STUDENT HANDBOOK 2017-18 Douglas Middle School 801 West Richards Douglas, WY 82633 Phone: 307-358-9771 Fax: 307-358-5315

Ryan Mackey, Principal Chad Johnson, Associate Principal/Activities Director

DMS Students are: SAFE, RESPONSIBLE, AND RESPECTFUL

Douglas Middle School Purpose Statement: It is the purpose of all at Douglas Middle School to meet the unique needs of early adolescents as they become lifelong learners.

Converse County School District #1 Vision Purpose: The Converse County School District #1 community will provide students with the skills needed to become productive citizens in a changing world and inspire all students to become lifelong learners by providing a safe, supportive learning environment.

This agenda belongs to:

NAME ______ADDRESS ______CITY/TOWN______ZIP CODE______PHONE______STUDENT NO. ______TABLE OF CONTENTS EMERGENCY RELEASE...... 2 ADDITIONAL SERVICES………………………….…..15 ...... DMS CALENDAR...... 3 Orientation Services…..…………………….....15 STAFF DIRECTORY………………………..4 Counseling Services…………………………...15 TIME SCHEDULE...... 5 Transportation ………………………………...15 SAFE 2 TELL ANONYMOUS HOTLINE….6 Transportation To /From Activities…….…. …..15 ACADEMICS...... 6 Student Phone……………………………….… 16 MS Instruction and Assessment...... 6 Lunch Room……………………………….…..16 Evaluating and Reporting …….....6-8 Library/Media Center………………….………16 CCSD#1 Curriculum and Assess...... 9 ACTIVITIES……………..……………………………....16 Drops and Adds...... 9 Extracurricular Activities……………………...16 Planners………………………….…9 Social Activities….…………………………....16 ...... Parent/Student Options………….....9 Student Council………..………………………16 Students Early Checkout………….10 DMS Activities Website…………………….… 16 PowerSchool/Web Page/LiveSch...10 Eligibility……...………………………...…….17 STUDENT CONDUCT...... 10 Mini Courses………….…………………….....17 Search Policy……………………..10 Too Good For Drugs……………………….….17 Board Policy on Weapons……...... 10 Academic Competions………………………...18 Suspensions...... 10 Visitors…………….……………………….….18 Time Out……………………...... 11 SCHOOL CLOSURE………………………………. …....18 In-School Suspension...... 11 INTERNET COMPUTER USAGE………………….…..18

Out of School Suspension...... 11 Internet Use Regulation……………..……..18-20 Behavior Plan...... 11 Internet Guidelines...……………………….….21 Student Dress Code ……….….11-12 District Network, Computer & Software……… 22 Student Absences……..…...... 12 STUDENT CONDUCT...………………………………..22 Excessive Absence……………….12 Board Policy Regulations…………….…………….…22- 23 Truancy...... 12 Student Parent Grievance……………………...23 Unauthorized Absence/Truancy....12 Hazing/Bullying/Harassment………………24-25 Closed Campus…………….……..13 Minor Infractions……………...…………...25-26 Public Concerns...... 13 Moderate Infractions……………………….26-27 STUDENT SERVICES...... 13 Major Infractions…………………...……...27-28 Health Services...... 13 Board Action…………………………………..28 Illness At School...... 13 Drug and Alcohol Abuse Action…………..28-29 Injury At School...... 13 Alcohol/Controlled Substance………………...29 Screening……………………...13-14 Weapons Policy…………………. …………….29 Use of Asthma Inhalers...... 14 Academic Dishonesty Policy………... ………...30 Immunizations...... 14 Behavior-PBIS…..……………………..……...30

2 Physcial Education ...... 14 RtI………………………………….………31-36 Board Policies……………………………...37-39 Family Rights for Education…………………..40

DOUGLAS MIDDLE SCHOOL Grade:______PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE During the 2017-18 school year, I hereby authorize Converse County School District #1 and its faculty members in charge of my child named below to obtain all necessary medical care for my child in the event that I cannot be reached to authorize it myself. I hereby authorize any licensed physician and/or medical personnel to render necessary medical treatment to my child. This consent shall continue, until revoked in writing. Student’s Name: Home Address:______Mailing Address: ______Father:______Work Number:______Cell Number:______Mother:______Work Number:______Cell Number:______Emergency Contact (Name & Number):______

Photo Release (Give permission to use photo in local paper/school/internet website) Yes _____ No______IN TOWN FIELD TRIP PERMISSION FORM During the course of the school year our classes will be taking various field- trips in association with units of study. As these trips are planned, you will be notified. To enable your child to take part in these important learning activities, we ask you to sign this permission slip for the 2017-18 school year.

I/We give permission for

3 to take part in field-trip activities with his/her class during the 2017-18 school year.

Signature:______Date:______

Parent email address:______

4 DOUGLAS MIDDLE SCHOOL 2017/18 SCHOOL CALENDAR August September October M T W TH F M T W TH F M T W TH F 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 **20 21 22 23 24 25 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 Open house 4 No school-labor day ** 20 End of qtr 1 24 First day of school 15 No school for students 27 No school - teacher wkshp

November December January M T W TH F M T W TH F M T W TH F 1 2 3 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 18 19 **20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 29 30 31

14&16 P/T Conferences ** 20 End of qtr 2 1 No school -New Year's

22 Early out 20 Early out 2 No school - teacher wkshp

23&24 Thanksgiviing Vacation 21-29 Christmas Vacation

February March April M T W TH F M T W TH F M T W TH F 1 2 1 **2 2 3 4 5 6 5 6 7 8 9 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 12 13 14 15 16 12 13 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 20 19 20 21 22 23 19 20 21 22 23 23 24 25 26 27 26 27 28 26 27 28 29 30

19 No school - Presidents' Day ** 2 End of qtr 3 6&8 P/T Conferences 9 No school - teacher wkshp 26-30 Spring Break

May M T W TH F 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 **24 25 **24 End of qtr 4 Last day of school - early out for students 28 29 30 31 25 Workshop for teachers

5 DMS STAFF LIST 2016-17 Mark Allington [email protected] Jeff Barnett [email protected] Troy Brown [email protected] Haylei Butler [email protected] Matt Carlson [email protected] Chris Collins [email protected] Sean Conaway [email protected] Melissa Deming [email protected] Clay Ewing [email protected] Jessica Ewing [email protected] Jennifer Garza [email protected] Chad Gibson [email protected] Emily Haught [email protected] Cody Helenbolt [email protected] Drew Hodgs [email protected] Justin Hoopman [email protected] Toi Hubert [email protected] Theresa Jansen-Kolf [email protected] Emily Jensen [email protected] Chad Johnson [email protected] Bryan Kelley [email protected] Baylee Kerkvliet [email protected] Jeff Kitterman [email protected] Stephen Klopfenstein [email protected] Nikki Lally [email protected] Ryan Mackey [email protected] Megan Olivarez [email protected] Cameo Olsen [email protected] John Olson [email protected] Emily Painter [email protected] Adam Pauli [email protected] Roberta Pearson [email protected] Phil Romero [email protected] Julie Schlager [email protected] Brady Shatto [email protected] Taylor Wagstaff [email protected] Luanne Wasden [email protected] Tonya Washington [email protected] Brianna Wass [email protected] Kari Yeaman [email protected]

6 2017-18 TIME SCHEDULE

6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade

8:00 - 8:10 (10 min.) 8:00 - 8:10 (10 min.) 8:00 - 8:10 (10 min.)

Homeroom Homeroom Homeroom

8:13 - 9:32 (79 min.) 8:13 - 9:32 (79 min.) 8:18 - 9:32 (79 min.)

BLOCK 1 BLOCK 1 BLOCK 1

9:35 – 10:54 (79 min.) 9:35 – 10:54 (79 min.) 9:35 – 10:54 (79 min.) Unified Arts BLOCK 2 BLOCK 2 BLOCK 2 10:57 - 11:22 (25 min.) 10:57 – 11:36 (39 min.) 10:57 – 12:18 (81 min.) Unified Arts LUNCH BLOCK 3 BLOCK 3 11:38 – 12:03 (25 min.)

