Dear Parents and Guardians:

The faculty and staff welcome you to Lake Harbor Middle School for the 2007-2008 school year.

Students, parents, and teachers all share in the educational development of the student. Parental involvement in the process is a key component to providing effective educational opportunities that will allow your child to fully develop his/her potential. We urge you to come to school frequently, visit the classrooms, and communicate with the teachers and me. Your ideas and suggestions can make meaningful contributions toward improving Lake Harbor.

I am looking forward to an outstanding year. I believe that working with your child and you this year will be exciting and rewarding. Working together we can achieve much success.

The Student and Parent Handbook is designed to provide information about the school policies and procedures for helping ensure a safe and caring school environment where all students have the opportunity to learn and grow.

If you have questions about this handbook or other school issues during the course of the year, I hope you will feel free to contact me. We strive to maintain good communication with parents and welcome your comments, questions, and involvement.

Sincerely,

Susan Patin
Lake Harbor Middle School

Mission Statement

Believing that education helps shape the future, we, the faculty, staff, parents, and community of Lake Harbor Middle School, dedicate ourselves to professional excellence in education and an exemplary instructional program. We commit ourselves to meeting the intellectual, physical, social, emotional, aesthetic, and technological needs of all our students in a family-centered environment. It is our task to teach in a manner that will educate and motivate all students to reach their maximum potential as life-long learners and productive citizens in the technology-based, global society of the 21st Century.

Philosophy

The goal of the faculty and staff of Lake Harbor Middle School is to meet the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs of our students. We are committed to high standards of academic achievement for all students. This commitment extends to all subjects of the core curriculum, including reading, writing, grammar, spelling, mathematics, science, social studies, technology, the arts, and physical education. The development of higher-level thinking, with an emphasis on problem solving and creativity, is essential to prepare our students to be productive citizens in our rapidly changing technological society. Our goal is to teach in a manner that will educate and motivate all students regardless of background, ability, developmental level, or learning style.

We encourage our students to become good citizens who are responsible, cooperative, and self-disciplined. In order to affirm each child’s sense of self-worth, Lake Harbor Middle School strives to provide an atmosphere of trust, acceptance, discipline, love, and respect. Our goal is to instill in our students an appreciation and acceptance of all individuals in a safe haven of learning.

The public school system is the basic institution for the formal education of our youth. The staff of Lake Harbor Middle School recognizes, understands, and respects both the responsibilities and opportunities that accompany this role. We acknowledge the immeasurable value of strong parental involvement and commit ourselves to joint cooperation with each family. We pledge ourselves to excellence in successfully fulfilling these obligations to the children of our community.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS

ABSENTEEISM AND EXCUSES: All students are required to attend school regularly. The State of Louisiana requires that a student be present one hundred sixty (160) days to be considered for promotion. If your child is absent, upon his/her return to school, he/she must bring an excuse signed by you or the physician explaining the reasons for the absence to be allowed to make up the work missed. If your child accumulates 18 absences, excused or unexcused, during the school year, a mandatory meeting with the School Building Level Committee will be called for exceptional promotion during the month of May.

School Board officials send letters to parents when absences are a matter of concern. If parents have contacted the school and documented excused absences, no other action is necessary.

Students need to make up work missed due to excused absences. The student is responsible for making arrangements with the teachers to make up all assignments as soon as the student returns to school. If your child misses only a day or two, the work can be made up upon return to school. If the absence is extended, you will need to contact the school (if the student is able to study at home) and arrange to pick up assignments 24 hours after contact is made at the end of the following school day.

AFTER-SCHOOL CARE PROGRAMS: An after-school program is available. If your child is not picked up by 3:20 p.m., your child may be sent to the childcare program, and you will be billed the daily rate. Additional information is available in the school office.

BIRTHDAYS: Birthdays are a special time for children and their families and friends. At school, celebrations can be disruptive to the classroom and therefore are not permitted. Please do not send a birthday cake, balloons, etc. to your child at school on his/her birthday. As an alternative, the LHMS library has a birthday program in which a book may be purchased and donated to the school library in the child’s name. A staff member makes a short visit to the classroom to wish the child a happy birthday and present a special bookmark. Please contact the school librarian about the program if you are interested in making a lasting contribution in your child’s name.

