Bronxville
MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL
STUDENT HANDBOOK 2015-2016 BRONXVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL ! 177 Pondfield Road ! Bronxville, New York 10708 !
! !
Telephone: 914-395-0500 ! Fax: 914-771-6223 ! Principal: ! ! ! Dr. Thomas L. Wilson, ext. 3779 ! ! ! ! ! e-mail: twilson@bronxvilleschool.org! Ass’t. Principal:! ! Mr. Marcellus Lessane, III, ext. 2404 ! Principal’s Secretary: ! Mrs. Carol Cecere, ext. 3800 !
MIDDLE SCHOOL !
MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL
SCHOOL HOURS The Middle School is in session daily from 7:50 a.m. until 2:20 p.m. First Period begins at 7:50. You have five minutes for passtime between each class period. You are expected to handle your personal needs between classes (bathroom/water, etc.) Asking to leave the room during class for any reason should be reserved only for a true emergency.
!
You can’t leave school grounds for any reason without advanced, written permission from your parents (including for lunch).
!Guidance Counselors:!
! ! ! ! Counselors’ Secretary: !
!School Psychologist:! !School Nurses: ! ! ! ! ! ! ! thletic Director:! ! A
A.D. Office Secretary: !
Mr. Jim Brogan, ext. 3292 ! Ms. Lisa DeSanto, ext. 3801 ! Mrs. Julie Denise, ext. 2286! Dr. Joyce Vastola, ext. 2237! Mrs. Kelly Donohue, ext. 1229/1230! Mrs. Kathleen Sosa, ext. 1229/1230! Ms. Karen Peterson ! Mrs. Dawn Hartson, ext. 3234!
ATTENDANCE Attendance is taken at the beginning of each period. If you are late to First Period, you need to get a pass from the MS Office before being admitted to the room which will allow the computer to update your arrival.
!You have to be here to do your
best! It is hard to keep up with your work when you are out. While we don’t want you to come to school if you are really sick, it is important to know that being absent affects your work. If you miss the school day for any reason you can’t take part in any co-curricular activity or practice/ play a sport on that same day.
ABSENCE/LATENESS If you are absent, your parents have to e-mail Mrs. Cecere at the address below by 7:50. When you return to school, before you go to class, you need to bring a signed note from your parents to the MS office explaining the reason for your absence.
!Everyone gets one “late pass” each
quarter. If you are late a total of five times in a quarter (including the one “pass”), you will have to serve a detention. Each additional lateness results in an additional detention. Don’t let this happen to you! Be on time for all of your classes. Each quarter you start fresh, but it is important not to start a bad habit!
If you are going to be absent your parents need to e-mail the office using the address below:
msattendance@bronxvilleschool.org
When you return to school, you must bring a signed note from your parent to the Middle School Office before going to class.
!
School Closings & Delayed Openings ! Especially during the winter months, the weather might require that school be closed or delayed for opening. Our Superintendent, Dr. Quattrone, makes the decision about school closings based on current and predicted conditions as quickly as possible. !
!When school is delayed, the
middle school schedule changes. Usually this means First Period will begin at 10:00. We run all classes (regardless of cycle day) but use shorter periods.!
!School closing/delay
information is on the school website and on the following media outlets: Channel 12, WNBC and the radio, WCBS (880AM), WHUD, WVOX and WFAS (1230AM). !
!
Emergency Notification ! Our School District will alert parents in the event of any significant issue happening during school hours. It is critical that parents keep their most current information on file and check and update contact information using the Parent Portal. Any changes including new cell phone numbers and email addresses are the responsibility of families to update directly. We can’t reach out if we don’t have good, working numbers!!
! ! ! ! !
!
The Bronxville Emergency Dismissal Plan
!This plan allows the school to be closed by the Superintendent of Schools in the event of an emergency situation during the school day. Examples of emergency dismissals include: heavy snowfall, high winds, flooding, lack of heat or other unexpected condition. ! The general policy is that students will be held at school if possible. In the event of an emergency closing, a responsible adult (over 18 years of age) must pick you up and sign you out of school. No exceptions. Please note the following procedures: !
!Your parents must identify three
adults on the website who can pick you up in case they are unavailable. It is recommended that neighbors or other people who live locally be designated emergency contacts. !
!Ask your parents to tell you
who they have selected to be your emergency contacts. !
!Parents will be notified of
an Emergency Dismissal via information supplied in the Parent Portal for contact. !
!In the event of an Emergency
Dismissal, the Police Department permits parking around the school building. Parents should use the closest open entrance available. In the event of an Emergency Dismissal, parents who are close to school should walk if possible.
TEEN CENTER
Teen Center is a Friday night activity (7PM-9PM) and most students attend.
