Parent+information

 = Welcome! =  I’m Mr. Dawson and I’m teaching a News Writing class that will provide your children with exciting and relevant writing and communication skills. **I’m a teacher who loves working with young people and seeing them grow as individuals as well as learners. Words and writing are in my blood: I spent twenty-three years as a newspaper reporter and editor before deciding that teaching was my true passion. I have lived in Oregon, California, Alaska, Michigan, Indiana, and Minnesota before settling here in Colorado with Ila, my wife of fourteen years, and our six-year-old daughter, Sonali.** Students will receive at least a passing grade in News Writing if they show up for class consistently with the necessary materials, including pens or pencils, paper, assigned books and journals, and turn in all assignments on time. There are five categories of assessments that total 500 points in this class, broken down as follows: **Homework: 100 points** **Class assignments: 100 points** **Tests, quizzes: 50 points** **Projects: 200 points** **Class participation: 50 points** Here’s how the points translate to letter grades: 450-500 points: A 400-449 points: B 350-399 points: C 300-349 points: D Less than 300 points: F <span style="display: block; font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left;">**Grades will be posted online and can be accessed through the Aeries portal. Please call or e-mail if you have any question about a student’s progress.** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;">Late assignments will be marked down one letter grade (10 percent) for every day past the due date. Students with excused absences directly before or on the due date will have one extra day for every missed day to turn in assignments for full credit. It is the student’s responsibility to inform me of any missed assignments. Makeup tests or quizzes must be completed within a week of the original test or quiz. Students should meet me as soon as possible to schedule a time to take these. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;">**It is important that students come to class on time. A student with one or two unexcused tardies will receive a verbal warning from me. A third tardy will result in a call to the student’s parents or guardians. A fourth unexcused tardy will result in the student being sent to the school administration.** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;">Respectful classroom behavior is essential for students to learn to the best of their capabilities. This includes following directions, bringing the proper materials to class, and paying attention while the teacher and students speak in class. Cell phones, iPods, video games, and other electronic devices are not to be used during class hours. Failure to be respectful to the teacher or other students will result in oral warnings first, then a call the parents, conferencing with the student, parent and teacher, and finally a discipline referral to the school administration. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;">**Students should also be aware of the school’s policy on plagiarism. Attempts to turn in assignments copied from published or electronic sources, or from other students, will result a zero grade for the assignment and referral to the school administration.** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;">If a student is having problems with an assignment, he or she should get in touch me with me as soon as possible. I’ll do everything in my power to make the assignment clear and manageable. No student or student guardian should ever hesitate to call or e-mail me with questions. My e-mail address is billandila@yahoo.com. I’m happy to meet with students or parents one-on-one; just call or e-mail and we’ll set up a time to talk. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;">**Here’s looking forward to an exciting and educational semester!** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 110%;"> Sincerely, Bill Dawson <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: left; display: block;">