COURSE SYLLABUS

							                                             Business Essentials
                                            Course Code: 06.41600
                                            Druid Hills High School

Teacher: Mrs. April Smith                        Email: April_A_Smith@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Room Number: 309A                                Phone Number: 678- 874-6302
Semester: Fall 2012                              Tutorial Days: Thursday or by appointment
                                                 (appointments must be made 24 hours prior to desired day and time)
Tutorial Location: Room 309A                     Tutorial Hours: 3:15 – 4:15

Department Philosophy: The philosophy of Career Technology is to develop students in the areas of
business, technology, and economics in order to be successful in post secondary and career options.
Through these skills, students will enhance themselves by becoming productive employees, keen
consumers and wise business leaders and/or entrepreneurs.
Course Description: Business Essentials is a foundations course for the Small Business Development,
Financial Management Accounting and Services Career Pathway. It is also appropriate for students
enrolled in any Career Pathway who plan to own and operate their own businesses. The course will help
students build a strong knowledge base and develop management skills as they study forms of business
ownership, functions of management, budgeting and finance, technology, communications, legislation,
leadership and teamwork, marketing, and economics. Mastery of these standards through project-based
learning and leadership development activities of the student organization, Future Business Leaders of
America (FBLA), will help prepare students with a competitive edge for the global marketplace.
Course Prerequisites: N/A
Textbook: None; We will use a variety of resources and the information./handouts will be provided to students.

Career Pathways: Course must be completed in the order listed below.
                   Small Business
               Development Pathway
Level 1   *Business Essentials
Level 2   *Legal Environment of Business

Level 3    *Entrepreneurial Ventures
Level 4     (Work-Based Learning)
Level 5     (Work-Based Learning)
*Required for Pathway Completion

Certifications:
The Financial Management Accounting, Services and Small Business Development pathways prepare students
with the skills needed for the following industry recognized credentials: Brainbench Business Concepts,
Brainbench Business Ethics, NOCTI Accounting Basics and NOCTI Business Information Processing.

Careers:
Occupation                                      Level of Education                                 Salary
Bank Teller                                     High School/On-the-Job Training                    $22,140
Paralegal/Legal Assistant                       Technical College                                  $33,920
Accountant                                      Bachelor’s Degree                                  $54,630
Financial Analysts                              Bachelor’s Degree +                                $66,590
Internet Acceptable Use: Use of the Internet must be in support of education and research and consistent
with the educational objectives of the DeKalb County School System. The use of the Internet is a
privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in cancellation of those privileges. Any student user
not complying with the DeKalb County School System Internet Acceptable Use Agreement shall lose
Internet privileges for a period of not less than one week. Use of the Internet provides great educational
benefits to learners. Unfortunately, some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are
illegal, defamatory, or potentially offensive to some people. Access to the Internet is given as a privilege to
learners who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner. We require that learners and parents or
guardians read, accept, and sign the following rules for acceptable on-line behavior.

FBLA: The development of positive personal qualities and leadership is a vital component in career
success. In this course that development is achieved through a variety of methods, which include Future
Business Leaders of America (FBLA). FBLA is a student organization that is designed to enhance this
class. FBLA provides career and leadership development through peer interactions, adult mentoring, and
competitions based on knowledge and skills learned in the classroom.

Course Schedule
Week 1     Careers                                    Week 10     International Business
Week 2     Communication                              Week 11     Budgeting and Finance
Week 3     Communication                              Week 12     Management / Risk Management
Week 4     Communication                              Week 13     Business Law
Week 5     Leadership                                 Week 14     Business Law
Week 6     Teamwork                                   Week 15     Marketing
Week 7     Ethics                                     Week 16     Marketing
Week 8     Business Concepts                          Week 17     Entrepreneurship
Week 9     Economics                                  Week 18     Final Project

Georgia Performance Standards: Performance standards provide clear expectations for assessment,
instruction, and student work. They define the level of work that demonstrates achievement of the
standards. The performance standards isolate and identify the skills needed to use the knowledge and skills
to problem-solve reason, communicate, and make connections with other information.
Standards Covered in this Course:
Please use the website listed below to view the standards that will be covered in this course
https://www.georgiastandards.org/standards/Georgia%20Performance%20Standards%20CTAE/Small_Bus
iness_Development_Business_Essentials.pdf

Grading Scale*
 Area                                   Percentage      Area                               Percentage
 Class Work/Daily Work                     25%          Projects                               30%
 Homework                                  10%          Final Exam                             10%
 Tests/Quizzes                             20%          Participation                           5%
                                                        Total                                 100%

 Required Materials: Folder, Flash Drive, Pen, Pencil, Loose Notebook Paper. All folders must be
 purchased by the end of the first week of school.
Classroom Expectations:
Respect yourself, your classmates, your teacher, and school property.

    1. Follow Directions at ALL times!!!

    2. All students are expected to arrive to class promptly and prepared. As soon as the last bell
       rings, students are expected to be in their assigned seats, otherwise a student is considered
       tardy.

    3. It is the student’s responsibility to bring all required materials to class every day.

    4. Cheating will not be tolerated! If you cheat or allow/assist someone to cheat, all parties
       involved will receive a zero and your parents will be notified immediately.

    5. Keep the room clean and respect the equipment and furnishing

    6. Absolutely no use of vulgar, profane, or inappropriate language in the classroom

    7. Students should use the restroom during class change--you will not be permitted to go unless it
       is an emergency. Also, please bring tissue with you to class if you have the sniffles.

    8. Students are not to groom in class, this includes hair, make-up, nails, etc…

    9. Electronic devices, cellular phones, iPods, MP3 players, hand-held games, playing cards, or
       any other material not related to or used in this class should be left at home. Bringing these
       items to class will result in confiscation. Items will be released only to a parent or guardian.

    10. When using the computer lab, NO student is to use the computer for activities that do not relate
        to this class; therefore, you should not be checking e-mail, chatting, playing games,
        downloading, uploading, doing research for another class, listening to music, personal
        browsing, etc….When allowed to use the Internet, visiting websites that are not appropriate for
        school or not educationally related is PROHIBITED. Violators will face consequences as
        outlined in the student handbook.
    ** All students should observe ALL the rules and regulations in the Student Handbook. **

Late Assignments: Late assignments will NOT be accepted. (NO EXCEPTIONS)

Make-up Policy: IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKEUP
WORK IS TO BE DONE. If you have an excused absence, you will be allowed the same number of
days as your absence in order to make up work missed. If you do not have an excused absence pass
entering class the next day, you will not be allowed to make up the missed work. A grade of “0”
will be entered into the gradebook.

*** Teacher reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus at any given time to better suit the needs of the students ***


                          FBLA - Co-Curricula Club
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*** Teacher reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus at any given time to better suit the needs of the students ***


Acknowledgment of Receipt: By signing below, the student and parent/guardian acknowledge that they have
read and understood the contents in the 2012-2013 Business Essentials syllabus.

Student Name (Print) ________________________________________ Date__________________________

Student Signature___________________________________________ Date__________________________

Parent Name (Print) _________________________________________ Date__________________________

Parent Signature____________________________________________ Date__________________________