STUDENT CODE OF ETHICS
One attends school to
learn. Everybody learns
better when comfortable in his or her environment.
You have responsibility to your peers and the adults who work at
your school to watch out for wrongdoings and help prevent them if you
can. Reporting to someone
in authority will be kept confidential.
Treat others with the respect that you deserve and want for
yourself.
GOWANA MISSION STATEMENT
The Gowana family -
faculty, staff, students, parents and other community members believe
that student achievement is our most important goal.
Our mission is to inspire each student to strive for personal
success academically, artistically and athletically while promoting
positive growth, social behaviors and attitudes and recognizing the
uniqueness of each individual.
Each year the Gowana Partnership Team, consisting of staff
members, parents and administrators, develops a list of goals.
These are published in the fall
MIDDLE SCHOOL RIGHTS
EXPECTATIONS
The Middle School Contract
“When individuals in the middle school
community respect each other, they agree to work together to support
each other in their learning.”
(Mary Henton.
Adventure in the
Classroom. 1996.)
Each member of the
middle school community has the basic right to an education.
Everyone must feel physically and emotionally safe in the middle
school environment. This
includes school buses, school grounds, hallways, classrooms, cafeterias
and all school sponsored events.
To accomplish this, clear and consistent expectations are stated
in the form of a contract.
Ultimately, the goal is to have individuals make responsible decisions
and be accountable for their actions.
The social and emotional needs of each middle school student play
such significant roles in his/her
life that they are the
core of any middle school philosophy.
The
Middle School Contract
clearly establishes our expectations and is a vehicle for affective
teaching. It provides
students and staff with positive learning and behavior strategies which
allow them to become self-managing.
Parents, teachers, staff and administrators serve as role models,
facilitators and partners in this process.
This collaborative approach
empowers all to cooperate fully.
Where respect and success are nurtured, a student-centered team
environment is achieved.
The
Middle School Contract asks
all members of the middle school community to commit to four
expectations.
BE HERE
BE ON TIME
COME PREPARED
PARTICIPATE FULLY
BE
PHYSICAL SAFETY
·
Follow
directions
·
Promote a
non-violent environment
EMOTIONAL SAFETY
·
Be
tolerant of individual difference
·
Respect
others’ work and effort
·
Encourage
others to succeed
·
Be kind
BE RESPONSIBLE
BE HONEST WITH OTHERS
BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE GOALS
YOU SET
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR
ACTIONS
BE ACCEPTING OF OTHERS
SET GOALS
DETERMINE WHAT YOU CAN
SUPPORT EACH OTHER TO MEET SET
GOALS
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES
For students unable to
·
Be here
·
Be safe
·
Be responsible or
·
Set goals
Consequences are included as an integral
part of
the Middle School Contract.
BE
HERE
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Electronic devices
detract from a suitable academic atmosphere and are prohibited.
Electronic devices are to be stored in a student’s locker and
should remain turned off while in the building.
If a student is discovered with an electronic device, the item
will be confiscated and turned over to the Main Office Parents should
pick up the items from the office.
Disciplinary actions may also apply.
MAGIC, PLAYING and/or ANY OTHER CARDS, SKATEBOARDS
EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
These items disrupt the
educational process and are not permitted in school.
STUDENT DRESS
Students are responsible
for wearing clothing and accessories which are not offensive, disruptive
to the educational process nor a danger to themselves or others. You
have a responsibility to keep yourself and your clothing clean.
Students will not be permitted to wear clothing which depicts
drugs, alcohol, sex or violence. Short shorts, plunging/low necklines,
exposure of abdomens and undergarments are not appropriate for school.
HATS
Hats or other headgear
such as bandanas are not to be worn in the building during the school
day. Please show respect
for the building by adhering to this policy.
TARDINESS / CUTTING CLASS / TRUANCY
Attendance is the key to
success. Be on time every
day to your classes.
PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION
Displays of affection
(i.e. kissing, hugging, inappropriate touching, etc.) are not
appropriate in school.
CLASS BEHAVIOR
Any activities which
disrupt the educational process may result in detention or suspension.
CAFETERIA BEHAVIOR
All students have the
right to a peaceful, enjoyable lunch.
