Course Description: This course consists of the following content area strands: United States History, Geography and Humanities. The primary content emphasis for this course pertains to the study of United States history from Reconstruction to the present day. Students will be exposed to the historical, geographic, political, economic and sociological events which influenced the development of the United States and the resulting impact on world history.
Supplies: You are responsible for bringing your OCPS issued, charged laptop with you on a daily basis, along with it’s charging/power cable. You must also have a pair of 3.5mm connecting earbuds or headphones for assignments that require private listening; bluetooth connectivity is not permitted. You still need to have pens – navy blue or black ink only as nothing else will be accepted.
Grading:
A = 100 – 90
B = 89 – 80
C = 79 – 70
D = 69 – 60
F = 59 – 0
class/homework/webquests – 50%
tests/quizzes – 20%
projects/timelines – 20%
citizenship – 10%
Quizzes may be given at any time and multiple choice exams will be given occasionally, so study daily. Webquests, multimedia projects and DBQ’s will be completed often as well. Homework includes the daily study of your notes as well as occasional reading and questions. An End of Course Exam will be administered by the State Education Department (taken electronically) which must be passed in order for you to not only receive credit for the course, but to graduate as well.
Assignments will be graded in Canvas in a timely manner (which typically means the school day following an assignments due date) and then exported to Skyward the next school day. Assignments submitted after the due date will be exported to Skyward prior to report card due dates (typically the week of). * Note that I do not allow for assignment corrections for the purpose of regrading.
- Canvas is our digital classroom: everything pertaining to the class can be found there.
- Skyward is the aggregate for grades, attendance and student information.
- Each marking period as well as the Common Final Exam is worth 20% of your final grade for the course.
- District policy denotes that the lowest possible grade a student can receive in any marking period and on any correctly completed assignment is a 50% and the lowest possible grade a student can receive on the Common Final Exam is a 59%.
You must remember that all due dates reflect the beginning of the period of which you are enrolled. Timeliness is a necessary component of excellence. Late assignments rob the class of learning opportunities therefore all acceptable late assignments will be deducted 15% per day.
Your citizenship grade is determined by your actions as a student and young adult and will be reduced for any of the following: excessive unexcused tardies/absences, eating in class, insubordination, dress code violation, derogatory, profane or vulgar language, sleeping or appearing to be asleep, refusal to attempt to complete bell work, speaking out of turn, making noise, throwing something … anything that is disrespectful and/or disruptive towards me or a peer.
A violation on any given day will not only be followed by parental notification but may result in a classroom detention and/or an administrative referral and will negate your privileges for that day; e.g. pass.
Online Translate: ESOL students may use Google Translate as they complete assignments and quizzes; however, only physical translation dictionaries may be used during exams, as the State Education Department only allows for such on the End of Course Exam.
Online Textbook: We will be utilizing United States History: Reconstruction to the Present as well as material from USA Test Prep: to sign up, enter Account ID bears34 and Student Activation Code stu1594. Enter a username and password and be sure to use studentnumber@students.ocps.net as your e-mail address. Once an account is created, you must log (back) in; Beneath your avatar, click on Join Class (Dennis Cimmino) and the appropriate period number.
Make Up Work: It is your responsibility to check the class calendar for your missed assignment/s when you are absent and to make up the work accordingly, just as it is your responsibility to tell me if an absence has been changed from “unexcused” to “excused” in ProgressBook. If you are absent the day of a test or an essay and your absence is excused, you must make it up after school on the day denoted on the class calendar (see OCPS code of conduct).
Extra Credit: No extra credit work is provided – keep up with all assignments and tests/quizzes. However, if you’d like to earn extra credit points, bring in a box of tissues or a bottle of hand sanitizer for the class. (A maximum of 2 items per marking period may be turned in for 5 points each.)
Help after school: Always available, but please ask me at least a day in advance to be sure that I don’t have any previous obligations. Tutoring will be on Mondays.
Passes: You are allotted three passes (e.g. restroom, Media Center) per marking period. Use them sparingly as it is your responsibility to go where you need to go and get done what you need to get done prior to your arrival in class. I will write no more than three passes per day (per period) so as to limit classroom disruption. Please note that if you are summoned to another location, it will not count as one of your three passes as it is beyond your control.
Food: Absolutely no food, drink or candy is allowed (see OCPS code of conduct).
