Mr. Vagi’s Class Info Pack Welcome to 7th grade Social Studies, I am your teacher, Mr. Vagi. This year we will be studying ancient history from the “prehistoric” era through the year 1400. The following is an outline of the policies for my classes. It is necessary for each student to understand these policies, and that we work together in following them to ensure a fun and successful year.

I. Materials required: Some type of spiral bound notebook (due by Thursday), something to write with, folder, and an open mind. You must have these items every day.

II. Expectations: My expectations of you: 1. Follow ALL directions 2. Be prepared for class 3. Be respectful to others 4. Don’t interfere with others’ right to learn

Student expectations of me:

III. Reward System: There are a variety of ways that students can be rewarded in class for exhibiting outstanding behavior or for working extremely hard. Rewards include, but are not limited to: praise, tickets, 5 point awards, and Vagi Dollars.

Tickets: Tickets are given out during warm-up activities and discussions for good participation. All tickets will be put into a bin and periodically, names will be drawn for a prize.

Vagi Dollars: Vagi Dollars are given out for completing assignments, notebooks and outstanding work on projects. On “dollar days” you will be able to buy items from me such as candy, or other supplies. Sorry, dollars cannot be sold or traded. You are responsible for holding onto your dollars, and if one is lost I will not replace it. Any candy donations would be greatly appreciated and are worth extra credit!

5-Point Awards: 5-point awards are given for outstanding performance on tests, notebooks and for completing all work in a unit. When a student earns an “A” on a test, or improves over their last test by one full grade (ex. - C to a B), they will receive a 5 point award. Students who turn in their notebook complete and on time will earn a 5-point award. Awards can only be used on select assignments, and awards CANNOT be used on tests, projects, or notebooks.

IV. Daily Procedures Routines: Every day BEFORE CLASS BEGINS each student is expected to:  Turn in necessary homework  Have pencil sharpened  Take care of any “needs”  Prepare for the day’s lesson – have textbook and notebook open In order to promote success for all students, it is critical for everyone to follow these procedures. We will use the entire class period everyday, and when time is wasted, you are the one who is shortchanged and you will miss out on class time to finish work. Let’s make sure that we work together to achieve these goals.

Curriculum: We will be following the GLCE standards as identified by the state of Michigan.

Homework: Homework will be assigned as needed. We do not have predetermined homework days. It is expected that any homework assignment given will be turned in the next day, unless directed. Any late homework is an automatic 50% of what was earned on the assignment.

Quick Quizzes: Throughout a unit quick quizzes will be given to check for understanding. Each quiz will be worth 5 points, but the lowest score will be dropped when giving a final grade. For example, if a student scores 2, 5, 5, 4, the total score will be 14 out of 15, not 16 out of 20. The number of quizzes will change from unit to unit, as will the days they are given.

Notebooks: Your notebook is an important tool for success, so you must have a separate one for this class. Notebooks will be collected for a grade when we take a test. They are used in a variety of ways, from answering questions of the day and even allowing you to leave the classroom.

Passes: Each student is allowed 3 passes per card marking. IN ORDER TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM YOU MUST HAVE YOUR NOTEBOOK WITH YOU, ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Passes that are not used may be turned in for extra credit, but cannot be carried over to the next card marking. You may only use a pass when the time is appropriate. “Appropriate time” means – we are working individually, I am not teaching, etc.

Absences: Students are responsible for finding out what material was covered, including any notebook entries or quick quizzes. In the front of the room there is a calendar that displays all activities (topics covered, warm-ups, homework, etc) in the past 3 weeks. I am not responsible for making sure that you receive anything you have missed – it is the responsibility of the student to get what they need!!!

IV. Discipline: Consequences will vary based on the frequency and severity of the action, and are not limited to the following list

Some consequences for breaking classroom rules or policies may include: - Verbal warning - Behavior Journal - Conference with student after class - Phone call home - After school detention - Temporary removal from class - Referral to office

Each time a rule is broken, the student will lose their opportunity to spend dollars and have their name drawn from the ticket box

However, students will have an opportunity to regain these privileges by showing that they have an understanding of the problem and by improving their behavior.

Detentions: There are 2 different reasons a student can receive a detention. - Discipline detention: Given because of a classroom rules violation. - Homework detention: Given if you are falling behind during a unit. If you turn in the missing work before the detention date, you do not have to serve.

Substitute Teachers: Substitute teachers are to be treated with respect at all times. Failure to do so will result in a referral.

Citizenship: Citizenship grades are based not only on classroom behavior, but also on participation. V=outstanding, W=good, X=average, Y=below average, Z=poor. An “X” is average, which means you are quiet and respectful in class, but don’t participate much. In order to receive a “V” a student must be respectful to others, follow classroom rules, and contribute to the class by participating in discussions and/or by helping other students. Sitting in class like a church mouse will not earn you a “V”.

V. Grading Scale: Grading scales can be found throughout the classroom. Please take advantage of them. A+ 100 B+ 89-87 C+ 79-77 D+ 69-67 A 99-94 B 86-84 C 76-74 D 66-63 A- 93-90 B- 83-80 C- 73-70 D- 62-60 E 59 or below