• Norterra Canyon School

    Theresa Milks, Principal

    Samantha Robarge, Assistant Principal

    Middle School Syllabus Expectations

    Parent Involvement is all about the children. Participation in your child’s education is proven to boost his or her school achievement. We are committed to treating parents as partners while keeping lines of communication open and focused on the needs of your child. Mutual trust and respect between parents and teachers is required to maintain a positive learning experience at any school. We believe that your trust in Norterra Canyon is required to ensure your child’s success. 

    Individual Teacher Course Syllabus Links:

    7th Grade

    8th Grade

    Humanities - Thomas Deming 

     

    International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program

    Norterra Canyon is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program world school (IB MYP).  Part of this exciting endeavor is that students in grades 6-7-8 will have the opportunity to participate in a unique middle school experience.  All students will take 8 core subjects (Science, Math, Humanities—Social Studies, Language A—Language Arts, Language B—Spanish, Design, Physical Education, and Visual Arts).  Every class is viewed equally so that no one class is more important than the other.  Our goal is to prepare students for their future with a well-rounded, globally focused, technology infused, rigorous education. NC instructors will incorporate IB expectations with Arizona State standards to develop a curriculum that is student-centered and academically appropriate for our ever-changing society. 

     

    Student Conduct, Procedures, and Expectations



    • Hall Pass required 

    • Respect the Learning Environment

    • Off and Away with cell phones 

    • No Gum or Energy Drinks/Coffee

    • Retake contracts/Student Work forms.

    • Dress Code and Hats off indoors

    • Appropriate use of technology

    • Sign in/out required for restroom

    Cell Phone Policy

    Norterra Canyon’s school cell phone policy is Off and Away All Day. Students are not permitted to use cell phones during school hours unless directed by a teacher (this includes in classrooms, in common areas, and during lunch/recess). While we understand that there are times you need to communicate with your child, all communication should be through the office. Please do not text or call your child's cell phone during school hours. Students not feeling well need to report to the nurse's office, rather than contact a parent to pick them up. We need your help to preserve the instructional environment of our classrooms every day of the school year.  This policy also applies to the use of earbuds or AirPods. We are thankful for your support in ensuring a safe, positive, and productive learning environment for all Pirates. 

    Plagiarism

    Plagiarism is where someone takes another person’s ideas, writing and or sentence structure and takes credit for it as their own work. If evidence of plagiarism is found in a student’s work, they will receive a 50% score without and lose the opportunity to retake the assessment. A second incident will warrant a referral to the office.

    Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools in Grades K-8:   

    To be college-, career-, and community-ready, students in the Deer Valley Unified School District are expected to demonstrate academic integrity. Academic integrity is all about being honest and fair in your schoolwork. It means doing work that is entirely your own and giving credit to others (including generative Artificial Intelligence tools) through proper citation when you use their ideas or words.

    If you have questions about the guidelines for academic integrity, you should discuss them with your teacher.

     

    GRADING & ASSESSMENT

    Overview

    • The intent of homework is to practice, extend learning, and provide opportunities for students to develop critical, independent study skills and self-discipline for their life-long educational journeys.

    • Grades are a reporting tool utilized to reflect what a student knows and can do in a content area. We measure achievement, not effort or behavior, in our grading system. 

    • Grades will be equitable, accurate, specific, and consistent.

    • A student’s grade should reflect academic learning and should never be used as a punitive tool.

    • Grades are for reporting the status of academic learning, not behavioral conduct

    • The primary purpose of assessment and grading is to provide detailed feedback to inform and support student learning.

    • Learning is a process that takes place over time and at different speeds for different students.

    • PowerSchool is an essential resource for parents and students. It is not only a tool for communication regarding grades, it is a resource for our students and parents to check progress, missing work, and what is being taught/learned regularly. Please ensure that you and your child have access (separate accounts) and even sign up for the app and push notifications or weekly email updates as an option in

     

    MEANINGFUL GRADE ENTRIES

    Teachers are expected to enter a meaningful grade for each student in the electronic gradebook regularly so that students, parents, and support staff can better monitor student progress.  A meaningful grade is a grade entry for an assessment or coursework that measures learning standards.  The frequency of entering meaningful grades is as follows:

    • Classes that typically meet 4-5 days per week = at least 1 meaningful grade each week

    • Classes that typically meet 2-3 days per week = at least 1 meaningful grade every other week

    • Classes that typically meet 1 day per week = at least 1 meaningful grade every 3rd week

    At least one meaningful assessment/assignment grade entry must be entered each week, but an entry that impacts the course grade must be entered at least every 2 school weeks (every 3rd week for classes meeting once per week). 