!There are tons of different
activities to do. From dancing, to sports, to video games and movies, to inflated obstacle courses, there is something for everyone and tons to do!
!
Pizza, desserts, drinks and snacks are provided for everyone throughout the night.
!
The current cost for Teen Center is
$15 paid in advance (or $20 at the door) with a signed permission slip in either case.
!You can’t attend Teen Center if you were absent from school the entire same day for any reason.
!This is a Middle School event only. NO outside guests are permitted. ONLY currently enrolled Bronxville students may attend!
!Students must be picked up by a parent at the end of the event, which is 9PM.
!A parent MUST come inside the
Atrium (Meadow Avenue) entrance to pick students up! No exceptions
!Students are NOT allowed to leave early or leave alone at the end of Teen Center.
!
!
Teen Center Dates/Grades 9/25 Grade 6 10/23 Grade 8 11/13 Grade 7 1/22 Grades 6 & 7 2/26 Grades 7 & 8 3/18 Grade 6 4/15 Grade 7 5/20 Grade 8
Come to Teen Center!
FOUR TIPS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESS
If you follow these easy steps, you will ver y likely have good days- even before class star ts!
!
1. Put your name on EVERYTHING
Get a black Sharpie pen and write your name on the outside of all your notebooks and binders, including this planner. Write your full name on a tag inside clothing. If we find items without names, they are thrown into charity bins at the end of the week. Things with names are always returned!
!
2. Get a Master Combination Lock & practice the combination.
We’re lucky that theft isn’t a big problem in our school, but it is essential that you lock your belongings in your hall locker at all times. We have had people lose phones and other items and in every case it has been from an unlocked locker. This one is easy: LOCK IT UP!
!3. KEEP YOUR CELL PHONE OFF— NOT ON “SILENT”
You may bring cell phones to school, but they may not be used on school grounds during the day, including during lunch (off-site is OK). If you choose to have a cell phone, you are responsible for insuring that it is turned off and not visible during the school day. If a teacher takes your phone, a parent will have to retrieve it from the principal’s office. No exceptions.
!
4. LOST & FOUND If you lose something,don’t panic! First, look in your classrooms (windowsills and floor). Then in the MS Office conference room. Then go to the corner of the cafeteria and finally the corner of the main gym. Almost always lost things are in one of these places!
Daily School Schedule All Middle School classes are 40 minutes long on Days 1,2,5 and 6. On days 3 and 4 classes are “Double Block” days and classes are 80 minutes long, but you only go to half as many classes on each of these days.!
! There is a five minute pass-time between classes. Please handle RREger
your personal needs between classes. You may not go to the cafeteria during a double block class or between classes. No open food or drinks are allowed in the hallways or in classrooms.!
!
Regardless of the day of the cycle, all classes end at 2:20. After the last period, there is a last period of 40 minutes devoted to extra help with all teachers. This is called Ninth Period. It is not required that you go to Ninth every day, but it is recommended that you do take advantage of this opportunity regularly.
Ninth Period There are eight periods in the school day. After the last period is a time we call NINTH PERIOD. This is a time when you can go to any of your teachers to ask a question, get extra help or to make sure you are on track in any given class. On one Wednesday a month it is possible that some of your teachers will not be available due to Faculty Study Team meetings, but on most every day Ninth Period is an option in almost every class. It is not a good idea to only go to Ninth Period just before a test. It is best to use Ninth Period to prepare for upcoming work, not to try and cram at the last minute!
Double Block Days We run classes on a six day cycle. That means that instead of using the days of the week, we use numbers for each day, 1 through 6. After Day 6, the rotation starts over again from Day 1. ! On Days 3 and 4 in our cycle, you have a different schedule. On these days you’ll have half as many classes, but they meet for nearly twice as long. (ODD PERIODS DAY 3, EVEN PERIODS DAY 4) DAY THREE SCHEDULE!
! 1st Period 7:50- 9:15
DAY FOUR SCHEDULE !
!
2nd Period 7:50- 9:15
3rd Period 9:20-10:45
4th Period 9:20-10:45
Lunch
Lunch
5th Period 11:30-12:50
6th Period 11:30-12:50
7th Period 12:55-2:25
8th Period 12:55-2:25
SPECIAL TRIPS Each year, special trips are planned for each grade level. Take a look at what’s in store!
! !GRADE SIX !10/6
SHARPE RESERVATION This is a team building and outdoor adventure that we have early in the year.
!6/2016 (June 3rd,6th or 7th) CHALLENGER CENTER
This science trip gives you the chance to be a part of a simulated space shuttle launch.
!! !
GRADE SEVEN 11/17-20 WILLIAMSBURG, VA This four-day, three-night trip is a chance to see first hand what life was like in colonial times and is one of the highlights of the year!
