Classroom Policies: This page contains answers to common questions of 
students and parents.

1. PREPAREDNESS
2. GENERAL CONDUCT
3. GENERAL WORK
4. ABSENCE
5. HELP
6. GRADES
7. DOWN LOAD A COPY

PREPAREDNESS

It is the responsibility of the student to be prepared for class. 
Your best work cannot be achieved if you are disorganized and thoughtless 
about what is needed to perform well. Therefore, a lack of daily preparedness
will impact your grade for this course. Preparedness includes:

Having the textbook (properly covered) and appropriate notebook in class.

Having a pen or sharpened pencil (pencils are preferable).

Having a graphing calculator (Intro to Calculus and AP Calculus) or basic function calculator (Algebra).

Having paper to use for any hand-in assignments done in class.

Having assignments, and/or projects to be collected or checked, ready for submission at the start of class.

Being in the classroom, seated, quiet, with notebook open and ready to begin when the opening bell rings.

Being properly attired (as stated in the Student Handbook). The classroom is a work place, not unlike a 
business office. The student’s appearance and demeanor should reflect this.

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GENERAL CONDUCT

It is simple courtesy to be mindful that your actions have an effect on the 
entire class. Therefore, part of the grade for this course will reflect the 
student’s ability to be a constructive participant in the class.

Students are always free to participate, but must wait to be recognized, especially 
if another student has the class’s attention.

Actions that distract anyone, including the teacher, are unacceptable. The teacher 
will be the sole judge of what is distracting and done to simply get the class's attention.

Gratuitous offensive language deemed acceptable by a student because he or she uses it on the 
street is not appropriate for the classroom and will not be tolerated.

Work for another class that the student attempts to do during class will be taken and may not be returned. 

Notes and letters written to other students during class or passed in class will be taken and possibly made public.

Beverages must remain in backpacks and may not be consumed during class. They will be confiscated and not returned.

Phones of any type, i-pods, games, computers, and any other electronic devises (except calculators) that are used 
during class will be taken and may not be returned.

The student has five (5) requests per quarter to use the lavatory and/or to see the nurse unless there is a written 
note from a parent or guardian stating that there is a medical need to be more frequently excused from the classroom. 
Requests beyond that will result in a parental conference.

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GENERAL WORK

Part of the grade for this course will reflect the willingness 
and ability of the student to constructively participate in 
groups and to organize and present his or her work.

Time given to students to collaborate on a project or to make 
connections with the subject matter being studied is for that 
purpose only. It is not for idle conversation or doing other 
work. 

Assignments must be neatly organized and clearly written so they 
can be easily read and followed. Presentations that look 
like 'scrap work', with grammatical errors and sloppy arithmetic, 
will not receive full credit. Where appropriate, step by step 
explanations using any rubrics for scoring that are developed in 
class should be used.

There is no extra credit other than some opportunities during the 
year that are given to the entire class. Serious, conscientious 
students do not need it. Students who neglect their work with the 
idea it can be made up with a simple extra credit assignment when 
convenient for them, do not deserve it.

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ABSENCE

It is the student's responsibility to get the notes that were 
given in class and to learn of any assignments given or work due 
during the absence period. Notes, examples, and assignments from 
each class meeting will be posted on the teacher's 
web page, assessable from the Faculty section of qphs.org. 

If work and / or tests are due, the student, upon returning, must 
arrange a day / time when the work will be completed and 
submitted. Once the day or time agreed upon to present, or make 
up, missing work passes, the work can lose 10% of its original 
value per day that it is late.

It is the student's responsibility to learn when to say NO! 
Students who repeatedly miss class because they willingly 
participate in activities that take them out of school will make 
up missed work at a time convenient for the teacher.

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HELP

Help is available to all students (usually before the school day 
begins). It will, however, be given when the student has specific 
questions or areas of difficulty that they bring to the teacher's 
attention. Extra help is not a substitute for reading notes, 
examples, and textbook explanations. It is not for the purpose of 
eliminating the student's responsibility to study. It is 
to help students clarify details or make connections with the 
subject matter or to extend their abilities beyond what is 
accomplished in the classroom.

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GRADES

The student's grade will be based on a combination of assessments 
and observations taken from the following areas:

Preparedness for class.

Class conduct.

Ability to constructively do group work.

Long / short tests (usually 100 / 50 points) and announced about 
a week in advance.

Unannounced quizzes on topics from the previous class or on 
homework or homework-type problems (usually 5 to 10 points).

Quality of group and individual projects and assignments.

Unannounced quizzes on group and individual projects and 
assignments (usually 5 to 10 points).

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DOWN LOAD A COPY

For a downloadable copy of Class Policies, go to the Hand-Outs 
page.

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