Hedgesville High School

2016-2017 School Year

Teacher: Ms. Swank
Room: 16

Welcome to English 12 CR!

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.
~Jorge Luis Borges
Class Description
This class is a study of literature designed to challenge students into thinking and reading critically and
creatively and analyzing various genres of literature to form their own solid arguments and opinions
supported by evidence from the text. Students will work individually and cooperatively with textdependent questions, research primary and secondary sources, and foster and build inquisitive natures
both inside and outside of the classroom.

Who Am I?
Just to give you a little bit about who you have as a teacher, my name is
Ms. Swank. I am a graduate of Seton Hill University with a Bachelor of
Arts in English Creative Writing and teaching certifications in the
states of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and I have been teaching
here at HHS for 3 years now. I am also a published poet and love to
write on a daily basis. I am a music lover, dancer, singer, Zumba
instructor, and aspiring novelist. Do we have anything in common?
Well soon find out!

If you or your parents have any questions that you would like to ask,
do not hesitate to get in touch with me! Here is my contact
information:
Email: aswank@k12.wv.us
You can also message me directly on Engrade.
Twitter: @msswankhhs Follow me for updates from class activities and other great things we will be
doing!

Expectations and Rules for Class

I have five fairly simple, all-inclusive rules that I ask you all to follow when in my classroom. I call them
the 5 Ps. They are as follows:
1. Be prompt. This means when you turn in assignments, try to do so on time. Also, please be in
your seat by the time the tardy bell rings. I am sticking to the school policy as to what
repercussions will be if you are tardy. Check the handbook or ask me if you do not know what that
entails.
2. Be polite. This one is very simple: If you give respect to me, you will get it in spades in return.
This also includes your classmates. If someone is speaking, give them the courtesy of being heard.
EXPECT RESPECT!
3. Be prepared. Make sure that you come to class every day with the required materials for the
day. Every time that I have to permit you to visit your locker, I lose valuable class time with all of
you. You will receive 1 participation point every day that you are prepared for class. You have the
opportunity to earn up to 5 per week, depending on the school schedule.
4. Be patient. I still consider myself new to this district as well as this state. However, I
understand that you are new to the building as well. If we work together, things will get done in
an orderly fashion as feasibly as possible.
5. Be productive. When you come to class, I expect you to give everything your fullest effort. I am
giving you everything that I have in the hopes that you will also enjoy literature and writing, so
please make a strong attempt at anything before even entertaining the thought of giving up.
In addition to the 5 Ps, I have some smaller housekeeping rules that need to be addressed
1. CELL PHONES At all times during class, cell phones are to be placed
on the front corner of your desk with the screen facing down. The
consequences for performing the act of using a cell phone in class will be
exactly as stated in the school policy. See me or your handbook if you are
unsure as to what this may be. There will be days where I will allow you
to use your cell phone or device in class. This will be designated by the
green/red card on the board.
2. NO FOOD, DRINKS, OR GUM. I will accept you bringing in a CLOSED
water bottle, if you wish, but this container MUST have a closable lid
(meaning if I pick it up and flip it upside-down, it will not spill). NO
DUNKIN DONUTS OR OTHER FAST FOOD CONTAINERS ARE
ALLOWED IN MY ROOM NO EXCEPTIONS. Also, it helps us respect the
medical needs of your classmates who may have allergies.

Materials Needed
-

Notebook (3 or 5 subject) OR binder with filler paper

o College rule recommended

Pencils AND black/blue ink pens

Textbook/novels (provided to you)

A sense of humor & an open mind

I will do my best to inform you of what materials you will need on the upcoming day in class the day
before. If for some reason I am not able to do this, keep an eye out on Engrade and on my door for a
note telling you what you will need for class.
If I need to lend out pencils, be prepared to make a trade for the time that you are holding my pencil
hostage.

If Im Absent, What Should I Do?

If for some reason you need to miss class and you know ahead
of time, be sure to see me first. I will let you know what you
should do to keep up with the rest of the class. If you do not
know that you are going to be absent, the first thing that you
should do is check the class page on Engrade, the class website
(listed at the bottom of the syllabus), OR see if you receive any
Remind 101 messages that evening. If there is nothing posted,
when you return to class, you will need to check with me or a
classmate who was present the day that you were absent. You
will have as many days as you were absent to return any work
to me following your return. After that time has passed, the
late work policy will set in.

Late Work
My late work policy is somewhat lenient. You have until 3:00 PM that day to turn in any late work. After
that, you will have a period of 5 school days (1 school week) to turn your assignment in for credit,
during which you will receive a 5 point deduction for each day that it is late. If your assignment is more
than 1 school week late, it will become a permanent zero.

Bathroom Policy
My bathroom policy is fairly simple as well. I have a hall pass that you must take with you when you go to
the restroom or get a drink. Treat my pass with RESPECT as it is the ONLY one, and if anything happens
to it, IT WILL BE REVOKED FOR ALL STUDENTS. You must also sign out on the Sign-Out Sheet that is
on a clipboard on the wall near the door. Please make sure to completely fill out all information on this
sheet, as you will only be given 3 chances before I revoke your hall pass privileges. Also, if you
absolutely need to use the restroom during class time, I ask that you wait until I am finished talking and
you have begun any individual work for that period. I only get so many minutes during the day of seeing
all of your smiling faces, and I am being selfish and saying that I would like to keep all of those minutes. :)
If you have a doctors excuse, I will work around this policy with you.

Plagiarism Policy
This policy consists of one simple statement:

PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT PLAGIARIZING, YOU WILL FORFEIT THE ENTIRE GRADE
FOR THE ASSIGNMENT. AFTER 2 OFFENSES, YOU WILL FORFEIT YOUR
GRADE FOR THE 9 WEEKS. AFTER 3 OFFENSES, YOU WILL FORFEIT YOUR
GRADE FOR THE SEMESTER.
I cannot stress how important it is that you realize how terrible this crime is. Dont let yourself be the
perpetrator.

Grading Breakdown
During the year, we will be covering a wide range of assignments and topics. Here is a general
breakdown for how I will be weighing the parts of your grade:
Participation: 30%
Homework: 10%
Tests and Quizzes: 20%
Papers and Projects: 40%

If you have any questions regarding this breakdown, do not hesitate to ask me, and I will be more than
happy to explain.

Please check out the brand new CLASS WEBSITE using the address below. I will also be trying to post
information such as class announcements, assignments for the week, and any other pertinent information
on this page, so make sure to check it frequently!

msswankhhs.weebly.com

Lets all have a great school year,

and remember: BORING IS BAD!