California City Middle School

Committed to Education

Student/Parent Handbook

2011-2012

Committed to Education

PRINCIPAL’S GREETING

Welcome to California City Middle School, Home of the Coyotes This upcoming year will be another academically challenging and exciting year. California City Middle School (CCMS) has implemented district pacing plans in Language Arts and Mathematics. This year we have also added Science to our pacing calendar. Students are given benchmark tests at least 4 times per year. The information received from benchmark tests enable teachers to identify academic areas students need extra help with or standards each student has mastered.

We want to continue the outstanding academic growth we displayed in our Benchmark Tests and our 2010 STAR scores. Our primary concern is that students are academically and socially successful. High standards are set and each student is challenged to meet these standards. We have implemented and will continue with more opportunities for students to receive individual incentives for their academic, attendance, and behavioral efforts.

Character Counts! You are known by your actions. Behaving with respect, responsibility,

trustworthiness, fairness and caring will give students a positive reputation and will further educate students to be ethical and responsible adults.

Challenge Day A program that challenges students to Be the Change and to be a positive role model in school, was met with great enthusiasm.We hope tocontinue this program for our incoming 7th and 8th grade students who did not participate in the program.

Check-N-Connect An intervention for students who need intensive follow-up for behavior and academics.

FLEX A program we will implement in order to provide in school interventions to students who need remediation in academic areas. FLEX also provides students with opportunities for enrichment activities.

SSA Safe School Ambassadors.The Safe School Ambassadors® (SSA) program empowers leaders from the diverse groups and cliques on campus and equips them with nonviolent communication and intervention skills to stop bullying and violence among their peers.

LEARN-Schoolwide rules

Listen to and follow directions the first time they are given. Be respectful

Everyone keep your hands, feet objects and other body parts to yourself, no horseplay

Always use positive language: no harassment, put downs, teasing or foul language.

Remember to stay in your assigned area

Need to be on time and prepared and dressed appropriately

Tutoring Teachers tutor students after school and during lunch.

Tell a Parent enables us to inform parents about student progress and behavior.

Parents please remember that attendance and promptness are necessary for student achievement.

The Student/Parent Handbook contains detailed information about California City Middle School. Please read it together with your family and complete and turn in the contract for success. You are responsible for the contents.

If I can be a service to you, please call me at 760-373-3241.

Sincerely,

Starletta Darbeau/Principal

Purpose of Middle School

Middle School helps in the transition from elementary school to high school, while providing many educational experiences. Through these experiences, students will become better prepared to meet their increasing responsibilities as productive citizens, be more able to plan their future, and be better prepared to achieve their goals. The middle school program will help pupils improve their academic skills, knowledge, social skills including character-building activities, and develop into mature young adults.

The academic subjects taught are math, science, social studies, and languagearts. Physical education and elective courses are included in the curriculum.Students are encouraged to participate in various activities throughout the school year.

Academic Standards

7th and 8th grade

Grading Reference - District Policy #6401

Evaluation from any course of instruction shall be determined by the teacher and in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence; the grade shall not be changed by any person except the teacher recording the grade. A grading policy shall encompass the best features of as many feasible practices as possible, including achievement, effort and ability.

All students with a grade point average of 3.0 and satisfactory citizenship will be named to the Honor Roll. All students with a grade point average of 3.5 and satisfactory citizenship will be named to the Principal’s Honor Roll. All students with a grade point average of 4.0 and satisfactory citizenship will be named to the Superintendent’s Honor Roll. The subjects included in determining Honor Roll will be language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, (and a non-core class for 7th and 8th grades).

Homework -School Policy - Revised February 10, 2000

Teachers will require homework. Teachers may assign daily work or long term projects. Teachers should cooperate in the departmental classes to assure the assignments are not too burdensome.
Homework should be grade and subject appropriate.
The classroom teacher should regulate homework.
Students should have a reasonable expectation that the graded homework will be returned in a timely manner.
Homework should be used to enhance skills learned in the classroom.
Homework, when possible, should be interactive so significant others in the lives of our students can participate. Parents should be encouraged to supervise.
Except for long term projects, or incomplete work, homework should not be given on Friday or on extended vacation periods.
General recommendation is one and one-half hours a day for grades 7 and 8, four days per week (Monday to Thursday).
Students who do not attend school because of an excused absence must be given extra time to complete assignments. One day will be allowed for each day of verified illness or excused absence.

Promotion and Retention - Reference: District Policy 5123

Students are encouraged to progress with their peers through the school system’s grade levels. To accomplish this goal, instruction will accommodate the varying interests and growth patterns of individual students and include strategies for providing extra attention or assistance when necessary.

