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ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
COURSE SYLLABUS 2014-2015

Teacher: Mr. Prindiville Email: pprindiville@stpatrickhighschool.net
Course: U.S. HIstory: Post-Reconstruction to Present
Teachers Website: mrprindiville.weebly.com


Our mission for our students is to promote spiritual growth; to assure intellectual growth
through academic excellence; to foster a Christian social conscience; to develop a
physically healthy lifestyle; and to provide a culturally enriching experience.



Course Description:

In the modern interconnected global climate, two simple questions are presented to both the student and
educator alike: how does one evaluate information in an era of nearly instant access to seemingly
limitless data sources?; and what role does national identity play in the life of the modern citizen?

The United States History from Post-Reconstruction to Present course engages both these questions. It
encourages the student to dive deep into the history of the United States during the late-nineteenth and
twentieth century in an effort to draw thematic connections between varied data sources and to wrestle
with some of the most enduring questions of national vision and identity of our time.

This course is not just the study of old thingsalthough there is incredible good in that pursuit. It
challenges the student to think critically: to observe, question, and reflect. These skills become a
necessity as students prepare to leave this scholarly community and enter the realms of higher education
or the business world as both contributing citizens and socially-conscious Catholic leaders.

As the great Mississippian William Faulkner once wrote, "the past is never dead. It is not even past." We
have much to learn from the experiences of our foremothers and fathers, indeed experiences that affect
our lives to this day whether old or young.

Welcome to the journey!


Objectives:

After successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate effective college preparatory social studies learning habits, writing strategies, and
analytical thinking frameworks;
Demonstrate effective primary source interpretation skills;
Explain the evolution of the American political system, its ideals, and institutions following the
post-Reconstruction period to present day;
Articulate the ways in which the continuing economic transformation of the United States has
impacted contemporary economic affairs;
Illustrate the different foreign policy aims of the United States in the late-nineteenth, twentieth,
and early-twenty-first centuries and relate them to contemporary questions in the international
arena and foreign relations of the United States;



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Apply understandings of the major social questions and domestic policy issues of the 19
th
and
20
th
centuries to contemporary policy and social questions of the present day;
Relate understandings of cultural trends, religious ideologies, and artistic expressions to the
historical development of the United States;
Demonstrate appropriate and effective social studies skills.


Grading Policies:

The academic year of St. Patrick Catholic High School consists of two semesters; each semester is
divided into two nine-week quarters. An academic grade will be issued each quarter (nine-week period)
for all classes on a report card.

Grading Scale

A = 93 - 100 B = 85 - 92 C = 75 - 84 D = 70 - 74 F = 0 - 69

Students will have at least six (6) major grades per quarter. Major grades count as 60% of the students
quarter grade. Assignments which may count as major grades are items such as such as tests, essays,
projects, presentations, reports, etc.

The remaining 40% of the students quarter grade will be broken down as follows:

Lesson quizzes: 20%
Daily Reading Comprehension Checks: 10%
Homework: 5%
Bellwork: 5%


Descriptions of these primary types of assignments are as follows:

Tests: During each unit, students will complete a test that assesses their understanding of unit concepts
and themes. These tests will often involve short answer, identification, essay, and essay-outline
questions, but may vary in format throughout the course as needed.

Unit Projects: At the end of each unit, students will complete a holistic unit project assessment that
gauges their comprehension and analysis of the units concept and goal. The format of these
performance assessments will vary throughout the year, but will generally encourage students to use
different talents to engage the topics explored in class. For example, in a unit exploring the American
Revolution, a student might be asked to create a protest leaflet highlighting the colonists grievances
against the Crown.

Lesson Quizzes: At the end of each lesson (every 2-5 days), students will complete a short, 8-10 minute
quiz assessing comprehension of lesson concepts and themes.

Daily Reading Comprehension Checks (CCs): The class following each evening when reading is
assigned as homework, students will complete a short, two-question reading comprehension check. The
check will assess basic comprehension of the assigned reading.

Homework: Students should expect homework every night. Completed homework is due at the beginning
of class. If a student submits homework that is neat, complete, and organized, they will receive full credit
for that day. Often, students will be assigned reading in the course textbook. In this case, students are
expected to outline the reading in a notebook designated for this course. Proper format for these outlines



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will be discussed in class. If reading is not assigned, Mr. Prindiville will assign other homework. (See Late
and Missing Work policy below for more information).

Bellwork: Students will begin each class day by immediately engaging and thoughtfully responding to the
bellwork questions posted. This work begins before the tardy bell and continues after until the class
begins with prayer. Each Friday, students will turn that weeks bellwork log in to Mr. Prindiville. If a student
submits bellwork that is neat, complete, and organized, they will receive full credit for that day.