BREAKFAST: A light breakfast is served from 7:45 to 8:05 daily. The cost is $.35 per child. Breakfasts must be prepaid. No charges are allowed.

BUS: Transportation to and from school by school bus is available to most students. Please refer to the BUS GUIDELINES as stated in the student handbook. In order to help ensure the safety of all students, parents are strongly encouraged to discuss with their child the following bus guidelines and basic rules:

1. Always follow the instructions of the bus driver.
2. Remain completely seated and face the front of the bus.
3. Keep hands and feet to one’s self.
4. Talk in a low tone of voice and never use unacceptable language.

To help ensure bus safety and avoid overcrowding, students must have permission to ride a bus other than his or her bus. When requesting permission for your child to ride another bus, you must call the driver to request permission. Bus drivers must refuse any student, not assigned to his/her bus, the opportunity to ride when the safety of other riders could be endangered.
Students who wish to ride another bus must present a dated note signed by parent/legal guardian to the office. This note must state the rider’s name and bus number. Presenting such a note does not guarantee the privilege of riding another bus. This privilege is not to be used to transport children to team practices, lessons, or tryouts. If a bus is at its capacity, students who do not normally ride this bus will not be allowed to ride even with permission from their parent.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT POLICY: Each teacher has a classroom policy. The rules, consequences, and rewards are posted in each individual classroom. Also, a classroom discipline plan is sent home with each student the first week of school. Every teacher at LHMS follows this procedure.

CLASSROOM VISITATION: We believe that classroom visitation can improve the parent-school relationship as well as helping to give parents insight into the classroom. All parents are encouraged to visit the classrooms from time to time. For security reasons, we do require anyone visiting our school to check in at the office as soon as entering the school. Parental visits to the school help the positive growth of LHMS (See Visitor Authorization).

CLOTHING: Please label all of your child’s clothing with his/her name. School spirit shirts can be ordered at the beginning of the school year. Specific information is sent home with each child.

CONFERENCES: Parent-teacher conferences are helpful to the student and enhance his/her chances for success. The principal and assistant principal are available to all parents and are eager to meet with you. Since much of their time is spent supervising instruction and counseling students, a prearranged appointment will ensure you the opportunity to meet with them without interfering with the daily operation of the school.

Anytime you want a conference with a teacher or administrator, please call the school secretary at 674-4440, and she will set up the appointment.

DISMISSAL OF STUDENTS TO NON-PARENTS OR GUARDIANS: Please send a note with your child if you wish for him/her to leave school with anyone other than the immediate family. This is very important because without proper authorization children will not be allowed to leave school with other people. If they belong to certain organizations and attend on a regular basis, one note will suffice for the entire year. (Catechism, Scouts, etc.)

DISCIPLINE PHILOSOPHY: The administration, faculty, and students at Lake Harbor Middle School realize that effective discipline is necessary to provide a positive learning environment which enables every student the opportunity to maximize his/her learning potential. To this end, the students, teachers, and administrators have worked together to develop a School Wide Discipline Plan. This plan is reviewed each school year to provide for the changing needs of our students. This plan is sent home at the beginning of each school year, and parents are expected to be responsible for seeing that their child is familiar with and understands the Discipline Plan. Likewise, it is the responsibility of every teacher and administrator to see that the Discipline Plan is consistently and fairly carried out. (See School Wide Discipline Plan).

For students who choose to act in an inappropriate manner, a series of consistent disciplinary procedures are administered in an impartial manner. The consequences are consistent with and remain within the boundaries of the system-wide disciplinary policies of the St. Tammany Parish School Board.

A discipline plan for outside behavior expectations and consequences is sent home with each student at each grade level the first week of school.

DRESS: Lake Harbor Middle School parents followed St. Tammany Parish School Board policy on voting to require Lake Harbor Middle School students to wear uniforms for the next two school years. The uniform will be that proposed by the school uniform committee. This uniform follows all guidelines of the St. Tammany Parish School Board Dress Code.

Lower Torso: Pants/Shorts/Skorts/Skirts only are to be worn. Shorts, skorts, and skirts must adhere to the length as stated in the STPSB student dress code. The color is solid khaki only (no stripes, designs, etc.).

Shoes: Shoes should follow the STPSB Dress Code Guidelines.

