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(last name, first name: please print legibly)
English Department Standards (2015-16)
Students should keep a copy of these standards in their notebooks. English teachers will collect
and save a signed copy.
Make-up work
All students have up to three school days to complete assignments missed because of an excused
absence. In case of prolonged absence, the teacher will determine the due date. Unless the
teacher grants an extension, long-term assignments, including essays, will be due the day the
student returns from an absence, provided that the teacher has given at least a one-week advance
notice of the due date.
If a student is in the building at any time during the day an assignment is due, the assignment
must be turned in on time. This include students who have guidance appointments, are going on
field trips, have SGA meetings, or have any other appointments or meetings that prevent them
from attending their English class the day an assignment is due.
Students are responsible for scheduling make-up tests or quizzes. Students with unexcused
absences will earn no credit for work due on the day of the absence.
Late assignments
Late papers and other assignments, including oral presentations, are assessed a penalty of one
letter grade or 10 percent if submitted after the due date and by the deadline. Student work
submitted by the deadline and meeting minimum standards as defined by the teacher will earn a
grade of no lower than 50 percent. Work not completed by the deadline, or not meeting
minimum standards, will earn a zero.
 Homework assignments are accepted late only at the discretion of the individual teacher.
 Computers and printers are available at school for student use.
Submitting assignments to Turnitin
To earn full credit students must submit an assigned paper to turnitin.com by 7:25 a.m. on the
due date and hand in a hard copy of the assignment at the start of the class period. Failure to
complete either may result in a five percent deduction. Failure to complete both steps will result
in a ten percent deduction.
 Grade level teams will determine any additional penalties for failure to submit a hard
copy to the teacher or an electronic copy to turnitin.com after the deadline.
 Individual teachers may opt to accept papers only by electronic submission to
turnitin.com.
Grading
Each grade level team of teachers will assign category weights for assignments and will
determine which assignments are available for reassessment.
Plagiarism
According to The American Heritage Dictionary, to plagiarize is “to use and pass off as one’s
own (the writings or ideas of another).” As our Research Paper Procedure manual notes, “Even
when it is unintentional, presenting someone else’s thoughts, ideas, expressions, or information
without proper acknowledgment of the source is an act of academic dishonesty.”
Plagiarism can occur in writing, video, and other media assignments; with journal assignments or
homework assignments copied from another student or source; and with assignments submitted
for another course. It is also an act of plagiarism to help other students plagiarize by sharing
work or allowing another student to copy an assignment.
Note: Students wishing to submit any part of any assignment they’ve previously submitted—
for their current class or for another class—must obtain the teacher’s prior approval.
English teachers consider plagiarism unacceptable and take seriously their responsibility to
uphold academic honesty. Assignments that contain plagiarism will earn a zero with no
opportunity to redo for credit—regardless of intent and even if the plagiarized material accounts
for a small percentage of the entire paper.
Points will be deducted when there is clear evidence that the student was attempting to document
a source but did so carelessly. Examples include
 failure to follow MLA format in citing sources
 failure to use quotation marks to indicate a direct quote even though a source is cited
 failure to include on a Works Cited page a source cited in the paper
 inadequate paraphrasing where a source is clearly cited
Expectations
English teachers expect all students—whether in on-level, honors or AP classes—to work hard
and make as much progress each year as possible. We encourage students who need clarification
on an assignment or additional support to approach us for help or go to the Writing Center at
lunch or after school. Students or parents with concerns about an English class should contact the
teacher. For more general questions or concerns, contact resource teacher Linda Leslie.
Student name (print): ___________________________________________________
Student signature:
___________________________________________________
Parent / guardian name (print): ___________________________________________
Parent / guardian signature:
___________________________________________