Mr. Headrick
gheadrick@tusd.net
(209) 830-3370, ext. 3849
Course Syllabus: Sophomore English, 2012-2013
Dear Students and Parents:
Welcome to Sophomore English! This course is designed to help you improve your ability to effectively use and
understand formal English in all types of speaking and writing situations, on-the-job as well as outside of the work
environment, and in the college setting.
1 – The material in the course is based on the California State Standards for English that are taught at the
sophomore level. The major work from the district’s core literature that we will be studying is the Holt Literature &
Language Arts 4th course anthology. In addition, this will be supplemented from time to time with excerpts from the
following: the autobiographical memoir called Night by Elie Wiesel (concerning World War II and the capabilities of
society in general); the novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya (concerning some of the challenges we all face as
individuals); and Our Town by Thornton Wilder, which concerns the value of everyday life and which is probably the
most widely produced American play in the world. Most of our time and assignments will be focused on these
pieces of core literature, plus supplementary materials related to them.
2 – This course will cover reading, writing, studying vocabulary, studying grammar, preparing and giving oral
presentations, studying for tests, and working on essays and other projects. There will be some homework
assignments throughout the year, but most of the work for this course is designed so that it can be completed
during class time. Please refer to the student handbook for the district’s specific homework policy (BP 6154).
3 – Grading: I do not GIVE grades. Instead, you EARN the grades you receive.
Here’s how that works:
A – Every day in class is valuable, and every assignment given is valuable. So, please remember
that just simply turning in your work doesn’t guarantee that you will receive a passing score
for that work. The higher the quality you put into your work, the higher the grade will be for
that work.
B – Several hours of grading take place every week for this course. So, if you earn a high
score on your work, your grade will be higher than it would be if you earned a low score
on your work. Your grade depends partly on whether or not you do the work, but also
partly on how well you do the work.
C – Your quarter grade is based on the total number of points you earn in that grading period.
Your earned total is divided by the total points possible to produce your percentage grade.
Your semester grade is the average of your two quarter grades. The scale I use for grading
is the standard one shown here:
90% to 100% = A.
80% to 89% = B.
70% to 79% = C.
60% to 69% = D.
Below 60% = F.
4 – Classroom Rules and Expectations:
A – Keep the room safe for learning (your learning and everyone else’s). Do not use vulgar or offensive
language. Pay attention, don’t be selfish, follow all directions, and stay focused on the work we’re
doing in class.
B – Do not talk while the teacher or another student is talking. When appropriate, raise your hand and
wait to be called on.
C – Sit in the seat assigned to you. Do NOT change your seat without permission to do so.
D – Remember that a person’s life at any given point is the result of that person’s actions.
5 – Consequences for Misbehavior:
A – Warning and/or seat change.
B – In-class Misconduct Writing Assignment.
C – Detention in my room after school, plus student-teacher conference and parent contact.
(Note: Failure to show up for detention leads to further consequences.)
D – Counselor and/or Assistant Principal intervention.
E – Please note that these consequences, including parent contact to discuss them, do not necessarily
take place in this order, depending upon your conduct. For specific details about the progressive
levels of consequences for disciplinary misbehavior, please refer to the student handbook.
6 – Specific consequences for being Tardy: A little late is too late! Every instructional minute counts, and student tardiness
interferes with the learning process. Please be respectful of your teacher and fellow classmates and be on time to class.
Specific tardy policies and procedures are as follows:
1.
A Tardy is defined as arrival to class within the first ten (10) minutes after the tardy bell rings. Students must
be in their seats when the tardy bell rings. Arrival to class 10 to 29 minutes after the tardy bell will constitute a
“Late.” Arrival to class 30 minutes or later will constitute an unexcused absence.
2.
Tardy #1 – 4: The Tardy is recorded in the roll book and in the computerized attendance system; the student
Is notified and verbally warned of the tardy number. Teacher makes a good-faith attempt to contact parent
prior to the 5th tardy referral to the office.
3.
Tardy #5: Referral to Assistant Principal’s office. Student is placed on a DART. Parents are notified by the
Assistant Principal; student is sent back to class.
4.
Tardy #6: Referral to Assistant Principal’s office. Student is assigned to In-House Suspension; parent is
contacted by Assistant Principal.
5.
Tardy #7 and beyond: Referral to Assistant Principal’s office. Off-campus suspension. Parent contacted by
Assistant Principal.