Anyone who disrupts this right will be subject to disciplinary
consequences. Students are
required to throw their garbage away and clear their own table area.
BUS BEHAVIOR
The school bus is
essentially an extension of the school.
All of the rules of the Middle School Code of Conduct apply on
the bus. Additionally,
there are specific bus rules which apply such as remaining seated while
the bus is moving.
Students who fail to
abide by the rules of the bus will receive disciplinary referrals to the
office which may result in consequences similar to classroom referrals.
Seat assignments and loss of bus privileges may also be included in the
disciplinary action.
BE
HAZARDOUS HORSEPLAY
Any behavior that
jeopardizes the safety of others, including “just fooling around”, may
result in detention or suspension.
HARASSMENT
Harassment occurs when
one or more students use power over another to make that person feel
insecure, fearful, or unworthy.
Harassment is against the law.
It singles out a person through inappropriate sexual, racial /
ethnic, religious, verbal, or physical comments / actions.
Ignoring harassment
seldom ends it. If you are
being harassed, it is important that you make your feelings clear.
For example, say “Please don’t touch me,” or “Stop saying that
about me,” or “Give me back my notebook.”
If the harassment continues, report it immediately to any staff
member in the building.
If you see someone else
being harassed, never join the harasser.
Resist any peer pressure to take part in behavior that makes
someone feel inferior. Help
the person get out of the situation and encourage the person to report
it to a staff member.
When harassment is
reported to an adult in the middle school, immediate action will be
taken. A meeting will be
held with the harasser(s) to make him/her/them aware that such behavior
must stop. If it does not,
a discipline referral will be made and the parent(s) of the harasser(s)
will be contacted. If the
harassment still continues, an external suspension along with a request
for a district hearing will be made.
Middle School students
have the right to feel safe in the classrooms, in the hallways, in the
cafeteria - anywhere in the building.
Every person has value and it is important that each student feel
comfortable and welcome in school.
THREATS / INTIMIDATION
Making threats verbally,
in writing, or through pictures against other students, staff, or the
school is a violation of the code of conduct.
Anyone who writes or talks about hurting people at school will
face serious disciplinary consequences, possibly including police
intervention and a Superintendent’s Hearing. Such behavior could result
in long-term suspension from school.
FIGHTING
A student who
provokes or participates in a
fight will be suspended from school.
Peer mediation will be offered on a voluntary basis to students
involved.
SMOKING OR POSSESSION
OF CIGARETTES, MATCHES
OR A LIGHTER
These will result in
detention or suspension.
POSSESSION OF A
WEAPON OR FIREWORKS
In accordance with state
and federal laws, possession of anything that resembles a gun or weapon
may result in suspension, police intervention and/or a Superintendent’s
Hearing.
ARSON/BOMB SCARE
Such activity will
result in suspension, police intervention and/or contact with the
District Office for a Superintendent’s Hearing.
BE
RESPONSIBLE
UNAUTHORIZED VENDING
Students will not be
permitted to sell items in school for personal profit e.g. candy, gum,
etc. Unauthorized vending
will result in the confiscation of the items and possible detention.
DISRESPECT / INSUBORDINATION
Insubordination to
reasonable requests and defiance of authority toward any staff member
will result in detention and/or suspension.
REFUSAL TO ACCEPT
ADMINISTRATIVE DISCIPLINE
A student, who does not
report for detention, will have two detentions assigned.
Failure to report for additional detentions will result in
alternate or increased disciplinary measures.
FORGING A SIGNATURE
Detention or suspension
will occur.
PLAGIARISM
Part of being a
responsible person is honesty with yourself and others.
Plagiarism (submitting work done in whole or part by others as if
it were your own), cheating and copying homework are not responsible
actions and can result in a range of disciplinary consequences.
STEALING
Theft of any kind will
result in restitution by person(s) responsible. Suspension will also
occur.
VANDALISM
Defacing or damaging
school property will result in restitution, detention or suspension and
possible police intervention.
POSSESSION OF DRUGS, DRUG PARAPHERNALIA OR ALCOHOL
Suspension, police
intervention and/or a Superintendent’s Hearing will occur.
Depending upon the circumstances, referral for a substance
evaluation may also be made to the family.
