Table of Contents General Overview 2 School District Admission & Registration Requirements 8 Attendance Regulation and Policies 15 Academic Programs and Career & Technical Education (CTE) 23 GED Option Program 30 District Grading and Promotion Policy 33 Graduation Requirements 41 General Operational 48 Food Services 53 Guidelines for Acceptable Internet Usage 57 Safety Concerns 62 Transportation Guidelines 66 Disciplinary Guidelines 70 Alternative School 81 Dress & Grooming Policy 85 Student Activities/Organizations 90 1 Letter from the Superintendent Greetings Students: On behalf of our Board of Education and staff, we truly welcome you to the beginning of an exciting, new school year. We are proud of our school district and the achievements that you all have made. Truly, we are committed to educating global leaders. This handbook provides you with useful and very important information. Please review the entire handbook with your parents and use it as a reference during the school year. If you or your parents have any questions concerning the contents of this handbook, please contact your principal. We have high expectations for the 2012-2013 school year and challenge you to do your best. I expect this school term to be an exceptional year and look forward to educating all of you. Have a wonderful year! With Great Appreciation, Bernard Stephen Chandler Bernard Stephen Chandler Superintendent of Education 2 District Levers of Achievement Core Values Safety Scholarship Collaboration Efficiency Transparency Core Beliefs 1. Students are lifelong learners who deserve a globally competitive education 2. Students and educators are valuable human resources who deserve high quality instructional leaders 3. Educators are practitioners who deserve ongoing professional training 4. Students, parents, and community members are stakeholders who deserve an exceptional public education system Mission Prepare every student for global leadership Vision Educating global leaders Strategic 5 Year Goals TCSD will increase graduation rate to 85%, average ACT score to 20, and achieve AYP on state MCT2 and SATP exams. TCSD will be one of the state’s top 10 districts for percentage of budget spent on Instruction. TCSD will give parents and community members the platform to become involved participants in a transparent educational process. TCSD will prioritize professional development for all educators to ensure high quality instruction for every student. TCSD will adopt and enforce policies that support the teaching & learning process and ensure the safety of all stakeholders. 3 TUNICA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 2012-2013 CALENDAR FIRST SEMESTER AUGUST 2 Teacher’s First Day/Professional Development AUGUST 3 Professional Development (No Students) AUGUST 6 Students’ First Day SEPTEMBER 3 Labor Day Holiday SEPTEMBER 14 Professional Development (No Students) OCTOBER 9-11 1st Nine Weeks OCTOBER 19 Professional Development (No Students) NOVEMBER 19-23 Thanksgiving Break DECEMBER 17-19 2nd Nine Weeks DECEMBER 19 60% Day (Winter Break Begins) SECOND SEMESTER JANUARY 1 New Year’s Holiday JANUARY 2 Professional Development (No Students) JANUARY 3 Students Return JANUARY 21 Martin Luther King Holiday FEBRUARY 18 President’s Day Holiday FEBRUARY 22 Professional Development (No Students) MARCH 6-8 3rd Nine Weeks Exams MARCH 11-15 Spring Break MARCH 29 Good Friday Holiday APRIL 1 Good Monday Holiday APRIL 12 Professional Development (No Students) MAY 21-23 4th Nine Weeks Exam MAY 23 (60% Day) Students’ Last Day MAY 24 Teacher Work Day MAY 26 Graduation MAY 27 Memorial Day Holiday MAY 28 Teacher’s Last Day 4 BOARD OF EDUCATION (Mailing Address) Mrs. Marilyn Young, President District 1 (662-541-5333) Mrs. Tomaka Henderson Cotton District 2 (662-541-4031) Mr. Larry Braziel District 3 (662-541-2256) Mrs. Barbara Conway, Secretary District 4 (662-357-3883) Rev. Joe Anderson District 5 (662-357-3780) Regular meetings of the Board of Education are held in Library/Media Center on the Rosa Fort High School Campus located at 1100 Rosa Fort Drive, Tunica, MS, on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m., unless otherwise announced. ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Bernard Stephen Chandler Superintendent of Education Robert Beebe Principal - Tunica Elementary School Eva O’Neil Assistant Principal - Tunica Elementary School Dexter Green Principal - Dundee Elementary School Natasha Bates Assistant Principal - Dundee Elementary School [Vacancy] Principal - Robinsonville Elementary School Alisha Leflore Assistant Principal – Robinsonville Elementary School Glen Newson Principal -Tunica Middle School Sherry McKinney Assistant Principal – Tunica Middle School Derrick Dace Principal - Rosa Fort High School Bacardi Harris Assistant Principal – Rosa Fort High School Shirley Cathey Assistant Principal – Rosa Fort High School Dianne Daley Director – David Williams, Jr. Career and Technical Center Barbara Cage Special Services Program Coordinator Rosemary Hippensteel School Psychologist Gail Carter Federal Programs Coordinator Debra Dace Curriculum & Testing Coordinator Sherwonda Dunn Technology Coordinator Yulanda Austin Business Manager Jeffrey Taylor Assistant Business Manager Carolyn Steele Payroll Manager Katrina Porter Account Payables Manager Odessa Gibbs Fixed Asset Manager Robin Jones Personnel Director Shernina Carter Superintendent Secretary Angela Thomas Receptionist Yvonne Franklin Food Service Director Ricky Herring Transportation Director [Vacancy] Director of Maintenance 5 DISTRICT CONTACT INFORMATION Tunica County School District Office of Superintendent P. O. Box 758 Tunica, MS 38676 www.tunicak12.org Phone: (662) 363-2811 Fax: (662) 363-3061 Dundee Elementary School Tunica Middle School 12910 Old Hwy 61 S 2486 Hwy 61 Dundee, MS 38626 P. O. Box 967 Phone: 662-363-1810 Tunica, MS 38676 Fax: 662-363-1695 Phone: 662-363-4224 Fax: 662-357-1058 Robinsonville Elementary School Rosa Fort High School 7743 Old Hwy 61 N 1100 Rosa Fort Drive Robinsonville, MS 38644 P. O. Box 997 Phone: 662-357-1077 Tunica, MS 38676 Fax: 662-357-1087 Phone: 662-363-1343 Fax: 662-363-4222 Tunica Elementary School Career Technical Center 690 School Street 2400 Hwy 61 P. O. Box 1289 P. O. Box 2618 Tunica, MS 38676 Tunica, MS 38676 Phone: 662-363-1442 Phone: 662-363-2051 Fax: 662-363-4221 Fax: 662-363-2052 Department of Curriculum & Assessment Alternative School 690 School Street (Rear); P. O. Box 758 1100 Rosa Fort Drive Tunica, MS 38676 Tunica, MS 38676 Phone: 662-363-5988 Phone: 662-363-2444 Fax: 662-357-1068 Fax: 662-363-2444 Janitorial & Maintenance Department Transportation Department 1100 Rosa Fort Drive 6129 Fox Island P. O. Box 758 P. O. Box 758 Tunica, MS 38676 Tunica, MS 38676 Phone: 662-363-4220 Phone: 662-363-2812 Fax: 662-363-2966 Fax: 662-363-1749 Parent Center Located on Tunica Elementary School Campus Phone: 662-363-5057 6 FOOD SERVICE CONTACT INFORMATION Yvonne Franklin Food Service Director Central Office 662-363-2811 #225 Dundee Elementary School Cafeteria 662-363-1890 Dora Smith (Manager) Tunica Elementary School Cafeteria (1) 662-363-3417 Shirley Winters (Manager) Tunica Elementary School Cafeteria (2) 662-363-4729 Willa Turner (Manager) Robinsonville Elementary School Cafeteria 662-357- 1085 Wonda Anderson (Manager) Tunica Middle School Cafeteria 662-363-1968 Mary Fennell (Manager) Rosa Fort High School Cafeteria 662-363-1436 Roman Fullilove (Manager) 7 8 SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS ADMISSION A student is not officially enrolled in school until all book fines from any school are paid; your book card is signed by your parent or guardian and returned; and your cumulative folder has been received from your previous school indicating your grades. Please make sure that your registration forms are completely filled out. The information contained on them is required by the State of Mississippi and is necessary as part of your record. State laws require that pupils entering kindergarten must be five (5) years old on or before September 1st, and pupils entering first grade must be six (6) years old on or before September 1st. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE! Presentation of a certified birth certificate, immunization record, and certification of residency along with a Social Security number is required of all students entering the Tunica County School District for the first time. SCHOOL ENROLLMENT All children reaching their sixth birthday on or before September 1st of each year must be enrolled in school that year. A district attendance counselor will call on parents to find out why children of school age are not enrolled and/or why they are not attending school regularly. Entrance Age The District will comply with age requirements for entry into kindergarten and grade one as follows: Kindergarten: A child must have attained his/her fifth birthday on or before September 1 of the current year. Grade One: A child must have attained his/her sixth birthday on or before September 1 of the current year. Any child who transfers from an out-of-state accredited public or private school in which that state’s law provides for first grade enrollment subsequent to September 1 shall be allowed to be enrolled if (a) the parent or legal guardian of the child was a legal resident of the state from which the child is transferring; and (b) such child was legally enrolled in a public or private school of that state for a minimum of four weeks; and (c) the Superintendent determines that the child was making satisfactory progress in the school from which he/she is transferring. When ruled eligible according