Upper Torso: Only long- or short-sleeve forest green collared polo style shirts are to be worn. Other special school T-shirts (art, Band, etc.) may be worn ONLY ON FRIDAYS. Only a solid white, short-sleeve or sleeveless undershirt may be worn underneath the uniform shirt. Please refer to the St. Tammany Parish School Board Dress Code Policy stated in the system handbook.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION: Reaching parents or their designees is essential in emergency situations. Each student must turn an emergency information form to the school office that includes who to call in case of emergency and the doctor to see if necessary. Parents need to send in this information during the first week of school and update information during the year. Students who have not turned in this form may not be allowed to participate in events such as field trips, field day, etc.

FIELD TRIP: The school may offer educational activities during the year that involve leaving the school grounds. When we have these activities, all school rules are enforced, regardless of the location or type of activity. When such an activity is planned, a letter is sent home with the details. For your child to attend any of these activities, you must sign the permission slip and return it and the cost of the trip to school by the deadline stated in the letter. Handwritten notes cannot be accepted. If it is not possible for you to send the money for the trip by the deadline, an extension may be granted if you contact the teacher and notify him/her of your intention to pay at a later date. A permission slip still must be returned by the deadline. Bag lunches are provided by the cafeteria if the event is held during the lunch period.

Field trips are reserved for students who exhibit acceptable behavior and a commitment to schoolwork. Students who misbehave or fail to complete assignments may be denied field trip privileges. Instructional supervision will be provided at school for students not taking part in the off-campus activity.

Parents may request to chaperone field trips. Other children may not accompany parents on the trip. Students must travel on the school bus on field trips. In some instances, transportation may be allowed in parent vehicle. In such cases, insurance is the primary responsibility of the vehicle owner.

Refunds will be issued upon written request of the parent.

Parents wishing to take students home directly from field trips must sign them out in the school office before the trip departs from school. They may not rejoin the group after leaving the activity.

GRADES: Assessment of performance will be done in compliance with School Board policy. Graded papers will be sent home once a week on the day specified by the teacher. If you do not receive papers, contact your child’s teacher. The grade recorded in the teacher’s grade book is the official grade. If you believe a grade has been recorded erroneously or a paper has a grade error, you must present the relevant paper to your child’s teacher.

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR: Our school has a guidance counselor who provides services as a whole class, small group, and individual counseling. Parents may arrange conferences with the counselor by calling the school office and making an appointment.

ILLNESS AT SCHOOL: To help ensure your child receives attention if he/she is ill at school and to help limit other students’ exposure to illness, students will be sent home from school for the following conditions:
· Temperature above 100 degrees
· Vomiting
· Diarrhea
· Rash
· Suspected communicable disease

You will be notified and asked to take your child from school and seek medical attention.

INHALANTS: No inhalants are allowed at school, including liquid paper, rubber cement, etc.

LIBRARY RULES: Students are strongly encouraged to use our school library and check out books to take home. Students sometimes overlook book due dates, which can result in backlogs requesting books and loss of books. Fines for overdue materials from the library help to alleviate these problems. The purpose of fines is twofold- (1) to establish a sense of responsibility in the students; (2) to defray the cost of lost or damaged books.

A library media fine of twenty-five (25) cents per day is charged for reserve and overnight books. Five (5) cents per day is charged for regular circulation materials that are overdue. Payment for lost books is based on the current list price of books in print. If the book is out of print, an average current replacement cost for a comparable book as suggested by the selection catalogs or recommendations by the American Library Association determines the replacement cost.

If a student has an overdue book, he/she may not check out additional books from the library until the fine is paid and the book returned.

Library check-out privileges are restored when students have either paid the fines, returned lost books, or negotiated a settlement with the librarian and/or principal.

The librarian notifies, in writing, the parents of students regarding overdue or lost books. Written notifications are given at least once each nine weeks when report cards are sent home. The notification may accompany the report card, or it may be mailed separately.

LUNCHES: FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES: Free and reduced lunch applications are sent home when school starts. If your child was in the program for the prior school year, he/she will qualify for the program until October 1, 2005. Parents are urged to fill out the application and send it in as soon as possible. After October 1, students without a current application on file will have to pay full price for lunch. You will be responsible for any charges accumulated by your child after the cut-off date.

