Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do to improve my grade? 

The biggest secret of this class is to complete quality work on time. I do not offer extra credit, so it is important you complete all assigned work. Scholars are welcome to make an appointment to discuss revisions before resubmitting work. You can also meet on Fridays with Mrs. Vollmar.  

Can I make up an assignment?

Scholars need to complete work on time for full credit.  If an assignment is late, points will be deducted from the POP score for that grading period.  

When will I get my grade?

When I receive the work, I will provide feedback and the grade as soon as I can.  For shorter pieces of writing, my turn around time will be within 3-7 days. For longer pieces of writing or larger projects, my turnaround time may be 1-3 weeks depending on the length of the assignment. Please understand that I am grading over 100 pieces of writing and to give quality feedback, it takes time. 

I have always had high gtrades; why am I earning low grades in this class?

My goal as Project Manager of this class is to challenge students and to push them to take risks.  Another goal is for each scholar to grow and learn from mistakes. This process involves setting high standards from the beginning. Often the grades at the beginning of the year or unit might be lower but scores usually improve over time with practice and learning. Scholars will need to be active learners to do well in this class. 

When I average out my grades, they don't equate to the grade on PowerSchool. Why is that? 

As per the class syllabus, POP is worth 10%, Classwork/Practice work/Activities are worth 15%, quizzes/presentations are worth 25% of the class grade Projects / Tests/Essays are worth 50%. Because the assignments are weighted, the grades cannot be averaged to calculate the overall grade. Please contact me if you notice an error (I am human and make mistakes too).  Note: 7th grade has different weights (see syllabus).

How do I keep track of the required assignments?

Use Google Classroom to find the daily agenda, assignments, and other resources to be successful in this class. Also, scholars should find a way to stay organized that works for them (use an agenda, Google Calendar, phone calendar, etc.)