Back to School Night, Thursday, 3 October

United States History   Mr. Zartler    Grant High School 2013-2014

Thank you for coming to Back to School Night if you were able. I look forward to seeing you at Conferences.

Below is the information that I felt was most important to share with you.

THE MOST IMPORANT THING you can learn is the address of our class blog:

ZartlerUSHistory.blogspot.com

This blog is where you son or daughter can be reminded about what happened in class (or what they missed), homework assignments, and project due dates. (It’s my way of getting past dinner conversations that go like this:)

           

            Parent/ Guardian/ Caring Adult: What did you do in school today?

            Adolescent: Nothing

            (Awkward silence.)

My history class is organized around five themes: Immigration; Labor and the Economy; Foreign Relations; Women; and Civil Rights. Students are expected to learn the chronology of US History, but do so by studying the history through these five lenses. The course syllabus is currently online and there is a link in today’s entry on the blog.

You can read more about the course, including the grading policy which is also below by viewing my course syllabus.

GRADING POLICY

Work in this class will be graded based on demonstration of proficiency, exceeding proficiency, and mastery of skills taught. 

Students will be given a variety of assignments and activities to complete, however, only major assignments that are based on clearly defined skills will receive a grade. Grades assigned will be:

C for demonstrating proficiency of skills; 
B for exceeding basic proficiency and demonstrating mastery of skills and exceeding the minimum requirements for work; 
A for demonstrating mastery of skills and significantly exceeding the minimum requirements of an assignment in terms of depth, breadth, and quality of work.

Grading will be cumulative based on the completion of work. However credit will not be granted for the course if proficiency in one or more of the key skills is not demonstrated; therefore students should consider all proficiency assignments to be "exit criteria." The final course grade as well as quarterly grades and mid term reports will be based on cumulative "points." Each proficiency assignments will have a total "point value" and the total points earned and the final grade will be based on the following scale: "C" is equal to 75%; "B" is equal to 85%; "A" is equal to 95%.

Students will be expected to continue to work on the key assignments demonstrating proficiency until the assignments meets minimum standards of proficiency. Extensive use will be made of the Conference Period available on Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:25, and students should seem out the teacher during planning periods and after school for assistance.

COMMUNICATION

If you ever need to contact me email usually works best: jzartler@pps.net

But if you need to phone the number is 503.916.5160 x75-700

Thank you for coming, I look forward to working with you and your son or daughter,

                                                Jamie Zartler