DISCIPLINARY POLICIES/PROGRAMS
The
following policies and programs may be assigned to help students who
violate the Middle School Contract.
Disciplinary consequences are designed to help students learn to
make choices consistent with this contract.
DISCIPLINARY RESTRICTION
Disciplinary restriction
may result from a regular pattern of misbehavior as determined by the
building administration.
Students involved in a serious incident may be immediately placed on
disciplinary restriction for any length of time, even if it is their
first or second referral.
Students who are
on disciplinary restriction
will not be allowed to participate in any extra-curricular activities
including:
+
clubs or organizations
+
sports or intramurals
+
dances
Students will lose all
pass privileges (limited pre-signed passes will be honored).
They may participate in field trips with administrators’ approval
only if their parent or guardian accompanies them as a chaperone and/or
they must immediately surrender their honor pass.
SATURDAY DETENTION/
COMMUNITY SERVICE /
SHORT TERM EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM (STEP)
If funding is available,
these program options may be used in lieu of suspension, in certain
instances, at the discretion of the administration.
DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE
A “Referral for
Misbehavior” form will be completed by the appropriate staff and an
administrator who will meet with the student and discuss the referral.
Then, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.
The form will be sent to
the student’s parents and a copy will be kept on file in the office.
An administrator or
designee will contact parents by telephone in the event of suspension.
A teacher or
administrator may contact a parent by phone to further discuss an
incident or to arrange for a parent conference.
SET GOALS
Gowana
requires every student to:
ü
Bring
his/her agenda to school every day and bring it to every class,
including study hall.
ü
Write
assignments for each class in his/her agenda on a daily basis.
Teachers write these assignments on a wall chart on a
daily/weekly basis.
ü
Student
schedules must be placed in the vinyl pocket located in the agenda.
ü
Students are
to use passes (Hallway Passport System) whenever they leave their
assigned classes.
Students and
parents are encouraged to use:
ü
Pass with
Class
ü
Record of
Achievement
ü
Success
Tracker
All three
sections are located in this Student Agenda
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
School hours are
VISITORS
-
HALLS
Students have four
minutes to travel between classes.
Students will walk on the right hand side of the halls.
Running or shoving is not allowed.
Students who are in the halls during class time are expected to
walk quietly and not disturb classes.
Food or drink is not allowed in the halls.
LOCKERS
All students will be
assigned a locker with a combination.
The lockers belong to the school.
Administration has the right to search lockers.
Students should not share their locker or combination with other
students. The school is not
responsible for items taken from student lockers.
Students are encouraged to use their locker during the day as
their schedule permits.
BACKPACKS
Backpacks should be kept
in lockers and used to carry books between school and home.
PASSES
Student hall passes are
in the agenda books.
Students will fill in the pass and teachers/staff will initial.
Late bus and office passes are also used.
Students who ride home on the late bus must get a late bus pass
directly from the teacher for whom they are staying after school.
The office will not issue late bus passes.
Students who wish to ride home on a different bus must bring a
parent note to the office before homeroom.
Bus passes will be distributed to students during their lunch
period.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
TEAMS, Counselors –Teaming provides
a better opportunity for students, parents and counselors to get to know
each other. Each student is
assigned a counselor. This
counselor will “loop” with the students which means they will work with
them all three years of middle school.
For this year:
Mr. Carpentieri – 6th
grade Counselor, Mrs. Simone – 7th Grade Counselor and Ms.
Shady – 8th Grade Counselor.
·
The
counselor and team approach will give students a sense of belonging and
support plus an opportunity to become independent learners as they make
their transition through middle school.
STUDY HALLS:
6th, 7th & 8th GRADES
Scheduled study halls
become an important part of the middle school day.
These study halls provide the opportunity for students to plan
how to manage their time as well as making this time productive.
Therefore, students must come to study hall prepared to do
homework. They are expected
to bring their agenda and work on their current assignments.
Students who do their work and follow all study hall rules will
be allowed to sign out as needed with a pre-signed pass.
Passes are located in back of student agendas.
Monitors do have the option to review agendas and to restrict
students who do not follow these rules or abuse their pass privileges.
After school detentions may be assigned to those students who do
not take advantage of using this time productively.
