1. Discipline, Study Skills, GPA

2. Merits, Demerits, & Detention

3. are earned by excellent behavior that goes above and beyond expectations, random acts of kindness or respect, such as: Promptly and cheerfully helping a teacher or student. Cleaning the classroom without being asked. Volunteering for chores. 5 merits cancels 1 demerit OR 5 merits grants one free dress day

4. are earned by acts of disrespect, disruptiveness, or other violations such as: Uniform violations Tardy Outbursts in class Disobeying a teacher No homework Disrespectful attitude 3 demerits = 1 detention

5. Detentions are served on Friday mornings between 7am- 8am, either from accumulation of demerits or an automatic detention. Automatic detentions are earned by: Cellphones/ipods on campus Disrespectful behavior to a teacher Lying Suspicion of cheating Bullying

6. Time and Place, Organization Notes

7. When doing your homework: Have a designated place to keep your books and do your work. Make sure it is quiet and free of distractions. (No ipod, computer, TV, phones, etc.) Try to do your work at a similar time each day, so that you establish a rhythm and habit. You can take short breaks in studying, but remember to keep them short. Your brain will work better for a small breathing space!

8. Have a planner for your homework schedule, and update it daily. Keep separate folders and binders for each subject. Do the written assignments first: Math, Science, Latin, English or History questions, etc. Next, read a section or chapter in each subject, whether it has been assigned or not. Reread notes Double check your planner when you have finished your work.

9. In class, write down everything that Is on the board The teacher says with emphasis (loudly, twice, etc) You think is important In your reading, write down The chapter or section heading A summary of each paragraph The main ideas Reread your notes each day, highlighting important names, dates, places, and events. Test yourself to see how much you can remember.

10. Grades, Homework, Writing Expectations

11. If homework is not turned in or completed on time, it is counted as a zero, which impacts the overall grade. Example: If Rufus does not hand it 3 assignments out of 10, even though the other seven average 92% he will still receive 64% homework grade. (92 x 7 = 664, 664/ 10 = 64). Although Rufus might average Bs on his tests and projects, his overall grade will be a C. Grades are impacted by both the quality and completion of homework, so start out strong!

12. Homework will be every night for every subject. 20-30 minutes per subject, and 6 subjects, means that 2-3 hours each night will be homework. Plan accordingly. Most Importantly: Even when you have not been assigned homework, always read ahead!

13. All handwriting must be in legible cursive. Complete sentences, using proper grammar and mechanics Organized paragraphs, using introduction, body, and conclusion Informal outline of essays organizing ideas Thesis statements in every essay Transitions between sentences Quotes formatted properly and cited, with lead-ins Bibliography Five paragraph essays