    3rd-8th GRADE

    Students in 3rd through 12th grades will receive marks for their proficiency towards the grade level standards using the following scale. These marks are for information and do not calculate the student's overall course grade.

    • 4 = Highly Proficient

    • 3 = Proficient

    • 2 = Partially Proficient

    • 1 = Minimally Proficient

    Students in 3rd through 8th grades will receive marks for their overall performance in each course of study using the following letter grade scale. Overall course grades for students in grades 3-8 will be calculated from the average of the student’s assignment scores* (assessments, coursework). 

    • A =  90-100% 

    • B =  80-89%

    • C =  70-79%

    • D =  60-69%

    • F =   0-59%

    Grades of “D” and above are passing marks.  A course grade of “F” indicates that the student has failed the course. 

    *For graded work in the Assessment/Coursework Categories, teachers will enter the proficiency marks for each standard measured and use the following guide to assign a score to the assignment.  Parents will see the percentage score for each grade book entry with the letter grade mark on the front page of the PowerSchool parent portal. 

    Grading Guide

    For additional information, the parent may click the blue "show standards" icon to view the proficiency marks for the learning standards associated with the assessment or coursework.  

    Sample

    WEIGHTS

    All 1st-12th grade teacher gradebooks will utilize the following weights for each category in the gradebook. 

    • ASSESSMENT CATEGORY 80% 

    • COURSEWORK CATEGORY 20% 

    • PRACTICE CATEGORY 0%



     

     

    What do the PowerSchools codes mean?

    Code

    Short for:

    Meaning:

    --

    Grade not entered yet

    This is the default code.  If an assignment has not been entered it will display as --.  Counts as excused until an actual grade is input by the teacher.

    EX

    Excused

    Student is excused from assignment. Counts as excused.

    MI/49

    Missing Assignment

    Assignment is missing (no work has been submitted for this assignment). Counts as 49% until assignment is completed.

    50

    Falls Far Below Standard being Assessed

    Student has not met the standard of the assignment and has earned a failing grade.



    Missing Work: 

    An assignment is considered as missing work when it is not submitted by the due date.

     

    Missing work will be treated as such:

    • The assignment will be marked with the “missing” special code in the grade book

    • A zero (0) will be entered as the score for the assignment in the grade book (grades 3-12)

    • No Evidence (NE) will be entered for the standards attached to the assignment

    • If the work is submitted as Late Work (see below), the zero (“0”) assignment score will be changed to reflect the student’s actual score with no deductions or penalties.

    • If the work is not submitted as Late Work or does not meet conditions for Late Work, the score for the assignment will be changed from a zero (“0”) to 49% by the end of the term.



    PROCEDURES FOR RE-ASSESSMENTS AND LATE WORK

    Describe the expectation that all students will complete all learning requirements

    • Students needing extra help will receive it from their teacher during Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in class

    • To accurately reflect a student’s academic performance level, teachers will accept late work and missing work for full credit if the work is submitted within the timeframe and procedures developed by the school and before the end of the grading period. 

      • The practice/coursework/assessment will be marked with the “Missing” special code in the gradebook with a 49% in line with district grading practices.

      • No Evidence (NE) will be entered for the standards attached to the practice/coursework/assessment 

      • If the work is submitted as Late Work (see terms below), the NE or 49% score will be changed to reflect the student’s actual score with no deductions or penalties. 

      • If the work is not submitted as Late Work or does not meet conditions for Late Work, the score for the practice/coursework/assessment will remain at 49%.

      • Students will still be responsible for turning in late work in addition to their current coursework, which results in the natural consequence of a heavier workload. The primary consequence for students not completing the work is to complete the work.



    In order for Late Work to be accepted, students must meet the following parameters:

    • Assignment is not a timed activity (such as a Quick-Write Essay) 

    • Assignment is not a Long-Term assignment (over multiple weeks) 

    • Assignment is turned in within the following time frame

      •  K-2 Grades: By the end of the marking period 

      • 3-8 Grades: Within 10 DAYS of the end of the unit.

     

    If a student meets the above criteria, he/she will be issued full credit for the work submitted (no added penalties or caps on the grade that can be earned). The teacher will mark the student’s assignment with the “Late” special code. If the assignment is an assessment, the proficiency level of the standards attached will be entered. 

     

    Please note: Accommodations included in a student’s IEP, 504, or EL plan may supersede the above Late Work procedures. Consult with the student’s Service Coordinator, counselor, or the student’s support team. 

     

    REASSESSMENT

    Retake: The student completes another assessment of the same learning targets. The assessment to be retaken may be in the same format or a different format. The higher of the two scores will be entered in the grade book.

