Middle Years

Dec. 16, 2022

School Organization

Teaching Teams
School Day
Lunch Program
Lockers
Student Fees
Library

Student Assessment

Assessment and Reporting
Reporting to Parents
Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences

School Discipline

Code of Conduct
Student Responsibilities
Detentions
Suspensions
Community Relations
Dress
Respect for Property

Attendance

Absences & Lates
Leaving School Early
In-service Days

General Information

Fire Drills
Field Trips
Newsletter
Fundraising
Bikes

School Organization

Teaching Teams

At the middle years level students are divided into homeroom groups. Either two or three groups will comprise a grade level team. The intent of this structure is to ensure that the students have a small group of teachers that work with them across the core curriculum. The homeroom teacher meets with the students each morning for attendance and morning announcements. This inidivudal will work closely with your child and you by:

reporting to parents at report card times and other times when the student is experiencing difficulties.
meeting with parents during parent-teacher conferences.
maintaining contact between home and school especially where attendance or academic performance are important issues.

Students are responsible for:

sharing problems and concerns with their homeroom teacher
informing parents of their conversations with their TA.

School Day

Salisbury Morse Place operates on a 6-day cycle. The daily schedule is as follows:

8:50 a.m. Opening bell - students enter the building, proceed to lockers and prepare for classes.
9:00 a.m. Students in homerooms. Opening exercises/announcements. Students entering after 9 a.m. are late.

Period 1 9:10 - 10:00 a.m.
Period 2 10:00 - 10:50 a.m
Period 3 10:50 - 11:45 a.m.

Lunch 11:45 - 12:45 p.m.
Opening Bell 12:40 p.m.

Period 4 12:45 - 1:40 p.m.
Period 5 1:40 - 2:30 p.m.
Perod 6 2:30 - 3:20 p.m.

Dismissal 3:20 p.m. dismissal

Lunch Program

Where possible students are encouraged to take a break from the activities of school and go home for the lunch hour. As necessary, accommodations are made for students to eat their lunch at school. Grade 6 students who are staying for lunch are expected to remain on school property at all times. Grade 7 and 8 students are encouraged to remain on school property but with the permission of parents may venture off property. Respect of our neighbours and the local business is important for any student who is heading into the community.

When staying for lunch students are expected to:

Show respect for the supervising teacher; follow all directions.
Eat lunch in the lunch area only (11:45 -12:05 p.m.)
Put their garbage in the trash can.
Clean up lunch area when asked by the supervising teacher
Proceed to the area of choice immediately following the 12:05 p.m. bell
Remain in chosen area until 12:40 p.m.
Stay outside the building once they have selected to go outside unless the weather becomes such that re-entry is necessary.
Remember their lunch, etc. before they go to the lunch area.

Students remaining in the school between 12:10 and 12:40 must be attending a teacher supervised activity - all other students must remain outside until 12:40 p.m. Student not observing these rules of common courtesy and respect will have lunch privileges suspended. Parents will be notified whenever this suspension is required.

School Canteen

The school canteen will be open from 11:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. to sell snacks, drinks etc. during most of the school days.

Lockers

At the beginning of each year homeroom teachers will assign a combination lock and locker for each student in their homeroom group. No student is allowed to use their own lock. Students are encouraged to go to their lockers at the beginning of the morning and afternoon only. At that time they should check their timetable and take whatever they need for the following periods.

Students are not allowed to change lockers during the year without permission from their homeroom teacher, and then this change must be recorded in the office. Students are responsible for their lockers and are expected to keep them clean and orderly. At the end of the year all locks are returned to the Homeroom Teacher in good working order. Students who feel they need a new lock should consult with the office staff. Since lockers are the property of the school, the administration reserves the right to check a locker if there is probable cause.

Student Fees

Student fees cover the cost of items not included in the regular school budget. Student fees should be paid during the first week of school. At the Grade 6 - 8 level the school based fee is $45. This fee covers the student agenda book, school yearbook, lock and locker fee, activity fee, and an art/band fee. Some of the grade level groups purchase supplies for the students. The fee will be adjusted to accommodate this additional expense. Please see the supply list section under "Documents and Forms" for further detail.

