Welcome to Gap Class
Course Description/Overview/Welcome Statement
Should you fail a course with more than 30% and/or earn a score of 2 on at least half of the term standards, you may apply with your school counselor for a credit recovery course. If you do not meet that minimum standard you will not have an option for credit recovery. You must arrange with your school counselor an opportunity for a course that offers “original credit” to meet that graduation requirement.
GAP Study Skills course was credited to allow students to have an opportunity at school to recover course/s that they failed or to take a course for original credit that isn’t offered at PHS, the course that is needed doesn’t fit into their schedule, or because a student has failed a course but wants to meet NCAA qualification. A student registered in the GAP Study Skills course is not to use this class as a Study Hall unless all of the courses assigned by their counselor have been completed.
Learning Expectations
The student is expected to work on the course modules and the module quizzes as well as complete and pass the final assessment with 60% on the course/s that their counselor has assigned to them. After the counselor assigns the courses needed, if the course is on Canvas, I will post that assign the student to the course. These courses will be posted on their Canvas under courses. When the course is first assigned the student MUST accept the course on the notice that pops up.
Students are NOT to use this class period to work on homework from other classes unless all their GAP courses have been completed or the teacher gives permission.
Assessment of Progress
Grading of Standards
Standards defined – a standard is a recovery course, an original credit course or a paper packet.
Students, teachers, and parents can monitor student progress on Canvas at provo.instructure.com and PowerSchool.
The student’s grade will be recorded in PowerSchool at the end of each two-week period.
Grade awarded is a P if the student completed their standard/s – F if you did not
There will be a total of 4 two-week standard periods in each term.
Each recovery or original credit course assigned by their counselor constitutes a standard.
To receive a “P” grade and 0.25 elective credits the must complete all four standards or have completed the courses assigned and continue in class until the end of the term. The period can then be used as the student deems necessary.
Standard Due Dates – These due dates will change at the beginning of each quarter
A Due Dates
Standard One – September 6
Standard Two – September 20
Standard Three – October 4
Standard Four – October 18
B Due Dates
Standard One – September 5
Standard Two – September 19
Standard Three – October 3
Standard Four – October 17
Term Grade Requirements
Grading for each term is composed of the following:
The four standards are completed by the end of the term or all courses the counselor has assigned.
They have passed all the modules on each course with 60% or higher
The course assessments are completed with a passing grade of 60% or higher.
Making up Your Grade
If the student receives an “F” on a standard the student MUST make it up.
The student will be responsible for making and completing the next Two Week Standard.
Term Grading Scale
P grade to receive 0.25 elective credits for the term. F grade the “F” counts against extracurricular activities to include sports
Grades will be updated every two-weeks on PowerSchool.
The student’s term grade is composed of passing ALL four two week standards or completing all the courses that have been assigned by the student’s counselor or if less than 4 assigned, all assigned are expected to be completed, the student will receive an “F” and no elective credit.
Course Materials
Each student is expected to come to class with their Chromebooks and their power cord. They are also expected to have a notebook and pencil or pen for taking notes. Electronic notes are permissible as long as they are shared and approved before the second attempt on a final assessment
Classroom Procedures
Students are expected to:
treat everyone with respect
communicate with others in a whisper including group work
not talk with each other when Mrs. Fahringer is talking to the whole class.
work on either the course modules in the Canvas online course, work on the paper packet course, or be current with the course due dates and a passing grade.
not do homework in class unless his or her online courses and paper packets are completed.
meet each standard on the due date sign out and in electronically when leaving to go from the classroom and take the hall pass.
know that they need the G.A.P. Classroom Pass to go to their counselor, to the front office, the library, the wellness room or to work with another teacher.
know that if they leave the room without permission and don’t return, they will be marked truant and receive a grade of zero for the day (0).
know they are graded for their participation in GAP class and if they pass, they will be awarded 0.25 elective credit and a P grade. If they don’t pass, they will receive no elective credit and they will receive an F grade. The “F” grade is the same as any other course, it affects participation in extracurricular activities.
At Provo High School, we believe that attending class has a direct impact on 3 critical areas: (1)
school safety, (2) student learning and success, and (3) graduation. We believe it’s in our students’
best interest to arrive at class on time and ready to learn every period. Our goal is to support students
and parents in meeting positive attendance outcomes.
