1 Clint Small Jr. Middle School School Colors: Purple and Silver ...

Clint Small Jr. Middle SchoolMISSION STATEMENTIt is the mission of Clint Small Jr. Middle School to developin all students a sturdy foundation for both academiclearning and constructive citizenship by providing anenvironment in which students learn about themselves andothers and use this knowledge to solve problems creativelyand effectively so that success is experienced at high schooland beyond.PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGEIt is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Clint Small,Jr. Middle School (CSMS). The information presented inthis book is intended to help acquaint you and your parentswith school expectations and procedures so that you cankeep track of your assignments and the exciting events atCSMS. In order to provide a success-oriented learningenvironment for you, certain rules and regulations arenecessary. Your ability to successfully meet futurechallenges will depend largely on self-discipline, acceptanceof responsibility, and a positive attitude. Teachers, parents,and members of the community are all here to support youas you learn and grow this year. It will be a pleasure to workwith you and see the positive contributions you make toCSMS. Have a great year.Amy Taylor, PrincipalSchool Colors: Purple and SilverSchool Mascot: CougarSchool Slogan: Small School, Big HeartPhones with the free QR (Quick Response) code readerapplication can scan the CSMS QR code and go directly toour website. Our website has the student agenda handbookinformation in its entirety and much, much more!ATTENDANCERegular attendance in all classes is an expectation of allClint Small MS students. State law and District policy statesthat students must be in attendance for 90% of theinstructional days for a class to receive credit. A studentwho misses more days than allowed by AISD policy maynot be given credit for that class unless a campus attendancecommittee finds, through an appeals process, that theabsences are the result of extenuating circumstances. Onlyserious documented illnesses and emergencies in theimmediate family are considered excused absences. Tripsand vacations scheduled during school days are unexcusedabsences.Due to attendance documentation and state funding, werequest that all medical appointments be made after 10:00a.m. whenever possible, so that your student receivescredit for attending the school day.When returning to school after an absence, a student mustbring a note to the front office, signed by the parent thatdescribes the reason for the absence and a doctor’snote/receipt, if applicable. Notes signed by the student,even with the parent’s permission, will be considered aforgery and the student will be disciplined. Students areexpected to provide written documentation for eachabsence within two school days after the student returnsto school. Failure to provide notes in this time frame willcause the absence to be marked UNEXCUSED in thestudent’s attendance record.Notification of absences: An electronic phone messagewill be sent to the primary contact of any student who isgiven an unexcused absence on the day the absence isrecorded. On the third unexcused absence, within a fourweekperiod, the district’s central office is notified and aletter is sent home to the parent of the student. After thetenth unexcused absence it is the legal responsibility ofthe school to file truancy charges against both the parentand child with the Travis County Justice of the Peace.The consequences of which can include a fine of up to$600.00 for each truancy offense.Permit to Leave School: When it is necessary to leaveschool, you must have written permission from yourparent or guardian.1. You must bring a written note to the main office,where a staff member is writing permits prior to 8:10AM. The note should include date, time, and reasonfor leaving and parent signature.2. A parent must sign a student out at the office beforeleaving campus.3. Upon returning to campus, those students shouldhave a signed doctor's note or a note from theirparent.4. Students must sign back in before returning to class.Office Call Slips: When a student receives an OfficeCall Slip, she is to report to the designated place stated onthe call slip immediately.Tardy Permits:• Tardy to School: After 8:30 a.m. – A tardy permitmust be obtained from an office staff member ifyou are late to school. A note signed by a parentor guardian stating the date, time of arrival, andthe reason for the tardy should be presented.• Tardy to Class: You are tardy if you are not in theproper room when the bell begins to ring. Theindividual student’s team of teachers will decideupon the consequences for class tardies.However, on the fifth tardy, the student will bereferred to the grade level assistant principal foradministrative consequences.1

Attendance Appeal Process:If students have missed more than 90 % of their classes, theywill need to follow the appeal process as outlined in DistrictPolicy.For more information regarding this process, pleasego to: http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/227901/pol.cfmOr, see the attendance clerk for help in locating the policy.Make-up Work: It is the student’s responsibility to makearrangements with the teachers for make-up work followingan absence. The parent may make arrangements with theattendance clerk to pick up work after the student is out forthree or more days. Parents may contact the attendanceclerk at 841-6754. Requests for assignments must be madeby 9:00 AM in order to be picked up after 3:30 PM the sameday. A zero will be recorded for any work not completedwithin three days upon returning from the absence.Extended illness will be dealt with on an individual basis.Closed Campus Philosophy: Upon arrival at school, nostudent is to leave the school campus until he/she leaves forhome at the end of the school day, or with writtenpermission from the parent and administrators. Any studentleaving campus without permission will be counted as truantand subject to disciplinary action. This includes leavingcampus in the morning to go to one of the conveniencestores. Students are NOT to leave campus for this purposeonce a parent has dropped them off at the school. Once achild is on school grounds they are the responsibility of theschool and must remain on campus. If a parent wishes fortheir child to purchase something at one of these stores, theymust drop the student off at the store before coming oncampus. Students on campus at the end of the day (after3:30 p.m.) may not