Loveland Middle School Handbook 2016-2017 801 S. Lebanon Road Loveland, Ohio 45140 Telephone: (513) 683-3100 FAX: (513) 677-7986 Attendance Line: (513) 697-3602 Loveland Middle School Administrative Staff Principal Assistant Principal Athletic Director Guidance Counselor Secretaries Attendance Clerk Chris Burke Jayson Bruce Matt Porter Kim Shafer Debbie Reardon Donna Arnold Katie Buck-Kennedy LOVELAND CITY SCHOOLS 757 S. Lebanon Road Loveland, Ohio 45140 Telephone: (513) 683-5600 Superintendent Assistant Superintendent Director of Human Resources Business Manager Treasurer Mr. Chad Hilliker Dr. Amy Crouse Mr. Keith Koehne Mr. John Ames Mr. Brett Griffith Board of Education: Mr. Art Jarvis, president; Mr. Dave Blumberg, vice-president; Mrs. Linda Pennington; Dr. Kathryn Lorenz; and Ms. Michelle Pettit Website: www.lovelandschools.org LOVELAND TIGERS TEAMWORK INTEGRITY GENEROSITY EXCELLENCE RESPECT SUCCESS 1
WELCOME TO LOVELAND MIDDLE SCHOOL As students move into a new stage of their life, many challenges will face them. The middle school years are sometimes filled with anxiety, but they can be some of the best years of your life. There are many things to do. Besides great classes with great teachers, we have extra-curriculars such as athletics, musical groups, drama, clubs and dances. Take advantage of this time and experience as many things as you can. This handbook is meant to serve as a resource for students and parents. Students and parents are encouraged to read the handbook together to familiarize themselves with policies and procedures. This home and school partnership will result in a school environment that promotes individual student growth and responsibility. Loveland Middle School is a caring community of life-long learners and we look forward to involving our students, our parents and our community in that endeavor. This handbook was written to comply and conform to the policies of the Loveland Board of Education. If any provisions in this handbook contradict those policies, then the policies of the Board of Education shall supersede the provisions in the handbook. 2
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CLASS SCHEDULES LMS Schedule Bell 1-7:45-8:32 Bell 2-8:35-9:20 Bell 3-9:23-10:08 Lunch 1 Lunch 2 Lunch 3 Lunch 4 L1) 10:08-10:38 4) 10:11-10:56 4) 10:11-10:56 4) 10:11-10:56 4) 10: 41-11:26 L2) 10:56-11:26 5) 10:59-11:44 5) 10:59-11:44 5) 11:29-12:14 5) 11:29-12:14 L3) 11:44-12:14 6) 11:47-12:32 6) 12:17-1:02 6) 12:17-1:02 6) 12:17-1:02 L4) 12:32-1:02 Bell 7-1:05-1:52 Tiger Time 1:55-2:25 (Tiger Time) LMS 2 HR Delay Schedule 2016-17 7th Grade Bell 1-9:45 10:21 Bell 2-10:24 10:55 Bell 3/Lunch 1-10:58 11:29 Lunch 2/Bell 3-11:32-12:03 Bell 4-12:06 12:38 Bell 5-12:41 1:13 Bell 6-1:16 1:47 Bell 7-1:50 2:22 8th Grade Bell 1-9:45 10:21 Bell 2-10:24 10:55 Bell 3-10:58 11:29 Bell 4-11:32 12:03 Bell 5/Lunch 3-12:06 12:38 Lunch 4/Bell 5-12:41-1:13 Bell 6-1:16 1:47 Bell 7-1:50 2:22 *No Tiger Time on 2 HR delay day. 4
I. ACADEMIC PROCEDURES STUDENT FEES Each year it is necessary for the school to charge a general supply fee for consumable items such as workbooks, physical education supplies, art supplies, science lab activities and music supplies. The fee for Loveland Middle School students is $50 or $130 depending on whether you will be using a school issued device. Students using their own computer from home will owe $50. Students using a school issued Chromebook will owe $130. GRADING SCALE Your grades from LMS may come from homework, quizzes, tests, projects, and/or class participation. The evaluation of your work is an important function of your teachers. Percentages DO NOT round up. They will be using the following scale: A 93-100 A- 90-92 B+ 87-89 B 83-86 B- 80-82 C+ 77-79 C 73-76 C- 70-72 D+ 67-69 D 63-66 D- 60-62 F 0-59 TEAMS All students are assigned to teams at Loveland Middle School. A team consists of a number of students assigned to a group of teachers for all/most of their core academic subjects. Team leaders meet to plan activities, coordinate curriculum and conference with parents, students and/or administration. 7 th Grade Teams Extreme, All Star 8 th Grade Teams Navigator, Discovery HOMEWORK Homework is an integral part of schooling. It has several purposes: to enhance the daily teaching and to practice and reinforce what has been taught. Homework amount and time will vary throughout the year. Student should have some tool to organize their homework and planning. Traditional paper organizers will be provided upon request. 5
PROGRESS BOOK Access to student grades and assignments are available through Progress Book. Updated calendar information, various announcements, and other important information is posted on the website as well. All parents are encouraged to activate their Progress Book accounts at the beginning of the school year. Please contact the main office if you need help accessing your account. VOICEMAIL Each of our teachers has voicemail where you or your parents may leave a message concerning your classes. You may access a teacher s voicemail through the directory from our main line, 683-3100, or a secretary can connect you. PROGRESS REPORTS AND REPORT CARDS Any parent/guardian may access his/her student s grades at any time via Progress Book or may request a copy of his/her student s Interim Report by calling 683-3100. Your child s teacher may require that you get a progress report signed and returned to school. Report cards are sent home at the end of each quarter. The final report card will be mailed home following the end of the year. Please check the school calendar for the exact dates of when report cards and progress reports are sent home. TEXTBOOKS Textbooks for some of your classes will be issued the first week of school. Be sure to write your name (in ink) on the book label. This will help you to locate your book in case you misplace it. Textbooks are used from year to year by many students. With this in mind, students are asked to keep them in good condition and not to write in them. Students must pay for any damaged or lost books. HONOR ROLL Students who have earned a 3.0 average for the quarter are named on the Honor Roll. Students with a 3.8 average are named on the High Honor Roll STUDENT RECOGNITION PROGRAM Once a quarter, LMS teachers select students for their outstanding progress, achievement, citizenship and/or creativity. The student and his/her parents are invited to a morning reception to celebrate his/her accomplishments. 6
