BMS
Welcome
to the home of the Brighton Middle School Cardinals! We are happy to have you
with us, and we are eager to help you while you are here.
This handbook is prepared for you,
the
The faculty and administration wish you a
great year and a positive learning experience here at
PHILOSOPHY
We,
the faculty and staff, commit ourselves to the middle school ideal as an
environment in which students are involved in transition from childhood to
adolescence. We acknowledge the diverse
components of a child’s development which embraces academic knowledge, social
growth, physical change, and personal identity.
We obligate ourselves to identify and develop child-centered
instructional programs relevant to the student’s needs. We believe that a joint commitment among the school, the home, and the community
is conducive to the educational success of our children.
All visitors must enter the building
through the front main entrance, then report immediately to the main
office. Each visitor must sign the
visitor’s log and receive a pass. Conferences with teachers and/or
administrators must be set up by phone ahead of time so as not to disrupt the
educational process.
In case of bad weather, school
cancellations will be broadcast over the local radio and television stations.
Brighton Middle begins each day at
Students riding a bus must load
their bus promptly after school is dismissed; car riders should report to
designated waiting areas. Car riders are
to be picked up at the north end of the building where they are dropped off in
the morning. Please refrain from picking up children at any parking area other
than that of the Brighton Middle campus.
It is imperative that car riders
be picked up promptly, as there will be no staff available for supervision
after
Students receiving more than three tardies (excused or unexcused) to school per semester will be in violation of the tardy policy.
Consequences for excessive tardies are as follows:
· 4th tardy—1 Day Comm. Service
· 5th tardy—2 Days Comm. Service
·
6th tardy—
·
7th tardy—
· 8th tardy—2 Days ISP
ATTENDANCE POLICY
School attendance constitutes one of the most important phases of a student’s school record. Not only does it indicate individual dependability, but it is also necessary for the smooth functioning of the school’s educational program. Inconsistent attendance is recognized as having a disruptive influence on the regular classroom activities. In order to meet the educational needs of the individual student and to best serve the overall school program, all available resources will be used to encourage students to attend regularly.
· Following an absence from school, students are required to present a parent/guardian signed note to the attendance clerk stating the reason for the day(s) absent. It is the responsibility of the student to see that these notes are turned in to the office when they return to school.
· Absence is excused by the school attendance clerk. Make-up work is permitted for the following reasons: personal illness, death in family, doctor/dental appointment, legal court summons, and school related activities (see county student handbook). It is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher in order to make-up any work missed. Work should be completed as soon as possible (usually one day is allotted per each day of excused absence).
· Any out-of-town trips must be approved by the principal prior to leaving. Make up work will be given depending upon the validity of the absence.
· If a student is absent two or more days, a request may be called in to the office for make up work. It will be the parent’s responsibility to pick up work and books.
· Unexcused absence from school results in no make-up work for students.
· Checking In and Out During School Hours. Students arriving to school after classes have started are tardy and are to report to the office for admittance to class. An accumulation of four (4) late check-ins to school or four (4) early check-outs from school will equal one unexcused day on the attendance record used for truancy purposes. Students leaving during the school hours must be checked out by their parents/guardians.
Parents/guardians who are checking students in or out of school during the day are required to sign the check in/out sheet in the office. A note is required for those absences to be excused.
· Parents/guardians will be notified by the school after 5, 10, 15, and 20 days of unexcused absences. If your child is in possible violation of the compulsory attendance law, you may be required to appear before the Covington-Tipton County Truancy Board. The Board will then take whatever action they determine to be in the best interest of the student.
BUSES
Riding the school bus is a privilege. Improper conduct on the bus will result in that privilege being denied. The rules and regulations regarding behavior on school buses were formulated by the Tipton County Board of Education and are stated in the county handbook given to all students at the beginning of each school year.
Students riding the bus should walk to the bus when leaving school. To avoid overcrowding, students must ride their assigned bus.
If a
student plans to ride a bus that he/she does not usually ride, the
parent/guardian must call the school office (837-5600) and give permission for
their child to ride a different bus.
Students will not be allowed to ride a different bus if this procedure
is not followed.
STUDENT BEHAVIOR
Education cannot proceed without good discipline. It is imperative to the success of the entire school program. All students are expected to demonstrate respect for all teachers, staff, and administrators at all times. Equal respect should be shown for fellow classmates. The following guidelines will help to create a good learning climate at our school.
· School and classroom rules should always be followed.
·
Students
in the hallways during class time must have an agenda book signed by a teacher
with destination and time clearly marked.
· Students tardy to class must obtain a pass from the teacher in whose class they have been detained; otherwise, these tardies are unexcused. The office will issue a tardy slip only if a student has been detained there.
· Radios, IPods/MP3 players, CD players, video cameras, cards (playing or trading), toys and electronic games must not be brought to school.