leave campus and then come back oncampus. If the student wants to be picked up at theconvenience store, they should wait there at the end of theday.Birthday and Holiday Procedures:We do not allow delivery of birthday or holiday items tostudents during the school day. This includes: flowers,balloon bouquets, candy, stuffed animals, etc. Furthermore,school policy does not allow students to decorate the outsideof lockers with birthday or holiday items. Additionally, inorder to assist students with self-responsibility and to keepclassroom disruptions to a minimum, parents arediscouraged from bringing forgotten items, such as lunches,homework, etc., to school. Should an emergency arise,parents may leave the items in the main office for thestudents to pick up between classes.ACADEMIC INFORMATIONAcademic Integrity: We expect that all students strive tolearn well the subjects they are being taught during theirtime at CSMS. The material you learn in middle schoolbuilds the foundation that will carry you into your futureacademic endeavors. Therefore, it is of utmost importancethat our students do their own work, give credit to thosewhose work they have used in a paper or project, and havethe integrity to learn material and study for tests and quizzesso that they are prepared. Students who are dishonestshould expect the following consequences:Plagiarism: Is taking credit for another person’s work orideas and passing them off as if they are your own. Acommon infraction is cutting and pasting text from awebsite into a document without giving credit to theauthor. Plagiarizing copyrighted material is illegal.Consequences for Plagiarism:First Offense- Zero on the assignment (cannot be madeup.) Parent conference with student and teacher.Further Offenses: Referral to the office and furtherdisciplinary consequences.Cheating/Copying: Getting answers from another studentor giving answers to another student on homework, tests,quizzes, or any other assignments is unethical and isconsidered cheating. A common infraction is borrowingand copying the answers to homework assignments. Bothstudents are considered to be cheating in this situation.Another example is using any type of electronic device toget answers from websites or using text messages to sendanswers to other students.Consequences for Cheating:First Offense: Phone call to parent, and a zero on theassignment. The teacher will make the determination asto whether an alternate assignment will be offered. If anelectronic device was used, it will be confiscated and theparent will pay a $15.00 fine to retrieve the item.Further Offenses will result in an office referral anddisciplinary consequences appropriate to the offense.Progress Reports: Progress reports are mailed to parentsafter the third week of the six weeks grading period.Teachers are only required to send progress reports forstudents who are not passing the first three weeks of eachgrading period. Contact the individual teacher shouldquestions arise. Parents are encouraged to checkParentConnection - Gradespeed throughout the gradingperiod and contact the teacher directly if questions arise.Report Cards: Report cards are mailed to parents by theDistrict to the address provided at the time of registrationat the end of each six weeks grading period.Student Success Initiative:The Student Success Initiative (SSI) was created by theTexas Legislature to ensure that all students receive theinstruction and support they need to be academicallysuccessful in reading and mathematics. Under the SSIgrade advancement requirements, students are required topass the STAAR grade 8 reading and mathematics tests tobe promoted to ninth grade. Eighth grade students havethree opportunities to pass the reading and math tests. If astudent does not pass one or both tests, the student will begiven additional instruction after each testing opportunity.Parents will be notified if their child does not pass a2

STAAR test that is required for promotion. For moreinformation see:www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment and select theStudent Success Initiative.Honor Roll: Honor rolls will be determined by thenumerical average of the student’s grades for the respectivesix weeks.Promotion, Retention, and Placement: A student shall bepromoted from one grade to the next on the basis ofacademic achievement (see also attendance law and SSI). Amiddle school student must have an overall average of 70 orabove for all classes enrolled, as well as an average of 70 orabove in at least three of the following subjects: Languagearts (including reading improvement, if required),mathematics, social studies, and science.School Records: A student’s records are confidential andare protected from unauthorized inspection or use. Acumulative record is maintained for each student from thetime the student enters the District until the studentwithdraws or graduates. This record moves with the studentfrom school to school. By law, both parents, whethermarried, separated, or divorced, have access to the records ofa student who is under 18 or a dependent for tax purposes.A parent/guardian whose rights have been legally terminatedwill be denied access to the records only if the school isgiven a copy of the court order terminating these rights.Schedule Changes: Request for a course selection changeshould be made through the grade level counselor. Due tostaffing restrictions, it may not be possible to honor allschedule change requests. If an emergency exists, contactthe appropriate grade level counselor within ten (10) days ofthe opening of school. After the 10th day of school, thePrincipal must approve all schedule changes.Textbooks: Students are responsible for textbooks issued tothem. Textbooks are to be kept covered, clean, and handledcarefully. Please make sure your name, grade, and teacher’sname are written on the book label, in case the book ismisplaced. A replacement fee will be charged for lost,stolen, or damaged books.Library Services: Students are encouraged to use thelibrary. Students may use the library before or after school,but they must get a pass from a teacher or the Librarian touse the library during these times. Books may be checkedout for two weeks. A replacement fee will be charged forlost, stolen, or damaged books.ZAP Programs:ZAP is an acronym for Zeros Aren’t Permitted and ZeroAttendance Problems. An administrator, counselor oracademic team leader will assign students as needed andcontact the parent. ZAP occurs during the school day andallows students to make up zeros during their lunch andTRACK classes (a 55-minute period four days a week).Students who do not accomplish the assigned task during theschool day may be assigned to ZAP detention after schoolto complete the missing work.MEALS AND SNACK POLICIESCafeteria: The cafeteria serves both breakfast and lunch.Breakfast is served between 7:45 and 8:05 AM. There arethree lunch periods. Students may purchase lunch orbring lunch from home. Students are not allowed offcampus for lunch. You may prepay a lunch account foryour child at www.mylunchmoney.com. The cafeteriadoes not accept personal checks.Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value (FMNV): Publicschools are no longer allowed to serve, sell, or give awayfoods during the school day, which the State of Texas hasruled, are foods of minimal nutritional value. All fooditems dispensed to public school students must meet strictstate criteria for nutritional value. Students may bringfood from home that is considered FMNV, but they maynot share this food with other students. Parents may nolonger send foods for parties and birthdays. Parentsmay bring food from outside sources only forconsumption by their child. The designated days thatthese rules do not apply are: December 20, 2011;February 14, 2012, and Cougar Capers date to bedetermined in May of 2012.National School Meal Program: AISD participates inthe National School Meal Program and offers free andreduced-price meals based on a student’s financial needs.Information about this program can be obtained from theschool office.Students who eat lunch off campus with a parent and whoreturn late to campus will be marked as unexcused tardyor absent depending on the time of return.Austin Independent School DistrictMiddle School Cafeteria Menu InformationA.I.S.D. participates in the Eat Smart program of theCoordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH)program. A.I.S.D. school menus meet the standards ofCATCH providing mostly “GO” foods, some “SLOW”food and only rarely “WHOA” foods. Lunch menus aredesigned to meet one-third of the Recommended DietaryAllowance of middle school students for calories, protein,iron, calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Averaged overa week meals also contain less than 30% of calories fromfat and less than 10% calories from saturated fat. Effortsare made to increase fiber by providing whole wheatbreads whenever possible and serving fresh fruits andvegetables daily.Go, Slow & Whoa Guidelines:"GO" foods consist of those lowest in fat, no addedsugar, and are less processed than other foods in the samefood group. Go foods consist of fruits, vegetables, whole3

grains, lean meats, fat free and low fat dairy products withno added sugar."SLOW" foods are higher in fat, sugar, and moreprocessed. Slow foods include reduced-fat plain milk anddairy products, reduced-fat meats, refined grains and Gofoods that are prepared with added fat or sugar."WHOA" foods are highest in fat, sugar, and mostprocessed. Whoa foods include whole milk, fried foods, andfoods prepared with large amounts of added fat and sugar.A healthy diet consists mostly of GO foods, fewer SLOWfoods, and rarely WHOA foods. All foods can be eaten inmoderation, and some foods can become a WHOA food ifeaten in large quantitiesMenu Guidelines:Lunch consists of an entree, two selections of fruit,vegetables or salad, bread that may be a part of the entree orseparate and a choice of milk. Students may select all fivecomponents or may take three components for a full meal.Meals are priced as a unit: however, each item is available ala carte. The lunch menus are on a 2-week cycle; Week 1begins the week of August 27 th and continues to rotatethroughout the school year. Menus may be subject tochange at any time throughout the school year. CurrentMenus and nutritional information for each menu item canbe found at:www.austinisd.org/schools/menus/ms.phtml.Where do I eat? You eat your meals in the cafeteria. Youshould sit down at a table while eating and drinking. Youmay also eat in a designated area at the invitation of ateacher or administrator. Students may be asked to sit inassigned seats at any time during the school year.What happens next? Students are dismissed from thecafeteria by tables and must work together to make sure theirtable and floor are clean before leaving. Students who makea mess in the cafeteria will be expected to clean it up andmay also receive lunch detention and an assigned seat ifproblems persist.Making Meal Time Merry: Take pride in your campus!1. Treat all adults and students with thoughtfulness andcourtesy.2. Walk everywhere!3. Clean your lunch area by putting trash and aluminumcans, plastic recycling in the designated container.4. Follow all instructions given to you by the adults in thecafeteria during lunches (administrators, counselors,teachers, the security guard, the School Resource Officer,custodians, cafeteria staff, and parent volunteers).5. During lunch, you may not leave the cafeteria to go intothe academic wings or library without a pass from a teacher,librarian, or administrator.PHYSICAL EDUCATIONThe State of Texas requires that all students take physicaleducation. Students will be required to purchase a standarduniform of shorts and t-shirt. The PE department willprovide information regarding the purchase of the items.The student must also provide appropriate shoes andsocks. If a student is to be excused from physicaleducation because of illness, he/she must bring a writtenrequest from the parent/guardian or physician. Excessiveabsences will require a note from the doctor and studentswill be required to complete a TEKS-based writtenassignment, if appropriate. The physical educationdepartment will provide you with information regardingathletic guidelines and policies.FIELD TRIP POLICYStudents at Small Middle School have the opportunity toparticipate in a number of educational and extra-curricularfield trips throughout each school year. Each grade levelwill explain the trips and an enrichment fee will becollected at the beginning of the year to pay for the trips.It is the goal of our school’s administration and faculty toinclude as many students as possible in these schoolsponsoredtrips. It is also important to understand thatfield trips are a privilege and students must meet certainguidelines in order to participate. The followingguidelines are general school-wide policies for all schoolsponsored field trips. These guidelines, as well as anyadditional guidelines established by the group sponsor(s),will be used in determining whether a student mayparticipate in the activity or