Dacula Middle School - Student Agenda 2019-2020

Dacula Middle School

We are R.E.A.L. Falcons!

Respectful! Engaged! Accountable! Leaders!

Student Agenda 2019-2020

Leadership Team

Mrs. Kimberly Bussey, Principal

Mr. Blake Baldwin, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Tasha Baumgardner, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Charisse Deramus, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Bonnie Mondesir, Assistant Principal

Name ______________________________________ Grade ________

Address__________________________________________________________

City ___________________ Zip ___________ Phone __________________

Homeroom Teacher _________________________

Bus Route # __________ Car Rider AM ________ Car Rider PM ________

The Falcon Agenda is one necessary tool between school and home used at DMS to communicate both

behavior and academic performance. The first Falcon Agenda book is provided to students at no cost.

If a student needs to replace his/her agenda due to loss or destruction, he/she will be charged $10 for a

replacement.

My student and I have read and discussed the information contained in this agenda book.

_________________________________ ____________________________________

Parent or Guardian Signature Student Signature

DACULA MIDDLE SCHOOL

137 Dacula Road

Dacula, Georgia 30019

http://www.daculamiddleschool.org/home

770-963-1110 (Main Office)

770-338-4632 (Fax)

VISION STATEMENT

Dacula Middle School will become a world-

class school that provides a safe and

nurturing environment where students

acquire the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and

beliefs to be successful in college and

careers in a diverse society.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Dacula Middle School is to

develop each student into a highly literate

critical thinker who can effectively collaborate,

problem solve, and communicate his or her

learning as evidenced by measured growth.

STAFF VALUES

We will:

 model, teach, and expect behavior which

promotes honesty, integrity,

responsibility, and respect.

 provide a safe and secure learning

environment

 demonstrate a commitment to

continuous improvement.

 engage in professional learning on n

ongoing basis.

 actively seek to understand our diverse

community.

 challenge each student academically to

achieve his/her full potential.

 utilize effective teaching strategies based

on best practices to provide students

with motivating and challenging

instruction.

 collaborate with our colleagues to

enhance teaching and learning.

 utilize differentiated instruction to

address the various learning styles and

abilities of students.

 communicate with parents on a regular

basis

STUDENT VALUES

We will:

 arrive to class on time

 pay attention in class.

 remain on task.

 demonstrate good behavior and not interfere

with the learning of other students.

 demonstrate good social skills and give

encouragement when needed.

 communicate with our parents and teachers.

 be prepared and use good study skills.

 be respectful of other students’ learning styles.

 respect the diversity at DMS and treat others as

equals.

PARENT VALUES

We will:

 model and teach our children to show support

and respect for all teachers, administrators and

staff

 support our children by instilling good study

habits, proper nutrition, and regular sleeping

routines.

 show that we are interested in what our children

are doing by making time to be involved with

school activities and programs.

 support our children by making sure they attend

school daily.

 communicate regularly with our children’s

teachers.

 support our children by reinforcing homework

skills and providing assistance as needed.

 reinforce the importance of reading at home by

reading with our children and discussing the

material read.

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

Dacula Middle School does not discriminate on the

basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or

age in programs, activities, or employment practices.

Please contact the school’s Title IX Coordinator, Mrs.

Kimberly Bussey, if you have a complaint about the

manner in which you are being treated.

MOBILITY IMPAIRED/HANDICAPPED

ACCESS

Dacula Middle School wishes to meet the needs

of all our students and families. If any member

of your family needs assistance or has any

questions regarding mobility impaired issues or

handicapped access, please contact the school

@ 770.963.1110.

ATTENDANCE

Regular school attendance is essential for a

quality education. Time missed from class

results in loss of valuable educational

experiences. Make 100% attendance

your goal for this year. We want students

at school every day.

In case of a necessary absence from school,

a student must bring a written excuse from

a parent or guardian stating the reason for

the absence. A student must be present at

least half of the school day to participate in

extracurricular/after school activities. In

order for a student to be marked present,

he/she must be in class by 12:45 pm and

must not check out prior to 12:45 pm. A

student’s absence may be considered

unexcused if a parent’s note is not received

within 3 days of returning to school.