II. STUDENT PROCEDURES DRESS AND APPEARANCE A student's clothing and hygiene say a lot about how much a student respects him/herself and the school, so students must consider the following information when making clothing choices. Students are expected to be clean, well groomed, and dressed in a modest manner that does not distract themselves or others from learning. If a student's appearance or clothing calls undue attention to him/herself, he/she may be sent to the office for a change of clothing. Because all students represent the school, they must be appropriately dressed at all school-related events. In general, appropriate dress means that clothing is clean, safe, decent, and does not interfere with the educational process. Some common guidelines are outlined below: Pants, shorts and skirts must be worn at the appropriate waist level. Pants should not drag on the floor or have unnecessary attachments. Shorts, skirts, and dresses must not be above the lowest point of their fingertips with arms extended straight down at their sides with relaxed shoulders. Shoes must be worn at all times. Undergarments may not be seen at any time. All shirts must have sleeves, should have enough neckline to cover cleavage, and cover the entire torso area at all times. All shirts must be long enough to be able to be tucked in. Items of attire which are unacceptable include, but are not limited to, the following items: tank tops; hats; hoods worn on the head; bandanas; sweatbands; sunglasses; chains of any kind; heavy metal jewelry; revealing clothing; pajama pants or other clothing designed for sleepwear; any articles of clothing which promote use of alcoholic beverages, drugs, gang activity, sexually suggestive language, violence or inappropriate language; or other inappropriate messages; clothing with indecent/excessive rips, tears or holes; 7
trench coats or any coats class; coats and book bags are to remain in student lockers during class time. Book bags are considered to be any bag large enough to carry multiple textbooks. ***There may be dress code situations that come up throughout the year that are not outlined in the above notes. Administration will make determinations on what is appropriate attire for a learning environment and middle school students. LOCKERS You will be issued a locker with a built-in combination lock. Please memorize the combination and do not give it out to anyone. Every student is issued their own locker, so lockers should never be shared. You will be allowed to go to your locker before school starts in the morning, before and after lunch and at the end of the day. Remember that the locker is school property. The school has the right to access your locker at any time. You are expected to keep your locker clean, organized and free from unnecessary items. Each student is also assigned a PE locker during PE class. Each student is responsible for keeping their locker locked at all times. The Board directs the Superintendent to authorize the use of dogs trained in detecting the presence of drugs. The dogs may be used to patrol the school facilities and grounds, including the lockers and parking areas. Use of dogs may be unannounced and random. If a trained canine alerts to a particular vehicle, locker or other container, it shall create reasonable suspicion to search that vehicle, locker or container in accordance with this policy. LUNCH You may purchase the school lunch, the specialty lunch, or pizza lunch in the school s cafeteria. Al a carte items are also available for purchase during the lunch period. Students may also bring their lunches and store them in their lockers during the day. Food and drinks are to remain in the cafeteria and are not to be taken out of the cafeteria at the end of lunch. We expect you to behave in an appropriate manner during lunch. Everyone wants to eat in a clean area, and students are expected to clean up after themselves. During good weather we offer students the opportunity to go outside after they have finished eating to get fresh air. During cooler weather, you will need to bring your coats to lunch with you. For the safety of our students and with their needs in mind, we do not allow visitors to eat in the cafeteria with the students. Due to the danger of food 8
allergies, we ask students and parents not to provide food or treats for others in the cafeteria. The school offers an electronic lunch account for each student. Parents can deposit money into their child s account at any time for their child to use during lunch. Students will not be able to charge lunches on their accounts, so please make sure you have money on your account or bring money each day. WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES Wireless Communication Devices include cell phones, ipods, tablets, portable game systems, laptops or any other electronic device. General Guidelines for Loveland Middle School include: Students may use electronic devices before and after school and in the cafeteria during lunch. Use of electronic devices for educational purposes in the classroom is at the sole discretion of each individual teacher. Teachers may confiscate devices if students violate the individual policy of the teacher. Students may not take pictures, record audio, or record video during the school day. Students may not use electronic devices to bully or harass others. Sexting is prohibited. Because of privacy concerns, electronic devices may not be used in restrooms or locker rooms. Sending or receiving answers to tests or quizzes is prohibited. Students may use electronic devices on the bus at the discretion of the bus driver. Distracting behavior will not be tolerated and all school rules still apply. Cell Phone Guidelines During class times cell phones are ONLY to be in the student s locker and turned on silent or off. Cell phones are not permitted in the classroom unless otherwise directed by the teacher. Failure to follow this rule could result in discipline from the classroom teacher and administration. No expectation of confidentiality will exist in the use of electronic devices on school property. The school has the right to view any image or text on a student's electronic device or cell phone if there is reasonable suspicion that the student has violated the law or school rules. The school has the right to search the district s network. Violations of school rules on electronic devices are subject to school consequences. 9
