HERNDON MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT HANDBOOK ~Where Every Student Finds Success WE ARE HAWKS!! HMS Code of Conduct We Participate We pay attention We stay on-task We are Responsible Citizens We respect others We respect the learning process We respect the learning environment We Work Hard We always do our best We complete our assignments HMS Tardy Policy Procedures Students are expected to be in class on time. Students late to class must enter the class quietly, sign in on the tardy log and begin engaging in class. Students receive a warning the first time they are late to class. Students tardy a second time to class will be referred to safety and security and assigned an after school detention. Students assigned an afterschool detention will be notified by notice from a teacher and/or a phone call home indicating the day of the assignment. For each subsequent tardy, students will be assigned an additional afterschool detention. After being assigned 4 afterschool detentions, subsequent tardies will result in a Saturday detention assignment and an administrative phone call home. We complete our homework We Are Prepared We are always on time We always have what we need Departure from School Bus riders and students who use Kiss and Ride are to exit to the rear of the building. Walkers are to exit through the front of the building and be off of school property by 3:00. Students staying for afterschool activities or help are expected to be in the after school location by 3:00. At the end of the day, eighth graders are to exit the building by taking the 260 hall. Eighth grade students who walk should use the stairwell by the auditorium. Breakfast Procedures Report directly to the cafeteria upon entering school and report directly to the serving line. Students in line for breakfast before 7:40, may eat in the café. Students in line after 7:40, must put their breakfast in a bag (provided by breakfast supervisors) and take it to the first block (period) to eat. Report to class on time after leaving the cafeteria. Arrival to School Students may enter the building to sit in the front lobby or go to the cafeteria for breakfast at 7:30 Students may enter the hallways at 7:40 to make their way towards class. Students arriving to school after 7:50 should get a blue attendance card from the main office before
Hallways Lunch in the Cafeteria Walk in the halls Stay to the right when moving in the hallways and on the stairways. When in the hallways: Do not block traffic Keep volume at a conversational level Keep your hands to yourself Do not slam or kick lockers Do not consume food or drink in the hallway Consequences for inappropriate behavior in the hallways: Teachers will monitor student behavior in the halls and will inform administrators if students continually fail to observe hallway procedures. Administrators will assign progressive disciplinary consequences to students who repeatedly violate rules. Stairways The stairwell between locker pods can only be used for downstairs travel during class change. The stairwell by the auditorium can only be used for upstairs travel during class change. All other stairways can be used to travel both up and down. Students should walk to the right on the stairs. Students are expected to: Enter the cafeteria on time, quietly, and proceed to his/her assigned table. Remain seated until a teacher directs him/her to the lunch line Follow cleanup procedure as directed; there shall be a table washer and sweeper on a rotating basis. The cafeteria section supervisor will assign the table washer/sweeper rotations. Students may only purchase items from the vending machines during the first 20 minutes of their lunch time and will not be permitted to purchase items from the vending machine during the last 5 minutes of lunch. Drinks other than water must be consumed in the cafeteria. Consequences for inappropriate behavior in the cafeteria: Students who enter the cafeteria after the designated 5 minutes of passing time will be required to sit at the detention tables for the remainder of the lunch period. Students may be reassigned different seats for failure to follow cafeteria procedures. If inappropriate behaviors persist, more formal consequences will be imposed by the administrator. Backpacks Small personal purses or string backpacks can be carried throughout the day if necessary. Personal items such electronics, toys, and other items that are not necessary for school use must be placed inside backpacks or book bags before the beginning of first block. These items must be stored in the backpack, in the locker during the school day. Consequences for failing to adhere to procedure: Teacher referral to administration. Buses Students are expected to use the mode of transportation to which they have been assigned. Students are expected to follow the FCPS SR&R standards for riding buses.
Lockers Dress Code Locker assignments and combinations will be listed on student schedules and students can begin using lockers when school begins. Do: Use only your assigned locker. Do Not: Give your combination to anyone else or leave your locker on quick set. Do: Leave your personal items such as back packs, coats, hats, and non-instructional items in your locker during school. (Nothing should be left on top of lockers.) Do Not: Install equipment or decorations on your locker that you cannot easily remove in June. Do Not: Kick or force a jammed locker. Locker Problems and what to do: Lost combination: Go to room 162 or 202 to get combination from Mr. Ellis or Mr. Jerome. Jammed lock or door: Ask your teacher or counselor for a locker problem form. Theft of items locked in the locker: Report problem to main office for administrative action. (REMEMBER: DO NOT LEAVE LOCKS ON QUICK SET) REMEMBER: The school is not responsible for items stored in lockers. Lockers are school property and may be searched at the discretion of the principal. Passes to lockers during class time are at the teacher s discretion. Bathrooms Students are encouraged to use the restrooms during class change and during lunch time. However, students may use the passes in their student agenda booklets during class at the discretion of the teacher. Students are expected to use the restroom closest to their classroom. Students are expected to follow the dress code guidelines outlined in the FCPS SR &R: All students are expected to dress appropriately for a K12 educational environment. Any clothing that interferes with or disrupts the educational environment is unacceptable. Clothing with language or images that are vulgar, discriminatory, or obscene, or clothing that promotes illegal or violent conduct, such as gang symbols, the unlawful use of weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or drug paraphernalia, or clothing that contains threats is prohibited. Clothing should fit, be neat and clean, and conform to standards of safety, good taste, and decency. Clothing that exposes cleavage, private parts, the midriff, or undergarments, or that is otherwise sexually provocative, is prohibited. Examples of prohibited clothing include, but are not limited to: sagging or low-cut pants, low-cut necklines that show cleavage, tube tops, halter tops, backless blouses or blouses with only ties in the back, studded belts, chain belts, clothing constructed of see-through materials, and head coverings unless required for religious or medical purposes. Students not complying with this code will be asked to cover the non-complying clothing, change clothes, or go home. Repeated infractions will result in disciplinary action. This means: Hats, hoods, and sunglasses are not to be worn in the building. Students should remove and store these articles in lockers before the beginning of the first class and leave them in lockers until exiting the building at the end of the day. Some clothing that is in style may not be appropriate for the school environment. Girls should not wear shorts, skirts or dresses that are too short or too tight. Midriff exposing tops are not permitted. A general guideline would be: Can the student raise her hand, an everyday expectation at school, and not show her stomach or bare skin? Boys should not wear mesh tops or tanks with large arm openings. Shorts and pants must stay up by their own power or with the assistance of a belt. A general guideline would be: Can the student climb the stairs without holding up/ onto his pants? In general if you have a question about an outfit, it s probably not appropriate. Students are expected to wear clothing that does not demonstrate any gang affiliation or association. Students wearing flip flops during the school day will be required to have a change of close toed shoes for PE. Other teachers may require close toed shoes for safety reasons. Procedures for Students Dressed Inappropriately: Students who are not dressed appropriately according to the FCPS regulations and the HMS Dress Code will be asked to change at the discretion of any staff member.
