Moore High School
300 North Eastern Avenue
Moore, Oklahoma 73160
(405) 735-4700
Mr. Ishmael Kissinger
(Coach K)
Competitive Debate & Speech Instructor
Email: TBA
Web site: www.mooreschools.com/mhs > School Staff > Kissinger, Ishmael
Welcome to Moore High School!
Required Materials:
1. 2” Notebook/Binder with 5 dividers
2. Pencils / Pens
3. Student ID - EVERY DAY!
4. Dress clothes for competition (this should be
business attire)
5. One Digital Egg Timer – must have a seconds
function.
Classroom Expectations (AKA “The Rules”):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Follow all guidelines and regulations as set forth in the Student Handbook.
Be on time to class.
Be prepared for class (pencils, paper, books, assignments, agenda, ID, attitude, etc.).
Be courteous and respectful to peers, teachers, staff, visitors, and administrators.
Smile! You’ve made it this far; you can handle the rest!
Students will be asked to sign a discipline book for each classroom disruption or misbehavior
incident, including sleeping, not staying on task, excessive tardies, and talking. Upon signing the
book for the third time in one week, students will serve detention either before or after school.
Students will sign up for an appointment to serve their detention within a week of the third
infraction. Any disruption or incident after the third time in one week automatically warrants a
referral to your principal. Each week the students start out fresh as far as signing the book;
however, students will be allowed only three detentions for me before being referred to their
principal. As always, extreme disruptions or misbehavior will result in an automatic referral.
Signing the book – weekly:
1st infraction
2nd infraction
3rd infraction = detention
4th or more = referral
Detentions – 3 “strikes” per semester
1st – detention for Mr. Kissinger
2nd – detention for Mr. Kissinger
3rd – detention for Mr. Kissinger
4th – referral
Classroom Procedures: We work bell to bell. Students may not get ready to leave until the bell rings.
Bell Work:
Every day students need to complete the work on the board or overhead as
soon as they enter the classroom. Each day we will do about 5 – 15
minutes of exercises related to the bell work. It will be randomly checked
for completion.
Binder:
Every student should have a 2 inch three ring binder with 5 dividers. The
sections should be labeled in the following order: Bellwork, Notes,
Quizzes & Tests, LD Cases and Research, Extemporaneous Speeches, and
the syllabus goes in the very front of the binder.
Uh-Ohs:
Students are given more than enough time to get to and from classes
between bells. Students need to plan accordingly. If students think they
do not have time to run to their lockers between classes, then he or she
should take all supplies for classes. Likewise, students should plan
bathroom trips before school, during lunch, or when classes are located
closer together. However, on occasion, everyone forgets something for
class or genuinely needs to use the restroom. Because of this, students are
allowed 3 uh-ohs a semester. These are 3 “freebies” when they may run
back to their locker or run to the restroom. After these 3 freebies, if the
classroom situation allows for it, they may be allowed to leave class but
will be expected to make-up the class time in 10 minute appointments
either before or after school. Anytime a student needs to leave, he or she
needs to sign out at the back of the room, putting the time leaving class,
intended destination, and the time returned to class.
Tardies:
Tardies are discipline issues. Everyone is expected to be in his or her seat
working on bell work when the bell rings. When a student is tardy, he or
she needs to sign in the discipline book. If the student is tardy but has a
pass, go ahead and sign the book, put “excused” as the reason, and leave
the pass in the discipline book. If the pass is not left, it will be considered
unexcused. Students who are more than five minutes late are absent, and
two tardies equals one absence. After 10 absences, students do not receive
credit for the course.
Grading:
A = 100% – 90%
B = 89% – 80%
C = 79% – 70%
D = 69% – 60%
F = 59% and
below
Borderline grades (89.5%, 79.8%, 69.4%, etc.) will only be rounded up if attendance is
good and there are no zeros. Points will be given for assignments and participation in
class discussions and activities. Please note that participation is more than just being in
class. Major assignments will have a grading rubric, so students will know how they will
be graded, but for the most part, exams, cases and major assignments will be worth at
least 200 points. Most other assignments will be worth 100 points unless otherwise noted
at the time. Assignments with low grades will need to be corrected and turned back in to
receive a grade. Students whose grade falls below a 65% will be required to attend
tutoring during lunch. SEMESTER EXAM = 10%, Essays/Exams/Projects = 40% &
Daily Work = 50% of semester grade
Assignments:
Assignments may include essays, journals, quizzes, projects (group and
individual), oral presentations, exams, and reading, lots of reading. Students
should keep ALL graded work that is returned to them in their binder. It will be
used as a study guide for the semester exams.
Homework:
Students will have homework if they do not complete their assignments in class.
Frequently, students will have to work on some assignments outside of class,
including research.
Make-up work:
Students will have two days for every one day that they are absent to make-up
work (this is double what the school suggests). Extensions can be granted in
special circumstances but must be cleared with Mr. Kissinger before the due date.
It is the student’s responsibility to ask for make-up work between classes, before
school, after school, or at lunch—not during class. Most worksheets and handouts
can be found in the make-up folder.
Late work:
All work is due on the due date. Any work turned in late will lose 25% for every
day late. Exceptions will be made for absences and special circumstances that
have been cleared with Mr. Kissinger before the due date. Please note:
Assignments whose deadlines have been announced ahead of time will be due on
the date announced regardless of students’ attendance. Students will be responsible
for emailing assignments, sending them with a friend, or having them sent to the
office on the day they are due even if they are absent. For school activity related
absences, students must ask for their assignments before the event. Bottom line—if
you do not do the work, you will not pass the tests because you will not know the
information.
Extra Credit:
There will also be other various cultural events, contests, or other enrichment
opportunities to receive extra credit. Mr. Kissinger will announce those as they
become available. Students with zeros from academic dishonesty will not be
allowed to receive extra credit points during the six weeks in which the academic
dishonesty occurs.