Classroom Policies

A policy is defined as a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency and facility. In other words, policies provide you with definite directions on what to do given different scenarios. Just like at home you may have a "No shoes in the house" policy, Room 35 has its own set of policies that help guide your behavior and actions in order to maintain a Respectful, Responsible and Safe environment.

Technology Policy

Technology in my classroom is ubiquitous. However, understand that its use is a privilege, not a right. Abide by the AUP and work only on your assigned device to keep your privilege of using technology in my class.

Cell phones: Personal cell phone use in the classroom is allowed on occasion and only for educational purposes. For example, I may suggest that you take a picture of an experiment or project, give you the choice to use your personal phone as a "clicker" to respond during a class discussion, or even to add ideas to an electronic billboard prepared by me for classroom use. However, you may only use your cellphone during class when I state specifically that it is OK to do so. Cellphones that are on, ring or vibrate or visible at any other times may be confiscated.

Absence Policy

You are expected to make every effort to be in class every day. In my classroom, most of the work assigned to you is done in groups, and just like you do not want to "do all the work", your group members do not want to do the work for you. The success of your group hinges on everyone's participation. However, there may be a time or two when you are too sick to come to school. In those cases, you are required to do the following:

Log on to Schoolloop and check on/do any assignment posted there. Being absent does not excuse you from submitting assignments on time.
If you are in the middle of project work, contact your teammates (through Google Classroom or by opening any shared documents you may be working on), and work on your assigned portion.
Weekly assignments (such as blogs, grade reflections, portfolio work, and Rocketlit readings) are still due. If you are absent for a whole week, you can write an Article blog. Not having a blog post for a week you were absent is not an option.

Homework Policy

I seldom give out daily homework. However, this does not mean you do not have any work to do at home, but rather that you are in control of assigning your own homework. Your homework could be re-doing any work that you did not finish in class or that you want to re-submit for a better grade, any research for a project that you know you need to complete in order to be prepared for class or even work assigned to you by your team members. Be mindful of due dates. The more efficiently and diligently you work in class, the less you will have to do at home.

All Science students are expected to complete a weekly blog. This blog is due every Sunday at midnight.

All Science students are expected to complete a Rocketlit assignment weekly. Rocketlit is always due by 2:30 on Fridays.

All Engineering students are expected to complete a grade reflection and "What's going on in this graph" assignment every Wednesday during class. Being absent does not excuse you from completing both those assignments at home.

Late Work - Once a zero, always a zero

Late work is not accepted. Understand that turning in work on time is a valuable life skill and that in the world outside our classroom walls, not completing work on time carries severe penalties. A thorough explanation of what to do to avoid the "Once a zero, always a zero policy" can be found by clicking Grading on the home page.

Bathroom Policy

The appropriate time to use the restroom is before and after school, during break or lunch. If you "feel the call of nature" during class, you may request to use the facilities. Permission to leave the classroom will only be granted if:

You are working independently or during group work. If I am in the middle of giving directions, talking to the whole class (i.e. giving a lecture) or you interrupt a whole class discussion to ask to go, you will be reminded to wait until a more appropriate time.
No other student has left the room and you are not a habitual "need to go" every day while in my class.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting and claiming words, ideas, data, programming code or creations of others as one's own. Plagiarism may be intentional - as in copy/pasting directly from a source - or unintentional - as in not documenting your sources. Presenting ideas in the exact or near-exact wording as found in source material constitutes plagiarism. So is patch-writing - changing a few words or phrases without in-text citation. Work that is plagiarized (whether intentionally or unintentionally) will receive a zero and is subject to the "Once a zero, always a zero policy".