Classroom and Lab Rules

• Schools Policies: Please read the student handbook and the school policies: Go to the school website. Under the menu "Students", click on "Schools Policies and Forms" to find relevant information. I have provided this information in class, so if you do not comply with one of the rules, you cannot use the excuse you did not know it.

• Academic Integrity: It is important to remember that you can help your classmates by explaining concepts and clarifying what they don’t understand, but not by giving them your work or letting them see it. Your work is your own, and sharing it does not help anyone learn. Copying someone else’s work prevents real learning because understanding comes from thinking through problems yourself. I encourage you to support one another, as learning from a classmate can be a valuable experience, and helping others strengthens your own understanding. When a classmate is struggling, focus on explaining the concepts and providing small hints that guide them toward solving problems independently.

• Respect: Students must respect the teacher and classmates at all times. Students must speak respectfully and avoid using inappropriate, offensive, or hurtful language. This ensures a positive, inclusive, and safe learning environment for everyone.

• Cleanliness: Food and drinks are not permitted in the lab. The lab must be kept clean, and chairs are to be returned to their proper place under the desks before exiting the lab. "Always leave a place better than you found it."

• Computer Use: When students arrive at the lab, they may not turn on or log into computers until instructed by the teacher. A first failure to comply with this rule will result in a warning; repeated violations will affect the student’s classwork grade.

• Preparedness: Students must be on time for class. Please improve your routine if you are often late, especially for the first period. You may wake up 10 minutes earlier or more to take the train/bus, which will help you to be on time for school. If you are late, you will disrupt the class and miss important parts of the lessons, which could affect your learning and your classwork grade.

• Attention and Focus: Students must pay attention when the teacher gives a lesson. Please do not work on assignments for other subjects during my class. Avoid distractions. Students who do not comply with this rule will lose classwork points.

• Internet-enabled and other electronic devices: Students must follow the school policy regarding electronic devices at all times: cell phones must be placed in your pouch and stored in your backpack during class. This rule is especially critical during exams and assessments. During any exam, you are not permitted to have a cell phone, smartwatch, or any other internet-enabled device on your person or within reach, this includes in your pocket, on your desk, on your lap, or anywhere nearby. Even if you do not use the device, simply having it accessible during an exam will be considered a violation of academic integrity, and you will receive a zero on that exam with no opportunity to retake it. To avoid any issues, ensure all devices are powered off and secured in your backpack before any assessment begins. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

• Bathroom Use: Please do your best to use the bathroom between periods. Bathroom use will not be permitted during exams or quizzes.

• Absences: Students are expected to check the missed lesson/work with their classmates when absent. Generally, I will post lessons, classwork and homework on our website.

Important to remember

• Paying attention in class, reviewing concepts regularly, and completing your homework will greatly support your learning. Your brain processes and retains information more effectively when you study a little each day, rather than trying to learn a large amount all at once.

• Computer science is an exciting subject! You get to think in new ways, different from math, physics, or science, and you can actually see your ideas come to life on the computer. Be curious, experiment, and most importantly, have fun while learning!

Grading

Summative Assessments:

• Exams/Quizzes.
• Labs.

Classwork & Homework:

• Classwork may be individual or group-based.
• Attendance and punctuality are part of your grade.
• Homework will be posted on the class website and must be completed individually unless group work is specifically assigned.
• The teacher may randomly check homework by reviewing GitHub repositories or asking students to demo their work in class.
• The Git commit history will be reviewed and used as part of classwork and homework assessment.

GitHub Guidelines for Grading

To ensure accurate grading and to reflect genuine progress, students must follow these practices:

• Commit Regularly: Make consistent commits that show meaningful progress.
• Use Descriptive Messages: Write clear commit messages that explain what was changed.
• Avoid Last-Minute Commits: Do not push all work right before the deadline. Steady commits demonstrate ongoing effort and allow for better feedback.

Late Work Policy

Homework: Late homework will not be accepted unless the student has an excused absence.

Labs: Lab assignments will be penalized 10% per day for each day they are late. After 5 days, late labs will no longer be accepted and no credit will be given.

Dropped Grades or Extra Credit:

All grades earned in this course will count toward your final average, no assignments, quizzes, or exams will be dropped. Additionally, extra credit opportunities will not be offered. This policy is designed to encourage consistent effort throughout the semester and to ensure that your final grade accurately reflects your overall performance and understanding of the material. If you are struggling with an assignment or concept, I encourage you to seek help early rather than hope a low grade will be removed later. Your success in this class depends on staying engaged and putting forth your best effort on every assignment.

Missed Exam/Quiz

Excused Absence: Students with an excused absence must take the exam or quiz upon returning to school.

Unexcused Absence: Students with an unexcused absence will follow the school’s established policy regarding missed exams/quizzes.

Contact Info

Teacher: Ms. Novillo

Email: jnovillo@stuy.edu

Office Hours: Periods 4, 5, 8, 9 - Room: 301