· Students are not permitted to have beepers, pagers, cellular phones, or imitations of such devices on school property unless there are some unusual and exceptional circumstances approved by the administration. If such a device is taken up during the school day; first offense – parent may pick up in the front office; second offense – parent may pick up at the end of the nine week period, third and subsequent offenses – the school will retain until the end of the school year.
·
Students are not permitted to have skateboards
on the
· Students must keep their hands to themselves at all times and respect the property of others.
· A student shall not possess, handle, transmit, use or attempt to use firearms, explosives, knives, razors, or any object that can be used as a weapon. Possession of such a weapon shall result in a hearing by the discipline committee.
· The rules for behavior are the same when a substitute teacher is present.
· Follow all rules and regulations listed in the Tipton County Student Handbook.
All students are under
the supervision of all school personnel at all times during the school day and
during any school-related activity.
IN-SCHOOL PLACEMENT
In-School placement (ISP) is a method of isolating
disruptive students in school instead of suspending or expelling them to
home. An ISP teacher is assigned to
supervise these students in his/her room.
The students are allowed to obtain their assignments for the day and are
not penalized with an unexcused absence.
These students spend the day completely isolated from other activities.
Failure to complete work in ISP may result in the assignment of additional days
in ISP,
OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION
Suspension
means a temporary refusal to allow a student to attend school. Suspensions may be used when violations of
school or county policies have been committed.
Any student who has been suspended from school is not allowed on any
Suspension from school constitutes an unexcused absence and therefore make-up work will be provided at the sole discretion of the teacher.
GRADES AND REPORT CARDS
Grades are given to evaluate, motivate, and inform students and parents of academic progress. Report cards are issued every nine weeks. The grading scale is as follows:
A 93-100
B 85-92
C 75-84
D 70-74
F Below 70
Conduct grades are S (satisfactory), N (needs improvement), or
U (unsatisfactory).
Grading periods are as follows:
1st Term 8/05-10/08 45 days
2nd Term 10/09-12/19 44 days
3rd Term 1/05-3/15 48 days
4th Term 3/16-5/22 43 days
Report cards will be sent home on the following dates: 10/23, 1/12, 3/24, 6/04.
PROGRESS REPORTS
Please note that interim reports are included in this agenda book. The report is to be signed by the parent/guardian.
K-12 PLANET
If you would like to view your child’s grades and
attendance online, check our website www.tipton-county.com/bms/
for information about how to register for K-12 Planet.
HONORS RECOGNITION
The Honors Recognition Program is designed to recognize students who excel in academics, related arts, conduct, and attendance. Students must have completed one semester at BMS to qualify.
HONOR ROLLS
Students with all A’s qualify for the Gold Honor Roll, students with A’s and B’s are placed on the Silver Honor Roll, and students with all B’s make the Bronze Honor Roll. Satisfactory conduct is required for all honor rolls.
PARENT CONFERENCES
Open and direct lines of communication between parents and teachers are encouraged. Remember to the use this agenda as a convenient communication tool with teachers. The BMS webpage www.tipton-county.com/bms/ is also a convenient tool for communication. A conference may be scheduled by a teacher or parent as needed. Please call the office to make an appointment.
HOMEWORK
Homework is assigned to give students extra practice in their studies. Our staff plans well designed homework assignments that relate directly to class work and extend student learning beyond the classroom. You are encouraged to help your child set a time and place for completion of homework assignments. You may also help by listening to your child read and taking an interest in the school day happenings.
LUNCH POLICY
Free/reduced lunch applications are issued to all students entering school for the first time during the school year. Applications must be filled out completely and signed before final approval is received. The regular price of lunch is $1.75 for all students. Charging lunch will not be permitted.
Students who bring lunch may buy milk, fruit juice, and/or dessert at school. Carbonated beverages and carry-out foods are not allowed in the cafeteria.
SCHOOL INSURANCE
School insurance is available to all students. A packet will be available for informing the students and parents about the insurance early in the fall. Only those involved in the athletic program must provide signed evidence that they are covered by adequate insurance if they choose not to purchase the school insurance.
LOCKERS AND LOCKS
Lockers are available to students for storage of books and personal belongings. Since the locker is school property, the school reserves the right to inspect it at any time. Only school issued locks are to be used on school lockers. The lock usage amount for the year is $5.00. After being issued, the lockers and locks become the responsibility of the student. Make sure your locks are locked on the lockers. Lockers left unlocked are an open opportunity for theft. For any lock not returned at the year’s end, there will be a $5.00 charge.
BOOKSTORE
Some school supplies are available from the BMS bookstore. These items may be purchased before homeroom in the lobby. A pencil dispenser is also available in the front office for student use.
TEXTBOOK COMPLIANCE FORMS
These forms are required to be signed by parents/guardians before textbooks are issued to students. Textbooks are furnished to students for use during the school year. The classroom teacher will issue the textbooks to the students. Each book should contain the student’s name, the teacher’s name, and an identifying book number. Books damaged beyond normal wear will be assessed a damage fee. Students will be required to pay for lost books.
