Doing Whatever It Takes to Help Students Succeed

“Doing Whatever It takes to Help Students SucceeD”

T.S. McBride, Principal

T. Miller, Asst Principal

Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,

On behalf of everyone, we would like to welcome you to the 2009-010 school year at A. Maceo Walker Middle School. We present this student handbook to you in order to keep you informed of the rules, policies, and procedures in place at A. Maceo Walker Middle. Let us work together to ensure a successful school year by following all the rules and procedures prescribed in this handbook. If we all concentrate on assuming responsibility for our success, building positive relationships with all individuals in the building, focusing on obtaining the highest results, and giving respect to each and every individual in the building, we will transform A. Maceo Walker into a GREAT school.

T. S. McBride, Principal

School Mascot: Jaguars

School Colors: Royal Blue and Gold

School Hours: 8:30 am – 3:15 pm

Important Phone Numbers

Attendance Office: (901)416-1035 Main Office: (901)416-1030

School Fax: (901)416-1075

6th /7th Grade Counselor: (901)416-1047 7th/ 8th Grade Counselor: (901)416-1048

"Memphis City Schools does not discriminate in its programs or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap/disability, sex or age. For more information, please contact the Office of Equity Compliance at (901) 416-6670

1. MACEO WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL

Parent/Teacher/School Compact

This compact was jointly developed with parents and outlines the responsibility of each member for improving student achievement.

Parent/Guardian Agreement

As the overseer of my child’s future, I agree to:

• Prioritize time spent at home to focus on completion of homework;
• Tap into available resources (public library, museum, etc.) to assist my child with learning and assignments;
• Ensure that my child arrives at school daily and promptly;
• Support my child’s learning by using the television as an extension of learning as opposed to solely using it for entertainment, and promote positive use of extra-curricular time;
• Communicate with teachers through parent/teacher conferences, telephone, e-mail;
• Respond promptly to communication and progress reports sent by the school;
• Be available to volunteer, participate, and observe my child in class;
• Support the school’s Discipline Plan.

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Signature

Student Agreement

My education is important to me; therefore, I agree to:

• Come to school prepared to learn and have the required materials for learning;
• Be enthusiastic, open-minded and receptive to information;
• Designate time at home for homework and study;
• Put forth my best effort in all subjects;
• Ask questions for clarification;
• Complete classroom assignments, projects and homework in a timely manner;
• Respect other students and adults just as I want to be respected
• Support the school’s Discipline Plan.

______

Signature

Teacher Agreement

We realize the future of our country lies in our hands; therefore, we agree to:

• Provide detailed quality instruction to our students;
• Provide feedback to parents and students about activities at school;
• Sent student progress reports home regularly concerning class work;
• Provide open communication to better enable parents to assist their child(ren) with assignments;
• Provide motivational and engaging activities to enhance student understanding;
• Respond in a timely manner to parents’ concerns, questions and suggestions;
• Provide information regarding curriculum assessments, measurements and student expectations
• Support the school’s Discipline Plan.

______

Signature

Principal Agreement

Knowing that I have been entrusted with the educational process of this school, I agree to:

• Provide an environment that is rich in learning, safe and enjoyable;
• Impose fair and consistent discipline measures;
• Ensure teacher growth through ongoing professional development training in teaching strategies and curriculum.

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Signature

A. Maceo Walker Middle School is a federally funded NCLB School.

Family Engagement Plan

A. Maceo Walker Middle School

1900 E. Raines Road

Memphis, TN 38116

We, the members of the A. Maceo Walker Family, believe that all children have the right to earn a high-quality education. For this to happen, it is important that the school staff, the community and families work jointly to develop a working relationship. Parents and school officials have agreed and developed the following Family Engagement plan for A. Maceo Walker Middle School.

To ensure that our parents participate in the development and implementation of the schools’ program, A. Maceo Walker Middle school will encourage parents to do the following:

• Serve on the site-based leadership team
• Attend team level meetings, parent conferences, programs, and PTO meetings
• Volunteer their talents/services/time to the instructional program
• Help develop the family engagement plan and parent-school compact

Title I Involvement

The administrators, faculty and staff will provide a strategic plan and implement Title I requirements according to the guidelines set forth in the law, which include the following:

• Make parents aware of Annual Title I meeting and our participation in Title I
• Allow parents to observe school programs and visit classrooms.
• Provide parents with student information and progress reports
• Provide parents with assessment results
• Encourage parents to attend all Open House/Family Night events which address the curriculum, assessments, and the performances levels of our students

To ensure that our parents participate in the development and implementation of the school’s program, we will do the following:

• Provide annual meeting to explain the components and requirements of Title I
• Inform parents about school programs and activities through our AMW newsletter, a school calendar, and lesson line
• Provide the telephone number and teachers class code for Lesson Line
• Conduct parent-teacher conferences with the teacher parents to give parents an opportunity to chart their child’s academic progress and discuss any issues with teachers.
• Encourage parents and students to join our local PTSO and attend Title I Meetings /Professional Development provided during flexible times.
• Allow parents to visit the parent resource center

A. Maceo Walker Middle School is a School-wide Title I School.

4.502 Family Engagement Policy ______

Original Adoption: 08/05/91 (6156 Parental Involvement) Effective Date: 12/04/06

Revision Dates: 9/11/00 & 9/12/05 (Parental Involvement), 12/04/06

______

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to partner with families in a coordinated effort to provide Memphis City Schools students with a home/school/community environment that encourages academic achievement andenables students to meet Federal, state and city academic performance standards.

II. SCOPE

This policy applies to all families that have children in Memphis City Schools and to administrators, principals, teachers and other support personnel in Memphis City Schools.

III. POLICY STATEMENT

Families have the primary responsibility for the education of their children. They provide the foundation for academic success. Memphis City Schools respects the roles and responsibilities of families in assuring that their children are adequately educated, and is committed to developing a strong, ongoing partnership with families to create or strengthen stimulating home and school learning environments. Administrators,principals, teachers and support staff at each school must create a climate of respect for and cooperationwith families that will be evident in all teacher and staff interactions. This climate of respect and cooperation will be based on the following goals:

1. To provide meaningful two-way communications between families and teachers and among families, schools, the district and the community;

2. To provide opportunities for meaningful and varied participation by families in district and school leadership organizations and other school activities and in programs and activities in the community that support student achievement;

3. To eliminate or reduce barriers to greater family participation and effective parent/child relations. Barriers include, but are not limited to, socioeconomic, language/cultural/racial/ethnic, special needs or limited literacy; and

4. To provide training opportunities and informational seminars for families to enable them tounderstand student academic content and achievement standards and curricular materials and to improve their parenting skills.

The school district, in conjunction with parents/guardians, shall develop a Family and CommunityEngagement Plan based on the goals outlined in this policy. Activities and strategies included in the planshall be incorporated in the Tennessee Comprehensive Systemwide Planning Process. All Title I and non-Title I schools, in conjunction with parents/guardians, also shall develop a family and community engagement plan based on the district’s parent involvement goals and other goals a school deems appropriate. Parents at Title I schools shall also fully participate in the development, implementation, and

evaluation of the School Instructional Improvement Plan and the school review process for assessing progress. The family and community engagement plan and a summary of the plan’s outcomes shall be included in the school’s School Instructional Improvement Plan, if applicable.

Parent Assembly

The Superintendent of Schools shall organize a district-wide Parent Assembly to assist the school system in providing children with a quality education. The purposes of the Parent Assembly are:

a. To support the school system at the national, state and local level in advocating for soundeducational programs and policies;

b. To advise the Superintendent on issues of concern to parents; and

c. To support the development of strong parent organizations at all schools.

The Parent Assembly shall include parent representatives from all schools in the district.

Family and Community Advisory Council

The Superintendent of Schools shall organize a Family and Community Advisory Council to assist theschool system in providing children with a quality education. The Council shall be comprised of members of the Parent Assembly, representing Title I and non-Title I schools; district personnel; a Board member; and community representatives. The Council shall reflect the school district’s socioeconomic, linguistic, and cultural diversity. The purpose of the Council shall be to:

a. Participate in developing, implementing and evaluating a district-wide family engagement policy;

b. Participate in developing, implementing and evaluating the district-wide Family and Community

Engagement Plan and in coordinating parent involvement strategies among various programs;

c. Participate in developing the district-wide School Consolidated Plan;

d. Participate in planning and developing district-wide policies and programs addressing such issues ashomework, attendance and student behavior; and

e. Participate in deciding how Title I funds for family involvement activities are allotted.

Each local school shall also have a local parent/school/community council that will assist in planningfamily involvement activities and promoting student achievement at the school. The council, which can be an existing or new organization, must reflect the diverse student population at the school. The purpose of the council shall be to:

a. Participate in developing, implementing and evaluating the schoolwide Family and Community Engagement Plan;

b. Participate in developing the School Instructional Improvement Plan;

c. Participate in planning and developing school-based rules and programs addressing such issues as homework, attendance and student behavior; and

d. Participate in deciding how Title I funds for family involvement activities are allotted.

Payment of a membership fee to a school-wide parent organization shall not be a precondition to becoming a parent representative on the council.

"Memphis City Schools does not discriminate in its programs or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap/disability, sex or age. For more information, please contact the Office of Equity Compliance at (901) 416-6670

70."
A. MACEO WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL

2009-2010 Daily Schedule Time Frame

A. MACEO WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL

UNIFORM POLICY

All Memphis City School students are REQUIRED to wear UNIFORMS!!!!