Students to be retained or those at risk of being retained shall be identified on the basis of grades and assessment results including Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR), District Benchmark tests, accelerated literacy stages, formative assessmentteacher observation, and other district adopted standards-based assessments. Performance levels below the minimum levels required for satisfactory performance in the next grade will result in the designation for retention or at risk of being retained.

BP6146.5

Promotion Requirements

Students in grades seven and eight must pass 3 semesters of the 4 core classes listed

below plus 15 units of physical education and 15 units of elective credit in order to be

promoted into the ninth grade. Students earn five units of credit for each semester of a

course passed with a grade of D- or higher.

Possible Units Required Units

English...... 20 units 15 units

Mathematics...... 20 units 15 units

Science...... 20 units 15 units

Social Studies...... 20 units 15 units

Physical Education...... 20 units 15 units

Electives...... 20 units 15 units

Total Units 120 units 90 units

Students who do not meet these minimum requirements while in grades seven and

eight will not be promoted to the ninth grade.

Clarifications:

In order to be promoted to the ninth grade, students must successfully complete 90

units and must pass all core courses listed above while in grades 7 and 8.

With the exception of Physical Education, which is a multi-year course, successfully

completed courses may not be repeated for unit and/or subject credit without prior

approval from the principal.

Students earn five units of credit for each semester of a course passed with a grade

D- or higher.

4. If summer school or opportunity classes are offered student can earn core credits

5. Students must complete the promotion requirements listed above in order to

participate in the ceremony and activities related with promotion.

6. Students who have been granted an Exception to Retention will not participate in the

ceremony, will not receive a promotion certificate, and will not participate in activities

related with promotion.

Accidents

All school accidents must be reported to the office in writing. It is the responsibility of the faculty member in whose class the accident occurs to complete the accident form. However, it is the student’s responsibility to report the accident to the teacher. Accidents occurring outside the classroom, those in which students are not under the supervision of a faculty member should be immediately reported to the school office. In case of a serious accident, no attempt should be made to move the injured person. Help should be secured from the staff, either administration or faculty. All precautions necessary to protect the injured from further harm should be taken.

Attendance

Explaining an Absence:

When a student is absent, a parent may call our centralized attendance to explain the absence or send a note when the student returns to school. The number for Centralized Attendance is 1-877-824-4001.

TRUANCY

Any pupil shall be reported as a truant to the Superintendent of the Mojave Unified School District who has been absent from school without a valid excuse more than three days in one school year, or who has been tardy, or cut in excess of 30 minutes on each of more than three days in one school year without a valid excuse. (Education Code 48260)

Any pupil who has once been reported as a truant and who again is absent from school without a valid excuse one or more days shall again be reported as a truant to the Truancy Reduction Program.

Any pupil is deemed a habitual truant who has been reported a truant three or more times per school year. (Education Code 48262)

The attendance supervisor, a peace officer, any school administrator or his/her designee, may arrest or assume temporary custody during school hours of any minor subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education found away from his/her home and who is absent from school without a valid excuse within the county, city, or school district. (Education Code 48264)

Any person arresting or assuming temporary custody of a minor pursuant to Section 48254 shall forthwith deliver the minor either to the parent or to the school from which the minor is absent, or, if the minor is found to have been declared an habitual truant, he shall cause the minor to be brought before the probation office of the county having jurisdiction over minors. This also pertains to guardian, or other person having control, or charge of the minor. (Education Code 48265)

In addition to the provision of the Educational Code, for truancy, a student shall be assigned detention, and the parent or guardian shall be informed of the truancy.

CUTS

Any pupil who is absent from a class more than 10 minutes but less than 31 minutes, that is between 11 and 30 minutes, without a valid excuse is considered to have cut the class. This is also considered truancy.

Attendance will be taken every class period.

Unexcused Tardies:

Being tardy to class is unexcused unless the student has a pass from a teacher or other school official. A student is considered to be tardy when he/she is not inside the classroom and in his/her seat when the tardy bell rings. The teacher, to meet different classroom arrangements, may modify this rule of being in his/her seat.

Any pupil who is absent from a class during the first ten minutes of the period without a valid excuse is considered tardy.

Teachers may assign consequences for tardies. Once a student has accumulated three tardies in a particular class, he/she will be assigned to Detention.

REGULAR SCHOOL DAY

BEGINS AT 7:15 AM and ends 2:30 PM;

MINIMUM DAYS 7:25-11:55AM (37);

EARLY OUT DAYS 7:15-11:30 (3);

LATE START DAYS 9:15-2:30

BICYCLES

Students may ride bikes to school. They must follow state law and wear helmets. Bicycles must be walked in crosswalks and on campus, including the parking lot and sidewalks. Violation of these requirements will result in loss of bicycle privileges. The school/district is not responsible for bicycles.