Definitions
1. Attendance Works defines chronic absenteeism as missing more than 10% of school for any
reason. This means students can only miss 2 days of any class each term or else they will be
considered chronically absent.
2. State law requires that all students attend school daily. The Compulsory Attendance Law is
defined by Utah Code 53A-11 and provides the following definitions related to attendance:
a. “Valid Excuse” (Excused Absence) means an absence resulting from:
i. “An illness;
ii. A family death;
iii. An approved school activity;
iv. An absence permitted by a school-age minor’s:
1. Individualized education program, developed pursuant to the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, as amended; or
2. Accommodation plan, developed pursuant to Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; or
v. Any other excuse established as valid by a…school district.
b. “Truant” is an absence without a valid excuse for at least half the school day.
c. “Habitual Truant” is a student who is 12 years of age or older, who fails to cooperate
with efforts on the part of designated school authorities to resolve the student’s
attendance problem[s], and/or has been absent without a “valid excuse” for ten (10) or
more times during the school year.
d. For more information, please visit: https://le.utah.gov/
3. Provo High School definitions for attendance marks:
a. Tardy (T): Arriving at class 0-15 minutes late
b. 2: Arriving at class 15-45 minutes late
c. SK (Skipping, sluffing, cutting class or missing more than half of instruction): A student
who leaves the classroom or building without permission from his/her parent/guardian
and/or a school official, or is not where he/she is assigned to be.
d. Unexcused Absence (A): An absence that is not excused by a parent/guardian.
Guidelines
● Students are expected to be in class, on time, ready to learn. A student who exhibits a pattern
of truant behavior and is unable or unwilling to remediate that behavior will be subject to the
consequences of poor attendance (see section below).
● Parents/guardians should check PowerSchool at least once a week and ensure that student
absences are excused. Absences must be excused by parents within 72 hours of
occurring. Parents also have the option to excuse tardies (0-15 minutes) for the first period
only. To excuse absences, use the following procedures:
○ Send in a note from a parent or doctor.
○ Call the attendance office at 801-373-6550 ext 3303, leaving a message if necessary
○ Email the attendance secretary at phsattendance@provo.edu,
When excusing an absence or first period tardy, please include the student’s first and last name,
date, time of day, and phone number where a parent/guardian may be reached.
Please note, an excused absence or first period tardy clears a student from being marked absent or
tardy. However, it does not remove the absence or tardy from attendance records.
● Teachers have a responsibility to mark attendance in each class every day.
● Provo High School has a responsibility to communicate attendance expectations and concerns
to students and parents/guardians.
Interventions & Support to Prevent Chronic Absenteeism
To mitigate students reaching chronic absenteeism, Provo High School has the following interventions
in place:
1. Education of students, parents, and faculty/staff about the attendance policy
2. Automated message informing parents of student absences and tardies
3. Attendance displays in PowerSchool
4. Conversations between parents and students about excusing absences and first period tardies
5. Attendance Notices-Truancy: Notice #1 Attendance Concern (5 truancies), Notice #2
Attendance Class Referral (10 truancies), Notice #3 Truancy Violation (15 truancies – school
meeting), Notice #4 District Truancy Hearing (20 truancies), DCFS/Law Enforcement Referral
(25 truancies)
6. Attendance Notice-Absenteeism: Notice #1 (10% or more school days missed), Notice #2
Attendance Class Referral (10% or more school days missed), Notice #3 Attendance
Resolution Conference (10% or more school days missed)
7. Attendance at Academic Recovery Class (ARC)
8. PHS No Participation List
9. Administration Conference
Consequences of Poor Attendance
Students are required to stay under 4 hours (240 minutes) of tardies, unexcused absences, or
skipping class. When students reach 4 hours (240 minutes) or more of tardies, unexcused absences,
or skipping class, they will be put on the PHS No Participation List. Minutes will add up according to
the following guidelines:
T (tardy 1-15 min) = 15 min.
2 (tardy 15-45 min.) = 30 min.
SK (skipping, cutting, sluffing or missing more than half of instruction) = 45 min.
A (unexcused absence) = 90 min.
The PHS No Participation List prohibits students from participating in any extracurricular activities
outside the assigned class time (if applicable). Extracurricular Activities include (but may not be
limited to): Athletics, Clubs (HOSA, DECA/FBLA, FCCLA, TSA, D&D, etc), Student Government,
Latinos in Action (LIA), People of the Pacific (POP), Performing Arts, School Trips (field trips and
overnight trips), Dances, Walking at Graduation, and Other School Related Activities.