LUNCH

11:25 - 12:46 (82 min.) 12:06 - 12:46 (40 min.) 12:21- 12:46 (25 min.) Unified Arts BLOCK 3 LUNCH BLOCK 3 12:49 – 2:08 (79 min.) 12:49 – 2:08 (79 min.) 12:49 – 2:08 (79 min.) Unified Arts BLOCK 4 BLOCK 4 BLOCK 4 2:11 - 3:00 (49 min.) 2:11 - 3:00 (49 min.) 2:11 - 3:00 (49 min.) WIN WIN WIN

FRIDAY SCHEDULE 6TH Grade 7TH Grade 8TH Grade 8:00-8:10 Homeroom 8:00-8:10 Homeroom 8:00-8:10 Homeroom 8:13-9:32 BLOCK 1 8:13-9:32 BLOCK 1 8:13-9:32 BLOCK 1

9:35-10:54 BLOCK 2 - UA 9:35-10:54 BLOCK 2 9:35-10:54 BLOCK 2

10:57-11:22 LUNCH 10:57-11:36 BLOCK 3 - UA 10:57-12:18 BLOCK 3

11:38-12:03 LUNCH 11:25-12:46 BLOCK 3 12:06-12:46 BLOCK 3 - UA 12:21-12:46 LUNCH

12:49-1:38 WIN 12:49-1:38 WIN 12:49-1:38 WIN

1:41-3:00 BLOCK 4 1:41-3:00 BLOCK 4 1:41-3:00 BLOCK 4 - UA

7 SAFE 2 TELL ANONYMOUS HOTLINE https://www.safe2tellwy.org

ACADEMICS

MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES Douglas Middle School adheres to the Common Core Standards for 6th, 7th and 8th grade. Standards are learning goals. Standards are assessed in a variety of ways, to include WY-TOPP, MAP, and class assignments. If a middle school student demonstrates they have met the standards, they will be promoted to the next grade. If a student does not demonstrate proficiency towards the standards, options such as summer school will be available to assist the students in reaching their academic goals. Our goal is to ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn and be academically prepared for the next school year. Here at DMS, educators follow a prescribed set of learning targets (standards) to ensure students are on track to become college and career ready. You may follow what your student is learning by going to ccsd1.org and clicking on the departments link. From here, you will click on the dropdown link entitled curriculum and instruction, and will be able to access all curriculum maps from the Atlas portal by clicking on the parent login to view curriculum maps.

EVALUATING AND REPORTING STUDENT PROGRESS Philosophy of Standards-Based Grading It is the goal of Douglas Middle School to improve student learning by reporting grades that are accurate, consistent, and meaningful. Through standards based grading, the student will be evaluated based on what he/she knows, understands, and can do in relation to district-identified learning standards in each academic course. Instruction and activities in the classroom will support and build on essential learning outcomes, and teachers will provide detailed feedback to inform the student of his/her progress towards mastery. The reported grade will reflect only evidence of academic achievement towards the standards. Student behavior such as participation, attitude, effort, and/or attendance will be assessed and reported. However, such aspects will be reported separately to ensure the integrity of the academic report is not diluted.

Grading Methods 1. Course grades will be based on summative scores of learning standards. Rubrics will be aligned to the knowledge, skills, and processes stated within the standards. 2. Homework, classwork, and practice will be evaluated, and the student will be given feedback on this work. These will serve as formative scores to help inform both the student and teacher of academic progress. 3. A variety of assessment methods and multiple opportunities of assessment will be used to collect evidence of student learning. Students who choose to be reassessed on standards must make arrangements with his/her teacher. Any and all retake assessments will be worth full credit, and evaluations will be based on the original assessment rubric. 4. Behaviors (effort, participation, attendance, adherence to classroom rules, etc.) will be reported as Citizenship rather than in the academic grade (See chart below). 5. Academic grades will not be reduced due to academic dishonesty, late submission, or other behaviors. Behavioral consequences will be applied per student handbook.

8 6. Group scores, extra credit, or bonus points will not be included in the student’s grade. Redo and retake opportunities for full credit will be available to all students who want to improve their academic progress towards the standards. 7. “Missing” or “Incomplete” icons will be used to report missing evidence of learning in place of a zero. 8. Scores will emphasize most recent evidence of learning or the mode of multiple assessments of one standard.

Grading Scale

Under Douglas Middle School’s adoption of standards based grading, a 4-point proficiency scale will be used.

Proficiency Level Name Description 4 Mastery The student masters the standard. Advanced 3.5 Meeting Proficient 3 Meeting The student meets the standard. Proficient 2.5 Approaching Basic 2 Approaching The student is making progress towards meeting the standard. Basic 1.5 Remediation Below Basic 1 Remediation The student’s knowledge of the standard is missing many components or no evidence Below Basic of learning is shown.

90 – 100 A 80 – 89 B 70 – 79 C 69 & Below U

Citizenship Expectations within LiveSchool

Be Safe Adhere to rules outside of Keep hands, feet, & Use class resources class objects to self properly Be Responsible Be prepared to learn Complete work in a Engage in lessons with timely manner best effort Be Respectful Allow others to learn Respect self and others Speak with appropriate language

Homework and Practice Per teacher discretion, your middle school child may be expected to practice what they are learning outside of school. On average, middle school students will have 10 minutes of

9 homework per grade level (i.e., no more than 60 minutes in the 6th grade). This should be measured as uninterrupted time on task for the average student at DMS. If your son or daughter exceeds this time-frame on multiple occasions, please contact the appropriate teachers to let them know.

Students should have, on average, no more than 60 minutes of homework per night in the 6th grade. no more than 70 minutes of homework per night in the 7th grade. no more than 80 minutes of homework per night in the 8th grade.

Educational Opportunities S.W.A.G. (Students Wanting to Achieve Greatness) – S.W.A.G. is our after school enrichment program. S.W.A.G. offers opportunities for assistance with specific school work and also serves as a program for students to receive additional enrichment. S.W.A.G. runs Monday through Thursday from 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM.

Breakfast Club – This is a free tutoring program offered to all DMS students. Breakfast Club is run by certified teachers from 7:00 - 8:00 AM assisting students meet all academic needs.

Summer School – Our summer program at DMS is open to any student who needs or wants to improve their academic standing.

Promotion to the next grade:  Pass all core classes and/or demonstrate proficiency in MAP and WY- TOPP

Summer School  Student does not meet proficiency in core classes as demonstrated by grades, WY-TOPP, or MAP  Parent recommendation  Teacher recommendation

Retention  Academic progress is monitored closely throughout the school year by the building RtI team. Retention will be discussed as determined by recommendations from the RtI team and parents/guardians

Parents/guardians have the right to appeal the building decision regarding their child’s retention to the Superintendent within one week after final notification.

10 CCSD#1 CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT Our district has adopted curriculum guides that define what your child learns each year in every subject. The curriculum is based on standards approved by the Board of Education. The curriculum guides also determine how students will be tested so that teachers may be best able to track their growth. It is very important that each year every student successfully complete the requirements for his/her grade. Flyers are available to parents annually that outline what your child should be learning at his/her grade level. Contact individual schools for more information.

Annually, our district students participate in the statewide assessment, WY-TOPP (Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress) is given in 1st through 10th grades. It shows how students perform in reading, writing, and mathematics. Science assessment was added in 2008 and is administered to 4th and 8th grade. The PAWS test is one of the many important tools used to identify potentially at-risk students. Students who score in the lowest areas of the WY-TOPP may, be eligible for remediation. Options for helping at-risk students may include: repeating courses, summer school, tutoring, grade retention, and alternative programs.

If your child is currently struggling in any class at any grade level, please contact your child’s teacher or school counselor. Student learning, growth and success are our most important goals. Please help us help your child to become successful by being informed, working together with teachers, attending conferences, and participating in school activities.

Non-discrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

DROPS AND ADDS At the beginning of each quarter students will have 4 days to request to switch classes and only with parent and administrative approval. A student enrolled in band or choir will only be allowed to drop the first 4 days of each semester. There will be a 10-day drop if a student is gone for ten continuous days.

PLANNERS Sixth and seventh grade students are provided with planners each fall as one intervention in meeting our school goal of fulfilling responsibilities. Each student is expected to use the

11 student planner. The planners will be used as an organizational tool to assist students in becoming responsible. Eighth grade students will have the option of a school provided planner or a planner of their choice.

PARENT/STUDENT OPTIONS Regarding classroom material that may be offensive or religiously controversial, students and parents have the right to opt out of such material with student, parent, teacher, and administrative approval. Students will be given comparable assignments in such cases.

STUDENTS LEAVING EARLY FROM SCHOOL PRIOR TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR An early out form needs to be completed for all early withdrawals. In order to determine report card grades for each of the courses in which the student is enrolled, the teacher will give each such student an opportunity to hand in finished materials and/or take tests in advance. All paperwork and/or projects must be completed by the last day of school.

POWERSCHOOL/WEB PAGE/LIVESCHOOL Parents/guardians and students are encouraged to access information about grades and assignments on PowerSchool. To do so an ID# and password are required. This information will be mailed to you or feel free to call the DMS Office to receive your child’s ID# and password. Through the use of PowerSchool, grades are accessible and by clicking on the grade you can view missing assignments. Our district website is www.ccsd1.org and our school website is www.dms.ccsd1.org. You can also follow us on Facebook - @douglasmiddleschool.

We also encourage you to access information about your child’s behavior through the use of the LiveSchool app. To do so, an ID# and password are required. This information will be sent home at the start of the school year. You can also call the main office at 358-9771 to receive your username and password information.