! !GRADE EIGHT !12/11
SNOWFLAKE BALL
YOUR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS & SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST !
!
Guidance counselors do what their name suggests: they give guidance (give direction) and counsel (to advise). They are concerned with helping you in all aspects of your personal, academic and social development. !
!The Counselor’s goal is to help you develop to your highest
potential, participate fully in the school community and begin to help you think about your future in society. Guidance Exploratory is a class you take during the year, but your guidance counselor can be really helpful any time things get tough for you. It happens to everyone and the guidance counselors can be a huge help.!
!Your guidance counselor is either Mr. Jim Brogan or Ms.
Lisa DeSanto. You’ll keep the same counselor for all three years you are in middle school. They will help you recognize your abilities and interests, and can help you set goals now and for the future. !
!They work closely with students and parents. They explain
academic requirements of our school and what options offered in our Exploratory Program. They also help to make schedules based on each student’s individual needs. !
!The guidance counselors work closely with teachers, too.
They help make sense of things when a plan needs to be created to help you. They help make things manageable and make things clearer for everyone.! ! example, if you are really sick and can’t come to school for For three or more days (not for a vacation!) your parents should contact the Guidance Office (395-0500, ext. 2286). Your guidance counselor will help to arrange for your assignments to be gathered. When you return to school you may have to make arrangements with your teachers to make up more missed work, but your counselor can help you make a good plan for this as well! !
This semi-formal dance for Grade 8 students `is held at the Field Club.
! !Dr. Joyce Vastola is your school psychologist. She works
WASHINGTON, D.C.
with a lot of students in the school and for many different reasons. She meets with students, teachers, and parents. Dr. Vastola knows everybody in the school and she is a really good listener and gives excellent advice!!
!3/9-11
This final overnight trip in middle school focuses on our government, our history and our national heritage. It’s also a lot of fun!
!6/23/16
GREAT ADVENTURE The Eighth Grade end-of-year trip to Six Flags is something everyone in Eighth Grade looks forward to all year long!
!
!
You may find that you don’t need help from your guidance counselor or psychologist very often during middle school, but if and when you do, they are really good to have on your team! During the course of the year they will seek you out just to touch base. It’s all a part of helping you do your best and to remember that you are not alone in all of this!
This student planner is provided to you by the Bronxville PTA
ADVISORY CLASSES
Did you know that Advisory can help you:! • learn more about yourself as a student! • learn more about executive functioning skills and how they affect your success.! • develop positive relationships with peers and adults alike. ! • explore and make use of your interests, abilities, and aptitudes. ! • develop a broad range of personal, social, academic, and even career interests.! • develop strong self-esteem. ! • to encourage the acceptance of differences and respect for others.! • to learn more about issues important to your health and well-being.!
Every cycle, you will meet with a teacher and a small group of students in a class called Advisory. !
!
The Advisory Program is a key link to what defines our school as being a Middle School. The Advisory Program is about building relationships with others as well as learning more about yourself. !
!
Did you know that teachers are not required to be Advisors? They do it because they feel it is important for you to make lasting connections with adults who care about you. This is another relationship you will build upon on a regular basis. Advisors are interested in your personal! academic and social goals and will help you to learn more about how you can take charge of your own work and life. ! Did you know that Advisory helps you gain personal and interpersonal skills?! Our Advisory Program helps you learn about yourself. A big goal of the time spent in Advisory is to get to understand more about yourself and to refine your understanding of the importance of strong character through activity, dialogue and reflection. !
! !We will help you to establish connections with others •
in the school. The real purpose of school is to learn about you and to help you unlock your excitement about being able to pursue your own goals. We do not allow any student to be anonymous in our school. Even if you have issues with someone or a friendship ends, when you are a student in our middle school, you belong. The Advisory Program should make it clear to you how important it is to feel that you always belong… no matter what!!
!
!
In Advisory, each year we focus on a different theme related to developing good character. Over the three years, you will learn Four More!!
4MORE 4MORE 4MORE 4MORE GRADE SIX
GRADE SEVEN
GRADE EIGHT
INT E GRIT Y
ACCOUNTABILITY
PERSEVERANCE
Accountability has to to with being responsible for what you say and what you do. This may mean keeping your word or taking responsibility for your actions.
Perseverance means to stick with something, to persist and to finish it, even when it is hard to do. Developing this skill helps you reach goals and to better accept new challenges.
!
Integrity means sticking to your ethical beliefs and making difficult decisions based on principles you believe in.
!
!
S E L F - AWA R E N E S S!! / M I N D F U L N E S S
Each year, your advisory class will work on new ways to help you expand your self-awareness and understanding of how you interact in the world and to develop mindfulness techniques that will help you to understand yourself and others better.