6.
NOTES: A student late to class by 10 minutes or more will be termed “Late” and will receive the appropriate
Tardy consequence. In other words, a “Late” counts as one of the Tardies! Additionally, you should also
be aware that if you must leave class to go clear your absence, and if this makes you tardy to class, then the
policy is that you are to be marked as Tardy because you took up class time in order to clear an absence.
Tardy consequences will be assigned on a per-period basis. The Tardy count starts at zero at the beginning
of each quarter.
7 – Specific consequences for Cheating and not practicing Academic Honesty: Trustworthiness is a key Character pillar.
All work submitted by students should be a true reflection of their effort and ability. If it is not, then the student has manifested
unacceptable behavior. The following criteria define cheating:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Claiming credit for work that is not the product of one’s own honest effort.
Providing unwarranted access to materials or information so that others may dishonestly claim credit.
Representation of another person’s words/ideas as your own by not properly citing the source and giving the
author credit.
Copying off the Internet.
Knowledge and toleration of the foregoing circumstances.
Any behavior which can be defined as cheating represents a violation of mutual trust and respect essential to education at
West High School. If it is determined that a student has been cheating, the following consequences will result:
a.
b.
c.
A “zero” on the submitted work.
Notification of parents.
Further disciplinary steps as appropriate.
If a student is found to have cheated a second time or is involved in a particularly serious act of cheating, the student will be
referred to an assistant principal for a conference of those concerned: student, teacher, parents, counselor, and administrator.
Consequences may include suspension from class and/or school; dropping the student from class with no credit; and/or
notification of student’s prospective colleges.
8 – Rewards for Productive Conduct:
A – Lots of verbal praise.
B – Occasional positive notes and calls home.
9 – Materials: Please come to class every day with a supply of binder paper, a pen, and a pencil. You will be
notified as to when to bring other materials (for example, assigned internet printouts) to class.
10 – My website and the daily agendas: http://www.tracy.k12.ca.us/sites/gheadrick/Pages/default.aspx  This
is my website from which you should be able to view the daily agendas and other important information about the
class. You may also view these by opening West High School’s Home Page, clicking on Contact Us, then scrolling
down to Teachers, then scrolling down to my name and clicking on the web icon at the right-hand side of my name.
The daily agendas are also available in printed form inside the Daily Assignment Binder in my room. If you are
concerned that you are not able to view these agendas on-line and you feel that it would be beneficial for your
student to copy them by hand on a daily basis, please feel free to discuss this with me.
11 – Make-up Work. Late or missed work receives a zero unless it is made up, and, unless special arrangements
are made with the teacher, it can only be made up for excused absences.
A – It is your responsibility to check the Daily Agendas on-line or the Daily Assignment Binder in the
classroom for work you may have missed during an absence. From the day you return, you get only
the number of days of excused absence to make up the work. This does not apply to any
assignment that was given before your absence started, unless you are absent on the final due date
for that assignment.
B – Students on suspension away from school will not be allowed to make up work, including tests given
while they were on suspension. Students sent to any form of in-school suspension will be allowed
to make up the work that they missed.
C – Remember, however, that it is the student’s responsibility to find out any work he or she
missed. This is not the teacher’s responsibility. Each day’s agenda and assignments are listed
on-line and in the Daily Assignment Binder which is available inside the classroom. Tests that you
might have missed during an excused absence may be made up after school in the classroom, the
English Department Lab, or another designated area. It will be your responsibility to make
arrangements for this with me within the time allowed for make-up of the test (usually within a week after
the test was originally given).
12 – Class sets of text books: You will be assigned numbered books from the class sets of books we use
throughout the year (for example, the literature and grammar books). Please notify me immediately if you discover
any damage done to them. In addition, please be aware that, should the evidence indicate that you were
responsible for their damage or loss, you could be held financially liable for this. An independent check-off system
for keeping track of the class sets is maintained in the classroom.
13 – English Department Lab: Please be aware that the English Department Lab is available for those students
who may wish to receive extra help with the writing assignments or with any other aspect of English. When it is
finalized, each month’s Lab schedule will be posted in the room.
