WELCOME TO PIONEER Pioneer opened its doors to students in the fall of 1949 as the first junior high school (grades 7,8, & 9) in Walla Walla. In the fall of 1990 the philosophy and programs were revised and Pioneer opened its doors for the first time as a middle school (grades 6,7, & 8). On December 15, 1990 a major fire destroyed the middle section of the school building. This resulted in the closing of the Pioneer building and Pioneer students and staff were moved to the Garrison school site. Pioneer students double shifted at Garrison for about one year. On January 27, 1992, following an extensive rebuilding effort, Pioneer again opened its doors for students. We are very proud of our new building and hope you are too. Let's work together to keep it looking nice for the many years to come. Throughout Pioneer’s 61-year history students, parents and staff have worked together to establish a tradition of excellence. Together, we have achieved excellence in academic achievement, athletic contests, student activities and community service. We look forward to the continuation of this tradition through the efforts of present and future members of the Pioneer community. This parent handbook is designed to help answer your questions about regulations and procedures at Pioneer. It also explains many of the activities available to our students and their families. We encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to enhance your educational experience here at Pioneer Middle School. Please keep this handbook in a convenient location for future reference. Opportunities for success are plentiful at Pioneer. We look forward to being a part of your growth as an individual. Make the most of your time here at Pioneer. Set your goals high, work hard and make your years here positive ones for yourself and others. Dana Rosenbach Jones Principal 1 PIONEER MIDDLE SCHOOL MISSION The Pioneer Middle School Community will be a model of excellence ensuring personal accountability, social responsibility, academic achievement, and a caring environment for all students In order to successfully fulfill this commitment, Pioneer will: . respond to the physical, intellectual, social and emotional needs of the early adolescent learner . engage students in active learning . evaluate the school program on a regular basis and make changes that ensure academic achievement for all students . communicate with and build positive working relationships with parents . build on successes of elementary education and prepare students for a successful experience in the high school. Pioneer Students will: . understand their first priority is to learn . develop personal pride by working hard, and striving to do quality work . behave in an orderly and responsible manner so that others may learn as well . respect the rights of others and display a friendly, helpful attitude . refrain from intimidating, threatening, teasing, fighting or harassing others . cooperate by following the rules and standards of the school while on school property, on busses and at school activities Pioneer Parents will: . send their student to school clean, healthy, rested and suitably dressed, as well as adequately nourished and ready to learn . show interest by listening to their student, asking questions about and discussing the school day, supporting school activities . be familiar with school procedures and rules as outlined in the handbook and support these policies . teach their student to respect and to cooperate with the teacher; to follow basic rules of fair play, safety and personal cleanliness; to respect the rights and property of others, to get along with others, and to accept responsibility for their actions and choices. 2 WALLA WALLA SCHOOL DISTRICT Homework Guiding Policy VALUE OF HOMEWORK We believe homework is a valuable tool to improve student learning. Homework strengthens academic skills, reinforces concepts students learn in class, and helps students learn responsibility. It develops positive study habits and makes parents aware of students’ work. DEFINITION OF HOMEWORK Homework is an independent activity, to be accomplished outside of class time and without teacher assistance, to reinforce concepts learned in class. It may be a short-term assignment due the next day or a long-term assignment/project due at a future date. Although accomplished outside of class time, unfinished class work or class work missed due to absences is not included in the District’s definition of homework. THE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK Current research suggests that the amount of homework should not exceed 10 minutes per grade per night (i.e., a combined total of 90 minutes of homework for a 9th grade student). In middle school and high school, the amount of homework will vary by subject. It is recommended that teachers assign homework based on the maturity and ability level of their students. PARENTS’ REPONSIBILITIES: Parents are responsible for: • providing a good study environment for their child to do homework, which is free of TV and other distractions. • providing encouragement for their child to complete homework and do their best. • contacting teachers if they have a concern about homework policy, their child’s difficulties with homework, or a need for enrichment activities. TEACHERS’ RESONSIBILITIES: Teachers are responsible for: • assigning homework to students for the purpose of improving student learning. • providing in-class explanation and directions needed by the students to complete the work outside of class. • checking homework assignments and providing feedback to students in a timely manner. • providing clear written explanations or examples of finished long-term assignments/projects, which should be broken down into components with clear deadlines. • considering the availability of resources necessary for students to successfully complete homework. • sharing their homework expectations with parents and students at the start of school and reviewing them as appropriate throughout the year. • attempting to coordinate with other teachers due dates of major assignments. Completion of homework should not be the single factor when determining a student’s grade. STUDENTS’ REPONSIBILITIES: Students are responsible for: • knowing and following each teacher’s homework expectations. • recording and understanding the directions of homework assignments. • communicating with the teacher when homework clarification is needed. • completing and returning homework as required. • checking with the teacher for missing homework assignments and completing them as required. 3 PROMOTION Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students must demonstrate academic progress in their classes in order to be promoted to the next grade level. Academic progress is measured by subject grades, test scores, and teacher observations. Students who do not demonstrate sufficient progress may be placed in special programs for additional academic assistance, may be required to attend summer school, or may be retained at the same grade level. REPORT CARDS AND ONLINE GRADES The school year is divided into four quarters of approximately nine weeks in length. At mid-quarter, and every week student grades are available online. Students who are failing a course will receive mid-quarter failing notices. Teachers will work with students and families to improve student learning.The final report card grades are given at the end of the quarter and become part of the student’s permanent record. All subjects in grades six, seven, and eight, with the exception of some elective or exploratory classes will be evaluated with letter grades. Letter grades will be used on both progress reports and report cards. The following letter grades will be used: A = Outstanding B = Above Average C = Average D = Below Average P = Pass F = Unacceptable Performance All quarter report cards will be mailed home. In addition to Online Grades, parents who would like to know how their student is doing in-between progress reports may want to utilize a grade check. Students may pick up a grade check sheet once a week in the Student Services office. The student can then take the form to his/her teachers after school and the teachers will provide grade and conduct information for the student to take home. PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES Parent conferencing is an important tool in student evaluation. Formal parent conferencing will be held in the fall. Students will share their academic and social growth in the spring through student-led conferences. All parent/guardians are encouraged to attend conferences and meet with their student's teachersas needed. Conference dates are as follows: Fall Conference Week – September 26-30 (the conference schedule will be published prior to that time) Spring Conference Week - March 5-9(the conference schedule will be published prior to that time) Two types of conferences are used during fall conferences: 1. Scheduled Conferences - a parent may request a scheduled conference with a teacher or group of teachers. Conferences are not automatically scheduled as they are in grade school. If you would like to schedule a conference, call Student Services at 527-3053. 2. Arena conferences - time is set-aside during the conference days so parents may "drop-in" and visit with teachers. Individual appointment times are not necessary. Arena conferences are usually held in the evening in the gym. Parents may request conferences at any other time during the school year by calling their student's counselor - 527-3053. 4 ATTENDANCE POLICIES Call 527-3053