WHAT IS NOT COOL Here are some things that are just not done in middle school. Read and understand these things because they aren’t cool!
!
Having things dropped off for you during the day
!This is a serious DON’T. You can’t
rely on people bringing things in from home that you forgot. It doesn’t matter if it is homework, gym clothes or an instrument. The only exception is food for lunch. Having people run around and bring you things isn’t cool when you are in Middle School, so don’t ask your family to break this rule for you!
!
Leaving your books unattended anywhere
Not cool. Books left in random places are likely to be lost very quickly and forever! If you leave your things in the hallway, they may not be there when you remember!
!! Being late to class right after lunch
!
If this happens, it will result in you losing out-to-lunch privileges pretty quickly, which would not be cool at all.
! Making a scene or any
kind of problem uptown during lunch. !
This is an easy way to lose out-tolunch privileges indefinitely. Be mindful that when you are in public you represent yourself, your family and your school. Residents and store patrons, pedestrians and drivers should not be bothered by you in any way.
!It’s not cool to make a scene, to
be too loud, to push or shove on sidewalks or in stores. To walk in or near traffic, to throw snow (or anything else) or do anything that attracts negative attention when you are uptown.
OUT TO LUNCH PRIVILEGES Everyone looks forward to middle school because you get to go out to lunch. This is true, but keep in mind that going out to lunch is a student privilege, not a student “right”. ! You are allowed to go uptown for lunch if your parents read, sign and return a consent form to the MS Office stating that they understand the rules and liabilities associated with leaving the school building for lunch.!
You may not bring food or drink from town into the building. You may bring a water bottle to class if your teacher permits it.! In August, your parents can go to the Middle School Website and print out the form for the 2015-2016 school year. Each year, a new form signed by a parent is required to be on file in the office.! This letter must be signed by both you and your parents and then returned to the MS Office. Signing this agreement means there is an understanding by both you and your family of what is required of you when you are off-campus. (See the section to the left for some more detail about lunch issues). !
!
RESPONSIBLE USES OF TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP Each time you sign in to a school computer, you are asked to agree with the ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY. By clicking on the “I AGREE” icon, it means that you understand and will follow the rules governing the use of technology in the school building. ! Digital citizenship means that you are aware that your actions on the computer and on-line can have real-world consequences for yourself and for others. ! Here are some quick tips to keep in mind:! 1. Internet access is a privilege and is limited to classroom and library use only in the Middle School.! 2. You may not access social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to check or send status updates, pictures, etc. ! 3. Only if a teacher asks that you bring your personal device (phone, etc.) to class for a special project is it acceptable to have such devices out and in use during the school day.!
! Any evidence that a student has misused technology in the
school, including misuse of the internet or tampering with devices, software, or systems will result in disciplinary and possibly legal action, if applicable. !
!The full Acceptable Use Policy is available on the District Website under STUDENTS.
HOW TO JOIN MODIFIED SPORTS TEAMS Modified sports teams are available for seventh and eighth grade student athletes only. Here are the steps you need to take to join a sport 1. A Current NYS Physical ! A physical must be on file with the Health Office. The physical has to be less than a year old to qualify. Update if needed.
!
2. Green Card*! This is a basic emergency contact and waiver form that needs to be signed by a parent.
!
3. White Card*! This is a detailed medical form filled out and signed by a parent.
!
4. Sign-ups in Physical Education Classes!
During PE classes, your teachers will discuss the different teams available. You may sign-up in class or later in the Athletic Office. Students in grades 7 and 8 interested in “playing up” on junior varsity and varsity sports, there are additional requirements. Check with your P.E. teachers and Ms. Peterson for details. For sixth grade students, intramural teams are available and follow the same procedures as above.
!
HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON
Grade Level Bulletin Boards Each grade level has a dedicated bulletin board on the second floor of the school in the B-Wing near the Rotunda at the center of the hallway. Facing the boards, they go in order from sixth to seventh to eighth grades. There is a calendar posted in each of these glass covered display cases where teachers write down important upcoming events like projects, quizzes and tests. !
!
The teachers all use this calendar so that everyone-- all teachers and all students-- can see when academic and social events are scheduled. This way teachers make informed choices about when to give tests or projects so you are not overwhelmed with work all at once. ! ! This also gives you a way to do some advanced planning for organizing your study time and to make sure that you have the same information written in this planner! If for some reason you find that there has been a test or project announced that is not written on the planner, please let your teacher know directly. !
!
Only teachers may open the glass display cases to add materials or make any changes to the calendar
!