Attending class, being punctual, and recovering missed instruction time quickly is the easiest way to
stay eligible for extracurricular activities. When a student has accumulated 4 hours (240 minutes) or
more of tardies, unexcused absences, or skipping class in a term, the student is placed on the No
Participation List for the remainder of the term until the student recovers enough time by attending
ARC to be below 4 hours (240 minutes). The time the student is in ARC is the amount of minutes the
student receives for missed instruction time. ARC will be held at the following times and locations:
– Before school from 7:00am – 7:30am – 30 min. in the library Monday through Friday
– After school from 2:15-4:00 – 105 min. in the library Monday through Thursday
– 1st Lunch (10:34-11:14) in room B112 or 2nd Lunch (12:08-12:48) in room B11 – 40 min.
Monday through Thursday
Students who don’t attend ARC will be invited to meet with an administrator for an attendance
meeting. During an attendance meeting, the administrator, student, and parents/guardians will work
together to find a solution to the concerns preventing regular attendance. Extenuating circumstances
will be considered.
The time system will start over at the start of each term.
Academic Recovery Class (ARC)
The Academic Recovery Class allows students to reduce the academic time they’ve missed due to
tardies, late tardies, unexcused absences, and/or skipping class.
While in the ARC, students should focus on academic activities including: class work, homework,
reading, etc. Students will not be allowed to sleep, play on their phones, play games on their
Chromebook, etc. Students need to arrive at ARC on time to be admitted (see times above) and must
stay at least 30 minutes. After attending the ARC, the attendance secretary will change the codes in
PowerSchool to indicate attendance has been made up. This will not erase the attendance codes, but
made up attendance will no longer count towards the 4 hour (240 minutes) threshold.
Appeal Process
Please contact Mrs. Paula Heyn, Dean of Students, when extenuating circumstances prohibit
adherence with this attendance policy.
Positive Reinforcement
Rewarding positive attendance outcomes is a researched-based practice that discourages absences
and truancy. Provo High School has developed a way to acknowledge students who exhibit positive
attendance behaviors and reward improvement.
Calendar of Due Dates for Major Assignments
Semester 1 – Term 1
Standard Due Dates – These due dates will change at the beginning of each quarter.
A Due Dates
Standard One – September 6
Standard Two – September 20
Standard Three – October 4
Standard Four – October 18
B Due Dates
Standard One – September 5
Standard Two – September 19
Standard Three – October 3
Standard Four – October 17
Progress Reports and Report Cards
Term – How a Student is Progressing
The student will receive a grade posted to PowerSchool every two weeks at the end of the Standard due date. If the student is absent from class repeatedly, the parent/guardian will receive an email from me. If the student is using the time to do something other than working on their assigned course for GAP the parent/guardian will receive a screenshot of what the student was working on and a progress report from the course that they should be working on.
Term Grading Scale
P grade to receive 0.25 elective credits for the term.
F grade The “F” counts against extracurricular activities including sports
Grades will be updated every two weeks on PowerSchool.
The student’s term grade is composed of passing ALL four two-week standards or completing all the courses that have been assigned by the student’s counselor.
If all four goals aren’t completed or if less than four courses are assigned, then all the courses assigned must be completed, and the student will receive an “F” and no elective credit.
Connecting Home to School
Disclosure
Students will be given a disclosure-syllabus document. They will be asked to converse with their parent/guardian about the disclosure and sign the agreement page indicating that both will abide by the guidelines of the disclosure.
Resources
Students and parents will have access to the Canvas online course/s information at provo.instructure.com, or eSchool-Buzz at https://provoonline.agilixbuzz.com
Parents can observe the student’s progress by signing up through Instructure as an observer on Canvas, and through their PowerSchool account. The syllabus-disclosure information can be found in the following places: GAP Study Skills Canvas course, on Shirley Fahringer’s website, on the information sent the first day of class, and the information posted on the Announcements board in the classroom.
Contacting Me
Email is the best way to contact me with questions and concerns. My email address is raymondg@provo.edu. Coming to my office hours Monday – Friday 7:00 to 3:00. It’s best if you make an appointment through email first to ensure your time slot.