Discipline: This is our classroom, therefore discipline must be maintained for the learning process to occur. If I have to tell you to stop talking when you should be listening, for example, you will stay after school for a classroom detention (detentions are on Monday’s and Friday’s, from 2:15 – 2:45). Also, if you acquire 3 tardies to class (late anytime after the bell, unexcused), you will receive a detention. If tardies continue, you will receive an administrative referral. See Below.
Expectations: Be in class each and every day and be prepared, both with your supplies and your mind (a good night’s sleep is another requirement). Politeness is a necessity, both towards me and your peers. Respect one another as I respect each one of you. And, most importantly, be on time for class, as well as being punctual when handing in assignments. All social media code of conduct rules will be adhered to while using your OCPS device.
Cell Phone Policy: A student may possess a cell phone on school property, at after school activities and at school-related functions, provided that during school hours and on a school bus, the cell phone remains off and is concealed. Violations of this policy may result in confiscation of the cell phone and/or other disciplinary actions. If confiscated, the parent/guardian will make arrangements to pick up the cell phone from the school. At no time shall OCPS be responsible for theft, loss or damage to cell phones or other electronic devices brought onto its property. These standards apply to all students in the public schools of Orange County, unless a specific exemption is granted by the principal. Any request for an exemption shall be made to the principal.
Personal Electronics usage is prohibited.
* syllabus subject to change as OCPS & CCHS guidelines change
Florida law requires students to attend school until graduation or age 18. The law requires that schools determine excused and unexcused absences on a daily basis. Diligent attendance is crucial for academic success. Strict adherence to the following guidelines is essential.
1. Cypress Creek High School will make every effort to notify parents upon the 5th unexcused absence.
2. All absences will be marked as unexcused until a written note is received from the parent within 48 hours of returning to school.
3. It is permissible to excuse an absence for the following reasons only:
a. Illness, injury or other insurmountable condition
b. Illness or death of a member of the student’s immediate family
c. Recognized (or established) religious holidays and religious instruction
d. Medical appointments (please try to schedule appointments after 4:30)
e. Participate in an approved activity or class of instruction held at another school site. (field trips, assemblies, etc.)
f. Prearranged absences of educational value with the principal’s prior approval
g. Head lice infestation (up to four days during the school year).
h. Catastrophic disasters that significantly impact the life of the student (loss of residence from natural disaster)
4. School Board policy allows one day for each day of excused absence. Students are responsible for make-up work according to their teacher’s instructions.
5. A doctor’s note must be turned into the attendance office once a student has accumulated ten days of absences.
1) Parent notes can be used to excuse a student’s absence for up to four days consecutively for an illness.
2) Five or more days requires a doctor’s note for medical situations.
6. Each student is required to enroll in courses for a full school day. Only the principal is able to grant a waiver for a partial school day.
7. Students must have parent/guardian permission to sign out early from the Attendance Office. Only adults identified at the time of registration or by an appropriate written update will be allowed to sign students out.
8. Students administratively suspended from school are allowed the number of days suspended plus one to make class work.
Attendance/Late to School/Arrivals
Students arriving late to school will obtain a tardy pass from the Attendance Office after 9:45 a.m. All students late to first period must have a slip from attendance prior to being allowed to enter class. Failure to sign in and receive a pass when tardy to school will be regarded as skipping. Failure to serve teacher or administrative detention for being tardy will be treated as gross insubordination.
Attendance/Tardy to Class
Tardy sweeps will be conducted each period each day. Work that is missed because of an unexcused tardy cannot be made up for credit. Any student who continues to be late to a class or classes after the parent has been notified will be considered in open defiance of school policy and subject to ISS or suspension.
Attendance/Classroom Tardy Discipline
1st = Verbal Warning
2nd = Parent contact
3rd = Teacher detention
Subsequent Tardies = Administrative referral
SIGNING OUT OF SCHOOL
Students leaving the school campus must always check out through the Attendance Office. Students who know they must leave for appointments should report to the Attendance Office upon arrival at school to prearrange permission to leave. Personal or phone contact confirming parental permission to check out of school is essential prior to check out authorization.
Attendance For Academic Credit
State policy specifies that an absence must be excused in order for credit to be given: Florida law, Section 1003.26.
LAWS IMPLEMENTED: Florida Statutes 1001.41, 1003.21, 1003.24, 1003.436
ADOPTED: 1/23/07