Middle School Dress Code
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Sewickley Academy Middle School Handbook 2009 - 10 “Do your best, every day in every way….” SEWICKLEY ACADEMY A Community of Respect All members of the Sewickley Academy community—students, parents, faculty, and staff—are expected to be familiar with, and adhere to, the following basic guidelines of behavior at school. The most essential standard of appropriate behavior is that all members of the community will treat one another with kindness, honor, and respect in all situations. In everything we do, we will: Demonstrate Self-Respect by: Striving to reach our potential in all areas, including academics, extracurricular activities, and citizenship. Taking pride in our behavior and appearance. Focusing on our health and safety when making decisions. Respect Others by: Helping to create an environment of encouragement and support within the school community. Listening with consideration to the opinions and ideas of others in the community even when they are different from our own. Respecting the privacy and property of others in the community. Respect Sewickley Academy by: Adhering to the rules of the Academy at all times. Maintaining the grounds and facilities by cleaning up after ourselves and others when necessary. Being a positive, honorable representative for the Academy in all endeavors and at all times. This Handbook is designed to help students and parents understand the basic structures and guidelines that govern the Middle School. Additional general information is found in the Parent Directory published in September. A ABSENCES are to be called in by parents to Mrs. Henry in the MS Office first thing in the morning. Assignments are online at MySewickley.org. If homework handouts are needed, ask Mrs. Henry to request work from the teachers to be picked up at the end of the day. Note: If a student is tardy more than 15 minutes or is absent from school, he or she is not permitted to participate in sports or extra-curricular activities. ACADEMIC PROBATION is described more fully at the end of this handbook. Students who are on academic probation may be counseled to curtail extra- curricular activities in order to structure more time for extra help from teachers and to devote more attention to schoolwork in order to improve the quality of their work. Students will also be required to meet with the School Counselor for additional support. ACADEMIC WARNING is described more fully at the end of this handbook. Students are expected to seek extra help from teachers and to devote more attention to schoolwork in order to improve the quality of their work. Students may also be required to meet with the School Counselor for additional support. ACTIVITY SCHEDULE means that classes are shortened by about five minutes and a special period is inserted into the day. Every Wednesday and some additional days include an activity period for advisory, Homeroom Olympics, assemblies, speakers, band and chorus concerts, special events. Some assemblies are designated as Dress-Up Days. A FACULTY ADVISOR is assigned to every Middle School student. The advisory groups contain 9 – 11 students from the same grade level. The advisory serves as a homeroom time each morning. The advisor is the point person for global questions or concerns about the student. Advisory groups will engage in a variety of activities throughout the year, including Homeroom Olympics, Community Service, and group discussions. ANNOUNCEMENTS are held several mornings a week in the Heagy Commons. When the bell rings at 8:10 a.m., students need to check in with their advisor and then gather in the Commons for morning announcements. Faculty make announcements relevant to the day or week, and students share information such as the scores of recent sports events and highlights of upcoming events. ASSIGNMENT BOOKS are called Student Planners and are vital to the success of staying on current with homework and special projects. ASSIGNMENTS are given to students in class each day and are expected to be written down in the Student Planner. Assignments can also be found on MySewickley.org. B BACKPACKS are heavy. We certainly don’t expect students to lug them around all day. The rule is: no backpacks in the classrooms. They belong in cubbies or lockers, nice and tidy, where they are accessible between classes. BATTLE OF THE BOOKS is an opportunity for students who love to read to join a team and compete in the spring. Interested students should see the librarians or for more information. BREAK occurs between second and third periods each morning. During break, students can meet with a teacher or friends, or get a snack. When we run a special Activity Schedule, there may be no break time. C The CAFETERIA for Middle and Senior School students is located in the School Center on the second floor. Students must have their student identification cards with them in order to get served. Students are expected to clear their tables and dispose of all trash in the containers provided. The CAT PROGRAM (Cross-age tutors) is coordinated by Ms. Lynn Sanborne, the MS/SS counselor. She connects struggling Middle School students with Senior School students for tutoring in various academic disciplines. Tutoring takes place during study hall periods, and before or after school. This service is free and there may at times be a waiting list. Contact Ms. Sanborne at ext. 3363 or [email protected] for details. CELL PHONES may not be used anywhere on campus during the school day. After school they may be used outside only. Cell phones will be confiscated if they are used during school or inappropriately after school. On school trips we prefer that cell phones remain at home. Any cell phones that families feel are absolutely necessary on trips are subject to limited usage as designated by the MS Head and the chaperones. CITIZENSHIP PROBATION means that a student has received multiple demerits or detentions, committed a serious behavior such as bullying another student, cheating on academic work, etc. Such offenses may ultimately result in the student’s dismissal from school. All students on Citizenship Probation are expected to meet regularly with the School Counselor. The COMPUTER LAB is located on the second floor of the Middle School, overlooking the Commons. A second ―mobile‖ lab contains laptops that can be used in a classroom. Please follow these four basic rules when using the school’s computers: (1) Do not leave documents on a computer’s hard drive; (2) Do not play computer games during school; (3) Do not eat or drink in the lab; (4) Use the Internet only for school work. See the Computer Usage Agreement for additional details. Failure to follow these rules will result in suspension of lab privileges or possible suspension from school. CONFERENCES with advisors are held in September and January. Students are included in the September conference and lead the January conference. Additional conferences between teacher(s) and parents may be scheduled at any time during the year by contacting the teacher or the advisor. Parents should not “drop in” to see a teacher – please make an appointment to talk about the student. CUBBIES are the square-shaped shelves above and around the lockers for storage of backpacks and must be kept neat and tidy. Please take all personal belongings out of the cubbies at the end of each day. CYBERBULLYING is not acceptable under any circumstances, even when it occurs outside the school day. Students may be placed on Citizenship Probation if they commit any form of bullying towards another student. D Middle School DANCES occur three times each year on Friday nights. The Student Council organizes food and a DJ. There is usually a small cost ($3 or $4). Students may bring a friend from outside the school ONLY if they get prior approval by signing the name of the guest on a list in the MS office in advance. DEAN OF STUDENTS Mr. Kurtz assumes leadership of the Middle School when the Middle School Head is not on campus. He also organizes and supervises all activities of the MS Activities Program, sponsors Student Council, and assumes responsibility for disciplinary matters along with or in place of the Head of Middle School. DEMERITS are points given for not following school rules. Demerits and Detention are easy to avoid if students come to school on time, follow the dress code, choose appropriate language and behavior, act in accordance with the Community of Respect, do their homework, and always just Do the Next Right Thing. Students earn a detention for every three (3) demerit points they accumulate. Some examples of violations and their demerit point values are listed below: Violation Demerits Gum 1 Dress Code 2 Late to class / school 2 Food or drink in prohibited areas 2 Cell phone use 3 Inappropriate language 3 Untidy locker, cubby 3 Littering 3 Missing Detention 4 Students should understand that no system can be expected to list each and every offense that may lead to disciplinary consequences. As stated above, students earn detentions for every three (3) demerit points they accumulate. Students who earn detentions are required to serve them the day the detention is assigned or the day after. Students who fail to serve a detention within the allotted time will receive a second detention and must serve during the next two detention times. Teachers assign demerit points or detention as needed. The Dean of Students or the Head of Middle School may also assign additional consequences for violations of school rules. Read carefully the section of the Parent Directory and General Information handbook for a more complete description of school rules. Serious or repeated offenses may warrant Citizenship Probation, suspension, or dismissal from the school.