The school does not take responsibility for missing or lost personally-owned devices. Possession of an electronic device is a privilege not a right. Students who violate any of these provisions may have their devices confiscated. If you need to call home, please ask a teacher for permission to use the phone. You will only be permitted to use the office phones in an emergency. SELLING ITEMS You may not sell any items in school except those items approved by the administration for clubs, Student Council, etc. Selling items not approved will result in discipline. LOST AND FOUND There is a designated area in the building for found items. If you have lost something, please look for it there first. Do not bring items of great value to school. If you find something that does not belong to you, please take it to the lost and found area or bring it to the office. HALLWAY PASSES An adult must sign a pass any time you need to be in the hallway during class time. 10
III. TRANSPORTATION SCHOOL BUSES Loveland City School provides bus transportation for all of its students. Students must ride their assigned bus. If there is need for you to ride a different bus for a day, your parents must request permission from the Transportation department in advance. They will then notify the school that you are allowed to ride a different bus. While riding the bus, students must remain seated at all times. Once you are on the bus, you are not permitted to get off the bus until your stop, unless otherwise instructed by a school official. No food, candy, gum or beverages are allowed on the bus at any time. Please be at your stop in time in the morning. We expect you to be respectful of the bus driver, the bus and the other passengers while riding the bus. Failure to comply could result in loss of riding privileges or consequences deemed appropriate by school administration. If you have questions regarding bus routes or other bus related concerns, please call the transportation department at 683-3103. SKATEBOARDS, ROLLERBLADES, SCOOTERS & BICYCLES Students may not bring skateboards, scooters or rollerblades to school for any reason. Students may ride their bicycles to school. We ask that they be locked in the bike rack in front of the school. Students who do not ride a bike to school are to stay away from the bike rack. DROPPING OFF & PICKING UP We encourage you to ride the bus whenever possible due to increased traffic flow in the morning and afternoon. If you need to be dropped off or picked up by your parents, you should do so in front of the building. You should only ride home with your own parents. If you need to ride home with someone else, please make sure that you have your parent s permission. With the safety of our students in mind, we ask that you not arrive at school before 7:30 am unless you are meeting with a teacher. WALKING Statistically speaking, students are far safer on a school bus. The Loveland City School District provides bus service for all students. Loveland Middle School parents can choose to permit their children to walk or ride bicycles to school, but we encourage parents to insist that their children ride the bus. 11
IV. ATTENDANCE ABSENCES Because students miss out on important information when they miss school, school law requires that students attend school regularly. School attendance is both a parent and a student responsibility. School authorities must enforce the law of regular school attendance. If you are ill, we ask that a parent call 697-3602 (attendance line) in the morning prior to 10 am if at all possible to report the absence. In the case of a planned absence, we ask that your parent report the days that you will miss as soon as they know about them. Without notification from your parent, the absence is unexcused. Please see the Loveland City Schools Policy for Attendance. Attendance will be reported by period. If a student arrives later than one hour past the beginning of the day, he/she is marked one half day absent. Similarly, if they leave with more than an hour of the day remaining, they are also charged with a half day absence. Any absence after 15 days will be considered unexcused unless documented by a doctor/dentist/legal authority. Excess absences could lead to filing truancy charges within your county s juvenile court. ABSENCES & HOMEWORK If a student is absent, we encourage students to access Progress Book for daily assignments. If a student is out for three or more days, parents may call to request handouts and assignments from the teachers. Please call 697-3602 to request those before 8:00 am. LATE ARRIVAL If you arrive at school after the beginning of the day, you must check in at the attendance office before reporting to class. LEAVING SCHOOL DURING THE DAY The safety of students is our top priority. With this in mind, we keep track of students when they arrive late or need to leave early. Once you are on school grounds, you must remain there. To leave school during school hours, you must have an adult who is listed on your emergency form sign you out at the attendance office. They may be asked to provide a photo ID in order to sign out a student. If you return before the end of the day, you will need to come to the attendance office to sign in. 12