Grades are updated weekly, and current grades are available via PowerSchool
(https://www.biloxidiocese.powerschool.com/public).


Attendance Policy:

When absent from class, students are responsible for getting the makeup work from the teacher. It is not
the teacher's responsibility to remind the student to complete missed work. The three-day rule discussed
below applies immediately followiing the student's return, whether they have picked up late work or not.
Students who are absent on school business must get their assignments before they leave.

For all absences, students will be allowed three (3) days from the date of their return to school to make up
any assignments missed. Students will receive full credit for the assignments made up within the allotted
time period. Tests, quizzes, and other assignments which are pre-assigned should be made up (or
turned in) on the first day of the students return to school (i.e. tests, quizzes, or homework announced
prior to the students absence). Tests and quizzes are to be made up before or after school as scheduled
by the teacher.


Tutoring/Remediation:

I am available during the following times for tutoring or for students to make up assignments missed.

- After school until 3:30pm.
- By appointment.



Classroom Discipline Plan:

The behavior policy of St. Patrick Catholic High School fosters the total Christian formation of each
student through the nourishment of religious values, self-discipline, personal growth, and academic
excellence. This goal is best realized through the cooperative effort of students, parents, teachers, and
school administrators.

To ensure proper communication and consistency among students, faculty, administration, and parents, a
school wide discipline policy has been established. Listed below is the discipline plan of each classroom.
The steps below may be given verbally by the teacher or by placing the students name on the board.

Step 1: Warning
Step 2: Student/teacher conference
Step 3: Parent contact (by email or phone)
Step 4: Referral to the administration





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Additional Classroom Policies:

Academic Integrity:

Perhaps the highest measure of personal honor is how one achieves success. In the academic
environment, one can achieve success through honest means, or by nefarious methods that
cheapen the success sought and offend the community in which that success is valued. As a
Catholic school, we believe that working with academic integrity is held to an even higher
standard: that of right moral action. Academic dishonesty of any kindcheating, broadly defined,
and plagiarismis not tolerated in this course.

Per school policy, students caught cheating will be dealt with in a serious manner. The student
will receive a zero (0) on the assignment, test, quiz or exam in which the cheating has occurred
and be referred to the administration for disciplinary action.


Late and Missing Work:

Assignments are considered late when they are not submitted at the beginning of classi.e. (that
is) when the bell ringson the day the assignment is due.

No late homework is accepted in this course. Students who do not submit a
homework assignment receive a score of zero (0) on that assignment.
If a student has technical difficulties with a printer, it is incumbent on them to notify the
teacher either in person or by e-mail more than two periods prior to the class in which the
assignment is due (or in-person by 7:50am if the students class is scheduled during first
or second periods).
Students are expected to backup their work to mitigate technical difficulties.
Compuer failure is not an acceptable excuse for late assignments. Dropbox,
Google Drive, and other services offer second-by-second backup of documents.
Students are encouraged to use such a service.
Should a student chose to submit a unit project or essay ("major grades") late, the
assignment will be assessed a complete letter-grade deduction per day late, per school
policy (e.g.for examplework that would normally receive a B+ would receive a C+
and so forth).


Tardiness:

Students must be seated in their assigned seats immediately as the tardy bell begins ringing. If
not, the student is tardy. Per school policy, tardy students must retrieve a slip from the main office
before being admitted to class.


Parental Contact, PowerSchool, and Gradebook Updates:

Students and parents are encouraged to regularly keep track of academic progress on
PowerSchool. Due to the nature of PowerSchools gradebook, the grade shown online might not
always reflect the most up-to-date grade in the course. It is Mr. Prindivilles intention to return
grades in a reasonable, one-week timeframe. Parents and guardians are welcome to contact the
teacher regarding school- related business via his e-mail (pprindiville@stpatrickhighschool.net).
The teacher checks his e-mail daily during workweek business hours, and will respond in a timely
fashion. Parent conferences are scheduled by appointment only.




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Course Supplies:

Students will need the following items for their individual work:

Three-ring binder (that can be shared with other classes)
Dividers
Highlighter
Black ink pen
Colored pencils
#2 pencils

Students will need to bring the following item to class on Friday, August 15 for group classwork:

One ream of pastel colored copy paper (not construction paper; choose which color you like
best, but please make sure it is pastel so text can be easily read), one box of tissues, and post-
it notes.






Important Dates:

Meet the Teacher Night August 13
Labor Day Holiday September 1
Fall Holiday October 13
Thanksgiving Holidays November 24 to 28
Mid-term Exams December 17 to 19
Christmas Holidays December 22 to January 2
MLK, Jr. Holiday January 19
Mardi Gras February 16 to 17
Spring Holiday March 16
Good Friday April 3
Easter Holidays April 6 to 10
Memorial Day Holiday May 25
Final Exams May 22 to 27