Course Syllabus

9th Grade Biology

Mr. Lillywhite

Room 145

Email: julillywhite@dsdmail.net

Welcome to Fairfield Jr High! This year will be a great experience for your child as they enter the next stage in their education and I want to do everything in my power to help them succeed. This school year will provide new challenges and exciting changes for your student. If any concerns or questions arise, please contact me at my email. I usually can respond within 24 hours and will do everything I can to help your family have a great experience here at Fairfield Jr. 

Course Information

• Our class will follow the High School Biology curriculum from the Utah State Board of Education. During the year we will cover several topics such as forces in ecology, microbiology and genetics . These are exciting topics and will require work and dedication to fully understand these disciplines.
• As the school year continues, I will update information for the course on our Canvas  web page in order to keep everyone up to date with what we are studying. This is where you will find an up-to-date calendar for topics covered in class, as well as any assignments that your student may have.

Supplies for Class

• Spiral Notebook
• Chromebook
• Pencil/pen
• Calculator
• Coloring Pencils/Glue Stick
• Positive attitude
  

Grading Policy

• Grades are earned, not given. There is no reason for a student to fail this class if they are doing everything they can. The grading scale is as follows…
  
• 93-100 = A
• 90-93 = A-
• 86-89= B+
• 83-85 = B
• 79-82 = B-
• 75-79 = C+
• 71-74 = C
• 69-71 = C-
• 66-68 = D+
• 63-65 = D
• 59-62 = D-
• Below 59 = F
  

Class Policies

• Students are responsible for all class work completed during an absence. If the student is absent, it is the responsibility of the student to find out what assignment, quiz, test or activity that he/she has missed. I will work with students in order to make sure they are able to make up the work.
• Our class will follow district policy on video usage. All videos shown in class will be for an educational purpose to enhance student learning and understanding. 
• During our class we will have several opportunities to use different types of technology to enhance learning. This includes using student chromebooks for assignments and research projects on Canvas, reading scientific journals/articles and other general activities. We have a limited number of power outlets, so student chromebooks need to be charged before class.
• Cell phones are an incredible resource for learning, but they can also become a major distraction for students. Students are not allowed to have their cell phones out, unless given permission from the teacher, during class time. The consequences of misusing a cell phone in class includes…
• First Time: the student will receive a verbal warning from the teacher, and be asked to put the phone in their pocket/backpack.
• Second Time: the teacher will confiscate the phone for the remainder of the class period, and the student may pick it up on their way out of class.
• Third Time: the teacher will confiscate the phone, and set up a meeting with the student’s parent/guardian.

Class Rules

• Respect the Teacher - Respect Others - Respect Yourself
• Be on time, prepared and ready to work.
• No disruptive behavior in class. This means staying at your desk and respecting other students’ personal space.

Attendance Policy

• Our class will follow the district and school policy for attendance and tardiness. Each student needs to be in their seat with their class materials when the bell rings. If they are not, they will be marked tardy for the day. In accordance with district policy, excessive tardies may result in a student’s citizenship score being lowered. Extra consideration will be given for the adjustments the school has made for the current health issues.
• After a student is tardy 4 times in a single term, the citizenship grade will drop to an “N” (needs improvement).
• After a student is tardy 5 times in a single term, the citizenship grade will drop to an “U” (unsatisfactory).
• Students can improve their citizenship score by meeting with the teacher and setting personal goals to improve their attendance.

Late Work

• Late work is any assignment that is turned in after 3:00pm on the day it is due. Students will have a maximum of three weeks to submit missing work on Canvas, after which the assignment will no longer be available for credit.  All assignments will lose 5% of the total points for each day that the assignment is submitted after the due date. Students are encouraged to make every effort to turn in assignments on time to avoid losing points. Late work will be recorded as soon as possible once I receive it.
• Assignments are worth 100% on the day they are due in class.
• Assignments will lose 5% of their total points for each day they are submitted late for a maximum score of 50%.
• Assignments may be turned in late for up to three weeks after the original due date.