NewspaperPublications

Mr. BenincasaLa Plata High School

MrBenincasa.comrbenincasa@ccboe.com

OverviewThe purpose of this course is to expose students to the principles of journalism. This course will examine the history of journalism, journalism in its current form, and what changes can be expected for the future. Students will be exposed to a variety of journalistic mediums, with a focus on newspaper and online forms. Includes the study and application of the different styles of writing found within a metropolitan newspaper, including but not limited to news, feature, editorial, review, entertainment, sports, editorial cartoons, and letters to the editor. There will also be a large focus on the applica-tion of AP (Associated Press) style. Students will write, edit, and create the La Plata High School monthly newspaper (The Gauntlet) in print and online. Please note that students WILL be required to spend time after school to work on the newspaper and gather photographs and interviews for their articles and must have rides home.

Classroom Rules1. Be respectful. While we try to incorporate an active learning environment, it is important to not only be respectful of your teacher, but also your peers.2. Listen to your teacher and classmates when they are speaking.3. Follow all other school rules.

ConsequencesIf the school rules and classroom procedures are not followed, the order of consequences typically are:1. Verbal Warning2. Student-Teacher Conference (after class)3. Lunch detention and parent notification4. Sent to Administrator (also for severe cases)

Problems are not anticipated in our classroom, and due to their rarity they rarely escalate past student-teacher conference.

Classroom Procedures1. Students must be SEATED by the time the late bell rings for class. Students not seated before the bell rings will be marked as tardy for the day.2. It is required that all students notify the teacher before leaving the class-room for any reason. All students are given a year-long hall pass to inter-view, photograph, and attend events during the school day. However, it is always at the teacher’s discretion, not your editor’s, if you may leave at a given time.3. Bathroom/water breaks are ONLY allowed during independent work time at the teacher’s discretion.

MaterialsPlease be sure to bring the following everyday:

• ALL graded work must be kept in a three-ring binder. This will be checked periodically.

• Pen AND pencil (no purple, pink, or red ink)

• Separate notebook attached to binder

• College-ruled filler paper in binder

• HIGHLIGHTER• Any text we are reading in

class.

Production ScheduleThe ANTICIPATED production schedule for La Plata’s monthly newspaper, The Gauntlet, will be as follows:

October 23November 20

January 8February 12

March 19April 23May 21

All issues will also be available on-line at lpgauntlet.com for parents and the community.

Late/Make-Up Work1. If you are absent, please check the appropriate folder in class to see what ma-terial you missed. Any questions will be answered during the class’ independent work time. 2. The latest I will accept an assignment is THREE DAYS LATE, unless prior arrangements are made before the due date. A deduction of ten percentage points will occur for each day the assignment is late.CCPS ATTENDANCE POLICY: Please see pages 2-5 of the LPHS Student Handbook for the full Charles County Public Schools attendance policy.

Policy on Editing Student WorkDue to the number of assignments, students will be responsible for editing their own drafts, as well as their peers’ work, during our in-class editing time. This gives the teacher the opportunity to comment on strong points, as well as items that need to be improved before the final draft. Research shows that this separa-tion places more emphasis on the quality of the student’s writing, as well as their own editing capabilities (NCTE).

Technology In (and Out) of the ClassroomDue to the huge advancements in educational technology, we try to use as much as we effectively can in the classroom. This includes the daily use of SMART Boards, in-class computers and laptops, and design programs such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, while helping to create and maintain a print and online newspaper from the ground up.

However, the out-of-class services we use for class are often even more important. For students, we maintain our paper using services such as Google Drive, and hold out-of-school discussions on Schoology. As always, student grades are ac-cessible 24 hours a day on Edline.

Grading PoliciesSimilar to most classes at LPHS, the grading policy is as follows:

A = 90-100%B = 80-89%C = 70-79%D = 60-69%F = 59-0%

Typed Work• All typed work should be 12-

pt., Times New Roman font, or a font of equal readability and size.

• All papers, unless otherwise specified, should be double-spaced.

• Typed papers must have a one-inch margin around the entire paper. Handwritten papers must have a one-inch margin on the left and top of the paper.

Students, please sign below to indicate that you have read and understand the syllabus and classroom expecta-tions, and agree to adhere to it to the best of your ability. Parents, please sign below indicating you have read the syllabus and agree to aid in your child’s success throughout this academic year. DUE FRIDAY, AUG. 29.

Student Signature Parent Signature

Parent’s Email AddressFor classroom communication purposes

Student’s Email Address (optional)For academic communication purposes

Expectations Outside of SchoolAll students in this course will at some point be expected to stay after school to work on their assignments. This may also include going out into the commu-nity to sell advertisements, calling businesses, or interviewing those in the area. We will make every attempt to notify parents of student obligations at least 24 hours before, however some circumstances may require that the student stays after school unexpectedly. It is ALWAYS the student’s responsibility to notify their parents or guardian if they must stay after school.