The State Board of Education defines the

following as excused absences:

1. Personal illness

2. Death in the student’s immediate family

3. Recognized religious holidays observed

by your faith

4. Absence mandated by governmental

agencies

5. Incidents where attendance would be

hazardous

6. Service as Page in the Georgia General

Assembly – student is counted present for

the day

Early Arrival: Students are not to be on

school grounds before 8:55 AM unless

attending a supervised activity. Students

arriving early MUST have a signed pass by

a teacher giving them permission to go to a

teacher’s classroom prior to 9:00 AM. If

students arrive at school prior to 9:00

AM, they must be dropped off at the cafeteria

ONLY by using the bus lanes located off Auburn

Avenue. No student drop off is permitted in the

front of the school prior to 9:00 AM. Students

arriving before 9:00 AM will remain in the

cafeteria.

Early Checkout: Missing instructional time is

detrimental to a student’s performance. Parents are

urged to make dental, medical, and other

appointments for students before or after school

hours. If it becomes necessary for a student to check

out during the day, parents must sign student(s) out in

the front office. Office personnel will then call

student(s) from class. Parents will be required to

show picture identification in order to check out

their children. There will be no check-outs or

transportation changes after 3:30 PM. Students

must have parent or guardian permission before early

check out will be permitted. The staff cannot accept

telephone authorizations to change transportation

arrangements for students. Changes in transportation

can only be accepted by email or fax that includes a

picture id. We must have personal contact to verify

that the request is from the parent.

Tardies to school: Students are required to be in

homeroom by 9:20 AM. Students who arrive later are

considered tardy and must obtain a pass to class from

front office staff. If a student has four unexcused

tardies in one six week period, he/she may receive

an administrative intervention. Excused tardies

include: illness, doctor’s appointments, or late buses.

Tardies to class: Students should arrive to all classes

in a timely manner. Tardies will count towards student

consequences on the team discipline plan. Excessive

class tardies may result in administrative intervention.

BUS TRANSPORTATION

Students are expected to ride the assigned bus and to

get off at the assigned stop. If a student is going to ride

a different bus home, then a note must be given to the

child’s first academic teacher upon arrival on the day

of the emergency. Time must be allowed for phone

verification by school personnel. Drivers will not

allow students to ride an unassigned bus or to get

off at a different stop without written parental and

administrative approval.

Students not abiding by the rules and regulations of the

School Bus Transportation Department will be subject

to administrative intervention. Each bus driver

has complete charge of the students riding the

bus. Failure to comply with bus rules will result

in a bus referral.

• 1

offense: 1 day bus suspension

• 2

offense: 3 day bus suspension

• 3

offense: 5 day bus suspension

Students annually receive instruction in safe

riding procedures. Bus drivers read the Bus

Guidelines and Safety Procedures beginning the

first day of school. Monthly reviews are issued

to enhance the safety of children being

transported.

CAR RIDERS

We strongly encourage you to have your child

ride the bus both to and from school; however,

if that is not an option and your child will be a

car rider, please abide by the following

guidelines:

• Use the student drop off and pick up area

located in front of the media center.

• Student arrival does not begin until 8:55

am. Students must remain in the car until

staff members are on duty and signal for

students to be released.

• There are directional signs and staff

members located in the car rider lane to

assist parents and supervise students.

• Do not pick up or drop off students in the

bus lane area or in the front of the school

during regular operating hours.

• During afternoon dismissal, parents are

asked to turn off car engines while waiting

on students.

• Students who are car riders need to be

picked up at 3:55 PM.

TRANSPORTATION FOR AFTER

SCHOOL

ACTIVITIES

Parents must provide transportation for before

or after school activities. The school provides

no transportation for before or after school club

meetings and practices. Please make

arrangements for your student(s) to be

picked up on time. Students should be picked

up within 15 minutes of the end of all activities.

Failure to pick up a student on time may

result in loss of future after school activity

privileges.

Students who are suspended either out of school or

in school may not attend any extracurricular

activity on day(s) of suspension.

CELL PHONES/OTHER ELECTRONIC

DEVICES

The Gwinnett County Board of Education permits

students to have in their possession a cell phone or

other electronic devices (eReaders, Netbooks, laptop,

tablets, etc.). This equipment may be used on school

district grounds as long as it is being used for teaching

and learning purposes and school-authorized activities.