Cell Phones & Electronics All electronics should be turned off/powered off and put away out of sight during the day. Students may use phones after school. Students must have permission to use cell phones during after school activities. At 2:50 students may use cell phones before reporting to after school activities or getting on the bus. Students may not use any electronics during the day unless permitted by the teacher for instructional purposes. Electronics and headphones must be out of sight when students enter the building. Consequences for inappropriate use: Students who use their cell phones or electronics during the school day without permission will have these items confiscated. These Items must be picked up by a parent or guardian. Library Procedures 1. Write your due dates in your Agenda. 2. Have a special place in your locker, binder, and at home for library books. Let Mrs. Ruffle know right away about lost books. Assemblies and Auditorium Use Students report to their regularly scheduled class and wait to be called by PA to assemblies. Quietly enter the assembly with your class while listening for seating directions. Students should show respect and appreciation by listening and responding appropriately. Students are expected to remain seated and wait for instructions from school officials before being dismissed from the auditorium. Fire Drill Procedures Students are expected to: Quickly and quietly follow teachers directions to exit the building and remain with their own class. Listen and refrain from talking. Upon arrival at the outside location, listen quietly for directions and roll call. Any student not with his/her class should leave by the nearest exit and report to a staff member. 3. Put your books in your backpack when you're done or want to change so you won't forget to return them. 4. Sign up in the morning for POWERtime if you need new books. 5. Sign in when you come to the library with a pass. 6. Ask Mrs Ruffle, your teacher, or a friend for help in the library. Help yourself and then a friend. 7. Always get at least one book to read for recreation. Keep it with you all the time. 8. When your teacher tells you that your class will be visiting the library, write a reminder in your agenda to have your materials ready to renew or return. 9. Log in to use a computer and save your work. 10. Clean up after yourself. Clinic Procedures Students must obtain permission and a pass from their classroom teacher in order to visit the clinic. Guidance Counselor Procedures Each student is assigned to one of the school counselors. The counselors support students in the areas of academics, social-emotional, and careers. In addition to these planned program supports, counselors also provide intervention support through small groups or individual counseling. Students should have a pass to come to guidance. Students may request a meeting with their counselor by submitting a conference request form. Teachers can print copies of the form which is available in Blackboard in the Forms button. Obtaining and filling out one of these forms is NOT an excuse for being late to class, so students should plan accordingly.
Computer Labs & School Technology The Herndon Code of Conduct and the SR&R apply in the Computer Labs. No Gum, food or drink is permitted in the computer lab or while using school technology. Students are expected to follow the Acceptable Use Policy and Teacher Directions when working in the computer labs and with the mobile labs. REMEMBER: Your username and password are private. Keep your work and network identity safe; keep your password private. Remember to save to your H Drive. Saving to your H Drive will allow you to access your work from any computer in the building. Handle computers with care. You are responsible for the computer you are using, if you notice a problem/ damage please report it to your teacher. Power Time Procedures Students are expected to report to Power Time on time and either complete work or read without interfering with other student s progress. Students w/o work to complete are expected to read or study quietly. Students with passes to report to another power time teacher should sign out in their power time s teacher s Power Time signout binder. Once students arrive into their designated power time locations, students should sign in to the Power Time sign in binder. Students are not to use electronic devices like IPods or cell phones during PT. PT is not to be used as a social time as it is still part of the instructional time. Consequences for failing to follow PT procedures: Students who do not abide by the PT rules will not be able to participate during privilege activities. Assigned Academic Assistance (A3) Students may be assigned to A3 in order to get extra academic support. If students have not completed homework or classwork in a timely matter or need additional support to reach academic potential, they may be referred to the counselors and administration for A3. Administrators will call home and work with teachers to provide assignments for students to complete in an after school session of A3. Consequences: Students may be referred for Saturday School, Alternative Instructional Arrangement (AIA) or other academic programs if they are unable to participate in A3 assignments. Privileges and Incentives Privileges will be awarded to students doing the right thing. We currently provide a variety of ways to reward students for good behavior and for achieving Outstanding marks on their expanded report cards.