PLTW, CTE Instructor
Mr. Adam Bachmeyer
Email: steven.bachmeyer@bcsemail.org
Phone: 828.271.4521
PLTW Online Learning Management System
Most informational texts and resources will be provided
electronically on the Online PLTW Learning Management System.The LMS
contains most every resource for assignments students will need, a
platform for announcements, a place for students to email me and ask
questions, submitt assignments electronically, and take tests and
quizes. Students will be given their username and password in class.
ALL materials and software for the course are supplied, except An
Engineer’s Notebook. Students are responsbile for creating one in a 3
ring binder, and purchasing design tools as well. See course syllabus
for details. Students need to have their Engineer's Notebooks with them
in class everyday, as I may be apt to conduct a notebook check at any
time.
Safety
All students and parents must sign and return a Buncombe
County Safety Waiver to have on file to participate in the course.
Students must participate in a Safety Training Module on Edmodo, and
score a 100% on the Safety Test.
Grading Policy
Grading will take place in the PLTW online Learning Management
System and imported into Powerschool’s Gradebook. It is district policy
that courses include a Final Exam that will count towards 25% of the
grade. This will be a comprehensive survey of the entire course
material. In addition, they will participate in a PLTW End Of Course
exam, that will supply them with a national stanine score ranking.
Formative and summative assessments are a part of every class at
Nesbitt Discovery Academy; final grades are based on a seven point
system as follows:
Grading Scale:
90 – 100: A
80 – 89: B
70 – 79: C
60 – 69: D
0 – 59: F
I have 4 graded categories for each 9 weeks:
Engineer's Notebook (this is like a portfolio grade) 50%
Projects and Activities 25%
Performance 15%
Tests & Quizes 10%
Attendance Policy
Students are only allowed five (5) absences per each semester. To
be counted present in a class, the student must be in class for 2/3 of
the class period. Students are responsible for making up any days past
the allotted 5 absences per semester. For information about excused and
unexcused absences, please refer to the student handbook.
Make-up Policy
The following procedure will apply to all courses:
After any absence, it will be the student’s responsibility to
check with his/her teacher outside of class time for work missed and to
schedule a time to make up all work including tests.
However, it is highly recommended that students check the LMS while they are absent and keep up with assignments this way.
Projects and work assigned before absences should be turned in as soon as student returns to school, or via the LMS with a note about the absence.
If a student is absent for one (1) day, he/she will have two (2)
days to make up homework, missed assignments and tests assigned during
his/her absence.
If a student is absent two (2) or three (3) days, he/she will
have four (4) days to make up homework, missed assignments and tests
during his/her absence.
If a student is absent four (4) or more days, he/she will meet
with each teacher for an individual arrangement for all make-up work.
For more information on attendance make-up if absent for more than six (6) days, please refer to the student handbook.
Late Work and "Home work"
It is typical that an assignment is due 3 days after it is
introduced. Almost all assignments are started in-class, and is typical
that they be finished up outside of class. The details for the
assignment, and due date, as well as format for upload are all given on
the assignment page in the LMS. If a student has uploaded an assignment
below par I typically provide a comment on the assignment page (where
they upload the assignment) about why and how to improve it for
resubmission (provided it wasn't turned in late). My policy for
non-excused absence late work is as follows: unless I have really good
reason (such as working with a student with IEP or 504), Assignments are
due by 10pm on the due date. For every day the assignment is late a
point will be reduced from the max score. This should serve as a
motivator for students to submit work in a timely manner. Students
should be keeping an eye on the Calendar in the LMS.
Classroom Performance Expectations
Nesbitt Discovery Academy follows PBIS (Positive Behavioral
Interventions & Supports) guidelines in accordance with the US
Department of Education. All students are expected to:
BE RESPECTFUL: arrive on time; exhibit polite,
kind, and professional conduct with instructor and peers; respect
others’ ideas; listen quietly and intently to instructions.
BE RESPONSIBLE: work safely; keep Engineer's
Notebook and work areas organized; know when things are due and submit
assignments and projects on time; contribute to your team equally and
enthusiastically.
BE READY: know the course agenda; arrive prepared to work; cells on silent and away; focus on the task at hand.
Behavior Plan
Students are trained as to classroom expectations and procedures
during the first few days of class. They are expected to learn my
Classroom Performance Expectations and and abide by them throughout the
course. They will conduct self evaluations for a portion of their
Performance grade using those expectations on a rubric. If they score
low on this rubric I will need to schedule a meeting with their parents
to come up with solutions to raise that score.
Safety Rules Must Be Followed at all times! Breaking
safety rules may require: immediate referall, loss of lab privileges,
removal from course.
We do have a BYOD Policy at the Discovery Academy, but
Cell Phones are not for use during classroom instruction unless students
are given permission to use them for a class-related task, or if they
have been given permission to contact their parents or guardians from
their instructor. Consequences for breaking this rule could include
confiscation of cell phone and adminsitrator referral.
Basic Procedures For Solving Behavior Issues
Step 1: Soft Reminder of the Classroom Performance
Expectations, and ask them if they realize they are breaking any. Help
student realize how to solve any issues.
Step 2: A quick student-teacher conference in order to clarify any misunderstandings. Brainstorm for ways to solve the problem.
STEP 3: Working Lunch Detention. Depending on the
nature of the infraction, this step could be skipped. This could be a
poossible consequence for minor infractions that wouldn't require
immediate parent contact. Detention will be held in a separate, quiet
setting and they will work on homework they might have.
STEP 4: Parent contact (email, phone call). This
will be in order to inform parents about concerning behavior, discuss
possible consequences and solutions.
STEP 5: Referall to administrator. Possible parent confernece.
STEP 6: Parent Conference. Possible Action Plan. Referall To Administrator.