These devices are not to be used during the school day

for personal communication. Devices should be turned

off during school hours unless otherwise directed by

staff. Dacula Middle School and GCPS are not

responsible for any maintenance, damage, theft,

usage or usage charges, or loss of this non-school

district equipment. Students using these devices are

responsible for the maintenance, care, and protection of

their personal equipment that they choose to bring to

school. Students should use school provided phones

with teacher permission in order to call home for

emergencies. However, if a student is not feeling well,

he/she should report to the clinic to call home. Parents

should not expect students to check cell phones for

messages or receive phone calls during the school

day. Use of electronic devices without school

authorization may result in disciplinary consequences.

CLINIC SERVICES

A clinic worker is available in the clinic each day to

help with any serious medical problems that might

arise. Teachers will use discretion in permitting visits

to the clinic. A student may not remain in the clinic for

an extended period of time. If a student becomes too ill

to remain in class, the clinic will attempt to contact a

parent/guardian to pick the student up from school.

Students should not attend school if they have had a

fever over 100

◦

within 24 hours of school or have

thrown up within 12 hours of school.

Whenever possible, medications should be

administered at home. Students may not carry any

medications on their person. In an effort to better

ensure the safety of students, all medications

(prescription AND non-prescription) must be delivered

to the school by the parent or guardian only. In

addition, medications must be accompanied by the

GCPS “Administration of Medication Request” form

completed by the parent. Medications must be in the

original, childproof container. Prescription

medications must be in the labeled

prescription bottle. Any medication not

picked up by the parent will be turned over to

the SRO for discarding one day after the last

day of the year for students.

DISCIPLINE

Gwinnett County Student Conduct Policy

Statement (CODE JCD)

Please carefully read the Gwinnett County

Student Conduct Behavior Code (Policy JCD)

located in your GCPS Student/Parent

Handbook. A student in violation of the

Gwinnett County Student Conduct Behavior

Code will receive disciplinary action. All

parties involved in fights are subject to the

following consequences regardless of who

started the fight. First offense is a minimum

of 3 days of suspension. Additional

consequences may be issued, depending on the

circumstances related to the fight (i.e. weapons,

severe injuries, etc.). Students who instigate a

fight or encourage others to fight are also

subject to receive administrative

consequences.

DACULA MDDLE BEHAVIOR PLAN

Dacula Middle School will continue the

Positive Behaviors and Interventions (PBIS)

approach to student behavior. Teachers will

manage their classrooms under the guidelines

of the school-wide behavior management plan

in an effort to assist students in monitoring their

own behavior thus encouraging them to make

appropriate decisions and demonstrate self-

control in their actions and words. The DMS

staff believes that behavior management is a

learning process and that middle school

students need consistent and continuous

feedback. The Falcon Agenda is one tool

between school and home used at DMS to

communicate both behavior and academic

performance. The first Falcon Agenda book is

provided to students at no cost. The Falcon

Agenda book is school property and students

are expected to treat it as such. If a student

needs to replace his/her agenda due to loss or

destruction, he/she will be charged $10.00

for a replacement agenda.

With successful implementation of the Dacula

Middle School Behavior Plan, it is the desire of the

DMS staff to intervene and assist students in correcting

their behavior before making a referral to an

administrator. Students are expected to follow all

classroom, school, and district rules. Should a student

choose not to follow the rules, the Dacula Middle

School Discipline Plan will be implemented.

DACULA MIDDLE BEHAVIOR PLAN

Dacula Middle School follows a Positive Behaviors

and Interventions (PBIS) approach to student behavior.

Teachers will manage their classrooms under the

guidelines of the school-wide behavior management

plan in an effort to assist students in monitoring their

own behavior thus encouraging them to make

appropriate decisions and demonstrate self-control in

their actions and words. The DMS staff believes that

behavior management is a learning process and that

middle school students need consistent feedback and

explicit instruction regarding the behavior expectations

of DMS.

With successful implementation of the Dacula Middle

School Behavior Plan, it is the desire of the DMS staff

to intervene and assist students in correcting their

behavior before making a referral to an administrator.

Students are expected to follow all classroom, school,

and district rules. Should a student choose not to follow

the rules, the Dacula Middle School Discipline Plan

will be implemented. All rule violations fall into one

of the following categories; Classroom-Level, Minor,

and Major.

The DMS Discipline plan for Level 1- Classroom

infractions allow teachers, at their discretion, to assign

the following consequences to students who do not

meet the behavior expectation; Warning, Student

conference with action plan, Silent lunch, AM

detention, or PM detention. Examples of behaviors

displayed at this level include, but are not limited to:

Interrupting Instruction/Teacher, Off task behavior,

Not following directions, Constant Talking,

Unauthorized use of cell phones, etc.

