Policies and Procedures

ST. TAMMANY PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

EMERGENCY DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN

If school buildings are closed due to emergency situation or inclement weather conditions, STPPS is prepared for learning and instruction to continue through required distance learning. Through digital curriculum resources, technology, and communication with teachers, high-quality learning will continue. It is important for students and families to understand their role and what to expect on Emergency Distance Learning Days.

 

STUDENTS

Distance learning attendance is mandatory.

Elementary/Middle School students should review emergency distance learning day schedule in Google Classroom for Google Meet instructional times and teacher updates.

 Junior High/High School students will follow their normal school schedule for Google Meet instructional times.

Attendance will be taken during the first 20 minutes of each Google Meet session unless otherwise noted by teacher(s) on Google Classroom platform.

If a student is unable to participate in online learning due to illness, parents/guardians should notify their child’s teacher(s).

Check the online platforms for information on classes, assignments, and resources daily.

Ensure that you know your usernames and passwords for instructional resources.

Engage in online learning activities being offered by your teachers and/or provided through online resources.

Submit all assignments by due dates established by your teacher(s).

FAMILIES

• Visit the district’s website for updates.
• Ensure that your child knows his/her usernames and passwords for instructional resources.
• Maintain communication with your child’s teacher(s) as needed.
• Monitor time spent engaging in distance learning lessons.

Students are required to engage in all distance learning lessons and complete assignments. Grades will be determined by assignments completed. Teachers will include due dates for all assignments in Google Classroom.

Providing and maintaining a secure, caring, and productive environment for the students and staff of the School System are a primary concern. The School System and all schools have emergency preparation and response plans that cover a variety of situations.

Threats to the safety our schools, our students, and our staff are taken seriously. If you see something, say something.

View STPPS emergency and safety procedures.

 

Dear Parents and Guardians:

The faculty and staff welcome you to Lake Harbor Middle School for the 2024-2025 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,                                                                     

Nicolle Balser

Principal

 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 21^st Century.

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.

  All students are required to attend school regularly.  According to the Louisiana Department of Education, students will be allowed ten absences each school year for elementary students.  There are also new rules that apply to these absences.  Absences of two or fewer consecutive school days incurred due to personal illness or serious illness in the family may be validated by the parent or caregiver with a written excuse note.  If a student is absent for three or more consecutive days or for other types of absences, a student must present a note from a physician, nurse practitioner, or dentist to be excused.

Students who accumulate more than 10 absences may need to attend Saturday School to make up seat time.  These guidelines will not allow students to be excused for vacations or other family trips.  You will need to make an effort to schedule vacations and necessary appointments during school breaks.  Our current school year calendar is posted on our website at www.stpsb.org and includes ample breaks for travel plans.

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.

Band and chorus are open to fifth and sixth graders. 

The following eligibility guidelines must be observed:

1.  Students may not participate in both band and chorus.

2.  A grade point average of 2.0 must be maintained by each student.  If the GPA drops below 2.0 on the nine-weeks report card, a conference will be called with the parent and teacher, and  the student will be ineligible to participate until the interim point of the following nine weeks period. If the GPA is brought up to 2.0 at the interim point, the student may re-enter the elective program on a probationary status.

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.  Please contact the school librarian about the program if you are interested in making a lasting contribution in your child’s name.

A light breakfast is served from 7:35 to 8:05 daily.  The cost is free for students this 24-25 year.

Transportation to and from school by a 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 a 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(s).

STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WALK TO SCHOOL UNESCORTED BY AN ADULT.

 All car traffic that enters Lake Harbor Middle School grounds during the morning drop-off (7:35 to 8:05) and afternoon dismissal (3:00 to 3:30) time frames must enter through the Magnolia Trace Elementary School entrance on Highway 1088.  All vehicles should use the center lane as a stacking lane.  Vehicles should not stop in the red striped zones or block other lanes or driveways as these areas are needed for bus traffic.  The car line will begin moving through the front, small horseshow after the bell rings and the duty teacher is on duty.  Vehicles should proceed through the horseshoe to drop off or pick up their student(s).  Please cooperate with these traffic flow instructions for the safety of everyone.

The Viola Street entrance is for bus traffic ONLY during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up of students.

      In an attempt to keep our students safe, we would like to make you aware of the St. Tammany Parish School System’s policy on transportation changes. Parents must send a note to the school office prior to any transportation changes. The note needs to include details of the transportation CHANGES and must be signed and dated by the parent or guardian. Office employees will no longer accept transportation changes over the telephone.

      If there is a need to communicate a transportation change to your child within the school day, you may send the information in writing to the school office via email or fax (985-674-6762). A copy of the parent or guardian’s driver’s license must be attached when sending an email. All faxes must contain the parent or guardian signature.