STUDENT CONDUCT

SEARCH POLICY The school reserves the right to conduct searches to protect the safety of students or when they have reasonable suspicion to believe that a student is concealing illegal contraband. This would include property of others. To ensure the safety of the students, the Wyoming State Patrol or Douglas PD K-9 unit will be used during the school year for random searches.

BOARD POLICY ON WEAPONS Possession and/or use of any dangerous weapon in any school building, to or from school, on school grounds, in any school vehicle, or at any school-sponsored activity are strictly prohibited.

12 The principal or superintendent may suspend or recommend expulsion of any student who possesses, handles, transmits, or conceals any object that could be used or construed as a weapon to disrupt the educational process or cause harm or fear to another person.

A definition of weapons is not limited to the obvious such as guns and knives, but would or could be construed to also include items such as slingshots, bludgeons, explosives, and toy weapons that resemble the real thing. An exception to this regulation may be made for students participating in class work or an authorized extracurricular activity or team involving the use of weapons or similar objects and permission should be obtained prior to bringing such items to school.

SUSPENSIONS Suspensions at Douglas Middle School for serious misconduct may range from one (1) to ten (10) days. These suspensions may be either in school or out of school depending on the situation.

TIME-OUT

When classroom expectations are not met by a student, the teacher will implement tier one interventions and clarify the expectations for the classroom. If the student neglects to adhere to the expectations and/or follow the interventions, the teacher will complete a discipline referral regarding the behavior and send the student to the office. Administration will deduct LiveSchool points related to the infraction and determine if the student is sent to the Time Out room. Administration may issue additional consequences to the student per the behavior matrix outlined in the student handbook.

IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION (ISS) In-school suspension will result in cases where the student flagrantly or repeatedly breaks school rules. The student’s assignments will be brought to ISS by his/her teacher and the student is responsible for completing and handling those assignments at the end of the day. Assignments to ISS are made by the principals. Parents will be informed when a student is assigned to In-School Suspension. Students serving ISS may not attend school activities or functions occurring the same day as their suspension (i.e. dances, games). ISS served on Friday results in no participation on Saturday.

Misbehavior while in ISS will result in additional ISS or an out-of-school suspension. The school day begins at 8:00 AM in the ISS room.

OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION (OSS) Students suspended out of school may continue to work on scholastic obligations. However, assignments and materials must be picked up after school. Students serving out of school suspension may not attend school activities or functions for the duration of their suspension.

13 BEHAVIORAL PLAN If a student has continuing behavior that results in referrals, a behavioral plan will be put in place so the parents/guardians and school can work together to improve the behaviors.

STUDENT DRESS CODE It is the philosophy of Converse County School District #1 that students reflect the individual school and the school district in their personal appearance and conduct. Student dress should be appropriate in appearance without causing distraction and suitable for existing weather conditions. When a student’s choice of dress is inconsistent with the dress code, the student will be asked to change into acceptable clothing and parents will be contacted.  Shirts which expose a bare midriff are prohibited. Shirts must fall at the pant line when arms are extended straight up or when the student is sitting down.  Students are not allowed to wear hats, bandanas, or any other head coverings (such as hooded sweatshirts) in the building during school hours.  Undergarments will not be visible.  Tank tops of any kind are prohibited. Sleeveless dresses or shirts are acceptable.  Gang related dress or symbols, including graffiti on papers is prohibited.  Shorts and skirts must be of a reasonable length as determined by administration and/or designee.  See through garments, string strap tops, halter tops, open back shirts are not acceptable  Wallet or pant chains, spiked necklaces and bracelets are not acceptable.  Attire advertising drugs, alcohol, or tobacco is prohibited.  Student dress which is disruptive or sexually suggestive is not appropriate at school.  The student dress code will be in effect during school and at school functions, including dances. Administration and/or designee will make final determination of questionable clothing.

STUDENT ABSENCES Regular and punctual attendance is directly related to success in school. When a student must be absent, the parent should call the Middle School (358-9771), before 10:00 AM of the first day of the absence. Excused absences should be called in 24 hours from an absence.

Absences that are approved by the parent (through a note or phone call) will be considered excused. Any absence without the parent’s approval will be considered unexcused and will be treated as such. It is the parent’s responsibility to see that their children attend school on a regular basis.

Students with excused absences may make up work in a reasonable period of time; (2 days per absence) however, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain work missed. If students know they are going to be absent, it is desirable to make up work ahead of time.

14 Work will be sent home on the second day of an absence if requested by parents. Students and parents should realize that many classroom experiences cannot be made up. When school is missed due to extracurricular activities it is the student’s responsibility to get the assignments prior to departure and they must be turned in at the appropriate times as designated by the teacher.

EXCESSIVE ABSENCE It is essential to be in class in order to attain a quality education. All absences in excess of 10 days per semester without a written excuse from a health care provider will be considered excessive. Any student who misses ten consecutive days will result in a 10-day drop. Special extenuating circumstances approved by administration may result in an exception to the rule.

TRUANCY (Code JHB) According to Wyoming Compulsory Attendance laws, a habitual truant is any student who accumulates five (5) or more unexcused absences in any school year.

The principal of each school or designee is the designated attendance officer for that school. The attendance officer shall monitor the attendance of all students. When a student has accumulated five (5) unexcused absences, it shall be the duty of the attendance officer to counsel with the student, parent/guardian in an attempt to improve attendance habits. Should an additional unexcused absence be recorded, the attendance officer shall provide written notice to the parent or guardian that the attendance is required by law. The attendance officer shall also comply with legal requirements of notification to the county attorney of the status of the student as a habitual truant.

UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCE/TRUANCY These absences are those, which do not come under any of the definitions of excused absences.

CLOSED CAMPUS The buses begin arriving around 7:45 AM. Students not participating in school activities are to leave the building after the 3:00 PM dismissal bell. The Middle School has a “closed campus” policy. Students are to remain at school the entire day, including the lunch period. The Board has determined that a short lunch with a closed campus concept is best for students staying on task with their academics. Students may not leave the school grounds without parental/guardian permission. Students leaving school early must be checked out through the office and picked up by the parent, guardian or other approved person. Students are not to check out when ill without going through the Nurse’s Office.

PUBLIC CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS

15 Complaints and grievances shall be handled or resolved, when possible, as close to their origin as possible. The proper channeling of complaints involving instruction, discipline, or learning materials is as follows: Teacher, Principal, Superintendent, and the School Board.

STUDENT SERVICES

HEALTH SERVICES A registered nurse is on duty at the Middle School. She is available to all students having health-related problems, illnesses, injuries, or emergency situations. Parents may call for resource information.

The Nurse’s Office is capable of providing first aid or temporary care in case of an emergency. We are not equipped to take care of serious illness. Parents are requested to keep their students home from school if they are ill.

ILLNESS AT SCHOOL Students who have concerns about being ill will be assessed. If it is necessary to go home, the nurse or designee will inform the parent. Students are not to check out ill without going through the Nurse’s Office.

INJURY AT SCHOOL Assessment will be made of the injury. If necessary, parent contact will be made and transportation arranged.

SCREENING Vision, hearing, blood pressure, dental, and scoliosis screening as well as heights and weights will be checked in 7th grade and on all new students. Students may also be screened upon request from parents and teachers. When indicated, recommendation will be made to the parent for further assessment.

Administering Medicine To Students - It is the policy of Converse County School District # 1 that all children’s medication (prescription and non-prescription) be administered by a parent or doctor. If a child is required to take oral medication during school hours because of an exceptional circumstance, the following protocol will be followed:

The medication must be brought in a drug container.

The medicine will be stored in a secure area.

All medicine will be supplied by parent(s).

At the end of the school year, all unused medications will be returned to the parent or destroyed at their request.

16 The parents/guardians of the child must assume responsibility for informing the school nurse of any changes in medication. The school district retains the discretion to reject requests for administration of medicine.

Medication consent forms may be obtained from the school nurse. We feel in fairness to those giving the medications and in safety to your child, these policies must be followed strictly. We ask this not to make things difficult for you, but to insure the health and well- being of all students.

Remember, the only way we can give medication at school is with a school medication administration consent form filled out and signed by the parent with a proper container.

Asbestos Regulation: “An Asbestos management plan is available for your review in all Converse County District #1 facilities.”

THE USE OF ASTHMA INHALERS IN THE SCHOOL SETTING Recently passed Wyoming Law (21-4-310) states that school districts permit a student to possess and self-administer inhaled asthma medication IF written permission from the parent is accompanied by documentation from the medical provider confirming that the student has the knowledge and skill to safely possess and use an inhaler in the school setting. Specific forms are available at the nurse’s office at DMS. Each student with an inhaler will have on file a written individualized health care plan with the school nurse.