     In order to earn a retake opportunity, a student must complete all of the following:

    • Complete all formative coursework related to the content/skill assessed

    • Consult with the teacher

    • Submit a reassessment plan or application, if required by the teacher



    A  reassessment plan must be scheduled within the following time frames:

     

    • K-2nd Grades: Until the week before the end of the marking period

    • 3rd-8th Grades: Within 10 school days of receiving the assessment score

     

    EXTRA CREDIT

    Just as imposing grade penalties for poor behavior distorts academic grades, so does awarding higher grades or extra credit for good behavior. Extra credit renders an academic grade less accurate since it is not based upon performance of the standards, but rather on compliant behaviors. No extra credit will be awarded. 

     

     

    ALGEBRA ONLY

     

    HIGH SCHOOL COURSES

    Any high school courses taught in grades 7 and 8 will use the high school semester grading system. Each semester grade will be cumulative over the 18 weeks using the same grade scales as above.

    Course Level Placement Changes

    Students who request an honors-level high school course accept the rigor that comes with the high school academic course. Once the student and parents agree to the requirements, the student will be enrolled in the high school honors course. Only a teacher can recommend students for a placement change in an advanced academic class. The teacher will only consider students for a placement change whose effort is consistent with the expectation yet shows limited success in the class. 

    Procedures for Course Withdrawal

    Any student, regular, (H), (AP), or (IB), who withdraws from a class after the first fifteen (15) days of the semester, but before the end of the tenth (10) week, will receive a grade of WP or WF. Requests for class withdrawals will not be processed after the tenth (10) week of the semester. WP or WF grades will be posted on a student’s transcript but not factored into GPA or class ranking. (See 好色导航Academic Planning Guide page 11.)

    Overview of. 

     

    To Sum it Up

    • 49% used for assignments missing or not attempted

    • 50% used for assignments or assessments receiving less than 50%

    • Retakes must be student initiated; parent should acknowledge awareness of retake.  Multiple reassessments will be permitted following proof of practice and relearning (excluding end of quarter/term exams)

    • Retakes and late work must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the end of each quarter

    • Practice (formerly homework) will be used to provide feedback 

     

     

     

    Norterra Canyon Behavior Processes

     

    The Pirate Way & PBIS Rewards

    Please help us to encourage your child to follow our school-wide behavior expectations: 

     

    Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, and Be Kind 

     

    The matrix below is posted across campus, and it is the responsibility of all students to follow each location-specific expectation.   During the first two weeks of school, students will be taught the expectations at each location.

    Students demonstrating these positive behaviors, both in and out of their classrooms, will enjoy earning points using our PBIS Rewards program. Points can be spent on tangible items and social incentives in our NC School Store.

     

     

    Discipline Process: Minor & Major 

    To ensure our school is safe, positive, and productive for all learners, a process is in place to address behaviors that do not meet the expectations above. The information below will be shared with students. Please help us implement our schoolwide discipline processes by talking to your child about minor and major behaviors. If you have any questions, contact your child’s teacher.

     























     

     

    When students demonstrate problem behaviors, NC staff will follow the process below.



    PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLC’s)

    Most Fridays, students will be released at 1:30 pm so that we can participate in PLC work. This work is directly related to the planning, instruction, and interventions we implement in our classrooms to ensure that students master the standards.

     

    Role of PLC

    A professional learning community is a group of educators that meet regularly and work collaboratively to improve teaching practices and the achievement of students. The questions that drive the work of PLC’s are:

    • What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

    • How will we know if they learn it?

    • How will we respond if some students do not learn?

    • How will we extend the learning for students who are already proficient?

     

    PLC Teams are responsible for collaborating to establish general consistency among the following:

    • Assignments, presentations, products, observations, and assessments used to determine a student's level of performance with grade-level standards.

    • The method and schedule for additional learning opportunities.

    • Due dates, deadlines, and procedures for reassessment.

    • Create opportunities for common scoring of assessments.

     

    COMMUNICATION

     

    • School-wide

      • Norterra Canyon Website 

      • Grade Level Weekly Newsletters via email includes:

        • Teachers’ weekly class agenda

        • Field Trip Information 

        • Contact Information

     

    Jill Barron Website

    Thomas Deming Website

    Wes Harder Website

    Stacy Mahoney Website

    Teachers will communicate individually with families as necessary. If you need to speak or meet with a particular teacher, reach out via email to set up a meeting time.

    Please understand that teachers will not be able to meet or discuss issues while we are  teaching or supervising students. However, we will contact you within 24 hours during the normal school week.

     

    Norterra Canyon has implemented email office hours and a “curfew” to ensure that we maintain a healthy work-life balance. We will respond to emails and phone calls Monday through Friday during school hours.