TARDIES AND UNEXCUSED ABSENCES It is very important that the school can account for your attendance. Therefore, tardies and unexcused absences are treated very seriously and will result in the disciplinary consequences. Consequences can include lunch detentions, after school detentions or Friday/Saturday schools. Excess absences could lead to filing truancy charges within your county s juvenile court. VACATIONS Parents are asked to schedule family vacations and trips to coincide with the school district s calendar. If it is necessary to miss a school day, please submit a written request to the office for the vacation at least five days prior to leaving so that every reasonable effort can be made to prepare a list of assignments for the student. It is the student s responsibility to make arrangements with the teachers for missed work. Student absences for the reason of vacation will be recorded as reported absences. STAYING AFTER SCHOOL Students may not stay after school without staff supervision. Students are encouraged to stay after school to take advantage of intervention opportunities or participate in extra-curricular activities. Students must be supervised by a staff member at all times and need to be picked up promptly after the event. Students wishing to attend after school events, such as games or performances, will need to go home after school and then return for the event. This is for the safety of all of our students. VISITORS & VISITOR PARKING Visitors are always welcome in our building, especially parents! For the safety of our students and staff, we require that visitors check in at the attendance office before entering any other part of the building. Visitors may be asked to provide a photo ID at any time while they are in the building. Visitor parking is located in the front of the school building. 13
V. EXTRA CURRICULARS School is not only about academics. Loveland Middle School also offers a wide variety of other activities in which students may participate. Participating in and attending extra-curricular activities is a privilege. Appropriate behavior and good sportsmanship is expected during all athletic and non-athletic events. Always remember that you are representing your school as a participant in any of these activities. In order to participate in any extra-curricular activity, you must be in attendance a full day. Administrative approval may waive attendance in extreme cases of emergency. This applies to plays and productions, clubs, athletics, dances, etc. You must be present by 8:15 am to participate in any after school activity. Also, you must be in attendance by 8:15 am on Friday or the last day of the week to be eligible to participate in the weekday/weekend extra-curricular activity. CLUB OPPORTUNITIES Drama Student Council Show Choir Yearbook Stage Band National Jr. Honor Society ATHLETICS Fall Winter Spring Cross Country Basketball Track Cheerleading Cheerleading Boys Tennis Girls Tennis Wrestling Football Volleyball ELIGIBILTY If you wish to participate in any activity which competes, such as athletics, stage band or show choir, you must have earned at least a 1.0 GPA and passed at least 75% of your classes the previous quarter. Improper behavior/conduct could result in dismissal from any extra-curricular activity. 14
SPORTSMANSHIP At Loveland Middle School, we are proud of our students and parents for the great sportsmanship that they show during athletic events. We continually talk about the issues of sportsmanship to the students during assemblies and during each athletic season. Good sportsmanship includes positive cheering from the stands and polite interactions with other fans and athletes. We ask that everyone will help us with this endeavor. LOVELAND ATHLETIC BOOSTERS The Loveland Athletic Boosters is a non-profit organization made up of adult volunteers. The primary function is to generate income to supplement the Athletic Department. Methods for generating funds include running concessions, fundraising and Booster membership. This support helps provide facility improvements, equipment for athletes, and financial support for teams that may be traveling. Each year our schools and community continue to grow. The Boosters would love to have new members or answer questions about the organization. The Boosters meet the first Monday of each month in the high school cafeteria at 7:00 pm. LOVELAND MUSIC BOOSTERS The goal of the Loveland Music Boosters is to support the music program any way they can. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at the high school. Everyone is welcome. 15
VI. SAFETY AND HEALTH SCHOOL SAFETY If you are threatened or harassed by another student or students, please let a school employee know right away. If you are aware of a possibly dangerous situation in school you must report that immediately to a school employee. You should not share this information with your classmates. Let the school officials investigate the situation and take appropriate action. Joking about threatening someone or kidding about dangerous acts will be treated seriously. The school administration will not make guesses or less serious interpretations about the intent of such statements. To help ensure school safety, Loveland City Schools offers the SCHOOL SAFETY HELP LINE: 697-SAFE (687-7233) HEALTH BASICS Your most effective means of staying healthy and fighting germs is to wash your hands before and after eating, after using the bathroom, after playing sports, and after handling animals. It is never a good idea to share food or drinks with friends, however, it is ALWAYS important for you to eat breakfast and drink enough fluids each day. If you do become ill at school, report to the Health Clinic immediately. If you have a fever, 100 degrees or greater, you will need to be at home until you are fever-free for 24 hours. If you are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, you also need to stay home from school until it has been 24 hours since these symptoms last occurred. Follow these simple guidelines, as well as get enough rest and regular exercise, and you, as well as your friends, will have a healthy school year. THE CLINIC The clinic is available for students who become ill during the school day or students who are in need of first aid. Please use the pass system and have your teacher sign it before coming to the clinic, unless it is an emergency. MEDICATION The Board of Education has adopted specific procedures for use of medication at school. If it is necessary that you take any type of medication during the school day, you must have the proper paperwork filled out with the medication in the original bottle. This form may be picked up in the office any time you know you will be going to the doctor. Our district policy will not allow a student to possess or transport any medications to or from school. This includes any over-thecounter medication including cough drops. We must have a permission to 16
