Click here for a printable version of these guidelines.
Don’t forget to have your parents read this along with your class syllabus and sign the Student/Parent Agreement
(A.P. Students and Parents use the A.P. Student/Parent Agreement)
Please also read the Code of Academic Integrity
Mr. Portenga's Classroom Guidelines
School Phone: (616) 850-6172 School Email: portengaa@ghaps.org Home Email: aaronportenga@gmail.com
Classroom Procedures:
- All of the following can be summed up in one simple phrase & two key ideas: “You will not do anything that will prevent me from teaching or prevent others in class from learning.” Everyone will treat each other with RESPECT & following the GOLDEN RULE.
- Have RESPECT for yourself, your teacher & classmates as well as others’ property. Be courteous to the teacher and one another and use “please” and “thank you” and when making a request. It is okay to disagree with people in the room as long as it is in a civilized and respectful manner.
- Absolutely NO put downs or derogatory remarks about race, religion, social class, or sexual orientation.
- Do not talk while the teacher or a classmate is talking. Raise your hand and wait to be called on. When in doubt whether to do something or not, raise your hand and ask.
- You are expected to pay attention daily in class. Putting your head down, sleeping, doing work for other classes, drawing, etc. will not be accepted. If you choose to do so, you may lose class points in addition to being squirted with our “Wake Up!” water sprayer.
- Be on time and prepared for class. Bring all necessary materials to class such as your text, writing utensils, homework, etc. If you forget, borrow from someone in the class. Remember, no backpacks allowed in the classroom.
- CELL PHONE USE: Please do not take out your cell phones during class. It is school policy that they remain in your locker. Research shows the human brain is really only good at paying attention to one thing at a time. Texting during class distracts you from learning and interacting face to face with others. If I see a cell phone out, I will take it and you can get it back at the end of the class period. Habitual offenders may lose class points off their grade or have your cell phone taken for the school day.
- EAR BUDS: Please take them out while instruction is taking place. If there is time to work independently on an assignment or project, you will be allowed to use them to listen to music. Whenever the teacher or a student is presenting, you should be listening with BOTH ears.
- Please wait till an appropriate time in class to sharpen pencils or throw things away. While I am explaining something is not the time to do this.
- At the beginning of class, you are to promptly and quietly do the “warm-up” question(s)/activitie(s) on the board without being asked. This will consist of an exercise or questions pertaining to the material studied in class. These will be collected and must be completed correctly with full sentence answers in order for you to not lose any class participation points.
- There are times in class when we will be working in groups. When I need your attention I may ring my cowbell to “herd” you together. When you hear this, please end your conversation and look to me for your next instructions.
- The teacher dismisses class. If we are still going over information in the final minutes of class please pay attention! Please do not pack up and line up at the door before the bell.
- Failure to follow the above procedures and our social contract may result in a two-point deduction from your class work grade in class for each repeating offence.
- In the end, when in doubt follow the Golden Rule: Treat others how you want to be treated! – with RESPECT
*Remember: When I’m happy, you’re happy and when you’re happy, I’m happy. Follow these simple guidelines and we’ll both be happy.
Homework Policy:
- You are responsible for completing homework, as I will collect or check homework at my own discretion. If readings are assigned, then it is your responsibility to read and check for understanding the following class period. Homework assignments will always be posted on the board and online. Please put your first and last name, due date and the class period on all your assignments. Full credit is NOT given for incomplete assignments or assignments turned in later in the hour after they were collected or checked. Remember, people that consistently do the homework for this class usually pass the class with a respectable grade.
- AP Students that have an A or A- in the class at the halfway point of the 1st Semester can opt into the Homework Waiver. This allows students to have their grade based solely on tests, quizzes, class work and projects. All daily homework assignments (example: taking notes) will be excused and count neither for nor against the student's grade. Parents must agree to allow you to take this option and it is not reversible once chosen. You can decide to continue at the start of 2nd Semester.
What if my homework is late?
- Late assignments will NOT be accepted in A.P. Classes however, students will receive TWO Late Assignment Coupons that can be used to turn in a late assignment the next day for FULL credit. Be sure to keep up with your assignments and use the class website to check on your nightly assignments and due dates. See “Attendance” for what the policy is when you are absent.
Extra Credit:
- Extra credit assignments will sometimes be available during the marking period. Only students that have shown a consistent effort in completing assignments will be allowed to use extra credit to benefit their grade. Extra credit is limited to 3 points per unit and can be added to assignments, projects, class points or quiz scores only.
- Test Corrections can be made using our test corrections worksheet and test corrections analysis questions found in class. You have approximately 5 days from the day of the test to make corrections on your test and they can only be done during lunch or before or after school. You are awarded 1/4 point for each correction made to your test.
