2014 ALP’s Syllabus
Teacher
April Schneeman
E-mail
aschneeman@pontiac90.org
Paraeducator
Wendy Norville
E-mail
wnorville@pontiac90.org
Phone
(815) 844-6113, ext. 322
Best Time to
Call
Monday – Friday,
7:45-8:00 AM
3:10-3:30 PM
Address
1100 Indiana Ave.
Room
124 A/B
Philosophy
The student-centered ALP’s program supports and embraces the diverse needs of students by providing a
differentiated method of instruction and by supporting the emotional and social needs of our students.
Mission Statement
The mission of the ALP’s program is to meet the unique educational, social, and emotional needs of
students in a safe and nurturing environment. This environment encourages students to develop an
enthusiasm for life-long learning and to pursue productive post-high school opportunities.
Vision Statement
The ALP’s program empowers students to develop skills necessary for success post-graduation. By
focusing on the whole student, the ALP’s program fosters skills leading to both academic success as well
as productive citizenship.
ALP’s Expectations:
1.
Attend school daily without unexcused absences.
2.
Follow the school handbook including all rules and policies.
3.
Compliance with all classroom rules and policies
4.
Come to class on time, enter quietly, and begin working.
5.
On-task in all classes
6.
Follow directions when they are given.
7.
Ask for help when needed. Be patient if teacher is busy.
8.
Use hallway appropriately when under supervision on bronze and silver levels. Ask for permission to
leave the classroom and use hall pass when on gold and platinum levels.
9.
Use the technology appropriately as stated in the computer use contract.
10. Respect yourself, each other, the teaching staff, and the classroom environment. This includes:
a. Sharing your feelings appropriately
b. Using school appropriate language
c. Taking responsibility for yourself
d. Returning classroom items to their proper places after use
e. Placing trash/recycled materials into the proper receptacles, etc.
Inappropriate behaviors may lead to loss of privileges and/or level system drop, detention, office referrals, and
suspensions. Inappropriate behaviors include, but are not limited to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Throwing objects
Hitting, pushing, shoving, or threatening others
Swearing at or putting others down
Disrupting the class
Making inappropriate remarks or outbursts during class
Arguing with other students or staff
Talking back to staff when given a verbal direction
Socializing during work time in the classroom
Gang-style or offensive writing/tagging on assignments, notebooks, folders, desks, or other school
property
10. Cheating (copying someone else’s work or allowing another student to copy your work)
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Productive and Non-Productive Hours
Students will earn productive hours for each hour they follow the ALP’s expectations. When students achieve silver status or
higher, they can trade productive hours for the following:





20 productive hours = Pop with lunch
40 productive hours = Skip one assignment
80 productive hours = $5 Ala Carte credit
120 productive hours = Erase one incomplete grade
160 productive hours = $10 gift card
When students demonstrate inappropriate behavior or non-compliance with the above guidelines, they will accumulate a nonproductive hour. Each non-productive hour will subtract 5 productive hours from their cumulative productive hour totals.
Students may earn back hours deducted from their productive hour totals by completing a restorative justice contract, at the
discretion of the teacher or other school staff.
Classroom Behavioral System
Each hour the teacher will assign students with a bronze, silver, or gold hour based on following the classroom rules, the
school rules, and any behavioral goals/objectives from their IEP’s. The teacher will document each instance of a student
breaking one of the rules. This will determine what type of hour the student earns. The number of instances per hour decreases
as students move further up on the level system.
Bronze Level
8 instances or less = Gold hour
9 instances = Silver hour
10 instances or more = Bronze hour
Silver Level
7 prompts or less = Gold hour
8 prompts = Silver hour
9 prompts or more = Bronze hour
Gold Level
6 prompts or less = Gold hour
7 prompts = Silver hour
8 prompts or more = Bronze hour
Platinum Level
5 prompts or less = Gold hour
6 prompts = Silver hour
7 prompts = Bronze hour
Each day the teacher will assign students with a bronze, silver, or gold day.
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Bronze – A student earns 4 or less Gold or Silver hours per day
o At the end of the day, students earning a bronze lose 1 gold day
Silver – A student Earns 5 or less Gold or Silver hours per day
o At the end of the day, students earning a silver keep all their gold days, but do not earn an extra
Gold – A student earns 6 or more Gold or Silver hours per day
o At the end of the day, students earning a gold add one gold day to their total gold days
Students will earn points by complying with the ALP’s expectations. Teachers will allocate productive hours for each hour
that the student earns all points. Students can only earn privileges during productive hours.
Students will earn points by complying with the ALP’s expectations. Teachers will allocate productive hours for each hour
that the student earns all points. Students can only earn privileges during productive hours.
