Parent/Student Handbook 2019-2020
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TRENTON BOARD OF EDUCATION Hedgepeth/Williams Middle School of the Arts PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK 2019-2020 Adrienne R. Hill—Principal Gregory A. Green—Vice Principal 301 Gladstone Avenue Trenton, NJ 08629 (609)656-4762/4763 (609) 777-9765 fax Administrators’ Message Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year at Hedgepeth/Williams Middle School of the Arts (HWMSA)! As we continue to develop creative programming and activities, we remain committed to excellence in instructional performance, students’ academic achievement, artistic expression, regular attendance and social/emotional development teamed with your parental/family collaboration. We must all dedicate ourselves to helping each student shine, not only for the school and the community, but also for the world to see. With your support, we look forward to another successful year! As the staff and administrative team prepare for the new school year, we do so with much anticipation and excitement. Realizing that teaching your child is a privilege, as well as a tremendous responsibility, we will do our best to ensure that your child has a motivating and safe learning experience. We will build upon successes as we address the current needs of each student and family. We cannot achieve these goals without you as partners in the learning process. We recognize that you are your child’s first and most crucial teacher and we welcome your presence, ideas and support as part of our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The staff and administrators look forward to meeting you and sharing suggestions about how, together, we can continue to make Hedgepeth/ Williams Middle School of the Arts the “best middle school”. In order to do and be that, we need to see your children EVERY day, ON TIME and PREPARED to learn! Once again, we welcome you to the 2019-2020 school year with the enthusiasm of working with you towards students’ academic and personal success. Adrienne R. Hill Principal Gregory Green Vice Principal 2 Table of Contents Administrator’s Message……………………………………………………………………….2 Brief History of Hedgepeth/Williams Middle School of the Arts…………………………….5 District Mission Statement ............................................................................................... 6 Hedgepeth/Williams Mission Statement .......................................................................... 6 Administrative Mission Statement ................................................................................... 6 School Hours ................................................................................................................... 6 School Phone Numbers .................................................................................................. 6 Delayed School Openings & Emergency School Closing ................................................ 6 Attendance (District Policy #5200) .................................................................................. 7 Awards ............................................................................................................................ 7 Academic Curriculum ...................................................................................................... 7 Cafeteria Rules/Food & Beverage Limitations ................................................................. 8 Cameras .......................................................................................................................... 8 Cell Phones/Electronic Devices- District Policy #5516 .................................................... 8 Counseling Services........................................................................................................ 9 Clubs/Tutoring and Activities ........................................................................................... 9 Crisis Procedures ............................................................................................................ 9 Detention ......................................................................................................................... 9 Discipline Program .......................................................................................................... 9 Educational Trips .......................................................................................................... 10 Extra-Curricular Activities .............................................................................................. 10 Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying Policy ............................................................... 10 Health Services ............................................................................................................. 10 Homework ..................................................................................................................... 11 Lockers .......................................................................................................................... 11 Lunch Program .............................................................................................................. 11 Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).............................................................................. 12 Personal Property.......................................................................................................... 12 Report Card Pick-up and Parent-Teacher Conferences ................................................ 12 Residency Alert ........................................................................................................... 153 School Colors & Mascot ................................................................................................ 13 School-Wide Behavior Guidelines ................................................................................. 13 3 Sign-in and Sign-out (District Policy #5230) .................................................................. 13 Student Transfers ........................................................................................................ 164 Tardiness ...................................................................................................................... 14 Technology Use ............................................................................................................ 14 Telephone Messages .................................................................................................... 16 Transportation Rules ..................................................................................................... 15 Uniform Dress Code (6th - 8th grade) (District Policy-#5511) ......................................... 15 Visitors .......................................................................................................................... 15 Written Excuses (District Policy #5200) ......................................................................... 16 Important Dates ...................................................................................................... 167-18 Policies…………………………………………… ……………………………………….19-33 4 Brief History of Hedgepeth/Williams Middle School of the Arts The Hedgepeth and Williams v. Board of Education, Trenton, NJ (1944) decision, initiated actions in New Jersey and across the Nation that ultimately reduced segregation and other forms of discrimination in public institutions everywhere in America. The Hedgepeth and Williams decision resulted from a suit filed by two African American mothers; Mrs. Berline Williams on behalf of her son – Leon, and Mrs. Gladys Hedgepeth on behalf of her daughter – Janet. Hedgepeth and Williams became the first state court decision in the Nation to order public schools to desegregate their enrollments, on the basis of race, color, creed (religion), ancestry and national origin. Ten years later, the Honorable Thurgood Marshall and his team of NAACP attorneys applied the Hedgepeth and Williams decision (the only state anti-segregation legal precedent in the Nation) to the successful litigation strategy used in the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka KS decision, which overturned the doctrine of “Separate but Equal” across the land. The 1944 Hedgepeth and Williams decision also caused or contributed to other momentous changes and influenced the creation of Affirmative Action law and policy in New Jersey. In 1991, in honor of the two special women whose courage and hard work led to the desegregation of schools, the Trenton Board of Education renamed the former “whites-only” Junior High School #2. It was renamed the Hedgepeth/Williams School. In the spring of 2016, a resolution to expand the school’s name to a school of the arts was submitted by the administration and approved by the Board of Education. This change would allow the school to restore some of its rich history for being a thriving arts center and a pillar of the surrounding community. THIS YEAR WILL MARK THE 76TH YEAR OF THE SUPREME COURT DECISION REFERENCED ABOVE! PLEASE HELP US TO CELEBRATE BY HAVING THE BEST YEAR THIS SCHOOL HAS EVER HAD! 5 Be Present Be Prompt Be Prepared Be Promoted!! District Mission Statement All students will graduate with a vision for their futures, motivated to learn continually and prepared to succeed in their choice of college or career. Hedgepeth/Williams MS of the Arts Mission Statement Hedgepeth/Williams Middle School of the Arts is a community of learners, committed to building an educational foundation for the 21st century. We are dedicated to providing an environment that is engaging and inclusive; cultivating