The DMS Discipline Plan for Level 2 infractions

follows a progressive “step plan” in which

consequences continue to increase in

severity. Examples of behaviors displayed at this level

include, but are not limited to, Arguing/Talking Back,

Cheating, Leaving class without permission, Chronic

violations of Classroom-Level infractions, etc.

Level 2 Consequences:

STEP 1: Silent Lunch

STEP 2: AM Detention

STEP 3: PM Detention

STEP 4: On-Team Isolation and

Parent/Teacher Conference

STEP 5: Saturday School

STEP 6: Administrative Conference

*For each step listed above, a parent/guardian

will be contacted.

The DMS Discipline Plan for Level 3

infractions are handled with an administrative

referral. Examples of behaviors displayed at

this level include, but are not limited to:

Aggressive Behavior/Fighting,

Harassment/Bullying, Profanity toward a

teacher/student, Chronic violations of Level 2

infractions, etc.

DRESS CODE FOR STUDENTS

Dacula Middle School acknowledges that good

grooming and personal attire positively affect

student achievement and conduct. Dacula

Middle’s dress code is designed to reduce the

likelihood of distraction or disruption and to

maintain an academic focus in the classroom

and on campus. Students will be expected to

observe modes of dress, styles of hair, and

personal grooming that support the “First

Comes Learning” atmosphere at Dacula Middle

School.

If in the judgment of an administrator or a

member of the staff a student is dressed

inappropriately, the parent will be called to

bring the student appropriate clothing. A record

of dress code violations will be kept and

consequences assigned for repeat violations of

the DMS Dress Code.

1. Shirts/Blouses/Tops/T-shirts –

Blouses/shirts should be constructed so the

tops of the shoulders are covered (no halter

tops, spaghetti straps, tank tops, tube tops,

or bare shoulder tops of any type will be

allowed). Blouses/shirts that expose any

portion of the waist, hips, or midriff are not

allowed. All shirts or blouses should either

be collared or have a non-revealing (no

cleavage) neckline. **Other blouses/shirts

that are not appropriate for school include, but are

not limited to, lowcut, see through, backless, or

tube tops. Clothing with rips or holes above the

knee will not be allowed. Should pants have holes

at or below the knee, leggings must be worn

underneath the pants. Boys are not to wear

sleeveless shirts. Shirts may not be longer than 12

inches above the knee, approximately to the first

knuckle of the thumb. If shirts are beyond this

length, students will have to tuck the shirt in their

pants, shorts, or skirts.

2. Clothing shall fit appropriately. Pants and shorts

must be worn fitted at the waist at all times and are

not to be so large that the crotch sags revealing

underwear or drags on the ground/floor. Belts

should be worn with all pants with belt loops.

Athletic spandex, stretch pants, leggings of any

length are not permitted by themselves. A shirt or

sweater that extends below the index finger when

the arm is stretched out by the side must be worn

over spandex, stretch pants, and/or leggings.

3. Headgear- Headgear is prohibited. This includes,

but is not limited to caps, hats, hoods, doo-rags,

bandanas, wave caps, sweatbands, headbands,

sunglasses, or any other head covering. No combs,

rakes, curlers or picks can be worn in the hair

(exceptions based on religious beliefs).

4. No student clothing shall display words or symbols

that advocate or depict violence, drugs, alcohol,

sex, racial slurs, demonic pictures or writing,

illegal gang affiliation or other illegal activity

expressed or implied. Clothing with student writing

on it should not be worn.

5. Shorts, skirts, and dresses should reach below the

fingertips when arms are placed to the side of the

body with relaxed fingertips.

6. Shoes- Health regulations and safety factors

require that shoes be worn at all times at school

(bedroom shoes, flip-flops, beachwear, heelies or

athletic sandals are not permitted.)

7. No pajamas, sleepwear, or blanket of any kind are

allowed to be worn/brought to school.

8. Hair shall be clean and neatly groomed. Any form

of hairstyle or makeup which is considered

contrary to good hygiene or which is distracting or

disruptive to the educational process will not be

permitted. As styles change, so may restrictions.

9. Heavy winter coats are not to be worn during the

day. Those are to be left in homeroom. No heavy

winter coats are to be worn after Spring Break.

10. Students may not wear trench coats or other

long coats that resemble the style of a

trench coat to school.

