Student Handbook for the Columbia Public Secondary Schools
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STUDENT HANDBOOK FOR THE COLUMBIA PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS “Teaming Together For Excellence” COLUMBIA CAREER CENTER MURIEL WILLIAMS BATTLE HIGH SCHOOL FREDERICK DOUGLASS HIGH SCHOOL DAVID H. HICKMAN HIGH SCHOOL ROCK BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL GENTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL LANGE MIDDLE SCHOOL OAKLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL SMITHTON MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL 2014-2015 GENTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL 4200 Bethel St. Columbia, Missouri 65203 (573) 214-3240 Fax: (573) 214-3241 WELCOME TO GENTRY MIDDLE SCHOOL Gentry Middle School Faculty and Staff welcome you to our 20th year; as we continue the strong practice of serving students. It is our desire for you to have a tremendous year as a Gentry student. As we enter our second year of a 3 year building, I hope our existing as well as our new students and families find Gentry Middle School to be a positive and safe environment. By reading this handbook completely and carefully, it will help you to understand the expectations at Gentry Middle School. This understanding will assist in maintaining a comfortable and safe school setting for you. For questions you may have, please visit with Mrs. Garner, Mrs. Gilpatrick or me. I encourage each of you to take time to review this handbook and the district handbook which can be found as a link on the Gentry website. Gentry Middle School’s purpose is to assist all students in achieving a quality education both academically and socially. The buildings expectations are built around four core concepts; Respect, Responsible, Kind, and Safe. Through practice, modeling, and believing in these concepts, I am confident your school experience during your years at Gentry will be a positive one. I encourage each of you to get involved in the many activities that Gentry has to offer. This may include clubs, organizations, intramurals, athletics or performance groups. By participating in these types of activities, you will heighten your experience at Gentry Middle School by meeting and engaging with other students. In addition you will develop relationships with a wide variety of teachers who make Gentry a wonderful school. Welcome to Gentry Middle School. With our students and parents help, we can maintain the tradition of excellence for which Gentry Middle School is known. Have a fantastic year. Sincerely, Dr. Jeff Beiswinger Mrs. Linda Garner Mrs. Trista Gilpatrick Dr. Jeff Beiswinger Mrs. Linda Garner Mrs. Trista Gilpatrick Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Assistant 2 Gentry Middle School • 2014-2015 GENTRY VISION Gentry is an inviting and collaborative community that utilizes all of our resources and skills to support students and increase learning. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT GENTRY BEFORE SCHOOL All students need to go immediately to the gym or cafeteria for breakfast when entering the building before school. Students are not allowed to leave the school grounds after their arrival. To ensure student safety, students dropped off by car or bus need to enter the building immediately. Students choosing to leave campus after being dropped off will be issued consequences for leaving the campus. The statements below should be used as guidelines each morning. 1. Food and drink are not permitted in the gym. 2. If you are eating breakfast, you must stay in the cafeteria until finished. If you complete your meal prior to 7:22 a.m., move into the gym and be seated in your designated location until you are dismissed. 3. Respect others while in the gym. Running, pushing, shoving, or rough housing will not be allowed. Everyone is expected to be seated, and no one will be allowed to leave the gym before the release time. AFTER SCHOOL Only students involved in a school activity under the direct supervision of a teacher or sponsor may remain in the building after 2:45 p.m. Students should make arrangements in advance for transportation home after activities. Students not involved in an after school activity should arrange to be off school campus by 3:00, but may stay on the school campus until their ride arrives. TRANSPORTATION: All school rules apply when going to and coming from school, which includes public and school transportation and all bus stops. 