Musical Instrument Fees:

A signed rental agreement must be completed before the instruments are released to students. A number of payment methods are available. Rental agreements are available from the music teacher.

Yearbooks are included in the student fees and are partially subsidized by school fund raising. In families with more than one child attending the middle years section of the school only one yearbook need be purchased. Please advise the child's homeroom teacher.

Library

The library provides various services for students:

Information on projects and school work: via technology and books.
Books for fun or recreational reading.
Access to the computer lab for services such as: research using the Internet, e-mail and opportunities to create electronic presentations.

The library is open to students during the lunch activity time and from 3:20 to 3:45 after school, as well as during regular school hours. Student volunteers are welcome and should sign up with the teacher-librarian or the library technician.

Student Assessment

Student Assessment & Reporting

Student assessment is continuous and ongoing. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their assessment through self-assessments as well as conversations with their teacher. Assessment for learning allows the teacher and students to understand and make decisions regarding the next steps in student learning. Teachers engage in descriptive feedback to help the students understand their learning strengths and the areas that require attention for growth. Three times during the school year the teachers will create an assessment of learning report that is shared with parents. Students are prepared to be involved in conferences with parents so that they can communicate about their learning.

Reporting to Parents

Communication with parents is an important responsibility of the teacher. The reporting process is a measure of student success in meeting the general and specific learning outcomes in each of the courses of study. To create a picture of learning the reporting is divided into three aspects: performance on academic indicators, student engagement and anedcotal comments written by the teacher.

Student- Parent-Teacher Conferences

Learning conferences are set up two times during the school year - following the November and March reporting. It is very important that students are involved in these opportunities to share information about their learning. Notices are sent home with the students tp allow parents to book conference times.

School Discipline

Code of Conduct

River East School Division has developed a code of conduct through discussion with parent advisory committees, student councils, teaching staff, support staff, administrators and trustees. The code is a guideline and reference for parents or guardians, staff and students in determining acceptable behaviour in the education environment.

The division and the school's approach to discipline is based on the belief that students learn to discipline themselves if they are allowed to experience the logical consequences of their actions. Wide ranging consequences may be applied depending on the severity of each individual incident of misbehaviour and the frequency of that misbehaviour.

The expected behaviour of students will be clearly communicated to the students, the parents and the community. Effective discipline of students hinges on a cooperative approach between school and parents. We try to involve parents as early as possible without calling home every time a student misbehaves. Parents are encouraged to communicate with the school to establish individual guidelines.

Every student's right to learn will be safeguarded through this approach to student discipline. A teacher's right to maintain a safe and orderly classroom is also safeguarded and supported by River East Transcona School Division. Following is a list of consequences that may be applied:

informal staff-student interview
support personnel involvement (guidance, etc.)
formal interview (student/teacher/administrator/guidance/parent)
student withdrawal from class setting
removal of student priviledges
student detention
restitution for damage
clinical and/or student support services involvement
behavioural/performance contract
outside agency involvement (e.g., police)
suspension
expulsion

Student Responsibilities

Every school has expectations regarding student behaviour and Salisbury Morse Place is no exception. Most of these are listed throughout this handbook. There are however specific rules you should know about.

Students should not:

swear or use racist language
put down or intimidate other students
be rude to staff and other students
leave class or school without permission
wear hats or jackets in class
leave money in their lockers
go without shoes
eat sunflower seeds or consume slurpees while in school
go to lockers without permission during school hours
use a school telephone without permission

Detentions

Detentions are assigned when students fail to fulfill their responsibilities. In a case where a student cannot complete a detention he/she must be excused by the teacher who assigned the detention. Students who consistently fail to serve detentions will be referred to administration for follow-up.

Suspensions

Although few students ever engage in activities which result in suspensions it is important that you be aware of them.