Middle
School Bookstore
The Middle School
Bookstore is a tri-building club which is open daily from
Announcements will be
made in all three buildings at the beginning of the school year looking
for club members.
The bookstore carries
general school supplies, agendas, review books and Shen merchandise.
You may make a purchase using cash or checks made out to
“The Middle School Bookstore.”
HOMEWORK
A major part of being
successful in Middle School is doing homework on a daily basis.
Homework results in good grades.
Homework provides excellent opportunities for developing good
study habits. Doing quality
homework is the best way to prepare for tests.
The habit of doing
homework on a regular basis helps students develop a sense of
self-discipline, personal responsibility and independent thinking.
The biggest challenge
for teachers and parents is to help students develop positive,
consistent, well-organized daily habits.
We can only achieve this goal by working together.
Focusing on the student agenda is the best means of achieving
this goal.
EXTRA HELP
–
Teachers are available for extra help
before, during and after the school day depending on each teacher’s
schedule. Many teachers
also offer regular review sessions for upcoming tests.
Check with your teachers about these extra help opportunities.
HOMEWORK REQUEST POLICY
The following is the procedure used for
obtaining homework when you are absent from school.
Homework may be requested
on the 2nd day of a student’s absence by calling the Gowana
counseling office at 881-0463.
It is best to call as early as possible, preferably by 8:30 AM,
so that teachers can have as much time as possible to get any homework
assignments together. Once
you notify the counseling office, an e-mail will be sent to your child’s
teachers requesting they bring any homework assignments assigned for the
days your child is absent, including any materials needed and/or
handouts, to the counseling office
by 3:30 of that same day.
Occasional teachers will e-mail the assignments so if you supply an
e-mail address; these assignments can be forwarded to you.
Assignments can be picked up any time after 3:30, we do suggest
however, you call first to make sure there are any assignments to be
picked up. If you are
requesting that a sibling or student pick up the assignments at the end
of the day, they must be notified
by you beforehand.
Most team assignments can also be viewed at
www.shenet.org, click on
Gowana Middle School, team pages are listed on the bottom of the home
page. You may also request
homework by e-mailing your child’s teachers directly.
Pre-Planned
Extended Absence
A student’s
absence from school at any time represents an interruption in the
student’s academic progress.
Of particular concern are extended absences for family trips
during the time when school is in session.
Such absences are illegal as defined by New York State Law.
It is the parents’ prime responsibility to have their children
present for instruction except in cases of illness, religious
observances, inclement weather, court appearances, and a very few other
unusual circumstances.
Extended absences deprive a student of the classroom interaction,
practice, and opportunities for additional assistance necessary for
academic growth. Teachers
are not required to provide work prior to the trip or to provide any
additional instruction before or after the trip.
Upon returning, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain any
back assignments, tests, and work that the teacher deems necessary and
to return completed work in a reasonable amount of time.
CAPTAIN’S HOMEWORK HELP
Homework assistance is
available three evenings a week through CAPTAIN’S “Homework Help”
program. Community
volunteers and CAPTAIN staff gather at the
REPORT CARDS
Report cards are issued every
quarter. Students earn a
numerical grade in each course based on their achievement in the class.
The minimum passing grade is an average of 65% for 10 week, 20
week and 40 week classes.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC
PROMOTION POLICY & SUMMER SCHOOL
The Board of Education
determines the promotion policies for elementary, middle school and high
school. Listed below is the
Middle School promotion policy that was revised on January 14, 2003.
(Summer school or other programs may be required for promotion.)
A student will be
promoted if they pass all of the following subjects in each of the
following categories:
Core
Core
Unified Art
Grade 6
Grade 7/8 Grade
Lang. Arts
English
Art
Reading
Social Studies
Health
Social Studies
Science
FACS
Science
Math
Technology
Math
LOTE
LOTE (6)
In order to pass a full
year course a student must earn a minimum average of 65%.
(65 x 4 = 260 points)
At the end of the school
year, a student who does not meet this requirement will have his/her
case reviewed by staff including teachers, school counselors, and
administrators. The review
will take into consideration the following factors:
age, previous retentions, availability of summer school courses,
availability of appropriate courses at the next grade level, social
development, and potential to make appropriate progress.