trip.Accept Responsibility:Students must meet the established deadlines for returningfield trip materials such as fees, transportation waivers,medical forms, etc. Students must clear all schoolobligations (overdue library books, lost textbooks, etc.)and provide written documentation that the obligation hasbeen cleared to the trip sponsor by the establisheddeadline.Grades and Participation:Students must have good daily attendance at school andno excessive tardies to class. For extra-curricular trips,students must meet grade eligibility requirements. Astudent must be currently academically eligible toparticipate.Discipline:Students must receive trip approval from their grade-levelAssistant Principal or the campus Principal. Approvalmay be denied on the basis of excessive office referrals,suspensions, etc. Students must meet any group or teamlevel discipline guidelines established for the field trip. Insome cases, a parent may be asked to attend with theirchild.Trip Expenses/Enrichment Fee:Some of the trips that students will be able to take willhave expenses that must be paid in order for a student toparticipate. Parents will be notified, well in advance, ofany expenses that may be required. For those situationsin which this cost may cause a hardship, please notify thegroup or grade level sponsor in writing of your need.4

Many times optional arrangements can be made. No studentshould feel excluded from an activity due to a financialsituation.In situations in which a student has paid for a trip but is notable to attend, full or partial refunds may be possible.However, it is at the discretion of the group sponsor todetermine if a refund is possible and the exact amount of thetrip cost available for refund. Often, these trips must be paidfor months in advance and it is not possible to get a refundfrom the company involved. In these cases, an individualrefund would not be possible. It is the responsibility of thegroup sponsor to inform the parents, in advance, of therefund policy for that trip. Parents are provided with the trippolicy refund agreement before paying for the trip, so thereis no confusion on refunds.DISCIPLINETAKE THE PURPLE PAW PLEDGE“I will not use my hands or words for hurting myself orothers.”We encourage you to be a responsible student and to followschool rules. Teachers will develop class rules and sendthem home with you for you and your parent/guardian toreview. You will also be asked to review the District’sStudent Code of Conduct and sign that you understand andwill comply with the rules. Clint Small, Jr. Middle School isa Positive Behavior Support Campus and we follow theschool-wide guidelines for success.SCHOOLWIDE GUIDLEINES FOR SUCCESS: PAWSP - Prepare yourselfA - Accept ResponsibilityW- Work towards excellenceS - Seek help when neededAcceptable Use Policy: Access to the District's electroniccommunications system, including the Internet, shall bemade available to students exclusively for instructionalpurposes and in accordance with AISD regulations. Accessto the Internet at school is a privilege, not a right.Inappropriate use of the school's Internet access (whichincludes printing inappropriate material) or altering thesettings on any campus computer will result inadministrative consequences, including loss of accessprivileges.Assemblies: A student’s conduct in assemblies must meetthe same standard as in the classroom. A student who istardy or who does not abide by school and District rules ofconduct during an assembly will be subject to disciplinaryaction. Students are expected to attend assemblies and sitwith their class. Once a staff member addresses the group bysaying, “good morning/afternoon,” students shouldimmediately stop talking and give the adult their attention.Give Me Five:All staff may ask for the audience/students to “Give MeFive” – this means you should:1. Immediately stop what you are doing2. Eyes on the speaker3. Mouth is silent/no talking4. Ears are listening to the speaker5. Hands are in sight and are stillDrug and Alcohol Abuse: Any student whointentionally sells, gives, possesses, uses, or is under theinfluence of illegal drugs, narcotics, or alcohol in or onschool property, including buses, shall be subject to (1)removal from school and (2) being reported to theappropriate law enforcement agencies for possible legalaction. Furthermore, students are not allowed to haveover the counter medication on their person while atschool.Public Displays of Affection: All students are prohibitedfrom engaging in public displays of affection anywhereon campus or at campus sponsored events.Harassment/ Bullying:Clint Small, Jr. Middle School is a “Bully-Free Zone” andno bullying or harassment of students is tolerated.Students shall not engage in harassment motivated byrace, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation,gender, or disability and directed toward another student.Students shall not engage in sexual harassment towardanother student or District employee. Students shall notcommit dating or sexual violence toward another student.All reports of this type of behavior will be thoroughlyinvestigated by the campus administration and campuspolice officer. A substantiated charge of harassment orbullying against a student or District employee shall resultin disciplinary action. Students and parents are required toreport any incidents of these types of behaviors to thecampus administration immediately. Students are requiredto report any and all continued bullying incidents to ateacher, counselor, or administrator. See the “ConcernsForm” posted online and more information on theCounselor’s Page of the CSMS website.Smoking: The use and/or possession of tobacco productsand paraphernalia are prohibited. Any student whoviolates this rule is subject to removal from school. Therules apply at the bus stop, on the bus, on the schoolcampus, and AISD property during the school day and atany school activity before or after school. In addition,parents and other adults may not smoke on any AISDproperty or at any AISD sponsored event.Zero Tolerance: In AISD, zero tolerance means: if astudent violates the Student Code of Conduct (which alsoincorporates state and federal law), the behavior will beaddressed. The intervention or disciplinary action will bebased on the seriousness of the offense, the student's ageand grade level, the frequency of misbehavior, thestudent's attitude, whether the student was acting in selfdefense,the effect of the misconduct on the schoolenvironment, and requirements of law.5