A hot lunch is served daily. The price of a lunch is $ .70, which includes milk. Students who qualify may receive free or reduced price lunches. If you feel your child is eligible for free or reduced lunches, please submit an application.

Students are issued a computerized lunch pass. Payment should be made monthly. If this is not possible, you must pay on a weekly basis. Payment must be enclosed in an envelope, labeled with the student’s name, homeroom teacher, and lunch I.D. number. This is very important as teachers no longer collect and record lunch payment. Envelopes are turned in at the cafeteria. A child may be allowed to charge five times. After this point, additional charges may not be allowed. If your child accumulates charges totaling $5.00, he/she must call you to make arrangements for payment before being provided lunch. Your cooperation in this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their child. Please check in at the office before going to the cafeteria.

MANDATED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION EDUCATION AND REPORTING PROGRAM: As mandated by the St. Tammany Parish School Board, students in grades K-8 receive instruction on the topic of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention, Education and Reporting. All materials that are used in the instruction may be previewed by contacting the school administration. We encourage you to talk with your child about this topic, as well as other general safety issues.

MEDICATION IN SCHOOLS: As a general principle, medications are not to be given at schools. Acutely ill students should be home. Students convalescing from an acute illness should remain at home until the need for medication no longer exists.

Students are not allowed to have any drugs in their possession on the school grounds.

Special consideration is given for health problems that can be expected to be of long duration. To assure school attendance for students who must use medication in the treatment of chronic disabilities or illness, the parent is responsible for notifying the school of any abnormalities in the health of their children. When such a condition exists, the following policies will be followed.

A. Any student who is required to take medication during the regular school day must comply with school regulations.
These regulations must include at least the following:

1. Written statement from physician and/or parent detailing the name of drug, dosage, and time intervals medication is to be taken.

2. Written request and permission from the parent or guardian of the student requesting that the school district comply with the physician’s order.

3. Medication must be brought to school by the parent in a container
appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician.

B. For the well being of the child, effective communication among the school, parents, school nurse, and physician is very important. Parents are urged to maintain close contact with the school during the child’s illness.

MESSAGES: Parent calls to students are forwarded only in emergencies. Students can not be called out of class to speak on the telephone without permission of an administrator.

PARTIES: School-sanctioned parties will be arranged between the classroom teacher and room mothers. Please do not send goodies on other occasions, such as king cake during the Mardi Gras season or birthdays. On holidays, please do not send gifts, flowers, boxes of candy, etc., to students at school. Cards, if given, must be given to everyone in the class.

PETS: Students are not allowed to bring pets or other animals to school. Permission may be granted by the school principal for an animal/pet to be brought to the classroom by the parent for a demonstration or sharing activity. In such cases, the parent must remain in the classroom and take the animal home at the end of the activity. The parent accepts responsibility for the pet or animal while in the classroom.

PICKING UP/DROPPING OFF STUDENTS: The school day at LHMS begins at 8:05 a.m. and ends at 3:11 p.m. Students may not arrive on campus prior to 7:45 a.m. or remain after 3:30 p.m. Parents who bring children to school must drop them off and pick them up in the circular driveway in the front of the school. Students must be checked out no later than 2:45 p.m. No students may be picked up or dropped off in the bus loading zone. School hours are subject to change at the direction of the School Board.

RESPONSIBILITY: Please help us to continue to develop responsibility in your child. If he/she forgets something at home, the students will not be permitted to call you to bring it. Parents will be notified if their children fail to turn in assignments, come to class without supplies, etc. Only if we insist that the students be accountable for their actions will they become responsible.

If your child neglects his/her schoolwork or homework, you will be notified by your child’s teacher. If the student continues to neglect assignments, we will call parents for a conference .

SCIENCE FAIR AND SOCIAL STUDIES FAIR PROJECTS: The purpose for encouraging students to complete long-term projects such as science fair and social studies fair projects is to give students the opportunity to research a problem or explore a topic in a systematic, scientific way. Another benefit of such projects is that they also require students to integrate and apply the skills they have learned in language arts, math, and science or social studies. Furthermore, such projects allow students the opportunity to express their curiosity, creativity, and ingenuity. The fact that competition is involved in the school fairs should not overshadow the basic reason for science fair and social studies projects. The primary goal for such projects is student learning.