MEDICINE
It is the policy of the Tipton County School System that no medications can be dispensed without signed parental consent. This includes over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, cough drops/syrups, Pepto-Bismol, Tums, etc.
In order to meet the requirements of the policy, we request that parents obtain a special consent form from the school nurse. It is to be completed and returned along with any medications to be given.
MEDICATIONS
WILL NOT BE GIVEN WITHOUT THIS CONSENT.
Medications are stored in a locked cabinet and will be administered by the school nurse or one of the office staff who has been trained to dispense medication.
STUDENT PHONE
All phones are school business phones and are to be used only by school personnel. In an emergency, students may use the counter phone in the main office. Permission must be obtained before using any phone.
Students
will not be called out of class to return calls. A message will be taken and given to the
student at the end of the day. Barring any emergency, please call prior to
ACCIDENTAL INJURY
Students injured at school should report to a teacher or the school nurse for any needed assistance. As a matter of school record, all injuries occurring at school and requiring professional medical attention must have been properly reported to school officials before insurance claims can be verified by the school.
SALES IN SCHOOL
Students are not permitted to sell any items in school (candy, gum, etc.) except for approved school-wide fundraising activities.
STUDENT DELIVERIES
Flowers,
balloons, etc. are not permitted on school buses as per
LIBRARY
Library books may be checked out for two weeks. Reference books may be checked out for one period of classroom use. Fines may be charged for lost or damaged books.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
A variety of activities are offered to BMS students:
· Athletics-football, girl’s volleyball, boys’ and girls’ basketball and track, girls’ softball, and cheerleading.
· Band
· Student Council
· National Junior Honor Society
· Yearbook Staff
· Science Club
· Drama Club
Other clubs may be added throughout the school year. Participation in student activities may be based on selected criteria.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Students at Brighton Middle are expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:
Participation: Students have the responsibility of participating fully in the serious business of learning. Students must report to school and to all scheduled classes regularly and on time, remain in classes until excused, pay attention to instructors, complete assignments to the best of their ability, and request help when needed.
Good Behavior: Students have the responsibility of avoiding any behavior that detrimentally affects their learning. Students must cooperate in maintaining reasonable orderliness in the school and in the classroom, as well as taking care of books and other instructional materials. Students must refrain from degrading, threatening or fighting with other students.
Respect for teachers: Students have the responsibility of showing respect for the knowledge and authority of their teachers. Remember, any teacher has the authority to correct any student. Students should use respectful and courteous language at all times.
Respect for other students: Students have the responsibility of recognizing the rights and dignity of fellow students. For example, students should refrain from name calling, fighting, harassment, belittling or engaging in deliberate attempts to embarrass or harm other students.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE DRESS CODE
In addition to the student
dress code as set forth in the Tipton County Student Handbook (6.310 page 5)
the following dress code applies to students at BMS.
Neat dress is desirable at
all times. When in the opinion of the
administration, teachers, and staff; dress or appearance detrimental to the
school environment will result in appropriate action taken and expected to be
followed.
The following will NOT be acceptable school attire (but not limited to just the
following)
1. Caps,
hats, or head gear of any type.
2. Sunglasses.
3. Shorts.
4. Flip-flops
(any sandal with the three connectors seen from the bottom of the shoe).
5. Any
apparel made from spandex material.
6. “Mesh”
shirts, tank tops, “spaghetti straps”, or “cut off” tops.
7. Shirts
and apparel that promotes the use or consumption of alcohol and/or apparel that
displays a suggestive or inappropriate message.
8. Articles
of clothing that are ripped, cut off, torn, or contains holes.
9. Shirts
that are excessively tight, short, or low cut.
10. Shirts
that are un-tucked or tucked-in without the visibility of the belt or waist
band.
11. Body
piercing with the exception of ear piercing (ear rings distracting to the good
order)
12. Pants
(that have belt loops) without a belt.
13. Capri
pants worn by girls: unless they fall half-way between the knee and the ankle
in length.
14.
15. Chains,
spiked collars or bracelets.
16. Clothing
which denotes possible gang affiliation.
17. Sagging
pants, hipsters, oversized pants, and inappropriate belt buckles.
18. Pajama
pants.
19. Bands
around the bottom of the pant legs.
20. Writing
across the “rear” of pants.
The above list is not all
inclusive. For the orderly and efficient
operation of the school, the school administration may determine other attire
to be inappropriate or prejudicial to good order as situations arise. If there is a question as to whether an
article of clothing is appropriate for school wear, contact the school
administration prior to wearing.
Students who are considered
to be in violation of the dress code will be required to be in compliance
immediately. In extreme cases of dress,
make-up, jewelry and/or hair, etc… the student may be sent home to correct the
infraction. Repeated dress code
violations will result in discipline steps (suspension) as outlined in the
student handbook.