The ConVal High School Community is dedicated to learning, thinking and growing.

I

n this class, you will learn how to write news stories, features and editorials. The major part of your grade will be original journalism articles written as homework and during class time. They will be real news stories submitted for publication in the school newspaper. You will email your stories to newspaper@conval.edu each week. You will be expected to interview sources, take notes, and keep those notes in case your reporting is questioned. Stories that are not publishable will receive an incomplete grade (I) and you will have one week to revise it to make it publishable. After one week, you will need my permission to continue to work on it.

ConVal's new mission statement is: The ConVal High School Community is dedicated to learning, thinking and growing. Our student expectations are ConVal students will demonstrate effective communication, effective problem solving,  effective use of knowledge, respect for themselves and others, and contributions to the school and community. With this in mind, we will be piloting various ways to assess progress on these expectations.

I want you to come to class on time, with the appropriate materials (pen, pencil, books, notebook), stay on task, ask questions when you need help, and participate fully in class activities. We will learn the rules of standard written English, how edit superfluous words, how to interview people and quote them accurately. We will also view videos on various journalism topics and invite journalists to speak to us.

Students should refer to the following database for requirements for grades:

Number of publishable stories needed for the stated grade:

Grade	012	123
A+	18	13
A	17	12
A-	16	11
B+	15	10
B	14	9
B-	13	8

Stories will count for 60 per cent of your grade. Another 30 per cent will be short papers on videos, classwork and assignments, editing packets, weekly tests and class participation. Attendance will count for 10 per cent of your grade. I will try to post your grades weekly on Mondays.

The Attendance grade gives you credit for attendance to class and for the activities and discussions that take place in class. When you are absent from class you cannot make up for the educational opportunities lost in most cases. Every one will start with a grade of 100 %. Students will receive two absences without penalty. After those two absences, 10 points will be taken away for each absence, excused or unexcused. Tardiness to class will result in 3 points taken off your attendance grade for each tardy.

To put this in perspective, a grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 85 becomes a 94.

A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 75 becomes a 93. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 65 becomes a 92. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 55 becomes a 91. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 45 becomes a 90. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 35 becomes a 89. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 25 becomes a 88. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 15 becomes a 87. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 0 becomes a 86.

To get a zero, you would need to be absent 12 times, or absent 10 times and tardy 7 times. Given that absences and tardies affect the entire class, this policy seems reasonable.

You may fax me papers and revisions at the number below. You can contact me through email at my address below.

home phone:	e-mail:	Web Site	Fax
924-6246	mro@olearyweb.com	www.olearyweb.com/classes	924-2136