Concord Middle School 1500 Gold Rush Drive Concord, NC 28025 (704)786-4121 Fax (704) 782-8632 Home of the Miners Student Handbook 2013-2014 Ms. Susan Owens, Principal Mr. Kevin Fox, Assistant Principal of Instruction Ms. Tiana Graves, Assistant Principal Name:_____________________________________________________ Venture Teacher:______________________________________ 1 WELCOME All athletes must purchase school insurance or be The faculty and staff of Concord Middle School would covered by personal insurance in order to participate in like to welcome all students. We look forward to any interscholastic sport. providing each student with an opportunity for a If a student becomes 15 years old on or before October quality education. We also look forward to working 16 of the school year, he/she will be ineligible to play. with the parents of all our students. Together we can Athletes should report to their designated area for be successful in helping each student grow emotionally, practice or games immediately after dismissal. socially, physically, and intellectually. We will strive to A student may not be a member of 2 school teams develop each student into a healthy, skilled, and during the same season. responsible young person. A student who is placed in In School Suspension (ISS) is not eligible to play in a game or practice on those CMS VISION particular days. Team coaches decide if the athlete will Concord Middle School empowers students to prepare be allowed to attend game or practice. Coaches and themselves for the demands of a global future in a safe, the administration will decide on future games. inviting, innovative, and accountable environment that Any student who receives Out of School Suspension will values, engages, challenges, and inspires. be dismissed from the team for the remainder of that sport season. It is expected that CMS Miners will be respectful, responsible, and safe. Individual team rules, regulations and guidelines are mandated by the head coach. Each team will have a This means all Miners will… parent meeting before the season begins where Follow the directions of CMS staff members coaches will set expectations. CMS works to create a Show respect to people and property positive experience participating in our athletic Act responsibly programs. Know and follow school rules Be on time Being a part of a team teaches many desirable Come to school prepared daily character traits, we therefore ask that you model those Dress appropriately traits as fans and parents. Our coaches put in many hours working with our athletes and should not be inconvenienced by waiting for student rides to arrive. ATHLETICS As parents we ask you to pick your child up after Athletic teams are available for 7th and 8th grade practices and games on time. students. The teams are: Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Football, Girls’ Softball, Track, Volleyball and Wrestling. In addition the Winterguard Team ATHLETIC EVENTS permits girls from all three grade levels to participate. Students who are in In School Suspension or who have been suspended the day of a game may not attend. The following rules apply to all students participating Students must make all arrangements for on any athletic team at Concord Middle School: transportation before the day of the game. Students will not be allowed to use the office phone to call and Athletes are representative of Concord Middle School; make those arrangements. therefore, it is not only expected, but mandatory that Students should report directly to the appropriate area they behave in a sportsmanlike manner at all times. in a safe and orderly manner upon leaving the A student must meet local promotion guidelines and be classroom. No running will be permitted. present 85% of the preceding semester in order to Students should use the main ticket entrance at all maintain athletic eligibility. times. Each player must receive a medical exam by a licensed Students should sit in designated and appropriate physician each calendar year in order to be eligible for areas. tryouts, practice, or participation in interscholastic Students will not be permitted to return to the game athletic contests. All medical exam forms are accepted once they leave. for 365 days (1 year) from the date signed by the Dress code will be enforced at all events. doctor. Students are expected to come to watch the game and participate in an appropriate manner. All CMS school rules will be followed. 2 Fighting will not be tolerated. Anyone involved in a parent or guardian and be checked out in the main fight will be escorted from the game and may not be office. Students who leave campus without permission allowed to attend ANY future athletic events for the or cut class will be subject to disciplinary actions. In remainder of the year. addition students are NOT allowed to walk to or from school for safety reasons and will be reported to ATHLETIC EVENT CARDS administration. All students are encouraged to attend athletic events. Pep Club membership is open to all students, parents, Parents are required to sign their children out using the and friends of Concord Middle School. Adult Cabarrus County Schools Ident-A-Kid security program. membership is $30.00; student membership is $20.00. Parents should make arrangements with their children This provides free admission to all home CMS athletic for afternoon activities before coming to school. No events. However, according to state athletic guidelines, student check outs will be permitted after 3:30 p.m. the cards will not be honored during tournament games. EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY When it is demonstrated that the purpose of the ATTENDANCE absence is to take advantage of a valid educational Regular attendance in all classes is essential for the opportunity, such as travel, the absence(s) may be educational progress of students. With absences, not considered valid/lawful. Approval for such an only is the academic progress for the absent student at absence(s), however, must be granted prior to the risk, but instruction is interrupted when the teachers absence(s). An Educational Opportunity form (available are helping absent students catch up. in the main office) must be completed and submitted to the principal and approval notification returned to By state law, absences that are lawful are as follows: the student prior to the absence in order for the absences to be considered as valid/lawful. No student Illness or injury will be excused for more than the five (5) school days Quarantine per school year. (School Attendance & Student Death in the Immediate Family Accounting Manual, Public Schools of NC, 2009-2010, Medical or Dental Appointments Chapter 2, Section IV-D) Court or Administrative Proceedings Religious Observance EXCESSIVE ABSENCES Educational Opportunity In accordance with NC law, students who miss 10 days each semester or 20 days during the school year may When a child is absent, regardless of the reason, he/she receive no credit and may be retained; this includes must bring a note signed by a parent upon his/her excused and unexcused absences. Written notification return, even if the parent called earlier. All absences will be provided by the school indicating an excessive will be coded unexcused until a written note is received number of absences. In addition a mandatory parent from a parent or guardian. If, at any time, a student is meeting with the school social worker, Ms. Dunlap- absent from school for five consecutive days, parents Elder, and the principal, Ms. Owens, will be scheduled. must contact the school and provide information If absences continue, legal intervention against the regarding the reason for the extended absence. parent and/or student may occur. Parents or legal guardians have the responsibility for ensuring that CHECKING IN & CHECKING OUT students attend and remain at school each day. Students must be present at school for at least half of the day to avoid being counted absent. This means ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL students must check-in before 12:30 p.m. or check out Students may arrive at school no earlier than 8:35 a.m. after 12:30 p.m. in order to be counted present for the Upon arrival students who are not eating breakfast will day. Students must be in attendance for at least half of report to the following areas: 6th graders will sit in the the school day in order to participate in after-school LGIA; 7th graders will sit on the away side of the main events. gym; and 8th graders will sit on the home side of the CHECK OUT PROCEDURES main gym. Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. are considered tardy and must be checked in by a Students are not to leave campus without permission. parent/guardian in the front office. Students who leave campus must be accompanied by a 3 In order to be assigned to a bus, students must Dismissal time is 4:00 p.m. and all students should complete a transportation request form. Please note either be on the bus lot or in the designated area at the that because the transportation office, and not main entrance of the school. Students must be picked Concord Middle School, complete bus assignments, this up by 4:15 pm in the afternoon. When students are request may take one to ten school days. All stops and not consistently picked up by an acceptable time it may assignments are made based on state bus guidelines. become necessary to contact the proper agencies to Students are expected to ride at least once a week in investigate. order to retain their seat on the bus. Student check-outs are not permitted after 3:30 p.m., BUS EXPECTATIONS and messages for changes in transportation will be BE SAFE at all times delivered at the end of the instructional day.