Class III Behavior – Major Offenses (Grades 6-12

MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announcements are made in the morning and in the afternoon. It is very important that everyone gives their complete attention and listens to the announcements, as information pertaining to classes and extracurricular activities may be shared. Also, recognition of students and faculty is usually done during morning announcements. Only teachers/sponsors will be allowed to submit announcements.

TELEPHONES AND MESSAGES

School telephones are for business only. Unless an emergency arises, students are asked to refrain from using the telephone. Emergency messages, as determined by school staff, will be given to the student.

LOCKERS

· Lockers are made available to students for storing their books, personal items, school materials and supplies. The lockers, however, remain the property of Twiggs County

Middle High School and are subject to inspection. If the search reveals that the student is concealing materials that are prohibited by federal, state, or local law, local law enforcement authorities will be notified and appropriate action will be taken. · Lockers are furnished for student’s convenience. Each student is responsible for the locker he/she has been assigned. Each student is expected to respect the rights and property of other students. · Students may use only the locker assigned to them. Students must clean out their locker at the end of the year. Students are responsible for all items left in lockers.

HALL PASSES

Before/After school: If a teacher needs to see a student before or after school, a pass will be issued to the student.

During School: Students are only allowed out of their assigned area in case of an emergency. No students are allowed out of class, the cafeteria, or the media center without a hall pass. The pass must be signed by the teacher, have the date, the time the student left the area, and destination of the student. Students out of their assigned area without a hall pass will be subject to disciplinary action.

IN-SCHOOL PARTIES and SPECIAL OCCASION CELEBRATIONS

• Flowers and Balloons: Students will NOT be allowed to receive floral or gift deliveries on their birthday and Valentine’s Day. Students will not be allowed to take the deliveries on the bus. • Students will not be called out of class to receive delivered goods and TCMS/TCHS is not responsible for items left at school for delivery to students. • Birthday parties for students are not allowed at school. • End of the year celebrations may be held at the discretion of the building administrators. • Reward Celebrations: Reward celebrations for school related accomplishments may be conducted throughout the year at specified times at the discretion of the principal. • No cookout/picnics/celebrations/or class parties may be conducted at school without the permission of the building principal.

PAYMENTS/RECEIPTS

Acceptable forms of payment include cash or money orders. Checks will NOT be accepted as payment for monetary obligations. Every student should obtain a receipt for any money collected by the school. The student should keep the receipt in case a question arises.

PEP RALLIES/ASSEMBLIES

Assemblies and pep rallies are designed for student enrichment and enjoyment. Assemblies are excellent avenues for recognizing the school’s tradition and sharing with the entire student body. Certain behaviors are necessary when a large group of students assemble. All students are to be respectful of others and to abide by the student code of conduct during all pep rallies and assemblies. Students should not be on their cell phone during assembly programs. Cell phones and earbuds should not be visible at any time.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS

The primary consideration regarding whether to have school on bad weather days will be the safety of our children. Heavy rain and on some occasions snow and ice, causes some of our primary and secondary roads to become unsafe. If a threat to health and safety exists, school will be dismissed. Once the decision has been made, it will be communicated to the public via local television and radio stations. All official announcements will be made via these outlets as well as the school district’s webpage.

VISITORS

● Visitors must register with the school’s main office and obtain a name badge using the Ident-A-Kid System. A state issued ID may be needed in order to check in or out. ● In order to visit any part of the school. *The principal or designee may grant permission to visit at his or her discretion. ● A student or employee may not have an unauthorized visitor. ● Parents/guardians desiring to have a conference with a teacher are encouraged to schedule their visits before or after instructional hours or during a period when the teacher is not responsible for teaching or supervising students.

VISITS TO THE CLASSROOMS/OBSERVATIONS

In order to ensure the safety and confidentiality of students, Twiggs County Public Schools limits classroom visitors to parents/legal guardians of current students and those persons invited by the district or the school for official business. All visitors must register with the office and gain permission from the principal/designee before entering any classrooms or any other part of the school. Classroom visitations must receive prior approval from the principal. Classroom visitations may not exceed 45 (forty-five) minutes. It is the principal's or designee’s responsibility to determine if the reason for the visit is consistent with the school's visitor policy. To minimize disruption to the instructional program, visits to classrooms, class/group programs, or requests to meet with specific personnel require at least 24 hours advance notice (or such additional notice as the principal or designee determines based on the circumstances).

The principal may designate school/district personnel to accompany visitors to classrooms, programs or meetings. School personnel shall warn unauthorized individuals that loitering on school premises during school hours constitutes trespassing and may subject violators to criminal prosecution under Georgia law (OCGA 20-2-1180).

EARLY RELEASE OF STUDENTS

During school hours, students will only be released to the following: ● Parent/guardian of the student ● An adult with verified parental permission ● A law enforcement officer ● An authorized worker from the Department of Children and Family Services

In order to maximize instructional time and maintain an orderly school environment and safe dismissal, no student may be checked out of the office between 2:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. unless it is an emergency.

END OF THE DAY RELEASE OF STUDENTS

At the end of the school day, students are released at a specified time and place. Parents must notify the school office regarding any change in the student’s normal transportation. Car riders should be picked up immediately in the school’s designated area. Bus riders must get on the assigned bus immediately. Students who park on campus are not allowed to remain in the parking lot after dismissal and are expected to go directly home.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN

To ensure the safety of students and school personnel, all Twiggs County Public Schools are required to have an Emergency Preparedness Plan which addresses practices and procedures for the school’s management of crisis situations.

FIRE DRILLS AND SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS

All rooms will be evacuated when there is an announcement and/or a continuous intermittent ringing of the fire alarm. A predetermined route is posted in each classroom, and students should move directly, orderly and quickly to designated areas. Each group shall be assembled so the teacher can check roll. Any student in a restroom or any place other than his or her assigned room should follow the protocol for the emergency situation and report immediately to his or her group for accountability as soon as possible. A bell will sound for students to return to the classrooms.

FOOD AND BEVERAGES

Students are not allowed to consume food or drinks in the classrooms or hallways. Squeeze bottles and containers are not permitted. Students may bring lunches prepared at home to eat in the cafeteria. No commercially prepared food may be brought or delivered to the school. Students with certain medical conditions addressed by physicians are allowed to have water bottles in the classroom.