      If your family or work schedules call for different routines on a regular basis, please make sure to send a note indicating these changes and make your child aware of the schedule.

      Please make sure that your child is being dropped off or picked up in the carline or uses bus transportation. NO parent or child should be walking across the bus circle or the carline circle.

If it is imperative for a child to have a cell phone, the cell phone must stay in the student’s book bag and stay turned off at all times.

When a parent finds it necessary to check out a student early from school, the parent must come into the office to sign-out the student.  The parent also needs to present official identification to the office workers to be verified against the student’s emergency information.  These measures are for the safety of your child.  Parents should not call ahead to have a student waiting for check-out so that the loss of instructional time can be minimized

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 in the first week of school.  Every teacher at LHMS follows this procedure.

We believe that classroom visitation can improve the parent/school relationship as well as helping to give parents insight into the classroom.  For security reasons, we do require anyone visiting our school to check in at the office as soon as entering the school.  All visitors require authorization by the teacher and administration.  (see Visitor Authorization Policy)

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.

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 give the message to the teacher.

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.)

The administration, faculty, and students at Lake Harbor Middle School realize that effective discipline is necessary to provide a positive learning environment that 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 during the first week of school.

Lake Harbor Middle School parents followed St. Tammany Parish School Board policy on voting to require Lake Harbor Middle School students to wear uniforms.  The uniform will be the one 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.). There must be a hem at the bottom and cannot be frayed or torn.

Leggings: 
Leggings may be worn when the weather is cold. They must be grey, white or black.

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, grey, or black undershirts may be worn underneath the uniform shirt.  Please refer to the St. Tammany Parish School Board Dress Code Policy stated in the system handbook.

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.

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.  Field trip payments can be paid online at www.mypaymentsplus.com or turned in to the homeroom teacher in an envelope with the student’s name, homeroom teacher’s name and “field trip money” clearly written on the envelope. 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.

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.

Assessment of performance will be done in compliance with the 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 grading error, you must present the relevant paper to your child’s teacher.  The Student Progress Center is also available to all parents who want to view their child’s grades and teacher website online at any time.

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.

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.

 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. 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.

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.

The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law passed in 1987 to help people experiencing homelessness.  The Act requires states and school districts to make sure students in homeless situations can attend and succeed in school.  The McKinney-Vento Act applies to all children and youth who do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are living in the following situations:

·         Doubled-up housing with other families or friends because they lost their home or their family is having temporary financial problems;

·         Living in a motel/hotel because of economic hardship or loss of housing;

·         Living in an emergency or transitional shelter, domestic violence shelter, or in a runaway/homeless youth shelter;

·         Living in a vehicle of any kind; trailer park or campground without running water and/or electricity; abandoned building; substandard housing; bus/train station;

·         Awaiting foster care placement; or

·         Abandoned in a hospital.

Children and youth in homeless situations have the right to the following:

·         Attend and succeed in school no matter where they live or how long they have lived there;

·         Enroll in school despite the lack of a permanent address or lack of school and immunization records, or birth certificates and other documents;

·         Receive services comparable to those offered to non-homeless children and youth;

·         Get transportation to school;

·         Access educationally related support services;

Make sure that disagreements between students and schools are resolved quickly

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.

These regulations must include at least the following:

            1.  A written statement from a 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.

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

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.

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 7:35 a.m. or remain after 3:20 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.

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.

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 has instituted 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 Play.  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 a 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, After-School Detention, 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 the loss of participation time on that day.   A current school year behavior record is maintained for each student.  Parents are informed of the 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 for 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 EVERYONE:

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 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 restroom 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. Students are only

Allowed to “WALK and TALK” on the playground before school.

5.    All 4^th-grade students are to stay in the area outside of the 4^th grade wing.  They may use the walking track

All 5^th-grade students should be located in the middle of the playground outside of the 5^th/6^th-grade wing.

All 6^th-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 will have consequences.

 

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

1.    Walk on 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 of passing time to return to class.

9.    Students must use the fitness equipment on the playground appropriately.  No hanging or turning upside down, climbing on top of the equipment, and no pushing.  Students must wait for their turn to use the equipment.

DETENTION:  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:

·         Lunch Detention

·         Before School

·         After School 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 actions 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.

C.  PLAYING BALL

      1.   Playing with balls 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 that 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 that 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.   Remain quiet in the halls.

      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.

VII. BULLYING

Lake Harbor Middle School does not tolerate bullying of any kind.

