Dawson County Middle School Handbook School Year 2021 – 2022
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Dawson County School System Dawson County Middle School Handbook School Year 2021 – 2022 www.dawsoncountyschools.org 28 Main Street Dawsonville, GA 30534 (706) 265-3246 DAWSON COUNTY SCHOOLS A Charter System of Georgia Dr. Damon Gibbs Superintendent (706) 265-3246 Board of Education Elaine Wilson, Chair Doris Cook, Vice-Chair Nathan Ingram Roger Slaton Karen Armstrong Faculty and Staff Directory Phone: 706-216-4849 Fax: 706-265-1426 Administration Name Position Email Kim White Principal [email protected] Joshua Lipps Assistant Principal [email protected] Jordan LeFevre Counselor [email protected] Support Staff Name Position Email Laura Daniels Cafeteria Manager [email protected] Erin Grigsby Registrar [email protected] Amanda Kubat Nurse [email protected] Melissa Knuth ISS Para/Receptionist [email protected] Gaye Palmer Bookkeeper [email protected] Karen Westbrook Media Specialist [email protected] Randy Mullis School Resource Officer [email protected] Karen Wilson Tech Support [email protected] 2 DAWSON COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL HOME OF THE TIGERS Welcome to Dawson County Middle School and the 2021-2022 school year. To help ensure student success this year, it is imperative that parents and students understand school policies and procedures, as well as academic and behavioral expectations. Each Dawson County School employee is dedicated to providing a safe, orderly, and productive learning environment for students. Thank you in advance for reviewing this student handbook with your child. Kimberly White Principal, DCMS Dawson County Middle School Phone: (706) 216 – 4849 Fax: (706) 706-265-1426 Address: 5126 Hwy 9 S Dawsonville, GA 30534 VISIT US ON OUR WEBSITE https://dcms.dawsoncountyschools.org/ 3 4 Purpose/Direction/Commitments Statement Vision: To be an exemplary school district, preparing students for success. Mission: To provide quality instruction and student support that results in preparedness for college, career, and life. Commitments: 1. Graduation for ALL students. 2. Providing a safe, supportive learning environment. 3. Cultivating relationships with students, families, schools, and community. 4. Fostering a culture of engagement, innovation, and high expectations for student learning. 5. Providing extra-curricular activities and other opportunities, which develop life skills and positive personal growth. Authority of the Principal The principal is the designated leader of the school. The principal, along with the school staff, is responsible for the orderly operation of the school. In cases of disorderly, disruptive, or dangerous conduct not covered in the Student Code of Conduct, the principal may undertake corrective measures, which he or she believes to be in the best interest of the student and school and does not violate school board policies or regulations. School Governance Councils The School Governance Council is a representative body composed of the principal, two teachers, at least two parents, and at least two business representatives from the community. The purpose of the council is to review and provide feedback on matters related to the operation of the school. All parents are invited to attend the school governance council meetings. Student Agenda Book Information Receipt Verification Signatures below indicate that we have read and understand ALL of the information in the Student Handbook. Please call the school at (706) 216-4849 if you have a question. Student Signature: __________________________________Date: ____________ Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________Date: ____________ 5 Contents Academics/Grading/Reporting 7 Athletics/GHSA 9 Attendance 11 Counseling/Registration 15 Daily Routines/Common Requests 17 Discipline/Code of Conduct 23 Educational Rights 30 One to One Technology (iPads) and Personal Devices 36 Organizations and Clubs 46 Safety and Health 51 Special Education Services/Student Disabilities 54 Special Events 56 Student Meals 57 Student Publications 59 Transportation 60 Hall Passes 62 Behavior Card 66 6 Academics/Grading/Reporting _______________________________________________________________________________ Courses Each student will receive instruction in Language Arts (which includes Grammar, Writing, Spelling and Reading), Math, Science and Social Studies. Students will also receive instruction in connections classes such as Art, Band, Chorus, Computer Science, Health, General Music, Technology, and Physical Education. Connections courses change at the end of each marking period. Students may choose to be in band and/or chorus, but all other connections classes are randomly assigned and may not be changed. Allowing the students to explore many different areas of specialty increases their knowledge and appreciation for courses that could develop into a life-long hobby or career. Band and Chorus are the only two connections classes that meet all year long. Connections courses are subject to change prior to each marking period. Please note: students that select band or chorus will be allowed to transfer out of the class after the first or second nine weeks. Parent/Teacher Conferences Communication between home and school is extremely important in providing the best education for your child. A conference should be requested any time that you have questions or concerns about your child’s progress at school. As a courtesy to our teachers, please schedule conferences in advance. Quality classroom instruction is a product of many hours of planning and should only be interrupted in emergency situations. Teachers are available for scheduled conferences during their planning time and/or after school. You may write, email or call the teacher to request a conference. Remediation and Recovery The Dawson County Schools believe that the teachers conduct the most important assessment of student learning as they observe and evaluate students in the context of ongoing, standards-based activities. The teacher is responsible for assessing student progress and providing grades representing the student’s academic achievement and mastery level. Dawson County Schools has implemented standard guidelines for grades 6-12 when providing the opportunity for students to receive remediation and recovery on summative assessments. Best practices and evidence-based research on the topic of mastery learning supports this direction. Each school should maintain a level of autonomy while implementing a remediate and recovery philosophy while adhering to the following guidelines: ● To ensure mastery learning, every student will be eligible for remediation and recovery opportunities on summative assessments. Teachers may provide reteach/relearn assignments and offer opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of the standards. ● Grades will replace the previous assessment score if improvement is demonstrated. We will not average the grades or cap the reassessment score. Mastery is mastery, and grades should reflect what the student has learned. 7 Report Cards/Progress Reports Report cards are sent out at the end of each nine weeks (twice per semester). Progress reports are issued every 4 1⁄2 weeks throughout a semester. Parents using their student’s username and password may access student attendance and records via PowerSchool. The following represents letter/numeric grade conversions for middle school courses ● A.........90 – 100 ● B.........80–89 ● C.........70-79 ● F..........any grade below 70 is Failing Dates of Progress Reports/Midterms/Finals will be posted on the school calendar and on the school website. Testing Dates will be posted on the schools website as well. Schedule Changes Each student schedule has been created based upon individual academic needs and to maintain a favorable student-teacher ratio in the classroom. Schedule changes will not be made to place a student with, or away from, a particular teacher or student. Our teachers will work with the student and parent to resolve any problems that may arise without causing a disruption to the student schedule. Schedule changes will not be made to remove a student from one connections class in favor of another one. The exception to this rule would be to enroll a student in the band or chorus program if there is room in these classes to accommodate additional students. Student Support Team Members of the Student Support Team include teachers and selected individuals who meet to review the progress of students who may be experiencing difficulty related to study habits, attendance, discipline, attitude, academic standing, or other factors that could provide significant. A teacher or administrator may convene this team at any given time to discuss and implement strategies to help students be more successful. This process could be utilized for any reason to best support the student. 8 Athletics/GHSA ________________________________________________________________________________ Sport Head Coach Baseball Tyler Baker Basketball (Boys) Kevin Grigsby Basketball (Girls) Natosha Beary Cheerleading (Football & Basketball) Erin Grigsby Cross Country Benjy Edwards Football Andrew Grigsby Soccer (Boys) Kevin Grigsby Soccer (Girls) Allison Speece Softball Jason Dyer Volleyball Tanya Porter Wrestling Andrew Grigsby Eligibility Rules Tryouts for each sport will be announced prior to the beginning of the season. All students are encouraged to get involved in school organizations, clubs, activities, and sports. Students must meet the following requirements