Students will be suspended for the following infractions:

fighting (either in school or to and from school)
using inappropriate language directed towards a staff member
smoking in the school building or on the school grounds (all RETSD schools are smoke-free)
attending school under the influence or in possession of alcohol or drugs
conduct which endangers students or staff
theft
willful damage
insubordination
truancy (in-school)

In all cases of suspensions parents/guardians will be notified. In cases where they cannot be reached the student will be placed on an in-school suspension until a parent/guardian contact has been made. Students are re-admitted to the school after a parent/guardian, student and administration conference has been held. In rare cases of repeat offences the suspension time will be extended.

Community Relations

The school is an important part of the community. The adults of the community help support schools through their taxes and their voluntary services. They are interested in what happens at our school. We expect that students will deal with our neighbors with courtesy and respect. If problems arise students should see their homeroom teacher or an administrator for help.

A few basic rules of behaviour that will help community relations are:

walk on sidewalks
be polite when encountering residents on the street
be positive and helpful with the younger early years students
show respect for community property (e.g., DO NOT cut through neighbors' yards)

Dress Code

School is a special place. We expect students to dress in a manner appropriate for school. We align with our divisional policy, JICA, that we will educate our students about appropriate dress in the school setting. In particular, clothing which promotes or advertises alcohol products or drugs or contains racists, ethnic, obscene or violent slogans should not be worn in school. Gang colors, including signs, symbols and other gang representations, should also not be worn in school. Administration and Teachers in Charge have the authority to address inappropriate attire.

Respect for Property

It is expected that students will take good care of their own things and the property of others.
It is expected that students will take good care of their school and school property.
Should any student willfully damage property or carelessly lose property, it is expected that he/she will repair, clean and/or replace it.

Attendance

Absences & Lates

Absences

Regular attendance is compulsory not only because it is the law but because research has shown that students who attend school regularly do better than those who do not. All absences must be explained by a parent phone call (668 9304) or a DATED note signed by a parent/guardian and given to the homeroom teacher when the student returns to school.

Parents, we need to work closely together on this!

One of our secretaries will phone home to check on absent students for unexplained absences. In cases of continued unexplained absences, guidance staff will become involved. In serious cases the truancy officer for the division may be contacted to support the parent in getting the student to attend school. If you need to be away for an extended period a parent/guardian should call your homeroom teacher and arrange to have work brought home.

Lates

Punctuality is extremely important at this school. Students should be in their homeroom with books at 8:50 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. respectively.

If you are late you must:

fill out a late slips at the office.
have the late slip signed by the secretary in charge of attendance hand late slip to your teacher when you arrive at the classroom

Leaving School Early

Students requiring early dismissal for dentist, doctor, etc., appointments should bring a note on that day and it will be noted on the attendance sheet and class register. Students must check out through the office if they need to leave the building.

Inservice Days

The Public Schools Act provides ten days during the school year for schools to conduct parent-teacher interviews, professional development and other administrative duties. These days are a good time to schedule medical or dental appointments. You can find these days on the Salisbury Morse Place School calendar.

General Information

Fire Drills

These are very important. We are required to have ten each year.

General fire safety procedures:

An exit route will be posted above each classroom door.
Classroom teachers are to determine alternative routes in case of blockages.
Stairways, halls and exits must always be free of anything that would block an exit.
Floors should be kept free of litter.
All students must wear shoes during class time.
Students must exit in a quiet orderly fashion.

Field Trips/Student Activities

In the course of the year students may go on field trips. A student permission form must be completed before a student can take part in a trip. All school rules are in effect on out of school trips. All students are expected to attend all field trips as these are a regular part of the programs.

Newsletter

The newsletter is the school's means of keeping parents informed about important school and community events. The newsletters are produced approximately once per month. It is important that the newsletters arrive at home. This is the student's responsibility.

Fundraising

River East Transcona School Division permits each school to have one major fundraising project per year. Students, however, may not canvass door to door. All funds raised are used to support student activities. Advance notice will be given to parents when fundraising takes place. Full participation by all students helps to ensure a successful campaign.

Bikes

Bikes may be brought to school and locked to the rack in front of the school, or driven to the rear link entry and locked in the courtyard. Students are, however, encouraged to leave their bikes at home because we cannot guarantee their security. The school cannot be responsible for stolen or damaged property.