The final decision for
grade placement will be made by the principal and may include a
recommendation for summer school or parental acceptance of a specific
program or course assignment.
Parents may request a meeting with the school principal to
discuss the decision.
STUDENT
RECOGNITION PROGRAM
“Student Recognition” selections
are announced each school quarter.
These awards are based on high standards of achievement or
improvement in a specific subject area.
They are also awarded to students who demonstrate effort and
interest above the daily routine, do work outside the classroom or
demonstrate consistent cooperation and responsible behavior.
Students who receive this award will have their picture put on
display and a letter of commendation sent home.
At the conclusion of
each school quarter all students who meet the following criteria will be
presented with a laminated
- High Honor Roll or teacher
recommendation.
- Effort and conduct marks of 1 or 2.
- No serious referrals for misbehavior.
The honor pass is issued
for ten weeks or until the next Honor Roll is published.
The Honor Pass affords many privileges including leaving study
halls to go to the library and computer lab based on availability,
locker, bathroom, or phone..
PEOPLE &
PLACES
ATTENDANCE/881-0468
HEALTH OFFICE/881-0461
Fax/881-0415
Regular attendance is
very important to you as a student.
1.
If a
student is unable to attend school,
please have a parent/guardian call the Attendance Office by
881-0468
ª
For the safety of the student and the
accuracy of school records, a phone call is made by the attendance
secretary to verify an absence
if a call is not received from the parent
2.
Please refer to page 9 regarding the procedure used for obtaining
homework when you are absent from school.
3.
School Absences - When a
student returns to school following an absence, a parent/ guardian must
send in a written and signed note explaining the absence, unless a call
has been made to the Attendance Office.
Please make every effort
to make these notes easy to read.
If your child’s name
is different from yours, please include the full name in the note.
Please note:
The student will be
considered Absent Unexcused (irrevocable) if a phone call or note has
not been received within one week after an absence.
4.
Late to School - Students
must sign in at the attendance office.
Parents must (1) send a note, (2) make a phone call, or (3) come
in with the student to explain the tardiness.
5.
Early Dismissal - If it is
necessary to be dismissed during school hours, a written note signed by
parent/guardian must be brought to the attendance office
before homeroom.
At the time of dismissal the student should report to the
Attendance Office. Parents
should pick students up at the Attendance Office only.
Students may NOT
leave the building without signing out.
Students may be released to adults other that their
parents/guardians only
if they have a “Release Designation” form on file in the Attendance
Office.
6.
Phone Calls – At times it
might be necessary for a parent or guardian to phone the Attendance
Office about an unscheduled appointment or change of plans.
Please keep these phone calls to a minimum and consider that
every phone call made to a classroom is an interruption of the learning
process.
7.
Illness - If you are sick or
feeling ill, report to the nurse.
Students should not go to the other locations in the building
(i.e. bathrooms) to recover.
8.
Accidents - Students are to
report all accidents immediately to the teacher who is supervising their
activity. The teacher
will then contact the nurse.
9.
Medication - Medication
(either prescription or over the counter) cannot be dispensed by the
nurse without:
1)
written
permission of the parents.
2)
order
from physician on his/her letterhead.
3)
medication in original container with student’s name on it. At the
proper time the student should return to the nurse to take his/her
medication.
Students who use inhalers are
urged to leave them (or an extra one) in the health office in case they
misplace theirs or leave it in their locker while in class.
10.
Physicals -
11.
Phys. Ed. Excuses - Parents’
notes excusing their child from gym must be brought to the nurse before
homeroom. A limit of five
(5) parent gym excuses is permitted each school year.
A doctor’s note is required when a student is to be excused for
more than one week.
COUNSELING CENTER
All Gowana students are
assigned to a school counselor by grade as noted on the title page of
this agenda. Counselors are
support staff who work with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students and their
parents during their time at Gowana. Counselors “loop” with their
students, which means they pick up students in grade 6 and continue
working with them in grades 7 and 8.
Counselors discuss
study/organizational skills, goal setting, interim/report card grades,
strategies for improving grades/attitudes, learning styles, getting
along with others and other related topics that concern a student and/or
parents. Counselors work
with students individually, in small groups, or through classroom
presentations.
How Counselors Can
Help – Middle school can be a
very difficult transition for students and their parents.