Internet Access to Materials Rediker is our school’s on-line information system. The Student Portal is the place where you can find information about our district and all three levels of the school. It has many features that don’t need a password, but when you use your student log-in you can access many extra features that are customized just for you, including pages from each of your classes. ! Class pages are set up by your teachers. All teachers post assignments on their class pages and, depending on the class, there may be a significant amount of other material available on the site as well including study guides, extra reading materials, etc. It is important to write your assignments down in this planner, but it is also important to check your class pages each day as well!!
GRADING SYSTEM
!
Our middle school uses a system of letter grades (A,B,C,D,F) to mark student achievement on quarterly report cards. ! Let’s be clear about what grades are meant to show: they are an indication of your achievement and progress in a given class, not your ability to do the work in that class. So while you may not do as well as you had hoped in a class, that does not mean that you can’t do the work. Don’t be discouraged- it may mean you need better work strategies for that class or to spend a bit more time with the material. You should definitely talk with your teachers about suggestions they may have for improvement, too. ! The letter grades and their numerical equivalents are below:!
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
A+! A! A- ! B+ ! B! B- ! C+ ! C! C- ! D+ ! D! D- ! F!
97.5 to 100 ! 92.5 to 97.4 ! 89.5 to 92.4! ! 87.5 to 89.4 ! 82.5 to 87.4! 79.5 to 82.4! 77.5 to 79.4 ! 72.5 to 77.4 ! 69.5 to 72.4 ! 67.5 to 69.4 ! 65.5 to 67.4 ! 64.5 to 65.4 ! 64.4 and below
HONOR ROLL & ACADEMIC RECOGNITION Each quarter, students who meet or exceed the requirements for honor roll are recognized for academic excellence on their report card. In order to qualify for honor roll:!
!
• •
•
Your overall average for the quarter must be an A- ! Any single class grade below a B excludes you from honor roll, even if mathematically your overall report card average is an A-. ! Honor Roll requires that you exhibit good citizenship and respect for self and others.!
!
!Academic Recognition Certificates may be awarded to a student by an administrator, counselor, teacher or team for improvement in personal performance or excellence in helping others attain their academic goals.
HALL LOCKERS You are assigned two lockers for use each school year. You must buy and use one standard Master Lock (combination lock) for your hallway locker to secure your belongings at all times. Starting this year, you will be assigned a lock and locker in your Physical Education class. !
!You may not leave your locker
unlocked for any reason. If you slide the lock on, but don’t press it closed, you will likely find your locker has been emptied. !
!You are responsible for keeping your locker clean at all times.! !You may not decorate the outside of lockers for any reason, including birthdays.!
!
NEVER SHARE THE COMBINATION TO YOUR LOCK! In case you forget your combination, the other people who should have your combination are your Advisor and your Guidance Counselor.!
! LOCKER ETIQUETTE
Don’t keep any open food or drinks in your locker-- ever.! Don’t keep money in your locker-- ever! Don’t keep valuables in your locker -ever!
!
You may keep a water bottle in your locker, but these should be brought home for cleaning on a regular basis.! You are encouraged to use your lockers to store books and materials because backpacks are not allowed to be carried from class to class. !
! !
The school assumes no ! responsibility for any material loss from lockers!
!Yproperty ou do not own your!locker. It is school and personal privacy rights are limited when using a school locker.! !
The school reserves the right to cut any lock for any reason if a reasonable cause to do so exists.
ACADEMIC A V O I D I N G
INTEGRITY
P R O B L E M S
I N
Y O U R
C L A S S E S
Our school works so well because your teachers understand how to support you in reaching your goals as a student and as a person. Students know and follow the rules and generally understand the kinds of things that are required for success in school. There is a need for students to know explicitly that academic honesty is a high measure of personal success and what happens when a part of the Honor Code is broken.
BRONXVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR CODE ! promote the values learned in our character development program, the Bronxville School Middle School Honor To Code is offered so students understand the value of strong character. The Honor Code also addresses the seriousness of and the consequences for cheating, attempted cheating, plagiarism, and stealing. !
!! Cheating
Cheating is defined here as any method by which a student has access to and uses information for the purpose of gaining unfair advantage. This includes on any test, quiz, project, homework assignment, or other form of work assigned by a teacher. There are many forms of cheating, from looking at another person’s paper during a test to copying another person’s homework. If someone is caught cheating they will be sent to the office at the end of the period (not during). Teachers are asked not to investigate or react to this behavior during class and will not discuss it during class. Warnings will not be issued; if you are seen cheating during a class exercise, you will be asked to go to the office at the end of the period. A Student Hearing will follow as a follow-up to any claim of wrong-doing. !
