Course Objectives:

Throughout the school year students will develop knowledge and skills in plant science, greenhouse management, soil science, floriculture, pest management, and global agricultural food systems. This will be accomplished through hands-on experiences, projects, research, and case studies. Students will also learn about and participate in maintaining the facilities and equipment associated with the horticulture industry, and produce commercial plant species in a controlled environment.

Please be aware, this course includes activities in our classroom greenhouse.  Frequently, students will be graded on their participation and effort during greenhouse activities. Students will not receive credit for greenhouse participation due to absences unless it has been approved by Ms. Roholt.

Fees:

$30.00 Class Fee / $20.00 FFA Membership Fee

Classroom & Laboratory expectations:

Be prepared

Be punctual

Be reasonable and responsible

Be respectful

Dress and act professionally

Participate and try new things  

FFA:

FFA is an integral part of any agricultural program. Every student who is not currently a member of FFA at their home high school will be registered as a member of the JATC South FFA Chapter. Each student will be required to participate in at least one (1) FFA activity during the school year. These range from competitions, leadership conferences, and state convention (most of these are held in the spring). This participation is to be recorded in AET, and graded during fourth quarter. More details of competitions and activities will be discussed as the time gets closer. Make sure to check the FFA bulletin board in Ms. Roholt’s classroom frequently.

For more information about FFA visit: utahffa.org or ffa.org 

SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience):

Similarly to FFA, an SAE project is integral to a student’s experience in any agriculture class. This is the experiential learning aspect of the class. Each student will develop a project within one of the five immersion categories. They will keep a record book of their time and any money spent or earned throughout their project. Additional outside projects are highly encouraged to gain further experience, and be eligible for awards, grants, and scholarships.

For more information about SAE projects visit: saeforall.org 

Farm to School:

JATC South is proud to partner with Jordan School District Nutrition Services as a part of the Farm to School program. We raise various edible plants in our school’s aquaponics lab and demonstration garden, which are then used in schools throughout the district. Occasionally, students will participate in activities related to Farm to School. These activities include: 7th Grade Ag Day, producing and harvesting of vegetables, and elementary class field trips to the JATC South Greenhouse.

For more information about Farm to School visit: farmtoschool.org

Field trips and Industry Experiences:

Throughout the school year various field trips will be arranged to introduce and expose students to career opportunities or current issues in the horticultural industry. Depending on the location visited and student participation field trips may leave and/or return to JATC South Campus outside of regular class hours. It will then be the student’s responsibility to make transportation arrangements to get to and from the school. If a student misses school for field trips, the absence will be school excused, but they are responsible to inform their other teachers and make up any missing classwork. 

Grading Policy:

At the conclusion of each quarter the total points achieved by the students will determine their final grade.  Letter grades will be administered based on the following percentages:

40% of grade is all class Assignments (homework, projects, labs, notes etc.)

30% of grade is Tests/Quizzes/Major Projects

20% of grade is Classroom Participation

10% of grade is FFA/SAE Participation

Students will earn grades based on two criteria:  Participation and Performance.  

Participation: May include daily bell quizzes, participation in class lectures, discussions, exit tickets, applying skills in the greenhouse or demonstration garden, and activities. There will also be times during the school year when out of class participation may be required. 

Performance: Includes properly demonstrating skills taught in class (i.e. properly plant a tree), completing classroom and homework assignments, research papers, personal and group projects, quizzes and tests.

Late Work:

All homework is due by the end of the school day (or the deadline online) on the assigned due date. Each day after the due date there will be a 10% deduction up to 10 days. After ten days an assignment will only be worth 10% of its total value. No late work will be accepted after the last week of each quarter. It is the student's responsibility to turn in late work prior to the deadline or no credit will be given.

Extra Credit: 

Students may be offered a few opportunities to undertake optional work, additional to their required work, in order to gain additional credit that would boost their grade. The intention of extra credit is to help students make up points lost on assignments, labs, activities, or tests. It is not intended to replace assignments, labs, activities, or tests. Extra credit will only be applied to a student's grade after all required work is completed. A second option for extra credit is using your oops! cards.