The difficult task of the parent of a middle school student is
deciding when to step forward to help your child solve a problem versus
letting them handle it on his/her own.
A major role of middle
school counselors is to provide lots of support and encouragement to
both students and their parents.
Counselors speak with teachers, students and parents on a daily
basis. Counselors have
found that helping the student and parent focus on the daily use of the
student agenda will improve grades.
Improved grades enhance student confidence and self esteem.
Gowana requires every student to:
ü
Bring
his/her agenda to school every day and bring it to every class,
including study hall.
ü
Write
assignments for each class in his/her agenda on a daily basis.
Teachers write these assignments on a wall chart on a
daily/weekly basis.
ü
Student
schedules must be placed in the vinyl pocket located in the agenda.
ü
Students
are to use passes (Hallway Passport System) whenever they leave their
assigned classes.
How Parents Can Help
– The Gowana Middle School
Agenda has been designed to help your child get organized
and do their homework on
a day-to-day basis. It also
allows students to plan for long-term projects and quiz/test dates.
Please look at the
agenda program diagram shown below:
Parents are encouraged
to communicate with their child’s teacher via the parent comment section
located throughout the agenda.
Often teachers will agree to sign agendas.
If this agreement is made, the student must be responsible to see
teachers for signatures and parents must follow up by signing agendas as
well.
Academic advising and
educational/career goal setting are very important parts of the middle
school program.
Counselors work very closely with students, their parents,
teachers and administrators.
Students are introduced to the concept of career/educational
exploration. This process
will include counselors talking to 6th/7th grade students and their
parents about 7th and 8th grade course selection.
In the spring of 8th grade, counselors will conference with 8th
graders in small groups and in classroom presentations.
Parents are invited to an evening program to discuss graduation
requirements and grade 8 going to 9-course selection.
Teacher recommendations and test scores will also be reviewed in
developing the 9th grade course selection and tentative 4-year high
school program.
The School Psychologist
is available to students, too.
S/he primarily works with the special education population
through direct individual or group counseling.
S/he administers all educational assessments to determine if a
student is eligible for more services.
S/he also is the chairperson of the Committee of Special
Education.
Communication -
Student Information System -
Parent Portal giving
parents easy access to all types of school-related information about
their child(ren).
Some of the features include:
Period-by-period
attendance.
Report card information
for students in grades 6-12.
Class Schedule.
Scores on
Daily announcements are posted here.
Webpage
www.shenet.org - Gowana
Working Papers
- Working papers are available in the
counseling center. Until
you are 18 years old, most jobs require a work permit.
Please speak with Ms. Curione for further information and for a
working permit application.
CAFETERIA
Students in Gowana are
all given PIN numbers with which they can open their own meal accounts
to purchase breakfast and lunch by depositing either cash or check made
payable to:
School Lunch Fund.
Students are able to
charge up to two meals on their account.
They will not be allowed to
charge snacks.
The cafeteria is open
for breakfast from 8:30 AM until 9:00 AM.
Choice of a Hot Breakfast
OR Cold Breakfast (Bagel, Cereal, or Muffin, with fruit juice and
milk) are served daily at a cost of $1.60.
Lunch starts at
A complete lunch
includes the entree with bread and milk plus any two of the following:
potatoes, vegetables, salad, fresh fruit, canned fruit, or 4 oz juice at
a cost of $2.25. Students
can buy any of the above items at a-la-carte prices.
In addition, several
snack items are offered.
These include ice cream, chips, cookies, bottled water and canned
juices. These prices range
from $.50 to $1.00.
If a student does not
have money for breakfast or lunch, he/she will need to speak to the cook
manager to obtain their meal and to arrange for payment.
PLEASE NOTE – THE ABOVE PRICES ARE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
OPEN HOUSE
Please plan on attending
this year’s Open House which has been scheduled for September 23th.
You will have an
opportunity to:
-
meet your child’s team of teachers
- receive course
information
- walk through your
child’s typical daily schedule
More detailed
information about the Open House program will be mailed to parents.
Since parking can be difficult, we encourage parents to use the
parking lots on the Koda/Acadia side of the Middle School in addition to
the main Gowana parking lot.
