BMS Handbook Highlights
Grading Policy
The policies and regulations of this student handbook are subject to change without notice.
Refer to the front of your student assignment books for the full 33 pages of
Handbook information
Grading Policy
Homework Policy
Honor Roll
Computer Security Agreement
Attendance
Trip Requests - Educational
Health Services
Bus Conduct
Dress
Discipline Policy
The grade the student earns will show on the report card each nine weeks. The report card is to be taken home, signed by the parent and returned to school the following school day.
Incomplete grades will be given for work not completed by the specified time. Work must be completed as quickly as possible and grades will be assigned accordingly. All I's must be removed to meet promotion requirements.
Students must pass at least one of the final two grading periods to receive a passing grade for the year.
Students may not fail more than one major subject each year in order to be promoted. If a student fails for the year, it is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements for repeating the class(es). Promotion Homework Policy Make up work Honor Roll
In grades 6, 7, and 8 a student may not fail more than one major subject each year in order to be promoted. A major subject is one which meets for class 5 days a week. Students who fail more than one major subject may be transferred to the next grade if it is considered to be in the best interest of the student. This decision will be made by the principal and the staff.
If a student is absent, it is their responsibility to make up the missed school work. This will in some cases require the parent or student to contact the school for homework assignments. The parent or student may call during the second day of absence requesting homework assignments from the office. Homework assignments will then be requested from the teacher. Assignments may be picked up athe following day by 2:45 PM in the office. It is the parent's or student's responsibility to see that the assignments are picked up or to request another student to bring the assignments home. The school office will not take the responsibility for seeing that assignments are delivered to the student.
Students who are absent for any reason will be required to make up work missed in each class. Immediately upon return, arrangements must be made to make up work. It is the students's responsibility to abtain all make up work from his teachers immediately upon return to school. Failure to abtain make up work is no excuse for not doing work missed. Every effort should be made for all make up work to be completed by the end of the grading period. Only in extreme cases of prolonged absence will more than one week be allowed for work to be made up unless permission is granted by the office. A day's absence does not excuse a student from his/her responsibility for all recitations on the day of his/her return. Grades will be withheld if make up work is not turned in, and may lead to failure if the situation is not remedied.
Requirements for honor roll recognition at Blairsville/Saltsburg Middle Schools are as follows:
Computer Security Agreement Testing Attendance After these two days if no excuse is submitted, the absence will automatically be illegal. Failure to provide an excuse may result in legal action as described in the PA Public School Code of 1949.3. Make immediate plans to do all make-up work due to absence. Your grades will reflect your absences if you do not get the work made up. Trip Requests - Educational Religious Holidays Health Services Medication Library
All students having access to Blairsville-Saltsburg School District computer, computer software, and other technology must abide by the following regulations:
1. I will not use computer lab or equipment without faculty/staff supervision.
2. I am solely responsible for the computer and computer software assigned me and for any software files residing in my personal directory on the computer networks.
3. I will not reveal my network password to other students, nor will I attempt to access another student's account by learning his/her password. I will not let other students use my account.
4. I will report any computer vandalism, computer or other situations which has made my assigned computer inoperable immediately upon sitting in front of it.
5. I will not attempt to illegally enter the computer networks or a computer's operating system.
6. I will not copy personal software onto the computer networks or onto any hard drive of a computer, either stand-alone or connected to a network. I will not use any personal software from the floppy disk drives of any computer. I will not download and install any software from the internet.
7. I will not examine, alter, delete, or copy any DOS, Windows, or network file. I will access only those files which support my purpose for working on the network.
8. I will not access or use any real-time communications (i.e., chat rooms) on district computers without authorization.
9. I will not use profanity in any respect on the network or stand-alone computers. I will not vandalize or otherwise abuse school district technology.
10. I will not access or use any form of electronic mail on district computers without authorization.
11. I will not create or introduce into any computer system either owned, leased or maintained by the school district a computer program (a "virus") that invades, disrupts, absorbs, or destroys a legitimate computer program and/or data.
12. I understand the Crimes Code of PA section -3933, Unlawful Use of a Computer, and that such offenses are punishable by law as either a misdemeanor or a felony.
