Welcome back to another exciting and wonderful year at JMC. My name is Mr. Puentes and I will be your 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher. If you or your parents ever need to contact me, then please email me at [email protected] or call 305-252-5900. You can also use my teacher website to submit work at www.mrpuentes.weebly.com. Here are some rules and procedures for the new school year.
1. Give respect to others and your teacher and you will receive it in return. This classroom is a place of wonder and excitement, not tension and hostility. Treat your teacher and your fellow classmates the same way you would like to be treated. What you give is what you will normally get back. If you would like to speak up in class, raise your hand and do not interrupt others.
2. Do not talk, misbehave, bully or coerce others in class. Poor conduct will affect your class work grade and will cause you to have detentions or worse. Good conduct is vital to stability and integrity of the classroom.
3. Proper uniform is required at all times. All shirts must be tucked in for boys and girls. No joggers. You are not allowed into the classroom until you have your uniform on correctly.
4. No personal grooming during class time. This is for both boys and girls. No combs, no brushes, no makeup. Etc. Don’t use your phone as the mirror and take selfies either.
5. This class does not have assigned seats, but that can easily change.
6. Five tardies to class is a referral. This is school policy.
7. Cheating under any circumstances will not be tolerated. That includes copying homework in the hallways or before school. Everyone will pay for it and receive a grade of zero. Homework and projects must be done only by the student and not by anyone else.
8. Bathroom time. Only one boy or girl may go at a time to use the restroom with a bathroom pass. You will only be able use the restroom 20 minutes after class begins and until there is 10 minutes left. The pass must be on the wall and the person must be sitting before the next person gets up. You do not need to ask except when testing and quizzes are being conducted.
9. Dismissal bell. Do not jump out of your seat as soon as it is time for lunch or as soon as the bell rings. The bell does not dismiss you, I do. When the classroom is clean and everything is where it belongs, then I will dismiss you.
10. Be prepared for class. Always have pen and paper ready with you. If we are reading a story from a book or novel, bring it with you every day until I say you don’t need it anymore.
11. Materials needed every day
-Blue or black pens
-Red, green, pink or a non-blue or black pens to check work
-Pencils/ a sharpener
-A class binder or folder for notes and handouts
-A set of highlighters that are at least four different colors (ex: yellow, green, blue, pink, orange)
- Two composition books or one subject notebooks for daily journals and notes. Where you do journals, you do not have notes or vice versa.
- A constant supply of paper
- Our new book series is available online so an internet connection or internet device (phone, kindle, iPad) is required at home
- The cheapest USB flash drive you can find or an email or Dropbox or cloud account to save data
You should always have some markers, color construction paper and glue at home for any projects that we may do in the immediate future. Don’t forget ink in a printer is amazing too.
12. Make-up work. You are responsible for making up work you missed. If a full week after you have returned passes and you have not asked me to make it up or take a missing quiz or exam, then you will receive a zero for the work you missed. Journal prompts that you missed will be in a folder at the back of the classroom. Never ask for work to bring up your grade. Do it the first time.
13. Homework and classwork can make or break any grade and is not optional. If you have a C, D or F, this is most likely the reason why. Don’t blame your parents, the universe or me. It’s your fault for not doing it.
14. Personal Property: Your property belongs to you and you alone. You are thus responsible for your own property. Never take something that does not belong to you under any circumstances unless given permission (my property especially). Always ask permission first. Don’t leave anything behind or in a desk. Six other people share the same space with you.
15. Phones: Your phone can be used to access my website, download files and documents and play educational games in class. You could even use it as a dictionary or thesaurus if need be. It saves lots paper and headaches. However, you may not use your phone to listen to music, text, take selfies, record video, play games or watch videos. Furthermore, any unsolicited or unauthorized video recording or picture taken in class without consent will result in an automatic referral. Also, while testing or quizzing, you phone must be in your book bag or not easily available. Your phone is great tool if you use it wisely.
16. Grades
Your grades for Language Arts are based upon quizzes, test, homework, projects and class work. The weight of your grades is as follows:
Tests 2 to 3 grades depending on what the subject matter is
Class work 1 to 2 grades
Projects 2 to 5 depending on what it is and time spent working on it
Quizzes 1 to 2 grades depending on question amount
Homework 1 to 2 grades
iready program: one 45 min session per week and a grade of 2 weeks’ worth of work will be averaged for a grade 4 times per quarter.