If you have concerns about your
child’s progress, lack of organization, or not doing his/her homework,
please contact the teacher or counselor to ask questions or set up a
meeting. Since all the
interim reports and report cards may be handed to students in school,
make sure you know when this is being done by checking the calendar
section of this Agenda.
Success in middle school
is the direct result of students having a positive attitude toward
learning, getting organized, developing good study habits, doing
homework, and attending school on a daily basis.
It is also very important for our students to feel good about
themselves to learn how to get along with, work, communicate, and
demonstrate respect for themselves and others.
Parents are a very important part of this process and play a
major role in helping our students achieve their goals.
Please feel free to contact anyone of us here at Gowana.
The faculty and staff are looking forward to a productive and
successful year.
LIBRARY/MEDIA CENTER
Each
Middle School houses a Library which serves all three schools. The
Libraries are flexibly scheduled
and used by classes for research and book selection.
Students may visit the Libraries on an individual basis before or
after school, during study halls and lunch.
The Middle School Libraries offer students and teachers a comprehensive AV, reference and print collection. Our online catalog is connected to several other school districts, giving our students access to a wide range of materials through inter-library loan. The Libraries offer students access to over 20 online databases. The Middle School Library website is actively maintained and serves as a vehicle for information access, reader’s advisory and library news.
Instruction is offered on use of these resources, including search techniques and information literacy (web evaluation, plagiarism, etc). Literature is a big part of the Middle School Library program and all the Librarians offer book talks to classes and individuals. The libraries also sponsor whole school experiences such as author visits.
Use of the
Library
- The library is open before school at 8:00 am and after school until 4:05 pm to students needing to use library resources. Early and late Bus Passes can be obtained from the student’s teacher. Passes are required for after school use.
- Students may come to the Library with a class or during a study hall. Students with research needs may get a pass from their teacher or from the library.
- Students may borrow up to five items at a time. Books are checked out for three weeks and magazines are checked out overnight.
- Students are responsible for library materials. While there are no fines, students with overdue materials may not check out new materials until the items are returned or paid for.
- Students will be held accountable for responsible use of electronic information obtained during research. Librarians will instruct students in information literacy including plagiarism and website evaluation, etc.
COMPUTER
The computer labs (Rooms
900, 940 & 942) are open before school at 8:00 a.m. and close at
PTA - The Gowana
PTA
is a major supporter of many school activities.
Each year the PTA
contributes a significant portion of money needed to provide free
agendas for our students, as well as other events and needs.
The
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The extracurricular activity program in the middle school
supplements the formal curriculum by giving students the opportunity to
gain knowledge and experience in areas of special interest.
The program consists of many kinds of activities, service
organizations, academic and special interest clubs, intramural sports
and athletics. The specific
activities will vary somewhat from year to year based upon the
availability and interest of both faculty and students.
Students are encouraged to participate to the extent possible.
The following extracurricular activities have been approved for
this year:
Gowana Clubs
Courtyard Club
– Coulter
Crafts –
TBA
Future Cities
-
Gowana
Community –Shady
Jazz –
Pangburn
Recycle Club –
TBA
Rocket Club -
Clark
Ski Club –
Coulter/Sergott
Student
Council – Cramer/Simone
Yearbook –
Stinebrickner/Friedman
Tri-building
Activities
Adventure Club
– Anderson
Ambassadors –
Kenyon
Art Club –
Shick
Best Buddies –
DeCerbo/McDonnell
Bowling Club
6G Spring & Fall – Haluska/Sprissler
Bowling Club 7
& 8 – Frisbie/Palmer
Chamber
Orchestra - Arthur
Chess Club –
Soltys
Dance Team –
Preston
Drama
Production – Conover/Koopman
French Club –
Roberts
Fun with Foods
– Wood
German Club -
Bird
Indoor Rock
Climbing – Sergott
Knitting Club
– King
Latin Club –
Griswold
Math Counts –
J. Miller
Math Olympiads
– B. Miller
Musical
Production – Baird/Carucci/Feeny
Odyssey of the
Mind – Sliwinski
P.R.I.D.E –
Velan
S.A.D.D. -
Zusman
School Store – Cahill
Sewing Club –
Sayers/McGrath
Ski Club -
Sergott/Coulter
Spanish Club -
Zusman
Talent Show –
S. Friedman/Shady
Specific clubs and activities will be announced beginning in September.
