Course Syllabus

Cornerstones English 2026-27 

Mr. Finneron                                                                                                                     finneronj@wellesleyps.org Office Hours: Tuesday 2:35-3:05                                                                                            Office 235, Ext. 4620

*I'm happy to meet with you any time, so please send an email or touch base in person to set up                                          

           Welcome to Cornerstones English, a course in which we focus on various types of literature and art from all different times and places. I also hope to offer choice in what you read at times during the year. Through it all, we are guided by the goal of becoming better readers, writers, thinkers and speakers.

            As we practice reading texts closely and critically, working to develop the skills required for literary analysis, I hope you will see yourself reflected in some of the works we will study. Where you do not see your experience mirrored, I hope you will find a window into the lives of people whose stories differ from yours. I hope you will bring your own story into conversation with the stories of authors and the stories of your peers.

Academic Expectations

My expectations for this course are simple. Be here on time. Be prepared for class. Be respectful. The most important thing to remember is that we are a community of people who are learning together; I expect you to listen and respond to what your classmates and I have to say – this means no side conversations and/or comments while someone is speaking. I hope you can appreciate that I simply expect you to maintain an atmosphere of respect and cooperation at all times, for one another, for your potential to succeed and for my daily objectives. 

Technology policies

Our time together in class is incredibly valuable, and the classroom policies for technology use are designed in order to maximize this time. Each day you will park your cell phone upon entering the classroom, and you will not retrieve it until class is over. Smartwatches and earbuds/headphones/etc. should be put away for the entire class period. Laptops, iPads, etc. should also be put away; when it is time to work with a computer, either on research or a writing assignment, I will instruct you to take out your device. 

Assignments and Grading

Each assignment is worth a set number of points.  A short, daily assignment, for example, might be worth 5-10 points; quizzes might be worth 10-30 points; and major papers or projects worth 50–100 points. Your term grade is determined by how many points you earn out of the total points possible. I will clearly communicate what each assessment is worth, and if you are ever unsure, please ask me!

Our Y1 grade will be calculated such that: Q1 - Q4 = 88% (22% each) and E1 = 12%. 

Late Work Policy

All missing work is due by the end of the cycle in which it was assigned. Each cycle, we will have a designated "make-up day" on Day 2. On this day, you will have the full block to complete and get assistance with any of your missing / incomplete assignments. The make-up day (Day 2) closes out our cycle; this means that after the Day 2 make-up day, you may no longer submit missing / incomplete assignments for credit. On Day 3 we begin a new cycle, starting fresh with new assignments. 

DCAP at WHS

District accommodations (DCAP) are available to all students, and in the 2026-27 school year, WHS is committed to moving this forward with fidelity.  

While some accommodations can be offered at the moment, others require advanced notice. 

For example: Extended time on an in-class assessment is a collaborative decision made by the teacher, student, and family to meet individual student needs.  The WHS guideline is up to 25% extra time.  This accommodation relies on proactive student communication prior to the date of the assessment.  The student and teacher must establish how the accommodation will be provided.”

Daily Words

Each day there will be one new vocabulary word introduced at the start of class.  You are required to record the word, the part of speech, and the definition for each word in your notebook.  You will be given a quiz on your daily words every five words – this works out to one quiz per cycle. 

Membean

While the daily vocabulary words are grade and subject specific, taken from things such as MCAS, the books we're reading, and the skills we're developing, Membean is a language tool that is tailored to each individual. That is, after completing a calibration exercise, each of you will learn and progress through learning that is specific to where you are in your language and vocabulary development. 

• You must complete three, 15-minute Membean sessions each week (each individual session is worth 2 points, for a total of 6 points per week)
• You cannot complete more than one Membean session on a single day
• The "Membean week" runs Monday-Sunday (in other words, you have from Monday morning until Sunday night to complete the three sessions for the week). 

AI Policy

In our class, you are not allowed to use AI unless I specifically say otherwise. All reading, thinking, writing, etc. etc. should come from your brain! The purpose of our time together is to grow and improve as English students; there may be times when there is an appropriate tool to help with this process, and if that is the case I will tell you. Otherwise, please do not use AI to aid you in any way.