STUDENT SEARCHES AND SEIZURESPurses and backpacks: Student purses and backpacksbrought to school are subject to reasonable search by aschool official, (teacher, principal, assistant principal), whenhe or she has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a searchwill turn up evidence that the student is violating or hasviolated a student code of conduct rule, a school rule, or thelaw. Parents should remind students not to bring items toschool that are in violation of the Student Code of Conduct(guns, knives, weapons, drugs including over-the-countermedications, cigarette lighters, etc.) Purses and backpacksare not allowed in the classroom once lockers have beenissued. Purses and backpacks must be kept inside thestudent’s locker during the school day. Students are notallowed to carry backpacks and purses in the building afterthe 8:05-8:15 passing period.School Lockers and Desks: School lockers are schoolproperty and as such may be searched periodically forcontraband (i.e. illegal items) and for overdue or missingbooks or stolen items. The campus principal will retain amaster key to the lockers for such searches. Similarly,school desks are school property and may also be searchedfor contraband, overdue or missing books, stolen items, andspoiled food. Since the lockers and desks are schoolproperty, the student and parent are on notice that there is adiminished expectation of privacy in the use of the lockersand desks. Highly valuable items and those withsentimental value should remain at home as the school isnot responsible for the loss or theft of such items. Anycontraband found in plain sight will be confiscated and thestudent may be subjected to disciplinary action.HALL LOCKERS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSWhen will I get a locker? Lockers are issued to students atthe beginning of the year; after all necessary forms arecompleted and returned to the office.How do I get a lock? Students will need to purchase acombination lock from the school. The locks will beavailable at the student store, during the first several days ofschool. A locker will not be assigned until the lockcombination is on file with the office. School locks can beopened with a special key if there are combination problems.Non-school purchased locks may have to be cut off, insituations where access to the locker is necessary, whichwould necessitate the purchase of a new lock by the student.Can my locker be searched? Lockers remain under thejurisdiction of the school even when assigned to anindividual student. The school reserves the right to inspectall lockers. Searches of lockers may be conducted at anytime there is a reasonable cause to do so, whether or not thestudent is present. The school will conduct locker checksseveral times during the school year. (See page 5).Is my locker a safe place to keep things? A student hasfull responsibility for the security of the locker and isresponsible for making certain it is locked and thecombination is not available to others. You should notbring valuable items to school or large amounts ofmoney. (See list of things to be left at home.) Eachstudent is responsible for keeping his/her assigned lockerclean both inside and outside. If students bring items toschool that are on the list of things to be left at home andthe item is stolen while at school, neither the SRO nor theAdministrative Staff will investigate the offense. It isstrongly advised to leave all expensive electronic devicesat home.Where do I keep my backpack or purse? Due to safetyconcerns, backpacks and purses will not be allowed in theclassroom once lockers are assigned. Backpacks andpurses must be kept in the student’s locker until the 3:30bell. Backpacks with wheels are difficult to manage anddo not fit in our lockers and are therefore, notrecommended. (See page 5).When can I go to my locker? Students will have accessto their lockers several times a day. Access to lockersafter school hours will not be allowed except in extremeemergencies. Be sure you have everything you needwhen you depart for home.EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIESAll students are encouraged to participate in a club ororganization which appeals to individual interest. One ofthe most important characteristics for middle schoolstudents is the “feeling of belonging”. Participation in aschool sponsored club or organization is one of the bestways to accomplish a feeling of success and loyalty toyour school. Student clubs and performing groups mayestablish rules of conduct and consequences formisbehavior that are stricter than those for students ingeneral. If a violation is also a violation of school rules,the consequences specified by the school shall apply inaddition to any consequences specified by theorganization. Students must attend school the day ofan event to be eligible to participate.Eligibility Requirements: In order to participate inextracurricular activities during the first six weeks, thestudent must have been promoted to the next grade level.To remain eligible, a student must maintain a passinggrade in all subjects. This includes all participatingathletes, cheerleaders, managers, band performers, clubmembers, etc. A complete set of guidelines, includinginformation on regaining eligibility is on file in the schooloffice.Rules for Student Behavior at Athletic Events:*Student behavior at athletic events is governed by theAISD student code of conduct. All rules, including dresscode, that apply during the school day, also apply atathletic events.6

*Students attend athletic events for the purpose of cheeringon the Cougar Athletes, therefore, students are expected tosit and watch the game and show support for our team.*Students should not be wandering or loitering in thehallways at the volleyball and basketball games or standingon the asphalt at the football games. Students are expectedto sit in the bleachers and watch the game. Students whoviolate this rule will be asked to leave.*There are NO foods or drinks allowed in the gym. Studentsmust eat and drink in the designated area by the concessionstand.