- Attendance BONUS: If you are never absent for a test day, you will receive a 5 point bonus on the EXAM. Unused bathroom passes and homework passes can be turned in for a one point point bonus each on a past quiz at the end of a semester.
Attendance:
- If you are absent and it is excused, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and obtain the assignments from the class website. Extra copies of handouts will be available on the counter in the appropriate file box and can be downloaded online at portengaclasses.com. Please use the website to find out past warm-ups and class activities that you’ve missed. It is your responsibility to pick up items that you’ve missed and complete them on your own time. You will need to make arrangements with me to make up quizzes, tests or labs. A reasonable time to make up work is two days per every day you missed. If that time period is exceeded, the makeup work will NOT be accepted as on time and will be scored a zero. An unexcused absence automatically results in a zero for the day’s assignment. If absent the day before an assignment due date, quiz, or test, you are expected to turn in the assignment or take the test on its assigned date. You do NOT get an extra day to prepare for a test or finish your project. If absent for a test or quiz day or major assignment due date, you must take the test or turn in the assignment the day you return. Please be sure to see me at the beginning of the class to make up a quiz or test.
- If you are here for each test day throughout the semester, you will receive a 5 point bonus on your exam and be allowed to do test corrections. Missing a test day for any reason will result in forfeiting this bonus as the advantage you've received is that of getting extra time to prepare for the test.
Permission to Leave Class:
- It has been my unfortunate experience that students often take advantage of the privilege to leave the classroom causing them to miss important parts of class. It is imperative to your learning that you are in class, paying attention each day with minimal distractions. For this reason, you are given two passes to leave class per semester. These can be used for the bathroom or to get something you need for class from a locker or another classroom. Passes not used at the end of a semester can be turned in for an extra credit point per pass on a quiz of your choice. Students with special health issues that require leaving class more than this, can make arrangements with Mr. P.
Tests, quizzes and assignments:
- Expect periodic pop quizzes on homework, readings and what we covered the previous day. Tests will be fill-in-the-blank, short answer, multiple choice, and essay questions and will many times be done online in class. In general level classes, review sheets are may be handed out before the test to help you study (A.P. students use our website, their notes and their study outlines). They are completed using your textbook, old homework and class notes so be sure to keep your old assignments and notes at least until after the test date or exam.
- See “Attendance” for the policy of being absent the day before or of a test or assignment due date.
Grading:
- NON-AP Courses: Your final grade will be calculated as follows. Assignments/Note Taking/Homework/Projects are worth 40%, Quizzes are worth 20%, and Tests are worth 40%.
- AP Course: Your final grade will be calculated as follows. Assignments/Note Taking/Homework are worth 15%, Class Work/Formative Assessmentrs are worth 5%, In-Class Quizzes are worth 20%, and Tests and major projects are worth 60%.
- 2nd Semester AP Exam: Students taking the AP Exam for the College Board to get college credit for this course do NOT need to take a 2nd Semester exam for the class unless they would like to in an attempt to raise their semester grade or have gone over 9 absences. Students who elect to NOT take the AP Exam for college credit will be required to take an exam for the class regardless of the senior exam waiver. They will take this exam on the same day their classmates take the AP Exam for college credit. It will be an AP Exam formerly released by the College Board and graded in a similar fashion to the College Board Exam with a 5 = A, 4 = B, 3 = C, 2 = D, 1 = F.
- Grades will be posted weekly in class by student ID number and are available on the Internet in the “Parent” section at www.ghaps.org. The grading scale each marking period is as follows:
- A = 92-100 B = 82-87 C = 72-77 D = 62-67
- A- = 90-91 B- = 80-81 C- = 70-71 D- = 60-61
- B+ = 88-89 C+ = 78-79 D+ = 68-69 F = 59 or less
- Your Trimester grade is calculated as follows:
- 80% Marking Period
- 20% Final Exam
Cheating and/or Plagiarism:
- Cheating in any form is not tolerated. This includes using another student’s homework to complete your own, looking at another person’s test or quiz, using a cell phone to copy or look up answers, etc… If I suspect that cheating has occurred or is intended, you will receive a zero on the test, quiz or assignment. No exceptions. Second offenses will be dealt with according to your student handbook and will result in your failure and removal from the class.
Damage to Textbooks:
- If a textbook is lost or damaged, the student is required to pay for the textbook and/or damage. Prices are as follows.
- DAMAGES:
- Damaged Cover or Writing in the Text $5
- Torn Binding $10
- If you lose a textbook or studyguide and want to avoid paying the below prices, you can often find a good used copy on Amazon.com for under the new price below to replace it with. Be sure to look for the Myers A.P. 2nd edition so it matches our classroom set. This is also a good option if you would like your own copy to write or highlight in throughout the year.