11. Jewelry or accessories that may be used as

weapons are not allowed to be worn at

school. This includes, but is not limited to,

wallet chains, mouth grills, jewelry such as

spiked rings, spiked bracelets, two or three

finger rings that are joined and bulky

chains worn around the neck or waist.

Sharp objects that could pose a danger,

such as spikes or safety pins, are not

allowed on clothing or book bags.

12. The following clothing or symbols have

been identified by the Gwinnett County

Police Gang Taskforce as being commonly

identified with gangs. Administrators will

consider overall indicators to assess the

appropriateness of the student’s attire. We

are looking for patterns of behavior and

dress and not necessarily individual

indicators.

Wearing the following could result in a dress

code violation:

a. Gang related attire includes

but is not limited to the following: long

bulky chains and necklaces, large

oversized pendants, gang-styled belt

buckles, bandanas, altering clothing

from its original form to change the

names and/or intended marking on the

clothing, sweatbands and/or

headbands, and draping articles of

clothing, towels, or other objects out of

pants pockets or over the shoulder or

neck area, extra-long belts with excess

hanging loosely, and suspender(s)

worn off the shoulder.

b. Wearing clothes in an

asymmetrical pattern such as rolling up

one pant leg, wearing a dominant color

every day of the week, jerseys (other

than community recreation league

jerseys) with the numbers 8, 13, 14, or

88 (or any other numbers that have

been deemed as gang related by the

Gang Taskforce).

Any article of clothing, including footwear,

perceived to be a threat or safety hazard to the

student or the school community, will not be allowed.

DRINKS

Students may bring water in a clear container from

home to have during class. Colored drinks are not

allowed in the classrooms. Juice boxes are allowed in

the cafeteria during lunch only.

FLOWERS AND BALLOONS

Flowers and balloons will not be delivered to students

nor should students bring them to school. They are a

disruption in class, in the hallway, and cannot be

transported on a school bus. Anything delivered to the

school will be kept in the front office. Parents may pick

them up at this location.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Parents/Guardians are welcome to come to school and

have lunch with their child on his/her birthday. Please

Cafe. Birthday parties are not permitted.

VISITORS

To ensure safety and security at Dacula Middle, all

visitors MUST report directly to the main office to

will be issued a badge to wear while on school

premises. Before leaving campus, visitors are asked to

sign out. Parents are invited to visit the school

regularly and to be involved in all school activities.

Parents who wish to visit the classroom may

request approval 24 hours in advance via the

appropriate grade level administrator.

Cafeteria visitation is permitted with proper registration

via the front office staff. Parents are permitted to visit

with their child in a designated area of the cafeteria

during the child’s scheduled lunch period. Parents must

give written approval for any non-staff member other

than themselves to visit with their child in the cafeteria

prior to any visitation.

No visitor may park along the curb in the front of

the school. Violators are subject to ticketing/towing.

SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO

WINTER CONDITIONS

Inclement weather conditions may cause the school to

be closed. School closings are determined by the

Gwinnett County Public Schools Central office staff

and not by the DMS staff. Announcements of

closings will be broadcast via local news media

(television and radio stations). The basic

premise to observe is that school is open or

will remain open unless specifically

announced otherwise.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Eligibility for participation in any extra-

curricular activity will be based on grades

earned during the semester prior to the activity.

Criteria to participate will include academic,

conduct, and effort grades. A student must

maintain satisfactory grades in all three areas in

order to represent Dacula Middle School as a

participant in extra-curricular activities. It is the

student’s responsibility to know the

requirements for the various activities and

organizations. A list of clubs and organizations

can be found on the Dacula Middle School

webpage at

http://www.daculamiddleschool.org/home

GRADING

The Gwinnett County Board of Education has

adopted the following grading scale:

A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 74-79

D = 70-73 U = Below 70

Students are expected to earn their grades on

homework, classwork, and assessments based

on their own performance. Cheating is strictly

prohibited and will result in disciplinary

consequences.

GRADE REPORTS

Progress reports will be issued every six weeks

of the semester. A semester grade report will

be issued at the end of each semester. The

student is responsible for making all progress

reports available to his or her parents. The

grade report envelopes are to be signed by the

parents or guardian and returned to school

within five (5) school days. Grades can be

accessed real time via the GCPS parent portal

and the student’s My eCLASS.

HOMEWORK

Students and parents should log into My

eCLASS to check course content calendars

and to access the latest information

regarding homework, class activities,

upcoming assessment dates, and current

grades. Through homework, students have the

opportunity for enrichment, extension, and/or

remediation of instructional goals and the

opportunity for practice of basic skills.