Since competition is a very real part of life, our children need to have positive opportunities for competition at an early age. Academic fair competitions challenge children to produce a product that meets certain standards. Presenting the project orally to the class and judges also is an important part of the experience for the child. In addition, competition has a tendency to motivate many persons to produce the very best they can produce. Furthermore, academic fairs give students the opportunity to learn how to win and lose graciously.

The staff at LHMS realizes that competition also can have a negative side, so a less competitive Academic Expo is another option. At the Expo student projects are on exhibit, instead of in a “fair”. All students in fifth and sixth grades will be required to complete a project, meeting all requirements of one of the three for a classroom grade. For students entering each fair, emphasis at all levels of judging will focus on making the fair a positive learning experience for each child.

Long-term projects require parental involvement. Parents and students have expressed concerns in the past about how much and what type of parental help is permitted. To help parents and students with this issue, the following guidelines have been adopted:

1. Parents may type project backboard and report from child’s handwritten final draft.
2. Parents can proofread a student’s work, but corrections should be made by the child.
3. Computer generated graphs are not required and do not necessarily improve a student’s chance of winning. They are permitted. However, the student must be involved in the process. Parents may guide students through the use of difficult computer programs. Students should make final decisions about graph.
4. Artwork should be the work of the child.
5. The parent may assist the child in creating a visually appealing backboard. For example: help with measuring, cutting, pasting, hot gluing, and placement.
6. Topic selection should reflect the interest of the child.
7. Research, design, and implementation of experimental procedure should be completed by the student. The parent’s role is to provide the resource and direction necessary.
8. The parent’s role is to reinforce project guidelines established by the teacher.

SEVERE WEATHER DRILLS: Emergency evacuation routes and procedures are clearly posted in each room of the school. Employees are familiar with and responsible for making students familiar with emergency evacuation procedures. Drills are conducted in accordance with St. Tammany Parish School Board Policy.

STUDENT INSURANCE: Optional student insurance is available. A brochure is sent home with each child. The school will collect the form with the payment if you wish to utilize this service. Neither the school nor the School Board accepts responsibility for filing or honoring claims.

TARDY: Chronic tardiness is disruptive and short-changes a student’s learning opportunities. Tardiness also establishes poor work habits that can continue throughout life. Therefore, tardiness is treated seriously. State law requires that you have students be in school on time. If you bring your child and you arrive after the bell, you must bring him/her to the office to get and admission slip. If your child receives 3 tardies within a grading period, you will be called for a conference with the administration. Disciplinary action will be taken for excessive tardiness.

THREATS: Threatening words or actions towards student, faculty, or staff is not tolerated.

VISITOR AUTHORIZATION POLICY: Lake Harbor Middle School encourages parents and others to visit our school campus. The procedures below are intended to ensure that such visitations not interfere with the smooth operation of the school or the safety of students and personnel, and that visitors comply with state laws governing visitors on school grounds.

· No one is allowed on school grounds without authority of the principal or designee.
· All visitors must report to the administrative office immediately upon arrival. The purpose of the visit and destination within the building must be stated to the principal or designee. Permission to visit within the school building is at the discretion of the principal or designee. The principal or designee may/may not grant permission to visit within the school building.

· All persons must receive an official visitor identification badge and sign the visitor book. Visitors will report only to those areas of the school for which permission has been granted.

· All visitors must sign out in the administrative office and return the official visitor identification badge.

· All visitors must depart the building and grounds as soon as their official business is completed.
· Because of the high priority we place on school security, we ask that all visitor procedures be followed. Failure to comply with these procedures may result in the penalties provided by the La. Ref. State. 17:416.8

WEAPONS POLICY: Students found using, processing and/or concealing a knife, a firearm, a weapon which may discharge a projectile, or other dangerous instruments which may cause bodily harm shall be immediately suspended and recommended for expulsion. We will notify police immediately. Students using, possessing, and/or concealing any look-alike object that may have the appearance of a weapon or dangerous instrument will be immediately suspended from school and recommended for expulsion. Upon the recommendation for the expulsion, the Superintendent or his designee will conduct a hearing. Students in grade five or lower who are found, in the hearing process, to have used, possessed, and/or concealed a weapon or look-alike weapon shall be disciplined according to the decision made by the Superintendent or his designee. The Superintendent will refer any case involving a student in grade five or lower found in possession of a firearm on school property to the School Board with a recommendation for action. Students in grades six or higher who are found, in the hearing process, to have used, possessed, and/or concealed a weapon, or look-alike weapon will be expelled from the school system for a period of not less than 12 calendar months.

