COURSE OVERVIEW
AND
EXPECTATIONS
MR. MICHAEL DOW
ALGEBRA 1A
FORT BRAGG HIGH SCHOOL
ROOM F102
Phone: 961-2880 x 3750
E-mail: mdow@fbusd.us
Welcome back to school! I hope that you enjoy your math class this year. The skills and mathematics that you will learn
over the course of this year will prepare you for any future you may end up with…including ones you don’t know are
options for you, and ones that haven’t even been invented yet! The material will range from easy to very challenging, for
you and your classmates…sometimes you will find it easy and they will find it hard, or vice versa. Please be respectful
and be helpful.
Textbook:
Each student is assigned a CGP “California Algebra I” textbook at the beginning of the school year, which must be
returned at the end of the year. You must turn in the book with the barcode you were assigned. Lost or damaged books
incur fees. Please be careful with your book, and don’t accidentally switch books with someone!
Grades:
Classwork (20% of grade):
Classwork will be problems from the textbook, weekly warm-up sheets, supplemental worksheets, pages from the
workbook, notebook checks, etc.
Homework (25% of grade):
Homework comes mainly in the form of pages from the workbook, textbook, and from supplemental worksheets. USE
PENCIL ONLY. Small quantities of homework should be expected and is graded on effort and the number of problems
attempted. Homework is checked the following day unless otherwise stated, and will be turned in the following Monday.
Quizzes (25% of grade):
Quizzes will be short response, fill-in, and multiple-choice and will normally be on Fridays. You will be given additional
practice after the quizzes to help keep you fresh on older topics.
Exams (30% of grade):
After completing a unit of instruction you will have an exam covering all of the topics that we have studied. Tests will be
composed of free response questions and multiple choice questions. At the end of each semester you will be given a final
exam that will cover all of the topics from that semester. Study guides will count towards your test grade!
What is my grade?
As often as possible you should check your grade, and discuss your grade with me. Class time is time to be working
though, so check with me at an appropriate time. Be sure to check your grade frequently online. This will keep you
informed of your progress, and insure that my records are accurate. Parents/Guardians are also strongly encouraged to
frequently check their student’s grades online through Aeries.
A
90 – 100
B
80 – 89.5
C
70 – 79.5
D
60 – 69.5
F
0 – 59.5
Make up Policy
 If you are absent it is your responsibility to obtain make-up work, prior to the beginning of class, or at another
appropriate time.
 Any late work is subject to point reduction. Late work will only be accepted one day late. Incomplete work may be
regraded for more points during the same week that it was assigned.
 Any student that attends a Math ASSETS for 45 minutes and is working on math can turn in ONE late assignment for
full credit. You must leave that assignment with the Math ASSETS teacher, do not leave with the work it will not be
accepted. This must be in the same week that the missing assignment was assigned, or the following Monday.
 Quizzes may be retaken within the specific grading period they were given. Exams may be retaken at any time during
the semester that they were given. Quizzes and Exams may only be retaken if you earned less than 80%, and any
retake can only earn up to an 80%. You will need to complete a Test Repair Form in order to retake any test or quiz.
You will only have one opportunity to make up a quiz or test, the score you receive on the retake will be your score
regardless. If you are absent on an exam or quiz day, you must take the make-up exam or quiz up within the same
number of days you were absent …it is your responsibility to make it up.
Saturday School
 If you know that you are going to be attending Saturday school, let me know in advance and if possible I will make a
packet of missing work for you. Only the work collected by the Saturday school teacher will be accepted, do not
leave with the work it will not be accepted. This work can be turned in for full credit; it is a great way to repair your
grade!
 Any student who has 10 or more missing assignments in a semester or grading period may be assigned Saturday
school. Any student that currently has an F may also be assigned Saturday school. Students will have a packet of
missing work waiting for them in Saturday school. Remember you are there for this class so please work on the
material given and leave it with the Saturday school teacher. Only the work collected by the Saturday school teacher
will be accepted, do not leave with the work it will not be accepted. This work can be turned in for full credit; it is a
great way to repair your grade!