IMMUNIZATIONS All 7th grade students are required by law to have a Tetanus booster before entering 7th grade. They may be excluded if found to be non-compliant. Medical and religious exemptions are the exception. Forms can be obtained at the public health office or the school nurse.

The schedule of immunizations is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as by the Wyoming Health Department and Converse County School District #1. A copy of the current required immunization is available from the school nurse or Converse County Health Department.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION PARTICIPATION Physical Education is offered for all middle school students in grades 6-8. If a student’s participation has some limitations, it will be necessary to submit a written note to the school nurse to be excused from physical education activities. Continued limitation (illness or major injury requiring more than three days of absence from class) will require a medical doctor’s written excuse on file. Students in each grade level will be required at least one quarter of Physical Education/Health

17 ADDITIONAL SERVICES

ORIENTATION SERVICES School orientation helps students to understand and make the adjustments necessary to maximize their educational opportunities. New student orientation efforts are directed toward incoming 6th graders as well as transfer-in students as the need arises.

COUNSELING SERVICES Individual counseling services provided by DMS focus on the more personal and private issues our students must deal with in the context of today’s culture. Information gained through a counseling interview will be handled discretely and with regard for privacy of the individual(s). Students referred by staff members, parents, or self-referring students will receive assistance.

TRANSPORTATION To ensure students are transported home in a timely manner, students will be using bus tags to designate which bus they may ride. Students are expected to follow the safety guidelines as defined by the CCSD #1 Transportation Department. A student who has violated a safety guideline will be required to give the bus driver his/her name and grade without question. The driver will make a written report to the Transportation Office. Depending on the circumstances, the violator may be, after investigation, warned or suspended from the bus in accordance with the DMS Student Handbook.

All DMS school rules and behavioral plans will be applicable on all buses.

Students may have assigned seats and will not be permitted to change seats or move up or down the bus aisles.

Physical altercations will be considered a major infraction.

Tobacco, alcohol, and drug use is prohibited.

Vulgar language is not permitted.

Students are expected to treat passengers and the driver with respect and courtesy.

TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM EXTRA CURRICULAR EVENTS Students are to ride to and from school sponsored activities via school transportation. Exceptions to not riding a bus to the activity MUST be approved at least one day prior to the event through the Middle School office. A Parent Request for Transportation Form must

18 be filled out and turned into the office in accordance with the above sentence. The forms to transport a student home can be secured from the coach/sponsor at the activity.

STUDENT PHONE A student phone is located in the commons area for use before and after school. (Press 8 for an outside line.) Calls may also be made during lunch, after permission is given from a teacher on lunch duty. A pass is required if there is a need to use the phone during class or between classes. Personal technology will be allowed only during non-instructional time. If you need to contact your child for an emergency, please contact the office and we will immediately get them from class. Students are not allowed to text or use phones, tablets, etc. during instructional time unless authorized to do so by school personnel.

LUNCH ROOM Students will be eating lunch in the Commons Area which is located near the main entrance of the building. Students sit at round tables which seat five students per table. It is expected that students will visit quietly and eat in a mannerly fashion during their lunch period. Any student behaving inappropriately will lose the privilege of eating with his/her classmates.

LIBRARY/MEDIA CENTER Students are welcome to borrow two books on their account at a time. DMS books are loaned for a period of two weeks, with a two-week renewal available upon request.

ACTIVITIES

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES All DMS students are welcome to participate in extracurricular activities. These activities are to help further the DMS goals and to help form well-rounded students. In order to participate in these activities, consent forms, physical forms, insurance information, and cautionary statements must be filled out and signed prior to the beginning of the season. Academic eligibility is required to participate. Forms may be obtained from the DMS office.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, DANCES, ETC. Only enrolled DMS students and CCSD #1 rural students who have given previous notification to the DMS office will be allowed to attend social activities. Students are expected to follow the school dress code, use school appropriate language, dispose of trash, refrain from throwing anything, keep food and beverages out of the gym, and adhere to the school policy on public display of affection. Students serving a suspension (ISS or OSS) the day of a dance will not be permitted into the dance. Students must also fall within the activity eligibility guidelines to attend a dance.

STUDENT COUNCIL

19 At the beginning of the school year, six representatives will be elected from each grade level. Students interested in representing the student body at DMS may nominate themselves for Student Council. Members of the Student Council are required to behave in an exemplary fashion and represent DMS accordingly.

DMS ACTIVITES WEBSITE http://dms.ccsd1.org/ is a new website that has much to offer to our students, parents, and community members. This site is user friendly and not only allows you to see what is going on at DMS, but also allows you to access all of the activity schedules from each pull down link.

ELIGIBILITY Poor academic performance or unacceptable behavior by a student will result in a student being ineligible for the next activity. All students at DMS must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible to participate in any school-sponsored extracurricular activity:  Activity eligibility will be run every Monday. Students who are declared ineligible will be notified by the office and parents/guardians will be contacted. Students will then create a plan with the Activities Director and/or designee to become eligible. Once the plan is approved, the student will be granted an opportunity to become eligible prior to the next event.  Eligibility runs from Monday to Sunday. However, students who complete their plan and increase their academic grades to appropriate proficiency levels are deemed eligible until the next report is tabulated.  Academic eligibility will only be run and considered accurate and valid after the second week of each quarter. In addition, academic eligibility reports cannot be initiated until there are at least two summative assessment scores entered. Student- Athletes are deemed academically ineligible if they have less than a 70% in two or more classes.  Behavioral eligibility (Citizenship) will be based on points accrued through LiveSchool. This system will allow citizenship marks to be tracked throughout the weekly eligibility period. At the conclusion of each eligibility week, a student who has a Citizenship score of 69% or less in two or more classes will be declared ineligible. Office referrals will cause the following deductions to a student’s weekly citizenship score: Minor infraction – 1 pt., Moderate infraction – 2 pts., Major infraction – 3 pts.  Students must maintain good standing both academically and behaviorally. If a student is down academically in one class and behaviorally in another, they are considered ineligible. However, one class alone cannot cause a student to be ineligible. A combination of two or more classes is required for a student to be deemed ineligible.

20  Students are not eligible to participate while under suspension (ISS/OSS). If a contest is on a weekend and a student is suspended on a Friday, they are still considered ineligible for participation.  The head coach of each activity will be notified of his/her ineligible students.  Ineligible students are still expected to practice, but may need to miss practice due to the demand of needing extra academic assistance after school.  If an ineligible student has put forth significant effort and shown considerable progress, his/her case may be reviewed by administration or designee to consider allowing them to participate.

MINI COURSES Mini courses will be offered throughout the school year. The reasons that mini courses are offered are to: expand students’ experiences, explore areas of interest, participate in a class that may result in a hobby, and to give students the opportunity that may not previously been available.

TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS There will be a 10 lesson course offered 3rd quarter for all 7th grade students. The curriculum is aimed at the middle school level. The instructor will be the DMS School Nurse. The program will cover several state standards.

ACADEMIC COMPETITIONS Students will have the opportunity to participate in many academic competitions including: Math Counts, Geography Bee, Destination Imagination, Lego Robotics, History Bee, and Spelling Bee.

VISITORS Students who seek to have a friend or relative visit school with them will be given permission to do so only under very special conditions, and then only after one day advance permission by one of the principals. Should permission be given, it will be granted for lunch only. Exceptions will be made for prospective DMS students. All visitors must check in to the office to receive a pass before entering the rest of the building. Photo ID is required for all new visitors.

SCHOOL CLOSURE In the event of an emergency during the school day, students may be sent home early. Parents should provide the school with emergency phone numbers where they can be reached during the school day. Parents should also provide the school with the name and number of a family friend who can be contacted in case of an emergency. If school is closed due to adverse weather, the local TV and radio stations will be notified immediately. It is very important that contact information is accurate and updated with the school.

21 School Messenger, automated notification system will be in place to use in case of emergency. Parents/guardians will be notified by phone in case of a school closure.

Revised: 10/09/13 Code: IJNDB-R

CONVERSE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT #1 INTERNET USE REGULATION

INTRODUCTION The telecommunications and computer technologies and facilities provided by Converse County School District #1 are for a limited educational purpose. “Educational purpose” is defined to include classroom activities, project research, career development, and limited high-quality self-directed activities. These are the only acceptable uses of District computer technologies and facilities. The use of District technologies and facilities is not a right, it is a privilege. As such, the privilege may be revoked at any time if either this policy or school guidelines are violated.

NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY

In order to ensure the appropriate use of the network and to ensure conformity to this policy and legal guidelines, the District reserves the right to monitor, access and disclose any files, documents and messages contained, stored or transmitted using District equipment. Staff and students should have no expectations of privacy when using District technologies.