LAKE HARBOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
STUDENT HANDBOOK
SCHOOL-WIDE DISCIPLINE PLAN

The school wide discipline plan was written by the school faculty and administration at the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year. The school wide discipline plan is a dynamic plan which students, teachers, and the administration can jointly review and modify as the school year progresses.

All students, parents, and teachers must agree to abide by the plan at Lake Harbor Middle School. Students at Lake Harbor Middle School are also required to adhere to guidelines for student conduct and attendance as set forth in The St. Tammany Parish Handbook on Attendance, Discipline, and Student Records. Each student is given a copy of the handbook at the beginning of the school year or as they enroll throughout the year.

Our school is instituting the FISH! For Schools philosophy into the school-wide discipline plan. The FISH! philosophy aims to help create a safe, supportive, and effective school culture and learning environment. FISH! has four basic principles – Be There, Choose Your Attitude, Make Their Day, and Enjoy Learning. Through shared ownership and a common language, FISH! helps teach children life skills about building strong relationships and living life more fully. It also helps teachers lead students to own and manage their own behavior.

As common practice, the administration, faculty, and staff will encourage appropriate student conduct through the use of positive, assertive discipline policies and procedures. As part of our assertive discipline policy, we always seek active parental input and support. However, if a student chooses to behave inappropriately, the administration and faculty will require the student to accept consequences for these actions which can include written work, loss of recess, assignment to In-School Suspension or Saturday School, suspension, or other appropriate actions.

Behavior is a key factor regarding student participation during school wide and grade-level activities. Behavior problems occurring on the day of the event could likewise result in loss of participation time on that day. A current school year behavior record is maintained for each student. Parents are informed of consequences prior to the event.

All parents are strongly advised to sit down with their children and read the school-wide discipline plan together. An in-depth awareness of the plan will help to ensure the most productive learning environment.

GRADE LEVEL BEHAVIOR POLICY: In order to establish a safe and positive learning environment, we have developed guidelines of appropriate and safe school behavior while out of the classroom. We are addressing particular areas of concern. Please refer to the school handbook for all of the school rules. Teachers have in-class behavior plans for their classrooms. Please review with your child the individual classroom letters sent to you regarding classroom conduct, then sign and return the last page.

RESPECT:
1. Students are expected to treat all personnel and fellow students with respect and consideration. Disrespectful words, tone, and/or gestures are not permitted. Teasing,
name-calling and harassing are not be tolerated.

BEFORE SCHOOL: To help ensure good order and positive conduct, the following procedures are enforced as students arrive for school.

1. All students must enter the playground through the hall near the gym.
2. Students should use the rest room in the hall near the gym.
3. Students may only enter the building with a pass from their teacher.
4. No ball playing, throwing games, or running is allowed before school.
5. All 4th grade students are to stay in the area outside of the 4th grade wing. They may use the walking track
All 5th grade students should be located in the middle of the playground outside of the 5th/6th grade wing.
All 6th grade students should be located outside of the cafeteria and may use the picnic tables.
6. At the bell, students will proceed in an orderly manner through the hall.
Students not following these guidelines are given recess detention.

HALLWAYS: To help keep our hallways safe and accessible, students are expected to:

1. Walk along the dark tiles, in an orderly manner, keeping hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
2. Walk with a teacher or carry a hall pass.

RECESS: Recess is designed to be a safe, refreshing time for students. These policies help us best use recess and school instructional time.

1. Recess is the appropriate time to use the restrooms and get water.
2. Balls must be carried until the student reaches the playground.
3. No running or playing with balls is allowed in the picnic table area.
4. All food and drinks consumed at recess must be eaten outside only, and trash must be put into the garbage barrels.
5. Students may use the library at recess. They must go directly there from the cafeteria and must use the stairs by the main office. No one is allowed to go to the library after the first 5 minutes of recess.
6. When the recess dismissal bell rings, students are to return to class via the assigned stairs or hall. AFTER THE BELL RINGS, NO FURTHER PLAYING OF ANY KIND IS PERMITTED.
7. Students may not get drinks or use the restroom after the bell rings
8. Students have three minutes passing time to return to class.