*Once students have exited the building during an event atSmall, they should not come back into the building.Students should make arrangements for rides from the gameto coincide with the end of the game and should be pickedup no later than 15 minutes after game time. Studentswho violate the pick-up rule will not be allowed to attend thenext few upcoming games or after-hours events.Remember that we represent our school when we are atathletic events and we want everyone to have fun and cheerour Cougars on to victory! Go Cougars!Conclusion of Activities: Please make every effort to pickup your student in a timely manner following all schoolactivities. It is necessary that you pick up your studentwithin 15 minutes of a given activity ending time. We areconcerned about your child’s safety. Our teachers sponsormany of these after school activities and it creates a hardshipon the teacher who must wait with your student when youare late. If a parent or guardian fails to pick up their student,AISD Police or the Sheriff’s Department will be called andstudents will be asked not to attend the next few upcomingafter-hours events.Athletics: Only 7th and 8th graders are permitted toparticipate in AISD athletics per UIL rules. Before a studentis permitted to attend practices his/her parents must read,sign, and return a variety of forms which include a physical,insurance waiver, and parental permission for participation.Students who have reached their 14th birthday beforeSeptember 1st of the present school year are ineligible toparticipate on 7th grade teams. Students who have reachedtheir 15th birthday before September 1st of the present yearare ineligible to participate on 8th grade teams.National Junior Honor Society: Selection criteria for theNational Junior Honor Society is provided by the clubsponsors and is posted to the school website each August(www.austinisd.org).School Dances: School dances are provided for students. Noguests or visitors are allowed at school dances, unlesspreviously announced by the school administration. Specialconditions must apply for a student to receive permission tobring a guest or visitor. Students may not attend a schooldance or social event if they:1. Have served a consequence resulting from a disciplinereferral the week of the school dance.2. Attended the In-School Suspension classroom or wassuspended to home the week of the dance.3. Have financial obligations to the school, includingoverdue library books.4. Are absent from school the day of the dance.IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOWChange of Address or Telephone Number: Parents arerequired to submit to the registrar in the counselingoffice a change of address or telephone numbers. Allparents/guardians should give a telephone number wherethey may be reached during the school day. It is oftennecessary for the school to contact parents and there mustbe a way for us to contact you.Fire, Tornado, and other Emergency Drills: Students,teachers, staff, volunteers, and visitors shall participate infrequent drills of emergency procedures. When the alarmis sounded, students must follow the directions of theteacher or staff member quickly, quietly, and in an orderlymanner.Dress Code: The District provides a Middle School dresscode for all AISD campuses, and students will beexpected to comply with the District’s code. Specificguidelines with pictures can be found atwww.austinisd.org.CSMS has additional guidelines for students:• Hats, bandannas, and dark sunglasses are not to beworn inside the school.• Undergarments are not to be worn as outer garments.Pajamas and house slippers are not to be worn toschool. This includes “rag” flip-flops.• Hairstyles, including hair that is temporarily dyed orpainted an unnatural color (i.e. green, purple, orange,etc.), which adversely affect the educationalenvironment of the school will not be permitted.• Clothing with holes, rips, tears, and/or intentionalconspicuous patches, sagging pants with loosewaistband will not be allowed.• Upper and lower body garments are not to exposeundergarments or bare skin.• Yoga pants/leggings worn without a tunic that meetsthe length requirement is not allowed. Any garmentworn over legging must be in dress code (i.e. youcannot wear short skirts or short shorts overleggings).• All tops must be long enough to cover the midriffcompletely. Low-cut jeans that reveal the midriff arenot permitted.• Tube tops, halters, spaghetti strap tops, barebackclothing and tops with low-cut necklines are notpermitted.• Shorts must follow District guidelines- short shortsand skirts are not permitted. Standing at ease, thepoint at which the longest fingertip hits the thigh isthe minimum length required for shorts and skirts.7

Skirts or shorts must follow these guidelines even if thestudent is wearing leggings, panty hose, or tights.• All clothing must be worn as it was designed to beworn.• No sweatpants outside of the P.E. or Athletics classesare allowed.• Shoes with wheels attached to the heels – “heeliewheelies” are not allowed.• Clothing, jewelry, medallions, patches, or designs onclothing should not reflect or suggest drugs, alcohol,tobacco, profanity, sex, or other distasteful language.• Jewelry that pierces any body part other than the ears isnot allowed to be worn on campus.• Gang related colors, ornaments, colored shoelaces, etc.are prohibited. Only white or black shoelaces areallowed.• No gang related graffiti (tagging) is allowed on schoolitems, clothing, your skin, or your hair designs.• Wallet chains, or any jewelry which could be usedinappropriately, are prohibited.• School staff will make determinations as to theinappropriateness of any student’s dress, if it isdeemed to be a distraction or to have an adverse effect onthe educational environment.Students who fail to follow these dress guidelines will beasked to change into more appropriate attire. In some casesthe school will provide a shirt and/or pants to a student, if aparent is not able to bring alternative clothes to school forthe day. Continual or repeated disregard by any student forthe student dress code will result in disciplinary action.MISCELLANEOUSImmunization: All students must be immunized in order toattend public school. If students do not have the properimmunizations they will be sent home. A copy of thestudent’s immunization records that have been verified andsigned by a physician are required documentation. Completeinformation regarding required immunizations is available atthe following website:www.austinvaccinates.org.If there is a conscientious objection with the requirementthat the student be immunized, please contact the TexasDepartment of Health to obtain the appropriatedocumentation. If there is a medical reason a student maynot be immunized, a written statement by a U.S. licensedphysician is required.Medication: If it becomes necessary for any student to takeany form of medication, including over-the-countermedicines, at school, a signed note from a parent must bepresented to the Nurse’s office staff. Please identify themedicine, tell why it is being taken, and when