Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
- What's the deal with grades?
- What about re-doing assignments?
- What if I am absent?
- How do I get in touch with Mrs. Malone?
- How much homework will I have in ELA?
- What are the rules?
- I didn't get my paper back. What happened?
- I want to volunteer. How do I go about it?
- My child's grades are declining/ he never has homework. What can I do?
What's the deal with grades?
Grading Scale:
A = 93-100 (Superior) D = 70-76(Below Average)
B = 85-92 (Above Average) F = 69-0(Failure)
C = 71-84 (Average)
Tests, writing assignments, and projects are weighted more heavily than
quizzes, and daily assignments. Assignments that are given checks or zeroes
count no more than 10% of your childs overall academic grade. Checks and
zeroes describe completion of the task, not mastery of the material.
Personal growth and mastery of English/Language Arts skills and knowledge
are the focus of my class. Please help your child keep perspective on his
or her grades. While we focus on academics, we will also build stable and
compassionate individuals. In this class our schools Mission Statement is
fully recognized:
Fairforest Middle School strives to meet the needs of its diverse student
population by providing a comprehensive curriculum in a safe environment. In
partnership with parents and the community, we will encourage students to
become productive and responsible members of society.
What about re-doing assignments?
At teacher discretion any assessment may be redone if the student did not
completely master the intended content. If this becomes a concern for your
child, please see me about their situation.
What if I am absent?
According to school policy absentee work may be requested through the
guidance department prior to 10:00 on the morning of absence. If students
are unable to get assignments the day(s) of their absence, they can retrieve
the work they missed as well as any important notes from the day of their
absence by checking the make-up work folder in class. They may also stay
after school to record missing assignments, get explanations, and work on
makeup assignments, if arrangements are made ahead of time between the
parent and teacher. Students are allowed the same number of days they were
gone to make up the work, unless a note is received from parents requesting
more time. If you have access to e-mail, dont forget to use it to get
caught up quickly. School: (864) 576-1270 X5461. Mrs. Malones e-mail:
MaloneKA@spartanburg6.k12.sc.us.
How do I get in touch with Mrs. Malone?
Our school phone number is 576-1270. I can be contacted through e-mail at
MaloneKA@spartanburg6.k12.sc.us. This is my school email address, and I will
check it from home each evening between 9:00 and 10:00. The schools
address is Fairforest Middle School, 4120 N. Blackstock Road Spartanburg, SC
29301.
How much homework will I have in ELA?
Homework in this class will focus on Communication which is part of the
Language Arts curriculum. Everyday, your student will have an assignment
related to communicating ideas and progress to someone at home or in an
after school setting. This is unusual in that it requires the student to
talk to someone else in order to complete their assignment, it may also
require that someone at home read or sign documents. Students will copy
their communication assignment into their agendas and it must be signed in
order for their homework to be considered complete. If your child missed the
days assignment, they may be accessed via my website by clicking on my name
under the Directory on the Fairforest Middle School website, or directly by
typing http://teacherweb.com/SC/FairforestMiddleSchool/Malone in the address
box. If homework is not completed I will ask the student to help me
communicate the problem to you either through a phone call or email, and
after school time may be arranged to make up the work.
In addition to regular homework, each student will be required to read 15
minutes every night. Parents are asked to sign a nightly reading log which
will be checked every Thursday as a quiz grade. Each night the student
chose not to read will deduct 10 points from that quiz grade.
What are the rules?
All students must obey the guidelines and rules outlined in their student
handbook, located in the front of their agendas. Below, are my expectations
for students while in room 302:
1. Be responsible for yourself and your actions.
2. Respect yourself and those around you.
3. Demonstrate self-control.
Consequences:
1. Loss of Hornet / Agenda Warning Sticker (Parent signature required)
2. Lunch Detention and Contract (Sticker in Agenda/Parent signature
required)
3. Consequence from Lunch Detention Contract (Parent Contact by team)
4. Administration involvement
Positive Reinforcement
Hornets are a positive symbol for students who have met classroom
expectations during a three week period. A card with 60 hornets (4 academic
teachers x 15 days) will be stapled into the students agenda at the
beginning of each incentive period. Rewards will be given during lunch
every 15 school days (interim and end of six weeks dates).
Prize Levels
1-20 Hornets = Third Prize Level
21-40 Hornets = Second Prize Level
41-60 Hornets = Grand Prize Level
Students will lose a hornet for:
Absence from class
Failing to have agenda signed
Not completing homework
Receiving a warning note in their agenda
I didn't get my paper back. What happened?
Papers with no names are placed in the No Name, No Credit tray. A student
may check this tray and upon finding his or her work, write his or her name
on it and resubmit it. The tray will be emptied every few weeks. If a
student feels he or she has not received a graded paper, perhaps due to
absence, they should ask me either before or after class.
I want to volunteer. How do I go about it?
Send in a note (or email) stating your name, your childs name, your phone
number, and your interest in volunteering. Indicate whether you can work
only in your home, or if youre available to help at school. Ill contact
you with a list of possibilities given your availability and get you started
right away. Also, if grandparents or other relatives would like to be
involved in our school community they may volunteer in the same manner.
My child's grades are declining/ he never has homework. What can I do?
First, go to the source. Have a quiet, calm discussion about your concerns
with your child. Ask if there is something bothering them that is
interfering with their school work. If there is, and there is something I or
the guidance department can do to help, please let me know immediately.
If there is nothing bothering the student, perhaps he or she is not
completing homework assignments necessary for practicing skills. One easy
way to check this is to ask to see your students agenda. There is a place
for parent signature, and a great way to keep up with your child's work is
to ask to see the agenda and the corresponding assignments. Once you see
that the work has been completed, you can sign the agenda or write a note to
the teacher. Also, if your child says that they do not have homework or
there is none written in their agenda, please question this. In my class,
and in several others, students are assigned some homework EVERY week
night. If necessary, I can initial the students agenda to confirm that
they have correctly copied their assignments in class.