13. I will not copy district owned software to a personal disk.
The Pennsylvania System of State Assessment (PSSA) Math, Reading, and Writting, will be administered in the spring to 8th graders and 6th grades will have the writing assessment in the fall of the year. The TERRA NOVA is administered to 6th and 7th grades.
Students will not be excused from school except in cases of emergencies. All work missed by students must be made up as soon as possible after returning to school. Excessive absence often results in poor school work. Excessive absenteeism also increases the possibility of students not being promoted to the next grade level. When an absence is necessary the parent or guardian should whenever possible, telephone the school at 724-459-8880 telling the reason for the students's absence. Please call after 8:00 AM. Steps to follow when the student returns to school following an absence.
1. Have parent or guardian write an excuse giving name, date, days of absence, and rason for absence.
2. Present your written excuse. Turn your written excuse in to your homeroom teacher within two days.
Students are considered tardy if they report to school after 7:37 AM but before 11:00 AM. All students arriving after 7:37 AM must sign in with the secretary in the front office before proceeding to class. You are NOT permitted in the class without a signed pass from the office. Arrivals after 11:00 AM will be recorded as one-half day absence.
1. A written request from a parent or guardian must be submitted before or during homeroom period. This request must include the reason for the dismissal and the exact time the student is to be dismissed.
2. A phone cll from the parent/guardian verifying the early dismissal must be made prior to the student's departure.
3. If the student is being picked-up by the parent/guardian or a designee, that person must come to the office and sign-out the student.
4. The student must present an appointment card, to the office, from the physician, dentist, etc. which they attended, upon their return to school.
Parents are to notify the school in advance of their educational trip plans. Students are to request educational trip approval forms from the principal's office. These forms are to be completed and submitted to the office prior to the trip. This allows the school the opportunity to plan lessons and arrange for homework assignments for the student. The student is to see ech teacher to determine the school work to be missed and make any necessary arrangements. Upon returning from the educational trip the student is required to immediately make arrangements to make up all work missed. This must be completed within a reasonalble period of time. Failure to comply with this policy MAY result in the absence being recorded as unexcused.
A pupil may be excused from school for observance of bona fide religious holidays by particular religious groups, in accordance with Pennsylvania School Laws upon submission of a written request by the parent prior to the day of absence.
If a student becomes ill in school, he/she should report to the nurse, who will decide what should be done. Students must not leave the building because of illness without authorization. If the nurse is not in, students are to report to the office.
Students needing to take medication during the school day are to use the following procedure:
1. The student is to take any prescription or over-the-counter medication in its original container to the school nurse.
2. The student is to have a note from his/her parent indicating what the medication is for, how often to take it and how much is to be taken.
3. The student will report to the nurse or nurse's aide at the times he/she is to be given the medication.
At no time is a student to be carrying pills or any medication throughout the school.
Library use is a privilege. Conduct yourself in the proper manner. No material should leave the library without being properly checked out. Books may be borrowed to two weeks with the right for a renewal if the books are not in demand.
Emergency Weather Information
TV Announcements for Emergency School Closing
WTAE - Channel 4 WPXI - Channel 11
Student Monitoring Bus Conduct
Students may be videotaped on school buses and in the building for safety and disciplinary purposes. These tapes will be used for safety and disciplinary purposes if necessary. Video surveillance equipment will be in use in the school hallways, cafeteria and on the buses. Privacy is not to be expected in these areas.
The school day begins when a student leaves home and ends when he reaches his front door after school. The same conduct is expected at the school bus stop and on the bus as in the classroom. School bus drivers have an extremely important and dangerous job and need the cooperation of safety conscious students if they are to get you to school quickly and safely.
Begining in 2001-02 school year, the Blairsville Saltsburg School District will begin using both audio and video taping equipment on school buses. Cameras will be randomly placed on school buses, and it will not be known to the students if taping is in progress. If you do not wish to have your child video ar audio taped on the school bus, you will be permitted to transport your child to and from school each day. With the addition of audio taping, the district will be taking a stronger stand with student discipline on the school buses and at school bus stops. Students are given the privilege of having transportation available to them; it is not a requirement of the District. Therefore, we strongly urge you to review the school bus guidelines with your child(ren), in support of our effort to improve behavior on the school bus and at school bus stops. Students who violate the guidelines will be disciplined, including a possible suspension of their riding privileges. In this event, the parent/guardian is responsible for making other transportation arrangements for the student to attend school. Suspension of bus driving privileges does not constitute an excusable absence from school.
