Sixth Grade Guidelines and Policies
NYOS Charter School, Inc.
2017-2018School Year
Contact InformationTeacher / Subject / Email
Bailey Noon / Mathematics /
Lindsey Blase-Brown / English Language Arts /
Amber Lovas / World Cultures /
Amy Holton / Technology Connections /
Dan Omelchuck / Science /
Your Child’s Success
Dear Parents,
Success, both short term and long, is dependent on your consistent involvement in all matters educational. Please continue to support your child’s preparation for each new school day by checking for homework completion, checking your child’s agenda, assisting with organization of school materials, logging into the online gradebook Parent Portal to access grades and attendance, and encouraging a high standard for all of the work your child produces.
Please take some time with your child to read and discuss the policies and procedures for middle school. We ask that the last page of this packet be signed and returned to the student’s homeroom teacher no later than Tuesday August 8, 2017.
Together, we can maintain focus on our goals. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or any free time or special skills you’d like to contribute throughout the coming year.
We are very excited about the journey ahead this year, and look forward to sharing it with your family.
Warm regards,
The Sixth Grade Team
Extra Help
This year, tutorials will be incorporated into our school day during Brain Power (Advisory) with the exception of Mr. Omelchuck because of a conflicting high school class. Students will have to schedule after school tutorials with Mr. Omelchuck for science. If a student requires additional after school support in all classes, teachers will provide that support on an as-needed basis. Parents will be emailed or receive a phone call in order to schedule tutorial time.
Classroom Procedures and Expectations
Students must not interfere with the right of other students to learn, or the right of the teacher to teach. Procedures and expectations for behavior are based on the HET, or Highly Effective Learning model for Life Skills and Lifelong Guidelines. ALL middle school students are expected to respect themselves, others, and their environment. This means all students will:
▪Show respect for the health (including mental health) and safety of others. This means no insults, bullying, exclusion, name calling, or gossiping. This also means no pushing, hitting, kicking, etc. Not even “play fighting”.
▪Enter the room quietly, on time, prepared for, and focused on learning. Each student should two pens and two pencils, notebook paper, an agenda, and their homework binder EVERY SINGLE DAY.
▪Keep the classroom clean and free of debris. Replace items to their proper homes. Treat materials and supplies responsibly and respectfully.
▪Stay in the room at all times unless given permission to leave (a hall pass). Nurse visits are for serious illness, emergencies, or to take prescribed medication. Bathroom trips must be limited to four minutes, and require logging in and out and a bathroom pass. One person at a time. Abuse of bathroom privileges will result in a phone call home and possible loss of privilege.
▪Comply with all aspects of the school dress code policy.
▪Not use offensive or explicit language, or discuss topics that are not appropriate for a learning environment.
▪NOT bring drinks other than water. NO food or drinks will be permitted in the Technology Lab or Science Lab.
▪Technology may be used for academic purposes only. This means students may not access personal email or access sites that should not be used for school purposes. Please refer to the Acceptable Use Policy. Level of access to technology is different in each classroom. Always ask each teacher before use in each class.
Discipline Procedures for Disruptive Behavior:
Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s important that our student’s do their best to create habits that don’t interfere with the learning and safety of others. If a student makes a mistake that violates the middle school policies, a note will be made in the Citizenship Log in their agenda. It is expected the Citizenship Log will be checked daily and any entries will be initialed by the parent. A pattern of disruptive or irresponsible behavior will have the following consequences:
1st-3rd offenses per quarter: Conference/discussion with teacher.
4th offense: Parents will be contacted. Student will meet and develop a plan to change behavior.
5th offense: Parent conference will be scheduled to identify the problem and a solution.
6th offense: Discipline referral and parent conference.
NOTE: Some behaviors require immediate intervention that supersede the Citizenship Log. Please see student handbook for further clarification of school-wide discipline policy.
Field Trip Expectations and Consequences
Field Trip Expectations:
Follow rules of NYOS Student Code of Conduct;
Be on your best behavior;
Be a good representative of NYOS Charter School;
Respect yourself, others, and the environment.
Follow directions of any adults including teachers, tour guides, bus drivers and chaperones.
Field Trip Consequences:
Failure to follow the expectations above will result in a student/parent/team meeting to review the behavior issue. The parent/guardian must then attend the next field trip as a chaperone.