dispense form signed by the doctor in order to dispense all over the counter medication as well. FOOD ALLERGIES There are many students in the LCSD who have been diagnosed with a food allergy. The following are some basic facts about food allergies from The Food Allergy Network: 8 foods account for 90% of allergic reactions - Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, Eggs, Milk, Soy and Wheat. These foods are POISON to food allergic individuals. Most individuals who have had a reaction ate a food they thought was safe. For most, only ONE bite is too much. Symptoms can range from mild to severe to life-threatening. Symptoms typically appear within minutes to 2 hours after eating the food. The only way to avoid a reaction is to avoid the allergy causing food. The food allergic person s motto is: WHEN IN DOUBT, DO WITHOUT! Remember in classrooms where students switch classes, contamination can occur on tables and desks and cause harm to students following in a classroom later in the day. Please reinforce rules such as don t share food with others, don t eat on the bus, wash your hands before AND after eating, with your child. In these small ways you will assist us in keeping all our students safe and healthy. Staff, students, and parents in our District will be asked to adhere to the following expectations when using food items in the schools: 1. Snacks in the classroom: Students in kindergarten-grade 6 will be permitted healthy nut-free snacks, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. In specific classrooms, snacks may need to be further restricted to ensure the safety of students with allergens or other chronic health issues. Snacks may be provided by parents. Staff should not provide classroom snacks for students. If teachers are to provide snacks for any students without a snack, they should consult with a member of the nursing staff for an appropriate snack (ex. pretzels). Snacks in the original packaging are preferred, although baggies of snacks may be brought as well. Students will not be permitted to share snacks. Students in grades 7-12 should not have snacks, unless required by a documented health condition. Snacks may need to be restricted in some areas to ensure the safety of students with allergens or other chronic health issues. Snacks will be provided by parents. Staff should not provide classroom snacks for students. Staff will share allergen awareness facts with students. 17
2. Celebrations: For kindergarten-grade 5 birthday celebrations, parents are permitted to bring in small, inexpensive non-food items for sharing (such as pencils and stickers) or principals have the discretion to implement no-food related birthday traditions (ex. Birthday Book Club, etc.). Parents are not permitted to share food with other students. If parents wish to have a food item for their own child, it must be consumed in the cafeteria during the student s regularly scheduled lunch time. Students in grades 6-12 should not have birthday celebrations at school. 3. Parties: Kindergarten-grade 5 holiday parties will be limited to three parties per year which are Fall, Winter and Valentine s Day parties. Room parents are encouraged to bring in non- food items for sharing and to focus on activities and crafts that encourage team building. Food items for these parties must be preapproved by the classroom teacher and the number of foods or beverages provided should be limited. The classroom teacher will communicate with the parents of food allergy students and the health specialist prior to approving the food/beverage items. Food may need to be restricted in some areas to ensure the safety of students with allergens or other chronic health issues. Students in grades 6-12 will not have holiday parties at school. Student created/impromptu parties or celebrations using food are discouraged. 4. Incentives/Rewards: Staff members are not permitted to use food or candy for incentives or rewards. Items that provide positive reinforcement such as stickers, praise, encouragement, and other creative strategies should be continue to be used by staff. Individual student behavior plans may indicate that food be offered as a reinforcement if other interventions are documented as not working; however, those foods must be allergen-free in accordance with classroom lists. 5. Instructional Food Use: Instructional use of food in the classroom must be preapproved by the building principal through the use of a Loveland City Schools Instructional Food Use Form (see attached) in grades K-12. The form should be completed whenever food is used in the classroom whether for ingestion or activity use. Submission of the form must occur no less than one week before the activity/event is to take place. Food should not be used for instruction if a substitute teacher is teaching that day. 6. School Sponsored Activities: School-sponsored activities that occur during the school day and include food must be preapproved by the building principal through the use of a Loveland City Schools Instructional Food Use Form (see attached) in grades K-12. The form should be completed by the lead contact person (i.e.: PTO, club advisor, counselor, teacher, etc.) whenever food is used for ingestion or activity use. The form must be submitted no less than one week before the activity/event is to take place or planning is to begin. If food is to be 18
sold/distributed for a fundraiser or school activity, district adopted timelines should be followed and healthy food is encouraged. In addition, tables that are nut-free should be encouraged and identified. 