CIPA COMPLIANCE AND INTERNET FILTERING

Converse County School District #1 will educate all students about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyber bullying awareness and response. CIPA federal law requires Internet filtering in public school and libraries that accept federal money. To be in compliance with this law, the District does employ an Internet filtering system on all student Internet capable workstations. However, it is critical to note that NO filtering solution or combination of solutions can be totally effective, and thus the District does not warrant its filtering solution to be fully effective. The District recognizes the fact that teacher supervision combined with appropriate student choices is a better deterrent than Internet filtering. The District creates a log of every resource and website accessed on the Internet. These logs record date, time, account name, workstation used and resource accessed. These logs can be used by building staff and administration to determine adherence to this policy and to school rules and guidelines. The District may also turn over these usage logs to appropriate law enforcement to assist in prosecution investigations and efforts.

STAFF AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

22 Individual network access

Each staff member and student is given a network user name and a unique password. This password is considered to be privileged information and should not be shared with anyone. They must use their user name and password any time they wish to access any computer in the District.

It is imperative to understand that any activity done with a user name is the responsibility of that person. Individuals need to take steps to ensure that their private password remains private and known only to them. If privacy of a password is suspected to have been compromised, the user must immediately inform a building teacher, technology department or media center personnel so a new private password can be issued.

General behavior

It is expected that district staff and students will conduct themselves according to the social and cultural norms of society. It is also expected that any and all school rules, guidelines and policies are to be followed when using District technology resources. Such policies include, but are not limited to: policies on sexual harassment, bullying and academic honesty and plagiarism.

The display of any kind of sexually explicit image, document, or content is prohibited. In addition, neither sexually explicit material nor any illegal material may be archived, stored, distributed, edited or recorded using our network or computing resources.

Tampering and vandalism

Staff and students shall not violate the integrity of the District network or any of its computer systems, change its performance, intentionally make it malfunction, add or delete software, or otherwise modify the performance and functionality of any network or computer.

Likewise, staff and students shall not physically damage, remove or vandalize any technology equipment or modify its performance by physically changing or damaging components. Such vandalism may be turned over to law enforcement for remuneration of monetary damages and District employee time spent to return equipment to working order.

If someone uses a workstation that has been vandalized, damaged or modified, it is the responsibility of the student to immediately notify the supervising teacher or staff so responsibility can be ascertained. Failing to immediately do so might raise suspicion of actually causing the damage or modification in subsequent investigations.

Personal information

23 Staff and students should not disclose any personal information to third-party websites. Many websites employ advertising and privacy policies that are in opposition to District privacy policies. Also many of these websites may not employ the necessary and proper security protocols to prevent the interception of such private information. The District cannot and does not take responsibility for the consequences of any release of such personal information to third parties.

Anyone who wishes to disclose such information to certain third-party entities (such as colleges for applications) should only do so in a setting outside the school (such as within a home, or at public access terminals in libraries and elsewhere) to ensure that proper data privacy and integrity protocols are maintained.

Copyright guidelines

Compliance with international and federal copyright laws is a critical component of the District’s overall technology plan. Via the Internet, it has become easy to obtain illegally copied intellectual property (such as pirated movies, music, software, images, etc.). Users shall at all times comply with all copyright laws and guidelines with respect to copying material and intellectual property in digital format. Legitimacy and appropriateness of information

The District cannot and does not take responsibility for any action or inaction arising from use of information gained from any Internet resource. The District cannot and does not ensure the suitability, usability, accuracy, applicability or timeliness of any materials gained from the Internet.

As a part of District curriculum efforts, the importance of evaluation and analysis of any information source is emphasized in classroom instruction and is an important part of an overall education in mass media and critical thinking.

Additional guidelines and terms of student technology use

School administration and teachers may add additional guidelines and rules regarding student access to technology and the Internet. These additional guidelines and rules will not modify or negate this policy, but instead may fine-tune and clarify provisions for their individual schools.

CONSEQUENCES

Violation(s) of the above policies shall be subject to disciplinary procedures commensurate with the violation. These procedures may involve: revocation of Internet access privileges, revocation of all technology access privileges, suspension, expulsion or any other disciplinary action deemed appropriate by administration. Additional consequences for staff members could include suspension, termination or dismissal.

24 In cases where violation of state or federal law is suspected, appropriate law enforcement authorities may be contacted. Such information as Internet usage logs, contents of student private folders, etc. may be shared if asked by such law enforcement agencies.

OPT-OUT PROCEDURE

The District recognizes the importance of ubiquitous access to global information resources in all classes and grades. It is also critically important that parents and guardians recognize the potential consequences and risks inherent in Internet access, while encouraging safe and acceptable practices of Internet use.

The District employs an “opt-in” policy for all student accounts. All student accounts are, by default, permitted to pass the District proxy server and access Internet resources within the guidelines set in this policy and in school guidelines. However, a parent or guardian may choose to “opt-out” their student from Internet access. Such a student can still perform classwork on District computers and access appropriate network shares within the school building to complete that classwork.

A parent or guardian may choose to “opt-out” by submitting a written request to the building administrator. Such a request will remain on file until the student either leaves the District or the “opt-out” is canceled in a written letter by the parent or guardian. The parent or guardian, in choosing to “opt-out” a student, recognizes their responsibility in providing the student alternate access to Internet resources outside of the District environment or to equivalent information resources to complete some class assignments.

INTERNET GUIDELINES Do not violate any state or federal laws. For example: violation of the federal DMCA by obtaining copyrighted music or software from the internet, threats against people or property, conducting illegal business, or introduction/construction of “virus” or “worm” software. Such violations may be reported to appropriate law enforcement. The State of Wyoming is monitoring the WEN (Wyoming Equality Network) for such DMCA violations, and they may choose to take action against individuals found violating copyright laws. CCSD #1 willingly complies with all requests from law enforcement agencies for information and usage logs during such an investigation. Following are some guidelines to follow when using the computer at school: Log off a workstation when your work is completed The CCSD#1 network shall not be used to disrupt the work of others No student action should disable the functionality of a computer, its software, or the network Do not violate State/Federal laws

25 Do not use or access chat room websites Do not access websites deemed to be inappropriate in a school setting Follow your teacher’s directives Be aware of copyright and “fair use” guidelines when using network information Do not damage computer equipment Ask for assistance from your teacher Do not have food or beverages near the computer workstations District network usage is monitored, act with this in mind Do not provide your name, address, phone number, social security number, or any other personally identifying information to a website.

OPT-OUT POLICY Parents/Guardians who do not wish for their child to have internet access should contact the DMS Office.

DISTRICT NETWORK, COMPUTER, & SOFTWARE USE Each student is given a private, unique user identification and password for the DMS network. This information is not to be shared with any other student or used by any other student. Students are responsible for all activities conducted with their user identification. If your user identification has been compromised, notify your teacher immediately.

STUDENT CONDUCT

STUDENT CONDUCT-BOARD POLICY & REGULATIONS All students are expected to comply with printed school regulations as well as other commonly accepted standards of good behavior, and to learn behavior patterns which will enable them to be responsible, contributing members of society. Students will be expected to conduct themselves in keeping with their level of maturity, acting with due regard for the supervisory authority vested by the Board in all district employees; the educational purpose underlying all school activities; the widely shared use of school property; the rights and welfare of other students. All employees of the district will be expected to share the responsibility for supervising the behavior of students and for seeing that they abide by the established rules of conduct.

District policy and general rules of conduct for students are applicable for all district schools to insure the rights and welfare of all students, and are designed to prevent the

26 disruptive few from interfering with the education of all. When students violate rules, the district will take appropriate action.

The principal has the overall responsibility to direct the staff to guide and counsel individuals and groups within each school. The staff is responsible for maintaining proper order and discipline and uniform enforcement of established standards. The staff has discretionary powers to use its best judgment, within existing policies, in deciding what is necessary to establish or maintain proper student conduct. Such discretionary power will include the right of the staff to exclude any student from the classroom or activity area who creates a disruption of the educational process; provided, that such a disruption is a violation of the building disciplinary standards while under the staff member’s immediate supervision. Parent contact in such cases will be made immediately. The Board, in accordance with state law, will approve periodically a code of conduct for students. The rules: (1) will not infringe upon constitutionally protected rights, (2) will be clearly and specifically described, and (3) will be printed in a handbook or some other publication made available to students and parents. The principal may suspend or recommend expulsion of a student who violates one or more of the following specific standards of conduct while on school grounds or during a school-sponsored activity:  Causing or attempting to cause damage to school property or stealing or attempting to steal school property of value;  Causing or attempting to cause damage to private property or attempting to steal private property;  Causing or attempting to cause physical injury to another person except in self- defense;  Commission of any act which if committed by an adult would be robbery or assault as defined by state law.  Suspension or expulsion will be mandatory, in accordance with state law;  Violation of criminal law;  Violation of district building regulations;  Violation of the district’s policy on dangerous weapons in the school. Suspension or expulsion will be mandatory of possession of a deadly weapon, in accordance with state law;  Violation of the district’s alcohol use/drug abuse policy. Suspension or expulsion will be mandatory for sale of drugs or controlled substances, in accordance with state law;  Violation of the district’s smoking and use of tobacco policy;  Throwing objects outside of supervised school activities that can cause bodily injury or damage property;  Directing profanity, vulgar language or obscene gestures toward other students, school personnel or visitors to the school;  Engaging in verbal abuse, i.e., name calling, ethnic or racial slurs, or derogatory statements addressed publicly to others that precipitate disruption of school program or incite violence;

27  Committing extortion, coercion or blackmail, i.e., obtaining money or other objects of value from an unwilling person or forcing an individual to act through the use of force or threat of force;  Lying or giving false information, either verbally or in writing, to a school employee;  Scholastic dishonesty which includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism or unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work; and  Continued willful disobedience or open and persistent defiance of proper authority.