DETENTION: These procedures must be followed by students assigned detention:
1. All students who are serving detention must enter the building through the playground doorways.
2. Students who are serving detention have three minutes passing time to arrive to detention on time; otherwise, they must serve another day of detention.

CONSEQUENCES FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR: Within the first week of school, the teachers will thoroughly discuss these policies with all students. To help students become familiar with the policies and develop the habit of following them, teachers and administrators allow some latitude for error during the first week of school by giving warnings. Thereafter no warnings are given. We expect all of our students to behave according to school rules. If students choose to break the rules, the following consequences will be enforced:

1. The student is verbally corrected by the duty teacher.
2. The student’s name is written into the Grade Level Discipline Book. The student is referred for a recess detention for the first and second offenses. Failure to attend detention results in an additional day of detention. If an assigned detention is missed for a second time, the student is assigned to In-School Suspension or the next Saturday School.
3. With the third offense, during any period throughout the year, the student will report for
recess detention for five days.
4. With the fourth and fifth offense, the student is referred for a recess detention.
5. With the sixth offense, the student is sent to the next Saturday School or In-School Suspension as ordered by the administration.
6. With the seventh and eighth demerits, the student is referred for a recess detention.
7. With the ninth offense, a mandatory parent conference is held at the school office with an administrator. The student loses the privilege of attending the next field trip and reports to one day of In-School Suspension.
8. With the tenth and eleventh offense, the student is referred for a recess detention.
9. With the twelfth offense, the student is sent to the next Saturday School or one day of In- school Suspension and a mandatory parent conference is held at the school office with an administrator for a discussion of other possible actions.
10. After the twelfth offense, the student is sent to the administration for each incident. The administrator will then have the discretion to choose an appropriate action, which may include one of the following:
· Detention
· Exclusion
· Saturday School
· Suspension
· Teacher-Parent-Administrator-Student Conference

NOTE: Individual teachers use their discretion to keep students in class during recess for in-class misbehavior, incomplete work, tutoring, etc., but these are not written up in the Discipline Book. The administration reserves the right to determine consequences for offenses referred directly to the office.

FIELD TRIPS: Students on field trips are representing Lake Harbor Middle School and are therefore expected to exhibit excellent behavior. Students behaving inappropriately are not allowed to attend the class field trip.

I. SCHOOL RULES

A. GENERAL BEHAVIOR
1. Students are to respect all staff members at all times and follow their directions.
2. Students must respect their fellow students.
3. Gang-related activities, symbols, signs, etc., are not allowed.
4. Students must use acceptable language.
5. Students caught fighting will be assigned to Saturday Detention or In-School Suspension for the first time. A student caught fighting for the second time will be suspended.
6. No student may threaten in words or action or harass other students, faculty, or staff.
7. Students must always keep hands, feet, and body to themselves.
8. Students must immediately report students exhibiting aggressive behavior to an adult.
9. Toys, trading or playing cards, and/or any electronic devices may not be brought to school.
10. Recess is a time when students are responsible for using the bathroom and getting water.
11. Chewing gum is unacceptable.
12. Students are to put all litter in trash cans.
13. When the recess bell rings, students are to stop playing and return to class in a quick and quiet manner.

B. PLAYGROUND BOUNDARIES
1. The playground is within the fence and students are not to go outside the fence for any reason.
2. The drink and snack machines are open during the afternoon recess. Students buying drinks/chips should consume them in the assigned area.

C. PLAYING BALL
1. Playing with before school begins is not allowed.
2. Students must play with balls in designated areas.
3. Students must play with balls in the manner for which they are intended.
4. Playing tackle football is not allowed.
5. Rough play of any kind is not allowed.
6. Taking away another student’s ball is unacceptable.
7. Balls are not to be thrown against the wall of any building.
8. Students are to stop playing ball as soon as the recess bell rings and go to class in a quick (never running or pushing) and quiet manner.

II. CAFETERIA RULES

A. GENERAL
We strive to maintain an atmosphere which allows students to experience an orderly, safe, and enjoyable lunch. Students are responsible for immediately and respectfully complying with our cafeteria monitor’s directive. Students should adhere to rules posted in the cafeteria.
Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior:

1. Students will be verbally warned by cafeteria monitors, teachers, or administrators.
2. Students written up for inappropriate cafeteria behavior will serve recess detention the next day.
3. All Cafeteria Conduct Reports will be added to the Grade Level Discipline Book, and the discipline consequences will be enforced.