Bus Note Procedure
Dress Discipline Policy Weapons Assault Drugs, Tobacco and Alcohol Policy
We recognize that each student's mode of dress and grooming are an expression of personal style and individual preference. Dress regulations serve as a guide for students. Students are expected to exhibit cleanliness and good taste in their personal appearance. Students are expected to dress in a manner that will protect their modesty, is tasteful and appropriate. A student's appearance will be a source of pride not only to their school, but also to the individual and his/her family.
If a student is uncertain as to the appropriateness of clothing for schoolwear, he/she should check with the principal before wearing the clothing to school. Students not adhering to the dress guidelines will be required to modify their dress or parents will be called to make arrangements for an appropriate change of clothing. It is understood that if attention is directed toward a student's garment regarding its inappropriateness for school, the garment is not to be worn again to school. If there is a question about the appropriateness of dress, the principal will make the final determination.
Students who are defiant or disrespectful can be subject to disciplinary action imposed by the teacher. Students who are sent to the office because of non-compliance or defiances of school personnel's request to modify their clothing are subject to discipline actions.
The following list is examples and should serve as a guide. This is not considered to be a comprehensive listing of dress guidelines for the school environment.
Hats, bandanas, and sunglasses cannot be worn in school.
No bare feet, untied shoelaces, shower thongs.
No shirts that expose the midriff (the bottom of the top garment and the top of the bottom garment must overlap or be tucked one inside the other)
No halter tops, strapless tops, tube tops, tops with only one strap, see-through tops or mesh clothing, tank tops with straps less than 2 inches wide, spaghetti straps.
No low cut armholes or muscle shirts.
No short shorts, cut-off shorts, biking shorts.
No pants/shorts/skirts worn below the waist and /or in a manner that reveals undergarments, underwear or skin when standing or sitting.
No pants/shorts that are excessively too large.
Coats, jackets, or garments designed for protection from outside weather shall not be worn in the building under ordinary circumstances.
No spiked jewelry, dog collars or jewelry creating a hazard.
No chains of any length hanging from clothing, purses, wallets, or backpacks.
No clothing, patches, buttons, pins or other accessories that are obscene, vulgar, seductive, demeaning, suggestive, disrespectful or conveys a double meaning and product advertisements which promote drugs, alchohol, tobacco or violence.
Student Misconduct/Response
ASD (After School Detention) will convene from 2:30 until 3:30 PM. Students will be given at least one day notice prior to ASD being assigned unless special arrangements are made with the teacher assigning the detention. Students who miss detention will be assigned an additional day of ASD. The student will continue to accumulate additional days for each day missed. If a student misses/skips two (2) days of ASD without prior notice to the principal, the student will be assigned behavior probation until all time is served. When a student earns nine (9) days of ASD and has demonstrated an attitude of defiance and not attempted to complete the detention, the student will then be subject to additional disciplinary action.
Section 1317.2 of the Public School Code provides that school districts must expel for a period of at least one year "any student who is determined to have brought a weapon onto any school property, any school sponsored activity or any conveyance providing transportation to a school or school sponsored activity." The definition of a "weapon" is to include, but not be limited to, "any knofe, cutting instrument, cutting tool, nunchaku (club), fire arem, shot gun, rifle and any other tool, instrument or implement capable of inflicting serious bodily injury."
Including but not limited to: Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Ethnic Intimidation, and Physical Assult, is defined as : engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts which seriously alarms, harms, or annoys another person. In addition to district consequences, civil penalties for assault include: Imprisonment for a term of not more than 90 dys and a maximum fine of $300.00.
Blairsville-Saltsburg School District Standards of Conduct
It is the policy and intent of the Blairsville-Saltsburg School District to provide a drug-free, healthful, and safe environment free from drugs, tobacco and alcohol abuse. In light of this, and in accordance with PL 101-226, Blairsville-Saltsburg School District prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of drugs, tobacco and alcohol by students and employees on its property or as part of any Blairsville-Saltsburg School District related or sponsored activities.
The policies and regulations of this student handbook are subject to change without notice.
Refer to the front of your student assignment books for the full 33 pages of
Handbook information
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