As defined by Act 861 of 2012, bullying is a pattern of one or more of the following:

·         Gestures, including but not limited to obscene gestures and making faces;       

·         Written, electronic, or verbal communications, including but not limited to calling names, threatening harm, taunting, malicious teasing, or spreading untrue rumors;

·         Electronic communication including but is not limited to a communication or image transmitted by email, instant message, text message, blog, or social networking website through the use of a telephone, mobile phone, pager, computer, or other electronic device.

·         Physical acts, including but not limited to hitting, kicking, pushing, tripping, choking, damaging personal property, or unauthorized use of personal property;

Repeatedly and purposefully shunning or excluding from activities; where the pattern of behavior is exhibited toward a student, more than once, by another student or group of students occurs, or is received by a student while on school property, at a school-sponsored or school-related function or activity, in any school bus, at any designated school bus stop, in any other school or private vehicle used to transport students to and from schools, or any school-sponsored activity or event.

      Incidents should be reported to an adult who has authority.  All faculty and staff have been trained to effectively follow the guidelines for bullying and prevention of bullying behaviors. Proven allegations of bullying can have serious consequences for the person deemed guilty, including verbal or written reprimand, in-school or out-of-school suspension, disciplinary reassignment, and/or expulsion.

      We will follow the STPSB guidelines for dealing with Bullying situations in a prompt manner.

VI.          CHROMEBOOKS

      The Implementation of the Chromebook program is to provide tools and resources for our students.  Chromebooks are issued to every student like a textbook.  Students are to use their Chromebooks for academic uses only.

      Students are responsible for the general care of their Chromebook.  It is STRONGLY recommended that all students purchase Chromebook insurance.  Chromebooks that are broken or fail to work properly are to be reported to a teacher.  The student is expected to charge the Chromebook NIGHTLY and brought to school fully charged.  The Chromebooks are managed by STPSB.  Any strategy used to circumvent security settings including removing the device from the domain is a violation of policy and may result in disciplinary action and loss of use.  Students are not to use external removable devices such as USB drives and flash drives.

General Precautions and Care:

·         Insert and remove cords and cables carefully

·         Do not remove the case or cover issued by STPSB

·         Keep the Chromebook free of stickers, writings, or drawings that are not the property of STPSB.

·         Close the Chromebook on a flat surface after checking that nothing is on the keyboard to prevent closure.

·         No food or drinks near the Chromebook.

·         Do not place heavy objects on the Chromebook or drop objects on it.

·         Do not expose the Chromebook to extreme heat or cold and keep out of direct sunlight or in an area that can harm them.

·         Do not remove or interfere with identification placed on the Chromebook by STPSB.

·         Do not leave the Chromebook unattended

·         Carry the Chromebook with the lid closed.

·         Use only your fingers to touch the keyboard or screen.

·         Do not spray or wipe the Chromebook with any household cleaner or wipes.  Use only a soft, dry microfiber cloth or anti-static cloth.

·         The hinge of the screen will only open to a slight angle.  Do not attempt to open the screen beyond this stopping point as the screen will break if forced.

Consequences:

      The privilege of having a Chromebook comes with new responsibilities and new consequences.  Violations can have the following possible consequences:

·         Parent notification;

·         Suspension of network, technology, or Chromebook privileges;

·         Complete loss of Chromebook;

·         Detention or suspension from school and school-related activities; and/or

·         Legal action and /or prosecution

Accidental Damage vs. Negligence/Intentional Damage

      Accidents do happen.  There is a difference, however, between an accident and negligence or intentional damage.  The price that the District paid for the Chromebook includes the Chromebook and charger.  After the investigation by the school administration. If the Chromebook is deemed to be intentionally or neglectfully damaged by the student or someone else, the student may be subject to discipline and/or the cost of repair or replacement.

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.

STPSB offers a Student Device Damage Coverage Program of all participants in the Chromebook program.  Parents or guardians who do not purchase the Student Device Damage Coverage WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF ALL REPAIRS AND/REPLACEMENT OF THE DEVICE.  It is STRONGLY recommended that all students participate in the Student Device Damage Coverage Program.  A device cost breakdown can be obtained from a school administrator.

**** Lost or stolen devices are not covered under the Student Device Damage Coverage Program.  A police report must be filed for the student to be issued another device in the event of theft.

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 all students arrive at school on time.  The take-in bell rings at 8:05. All students should be in their classroom ready to begin the day by 8:05. If you bring your child and you arrive after 8:05, you must bring him/her to the office to get an admission slip.  If your child is excessively tardy within a grading period, you will be called for a conference with the administration.  Disciplinary action will be taken for excessive tardiness. 

Threatening words or actions towards any student, faculty, or staff are not tolerated and are subject to disciplinary action.

The procedures below are intended to ensure that such visitations do 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 the 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 show identification.

·         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

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 the 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.