the last doseis to be given. The medication must be in the originalcontainer and must be labeled with the student’s name andthe name of the medication. The bottle must specify ageappropriateinformation (i.e. 11-year olds may not takemedications listed for 12 -years old and above). Allmedication will be kept and dispensed through the nurse’soffice. Students may not have any medicine in theirpossession while at school.Lost and Found: Students who find lost items are askedto take them to the office. Students who lose articlesshould report them to the office as soon as they aremissed. Students are encouraged to label all belongingsso they can be identified and returned to the owner.School Insurance: School insurance is available to allstudents. A packet will be available for each student atthe beginning of school. Purchase of this program isoptional. Only students playing in the sports programmust provide signed evidence that they are covered byadequate insurance if they choose not to purchase thispackage.School Store: PTA operates a small school store for theconvenience of our students and parents. The school storestocks items such as paper, notebooks, binders, pencils,pens, T-shirts, combination locks, and various otheritems. Hours of operation will be posted at the storelocated outside the cafeteria. The School Store closes 5minutes before the end of each lunch.Support Groups: The Counseling Department sponsorsmany student groups, which will meet on a regular basis.Contact your assigned counselor for additionalinformation.Teacher Phones: Every teacher will have a privatephone in the classroom and the phone number is listed onthe CSMS website. This phone will ring in the class, butteachers will not answer it during instructional time.Voice mail will record messages and the teacher willcheck for messages regularly. Students will not use theteacher phone for personal calls except in case ofemergency and with teacher permission.THINGS TO BE LEFT AT HOMEDue to the possibility of theft, damage, etc., for which theschool cannot be responsible we are requesting that thefollowing items, or other similar items, be left at home.Disciplinary consequences will result for possession ofsome items on the list, which constitute a danger to schoolsafety and security (e.g. toy guns, fireworks, lighters,matches). These items will not be released to students. Insome cases, items will be returned to students if parentshave provided a written request for the item to be returned,or make arrangements to pick up the item themselves.• Skateboards and roller blades• I-pods, MP3 and tape players, radios, CD players,cameras, electronic devices• Chewing gum• Electronic games, personal TV’s, game cubes,playstations, playing/trading cards• Permanent markers8

• Cellular phones, pagers, laser pointers, shock pens• Water guns, airsoft guns and pellets, or any other toys• Distasteful reading materials• Poppers, fireworks, stink bombs, matches, and lighters• X-acto knives, utility knives, or box cutters• Any item that can be used as a weapon• Items for sale, such as candy or gum that is not part of aschool approved fundraiserIf students bring items to school that are on the list ofthings to be left at home and the item is stolen while atschool, neither the SRO nor the Administrative Staff willinvestigate the offense. It is strongly advised to leave allexpensive electronic devices at home.Cellular Phones, Pagers and Other Electronic Devices (ipods,etc.): It is against school district policy for anystudent to carry cell phones and electronic during theschool day. Students may have cellular phones, and otherelectronic devices on campus if they are locked inside thestudent’s locker and turned off. Any cell phones or otherelectronic devices taken up from a student in classes or otherareas of the school are turned over to the front office. Theparent should contact the front office to make arrangementsfor picking up the item. The parent must comply with aforty-eight hour wait period and bring proof of ownership tothe school. Parents may then pick up the phone/electronicdevice and pay the District’s $15.00 fee by money order orcash. Students will also be subject to disciplinaryconsequences for any electronic devices that have beenconfiscated during testing. Repeated violations will result inthe student not being able to have a cell phone or otherelectronic device in their locker.Use of Electronic Devices in Classrooms as aReward/Reinforcement or Learning ToolIn some cases, the classroom teacher will allow the use ofelectronic devices in the classroom for a specific purpose. Inthis case, the student may be in possession of an electronicdevice for that class period or grade level. As soon as thestudent is done with the class requiring the electronic device,the device must be turned off and returned to the student’slocker.Selling Items at School: Students are strictly prohibited fromselling any item for personal profit such as candy, gum,lighters, breath spray, etc., on school grounds. Any studentcaught selling items will be subject to disciplinary action bythe school administration.Student Money: Students should bring only the amount ofmoney needed for lunch or other school expenses to be used ona given day. Likewise, students are discouraged from bringingbracelets, purses, expensive or valuable items, etc. The schoolaccepts no responsibility for personal items.Visitors: Parents/guardians are welcome and encouraged tovisit CSMS. Please enter by the main entrance to theadministrative office, sign in, stating the reason for your visit,and pick up a visitor’s badge. Visitors not wearing a badgewill be escorted to the office to acquire one. If aparent/guardian wishes to visit a classroom, please givethe teacher advance notice and make an appointment.We are always pleased to have parents/guardians join thestudents for lunch. Student visitors from other schools notassociated with our school activity cannot be accommodatedin the cafeteria or in the classroom. Visitor badges are notnecessary for assemblies, performances, and athletic events.Procedures for visitors to the CSMS Campus:1. Contact the teacher at least 24-hours in advance ofvisiting the classroom to schedule your visit.2. Sign-in at the office before going to the classroom.3. Wear the visitor badge prominently.TRANSPORTATION ISSUESBike Riders: Students riding their bikes to and fromschool must follow all safety regulations of the countyand school. A helmet is strongly encouraged. You mustremember to follow all street signs, including stop signs.Ride single file