Guidelines:

Tops (shirts, blouses) must be white, with collars and sleeves.

• Acceptable styles include Polo or golf-style shirts, Oxford or button-down dress shirts, white blouses with Peter Pan collars.
• Long sleeve and short sleeve versions (of the above mentioned style) are both acceptable.
• Sleeveless tops are NOT acceptable.
• A Colored shirt worn underneath or over polo shirt is NOT acceptable.

Bottoms (pants, walking shorts, skirts and jumpers) must be black, khaki tan or navy

• Acceptable pant styles include full-length dress pants, boot-cut or straight-legged pants, cargo pants, straight-legged Capri pants, cropped pants and knee-length walking shorts.
• Skirts or jumpers must also be at the knee or longer.
• Jeans, tight fitting or baggy pants are NOT acceptable.
• Pants must be fitted at the waist and BELTS worn daily!!!!!

Shoes should not have heels higher than an inch and a half.

• Athletic or tennis shoes, as well as boots, are acceptable.
• If sandals are worn, they must have a heel strap.
• House shoes/slippers are NOT acceptable.

Outwear (jackets and coats) cannot be worn in the building.

• Light jackets designed for cooler weather must comply with the uniform colors.
• Jackets and sweaters worn inside must be the following colors: White, Khaki, Black or Navy Blue (No exceptions)

Clothing should not have any visible logos.

These guidelines apply to ALL students.

NEW CHANGES

• School Uniforms and Dress Codes (#6.310)

The policy revisions prohibit all students from wearing clothing, apparel or accessories that denote a student’s membership in or affiliation with any gang associated with criminal activities. The revisions also state that principals have authority to place restrictions on the Basic Uniform for safety reasons including gang-related activity.

The administrative rules and regulations state that shoes with rollers/wheels are prohibited.

NOTE:

Tights worn underneath bottoms must be the uniform colors: black, navy blue, white or khaki color.

Belts: must be black, brown, navy blue or white.

A. MACEO WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL

SCHOOL RULES AND REGULATIONS

SCHOOL HOURS: School hours are from 8:30 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. Students are to be in their classrooms when the tardy bell rings at 8:30. A tardy slip from the attendance office is required after 8:40 a.m. Frequently, students are left at school well before 7:45 a.m. and after 3:45 p.m. No adult supervision is provided at these times. Please be aware that the safety of your child is at risk each time he/she is left unsupervised before and after school. We strongly urge parents to make arrangements for timely transportation of their child(ren).

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL: Classrooms are open at 8:15 a.m. and school begins at 8:30 a.m. The cafeteria will be open at 7:45 a.m. for students eating breakfast. Students walking or being dropped off by parents are to enter through the front doors only and report to the auditorium or cafeteria for breakfast. Bus riders will enter through the front doors. Students will remain in the cafeteria or auditorium until dismissal to class. Students should not be in the hallways before school. After the 8:20 bell, students will report to their lockers then directly to homeroom.

Students will be dismissed each day at 3:15 p.m. Students should be completely off campus by 3:45 p.m. unless accompanied by a teacher for a specific activity. There is no adult supervision of students after this time, unless they are at a specified tutoring or practice.

Please schedule doctor and dental appointments outside of school hours. If this is not possible, please do not check the student out before 11:15 a.m. This keeps your child from losing credit for a day’s attendance. Parents must come to the attendance office to check the student out.

For the student’s safety, the teacher will not be able to release any student to anyone who has not obtained a Dismissal Slip from the office. In addition, students will not be released to adults not listed on the student data sheet and any adult coming to check a child out MUST SHOW PROPER IDENTIFICATION.

ACCIDENTS AND ILLNESS:If a student is injured or becomes ill at school, we will make him/her comfortable and then call parents immediately. If the parent cannot be reached, we will attempt to contact the emergency number listed on the registration form. Be sure to update any changes in numbers on the form as the year progresses. Please remember that seriously ill students can not remain at school.

CHRONIC ILLNESSES: The Office needs to know of chronic illnesses such as asthma, rheumatic fever, diabetes, allergies, etc. We need definite written instruction on file should an emergency arise. Parents, please make sure homeroom teachers also have a written note on file explaining any chronic illness your child may have.

MEDICATION: If your child receives medication at school, all medication must be brought to the Office by the parent (not the child), with the written directions from the physician, which indicate the frequency and dosage of the prescribed medication. The medicine must be in the original container prepared by the pharmacist. At the time the medication is brought to school, a written authorization must be filled out and signed by the parent before the medication can be taken. Medication can only be dispensed through the Office. Students may not have the medication in their possession during the school day.