Announcements

Character Ed. quote of the week:  "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

I hope everyone had a happy Labor Day and is ready to start fresh on Tuesday.  Because of Picture Day, I will postpone the computer applications test until Wednesday, but all CA students need to study HARD.  The test is a beaut! 

All students should check their school email at least once a day.  I will use this to communicate with you since our time is frequently so limited in class.

We use Office 2007 and Windows xp in the lab, but I do not require outside work to be done on the computer since not all students have equal access.  I do keep the lab open after school for students who get behind or who need extra help.  In addition, we will have a Moodle site and a Quia site for each class.  In an attempt to conserve both paper and toner, most of our work will be uploaded through Moodle, and most of our tests are taken through Quia.  Both sites are extremely user-friendly and fun to use.  Both sites will show a grade average, but neither will correctly reflect your true average since grades are combined from these two sources and other projects or activities.  You may always come to me to check on your grade or parents may email, call, or set an appointment.  Just be sure you don't ask during lecture or roll call. 

The best way for parents to contact me is through email. . . just click the link above.  I encourage parents and students to feel free to email me with any questions or concerns, and I will  get back with you as soon as possible. 

Please feel free to let me know if you have questions or concerns.

Learning Climate:  In this course, you will work with your instructor and fellow students to complete lessons and assignments.  There are two key points to remember:

1. You are expected to participate in class and complete all assigned exercises.
2. You are responsible for your learning and for helping each other when appropriate.

Expectations for the Course

• Attendance
  You are expected to attend each class and to be on time.  Much of the class progress depends on your involvement and participation.  Come to class prepared!
• Critical Thinking
  You are expected to use critical thinking and creative problem-solving to complete exercises.
• Academic Honesty
  You are expected to complete your own work to the best of your ability and to ask for help when needed.
  Team work is a definite part of this class, but each team member is expected to complete his/her assigned task.

COMPUTER LAB RULES

1. Always follow directions the first time given. If you have a question about a direction, raise your hand and wait to be recognized.
2. Be prepared. Bring your notebook to every class. Place books and/or backpacks in the front of the room and take only your class notebook and a pen or pencil to your station.
3. Take care of the equipment. Do not touch another student’s computer. Do not change settings without your instructor’s permission. Follow the Limestone County Acceptable Use Policy for Students. Do not roll around, spin, or lean back in the chairs.
4. Be polite. Raise your hand and wait to be recognized before talking out. Do not talk while someone else is talking. Especially do not talk while directions or instructions are being given. Wait until your instructor is finished and then ask questions.
5. Use proper shutdown procedure.
6. Leave your station clean. No trash around the station. Book closed and returned to its proper location.*
7. Do not bring food, drink, or gum into the lab.*

If these rules are not followed, you will incur the following consequences:

1st time – verbal warning
2nd time – Write these rules 25 times. (…and, no, you may not use a computer to do so.)
3rd time – Discipline referral and parent contact (*Rule 6 & 7—morning detention to sweep and dust the computer lab.)

Tardy policy: (Elkmont High School Tardy Policy, adopted October 4, 1999)

1. Any student who is not seated in his/her assigned station for work is to be considered tardy and to be verbally reprimanded.
2. Teachers will document tardiness in their grade books.
3. Upon the third (3rd) tardy to any class (including after lunch), the parent is to be notified by the teacher that the student will remain after school in the event of future tardiness.
4. All students who are tardy after a parental notification is served will be given a choice of After School Detention for its full duration (until 4:15) or corporal punishment upon each occasion.
5. Any students who fail to report to After School Detention will be referred to the assistant principal.

GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Assignments

1. Printed assignments and tests must be turned in to the tray marked for your class. It is your responsibility to see that all work is placed in the correct tray. Other assignments must be uploaded correctly through Moodle. I will only grade work that is turned in correctly. When the work is returned, make sure that you check to see if it has a grade or if something needs to be fixed before it is graded. If it does not have a grade or a check mark, it has not been recorded. See me. All graded work must be filed in your portfolio and posted on your grade sheet.
2. Retake Policy: You may re-take one major text per nine-week period. This may be taken before or after school at a time arranged with me but before the last week prior to the nine-week test.
3. Make-up Policy: You have three days in which to make up work/tests. In the case of an extended absence, I will work with you on this deadline, but only if you contact me and make arrangements before the end of the three-day limit. Make-up work will be in the Make-up Folder in the front of the room. If you are absent, be sure to check it. Missed work cannot be made up during class time but must be made up on Tuesdays or Thursdays after school.
4. Extra Credit Work: Extra credit work is available until the last week before the nine-week test. Students may do one extra credit assignment per nine-week period. All extra credit work must be completed by the week prior to the week of the nine-week tests.

General Policies 

Beginning of Class: You are expected to be at your station or desk and ready to work when the tardy bell rings. You must have your spiral notebook with you each day. Leave book bags under the front table and take only your notebook, portfolio, and pen or pencil to your workstation. Check instructions on the overhead for work to begin while I check roll and prepare to begin class. If there are no instructions on the board, log on to your computer and sign in to Moodle. Check your assignments and make a daily journal entry.

Tardy: The EHS tardy policy will be strictly enforced. Students who are tardy four or more times will be reported to the office and will be required to stay after school the following day. (Students may go to the restroom after lunch, but must return in a timely manner. If you are not back by the time class resumes, you will be counted tardy.)

End of Class: Two minutes before the dismissal bell, we will log off. You are responsible for making sure that your station is clean and ready for the next class and that all books are returned to the proper place. You may not leave your station until the bell rings unless instructed to do so.

Keyboarding is designed to develop the touch method in operating keyboards to input data and to produce business documents.  Emphasis is placed on formatting skills for producing letters, reports, manuscripts, tables, and outlines.  Special emphasis is given to spelling, punctuation, capitalization, number expression, numbers, symbols, proofreading, and keying from rough draft.

Check the Supply page for required supplies and come back to this site often to see assignments and/or projects posted.  Be sure to read the class rules and policies above  If you want a printable copy, go to the Files link.  I will also post the PowerPoint presentions that I use in class from time to time.  If you are absent, check the Assignments Section to see what you missed.  I'm looking forward to a great semester.

Computer Applications is designed to provide students with the basic concepts and skills regarding knowledge of computer operations.  Additional components of the course are responsible use of computers, efficient use of computers to enhance productions and presentations, and use of computers to access information.  Competent computer utilization fosters students' problem-solving and critical-thinking skills and enables students to become competitive workers in the twenty-first century.   Computer applications is a required course that is best completed in the 9th grade.  Software:  Windows xp, Office 2007, Publisher 2002

Be sure to read the class rules and policies on above.  If you want a printable copy, go to the Files link.  I will also post the PowerPoint presentions that I use in class from time to time.  If you are absent, check the Assignments Section to see what you missed.  I'm looking forward to a great semester.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke

This course is an advanced level of the Computer Applications course.  More in-depth study of programs including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint. and Publisher.  Emphasis will be placed on career goals.

This course is a study of both printed and non-printed forms of communication.  Included are newspapers, magazines, films, television, and radio.  Photography and advertising are covered as integral parts of the different media forms.  The history of each media form is covered and students are required to create projects such as newspapers, magazines, radio shows, etc.

This course is an introductory course outlining the different aspects of play production and creation.  Among other things, the students learn about production terminology, stage makeup, and rehearsal procedures.  This course is offered whenever an appropriately certified teacher is available.

Textbook:  Theatre:  Art in Action published by Glencoe

This course is a continuation of Theatre I.  More emphasis is placed on an actual play production.   Topics included are set design, construction, makeup, costumes, stage lighting, and scene cutting.  This course is offered whenever an appropriately certified teacher is available.

$15 Fee

Prerequisite:  Theatre I

Textbook:  Theatre:  Art in Action published by Glencoe

"Most of what we have called formal education has been intended to imprint on the human mind all of the information we might need for a lifetime. Today...education needs to be geared toward the handling of data rather than the accumulation of data." - David Berlo, president, University of Illinois (1975)