7. After School Activities: These regulations do not impact activities that take place after school hours including team or club meals, open houses, after school stores, vending machines or extracurricular concessions. However, all of these groups and activities are encouraged to have the food offered support lifelong wellness practices. Classrooms or school spaces in which food is consumed should be carefully scheduled to ensure that rooms are cleaned and sanitized before classroom instruction the next day. 8. Transportation: Food should not be consumed on any school bus. Activity sponsors and coaches should make efforts to have any food consumed before entering the bus or after arriving at the destination. Bus drivers are not to distribute food or candy to students, unless the student has a health plan that requires food to be carried with them. 9. Lunch in the classroom: Staff may continue to eat lunch in his/her classroom, or have students eat lunch in the classroom. Precautions should be taken to ensure areas are clean of allergens to avoid cross-contamination. EVACUATION PLANS The safety of the students at Loveland Middle School is very important. To make sure that all of you know what to do in case of an emergency, we have many fire and tornado drills throughout the year. Be sure to pay attention during these drills. Check with each classroom teacher for the procedures to follow during each class. They should also be displayed on the wall of every room. Always walk quietly and quickly to the designated area. UNEXPECTED SCHOOL CLOSINGS Information on Loveland School closings or delays in starting time due to inclement weather may be obtained through local radio and television stations and local news websites. We also utilize an all call system that calls each home in the event of a school closing or delay. Please log on to www.lovelandschools.org to register for our alert system. Hopefully, school will not have to be cancelled, but the safety of our students comes first. VII. DISCIPLINE 19
Loveland Middle School is a place where students and staff come to work and experience success. In order to achieve that success, it is necessary for students and staff to have a mutual understanding of what is expected. Our school has rules and discipline procedures which emphasize self-discipline and responsibility. As students mature, they are granted more responsibility and freedom of choice. The vast majority of students at LMS handle this new freedom wisely. At times, however, students may make poor choices that result in a violation of the Loveland City Schools Code of Conduct. The majority of discipline concerns are minor and are handled at the classroom level. Team teachers work together with parents to provide extra support for those students who need more direction. Each of your teachers will explain his or her classroom rules. Please see the Code of Conduct. DETENTION Detention times are determined by the assigning teacher or an administrator. Students and parents are responsible for transportation home. Teachers will give at least 24 hours notice for detentions outside of the school day so that you may make arrangements for transportation. Detention is often assigned in the morning before school, after school, or during lunch. If a lunch detention is assigned, students are responsible for packing their own lunch on the day of the detention. FRIDAY/SATURDAY SCHOOL If classroom intervention fails or a major infraction occurs, students are referred to the office for disciplinary action. Quite often, conferences are held with students and/or parents. The administrators may assign Friday School or Saturday School. Friday School is from 2:30pm-3:30 pm in the LMS main office. Saturday School is 8:00am-11:00am at the LHS campus. Students are expected to bring books and other homework to work on during that time. SUSPENSIONS In order to preserve classroom order and ensure safety, at times it becomes necessary to remove (suspend) a student from school. In the event that an out-of-school suspension is assigned, it is imperative that a student complete all missed work while serving the suspension. Upon his/her return to school, the student must present the work to his/her teachers in order to 20
receive credit. The make-up work will not be scored; instead, the student s grade will be forced averaged to avoid a lowering of the student s grade. Failure to complete assignments will result in a zero and subsequently, the grade will be significantly lowered. Please note: The school administration may use the resources of the police department from time to time to insure that our school is drug free. Specially trained dogs from the police department may be used in this endeavor. 21
VIII. CODE OF CONDUCT CODE OF CONDUCT AG5500 Ohio Revised Code 3313.66 requires that students are provided with a written notice of intent to suspend prior to being suspended. The statute also requires that students and parents are provided with a written notice of intent to expel. The notices shall include: (1) a statement of intent to discipline; (2) a description of the acts, which were in violation of the Student Code of Conduct; (3) specific rules of the Student Code of Conduct which were violated; (4) and the dates of the suspension or expulsion. The written notice of intent to suspend shall be given to the student at an informal hearing. Parents will be contacted within 24 hours, in person or by phone. If the school authorities are not able to reach the parents, documentation of attempts to reach parents will be kept. Parents will receive a copy of the intent to suspend and a notice of suspension. The notice of intent to expel shall be sent to the student and his parents and the students and parents will be provided an opportunity for an informal hearing prior to a decision to expel. Students will receive an unexcused absence for each school day missed as a result of a suspension and/or expulsion. A student or his parents may appeal any decision of the Loveland City School District administration to suspend a student from school to the Superintendent or the superintendent s designee. A student or his parents may appeal an expulsion from school to the Board of Education or its designee. A student or parent must request an appeal in writing within 10 days after the discipline measure takes effect. The student and his parent may be represented in all appeal hearings. Pursuant to Ohio law, a student or parent may further appeal an expulsion or suspension to Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas. It is the policy of Loveland City School District Board of Education that students shall not be permitted to return to school pending any appeal process with the administration or the court. The School District will make every effort to promptly hear all appeals to minimize a student s absence from school. Should the Board of Education, the Superintendent, or their designees, reverse or modify a discipline decision and permit a student to return to school, such student shall be permitted ample time to makeup all assignments and work