Daily Required Materials:
 Composition Book for notes (100 sheets, 200 pages)
You will need to bring in your composition book by Wednesday,
August 19th (this is an assignment) so we can start setting them up for
use. If for some reason buying one of these books is a problem please
talk to me prior to Wednesday and we will make arrangements for you
to get one.
 2 Pencils with erasers
 Binder (A section of a
binder is fine)
 Daily Planner
Tutorial / Extra Help:
Mathematics help is available Monday-Friday through the ASSETS tutoring program. You may go to any teacher’s lab,
mine is on Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday mornings. These have been proven to be very beneficial to students who
regularly attend because you can finish your homework and get questions answered before other non-productive
temptations set in. I am also available in the morning and after school most days. Please feel free to come by and get
some extra help.
Bathroom Policy
Every student will receive two bathroom pass’s per semester. Use them wisely and do not lose them, these are the only
ones you will receive. Any pass’s not used may be saved or turned in for extra credit. Extended bathroom periods will
result in either a tardy or absent.
Absence policy
If you are absent it is your responsibility to make up any missed work within the same number of days as your absence.
Longer absences mean a lot of missed work; you may need to meet with me to arrange make-up work. Absence correction
sheets are available in the back of the room it is your responsibility to grab one and fill it out if you are tardy and/or there
is an error in your attendance.
Classroom Rules & Expectations
 Respect yourself. You should come to class prepared to learn which includes having done your homework and
having your materials ready (pencil, paper, binder, etc.).
 Respect others. It’s all about the golden rule “treat others the way you want to be treated.”
 Respect materials. We will be using materials that other students also use (textbooks, pencil sharpener, calculators,
hole punchers, staplers, protractors, rulers, markers, etc). Please use them appropriately, or you will lose the privilege.
 Be in your seat when the bell rings at the beginning and the end of class. The bell does not excuse you from class;
remain seated until you have been excused. Do Not Gather at the Door!
 Students not sitting in their assigned seat will be marked absent. Students who leave their assigned seat will be
marked absent.
 Students not working on their warm up will be marked tardy for not being prepared for class.
 Students not working/refusing to work will be sent to the office and may be suspended from class the following day.
 No Food and drinks allowed inside. Water bottles are fine, but please be careful not to spill.
 No electronic devises out or on in the classroom. If I hear or see them they will be sent to the office.
 If you throw anything in class, you will be expected to clean all the trash off the floor in the classroom.
 Students will have their notebooks out at all times. They will be used constantly.
 Only appropriate math discussions are acceptable, “chatting” is not the topic of the course you are enrolled in.
 Destroying other peoples work will earn a zero for everyone involved.
 The earth’s resources are limited, therefore requesting identical materials multiple times will result in point
reductions.
 All school rules: I am required to uphold the school’s rules and policies (tardies, clothing, substance abuse, bullying,
defying authority, cell phones, IPods, inappropriate language, etc.).
Welcome to Algebra 1A, I look forward to working with you all this year!
Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Dow
Questions?
Please feel free to email me at mdow@fbusd.us or leave me a voice mail at 961-2880 x 3750.
Also visit my web page by starting at www.fbusd.us
Click on the Fort Bragg High School Tab at the top of the page. Then look at the tool bar on the left
side of the Fort Bragg High Web Page. Click on the bar that says Teacher Web Pages, click on the “D”,
and then on my name. Here you will find daily homework assignments, a link to check grades and
attendance, as well as other helpful links.
---------------Please cut here and have student return it for credit---------------
Course Overview & Expectations Signature Form
Student Name:______________________________
Period:______
I have read the “Course Overview and Expectations.” I understand its contents.
___________________________________ ________________________________
Student Signature
Parent/Guardian Signature
For Parent/Guardian to complete:
What is the best way for me to reach you? ______________________
E-mail (if available) for sending grades: ___________________________________
Is there any thing you would like me to know about your student?
This is a graded assignment that is due by Wednesday, August 19, 2015.
Extra Credit: Turn in by Tuesday. 8/18.