and cross streets carefully. Bike racks arelocated on the school grounds and must be used to parkbicycles. Please remember to lock your bike.Bus Riders: Riding the school bus is a privilege. Astudent being transported in school owned vehicles isrequired to comply with the Student Code of Conduct andthe MS/HS Bus Rules, which are clearly posted on eachbus and available from the student’s administrator. Anystudent who fails to comply with that code or establishedrules of conduct on school transportation may be deniedtransportation services and shall be subject to disciplinaryaction.The following procedures shall be followed when adiscipline concern arises on a bus serving a regular routeor an extracurricular activity:1. A conference involving the Principal or AssistantPrincipal, the student passenger, the driver, andthe parent may be required.2. The Principal or designee may suspend thestudent’s bus riding privileges. If such asuspension occurs, the parent/guardian will benotified prior to the time the suspension takeseffect.3. In the case of serious misconduct that endangersthe safety of other passengers or the driver, thedriver shall have the authority to put the studentoff the bus or to call for law enforcementassistance; the Principal and parent/guardianshall be notified of the situation as soon aspossible. The student shall not be provided busservice again until a conference involving allpersons listed above has been held.The offenses and actions listed above are not intended tobe all-inclusive.9

Private Cars: Parents/guardians who drop students off atschool or pick them up at the end of the day should drivecautiously, observe parking and safety signs and follow thedirections of administrators, teachers, and staff to ensure thesafety of all students. Students arriving for the school dayshould be dropped off at the front of the school enteringthe circular drive on the north side and exiting on thesouth side. In the afternoon, cars should line up in the frontparking area as far to the right as possible to allow forthrough-traffic to pass on the left. Do not drop off or pickup students from the bus lane area until after all buses haveleft for the day. Use of school district transportation ishighly recommended if it is an option.Bus Lane / Staff Parking: Students should not bedropped off in the bus lane or the staff parking lot area.All students attending athletics, or early morning classes orevents should be dropped off in the front of the school.Walkers: Students that walk to school should cross at theguarded crosswalks. Please remember to be courteous of theneighbors and walk on the sidewalks wherever possible.Change of transportation plans: Arrangements foralternate transportation plans should be made with yourchild before the school day begins. For your child’ssecurity, requests for bus passes, etc., should be made inwriting and turned in to the main office at the beginning ofthe school day. Phone calls from parents, except inemergency situations, will not be accepted.Bus Passes to Ride a Different Bus:Please limit bus pass requests to ride a different bus toemergency situations and eligible bus riders. Bus passes,even in an emergency situation may not be approved if thebus is full. To request an eligible bus rider ride a differentbus, provide the front office with student’s name, reason foremergency, name of the student he/she is riding home with,bus number, and your phone contact number before 9:00a.m. on the day of the request. The office will call to verifyrequests, if the bus is full. Non-emergency requests cannotbe filled and District transportation is not to be used forparent convenience or Friday sleepovers.PROTOCOL FOR HANDLINGPARENT CONCERNSClassroom/Teacher Concerns: Academic andDisciplinaryParent/guardian should first discuss any concern with theclassroom teacher.If a parent brings a concern to the Principal or AssistantPrincipal without first consulting with the teacher, thePrincipal or AP will ask the parent to first confer with theclassroom teacher. If the teacher and the parent/guardian areunable to resolve the concern, the Principal or AssistantPrincipal should then be contacted. If after discussing theconcern with the Principal and the concern is not resolved,contact the Associate Superintendent for Middle Schools. AConcerns Form is posted to the school website and can besubmitted electronically to the Assistant Principal orCounselor or parents may come in and fill the form out inperson.Discipline Concerns: Assistant Principals:Parents/guardians should first discuss their concern withthe appropriate Assistant Principal. If the AssistantPrincipal and the parent are unable to resolve the concern,the Principal should then be contacted. After discussingthe concern with the Principal, if the issue is not resolvedthe parent should then contact the AssociateSuperintendent for Middle Schools.EQUAL OPPORTUNITYAISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion,color, national origin, sex, or disability in providingeducation or providing access to benefits of educationservices, activities and programs, including vocationprograms, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil RightsAct of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the EducationalAmendments of 1972; Section 504 of the RehabilitationAct of 1973 as amended; and Title II of the Americanswith Disabilities Act. Austin Independent School Districtdoes not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color,national origin, sex, disability or English language skillsin its programs and activities.Important NumbersAdministrators: Amy Taylor, Principal – 841-6705 Pam Teinert, Administrative Assistant to Ms. Taylor- 841-6702 Sherry Lepine, Ph.D. Academic Dean & Green TechAcademy Director - 841-6742 Kurt Obersteller, Assistant Principal – 7 th grade and8 th grade M-Z - 841-6707 Tamey Williams, Assistant Principal – 6 th grade and8 th grade A-L - 841-6708 Linda A. Garcia, Administrative Assistant to Ms.Williams and Mr. Obersteller - 841-6701 - Se hablaEspanolCounselors and Support Staff: 6 th grade and 8 th grade A-L –Monica Etter841-6711 7 th grade and 8 th grade M-Z –Amy Rogers841-6712 Section 504 Coordinator & Intervention Specialist,Rebecca Johnson, 841-6700 Registrar and Administrative Assistant to theCounselors – Melissa Robichaud, 841-6710Special Programs: Special Education Department Head,Eden Hagelman, 841-6715 Secretary for Special Education and Section 504Terri deClairmont, 414-1542 LPAC Coordinator and ELL Intervention,Monica Gonzalez - Se habla Espanol841-675410