About Me

COURSE OVERVIEW: 

This course facilitates opportunities for students to explore multiple genres through the analysis of literary and informational texts. The course enhances students’ language skills by emphasizing critical thinking and the logical development of ideas as students build skills in the areas of reading, writing, research, and oral and written conventions.

Unit 1: Right of Passage

Unit 2: Learning From History

Unit 3: What Matters

Unit 4: Human Intelligence

Unit 5: Pushing Boundaries 

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS: 

We will utilize CHAMPS, a proactive and positive classroom management plan, to communicate classroom expectations for instructional activities and transitions to students. These expectations will be posted in the classroom. 

DISCIPLINE ACTION STEPS FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS

1. Common redirection & general classroom management
2. Student Conference/Possible Teacher Consequence- Parent contact & Skyward documentation
3. Teacher Consequence - 2nd parent contact & Skyward documentation
4. Referral to administration and parent contact by administration

CELL PHONES: 

Cell phones MUST be OFF and AWAY during the DAY! Cell phones must be turned off and placed in a backpack if brought to school. If a student’s cell phone is visible or they are using a cell phone or electronic device in violation of school or classroom rules, the student will have the item confiscated and turned into the office. Parents will be required to pick up the cell phone from the front office at the end of the school day. 

RFISD Grading Guidelines 2024-2025

Grades are designed to keep students and families aware of progress. Gradebooks should be updated weekly and progress reports should reflect the most current status of a student’s class average. 

GRADING EXPECTATIONS :

Grading Categories - Daily Assignments (10) = 50%; Tests/Major Grade (4) =50%

Number of Grades—Students will receive a minimum of 14 grades per reporting period. Grades will be posted within 5 school 

days of the due date. 

Late Daily Assignments: Students may submit assignments up to 3 school days after the due date. Each day late = 10 points 

deducted from grade. Dual Credit: Students will follow the syllabus provided by the college/university instructor. 

Re-do Daily Assignments—Students may redo assignments as long as they originally attempted them by the original deadline. 

The second attempt must be completed outside of the standard class period, within 1 school day of the posted grade, and at  

least one week before the end of the nine-week grading period. Students may earn full credit on assignments redone within 

guidelines. 

Re-take Tests/Major Grades—Quizzes and tests that earn a grade lower than 70 can be retaken within 3 school days of the 

original test date and after the student has scheduled and attended at least one tutorial session with the instructor. The retake 

must be completed outside of the standard class time, and the maximum grade that can be earned on a retake is 70. The 

second quiz/test is required to be a new set of questions. 

Honors and Advanced Courses—If a student is failing at the end of the first 6-week grading period, the teacher and guardian 

must meet to discuss a plan for academic success. If a student is failing at the end of the first 9-week grading period or at the 

the end of the semester, the counselor will work with the student to determine an appropriate course of action. 

UIL Eligibility—Students must meet UIL eligibility standards for all extracurricular events, regardless of the individual 

competition’s guidelines.

Semester Exams - Semester exams will count 10% of the semester average. There will be no fall exemptions from semester  

exams. 

Exemptions - Students who are exempt may elect to take a semester exam to increase their grade. Exempt students who 

voluntarily choose to test will not have their grades negatively impacted by the semester test.

Exemption Eligibility:

How many courses will a student be eligible to exempt? 

• 6th grade: students will not take semester exams 
• 7th grade: up to 1 class for final exams only 
• 8th grade: up to 2 classes for final exams only 

Additional requirements: 

• When calculating absences for the semester for a student, the following will be excluded from the count: professional medical notes (provided according to the handbook), school-approved activities, or other excuses permitted by law
• Students with disciplinary placements of ISS, OSS, DAEP cannot be exempt from semester exams. 
• Students requesting exam exemptions must submit a completed exemption form by the deadline. 
• Students are responsible for keeping that signed form and will present it to their teacher on the day of the spring semester exam. The teacher will sign the exemption form a second time when the exam exemption is used. 
• Any student who qualifies for an exam exemption may choose to take the exam. The teacher will use the option which best helps the student's semester grades in their calculations. 
• The RFISD exemption policy for dual credit courses pertains only to the RFISD curriculum. College courses must meet semester exam/final exam requirements determined by the college curriculum. 
• The students are exempt from the exam only, not from attendance in the class during the exam. 
• Exempt status without attendance risks a grade of zero for the exam. Exam days are considered school days.