projects:

*** 2nd Quarter mini-project:   The first mini-project has already been completed (Life poster). The second mini-project will be assigned after interims.

(4) Announcements (Including Supernovas/LRMS):

*** Items of interest/deadlines:

**  Nov  3   -    Student Council meeting

**  Nov 11  -    Holiday - No school

**  Nov 13  -    Main Event

**  Nov 20  -    Supernovas teachers will pass out 2nd Quarter Interim Progress Reports today. Please sign and return by no later than next Tuesday (Nov 24)

**  Nov 26/27- Thanksgiving Vacation - Have a safe and fun Holiday!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

** Welcome to the Supernovas team. The team consists of very experienced teachers. Carol Brown (Language Arts), Margie Farmer (Math), Maxine Wilson (Social Studies), and David Rutten (Current Supernovas team leader and the school's Students of the Quarter Coordinator - Science). All of us have taught together in various combinations over the years on several teams here at Leesville. ** We certainly enjoyed meeting some of the parents and students that showed up for the new students walk-through on July 2nd. We look forward to seeing the rest of you during our Track 4 open house in August.

HR>

(5) Recurring requirements:


**Quizzes/tests:Some form of major evaluation (quizzes/tests)will be conducted nearly every week.[Note: approx. Seven out of every nine weeks each quarter] You can normally expect them to be given on Fridays. Make-ups are given on Mondays and Tuesdays. Graded quizzes/tests are returned on Wednesdays or Thursdays (after make ups have been given). All tests must be taken home by students and have them signed by parents and returned to school. Although we would expect all students to share all quiz grades with their parents/guardians, I require that all quizzes with failing grades (less than 70%) must be signed and returned. Quick Drills occasionally are like "mini-pop quizzes" but most often are pre-tests. They are given one or more times a week. They are given for many reasons: encourage early studying for evaluations, determine weaknesses early, allow self-assessments by students to allow them to focus on specific areas prior to quizzes/tests, and allow an increased number of mini-evaluations throughout the quarter to reduce the number of high percentage,high-stakes evaluations. Although they can be "pop" in nature, they can always expect one the day before a quiz or test. The others can come at any time.


** Homework:

We encourage parent support of your child's home work progress; however, we continue to stress the importance of individual responsibility and independent work skills. Each student has received his own assignment notebook (agenda) and we expect all students to record accurate and detailed information about their assignments. We are already initialing a number of student agendas so parents can confirm assignments. These were initiated by parents that have instructed their child to come up to us and get our initials. We acknowledge their initiative to start this process early because they know it works if there is a system of incentives established at home that encourages this process.It is the student's responsibility to approach the teacher to get his/her initials. The agenda can also be used to exchange notes between school and the home.Homework is expected to be in the classroom at the bell. Most "Textbook work" requirements are placed on the board one to one and a half weeks at a time. However, these are normally just checked at the end of the 1 - 1 1/2 week for a single grade. Although this reduces the likelihood of homework everyday, all students are encouraged to keep pace by following the "date assigned" column that appears on the board. The due date will always appear in the homework box on the board in class at least 24-hours before the actual due date. Students that keep pace will never have a problem with the due date. Students that wait until the last minute will of course be in the panic mode the day before it is due. This year I have included "Student Flex Time that will allow students to reduce the amount of homework they have by giving them the opportunity to catch up or get ahead on classroom/homework requirements. Students that use this time effectively will greatly reduce homework time.



** Extra credit/Bonus points/etc.:

There are many opportunities for students to help improve their grades. At least two extra credit opportunities are provided each quarter to earn "Extra credit." Most involve a writing assignment of some sort;however, a few can be a simple matter of bringing something in that can help someone (donations to the food bank etc.) Extra credit is worth 100 "homework points". It can be used to replace "zeroes" or even to help raise a homework average to make-up for a poor quiz/test grade. This can be used for a "rainy day" or like an insurance policy. A student with a 100 homework average can end up with a homework average over 100 that can make up for any other "problem area(s)." I do not offer any "special request" extra credit chances. No extra credit can be requested just because a student did poorly on a quiz for example. All students must turn in the extra credit by the due date or wait until the next extra credit assignment is assigned. I also offer many bonus point opportunities on quizzes/ tests/ projects. These must be earned. Bonus points are normally awarded for something other than academic reasons. The focus for these points are to encourage positive character traits: turning in signed quizzes or interims on time, coming to class with the required/ instructed item(s), no tardies, low number "discipline points", extra effort, early turn-ins of projects, willing to accept challenges,etc. By paying attention and making an extra effort, students can help themselves.



Notebook/class preparation check:

Periodically there will be unannounced notebook/class prep checks. All students will be required to produce a variety of items that I expect them to have. These items can include notes, worksheets, lab reports, study cards, textbook work, study guides, other handouts, and required supplies,etc. I will schedule occasional notebook clean-out sessions. Until then, students are required to maintain all required items in their binder. The following items do not have to be maintained in the binder; however, I would recommend that you set up a file at home to maintain these: quizzes, tests, project notes, drafts, and other items that may be identified. The at home file is up to you however, they will not be maintained in the binder at school due to space limitations.

(6) General comments/class overview:

**A form that provided an overview of my class (major topics, grades, homework, etc)will be sent home during the first week of school. All students will be required to show the form to their parents, get it signed , return it to school, and then to keep it in their binder (as the first page of the science section). Some of the forms may not signed when checked during the first notebook check. Please ask your child for this so you can read and sign it prior to the second check.



**To meet state of North Carolina Curriculum requirements, we will be using four primary textbooks. Students will not be issued individual textbooks. Students will be using part of a classroom set during class activities. Students will be given access to an on-line version of our textbooks. Instructions will be sent home in the near future. Most students will be provided sufficient time to complete all assigned work that requires a textbook (during "Student Flex time". If necessary, students that do not have access to a computer will be allowed to check out books for a single evening at the end of the day. They will be required to return the textbook during homeroom the next day to ensure that sufficient copies of the book are available for all periods. Most students and parent liked this situation because of the large size of most new school textbooks and the extreme weight of taking multiple books home. We once again stress individual responsibility. If the students are responsible (plan, organize, make a serious effort) then the book issue has never been and will never be an issue.

**Discipline system: The team utilizes a team concept of discipline that is consistent with Wake County and LRMS policy. It ensures a consistent team policy and also encourages individual responsibility and self monitoring.  All students will go over the system, school, and team policies and procedures during the first week of school. All students took home forms and booklets to parents that outlined / highlighted these policies. Both student and parents were required to sign various pages. Please look over the school's policy in the student agenda / student handbook. The team policy allows for an intermediate team level consequence for student behavior (for many less serious infractions)rather than going directly to a school administrator. Serious infractions will receive a more rapid response by administrators.