missed as a result of his or her absence. This Code of Regulations is adopted by the Board of Education of the Loveland City School District pursuant to Sections 3313.661 and 3313.662, Ohio Revised Code. Any student engaging in the following types of conduct either specifically or generally like the kinds of conduct listed below is subject to expulsion, suspension, emergency suspension, removal or permanent exclusion from curricular activities pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code. This code of regulations applies while a student is in the custody or control of the school, on school grounds or closely proximate thereto, while at a school- sponsored function or activity or on school-owned or provided transportation vehicles. In addition, the Student Code of Conduct governs student activities at all times, on or off school property, when such student s conduct is reasonably related to the health and safety of other students and/or school employees, or such conduct would unreasonably interrupt the educational processes of the Loveland City Schools. The Superintendent may require a student to perform community service in conjunction with or in place of a suspension or expulsion. The guidelines under which this community service shall be performed are: a. The student and parent will execute a document agreeing to the community service in conjunction with or in place of a suspension or expulsion. If community service is not completed to the Superintendent s satisfaction, all or part of the suspension or expulsion may be reinstated. b. Community service shall be performed at the place and time designated by the Superintendent. c. Community service is an option to be utilized at the sole discretion of the Superintendent and is not available at the discretion of the student and parent. 22
d. Any failure to complete community service in a timely and acceptable manner shall result in the immediate cancellation of the community service option and the immediate imposition of suspension or expulsion. Prior to imposing a suspension/expulsion for failure to complete community service, the parent/guardian and student shall be sent a written notice of the Superintendent s intention and shall have three (3) days from the mailing of the notice to request a meeting with the Superintendent to show cause why the suspension/expulsion should not be imposed. The types of conduct prohibited by this Code of Regulations are as follows: 1. Truancy. 2. Chronic misbehavior, which disrupts or interferes with any school activity. 3. Fighting. 4. Damage or destruction of school property, property of school employees, or property of other students, on or off of school premises. 5. Theft or possession of stolen goods. 6. Carrying concealed weapons. 7. Possession or use of dangerous weapons or ordinance or objects which look like weapons or ordnance, including, but not limited to, guns, firearms, ammunition, knives, grenades, sling shots, bows, arrows, machetes, brass knuckles, chains, studs, etc.; or possession or use of objects which may render physical harm to another if improperly used, including, but not limited to axes, hatchets, hammers, saws, ice picks, screwdrivers, knives, etc. 8. Disregard of reasonable directions or commands by school authorities including school administrators and teachers. 9. Buying, selling, transferring, using or possessing any substance containing tobacco, including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, a pipe, a clove cigarette, chewing tobacco, snuff, and dip, or using tobacco in any other form. 10. Buying, selling, transferring, using, possessing, having the odor of, or being under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or intoxicant of any kind 11. Buying, selling, transferring, using, possessing, having the odor of, or being under the influence of any controlled substance (drugs, narcotics, marijuana, etc.) or inhalants, or buying, selling, using, possessing or being under the influence of any counterfeit controlled substance (any substance that is made to look like a controlled substance, or is represented to be a controlled substance, or that is believed to be a controlled substance). 12. Buying, selling, transferring, using, possessing or being under the influence of any drug, medication, inhalant or other controlled substance which can be taken internally where the students involved cannot show a legitimate health or other reason for the use of such substances. 13. Buying, selling, transferring, using, or possessing any drug or alcoholic paraphernalia to include instruments, objects, papers, pipes, containers etc. 14. Turning in false fire, tornado, bomb, disaster or other alarms. 15. Cheating or plagiarizing. 16. Gambling. 17. Assault on a school employee, student or other person. 18. Any disruption or interference with school activities. 19. Harassment of school personnel or other students during school and/or non-school hours, including sexual harassment. 20. Firearm look-a-likes - Any item that resembles a firearm but does not have the explosive characteristics of a firearm but may use a spring loaded device or air pressure by which to propel an object of substance, i.e., toy guns, cap guns, BB guns, pellet guns. 21. Unwelcome sexual conduct/advances, requests for sexual favors, other physical or verbal conduct or communication of a sexual nature, including gender-based harassment that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive education or work environment, i.e., pinching, grabbing, suggestive comments, gestures or jokes or pressure to engage in sexual activity. 23
