Welcome, Parents

1
Welcome, Parents!
Mrs. Howard Erin.Howard_at_so.dvusd.org (623)
445-7224

• P.1 Journalism
• P.2 Newspaper
• P. 3 Language Arts 1-2
• P.4 Language Arts 1-2
• P. 6 Journalism

2
General Classroom Procedures

• RULES Be prepared Respect others Stay in your
  seat No food, drinks, hats or gum Turn in work
  on time.
• CONSEQUENCES Warning exclusion from class
  lunch/after-school detention parent call
  referral.
• SPECIFIC CONSEQUENCES Chewing gum cleaning up
  the floor at the end of the day/period. Speaking
  poorly about another student/staff member
  writing a one-page essay about their positive
  qualities. Cursing in class copying a page from
  the dictionary.
• PLEASE NOTE Students have one day for every
  excused absence to make up work. Long-term
  assignments are due on the due date regardless of
  attendance.

3
About Me

• EDUCATION
• Mountain Ridge High School, Class of 1998
• BA, Journalism, The University of Arizona, 2002
• Post-baccalaureate, Education, 2004
• Certified Journalism Educator, 2005
• Current masters student, English, Northern
  Arizona University
• PAST EMPLOYMENT
• Reporter, The Arizona Republic, The Daily
  Wildcat, The Cranston Herald, The Warwick Beacon
• Copy editor The Arizona Republic, El
  Independiente
• Section editor The Daily Wildcat
• Contributor The Tucson Weekly

4
Journalism

• Important things to note
• Journalism is a full year course and it is a
  prerequisite for newspaper or yearbook.
• Students must earn an A or B both semesters
  to take newspaper or yearbook.
• We spend a great deal of time talking about
  current events and affairs. All viewpoints are
  heard and honored. Students should become
  consumers of news, especially in newspapers.
• We do have current events quizzes from time to
  time. Having a newspaper at home will help, if
  this is possible.
• Assessments include a few tests, but mostly
  outside writing assignments and projects.
• Assessments are due on the date they are due,
  with almost no exceptions.

5
Journalism

• Course outline

SEMESTER 1 Elements of news Law ethics in
journalism Lead writing Writing news
stories Major assessmentsTests - Units 1
2 Writing assignments Units 3 4 4 also ½
of final exam
SEMESTER 2 Writing feature stories Writing sports
stories Opinion Editorials News photography
Page design Copy editing Yearbook Major
assessments Writing assignments Units
1-3 Projects Units 4, 5 7 Test Unit 6
6
Why You Should Be Happy About Your Child Taking
Journalism

• The College Board found that among the 5 most
  popular activities for students with a 5/5 on the
  AP English test was journalism. This was in 2000.
• College Board
• Journalism students score higher on Advanced
  Placement Composition Tests than students who do
  not take journalism.
• -JEA Today
• Journalism is among the five high school
  activities most likely to suggest college
  success.
• Michigan Association for College Admissions
  Counseling
• Students in a succesful journalism program are 70
  percent more likely to get into an ivy league
  college.
• College Confidential

7
Newspaper

• Fun changes
• We have new computers and cameras!
• We are sharing a lab with yearbook.
• We have our biggest staff ever.
• We are starting a new, once-per-semester arts
  and entertainment magazine.
• OHS journalism students have won local, state
  and national awards for their work.
• We have a website!www.my.highschooljournalism.o
  rg/
• az/glendale/ohs

8
Newspaper

• Important things to note
• Students should view newspaper as a job rather
  than as a class. They must fulfill the
  responsibilities of their position.
• After-school work is required (20
  min./deadline for staff writers, more for
  editors). We are striving not to have deadlines
  past 5 p.m. this year due to my schedule. Sports
  practices or work are NOT acceptable excuses for
  missing deadlines.
• Students need to handle their responsibility,
  including access to school information and
  additional privileges, maturely.
• Students can be demoted or removed from class
  if they do not meet expectations for their
  position.
• Plagiarism and/or making up quotes will be
  dealt with very severely. Students will be
  removed from class in this case and receive
  failing grades.

9
Newspaper

• Important things to note
• Ad sales are required this year - 25 per
  semester. Tax donations are appreciated but
  cannot be used in lieu of selling ads.
• Conventions this year ASU journalism
  convention in November JEA journalism convention
  is in Denver in April. It is the same weekend as
  Prom.
• Whether they like it or not, newspaper students
  are role models for other students. I expect them
  to act accordingly.
• Students on newspaper work with sensitive and
  delicate equipment, including cameras. Cameras
  cannot be handled by a non-staff member, and they
  must be well cared for. Students who break a
  camera will have to pay for replacement or
  repairs.
• Missing or late work receives a 0. No
  negotiating.

10
Language Arts 1-2

• Important things to note
• Students should be keeping work organized in a
  5-subject binder or notebook. Sections include
  bellwork, grammar, vocabulary, reading
  assignments, writing assignments.
• Students must have an independent reading book
  with them at all times.
• Written work will be turned in to a site called
  turnitin.com. All outside-of-class writing
  assessments must be screened through turnitin.com
  AND brought to class on the due date.
• Assignment weights are Assessments (including
  Deer Valley Writing Assessment) 56.
  Classwork/homework 24. Final Exam, 20

11
Language Arts 1-2

• Course outline

SEMESTER 1 Writing personal narrative, literary
analysis, expository essay (Evaluated using 6
traits rubric) Reading personal narrative, short
stories, literary elements, reading strategies
comp. Vocabulary 9 units, 10-15 words
each Grammar parts of speech, punctuation,
capitalization
SEMESTER 2 Writing research paper, persuasive
essay, persuasive business letter Reading Novel
(To Kill a Mockingbird), Drama (Romeo and
Juliet), Poetry. Literary elements, reading
strategies. Vocabulary 8 units, 15 words
each Grammar TBA Deer Valley Writing
Assessment.