1. School Buses – Columbia Public Schools have a contract for school bus services with First Student Transportation Company. First Student’s drivers are responsible for maintaining discipline and safety on the buses at all times. First Student buses have video cameras on Gentry Middle School • 2014-2015 3 buses to monitor activity. If there are behavior problems, the driver notifies Gentry and an administrator will discuss the incident with the student. An administrator will contact parents with information about bus tickets by email, phone and/or by mail. Upon arriving to school, students are to go to the gym, and upon dismissal from school, board their bus to go home. Students wishing to ride home with a friend on another bus or get off at a stop other than their own must have a note from a parent, along with a signature from the office staff on a bus transportation form, signed before noon on the day you wish to ride. Students will only be allowed to ride another bus if there is space. Please refer to the yellow section of the handbook for student rights and responsibility regarding bus transportation. 2. City Bus – Students riding the city bus will enter and leave the building through the exit nearest the main office. Parents need to notify the main office by note or phone call if they want their child to ride the city bus. Students riding the city bus must go to the gym upon arrival, and upon dismissal leave the building immediately to go to their stop. 3. Drop Off/Pickups/Walkers – Arrival at school should be no earlier than 7:05 a.m. and students should be out of the building by 2:45 p.m. unless they are with a teacher. Be aware that the north circle drive entrance is reserved for school buses only. All other vehicles should use the south parking lot to drop off and pick up students. Students who are waiting for a ride to pick them up should remain on school property. All students arriving early should report to the cafeteria or gym. 4. Bicycles/Skateboards – Bicycles should be stored and locked in the racks provided on the south parking lot. Bicycles are NOT allowed in the school building, or ridden on school sidewalks. Skateboards are to be housed in the main office during the school day and are not to be ridden on school sidewalks. ATTENDANCE/ABSENCES If your child will be absent from school, please call 214-3240 to let us know as soon as possible. Students arriving late to school must sign in at the main office to get a pass for class! Your child will be granted 7 excused absences by parent permission. After 7 absences your child will be expected to bring a doctor’s excuse for additional absences or they will be considered unexcused. Please refer to the yellow pages for additional information. The school day is from 7:30 a.m. – 2:35 p.m. 4 Gentry Middle School • 2014-2015 Late to School Punctuality is an important aspect in creating a desirable learning atmosphere for all Gentry Middle School students. The first few minutes are very valuable in setting the tone for the classroom activity that is to follow. For the teacher and the students to share in a meaningful and worthwhile experience, it is important that each student sets and attains a high standard of attendance and punctuality during the school year. Students arriving to school late are to report to the main office before going to class. If there is a justifiable reason for being late, the student may be excused by his/her guardian coming to the school office, having his or her guardian call the school before the student arrives, or by bringing a note signed by the guardian stating the reason for the tardy. The problem of students arriving late to their Advisory class disrupts the instructional process for the teacher and the other students. Therefore, upon the student’s third (3rd) tardy (excused or unexcused) to their class in each semester, a parent contact will be made. When a student is chronically late to school, disciplinary actions will begin as well as parents contacted. Student will then be placed on a tardy contract and not allowed to participate or attend any Extra Curricular Activities (IPR to IPR). Students could receive lunch detentions, after school detentions, Saturday detentions or in school suspensions for their tardies. BREAKFAST/LUNCH PROGRAM Breakfast and lunch may be purchased on a daily basis by cash or by using a prearranged account method. Breakfast is available for $1.55. Both hot and sack lunches are available for $2.70. Individual items are available with extra money. Free and reduced price breakfast and lunch applications must be completed and approved each year. Applications are available in the main office or online. Breakfast is served from 7:05 a.m. to 7:22 a.m. in the cafeteria each morning. Lunch schedules will vary with grade assignments. HOMEWORK OPPORTUNITIES The purpose of homework is for practice, review, preparation, extension, integration, accommodation of individual differences, communication between parent and child, and/or informing parents of what is going on during school. Homework constitutes a portion of the rigorous curricular expectations at Gentry. It shall be the responsibility of the student, on his Gentry Middle School • 2014-2015 5 or her own initiative, to contact the teacher(s) involved to determine the make-up work assignments and to establish mutually agreeable times for completing make-up work.