22. Serious bodily injury An incident that results in serious bodily injury to oneself or others. Serious bodily injury is defined as a bodily injury that involves substantial risk of death; extreme physical pain; protracted and obvious disfigurement; or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ or faculty. 23. Abuse of another. No student shall use or direct to, or about a school employee, or student, words, phrases, or actions which are considered to be slanderous or degrading in nature, words or phrases which could be considered threatening, menacing or indicate an intent to cause harm to person or property, and/or words or phrases, which are obscene or profane as, defined by the majority of our society. Name calling and negative, uncomplimentary and offensive remarks related to physical handicaps or defects, mental handicaps, race, religion, nationality, appearance or other reason is prohibited. 24. Disrespect to a teacher or other school authority. 25. Refusing to take detention or other properly administered discipline. 26. Skipping detention. 27. Falsifying of information given to school authorities in the legitimate pursuit of their jobs. 28. Forgery of school or school-related documents. 29. Extortion of a student or school personnel. 30. Arson or other improper use of fire. 31. Possession of matches or lighters or other similar devices. 32. During the school day, students shall not be permitted to use beepers, pagers, cellular telephones or any other related electronic communication devices. All such devices should be turned off during the school day. 33. Cursing. 34. Use of indecent or obscene language in oral or written form. (The possessing, taking, disseminating transferring or sharing of nude, obscene, pornographic, lewd or otherwise illegal images of photographs, whether by electronic data transfers or otherwise [commonly called testing, emailing or sexting, etc.] may constitute a crime under state and/or federal law. Any person possessing, taking, disseminating or sharing nude, obscene, pornographic, lewd or otherwise illegal images or photographs may be punished under this code of conduct and may be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.) 35. Publication of obscene, pornographic or libelous material. 36. Placing of signs and slogans on school property without the permission of the proper school authority. 37. Distribution on school premises of pamphlets, leaflets, buttons, insignia, etc., without the permission of the proper school authority. 38. Demonstrations by individuals or groups causing disruption to the school program. 39. Tardiness. 40. Leaving school premises during school hours without permission of the proper school authority. 41. Upon initial arrival, leaving school property without permission. 42. Presence in areas during school hours or outside school hours where a student has no legitimate business without permission of the proper school authority. 43. Involvement in gang activities including, but not limited to, graffiti, signs, signals, tattoos and gestures, and the wearing or displaying of gang-affiliated clothing/articles. 44. Failure to abide by reasonable dress and appearance codes set forth in student handbooks or established by administration or the Board of Education. This includes the prohibition of all clothing, jewelry, signs, etc. which at the discretion of the Administration is reasonably related to or represents gang or gang like activity. 45. Improper or suggestive dress. 46. Indecent exposure. 47. Engaging in sexual acts, displaying excessive affection or other inappropriate behavior with a person of the same or opposite sex. 24
48. Presence on school property with a communicable disease as defined by local health department authorities. 49. Failure to abide by rules and regulations set forth by administration for student parking. 50. Disobedience of driving regulations while on school premises. 51. Convey, attempt to convey or knowingly possess a deadly weapon or dangerous ordinance onto any property owned or controlled by or to any activity held under the auspices of the Board of Education. 52. Sell, offer to sell, or possess a controlled substance on school premises or at a school-related function (trafficking in drugs). 53. Aggravated murder. 54. Murder. 55. Voluntary manslaughter. 56. Involuntary manslaughter. 57. Felonious assault. 58. Aggravated assault. 59. Rape. 60. Gross sexual imposition. 61. Felonious sexual penetration. 62. Willfully aiding another person to violate school regulations. 63. Commission by a pupil of any crime in violation of the Ohio Criminal Code, Ohio Traffic Code or the Ohio Juvenile Code. 64. Any other activity by a pupil, which the pupil knows, or should know, will disrupt the academic process or a curricular or extracurricular activity. 65. Failing to report the actions or plans of another person to a teacher or administrator where these actions or plans of another person, if carried out, could result in harm to another person or persons or damage property, when the student has information about such actions or plans. 66. Violation of any Board rule, regulation or policy. 67. Damage or destruction of private property on school premises or in areas controlled by the school. 68. Hazing (to persecute, harass or humiliate another student and/or employee). For purposes of this policy and the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code, the following shall apply: A. "Emergency suspension" shall be the exclusion of a student who poses a continuing danger to District property or persons in the District or whose behavior presents an on-going threat of disrupting the educational process provided by the District. [See Policy 5610.03 "Emergency Removal"] B. "Suspension" shall be the temporary exclusion of a student by the Superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or any other administrator from the District s instructional program for a period not to exceed ten (10) school days. Suspension may extend beyond the current school year, if at the time a suspension is imposed, fewer than ten (10) days remain in the school year. The Superintendent may apply any or all of the period of suspension to the following year. The procedures for suspension are set forth in the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code and Board Policy 5610.04 Student Suspension. C. "Expulsion" shall be the exclusion of a student from the schools of this District for a period not to exceed the greater of eighty (80) school days or the number of school days remaining in a semester or term in which the incident that gives rise to the expulsion takes place or for one (1) year as specifically provided in this policy and the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code. Only the Superintendent may expel a student. The procedures for expulsion are set forth in the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code and Board Policy 5610.02 Student Expulsion. 1. Firearm or Knife 25