STUDENT PARENT GRIEVANCE Students (or their parents) who think that the school has violated their rights are encouraged to seek resolution of the situation in the following general manner: 1. Contact the individual teacher. 2. If the teacher cannot resolve the situation, contact the principal. If the principal cannot resolve the situation, he/she will advise the parents or student of further procedures available to them.

First Reading: 01/14/14 Second Reading: 02/11/14 Third Reading: 03/11/14 Code: JICFA HAZING, BULLYING, CYBER BULLYING, AND HARASSMENT Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying The Converse County School District #1 is committed to a safe and civil educational environment for all students, employees, volunteers, and patrons. It is also committed to staying free from harassment, intimidation, bullying or cyber bullying. This means any intentional written, verbal, or physical act. “Intentional acts” refers to the individual’s choice to engage in that act and will include any act that:  Physically or emotionally harms a student or damages the student’s property; or  Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education; or  Is severe, persistent or pervasive enough that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or  Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school. “ Harassment, intimidation or bullying” means any intentional gesture, any intentional electronic communication or any intentional written, verbal or physical act initiated, occurring or received at school that a reasonable person under the circumstances should know will have the effect of:

28 (a) Harming a student physically or emotionally, damaging a student’s property or plac- ing a student in reasonable fear of personal harm (b) Insulting or demeaning a student or group of students causing substantial disrup- tion in, or substantial interference with, the orderly operation of the school; or (c) Creating an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment for a stu- dent or group of students through sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive behavior. This policy is not intended to prohibit expression of religious, philosophical, or political views, provided that the expression does not substantially disrupt the education environment. Many behaviors that do not rise to the level of harassment, intimidation, or bullying may still be prohibited by other district policies or building, classroom, or program rules. Students will be provided with age-appropriate information on the recognition and prevention of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, and their responsibilities under this policy annually. Copies of this policy, associated procedures, and materials shall be available on the district website - converse1schools.org or at the district central office, and said policy applies to participation in functions sponsored by the schools within the District. Furthermore, students who wish to discuss the District’s policy on bullying, harassment and/or intimidation will be provided with the opportunity to do so with the building staff or administrator at a time mutually convenient to both. Counseling, corrective discipline defined in building level handbooks, referral to law enforcement, proven best practice, and/or other administrative insight may be used to positively influence (or change if possible) the behavior of the perpetrator and remediate the impact on the victim. This may include, but is not limited to, appropriate intervention(s), restoration of a positive climate, student based programs, anti-bullying programs, mentor based initiatives, code-of-conduct initiatives, and support for victims and others impacted by the violation. False reports or retaliation for harassment, intimidation, or bullying also constitute violations of this policy, and will be subject to similar consequences and protection.

The District shall make available resources, personnel and/or staff to victims for purposes of protecting said victim from additional harassment, intimidation or bullying, and from retaliation following a report. The District shall take appropriate steps and intervention for purposes of providing a secure environment for victims of bullying, intimidation and harassment.

Adopted: December 8, 2009 Code: JICFA-R HAZING, BULLYING, CYBER BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

Complaint Process A complaint can be filed in any of the following ways to start an investigation by school administration: 1. Verbal complaint to teacher, principal or other trusted adult; or 2. Written complaint to building administrator; or 3. Anonymous complaint through phone call to 1-800-78-CRIME; or 4. Email complaint to building administrator.

29 Process Pointers A. Complaints record specific acts, conditions, or circumstances alleged to have occurred that may constitute harassment, intimidation, or bullying. B. All complaints of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, false reporting, or retaliation for filing a complaint shall be investigated by a building administrator or designee. Reprisals or retaliation against a person who reports or makes a complaint of harassment, intimidation or bullying are strictly prohibited. C. The district shall provide a written or verbal response of the complaint to the accused and the accused parents/guardians as soon as practicable, stating: a. That the district intends to take corrective action; or b. That the investigation is incomplete to date and will be continuing; or c. That the district does not have adequate evidence to conclude that bullying, harassment, or intimidation occurred. D. Corrective measures deemed necessary will be instituted as soon as practicable by the administrator (unless the accused is appealing the imposition of discipline and the district is holding to due process considerations or a lawful order from imposing the discipline until the appeal process is concluded.) E. Victims and parents will be notified via phone or written communication as soon as possible. F. If any involved party feels the situation has not been handled appropriately, that party has the right to appeal to the district superintendent and then to the school board.

MINOR INFRACTIONS

Discipline Consequences for all Minor and Moderate Infractions may be any of the following. Consequences will also be assigned on a cumulative basis across infractions (1st Offense, 2nd Offense, etc.) A. Warning, 1-5 Hours of Lunch Detention B. 1-10 Hours After School Detention (ASD) C. 1-10 Hours Community Service D. 1-10 Days In School Suspension (ISS) E. 1-10 Days Out of School Suspension (OSS) and Behavioral Contract F. Alternative Classroom (ALT) or Consequences of Behavioral Contract

MINOR INFRACTIONS

INFRACTION DEFINITION EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

Offensive Public Display of Affection Students shall not engage in kissing and/or public display of affection.

Tardy Students are expected to: 1. Be on time for every class 2. Be prepared for every class every day including

30 books, supplies, and assignments.

Class Cut DMS students are expected to participate and contribute to their educational success by attending all classes every day.

Missed Administrative Detention ( To include, DMS students are expected to complete all ASD, ISS, LD) detention when scheduled. If an emergency situation occurs, students should make other arrangements with administration.

Trash/Littering Students shall help to keep the DMS building and grounds free of trash.

Video Games, iPod, Laser pointers, etc. Students shall not use video games, phones, tablets, laser pointers etc. in class. (this includes texting)

Dress Code Violations Students should dress and groom appropriately according to DMS dress code.

Skateboards, and Scooters Students shall not use skateboards or scooters at school or on school property. Cell Phones, tablets, texting Students my use their cell phones or devices during passing time and lunch time only. Phones are to be off during class time even if a student is in the hallway and not in the classroom.

MODERATE INFRACTIONS

Discipline Consequences for all Minor and Moderate Infractions may be any of the following. Consequences will also be assigned on a cumulative basis across infractions (1st Offense, 2nd Offense, etc.) A. Warning, 1-5 Hours of Lunch Detention B. 1-10 Hours After School Detention (ASD) C. 1-10 Hours Community Service D. 1-10 Days In School Suspension (ISS) E. 1-10 Days Out of School Suspension (OSS) and Behavioral Contract F. Alternative Classroom (ALT) or Consequences of Behavioral Contract

MODERATE INFRACTIONS

INFRACTION DEFINITION EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

Disruptive, Uncooperative, or Inappropriate Students are expected to treat other students and Behavior staff with respect. Students shall not interfere with the learning process of others

31 Profane Language/ DMS students shall use acceptable language during Deliberate use of Inappropriate Language school time and at school events.

Misleading/ Dishonesty/Lying DMS students are expected to be honest and truthful. Students and parents may be required to attend a conference with parties involved.

Disrespectful/ Students are expected to treat other students and Harassment staff with respect.

Insubordination Students shall follow directions given by school personnel. Students and parents may also be requested to attend a conference with parties involved.

Internet Violation Students are expected to use the internet in *This violation will accumulate through the appropriate ways. Inappropriate use include but duration of a students’ High School career. may not be limited to: pornographic sites, chat rooms, email, viewing or downloading files not directly related to school projects, playing games, etc.

Truancy Students will participate in and contribute to their educational success by attending all classes every day.

Academic Dishonesty Students are expected to do their own work. Refer to “Cheating Policy” later in this handbook for a description of what constitutes cheating.

MAJOR INFRACTIONS

Discipline Consequences for all Major Infractions will be assigned on a cumulative basis across infractions. Legal Consequences may be pursued for each infraction. A. 3-10 days ISS, ALT Classroom, and/or OSS B. Administrative Contract and 3-10 days ISS, ALT Classroom, and/or OSS. C. Offense: Consequences defined in the Behavioral Contract.