Prior to subsequent field trips, that student’s ongoing behavior will determine whether or not the student may attend future field trips without parental supervision.
Homework Policy
Students will use their agendas to record all homework assigned in the four core classes and Technology Connections. Any homework will be posted on the daily agenda on the whiteboard in the classroom. Brain Power teachers will initial or stamp agendas on a weekly basis signifying that all homework assigned has been recorded.
In Middle School, students will have homework on a nightly basis. Parents need to visually check agendas to make sure homework is complete each night. If your child is spending more than an hour on homework a night, chances are that we’ll need to work to develop time management skills to ensure long term projects are chunked into more manageable tasks. If you have concerns about a particular assignment, please collaborate with the teacher, who will help to support your child’s success.
All homework assignments and test dates will also be posted prior to Monday for the following week in the grade level newsletter which we will send out by email. Information in the newsletter can also be accessed by visiting each teacher’s NYOS webpage.
All homework must be turned in on the day it is due to receive full credit. Students are responsible for making arrangements with the teacher for any special circumstances. For projects and tests, teachers will give due dates in advance with frequent in class reminders. For each day an assignment is late, the student will lose 10 percentage points. After the 5th day late, teachers will no longer accept the assignment.
Days LateMaximum Grade
0 (on time)100%
190%
280%
370%
460%
550%
>50%
Communication with Parents
●In addition to our agendas, a progress report will be sent home with each student once each mid-quarter to alert parents of any academic concerns. Twice a year we will hold student-led conferences for your child to share his or her portfolio of work and academic accomplishments and goals. It is important for parents to make arrangements to attend this twice a year conference.
●Inside your student’s agenda you will find a Citizenship Log. This is where we communicate to parents about student behavior and responsibility and late work. The Citizenship Log should be checked daily any entries concerning behavior should be initialed by the parent.
●Parents will receive information at the beginning of the school year on how to register and access the Parent Portal. This will allow you to access your student’s current grades and attendance. The portal can also be configured to send out alerts concerning grades and attendance. This is the best and easiest way to know how your child is doing in each of their classes.
●Parents are expected to subscribe to each of their student’s class webpages. This can be accomplished by visiting each of your student’s class page for each teacher and clicking on SUBSCRIBE. Subscribing will allow timely email notifications for assignments and homework.
Middle School Dress Code Policy
6th-7th Grade Uniform Policy
Tops:
Polo shirt: solid navy, white, grey, black Loose-fitting, with no ruffles, lace, gathers, or large logos / Undergarments:
Undergarments must be covered at all times. Tights or leggings: solid color to match shirt or bottoms, or white
Bottoms:
Pants, shorts, skirts: navy, black, khaki (tan), Fabric may not be denim or athletic material. No embellishments or rips. Cargo-style is ok. Skirts and shorts must be an appropriate length (about 1-3 inches for skirts and 1-5 inches for shorts above the knee). / Shoes:
Closed-toe shoes required in science labs and recommended at other times. Cold-weather gear worn inside Sweaters, jackets, hoodies, sweatshirts worn inside for warmth are ok.
PE:
Top: T-shirt
Bottoms: shorts mid-thigh or longer, athletic material ok
Tennis/athletic shoes / Thursday College or NYOS T-shirt day Tops:
T-shirt, sweatshirt or hoodie from an accredited college or university, or NYOS sponsored.
Bottoms: Blue jeans or uniform bottoms.
Understanding of Guidelines and Policies
Parents AND students: Please place your initials on the lines provided.
______I have read and understand the Middle School Guidelines and Policies.
______I have read and understand the Middle School Dress Code Policy.
Student name (please print) ______[1]
Student signature ______Date ______
Parent signature ______Date ______
Please return to your homeroom teacher.
Parent/Guardian Contact Information
Primary Contact to receive mail outs and confidential information.
Your Name
Relationship to student
Email Address
Home Number
Cell Number
Work Number
Secondary Emergency Contact
Your Name
Relationship to student
Email Address
Home Number
Cell Number
Work Number
Important Note: If your contact information should change, it is vital that you update that information with your child’s homeroom teacher immediately.
[1]Okay, I think I've updated everything date and uniform-wise.
Does anyone know how to make this a google form so we could save paper?