!Never allow anyone to use your work in any form for the purpose of cheating. ! !You will be held equally responsible for cheating if it is found that you were actively or passively involved in allowing cheating to occur. “He copied my homework” isn’t an excuse in our school. If someone finds it possible to cheat from your work, you are making it possible for it to happen on some level and you are accountable for your own actions.!
!
Plagiarism Plagiarism is a form of stealing. When you copy another person’s ideas and present them as if they were your own, you are stealing those ideas. This is called plagiarism. In our school, plagiarism is considered a very serious offense that carries a minimum penalty of averaging a zero into the quarterly grade. After a Student Hearing, plagiarism also carries either an extended period of detention or a suspension from school.!
!Stealing
Knowingly taking anything that does not belong to you is stealing. Whether it is money, a book bag, a phone or any other article, if you take something that you know does not belong to you without direct permission from the owner, it is stealing. Stealing is a major offense in our school because it means trust is broken within the community. After a hearing, breaking this rule almost always carries the penalty of suspension from school.!
!
Other Illegal Acts Students of the Bronxville Middle School are subject to following the laws of our local, state and federal governments. Any act that breaks any law will be reported to the appropriate authorities.!
!Student Hearing If a student is accused of breaking any of the three key points of the Honor Code, they will be subject to a Student Hearing.
The Hearing Process includes the
Principal, a Guidance Counselor, the teacher (and/or other person calling the infraction), the student and his/her parents. The purpose of a Student Hearing is to insure that due process and fairness are upheld and so the student accused of breaking the Honor Code has a reasonable chance to respond to the accusation of wrong-doing. It is important that the truth is told by everyone during a Student Hearing. Honesty is essential to the process and showing good character carries weight in the outcome. Even when the person is found to have broken the Honor Code, taking ownership of one’s actions makes a big difference.
Your Full Name
Subject/Period
3/19/15
Title of Assignment
BRONXVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL WRITING STANDARDS EVERY PAPER NEEDS A PROPER HEADING: Use the heading shown above for any work you submit in your classes. Your handwriting should be neat and you must use the margins and the lines. If an assignment is more than a single page, write Your Name and Date on the top line of each additional page (This is called a Running Head). Attach sheets with a single staple in the left-hand corner.!
!
HANDWRITTEN WRITING: For handwritten assignments use loose-leaf paper with holes in tact and on the left hand margin, unless otherwise instructed. Write all assignments in blue or black ink only. Use pencil for math, music or when otherwise instructed by your teacher. !
WORD PROCESSED WRITING:
Use only clean, white copy paper. Typed work must be double spaced using an appropriate text font. (Ex: Times New Roman, Palatino or an equivalent). Do not use fonts for headings or titles in papers for your classes. Font size should be 12 Point and writing should be double spaced (except for heading).!
!
BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL WRITTEN WORK: Before you turn in your work make sure you have reviewed it for proper S.C.O.P. E. ! Spelling Capitalization Organization Punctuation Editing. ! Present neat, legible writing that shows pride in your work. ! Always write in complete sentences.! Watch for sentence fragments and run-ons. ! Vary your vocabulary and sentence structure.! Abbreviations are rarely acceptable. ! No texting language is allowed in academic work.! All basic words must be spelled correctly.!
!
If you submit writing that does not comply with these Writing Standards, it will be returned to you for either revision or a complete rewrite before being accepted.
HOW TO STUDY
! To study means to make a personal effort to gain knowledge.! !
Studying is different than doing homework. Some people know how to study naturally, it seems, but really studying is a skill that can be learned and improved upon with practice. !
!
For some people, studying is not an easy thing to do without making it a conscious practice. Either way, you can get good results from the time you spend studying if you know how to study. ! ! Below are suggestions that may help you to improve your work habits, making the time you do spend studying more productive and satisfying, since you will be working more efficiently.!
!
1.KNOW YOUR TASKS. This seems obvious, but sometimes people study the wrong things because they didn’t take this first important step!!
!2.CONSISTENCY really helps. Find a place suitable to you, preferably the same place each day and it will become a good routine for you.!
!3.CHOOSE A GOOD SPACE in which to study. A welllighted and well-ventilated room is best. You have to be able to see and breathe in order to do your work! !
!4.HAVE ALL YOUR MATERIALS at hand. All
materials should be out before you start working. !
!5.STUDY in stretches of 30 to 45 minutes with a 5-10 minute break at the end of each interval.!
!6.MAKE CONNECTIONS There are devices you can use to help you remember information. If you want to remember the names of the Great Lakes you can think of the word HOMES. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. This can help you remember lists of things more easily. Try to form associations and connections for points you wish to remember.!
