Welcome Back LOBOS!!!

Good day all, and welcome to the 2011-2012 academic year.

I just thought everyone would like a heads up as to the expectations for this year. In today’s blog you will find a copy of the supply list as well as some of the other information that will be found in the student welcome packet. Each 7th grader will receive a copy of this packet on the first day of school and the return of the signature page will serve as your first grade for the year.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Student Supply list: you will need to have your supplies ready and available by the second Monday of School August 29, 2011.
5 dividers (TAG/Pre-AP need 6 dividers)
Colored Pencils
#2 pencils
notebook paper
1” binder
Texas Road Map
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tentative Course Outline: (this is of course subject to change)
Unit 1: Natural Texas and Its People
Unit 2: Age of Contact
Unit 3: Celebrate Freedom
Unit 4: Spanish Colonial Period
Unit 5 Mexican National Period
Unit 6: Revolution and Republic
Unit 7: Early Statehood
Unit 8: Texas in the Civil War and Reconstruction
Unit 9: Cotton, Cattle, and Rail Roads
Unit 10:Age of Oil
Unit 11:Texas in the Great Depression and World War II
Unit 12:Civil Rights and Conservatism
Unit 13:Contemporary Texas
NOTE: You are expected to read assigned materials BEFORE class.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KILLEEN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Middle School Grading Procedure

1. Teachers should have a sufficient quantity and variety of assessments during the grading period to accurately reflect academic achievement. Teachers will record a minimum of nine (9) formative grades and three (3) summative grades per nine weeks grading period.
2. Grades shall be posed/recorded in a timely manner no later than five instructional days from the date received with exception given for projects.
3. Grades shall be based on individual student mastery of state standards (TEKS) and the district curriculum. Grades should reflect a student’s academic achievement for the grading period, semester, or course.
4. Grades must reflect accommodations and instructional modifications as specified by appropriate campus committees such as: ARD, 504, LPAC, etc.
5. Grades of “zero” assigned for work not completes (other than those due to absences) may be changed upon completion and submission of each assignment by the student. The teacher will have discretion over the grade assigned within the parameters of the campus or department grading procedures. Students with grades of “zero” for missing work may be assigned mandatory tutoring session(s) until the assignments are completed.
6. Nine weeks and semester grades should be an accurate reflection of a student’s academic performance/achievement. Final grade should be consistent with performance on final/summative assessments.
7. Nine week (6th-8th grades) and semester examinations (8th grade) should be cumulative.
8. Semester averages are obtained by averaging the two nine week grading period. Yearly averages are calculated by averaging the first and second semester.
9. Nine weeks grades are determined by the following percentages:
Assignment Type Percentage
Formative 45%
Summative 55%

Definitions:
Formative: or assessment for learning. Occurs during the learning process and provides information to both teachers and students that enable them to make adjustments to increase learning. Examples may include: homework, class work, quizzes, labs, draft essays.

Summative: or assessment of learning. Occurs after instruction to find out what students know, understand and can do at one point in time. Examples may include: unit exams, major projects, final essays, lab practicum and nine-week exams.

Further guidance on middle school grading practices is found in the Middle School Course Book located on the Secondary Curriculum and Professional Development and Guidance and Counseling and websites.

Board Policy EIA (LOCAL)
Middle School Course Book D-3
Adopted 9-12-2009
Revised 5-25-2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KILLEEN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Homework Procedure

I. PHILOSOPHY: The Killeen Independent School District endorses the use of homework as a research-based instructional strategy that can increase student achievement, foster independence and responsibility, and serve as a vital link between school and home.

II. DEFINITION: Homework is defined as any learning activity completed by the student as an extension of classroom instruction, no including the sell-assigned activities voluntarily undertaken by the student. The additional practice and application of knowledge and skills deepens understanding and proficiency; thereby, increasing student achievement.

III. TYPES OF HOMEWORK
A. Practice Homework helps students master specific knowledge and skills that have been presented in class.
B. Preparation Homework is designed to motivate or prepare students for knowledge and skills that they have not yet mastered. Teachers may assign students to read text, take notes on reading, work on solving a problem that will illustrate the need to learn upcoming material, or gather information resources outside of class.
C. Extension homework provides students the opportunity to apply or transfer specific knowledge and skills to a new situation or in an original response. Teacher may assign a written composition, a demonstration, a compare/contrast assignment, visual display, or technology presentation.
NOTE: Class work that could not have been completed during the class time allowed is not considered homework even if the student is given the opportunity to complete the assignment at home.

IV. HOMEWORK GUIDELINES
A. Practice homework will be assigned only when students have had guidance and are secure enough in those skills to be able to complete them independently and successfully.
B. Homework or the threat of additional homework will not be used to enforce discipline in the classroom
C. Homework will not be assigned during the following times with and exception made for study/review guides
a. Group standardized testing, district approved criterion-referenced tests, and state assessments
b. Semester exams (grades 8-12)
c. Official school holidays (does not include teacher workdays
NOTE: These items apply only to those students who are involved in the testing

NOTE: If long-term assignments are made, it is the responsibility of the teacher to plan those assignments and periodic progress checks for times that do not compel students to work during holidays (e.g., assignments should not be made shortly before or be due shortly after holidays).

D. The recommended amount of time that students spend on homework varies by grade level:
K-2 Total not to exceed 30 minutes per day (includes long-term projects)
3 Total not to exceed 45 minutes per day (includes long-term projects)
4-5 Total not to exceed 60 minutes per day (includes long-term projects)
6-8 Total not to exceed 90 minutes per day
9-12 Total not to exceed 120 minutes per day

E. Teachers will consider the cumulative effect of homework assignments (i.e., math + language arts + social studies + science, etc; one day assignments + prorated time for long-term assignments + study or reading time)
a. It tis anticipated that students will not have homework assignments in every class every day.
b. Time recommended are for diligent students taking regular level classes. Students who work more slowly, who work with distractions (television, iPods, text messaging, radio, and cell phone interruptions) or who take honors-level classes (TAG, Pre-AP and AP) may exceed these estimates.
c. It is the student’s responsibility to prorate the time needed for long-term assignments.
F. Homework is one part of a multi-faceted evaluation program and is not to be the only source of formative grades
G. Students will receive timely and meaningful feedback on homework assignments.
H. KISD recognizes that there are times when students will not complete homework within the designated timeframe. Each campus shall define procedures for “late homework.”
I. When homework is assigned to reinforce skills, there should be a consistence between the content and format of material presented in class and homework assignments.

Board Policy EIA (Local)
Adopted 5-24-2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LIVE OAK RIDGE LATE WORK POLICY
(effective 10/28/2010)
First Day Late: 10 points deducted
Second Day Late: 15 points deducted
Third Day Late: 20 points deducted
After Third Day: Mandatory tutoring assigned
Failure to attend mandatory tutoring will result in a referral to the building principal and possible assignment to ISS.