17. Last rule. Have fun. The world right now is filled with too much hostility and anger. Enjoy the year and smile occasionally. It makes life seem much more enjoyable. Good luck this year.
1. Give respect to others and your teacher and you will receive it in return. This classroom is a place of wonder and excitement, not tension and hostility. Treat your teacher and your fellow classmates the same way you would like to be treated. What you give is what you will normally get back. If you would like to speak up in class, raise your hand and do not interrupt others.
2. Do not talk, misbehave, bully or coerce others in class. Poor conduct will affect your class work grade and will cause you to have detentions or worse. Good conduct is vital to stability and integrity of the classroom.
3. Proper uniform is required at all times. All shirts must be tucked in for boys and girls. No joggers. You are not allowed into the classroom until you have your uniform on correctly.
4. No personal grooming during class time. This is for both boys and girls. No combs, no brushes, no makeup. Etc. Don’t use your phone as the mirror and take selfies either.
5. This class does not have assigned seats, but that can easily change.
6. Five tardies to class is a referral. This is school policy.
7. Cheating under any circumstances will not be tolerated. That includes copying homework in the hallways or before school. Everyone will pay for it and receive a grade of zero. Homework and projects must be done only by the student and not by anyone else.
8. Bathroom time. Only one boy or girl may go at a time to use the restroom with a bathroom pass. You will only be able use the restroom 20 minutes after class begins and until there is 10 minutes left. The pass must be on the wall and the person must be sitting before the next person gets up. You do not need to ask except when testing and quizzes are being conducted.
9. Dismissal bell. Do not jump out of your seat as soon as it is time for lunch or as soon as the bell rings. The bell does not dismiss you, I do. When the classroom is clean and everything is where it belongs, then I will dismiss you.
10. Be prepared for class. Always have pen and paper ready with you. If we are reading a story from a book or novel, bring it with you every day until I say you don’t need it anymore.
11. Materials needed every day
-Blue or black pens
-Red, green, pink or a non-blue or black pens to check work
-Pencils/ a sharpener
-A class binder or folder for notes and handouts
-A set of highlighters that are at least four different colors (ex: yellow, green, blue, pink, orange)
- Two composition books or one subject notebooks for daily journals and notes. Where you do journals, you do not have notes or vice versa.
- A constant supply of paper
- Our new book series is available online so an internet connection or internet device (phone, kindle, iPad) is required at home
- The cheapest USB flash drive you can find or an email or Dropbox or cloud account to save data
You should always have some markers, color construction paper and glue at home for any projects that we may do in the immediate future. Don’t forget ink in a printer is amazing too.
12. Make-up work. You are responsible for making up work you missed. If a full week after you have returned passes and you have not asked me to make it up or take a missing quiz or exam, then you will receive a zero for the work you missed. Journal prompts that you missed will be in a folder at the back of the classroom. Never ask for work to bring up your grade. Do it the first time.
13. Homework and classwork can make or break any grade and is not optional. If you have a C, D or F, this is most likely the reason why. Don’t blame your parents, the universe or me. It’s your fault for not doing it.
14. Personal Property: Your property belongs to you and you alone. You are thus responsible for your own property. Never take something that does not belong to you under any circumstances unless given permission (my property especially). Always ask permission first. Don’t leave anything behind or in a desk. Six other people share the same space with you.
15. Phones: Your phone can be used to access my website, download files and documents and play educational games in class. You could even use it as a dictionary or thesaurus if need be. It saves lots paper and headaches. However, you may not use your phone to listen to music, text, take selfies, record video, play games or watch videos. Furthermore, any unsolicited or unauthorized video recording or picture taken in class without consent will result in an automatic referral. Also, while testing or quizzing, you phone must be in your book bag or not easily available. Your phone is great tool if you use it wisely.
16. Grades
Your grades for Language Arts are based upon quizzes, test, homework, projects and class work. The weight of your grades is as follows:
Tests 2 to 3 grades depending on what the subject matter is
Class work 1 to 2 grades
Projects 2 to 5 depending on what it is and time spent working on it
Quizzes 1 to 2 grades depending on question amount
Homework 1 to 2 grades
iready program: one 45 min session per week and a grade of 2 weeks’ worth of work will be averaged for a grade 4 times per quarter.
17. Last rule. Have fun. The world right now is filled with too much hostility and anger. Enjoy the year and smile occasionally. It makes life seem much more enjoyable. Good luck this year.