III. BATHROOM RULES

Students are strongly encouraged to use the bathroom at recess. Teachers are reluctant to allow students to use the bathroom at other times unless they receive a written note from a parent or guardian stating that their child has a physical problem which necessitates more frequent bathroom usage. It may be necessary to document such a condition with a physician’s note.

A. PROPER BATHROOM USE
1. Show your respect for yourself by the way you use the bathroom.
2. Boys should lift the toilet seat before urinating.
3. Always flush toilets after use.
4. Stall doors are for your privacy and should be treated with respect.
5. Leave lights on at all times.
6. Use toilet paper, soap, and paper towels for the purpose for which they are intended.
7. Loitering or playing in the bathroom is unacceptable.
8. Properly dispose of hygienic materials.

B. PRIVACY
1. Respect student’s privacy when using the bathroom.
2. Opening doors to stalls while others are using the toilet is unacceptable.
3. Fighting, hitting, pushing, shoving, tripping, or kicking in the bathroom is unacceptable.
4. Threatening or harassing others in the bathroom is unacceptable.

C. OTHER
1. An adult will be outside the bathroom to monitor student behavior. Bathroom doors must be left open to aid in monitoring.
2. Parental support and encouragement of their child’s proper usage of the bathroom is strongly encouraged.
3. Writing or drawing on bathroom walls is unacceptable.

IV. HALL RULES

A. TRAFFIC CONTROL
1. Always respect and follow the directions of the teacher/aide monitoring the halls.
2. Students must have a hall pass from a teacher to justify being out of class.
3. Students should walk on the dark tiles in the hallway and follow school rules posted in the hallways.

B. GENERAL RULES
1. While walking in the halls, talk in a low tone.
2. Always walk in the halls.
3. Playing in the halls is unacceptable.
4. Walk in single file when you are with your class.
5. Keep hands and feet to oneself.
6. Keep hands off displays and posters on the walls.
7. Knocking on walls or doors disturbs class and is unacceptable.
8. Jumping up and hitting clocks or the top of doors is unacceptable.
9. Bouncing balls in the hall is unacceptable.

C. CLEANLINESS
1. Keep halls clean. Properly dispose of litter.
2. Food or drink in the halls is unacceptable.
3. Inappropriate use of the bathroom is unacceptable and may result in suspension.

V. ASSEMBLY RULES

A. GENERAL BEHAVIOR
1. Sit as directed and remain quiet during the program.
2. Pay attention to the speaker or performing artist.
3. Raise hand to be called on before speaking out.
4. Booing or whistling is unacceptable.
5. Absolutely no inappropriate gestures, comments, or actions will be tolerated.
6. Keep hands and feet to oneself.
7. Consuming food or drink during an assembly is unacceptable.

B. SEATING
1. Enter and exit in a quiet and orderly manner.
2. Sit where directed.
3. Sit in straight lines.
4. Sit flat so students behind you can see.
5. Sit in one place and be still.
6. Sit quietly.

VI. PHYSICAL EDUCATION POLICIES

A. DRESS CODE
For the safety of the students, appropriate dress is required for P.E.
Students must wear:
· Socks
· Tennis shoes with a full back
· Uniform shorts, pants or skorts
If a student cannot be dressed appropriately due to extenuating circumstances, please send a note to the Physical Education teacher, so that the student will not lose participation points from their daily grade.

B. ALTERNATE ACTIVITIES
Students without a written excuse who are dressed inappropriately will lose participation points from their daily grade and will not be allowed to participate in the planned activities. These students still may earn effort points towards their daily grade if they successfully complete one of the following alternate activities:
· If class is held inside, the student will complete a written assignment
· If class is held outside, the student will complete other assigned physical activity.

C. ILLNESS AND INJURIES
If a student is ill or injured, he/she must bring a note from a doctor, parents, or guardian stating the limitations of participation or the exclusion from the activity. If the student is limited or excluded from activities for an extended period of time, please send a note when he/she may resume normal activity. Students will not be excused from participating if they do not have a note.