Please listen to the
morning announcements and check the shenet.org website
for further information.
YEARBOOK
SALES - A school year would not
be complete without its yearbook.
Details of yearbook purchases will be given long before the end
of the year. They are less
expensive if you buy early.
The yearbook provides a way for you and your friends to look back upon
pleasant memories of the year and say goodbye for the summer.
Physical
Education, INTRAMURALS, CLUBS and EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Physical Education is a
participation class that meets every other day during the school year.
In class, students are expected to give their best effort in
warm-up, drills, practice and game situations.
Tests are administered on skills, rules, game concepts and
strategies.
Participation is the
most important aspect of Physical Education at Shenendehowa.
In order to participate in class, a student must change into
suitable clothing. A
student cannot wear school clothes in Physical Education class.
Appropriate dress includes t-shirt, sweatshirt, shorts, warm-up
pants and sneakers (no skate shoes.)
No jewelry of any kind is permitted in class.
Students wishing to get their ears pierced during the school year
will have to wear protective head covering until the earrings can be
removed. (No taping of the ears is permitted).
Students who need to be
excused from physical education due to medical reasons must take their
parental or medical excuse to the school nurse in the morning before
school starts.
Middle
School Intramural Program
The physical education staff offers intramural sport activities before
school for boys and girls.
The Intramural Program is an extension of the Physical Education Program
at the Middle Schools. The main purpose of the Intramural Program
is to further reinforce the “Athletic Mindset” of our students and to
promote an active lifestyle. Intramurals begin at 8:00 am and end
at 8:40 am. Students are picked up by a coach at either the Gowana
Cafeteria or the Koda Cafeteria (depending on activity). Units run for 6
weeks (excluding vacations).
All upcoming intramural units are advertised to students at least
1 week before they begin (morning announcements, daily bulletin,
posters, etc.). Students
don't have to sign-up ...just show up!
Students that have a medical excuse for Physical Education are
not allowed to participate in intramurals or sport-related clubs.
A
schedule is posted at the beginning of the school year in the Green and
White Gymnasiums and locker rooms.
Students have an opportunity to participate in a variety of
activities. Throughout the
school year, some intramural sports will have the opportunity to compete
against other schools in the Suburban Council Intramurals are held in
both the green and white gyms which are open to all middle school
students.
END OF THE YEAR
As the end of the
school year approaches, certain functions and activities must take place
before everyone heads for home.
Books must be returned, final exams must be taken, and awards
must be given out.
Following is a brief description of a few of these functions.
LOCKER CLEAN
OUT -
It is important to keep your locker
clean and organized throughout the school year.
Every 10 weeks, time will be given during an extended homeroom
for locker cleanout.
Remember, the locker belongs to the school district.
You cannot write on it, deface it or make any permanent changes
to it. You will be expected
to leave the locker in the same condition as when it was assigned to
you. Again, NEVER give your
locker combination to ANYONE!
BOOK RETURN
- Like the lockers, textbooks are on loan to you during the school year.
It is your right to use these books; but it is
your responsibility to keep
these books in the same condition you received them.
All textbooks will be returned at the end of the year.
Each teacher will check to see if you still have the book that
was assigned to you and in what condition it is.
If you have lost a book or it is damaged while you have it, you
will receive a book fine.
Remember, you are responsible
for the books while you have them.
Don’t let anyone else mess them up or YOU will pay the price!
BOOK FINES
- As mentioned, if you lose a
book or return it with damage, you will be fined.
You must pay these fines before the end of the school year.
AWARDS
CEREMONY-At
the end of each school year, an awards ceremony is held at each grade
level to honor student achievement. Grades 6 and 7 Awards ceremonies
will be held during the school day in the last 2 weeks of school.
The Evening Recognition Ceremony for grade 8 students will be
held on June 15th at the High School East Auditorium. Students who earn
honor roll status for three out of the four marking periods in one year
will be recognized.
Middle School Contract.
Student’s Signature
Date
Parent’s Signature
Date
Staff member’s Signature
Date
This document supports and is consistent with the
Shenendehowa District Code of Conduct
For Middle School Students.
I have read and understood the