English 9 Regents

2019-2020
Smithtown High School West
Room E206
Ms. Britton-Nix: ​jbritton-nix@smithtown.k12.ny.us
&
Mr. Jackett: ​mjackett@smithtown.k12.ny.us

Class Blog: ​https://britton-nixcentral.weebly.com/9-regents-2019-20

 
"You’re in charge of your mind. You can help it grow by using it in the right way."
—Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success 

 
Required Materials for English: 
● Loose-Leaf Binder & Loose-Leaf Paper (1.5” binder with folder pockets is recommended) 
● Divider Sheets for 3 Sections: 1) Classwork & Notes, 2) Writing & Grammar, and 3) Reference 
Sheets 
● Writer’s Notebook (college ruled composition notebook 9.75” x 7.5”) 
● Blue/Black Pens and #2 Pencils 
● Post-It Notes and Highlighters 
 
Please store this sheet at the front of the binder you use for this class.
 Expectations and Extra Help: S ​ tudents will be interacting with one
another through class discussions, group work, and performance
activities; therefore, it is important that students understand the
necessity of listening to and respecting one another’s responses and
opinions​. Students are expected to advocate for themselves and ask
for help when they need it.​ Extra help will be available during school
hours and after school by appointment.​ There will be a weekly
sign-up sheet for extra help posted at the front of the classroom

Homework: ​Skill mastery often requires struggle and practice. Because

students have busy lives outside of school, homework is not arbitrarily
assigned; it is often connected to a larger project or directly utilized for
an assessment. For many students, the completion of homework
directly affects their ability to participate in class discussions and do
well on assessments. H ​ omework assignments will be announced at
the end of the class period and posted on the class blog. ​Students
usually have several days to complete assignments.

Grading Policy:​ Grades are utilized to assess skill mastery. Students

will be assessed on a frequent basis and grades will be posted to
PowerSchool. Quarterly grades will be based on formal assessments
of reading comprehension and writing skills as well as the completion
of class assignments. Active class participation is necessary for a
student to maximize the learning experience. Active participation
includes preparedness, answering and posing text-based questions,
participating in discussions and activities, attendance/promptness,
ability to stay on task, and overall classroom behavior.

English Department Grades 6-12 Grading Policy

➢ Assessments: 70%
➢ Independent Practice: 25%
➢ Homework: 5%

Statement of Integrity:​ The English Department of the Smithtown Central School District expects the highest conduct from its students.
We encourage all our students to work hard and to do their own research and writing for homework, special assignments, or projects. Any
evidence of plagiarism may result in no credit for the assignment. Unless explicitly designated as a collaborative activity, all assignments
are reflections of an individual’s work. This includes homework. Students caught using material they did not create themselves (such as
reading notes taken from an Internet Resource or copied from a friend) may not get credit for that assignment. Exams and other
assessments should be considered opportunities for a student to show what he or she has learned over the course of the unit, semester or
year. During any assessment, if the student is caught using any kind of electronic device (including but not limited to cell phones) or has
an electronic device out, the student may automatically fail the exam. Therefore, cell phones and other electronic devices should be left at
home or in the student’s locker during exams. In addition, attempting to give or receive assistance in any form during an assessment may
result in a failing grade for all parties involved.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------