MAKE-UP WORK

Students will be given two days for each day

missed to make-up work. It is the student’s

responsibility to ask the teacher for any missed

assignments. When it is necessary for a student to

be absent from school, he/she should log on to My

eCLASS and obtain assignments posted on the

course content pages.

PARENT- TEACHER CONFERENCES

It is essential for parents, administrators, and

teachers to work together cooperatively. Parents

may write or email a child’s teacher or

administrator requesting a conference or may call

the school and ask the teacher to call to set-up an

appointment. Parents wishing to visit the

classroom may request approval 24 hours in

advance via the grade level administrator.

In October and February, GCPS middle schools

have early release days to provide time for teachers

to meet with parents.

USE OF ELEVATORS

Students who have injured themselves and cannot

walk up the stairs should request an elevator pass

via the school receptionist. Each pass is only valid

for time prescribed by the students’ doctor.

Students should provide a note from their doctor

indicating injury and length of time that they will

need to use the elevator. Students will be assigned

a same gender Falcon escort by their homeroom

teacher. Students are not permitted to ride the

elevator without their assigned Falcon escort.

USE OF TELEPHONES

The school phones are for business purposes.

Phones are available to students only for

emergency purposes. Emergencies do not

include forgotten homework, projects, lunch

money, or participation in after school

activities.

Urgent telephone messages from a parent or

guardian will be delivered to the student by an

office representative after the degree of

emergency has been determined.

Students will not be called out of class

to receive phone calls.

NUTRITION PROGRAM

The mission of the Dacula Middle

School Cafeteria is to pursue the

education of nutrition and show the

significance of how important nutrition

is to the children of our community.

All lunches are planned using a Food-

Based Menu Planning Approach and

contain 5 food components-Fruits,

Vegetables, Grains, Meat/Meat

Alternate, and Milk. A reimbursable

meal contains 3 of the 5 components at

a minimum and a 5 of the 5 components

at a maximum. A reimbursable meal

also contains at least one serving of the

fruit or vegetable component. We have

a federal lunch program that offers free

or reduced price meals for children from

families that meet eligibility

requirements. Application forms can be

obtained from the lunchroom manager.

MEDIA CENTER POLICIES AND

GUIDELINES FOR USE

Because the media center is an important

resource that is used by the entire school,

it is necessary that all users are aware of

the rules for using the resources in the

media center.

• Media center hours: 8:30 AM to 4:00

PM.

• Always come to the media center with a

clear purpose, such as finding an

enjoyable book to read, finding answers

to questions, or doing research. Since

others are also in the media center with

goals to accomplish, it is not the place to

visit with friends.

• When using online sources, be sure to

abide by the Acceptable Use Policy for

GCPS. This policy states that students

are to be responsible users of the

internet. Use sites that are appropriate

for acquiring school-related information.

The first place to find information is the

subscription databases provide by the county.

Google is not a first choice. Personal email is

not to be checked on DMS computers.

• If coming to the media center on a pass, please

• If a book is removed from the shelf and not

checked out, please return the book to its proper

location.

• Books may be checked out at the circulation

desk. The student must have a teacher pass if not

coming with the entire class in order to check

out a book. Student books are checked out for 2

weeks. If a book is needed after this time, come

to the media center to renew the book. The book

must be with you in order to renew it.

• Reference books (encyclopedias and other books

located in the reference section) may not be

checked out. These books are identified with an

R or REF on the spine.

• Students cannot check out books for other

students.

• School projects may be printed in the Media

Center at no charge.

COUNSELING

Counseling services are available to all students. Our

counseling program, designed to be preventative and

developmental, includes classroom guidance

activities, small group counseling, individual

counseling sessions, and crisis counseling. Counselors

help students adjust to the demands and

responsibilities of middle school, prepare for high

school and the world of work, and learn to resolve

conflicts with others. They encourage students to set

academic goals, develop good study and work habits,

and learn to make responsible decisions.

Counselors help parents understand the student’s

abilities, academic progress, and social, emotional,

and educational needs. They also work with parents

and students on communicating more effectively.

School counselors are not able to work with

individual students on a weekly basis but are

available to meet with students upon request from

the student, parent, teacher, or administrator. If a

parent chooses to exclude their child from any

counseling activity, the counselor must have that

request in the form of a letter.