Ms. T.
Atwell
Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School
Room 219
[email protected]
English III Syllabus
Course Objectives
The purpose of this course is to challenge students to understand and make connections to the
social and real world applications of English Language Arts. Students will have the opportunity to
identify and employ a variety of vocabulary, read many different types and genres of text, and
improve their writing skills. The English III curriculum focuses on American literature, and allows
students to deepen their understanding of how history, the human condition, and art intersect.
Student Involvement
As upperclassmen in their Junior year, students will have greater expectations for behavior and
quality of work and will also take on more responsibility as they prepare to enter post-secondary
education and careers in the near future. Instructional strategies have been chosen with student
success in mind. Therefore, I expect each of my students to be an active participant in their own
educational success. Our classroom should be viewed as a “community of learners” where students’
opinions are valued. The majority of activities and assignments are student-centered rather than
teacher-centered, so active participation in class is the foundation on which a student’s academic
success is built.
Guardian Involvement
I strongly encourage my students to share what we are doing in class with their parents/guardians
because it enhances a student’s understanding when they have someone with whom they can
discuss challenging material at home. If you ever have any questions about what we are covering in
class, please reach out.
Expectations for Work Ethic
In order for each of my students to consistently exceed expectations and never settle for
mediocrity, I expect each of my students to...
● be prepared with materials and completed assignments
● be respectful and on time,
● be an active participant in the quest for academic excellence and in contributing to a
positive classroom and school environment, and
● be willing to seek clarity/ask for help as needed.
● maintain their own record of class work, homework, and graded papers.
Attendance is VITAL for success in this class! Each student’s presence, preparedness, and
punctuality is both imperative and non-negotiable. Some absences, even when excused, count
against exam exemptions.
Tardies
Once the bell rings, my classroom door closes. If tardy to class, you are responsible for logging your
tardy in the tardy log which can be found at the front of the classroom. Tardies do not excuse a
student from the Bell Ringer; quickly and quietly get settled and begin working to get caught up.
Missing the first 20 minutes of 1A/5B or the first 10 minutes of all other class periods will result in a
partial day absence and will count against exam exemptions. Tardies from lunch also count! You
must be inside of the classroom no later than 1:12pm or you will be marked tardy.
Absences
Upon returning to class after an absence, please log your absence(s) on the sheet at the front of the
classroom. This will require making a tutorial appointment to gather missed assignments and
lesson material.
MakeUp Work
For every day of an excused absence, a student is given one day to make up work. Makeup work is
the student’s responsibility. Upon returning from an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to
schedule a date to attend a makeup tutorial during which missed assignments/ materials as well as
instruction will be provided. This cannot happen during class! Checking, retrieving, and submitting
makeup work by the designated deadline is the student’s responsibility.
★ If a student has an excused absence on the day a major assignment is due, every effort should
be made to get that assignment to the teacher on the due date.
★ If a student is in attendance at school any part of the day a major assignment is due, the
student will be expected to turn in the assignment that day.
★ If a student is absent because of an approved field trip or other pre-planned event, that
major assignment is expected to be submitted before the absence.
★ If a student is absent on a day when a quiz or test is scheduled, the student will be expected
to take the quiz or test the class period they return.
★ When aware of an absence in advance, the student should see the teacher beforehand to
make arrangements.
★ If a student does not make arrangements for makeup work and/or fails to complete the work
in the allotted time, a zero will be recorded for the work involved.
★ LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Extenuating circumstances will be handled on an
individual basis.
DBtC – Devices Brought to Class
Upon entering our learning environment, students will place their cell phones and/or electronic
devices in the designated, secure location. Cell phones and/or electronic devices will remain in
specified location until the end of the class period. Failure to comply will result in the cell phone
and/or electronic device being confiscated and turned into the Front Office.
Grading Policy
Grades are weighted. A weighted grade is merely the average of a set of grades. This set of grades is
broken into categories that are then calculated in order to determine a student’s final grade.
All grades are equal, but some assignments will count two or three times. That is why my gradebook
only has the category of “Classwork”. Everything we do falls into that 80%. However, the six-week
exam is worth 20% because it is an extremely important part of the total average. Process essays will
receive multiple grades and are therefore vital to success in class.Ultimately, consistent and quality
hard work will be key in securing academic success in this course.
Grades will be calculated as follows:
All assignments , including Daily Work/Classwork, Homework, Journals, and Quizzes account for 80%
of your grade.
This means that every assignment is equally important to your grade, so don’t slack off on any one assignment!
Six Weeks Assessment (tests or projects) is worth 20% of your grade.
Assessments will occur at the completion of each six weeks and will assess reading comprehension, writing
fluency, mastery of skills and knowledge, and grammar progress.
Academic Integrity
It is the responsibility of each student to adhere to a high code of honor and integrity. Our class
should have an atmosphere of trust, comfort, and openness where learning takes place. This
relationship of mutual respect amongst students and between students and teachers requires
honesty in all situations. Should cheating and/or plagiarism occur, Poteet High School’s Academic
Dishonesty policy** will be enforced.
**Refer to Poteet High School’s Plagiarism Contract.
Tutoring
Be courageous when it comes to academics. In order to ensure understanding, I strongly encourage
each student to seek clarity from me and/or another classmate when confused or unsure.
Tutorials are offered both before school (M, W, F 8:00-8:30am) and after school (W 4:00 - 4:30pm)*.
It is an expectation that all tutorial appointments scheduled are kept. Due to meetings and the
potential for personal conflicts, I prefer that appointments be made, especially for after school
tutoring. In the event that an appointment cannot be kept, be sure to let Ms. Atwell know in
advance; an opportunity to reschedule will be granted.
*Please note: Afternoon tutoring is flexible as long as students are communicative.
Food and Drink
Students, please enjoy your food and snacks outside of class. Bottled water is permitted. Let’s keep
our learning environment a clean, SAFE, and bug-free zone! Exceptions will be made for special
occasions and will be discussed in advance.
Restroom Breaks
Students will be permitted to leave class for restroom breaks as needed with the use of the
Classroom Restroom Pass. However, abusing the use of this hall pass (this includes wandering or
loitering in the hall) will result in disciplinary action and loss of privileges . The first 45 minutes of
class is reserved for instruction (also known as Prime Time), so students may not leave class during
that time in any class. It is always best for students to use the restroom between classes or during
the lunch period to avoid missing valuable class time.
Online Classroom
In order to lower the use of copier and paper, selected assignments will be placed on Google
Classroom or Seesaw. In an event where a student is unable to access these online components,
students may come to tutorials for a Chromebook or check one out from the library before or after
school.
Academic success is possible for those who are willing to work hard to achieve it.
Let’s start the year off #POTEETSTRONG.