14 – Expectations for Teacher Assistants (“TA’s”): The TA will be assigned typical clerical responsibilities,
such as: accurately grading (in accordance with my instructions) various assignments completed by other students
(e.g., using an answer key to grade assignments with objective answers or assignments with simple short
answers); accurately recording the scores of graded assignments onto designated documents; completing various
sorting and numbering tasks within the classroom (e.g., sorting student papers, numbering handouts, etc.); and
other related light clerical duties as assigned (e.g., delivering hand-written communications, cleaning overhead
transparencies, etc.). The progress report grades and quarterly grades for the TA will be determined by analyzing
a representative sampling of work done by the TA during the grading period. The percentage of accuracy that this
analysis reveals determines the grade. For example, if this analysis reveals an accuracy rate of between 90% and
100%, the TA will earn a grade of “A” for that time period. Please see the section above entitled “Grading” for the
full grading scale and method of calculating the semester grade.
15 – Parents, please know that you are welcome to come to our classroom to visit and observe. You will need
to check in at the school’s office first to let them know that you are visiting my room. They’ll give you a visitor name
badge to wear. Please get in touch with me to let me know when you can visit. The best way to reach me is to
email me at gheadrick@tusd.net, but you can call me it you prefer (830-3370, ext. 3849).
16 – Communications Home: PARENTS, please be aware that several forms of communication exist between
my classroom and your home. By viewing our Daily Agendas on-line you will be able to see a summary of what
we do in class on a daily basis. Also, in addition to my telephone calls, emails, and letters sent home, I use the
school’s written progress reports and report cards that are sent to you automatically throughout the year in
order to communicate praises and concerns about your students.
17 – Office Hours: I plan to be available every day after school until 3:20 p.m. except on meeting days (for
example, faculty meetings), and I can make appointments for other office hours as necessary. The best way to
communicate with me from outside the school is via email at gheadrick@tusd.net. To leave a telephone
message, please call 830-3370, extension 3849.
Thank you for your cooperation and attention to this information. I look forward to working with each of you this
year. Please read over the information on the next page, provide the necessary signatures and dates, and return
only that last page with your student. Thank you once again!
Film Policy: District policy states that teachers must inform parents of any film that is to be shown in the
classroom above the rating of G. I have certain films corresponding to the California State Standards for English
taught at the sophomore level that I would like to show in our class, and I would like your approval for your student
to view them.
Please only mark the films below that you do NOT wish your student to view.
 - Our Town
 - Steel Magnolias
 - Excerpts from Schindler’s List
 - Julius Caesar
 - Sometimes You Hear the Bullet (M*A*S*H* television episode, 1973)
 - Dear Dad (M*A*S*H* television episode, 1972)
 - “The Golden Idol” (5-minute scene from Raiders of the Lost Arc)
 - Ray Bradbury, An American Icon (documentary)
 - Great Books: The Odyssey (documentary)
 - Elie Wiesel: Witness to the Holocaust (documentary)
Please complete, sign, and date in the spaces provided below, and then return this entire page.
I have read and understand all of the requirements for this course as stated in the syllabus above. I understand the
film policy and have indicated the films (if any) that I do NOT want my student to view.
 - In addition, by checking this box, I as a parent/guardian am indicating that I might be interested in
visiting the classroom some time this year.
 Please indicate the best way to contact you: _________________________________________________
(Email and/or telephone)
__________________________
__________________________
__________
Parent / Guardian name (printed)
Parent / Guardian signature
Date
__________________________
__________________________
__________
Student’s name (printed)
Student’s signature
Date
A los padres de:
Departe de:
Sr. Headrick___
Maestro
Ref: Repaso del Programa de Estudios (Syllabus) para el curso de
Inglés II
Mi hijo(a) ha examinado el programa de estudios para este curso conmigo. Entiendo y cumpliré con las políticas para cada
una de las siguientes áreas.
_____ Compendio del Contenido del Curso
_____ Reglas/consecuencias de la clase
_____ Política de llegar tarde
_____ Política de hacer trampas
_____ Política para ponerse al corriente del trabajo escolar
_____ Política de tarea
_____ Materiales/útiles necesarios
_____ Cuota (si es necesario)
_____ Política de Calificación
_____ Reglas de Seguridad (si es necesario)
_____ Política de libros de texto
Firma del Padre o la Madre
Fecha
Por favor firme y regrese esta forma.
Si tiene alguna pregunta por favor póngase en contacto conmigo al teléfono___830-3370____ extensión
por correo electrónico a
gheadrick@tusd.net____.
3849____ o