HOW TO: 1. How to e-mail a teacher Teacher e-mail addresses are composed from the first initial and full last name and then the common @bronxvilleschool.org ex. Ms. Lisa DeSanto would be: ldesanto@bronxvilleschool.org ex. Mr. Frank Viggiani fviggiani@bronxvilleschool.org
! !
If you e-mail a teacher, please remember to identify yourself by full name.
!
HOW TO PACK A BAG:
!
Packing all of your books to go back and forth to school every day is not a good idea for several reasons: Your bag will be way too heavy. You risk losing everything if it’s all lost. You will feel like you have tons of work if you take all your stuff back and forth every day. KEEP TEXTBOOKS AT HOME!
!
Most teachers who issue texts want you to keep them at home. Don’t carry them if they are supposed to be left at home!
!
Use your locker to store things you don’t need to use at home.
!
ideas and make notes on them. Explain to someone else at home the main points you are working to learn.!
Don’t drag a hundred pens and markers back and forth! Keep a few pens and pencils at school and replenish these from a bigger supply at home.
work together, they often can make connections and keep on-task better than individuals. As long as they are serious!
DAYS in a row, consider leaving them out of your bag and carry only when needed.
!7.SUMMARIZE what you have studied. Select important
!8.OUTLINE the most important information to remember. ! ! are things in your bag !9.STUDY with OTHERS when possible. When people Ifthatthere you haven’t used for TWO
HOMEWORK GUIDELINES
!Success in your classes requires that you be prepared for the next day by doing any required homework. Consistency with homework assignments can make all the difference as highly successful students are usually those who use homework as a way to think more deeply about their classes and to make assignments into a form of studying as well.!
TIPS FOR DOING HOMEWORK
!No two people do homework the same exact way and yet there are many successful students. A part of the goal of middle school is to help you learn as much as possible about who you are as a student and what you need in order to succeed. Below are some tips that may be helpful to you. Try different combinations when you can to see what works best for you!!
!Your assignments will vary and each person’s work !1. PLANNING- It might help you to take a few
minutes to write out how much time you estimate each piece of work will take and then try to stick to that amount of time. Be aware that if you daydream, that doesn’t count as time spent on work! A plan of attack can save a lot of time!!
habits are different, but as a general rule you can expect the following averages listed below:!
!
GRADE SIX students can expect to spend an average of 60 to 80 minutes a night on homework and related work. ! GRADE SEVEN students should expect homework to average 90 minutes a night.! GRADE EIGHT students may find that average may push to two hours a night, with two and-a-half hours not being uncommon at times during the year.!
!If you find that it takes you longer than the average
to do your homework, don’t panic! There are ways you can improve your skills related to homework, starting with some of the ideas listed to the right in the gray half of this page.!
!
Take a really honest look about your commitments outside of school. This can be a hard balance to manage, but be aware when you might take on too much and cut down if things get too demanding.! A! lot of people have a strange idea that homework should be a solitary activity (something you do alone). While some people work well this way, we encourage you to make use of all the resources around you. Make homework plans with friends ( Even medical school students do this!). You should each do your own work, but having others around can be really motivating. Also, ask people in your home to quiz you or check to make sure you’re on the right track. You are not alone in this! !
!Use Ninth Period regularly! Check in with your
teachers routinely and spend extra time in subjects you are finding the most challenging. Your teachers are here to help!!
!If homework continues to be difficult for you to
manage, try and change one thing at a time and see what works. You can talk to your teacher(s) and your guidance counselor about homework, too.
!2.! TIMING- Pace yourself by starting with smaller,
!
quicker assignments first. This can help you get into a groove and feel a sense of accomplishment as you check off things you need to do more rapidly. If you have a long-term assignment, plan and pace yourself so you won’t have too much to do on the night before it is due-- that never feels good! !
3. SPACE- Find a spot that allows you to focus on your work. For some this will mean a quiet room and for others it will mean a place in the center of things, like a kitchen table. It can seem weird to someone who can’t do their work in the same place as you can, but be true to yourself as you find what works best for you. Pick a place where you find you actually can get more done.!
!!4. NOISE- This one can seem really weird, but some people need background noise in order to concentrate while others need total silence. Make a conscious choice about what works best for you. ! ! FUEL- No machine works well without proper fueling. 5. You can’t work well if you are hungry or thirsty, so eat something before you start your work (unless you do your work right after dinner, of course!!
!6. DON’T GO IT ALONE- Often it is really helpful to do
your work with someone else. Study groups with friends, help from a brother or sister or a check-in with one of your parents can all be really helpful ways to improve your ability to get things done!!
!!7. PACK UP AT NIGHT- Never leave your books and
papers out to find in the morning. That is a big mistake! Be sure that your materials are all ready to go before you decide that you’ve finished your work. Your morning routine and your day at school
PROPER HYGIENE It may seem like a gross thing to talk about, but it’s even worse when you have to deal with bad hygiene in reality!
