Morality Semester 1
Instructor Sister Mary Ann
San Miguel Catholic High School
Sister Mary Ann Spanjers, OSF
Email: smaryann@sanmiguelhigh.org
Christian Morality
Semester 1 2015
Office Hours: By appointment
Location: Rm. 203 Phone: #1203
Course Description
This course will discuss the foundations of Catholic morality: Jesus, the Church, one’s conscience, the
nature of sin, the virtues, and a process for moral decision-making. Students will examine issues of
personal morality: honesty, wholeness, courage, justice, compassion, and respect.
Goals and Objectives
1). Identify and express one’s beauty and goodness being created in the image and likeness of God.
2) Trace the basis of morality to the person of Jesus and his teaching.
3.) Demonstrate an understanding of how one arrives at moral decisions in the Catholic tradition
4.) Name and describe virtues in general and the theological virtues and cardinal virtues in particular.
5.) Discuss and ascertain aspects of moral actions or lack of them, from real life situations.
6.) Know the difference between the moral law, natural law, and the Old Law
7) Describe the influence of mortal and venial sin in one’s life.
8) Explain the role and responsibility of the development of one’s conscience.
7.) Reflect and write about Christian moral realities affecting one’s life.
Materials
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Required Classroom Materials:
The following materials are to be brought to class everyday unless instructed otherwise:
• Pens: blue or black, and red ink
• 3-Ring Binder with loose-leaf college ruled 3-hole punched paper or a college-ruled spiral
notebook (with pages that can tear out cleanly and file pockets).
• planner
Folder
Bible (when indicated)
Class Expectations
1. Be respectful of yourself, others, and the school community. Respect is paramount to fostering a
sense of trust in this class. When one person is talking, no one else talks.
2. Come to class with an open mind and an open heart.
3. Be on time and be fully present to class. Please be in your seat by the time the bell rings, and ready to
begin class. Wait to pack up once class has finished and the bell has rung.
4. It is expected that you keep up with assigned reading and contribute to discussion and group
work. Your participation grade is vital to your success in this course.
5. Bring all required materials to class. Students will not be permitted to return to lockers to get needed
materials for class and materials will not be provided by the instructor.
6. Cell phones are not permitted in class. Cell phones will be confiscated, and given to the Dean(s) for
Morality Semester 1
Instructor Sister Mary Ann
further action.
7. No food is allowed in the classroom unless pre-approved by the instructor. Water bottles are
allowed.
8. Assignments are due on assigned dates. Turning in assignments electronically is accepted and will be
explained. If you are absent from a class for any reason, it is your responsibility to obtain missed
assignments from the instructor or a classmate. If you miss an exam, it is your responsibility to schedule
a make-up time with the instructor; If you fail to turn in assignments or make up tests you will receive a
zero. No late work will be accepted, with the exception of excused absences. If you feel you may need
an extension on an assignment, speak with the instructor before the assignment is due to make
arrangements. Extensions are not guaranteed. In the case that you know you will be missing class for a
retreat, athletics or activities, you must turn any assigned work in on or before your scheduled absence.
9. Sign in to the SCHOOLOGY Morality Section 1 Course Site: https://www.schoology.com
(all assignments will be posted)
Grading
Students’ grades will be determined based on the following:
Assignments/class participation/homework = 30%
Tests/quizzes
= 30%
Projects/papers
= 30%
Final exam
=10%
The San Miguel High School Grading Scale is:
A -100-90%
B – 89-80%
C – 79-70%
D – 69-60%
F – 59Assignments
1. All assignments must include your NAME, COURSE, PERIOD, DATE, and ASSIGNMENT TITLE.
2. All assignments must be typed using Times New Roman font in 12-point font (unless otherwise
instructed), with 1” margins.
3. Assignments are due at the beginning of class. Assignments turned in midway through or at the end of
class will not be accepted. Assignments will be accepted electronically.
4. Specific criteria regarding any assigned papers will be distributed via an additional rubric.
5. Assignments will be specified in class and on the SCHOOLOGY Morality Section 1 website as well as on
the SMHS course website.
Academic Dishonesty
Students are expected to conduct themselves honestly and with integrity in their work. All forms of test
procedure violation, cheating, and plagiarism are prohibited. All that is specified in the SMHS Student
Handbook is expected to be followed.
Morality Semester 1
Instructor Sister Mary Ann
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Our Academic Honesty Policy is a product of cooperation between faculty and students working
together for a common goal. The purpose of this policy is to foster integrity in our school, to enumerate
fair guidelines for students and faculty, and to outline appropriate consequences for violations of the
policy. All faculty members will incorporate into their course syllabi information consistent with that
which follows here below.
It is the responsibility of the faculty and students to promote fairness in the community and to
incorporate and reinforce values of honesty and integrity inside and outside of the classroom. San
Miguel expects students to be positive contributors to a healthy moral environment and to reflect
honesty in their academic work.
Academic dishonesty is viewed as a serious ethical issue and a violation of the principles of justice and
personal responsibility as expressed in our Lasallian Core Principles (page 4).
Once a teacher has determined that a student has violated the Academic Honesty Policy, any or all of
the following consequences will occur:
The teacher will speak with the student.
The teacher will inform the Vice Principal for Student Correction & Support
The teacher will contact the family of the student. The Vice Principal for Student Correction & Support
will follow up with the family within a reasonable time period.
The following consequences may occur when there is a violation of this policy. This list of consequences
is not limited to those listed; other appropriate consequences maybe employed.
Homework: The student will receive a zero for any assignment that has been copied or that she/he
allows others to copy.
Cheating on a Quiz or Examination: The student will receive a grade of zero for the specific quiz or exam
in question.
Plagiarism: Copying the work of others and passing it off as one’s own, or allowing another student to
use your work as their own, will result in a grade of zero on any assignment that is plagiarized.
The student may be required to re-do the assignment to ensure mastery of the concept or skill
addressed in the assignment. It is left to the teacher’s discretion whether or not credit will be given for
this second attempt.
Repeated offenses and/or behaviors that are not included in the previous list will be dealt with on an
individual basis with faculty and administration in accordance with our student behavior policies as
listed elsewhere in this Handbook. Students may be dismissed for repeated violations of academic
honesty policy. Cheating of any kind may result in the loss of academic honors. Chain of command for
review of Academic Situations:
Teacher
Vice Principal
Principal
All incidents of Academic Dishonesty are documented in the student discipline log record on
Powerschool. (See Section V p. 12- 16).
The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus during the year as deemed
necessary.
Morality Semester 1
Instructor Sister Mary Ann
Parent/Student Agreement—Please return by the end of the first week of school
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to
meet with me regarding your son or daughter’s academic progress. I would love to meet you! Please
read the syllabus carefully, and sign and date below.
Do count on my prayers for your son/daughter and for your family! Sister Mary Ann
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(Please Sign and Return)_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I have read, understood, and agree to abide by all of the policies laid out in Sister Mary Ann’s syllabus
for Catholic Morality.
Student Name (Please Print) ____________________________________________________________
Student Signature ____________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature ______________________________________________Date ___________________