Dear Students:
This paper outlines course expectations for your Consultant Biology Class for the 2008-2009school year. Please read it carefully because it is the “guts” of your science class. We are looking forward to a great year!!!
Course: Consultant Biology
Teachers: Mrs. Bolvin and Mrs. Ireland
Class goals: The goal of this course is for you to gain investigation skills and an understanding of living organisms and the factors that affect them.
Textbook: to be supplied as we go
The Website: You may find the expectations for this class and all the topics we cover at Mrs. Bolvin's Consultant Biology website. You will also find links for the readings supplied in class (in case you misplace yours), practice activities for the MLR's, links for more information about the topics we will cover and review sheets we will cover in Consultant biology. The address for the Consultant biology website is http://www.msad54.org/sahs/science/team1/ConsBio/Enter/conBioWS.htm
Materials to be brought to class daily: something to write with, finished homework
Academic Expectations:
1. All school and class rules will be followed. Discipline decisions will be made according to the student handbook. Since you do not have a textbook for this class, you are required to keep a bio class folder for this course. This is where you will store your reading packets, assignments that you haven’t finished, your notes you took in class, as well as any assignments that have been returned to you.
2. This paper should be the first paper in your bio class folder. We will fasten it to the inside of your folder since it is very important. Every now and then I will find out if you are keeping all of your papers by giving you a bio folder quiz. I will ask you to answer questions from notes I have given in class and ask you to give me papers you should have kept. The papers I may ask for is anything I have given you or you have produced (homework assignments, labs, diagrams, old tests, expectation sheets, etc.). If you put your papers in your bio class folder at the end of the day, it should be an easy 100!!!!
3. Be on time for class. Be ready to work, cooperate and contribute. Being prepared for class includes bringing all required materials.
4.
I really want you in class. Tardiness will not be accepted. You are given enough time to get from one class to another with a short visit to you locker between classes. You are not given enough time to socialize/ walk a significant other to class, stop to watch a fight, etc. These are not excuses to be late for class. If a teacher delays you on your way to class, get a pass from them. I will check it out at a more convenient time. If it is not legitimate you will be required to get a blue slip from the office that allows you to make up any work you have missed.
5.
Tardiness will be dealt with as outlined in the 2007-2008 Handbook. The punishment for tardiness will be:
First Tardy = |
15 minute detention with Mrs. Bolvin |
Second Tardy = |
30 minute detention with Mrs. Bolvin |
3rd and additional tardies = |
administrative detention |
6. If you are tardy to school but eventually arrive during class, you will be considered absent for the time you were missing from class. You will have to provide a blueslip from the office and will be subject to the makeup policy as outlined in #7.
7. Make up policy: You will be given 5 school days after you return from your absence to make up the work and present a blue slip. If the work is not made up or you have not given me a blue slip from the office in that time, you will receive a zero for the work. It is your responsibility to meet this deadline. The deadline for extended absences will be considered on a case by case basis.
8.
Late work: There are two kinds of work you will do in this class. They are: A) work I physically take from you and grade for accuracy and B) work I will check in class for attempted completion. The makeup policy is different for each type of work.
A) If you do not have an assignment I physically take from you when it is due, you have until the first bell rings the day after the assignment is due to turn it in without losing any points. If you do not turn the work in by the first bell in the morning, you then have 1 week to get it in. This work will be graded but will receive a 20% deduction in grade before I start grading it (instead of starting with a 100 you start with an 80). After 1 week, if the work is not turned in it will be recorded as a zero. You may not make up this work after 1 week.
B) The work I check for attempted completion during class must be done by the time I check it. If you do not have it, you will receive no credit. We usually go over this type of work in class the day I check it. It will do you no good to do it after the fact. You may not turn this work in late for credit.
10.
You are encouraged to get extra help during study hall or after school. I am usually available before school as well.
Behavioral Expectations:
1.
Respect for everyone in the classroom will be shown at all times. You usually get treated the way you treat other people. A mature and self-respecting person does not need to resort to put downs, interruptions and offensive jokes just to get attention.
2.
Please respect school property such as desks, walls, and lab equipment of all types. Do not write on the desks even with your eraser. You will have to wash all the desks in the room as well as all the countertops if you are caught.
3.
Follow all lab safety rules. Careless behavior and thoughtless actions that cause glassware breakage during lab will result in “dish duty”. More serious misbehavior may result in removal from lab and loss of lab credit. I do not hesitate to contact the office and/or parents if necessary.
4.
Inappropriate language (cussing) will not be tolerated.
5.
Gum chewing is a private experience, not to be shared with others. As long as I don’t see it, hear it, or smell it, you can do it. If gum chewing in anyway interferes with the learning process (gum stuck on furniture, bubble popping, etc.) gum chewing will not be allowed.
6. Having a little snicky snack is okay as long as I don’t have to clean up after you leave. If I start finding empty wrappers and bottles around the room, there will be no eating or drinking in class.
7.
Cell phones and pagers should be turned off and stored. You are in school to learn and cells phones and pagers are a distraction. The student handbook says cell phones are to be turned off and safely stored. If your phone rings during class, you will get a 30 minute detention for being a distraction to the learning process. You will not be allowed to take or make calls during my class. If you take or make a call during class from you cell phone, I will confiscate the phone until you have served a 60 minute detention.
Grading:
| Tests 30% | Homework * 30% |
| Labs and Projects 30% | Quizzes 10% |
* Homework that we go over in class will be checked for attempted completion before we talk about it in class. Grades will be given as follows:
Complete and on time 
+ = 95 out of 100 pts
Incomplete or late = 80
Extremely incomplete - = 65
No effort 0