!1. Brush your teeth
STUDENT DRESS CODE
!
Bronxville students have always had the freedom to choose what they wear to school. Middle school students have shown good taste and discretion in their clothing choices. You represent the next group in a long line of good dressers, so learn how to dress for school!! ! The following standards for dress can help you make good choices for what you will wear to school. !
!
Both at night and before you leave for school every morning. This is a basic rule that you cannot forget-- ever! Remember, you will work closely with others during the day.
• • • • •
!2. Take a daily shower (at night or in the morning)
It is critical that you are clean. At your age, regular showers are really required. From gym to sports to just being out and about, you need to start every day fresh. This is just as true on days with no gym or sports!
!3. Wear fresh clothes
Just like your body needs to be clean every day, your clothes need to be clean, too. Fabric locks in bad smells from perspiration, so even if your body is clean, dirty clothes will already start to smell!
!
People who don’t understand good personal hygiene can find it difficult to understand why people avoid them!
•
•
•
!
Wear apparel that is safe, appropriate and does not interfere with or disrupt the educational process. ! Underwear must be completely covered by outer clothing. ! Footwear is required in all areas of the building and on campus. ! Hats, “hoodies”, sunglasses or other clothing or accessories that obscure your face may not be worn in school.! Avoid wearing overly revealing garments such as (but not limited to): tube tops, mesh tops, halter tops, tops with plunging necklines (front and/or back), micro-miniskirts, bare midriffs, see-through garments, or apparel that is extremely revealing or unnecessarily provocative. ! Avoid clothing with words or images that carry vulgar, obscene, libelous, or denigrating language on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. ! Avoid clothing that promotes, endorses or makes reference to the use of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, sexual acts, and illegal or violent activities. ! Avoid wearing jewelry or other accessories that can be dangerous to oneself or others. !
Note: Additional guidelines for appropriate dress! at special events (e.g. Halloween, Teen Center, Parties, Concerts, Field Trips, Field Day, Moving Up Ceremony, etc.) will be provided on a case-by-case basis.!
!Students who violate the student dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item and if necessary or practical, replacing it with an acceptable item. !
!Any student who refuses to do so will be subject to discipline, up to and including in-school suspension for the day. Any student who repeatedly fails to comply with the dress code shall be subject to further discipline, up to and including out of school suspension.!
! ! !
! This planner is provided to you ! by the Bronxville PTA
!
STUDENT GUESTS & VISITORS
From time to time people ask if a guest may be brought to school. This may be a family member, a former student or a friend from another school. It is possible to arrange for a visitor to join you, but you must follow these rules:!
!
1. The visitor must be of middle school age (10-14). You can’t “babysit” a younger visitor during class.! 2. Permission for the visit has to be obtained by a parent prior to the date of the intended visit from the MS Office.! 3. The length of visits is always limited to a half day only. This means:!
!
STUDENT BEHAVIOR
!
There is one key word that governs the expectation for student behavior in the middle school. That word is r-e-s-p-e-c-t:
Respect for yourself! Respect for all staff members! Respect for each other ! Respect for property. !
!If you keep in mind the importance of respect in your daily interactions with others and in the decisions you make, you’ll likely find that things are pretty easy here and that things will go very well for you in school. If you remember the importance of respect, you’ll also find that people are good to you and will respect you in return. !
!
You are expected to behave in a manner consistent with the pillars of strong character in our school at all times. Behavior should reinforce the notion that you represent yourself, your school, your community and your family in the best possible manner at all times.!
!
BASIC SCHOOL RULES There is no set of rules that accounts for every possible situation in any school. However, below is a basic list of things that constitute violating our basic school rules: !
!
7:50-Lunch! or! Lunch-2:20!
! 4. A pass signed by the principal must be carried by the visitor. !
•
Fighting (of any kind) !
•
Inappropriate or rude behavior (of any kind)!
•
Damage or theft of property (of any kind) !
•
Disruptions to class (of any kind)!
•
Food and drink consumed outside the cafeteria !
•
Use of digital media to hurt someone (of any kind)!
•
Bullying (of any kind) !
Phones used in hallways during school hours.! !5. Only one half-day visit is ! allowed.! !6. Participation in any given !V! iolations of these or any other reasonable rules consistent with
!
class by the visitor is at the discretion of each individual teacher.!
Any unapproved visitor will be removed from the classroom immediately and asked to leave the school building.
•
decent behavior will result in detention, parent conference and/or school suspension. !
!
The Bronxville Board of Education has adopted a full Code ! of Student Conduct for all district students. This document is
! !
available on the district website under District Information.!