Oops! Cards:

Each student will receive 2 Oops! cards per semester. These can be redeemed for up to 10 extra credit points each. Oops! cards cannot be redeemed for missing assignments. When an Oops! card is applied no assignment will receive over 100%. For example, if the original score was 13/15 the student will receive 7 extra points after the Oops! card resulting in a final score of 15/15. At the end of the year students have unused Oops! cards they may return all four to Ms. Roholt and receive a $5 coupon to the plant sale, or 2 for $2. 

Absent Policy:

Students may turn in work for full credit after however many days they were gone after returning from an excused absence. For example if they missed two days, they have two days past the deadline before late policy goes into effect. Late work after an excused absence will be accepted using the same late work policy as above.  Students with unexcused absences will receive zero credit on work missed in class and any homework missed that day will be considered late and follow the above listed late work policy.

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to be in attendance every school day in order to receive maximum benefit from their education experiences. If a student is legitimately absent from class, it is their responsibility to contact the teacher regarding make-up work.  Legitimate absences are defined as: verified illness, medical appointments, bereavement, court appearances, emergencies, pre-approved educational leave, and special family or religious events. No make-up work will be permitted if the absence is unexcused, no exceptions. Absences must be excused through the student’s boundary school and through the JATC South office

If a student is tardy for class, it is their responsibility to contact the school office so that an unexcused absence is not assessed. If a student is less than 9 minutes late, please enter class and inform the teacher that you are present. 10 minutes tardy, regardless of the reason, will not be admitted to class without checking in with the main office. It is also a student’s responsibility to obtain a checkout slip from the office when they must leave during the school day.

Electronics Policy:

In this class we will often use digital learning resources to aid in learning, as a result students may be asked to use their phones, or Chromebook. If your school has issued you a Chromebook, bring it to class with you everyday! While electronics can be powerful tools, they can also be major distractions. If a student is unable to use their devices properly they may be asked to put it away or taken out of reach. Cell phones must be turned on silent during the duration of class. Students should respect when and how to appropriately use their devices.

Appropriate Clothing:

Appropriate dress and appearance avoids extremes, exemplifies personal cleanliness, promotes an effective learning environment free of unnecessary disruption(s) and increases school safety, security and sanitation factors. There are a variety of clothing styles which may be popular but are inappropriate for the school or school sponsored activity setting.

Dress and appearance, including clothing, jewelry, accessory, footwear, personal item or appearance practice, shall be in a manner suitable to the day’s activities consistent with the standards of health, safety, and appropriate behavior. School personnel may require students to wear certain types of clothing for health, safety, security, or sanitation factors or in connection with classes, activities or circumstances.

Although classroom time associated with instruction and discussion is an integral part in this course, this will be a predominantly hands-on course and students should be prepared daily to get their hands dirty in a variety of situations, both indoors and outdoors.  JATC South is a public building with the greenhouse operating as a business and with individuals and groups visiting regularly.  Students should be dressed appropriately. Be conscious of your clothing so you can maintain a professional appearance.

For more details visit the district policy: https://studentsupport.jordandistrict.org/dresscode/

Students With Disabilities:

Any student who currently receives accommodation through an IEP or 504 Educational Plan should contact me privately to discuss the details of those accommodations. All accommodations are coordinated through the student’s home high school counselor.

JATC College and Career Ready Portfolio:

The goal of the College and Career Ready Portfolio is to help students become more prepared for future jobs and careers and to help them plan for their next educational steps after high school. This is a program only available to students at the JATC. Students who participate have the opportunity to earn a Portfolio Medallion that can be worn at graduation. The majority of the requirements for the Portfolio will be integrated into classroom instruction, assignments, and activities. Check out the following link for more information: https://www.jordantech.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=713041&type=d&pREC_ID=1142110