Orientation 10-11 West & Northwest Campuses. My Philosophy Classical Education: A pursuit of wisdom and virtue--rooted in truth, goodness, and beauty--

Orientation 10-Orientation 10-1111

West & Northwest Campuses

My Philosophy

• Classical Education: A pursuit of wisdom and virtue--rooted in truth, goodness, and beauty-- based on honoring the nature of the student, the subject, and the learning process, enabled by the overflow of the knowledge of Christ.

Contact Information

• Renee “dot” mathis “@” whheprep “dot” org www.mrsmathis.com

• Cell # Leave detailed messages, including contact info. Mon-Sat only.

• Mon – NW 8:00 – 3:30 Annex B• Tue – W 8:00 – 4:00 Lobby• Thu- W 12:30 -3:00 Lobby

Class Calendar

• All classes begin week of Aug 23

• No class 9/6 or 9/7. There will be work assigned this week. It’s not a free week.

• For all other holidays, see PREP calendar.

Illness & Absence - Yours

• Please make every effort to let me know ahead of time. Get the assignments from me or a trustworthy student or the website. All work is due when you return to class unless prior arrangements have been made.

Illness & Absence - Mine

• I’ve built in an extra week into the schedule should I need to cancel class. Should something come up, my first option will be to find a substitute so as not to disrupt your schedule. Always check your email the day of class.

Supplies:

• All classes: a 3-ring binder with clear view cover

• Tabbed/or pocket dividers• Please include a 2-pocket

portfolio with one side labeled “take home” and the other side “bring back” to keep track of homework and handouts.

RW 1/RW 2

• label your dividers “Notes”, “Handouts”, “Writing”, and “Returned Work”

• Bring to class: Your notebook, your current novel, your WriteShop binder, colored pencils, and your thesaurus.

High School

• label your dividers “Notes”, “Handouts”, “Quizzes”, “Tests”, and “Papers”

• Bring to class: Your notebook, your current novel, pen & pencil, highlighters, LTOW

• Commonplace Book – sewn composition book

Conduct• I agree to respect the other

students and teachers I come into contact with, both in and outside of class. I will endeavor to have an attitude that is above reproach.

• Except for special occasions, eating and drinking during breaks only. No food/drink allowed in Kainos lobby.

• In my dress and demeanor I will convey an attitude of respect for authority.

Honesty• The work I turn in will be my own. I will

not copy another’s work, whether it be from a friend or from an outside source such as the internet or other published works. Rearranging a word or two, here or there, is still plagiarism.

• When taking tests I will keep my eyes on my own paper.

• If at any time I find myself in possession of prior tests, quizzes, or exam questions, I will report this to the teacher. I agree not to use these for study materials.

Tuition

• Tuition (10 months) is due the first class of each month. The monthly fee is the same regardless of the number of weeks class is held that month. After the first month of class, should withdrawal become necessary I agree to the drop-fee of 2 month’s tuition. Supply fees are non-refundable.

Absences

• It is my responsibility to obtain homework assignments, either from Mrs. Mathis or another student. Unless prior arrangements have been made with Mrs. Mathis, all work is due the day I return to class.

Homework• I understand that homework will only

receive full credit when turned in on time. Late homework will only be accepted for 48 hrs following class, and only for a maximum grade of 80%. In the event of extenuating circumstances, I will give Mrs. Mathis a handwritten note from my parent so that we can make other arrangements. Excuses will not be accepted after the assignment is due.

Electronics

• I understand that electronic devices are prohibited during class.

Assignments

• In ink, legible• Stay organized• Assignments on website• Work with your child to create

a schedule• Communication is key

RW1 & 2 Specifics

• Literature discussion & vocabulary work.

• Writing skills and practice• Break in between• Grades: Comp -30, Vocab -30,

Writing -20, Final/Project -20

Classic/Am Lit Specifics

• Class begins with short quiz over reading

• Next comes discussion of material, including vocabulary

• After the break, writing instruction

Classic/Am Lit Grades

• Discussion/Highlighting: 15% • Commonplace Book -5%• Quizzes -10%• Papers -35%• Tests -25%• Semester Final -10%

Grade Reports for RW1,2Emailed to parents approx. 6x year

Classic & American Lit – 2 semester reports, emailed

How Much Do I Help At Home?

• Oversee work for quality• We’re all on the same team• Small bites over the course of

the week• Warning signs: frustration• Do not complete work for your

child (this includes dictation)

Book List RW1

• Holes by Louis Sachar• Witch of Blackbird Pond by E.

G. Speare• Where the Red Fern Grows by

Wilson Rawls• Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis• My Side of the Mountain by

Jean Craighead George• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Book List RW2• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine

L’Engle• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George

Speare• The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom• The Miracle Worker by William

Gibson• Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (35

chapters)• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Book List Classic Lit

• Short Stories (provided by me)• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens• Julius Caesar by Shakespeare• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte• Red Badge of Courage by Stephen

Crane• Our Town by Thornton Wilder (drama,

not prose)• Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

Book List American/Modern World

Lit• First semester books and ISBN

numbers have been emailed. Some extra materials will be provided by me.

What Kind of Teacher Am I?

One Last Thing

• “Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.”

• Ecclesiastes 12:9-10