MAJOR INFRACTIONS

INFRACTION DEFINITION EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

Fighting/Breach of Peace Students shall settle differences by non-physical means. Students and parents may be required to attend a conference with parties involved. Vandalism/ Students shall respect the property of other

32 Unlawful Entry students, the staff, guests, the school district, etc. Theft Students are expected to respect the real or personal property of other students, staff, guests and the school. Sexual Harassment/ Students are expected to treat others with respect Sexual Misconduct/Harassment on school premises and at all school sponsored activities. Students will not engage in sexually related behaviors while on school property our under the supervision of any school personnel activities. Excessive Absences Students are expected to be in class and participate. Tobacco DMS students shall not use or hold tobacco products or substitutes. Leatherman/Knife Possession Students may not possess a knife or Leatherman while on school grounds. Bullying Students shall not bully other students, online, or on school property.

BOARD ACTION

INFRACTION DEFINITION EXPECTED BEHAVIOR CONSEQUENCES Continued and Willful Students shall follow the ISS or OSS pending School Disobedience/Disorderly rules and instructions Board Hearing Conduct established at DMS. Deliberately failing to obey rules and/or instructions of staff Threatening the Safety or Students will respect each ISS or OSS pending School Intending to Harm Others person’s right to a safe, Board Hearing Behavior that is clearly secure learning environment, detrimental to the education, free from danger, injury, and welfare, safety, or morals of damage. others Possession of Weapons Students shall not be in ISS or OSS pending School Knowledge or possession of possession of any firearm, Board Hearing any weapon, instrument or weapon, or device which may device such as guns, knives, be considered a weapon. or similar objects, which may be considered a threat to the safety of others Any behavior that is in the Students shall allow other ISS or OSS pending School judgment of the School Board students the opportunity to Board hearing considered to be detrimental learn successfully without to the education, welfare, fear for their welfare, morals, safety, or morals of others or safety. Habitual Truant All students are expected to ISS or OSS pending School Five or more unexcused attend school in order to Board Hearing absences in any school year maximize the effectiveness of the school’s curricular program.

33 Controlled Substance/Drugs Students are expected to 1st Offense: and Alcohol make healthy choices and -Immediate OSS until a Possession, distribution, or adhere to the law. parent conference is held being under the influence of -1-10 days OSS following alcohol / Possession of, conference, under the influence of, -ISS following OSS conspiracy to possess or -Behavior Plan or Board distribute, or possession of Action paraphernalia of a controlled *Legal consequences may be substance or any mood pursued altering chemical *Involve school counselor

DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE ACTION Possession, distribution, sales, or being under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances or paraphernalia used for consuming drugs on School District property or at an athletic event or other school-sponsored activity will not be tolerated. The same applies to misuse of other mood-altering chemicals such as prescription and nonprescription drugs, paint, glue, etc. Although the District emphasizes prevention and assistance programs, the response to violations of the substance abuse policy will be unequivocal. Parents/guardians will be involved in the process whenever possible, and law enforcement officials will be contacted whenever the school principal or his/her designee determines such contact appropriate within the confines of state and federal law.

ALCOHOL/CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE VIOLATIONS Alcohol/Controlled substance violations include, but are not limited to use, sale/selling, possession of, under the influence of, conspiracy to possess or distribute, or possession of paraphernalia of a controlled substance or alcohol. The same applies to the misuse of mood altering chemicals, such as prescription and non-prescription drugs, paint, glue, etc. Any violation involving controlled substances will be treated as follows: 1. Immediate OSS until a parent conference is held. 2. OSS for 1-10 days following conference. 3. ISS following OSS. 4. Behavior Plan or Board Action. *Legal consequences may be pursed. *Involve school counselor. ANY STUDENT AT SCHOOL OR ANY SCHOOL ACTIVITY WILL BE SUBJECT TO ACTIVITIES CODE CONSEQUENCES IN ADDITION TO NORMAL SCHOOL RULES.

WEAPONS POLICY Possession and/or use of any dangerous weapon in any school building, to or from school, on school grounds, in any school vehicle, or at any school sponsored activity is strictly prohibited. Possession is defined as having a weapon on one's person, or in an area subject to one's control, on school property or at a school activity. Students are expected to understand the special seriousness, potential harm, and fear weapons can have in a school setting as provided by law or district policy. The principal or superintendent may suspend or recommend expulsion of any student who possesses handles, transmits, or conceals any object that could be used or construed as a weapon to disrupt the educational process or cause harm or fear to another person. A definition of weapon is not limited to the obvious such as guns and knives, but would or could be construed to also include items such as slingshots, bludgeons, explosives, toy weapons that resemble the real thing, etc. An exception to this regulation may be made for students participating in class work or an authorized

34 extracurricular activity or team involving the use of weapons or similar objects and permission should be obtained prior to bringing such items to school. Weapon as defined in Wyoming Statute: means but is not limited to a firearm, explosive of incendiary material, motorized vehicle, an animal or other devise, instrument, material or substance, which in the manner it is used or is intended to be used is reasonably capable of producing death or serious bodily injury.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY POLICY Students are expected to conduct themselves honestly and with integrity in their work. All forms of academic dishonesty and plagiarism are prohibited. Behavior that is unacceptable includes, but is not limited to:  Communicating information to another student during an examination  Offering another person’s work as one’s own  Using an unauthorized material or devices to solicit, transmit, or search for answers  Altering a graded examination or assignment and returning it for additional credit, under the pretense that the teacher made an error  Presenting the ideas, words, or creative product of another without giving credit to the source for direct quotations, paraphrases, ideas, and facts which are not common knowledge  Stealing or attempting to steal an examination or answer key  Sabotaging or destroying the work of others  Knowingly or intentionally helping another student perform an act of academic dishonesty.

Academic Dishonesty Consequences In all cases, the student will be required to redo/retake the assignment/assessment as determined by the teacher. However, the teacher and administrator will also use the following consequences:

1 st Offense : Student must redo/retake assignment/assessment on their own time to be scheduled by their teacher. Student’s Citizenship level will be reduced and parents/guardians will be notified. Lastly, the student will receive consequence(s) per the handbook. 2 nd Offense : Student must redo/retake assignment/assessment on their own time to be scheduled by their teacher. Student’s Citizenship level will be reduced and a mandatory student/parent/guardian/administration meeting will be scheduled. Lastly, the student will receive consequence(s) per the handbook. 3 rd Offense : WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE – SEE STUDENT HANDBOOK FOR CONSEQUENCES

BEHAVIOR PBIS- Douglas Middle School promotes a positive and safe learning environment for all students. Students are expected to display Safe, Responsible, and Respectful behaviors. By teaching, practicing, recognizing, and rewarding positive behavior, school faculty help to increase the amount of positive behavior while simultaneously decreasing negative behavior. PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is a research-supported method that is aligned with the district’s mission to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for staff, students and parents.

35 RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RtI) DMS utilizes the Response to Intervention (RtI) process to screen, assess, identify, plan for, and provide interventions to any student at risk of school failure due to academic, attendance or behavior needs. What are the essential components of RtI? High quality, research-based instruction and behavioral support in general education Universal (school-wide) screening in order to determine which students need close monitoring or additional interventions Multiple tiers of increasingly intense scientific, research-based interventions that are matched to student needs Use of a collaborative approach by school staff for development, implementation, and monitoring of the intervention process Continuous monitoring of student progress What are the key terms? Universal Screening is a step taken by school personnel to determine which students are “at risk” for not meeting grade level standards. At DMS universal screening is accomplished by administering brief fluency screenings in the areas of reading, writing, and math three times each year. Student progress monitoring is a scientifically based practice that is used to assess students’ academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. All students receiving interventions at DMS are progress-monitored monthly.

