Welcome to El Paso High School Professional Communications
I am Mr. Harwell. I teach Professional Communication and Dual Credit Speech at EPHS; these are the most important classes you will take while at La High. You might be very talented in certain areas - math, science, art, music, auto mechanics, and computers, to name a few - but if you cannot communicate with others, express your ideas, and handle conflicts in a professional manner then your abilities are wasted. Speech at El Paso High provides students with the communication skills that are needed for success in the real world.
Standards:
I expect young people to behave as young adults. Being both kind and courteous are daily expectations. My students will need to bring materials each and every day. A notebook and textbook are required materials. I understand that unforeseen events occur in each of our lives - car crashes, flooded homes, hungry dogs - and I provide pencils and paper to students as needed. A student depending on my understanding and charity should not be an every day occurrence. Students are expected to be on time and follow the dress code as outlined in the student handbook.
Grading:
Students are given every opportunity to pass. All students who fail to turn in an assignment may turn it in late. An assignment turned in within the first week of being late will receive a maximum of 80%. During the second week the material is late the students will receive a maximum of 70% for the assignment. At the beginning of the third week after an assignment was missed the maximum grade the can receive is 60%. Student handbook standards for school related absences take precedence over these standards.
Failing averages:
If a student begins failing any of my speech classes, they will be assigned tutorials starting the next school day at 8:00AM. Students will report to my room, P-2, for the tutorial. Realize that all missed work is entered as a zero until it is made up. Tutorials are from 8:00AM until 8:35AM. Students will be assigned tutorials until they are passing my class with an average of 70% or better.