Lesson #1

Begin With The End In Mind

Envision yourself sitting at your

graduation, surrounded by your friends,

family watching from the bleachers...

Can you see it?

This is not an easy thing to do today, but we did it. We set aside the uncertainties of the last few months and we imagined ourselves planning with excitement and hope.

With the help of David McCullough, Ellen, and Denzel, we can see that the future can again be as we want it to be...

THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE

THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE

ONE MESSAGE OF HOPE

Be Special. Be Yourself.

Love Yourself.

Silence the voices that say, "You can't."

Forge Your Own Path.

Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.

Dreams without goals are just dreams.

Don't Fall Back on Anything But Your Faith...

Fall Forward.

~~~~~

Supplies:

¯\(o_o)/¯ Before March 2020:

folder, Binder w/5 sections, pen, pencil, looseleaf, agenda, index cards...

~(°-°)~ After March 2020:

laptop, charger, earbuds, Google Drive English Folder w/5 subfolders

*Google Keep (linked here) is like an agenda where students can keep track of assignments and To Do lists.

Syllabus: Links--> Grade 9 ~ Grade 10 ~ Today's Writer

Details in syllabus & outlined below: Grading, Class Apps & Websites, Attendance, Lateness, Missing Assignments, HW, Textbooks, Class Notes, Contact Information

REMIND: Please take a moment to Sign Up on the PARENTS' REMIND. Codes for 9th, 10th, and Today's Writer are on the last page of each Syllabus.

Classroom Behavior Expectations:

Please Note: I am and always have been fair and flexible in my classroom. With the MANY changes that have occurred, I ask parents and students to be open to rules and policy changes as we make our way through these first weeks and months. I have a very organized routine in place. I make allowances for students to work at their own pace within reasonable timeframes. I respect students and take their daily hustle and bustle into consideration and try to make our time together worthwhile and enjoyable. I expect students to comply with school rules and seek to contribute to the classroom culture I have established.

That being said...

-Masks have made everything a bit more challenging. For this reason I have asked that students not wear hoods and if they choose to wear a hat, I must be able to see their eyes. I would prefer students to NOT wear hats in class.

-Please reinforce putting HEAD DOWN ON DESK is not acceptable---ESPECIALLY NOW.

-Cell phone use is still NOT permitted during class. Beginning October 1, I will enforce the MPHS cellphone rule on cell phones in the classroom. Excessive use (sneaking or otherwise) will result in the of the cell phone until 1:52, whereby students will retrieve it in the main office.

-EARBUDS/AIRPODS ARE BECOMING AN ISSUE. *Students should have a pair of earbuds with them each day, but it is not meant to be used to watch YouTube videos during class. *I will be able to supply students with one pair on a need basis.

-Manners, courtesy, kindness - thankfully, these expectations have not changed.

-MPHS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY IS IN PLAY EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY. Keeping students on task and OFF irrelevant websites, games, videos, etc. is yet another challenge. YouTube is only for use during a lesson where a specific link is provided. (Ctrl + H will show your student's browsing history. )

Bathroom Use: Room 104 students are to use the bathroom outside room 106/107 and NOT the cafeteria location. The English hall location is open periods 1-9, therefore journeying to the cafeteria may be perceived as a want, rather than a need.

Homework: As a standing rule and practice, if classwork is not completed during class, it is HW.

Students must pay attention to due dates. They are always printed on assignments and visible on posted assignments. TBA or No Due Date means one will be set as soon as we determine a reasonable amount of time.

Students must be proactive with due dates, assignments, tests/quizzes, questions,

projects, anticipated absences, concerns, and any other time sensitive matter.

REMIND allows students to contact me prior to a due date.