Dear Parents/Guardians,

I would like to welcome you and your child to English I LEAP 2025. I am truly looking forward to a challenging and
rewarding semester helping your child grow and succeed in all strands of language arts.

Classroom Rules and Consequences

It is our goal to provide a nurturing and organized environment to prevent distraction and promote learning. In order to
guarantee all students the excellent educational climate they deserve, the following rules and consequences will be
implemented and strictly enforced at all times:

Rules Consequences
st
Respect everyone and everything in the classroom at ALL times. 1 offense- verbal/non-verbal warning

Be on time: Students should be seated and ready to begin before the 2nd offense- verbal warning with teacher conference
bell rings.

Be prepared: Bring all books and materials to class daily. 3rd offense- lunch detention and parent contact

Follow directions the first time they are given. 4th offense- office referral

No cell phones should be used during class. Severe clause- immediate referral to office

We also believe that students should be rewarded for positive behavior, improvement, and achievement. In addition to
frequent praise, I will also reward students for using appropriate behavior in the classroom. Working together, we can
enable your child to have an exciting and successful school year!

Classroom Supplies
Students will need the following supplies by Friday, August 12, 2022.
 Chromebook (provided by the district)
 1 binder for class work
 binder dividers
 loose leaf paper
 blue or black ink pens
 pencils
 highlighters: blue, green, yellow, and pink
 sticky notes

Google Classroom
Most student assignments will be posted into Google Classroom. If students have questions, they can reach out to me via
email or Google Classroom. For more information about how to use Google Classroom or how it is set up, please visit my
teacher webpage.

Quarantine Information
If a student is required to quarantine for any length of time, he or she must email (mryan@stcharles.k12.la.us) the teacher
or send a message on Google Classroom in order to best help keep the student on track with the class. The student will
need to check Google Classroom for assignments and are encouraged to email or message for any assistance he or she
needs. Although there will be a time extension granted due to absence, it will be the responsibility of the student to make
up any missed assignments.
 Grading
The grading policy is comprised of several elements, including:
Formative Assessments 40%
(quizzes, homework, participation, class work, warm-up, closure, etc.)
Summative Assessments 60%
(tests, projects, writing tasks, formal discussions, LEAP 2025 etc.)

LEAP 2025 Assessment

Upon completion of English I, all students must take the LEAP 2025 Assessment to successfully complete the course.
This is a graduation requirement. Due to the high-stakes nature of the test, the semester will be spent preparing for the
LEAP 2025 Assessment; all assignments are geared towards ensuring that students are successful.
The make-up of the course grade for this year is as follows:

1st quarter: 20%

2nd quarter: 20%
3rd quarter: 20%
4th quarter: 20%
LEAP2025 20%

**Please note: Students will not take a Midterm or Final exam in this course.

Academic Honesty
Any assessment a student completes in the course is expected to be a student’s original work. This applies to homework,
classwork, tests/quizzes, writing assignments, projects, etc. Students may not work with other students on these
assignments unless specifically directed to do so by the teacher. Students should only use resources provided or directed
to by the teacher. Please see the Academic Integrity Policy handout for more information.

Make-Up and Late Work Policy

The policy for make-up and late work in English I is as follows and will be strictly enforced: Any student who is absent is
responsible for making up any assignments, tests, or quizzes given or due during the absence. Three (3) school days will
be allowed for make-up work! Failure to complete make-up work during this time will result in a grade of 0. This will be
the student’s responsibility! It is important for the student to learn that deadlines count, and grades are his/her personal
responsibility.

Students are encouraged to work on any outstanding assignments that will benefit their grade. If a student fails to turn in
an assignment when it is due, there will be a daily cumulative penalty enforced. It is class policy that students lose 5% of
the total assignment grade per day the assignment is late.

The Learning Center (TLC)

TLC provides extended learning opportunities for all students at DHS. A student can voluntarily choose to attend TLC or
attendance can be requested by a teacher or parent. Teachers and tutors are available during TLC hours to provide
assistance to students; TLC is also used to make-up missing assignments and tests. I am normally in TLC on Tuesday
afternoons. Students can sign up in the TLC Google Classroom using the code ci2arow.
 English I Unit Texts
During the semester, students will complete the following units from The Louisiana Curriculum Hub:

 “Teenage Brain” Unit

o In this unit, students will read the following texts:
 "The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction" by National Institute of Mental Health
 "Teenage Brains are Malleable and Vulnerable, Researchers Say" by Jon Hamilton
 "Teenage Brains" by David Dobbs
 "Concussions Affect Teens More Than Kids and Adults, Study Says" by Steven Reinberg
 "How Concussions Affect Your Brain" by Adryan Corcione
 "What Happens When You Have a Concussion?" by Clifford Robbins
 "Basketball and the Brain: Concussions Aren't Just a Risk in Football" by Michelle Castillo
 "Teens: This is How Social Media Affects Your Brain" by Susie East
 "How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers" by Rachel Ehmke
 "Social Media "Likes" Impact Teens' Brains and Behavior" by Association for Psychological
Science
 "History of the Driving Age" (video) by Christopher Muscato
 "16-Year-Olds Want a Vote. Fifty Years Ago, So Did 18-Year-Olds" by Maggie Astor
 "Why the Drinking Age is 21 in the United States" by Jenna Birch
 "21: Science's Limit When it Comes to the Drinking Age" by Jen Christensen
 "What Happens When You Have a Concussion?" by Clifford Robbins
 "Basketball and the Brain: Concussions Aren't Just a Risk in Football" by Michelle Castillo

 A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines

o In this unit, students will read the following texts:
 "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" by Saul Mcleod
 "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday
 "Jim Crow Laws" by History.com Editors
 "NEA Big Read: Meet Ernest Gaines" by NEA
 A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines
 "Sympathy" from The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar by Paul Laurence Dunbar
 "Caged Bird" from Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? by Maya Angelou
 Paragraphs one and two from the prologue to Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
 "I Am a Rock" from Sound of Silence by Paul Simon
 "No Man is an Island" from Devotions upon Emergent Occasions by John Donne
 "Why Your Worst Deeds Don't Define You" by Shaka Senghor
 "If We Must Die" from The Vintage Book of African American Poetry by Claude McKay
 "Invictus" from Book of Verses by William Ernest Henley

For more information regarding the units and texts, please visit the Louisiana Curriculum Hub website:
https://louisianacurriculumhub.com/grade-9 as well as the Louisiana Department of Education website:
https://www.louisianabelieves.com/.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks in advance for your cooperation this
semester.

Sincerely,

Mandy Ryan
mryan@stcharles.k12.la.us
(985) 764-9946
 Please sign and return this portion of the letter to acknowledge that you have read and understand the
expectations and course requirements outlined above.

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Student Signature Date

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Parent Signature Date

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Email Address Contact Number

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