Welcome to Room 109Ms. K. Heard

About Ms. Heard

Originally from Hampton, VA

Graduated from HHS

Attended JMU undergraduate and graduate

Attended SU Gifted Education Endorsement

Attends LU School Library Media Endorsement

Married

No children

No pets

Loves to read, garden, can, crochet, travel, take care of my niece (Olivia), hang out with family and friends

Expectations

Regularly attend class

Come to class prepared

Actively participate in class—put forth your best effort

Treat others the way you want to be treated

Check Parent Portal and the class website weekly

Common Areas

Walk in a 3-S line (single file, silent, straight) on the right side of the hallway.

Sit at your assigned table during lunch, monitor your noise level and clean up after yourself.

Report directly to the designated area and stay together during fire drills. I will find you.

Get what you need from your locker quickly and get to class/bus/parent pick-up on time.

Class Rules

Be sure to check Parent Portal and the class website weekly

iPad Guidelines

Guidelines for iPads

Non-Negotiable

Inappropriate language/Cursing

Bullying, teasing, put-downs, “frying”, etc.

Gossip/drama

Physical violence/fighting

Inappropriate iPad/cell phone use

Verbal altercations

Throwing objects

Consequences For Inappropriate Behavior

1. Warning/time out/teacher-student conference

2. Parent contact

3. Detention and parent contact

4. Parent conference with teachers and administration

5. Administrative referral

All infractions will be documented in the Behavior Log

Rewards For Appropriate Behavior

Verbal praise

“Caught Doing Good” letter

Parent contact

iPad “free time”

Reading “free time”

Parent Contact

AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.

Phone call, note home in the mail, note home with student, email, etc.

More than once a month for students who are performing well or struggling behaviorally or academically.

Please check Parent Portal and the class website weekly.

Call or email if you have questions or concerns. I will contact you within 24 hours.

Classwork

There will be graded assignments EVERYDAY

Communication, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Editing, Word Analysis and Research tasks

Tiered assignments, choice menus, thinking maps, Socratic Seminar, Writer’s Workshop, Depth and Complexity Icons, Ten-Minute Grammar

Grades will be entered every TUESDAY

Late work will be docked 5pts each day.

Homework

Flipped classroom videos and lessons will be posted to the class website.

Read 1250+ pages and complete Interactive Reading Log

IRL is due every Monday.

Writer’s Notebook entries

Projects and other assignments as given.

Late work will be docked 5pts each day.

Tests/Quizzes/Projects

At least one week notice for quizzes. Two to three weeks will given to prepare for projects and tests.

Study guide will be posted in the classroom, on the class website and given to students on the day the assessment is announced.

Retakes will be issued at Ms. Heard’s discretion.

Enrichment

Differentiated Task Cards

Independent Study

Cross-Curricular Activities

Choice Menus

Tiered Assignments

Flexible Groups

Extra Credit

NOT awarded for extra work.

Earned by contributing the classroom or school environment

Extra supplies, volunteer before or after school, etc.

NOT more than 15 points/nine-week period

Added to lowest classwork or homework grade(s) ONLY

Tardy?

If you enter class after the bell rings, you are tardy. Plain and simple.

If you have a pass—place your pass in the envelope in the Tardy Book, take your seat and quickly catch up with the lesson/assignment.

If you do not have a pass—sign the Tardy book. Include the day’s date, your name, reason for tardy & time you entered class. Take your seat and quickly catch up with the lesson/assignment.

If I need a more detailed explanation, I will ask for one.

Absences/Make Up Work

Parent, Dr. notes,, etc. go directly the main office. Please do not bring them to me.

Students have the number of days absent to make up work. (absent one day = one day to make up work)

Check the class calendar on the wall and lesson plans on the class website

Scan QR code posted in the classroom for make-up work.

Tests/Quizzes/Presentations may be made up immediately after school on the day of return. No Call/No Show = 60F

Classroom Library

All of the books in the classroom library belong to Ms. Heard. They are not the property of SGC or HCS. Please take care of my books! Some are new and some I have had for years.

Book donations are welcome. No money will be accepted.

I will dedicate $50.00 each month to purchasing new books. Please use the suggestion box.

Please use the check-in/check-out book.

If a book is damaged or lost please let me know ASAP so I can try to repair/replace it.

Materials Station

Electric pencil sharpener

Stapler

Tape

Tissues

Notebook paper

Post-it Notes

Ink pens

Hand sanitizer

Abuse it = Lose it

Donations are appreciated!

EC Points!

Data Wall

Each student receives a random number

Students, administration, parents, teacher can see academic strengths and needs based on assessment data.

Helpful for remediation, enrichment, compacting and acceleration.

Progress may be tracked over time.