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Bronze
Privileges
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lunch in classroom with teacher
Teacher supervision at all times
Not eligible for free time
Break – Read a book or work on homework
Cannot participate in Friday Activity
Promotion to Silver:
1. Earn 5 gold days
2. Office referrals or suspensions will cancel all previous accumulated days for promotion to Silver Level.
3. Excused absences do not count against your level status, but you will not earn credit toward promotion for any
absences, excused or unexcused.
Silver
Privileges
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lunch in classroom with teacher
Teacher supervision at all times
Eligible for free time – Student may read a book or choose an activity from the free time area
Eligible for Friday Activity
Demotion from Silver
1.
2.
Office referrals or suspensions will result in possible demotion to Bronze Level.
Excused absences do not count against your level status, but you will not earn credit toward promotion for any
absences, excused or unexcused.
Promotion to Gold:
1.
2.
3.
Earn 20 gold days
Office referrals or suspensions will cancel all previous accumulated days for promotion to Gold Level and result in
possible demotion to Bronze Level.
Excused absences do not count against your level status, but you will not earn credit toward promotion for any
absences, excused or unexcused.
Gold
Privileges
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Lunch in cafeteria
May use hall pass without teacher supervision
Eligible for free time – Student may read a book, choose an activity from the free time area, or listen to school
appropriate music on computer or approved electronic device
Assist teacher in planning of Friday Activities
$5 ala cart credit for following week
Eligible for Friday Activity
Eligible to participate in activities outside of ALPs
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Demotion from Gold
3.
4.
Office referrals or suspensions will result in possible demotion to Silver or Bronze Level.
Excused absences do not count against your level status, but you will not earn credit toward promotion for any
absences, excused or unexcused.
Promotion to Platinum
1.
2.
3.
Earn 50 gold days
Office referrals, or suspensions will cancel all previous accumulated days for promotion to Platinum Level and result
in possible demotion to Silver or Bronze Level.
Excused absences do not count against your level status, but you will not earn credit toward promotion for any
absences, excused or unexcused.
Platinum
Privileges
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Eligible for free time – Student may read a book, choose an activity from the free time area, or listen to school
appropriate music on computer or approved electronic device
Lunch in cafeteria
May use hall pass without teacher supervision
Assist teacher in planning of Friday Activities
$10 ala cart credit for following week
Eligible for Friday Activity
Eligible to participate in activities outside of ALPs
Arrange IEP meeting to discuss taking classes outside of ALPs
Demotion from Platinum
1.
Office referrals or suspensions will result in possible demotion to Gold, Silver, or Bronze Level.
2. Excused absences do not count against your level status, but you will not earn credit toward promotion for any
absences, excused or unexcused.
Courses Offered in ALP’s Program
ALPS ENGLISH
This course emphasizes basic English skills needed for daily living and leisure. This course also aims to improve the
student’s performance in written communication, using activities and curriculum that focus on basic grammar, sentence
structure, spelling, and proofreading skills. Short stories and novels are also read to give the student knowledge of literature
and to increase reading comprehension and vocabulary, and focuses upon improving student performance in reading
comprehension, writing skills, and oral communication.
ALPS MATH
This course is a two-year sequence designed to use the four basic mathematics processes to solve problems found in
everyday life. It will cover a wide variety of other mathematical topics as an introduction to pre-algebra.
ALPS COMMUNITY STUDIES
This course is designed to introduce students to the vocabulary and methodology involved in wisely buying goods and
services, applying for employment, creating a resume, and introduces students to resources in the community. It also
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includes a service learning project, where students volunteer at various establishments in their community.
ALPS SOCIAL STUDIES
This course studies the regions and current events of Illinois and the United States. Other topics include local events and
their impact on students’ lives. This course also provides an understanding and appreciation of American government at the
local, state, and national level. Included are the concepts of citizenship and freedom.
ALPS SCIENCE
This course is designed to provide a general introduction to the areas of physical science and life science. Some of the
topics to be covered are heat, light, sound, electricity, weather, plants, animals and ecology.
ALPS HEALTH
This course stresses the health concepts important for personal well-being. Topics covered include mental health, physical
health, nutrition, drugs, human sexuality, safety education and environmental health.
ALPS SOCIAL SKILLS
The main focus of this class is building successful relationships with others. Role playing using aggression replacement
training will assist students with an understanding of how to interact with others.
ALPS ENGLISH
This course is designed to improve the student’s performance in written communication using activities and curriculum that
focus on basic grammar, sentence structure, spelling and proofreading skills, It is also designed to build vocabulary and
comprehensive skills by exploring a variety of literature. The class also focuses upon improving student performance in
reading comprehension, writing skills, and oral communication.
RESOURCE
This class functions as a study hall. The resource instructor will monitor and assist students in completion of homework and
in preparation for quizzes and tests. The teacher also stays in frequent contact with the general education teacher to ensure
that progress is being made.
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