Change of Address and Telephone Number

It is very important that parents or guardiansnotify the school office immediately of any changes of address. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to secure a form from the office for this purpose. The same importance applies to any change in telephone numbers. The student must secure a form from the office upon which the change is reported.

CHECKOUT

Students leaving CCMS should notify the office in advance of the day on which they will leave. This is done by having the parent contact the school, preferably in writing. Students must return all textbooks, library books, or other school equipment and supplies issued. A “Check Out” form will be issued. Until all textbooks, materials, or unpaid debts are cleared with the office, school records will not be available.

DISCIPLINE

DRESS CODE BP 5132 (a)

All 7-12 grade students will wear an identification badge at all times during the school day. The badge is to be worn around the neck on a school approved lanyard, or clipped to the front of a collar or chest pocket with a school-approved clip. The initial identification card shall be provided by the school, Any lost identification will be replaced at the expense of

the student.

In addition to the standards outlined in the State Education Code, the following standards of behavior are expected of all California City Middle School students:

Assignments are to be done with the student’s highest level of effort.
Students are expected to be respectful to school employees at all times, on and off campus.
Trading cards, hand held games, etc. are not to be brought to school.
Running is not permitted except in the field areas.
Students are responsible for keeping their campus neat, including using trash cans for trash.
Students are responsible for showing maturity and mutual respect toward fellow students.
Gum is not allowed on campus at any time.
Items and writing considered to be gang related will be confiscated. Assignments turned in with gang style writing will not be accepted.
All students are expected to walk away from inappropriate behavior, failure to do so may result in suspension.

Consequences for Unacceptable Behavior

Detention: All teachers may assign in class detention to students. A student is responsible to notify his/her parents when detention is assigned. Detention will be assigned during lunch and if needed after school.
If a teacher chooses to have detention after school, the teacher will contact parents to get prior approval for after school detention.
Suspension: Suspension from school is applied when other means of correction have not been successful or when a student’s presence would be a danger to others. Students may be suspended from a particular class or from all classes for one or more days. For all suspensions, parents are notified by phone and/or in writing.
Referral to the Administrative Review Board
Community School
Expulsion by the Mojave Unified School District

Hands-off Policy

Students are expected to show respect for each other by keeping hands, feet and objects to themselves. Students are expected to show respect for established authority and the rights and welfare of others.

Group I Behaviors

LEARN

Expectations

Listen to and follow directions the first time they are given. Be respectful

Everyone keep your hands, feet objects and other body parts to yourself, no horseplay

Always use positive language: no harassment, put downs, teasing or foul language.

Remember to stay in your assigned area

Need to be on time and prepared and dressed appropriately

Student behavior included in this area:

No overt-display of affection (including holding hands)

Nuisance items on campus (radios, cd players, water balloons, squirt guns, collector cards, etc)
Littering
Eating in class
Overt display of affection (including holding hands)
Gum chewing in class or on campus
Note Passing

Encouragement

Verbal recognition
Privileges
Coupons, raffles
Class wide rewards including popcorn party, video
Positive phone calls home from teacher or principal

Enforcement

Warning
Minutes out of passing time or nutrition
Discipline sheet/Lunch detention
Parent Contact by teacher
Referral to office

Reference to State Laws

Students of California City Middle School are expected to observe standards of good conduct, to have respect for the property of others, and to comply with the regulations of the school board. The following sections of state law are directed to students:

1.A pupil is subject to suspension or expulsion when it has been determined that the pupil, while on school grounds or during an activity off school grounds related to school attendance, has:

a.Caused or attempted to cause damage to school property or stolen or attempted to steal school property; or

b.Caused or attempted to cause damage to private property or stolen or attempted to steal private property; or

c.Caused or attempted to cause, or threatened to cause physical injury to another person; or

d.Possessed, sold, or otherwise furnished any firearm, knife, explosive, any instrument that propels a metallic projectile such as a BB or pellet, through the force of air pressure, CO2 pressure, or spring action, or any spot marker or paint gun, any knife with a blade longer than 2.5 inches, ice pick or other dangerous object unless in the case of possession of such object, the pupil has obtained written permission from a certificate school employee which is concurred in by the principal or the designee of the principal; or

e.Possessed or used tobacco on school premises, except as provided in Section 48903.6; or

f.Unlawfully possessed, sold, or otherwise furnished or been under the influence of any controlled substance, as determined in Section 48903.6; or