The ConVal High School Community is dedicated
to learning, thinking and growing.
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.
In
the past, students have failed this course because of lack of ability
to complete publishable stories. Many have told me they need a weekly
deadline to get things done. With this in mind, I have changed my grading
system from ones I have used in the past.
This
semester, students will be expected to complete 2 stories per week.
012 students will be expected to create original stories; 123 students
will be able to substitute a fictional story for one of the 2 required.
All
student will be required to word-process the stories and send the
attached file to: mro@olearyweb.com and newspaper@conval.edu.
Stories will receive one of two grades for publishable stories—A
or B. Unpublishable
stories will receive an Incomplete (I) grade. Incomplete stories
can be rewritten for a publishable grade, but only within one week
of receiving the grade. These stories need to be handed in attached
to the original, unpublishable version. Students will have 21/2 to
3 blocks per week to complete their stories. I will compute your
grades weekly for sharing on Tuesdays, so the deadline will be Sunday
morning of each week to email story files.
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, bi-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 an 89. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 25
becomes an 88. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 15 becomes
an 87. A grade of 95 with an attendance grade of 0 becomes an 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.
All
stories must be word-processed and emailed to me at mro@olearyweb.com. Make up work with the
original story must be either handed in during class or faxed to
me at the number below.
|