To help organize interventions, RtI is divided into “Tiers”. TIER 3 Academic Behavior Attendance  Referral to Special  Referral to Special  CHINS Referral Ed Ed  Homebound Check-  Parent meeting with  Behavior Plan -ups RtI team  Alternative Class- room

TIER 2 Academic Behavior Attendance  Intensive Check &  Behavior Contract  Attendance Contract Connect  Individual Counsel-  5 day attendance let-  Reading Intervention ing ter Programs (V & V, Soar to  Discipline Advantage  Lunch Tutoring Success, Academic Lan-  Time-Out  Breakfast Club guage for English Learn-  Intensive Check &  Afterschool Program ers) Connect  Mini-course Tutoring  Math Intervention  Monitoring & sup-  Intensive Check & Programs (Aleks) port in classroom Connect

36  Strategies Group  Time on task obser-  PBIS Programs  Individual Tutoring vations  Breakfast Club  PBIS Programs  SWAG  Mini-course Tutoring  Monitoring and addi- tional support within the classroom TIER 1 Academic Behavior Attendance  Afterschool Program  Discipline Advantage  Attendance concerns  Breakfast Club  In-class Time-Out addressed in team meet-  Study Groups  Parent Contact ings  Peer Tutor  Priority Seating  Weekly attendance  Modified Assign-  In-class refocus report ments  Recognition of + stu-  Parent Contact  Parent Contact dent behavior  Homeroom/Literacy  Priority Seating  Behavior Contract Groups  Organization Strate-  Habits of Effective  Habits of Effective gies Teens Teens  Small Group Instruc-  Homeroom/Literacy  Recognition for good tion groups attendance  Differentiated In-  PBIS Programs struction  Re-teaching  Various methods of instruction  Literacy Groups  Recognition of achievement  Quality Core Class- room Instruction

37

Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Strategies

38

39 BASE An alternative learning classroom is available for middle school students who are struggling in the regular classroom environment. Students are enrolled in this program as a result of a teacher or parent referral and only after other learning interventions have been exhausted. Students in the alternative classroom have individualized goals and will return to the regular classroom once those goals have been achieved.

Tier 1: Theoretically, the universal or classroom tier should meet the needs of 80%-90% of all students through good instruction in the general classroom. Tiers 2-3: The targeted tiers should then serve 10%-15% of all students. Specific instructional or behavior support is provided in small groups either within the regular classroom or through pull-out sessions with progressively more intensive time and instruction. Tier 4: Finally, the Intensive tier would serve the 5%-7% of students who need highly individualized and specialized support to be successful in school. Who steers the progress of these at-risk students? Groups of teachers and school staff meet regularly to help design interventions for and monitor progress of students at risk for failure. There is currently a committee for reading, math, and writing.

How do these committees work? Step 1: A student is referred to the committee by the classroom teacher, as indicated by assessment scores and/or classroom performance. The team gathers information to determine the specific barriers to student success.

Step 2: The committee identifies student strengths and needs in academics and/or behavior.

Step 3: The committee creates an action plan. The plan specifies the intervention(s), the length of time they will be tried, who will implement the intervention(s), and how progress will be monitored.

Step 4: The committee charts student progress until everyone, including the student and the parent, is satisfied that the student is making adequate progress toward success.

40 What are the potential benefits of RtI? Perhaps the most commonly cited benefit of an RtI approach is that it eliminates a “wait to fail” situation because students get help promptly within the general education setting. Secondly, an RtI approach has the potential to reduce the number of students referred for Special Education services. Since an RtI approach helps distinguish between those students whose achievement problems are due to a learning disability versus those students whose achievement problems are due to other issues such as lack of prior instruction, referrals for Special Education evaluations are often reduced. Finally, parents and school teams alike find that the student progress monitoring techniques utilized in an RtI approach provide more instructionally relevant information than traditional assessments.

What can parents do?  Expect your child to be successful in school.  Ask your child about homework.  Make sure your child has a place and time to do homework every night.  If your child is struggling, try to find out why.  Talk to his or her teachers.  Ask to see student work or progress monitoring data.  Ask to see progress monitoring graphs.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-72-05964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT (GEPA) STATEMENT Students in underrepresented groups; (girls, minorities, ELL students, students with disabilities, migrant, homeless, etc.) have equal access to participation in programs offered by Converse County School District #1 as all other students.

Teacher Qualifications: All parents have the right to request information about the qualifications of their child’s teacher(s). Please contact Superintendent of Schools, Dan Espeland at 358-3942.

Aptitudes de los maestros-Todos los padres tienen el derecho de solicitar información sobre las calificaciones del maestro de su niño(s). Póngase en contacto con Superintendent de Escuelas, Dan Espeland al 358-3942.

TITLE I PARENT INVOLVEMENT Converse County School District #1 recognizes the importance of having parents involved in the educational programs of their children. Since research indicates that a home/school

41 partnership and greater involvement of parents in the education of their children generally results in higher achievement scores, improved student behavior, and reduced absenteeism, parents of students enrolled in the Title I Program are encouraged to take an active role in the education of their children. In an attempt to ensure that parents of Title I students more fully participate in their child’s educational program, the following parental involvement activities will be promoted in the Title I Program:  The Title I Program will notify each child’s parents, in a timely fashion, that the child has been selected to participate in Title I and why the child has been selected.  Conferences between the individual parents and the Title I teacher will be held on a regular basis relating to proficiency levels and the education of their child.  The parents of each child selected for Title I services will be informed of the instructional objectives for their child and the assessment used.  The Title I teachers will report to the parents of each child enrolled in the Title I Program each quarter on the progress of their child.  Title I teachers will provide information and support for parents to promote the education of their child at home as well as at school.  At an annual meeting with parents, the Title I teachers will solicit parent’s suggestions re- garding the program’s objectives, delivery of services, the Parent Compact, selection criteria and assessment, and this parent involvement policy.  All meetings with parents will be held at flexible times to accommodate parents.

Code: JKA Emergency Revision: 03/13/12

RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION

The Converse County School District #1 Board of Education specifically prohibits corporal punishment by any school employee.

Corporal punishment is defined as the intentional infliction of physical pain upon the body of a minor child as a disciplinary measure.

It is the policy of Converse County School District Number One seclusion and restraint with students pursuant to W.S. '21-2-202(a)(xxxii), W.S. '21-3-110(a)(xxxi), and Chapter 42 of the Wyoming Department of Education rules (hereinafter “Rules”). This policy and the regulation that accompanies it shall govern all regulated use of seclusion and restraint.

This policy does not prohibit the use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint or force in self-defense or otherwise appropriate to the circumstances to:

A. Obtain possession of a weapon, other dangerous objects, or controlled substances in the possession or under the control of a child. B. Protect the child or another person from physical injury or imminent physical danger. C. Remove from a situation a child who is violent and refuses to calm down or obey proper commands. D. Protect property from being damaged.

42 If physical force or restraint is necessary for any reason, written reports will be completed by the employee who used it and by the administrator who investigated the incident. Parent notification including written documentation will occur as soon as possible following incident.

The principal or designee shall investigate all reports of corporal punishment or physical restraint or use of force in self-defense or otherwise alleged to be committed by school employees assigned to his/her school.

If a violation is confirmed, the school administrator shall take action to correct the problem. A copy of the report will be sent to the superintendent’s office immediately following incident.

Approved 6/14/11 Revised: 11/08/11 Code: JLDB-RB AT-RISK STUDENTS/CHILD FIND

Converse County School District #1 child find efforts may include: A. Public awareness. Child find activities may include local media resources and direct contact activities to:

1. Provide information about Special Education services in the District and the Special Education referral process to public and private facilities located within the boundaries of the District for student’s birth to 21 years old. 2. Provide information about developmental, and/or academic screening opportunities occurring throughout the District, including Kindergarten screening and other opportunities coordinated with other providers or agencies. Notice: Before any major child find activity, the District publishes notices of such events. Circulation of this notice will be adequate to inform parents within the District’s or public agency’s jurisdiction.

43 B. Staff awareness: The District shall ensure that staff members are knowledgeable about the characteristics of children with disabilities and in need of Special Education, and the referral process for all children, including infants or preschool children, suspected of having disabilities. Awareness activities include: 1. Staff in-service; 2. Outside trainings and conferences; 3. The provision of data and information for review.

C. Communication to parents. The District staff will inform parents about the availability of Special Education and related services and provide them with information about initiating a referral for a special education evaluation, including information about early intervention under Part C and Special Education under Part B, Communication activities may include: 1. Personal contact by regular and special education staff and administration; 2. Information/educational programs put on for the benefit of parents; 3. Written communications to parents; 4. Public notices.

D. Children in private schools. The District will locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities, including students that are residents of other states, who are enrolled by their parents in private, including religious, elementary and secondary schools located within the boundaries of the District.

1. Direct communications with the private schools and the offer of services to locate, identify and evaluate children residing within private schools. The District will provide such assessments and/or evaluations and/or other assistance as is necessary or beneficial in location, identification and evaluation of students in private schools in order to identify any students who have disabilities and need early intervention under part C or Special Education under part B.

CHILD FIND Child Identification is the process of identifying, locating, and evaluating children, birth to 21, residing within Converse County who have disabilities and need early interventions because of physical, mental, emotional, or developmental problems.

Converse County School District #1 shall identify all children with disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disabilities including children who are:  Highly mobile, such as migrant and homeless children  Wards of the State  Suspected of having a disability even though they advance from grade to grade  Home schooled  Attending a private (religious or secular) school located within the boundaries  of Converse County School District #1  Attending a charter or virtual school

44  Below the age of compulsory school attendance  Above the age of compulsory school attendance who have not graduated from high school with a regular diploma and have not completed the school year in which they reach their twenty-first birthday  Dropped out or dis-enrolled from public or private school.

45