Rocky Top Middle School
Home of the Grizzlies Parent/Student Handbook 2015-2016
14150 York Street, Thornton, CO 80602 720-972-2200
WELCOME TO ROCKY TOP MIDDLE SCHOOL This handbook will help you become accustomed to the district procedures and our school philosophies as we begin the 2015-2016 school year. If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us or come on in and see us. We look forward to a great year! Please be aware that this document only highlights Adams12 Five Star Schools’ Superintendent Policies; view all district policies at www.adams12.org. The complete online version of the parent/student handbook can be found at www.rockytop.adams12.org. Office Staff 2015-2016 Chelsea Behanna………………………………….………………………Principal Jennifer Oldweiler……………………………………..……......Assistant Principal DJ Eipper ………………………………………………………Assistant Principal Rob Sears….…..………………………..……………….TOSA - Dean of Students Jennifer Brubaker…………………………..…………………6th Grade Counselor Porfidia Beuke………………………………………...………7th Grade Counselor Angela Miller..…………………...............……...……….……8th Grade Counselor Suzanne Strain…………………………………………..………....Office Manager Arlene Gines...…………………………………..…….…... Registration Specialist Heather Dean…..........................................................................................Secretary Pam Johnson...……………………………………….…………. Attendance Clerk Janece Evans…………………………………………………………..Office Clerk
CONTACT INFORMATION Phone Numbers RTMS Main Office……………………..…………………………………………………..(720)972‐2200 RTMS Attendance Line…………………………………………………………………..(720)972‐2337 RTMS Food Services……………………………………………………………………...(720)972‐2229 Adams 12 Bussing/Transportation………………………………………………...(720)972‐4300 Websites Rocky Top Middle School…………………………..……...rockytop.adams12.org Here you will find: * Infinite Campus Directions * Staff Email Addresses and Phone Extensions *Current News, Announcements, and Calendar * Teacher Web Pages *Weekly News from The Top Adams 12 Five Star Schools…………………………...…….....www.adams12.org Here you will find: * Superintendent Policies * Curriculum Frameworks * District Calendar * Boundary Locator * Bus Routes Adams12 Online Payments………………………………....……www.payforit.net
Conferencing with Teachers and Staff In order to honor your time, it is best to schedule meetings with teachers and other staff in advance. All parents and visitors to RTMS are REQUIRED to check in at the Main Office upon campus arrival. Please be prepared to show a driver’s license in order to obtain a visitor’s pass or to drop off items for your student. Parent/Teacher Conferences are: (More details to come closer to the dates of conferences) October 7th – 4:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. October 8th – 4:30 – 7:45 p.m. February 10th – 4:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Rocky Top Middle School 2015 - 2016 Bell Schedules Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday th
7th Grade
6 Grade st
1 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:44 9:48 – 10:55 10:59 – 11:29 11:33 – 12:40 12:44 – 1:51 1:55 – 2:46 2:50 – 3:45
Core Core Lunch Core Core Elective Elective
st
1 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:44 9:48 – 10:55 10:59 – 11:50 11:54 – 12:24 12:28 – 1:19 1:23 – 2:30 2:34 – 3:45
8th Grade Core Core Elective Lunch Elective Core Core
st
1 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:28 9:32 – 10:23 10:27 – 11:34 11:38 – 12:45 12:49 – 1:19 1:23 – 2:30 2:34 – 3:45
Elective Elective Core Core Lunch Core Core
Wednesday th
7th Grade
6 Grade 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:27 9:31 – 10:21 10:25 – 10:55 10:59 – 11:49 11:53 – 12:43 12:47 – 1:27 1:31 – 2:15
Core Core Lunch Core Core Elective Elective
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:27 9:31 – 10:21 10:25 – 11:05 11:09 – 11:39 11:43 – 12:23 12:27 – 1:17 1:21 – 2:15
8th Grade Core Core Elective Lunch Elective Core Core
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:17 9:21 – 10:01 10:05 – 10:55 10:59 – 11:49 11:53 – 12:23 12:27 – 1:17 1:21 – 2:15
Elective Elective Core Core Lunch Core Core
Assembly Schedule 6th Grade st
1 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:32 Core 9:36 – 10:32 Core 10:36 – 11:07 Lunch 11:11 – 12:07 Core 12:11 – 1:07 Core 1:11 – 1:57 Elective 2:01 – 2:47 Elective Assembly 2:51 – 3:45
7th Grade st
1 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:27 Core 9:31 – 10:21 Core 10:25 – 11:05 Elective 11:09 – 11:39 Lunch 11:43 – 12:23 Elective 12:27 – 1:17 Core 1:21 – 2:15 Core Assembly 2:51 – 3:45
8th Grade st
1 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
8:30 – 9:17 Elective 9:21 – 10:01 Elective 10:05 – 10:55 Core 10:59 – 11:49 Core 11:53 – 12:23 Lunch 12:27 – 1:17 Core 1:21 – 2:15 Core Assembly 2:51 – 3:45
SUPERINTENDENT POLICIES 2014-2015 Please refer to http://www.adams12.org/superintendent_policies
Rocky Top Information: Attendance: It is important that your student attends class daily unless there is an illness or injury. If you know in advance that your student will be out of school, please call our attendance line. Parents or guardians will be contacted by the school if a student is not reported so that we may account for their absence. Early release days, Wednesday at 2:15 pm, are ideal times to schedule orthodontist or doctor appointments to avoid missing valuable instructional time. When a student must be absent, please check teacher websites on our Rocky Top website to find out what activities and assignments were missed for each class. It is the school’s policy that if a student is going to be absent for more than three days, parents may request homework and notes to be gathered for pick up. Please allow 24 hours for us to collect these materials. When an absence is excused, students shall be given a period of at least the same number of days they were absent, plus one additional day, to make up missed assignments. This make up period begins the next school day following the absence. (Superintendent Policy 2.3.2) For student work to support learning and serve as an opportunity to show what students have mastered, it is essential that assignments be submitted in a timely manner. It is also our goal to teach students the importance of effective time management when meeting deadlines. If students are tardy, the teacher/or core will impose a consequence. If tardiness becomes habitual, the issue will be addressed by an administrator. Additional policy information is located at the back of this handbook in the District Policies section.
Adams 12 Attendance Expectations Maintaining Proficient/Advanced Attendance means having NO MORE THAN 1 absence per 25 DAYS OF INSTRUCTION Instructional Day
Date for 1st Semester start
25 50 75 100 125 150 175
ON THIS DATE September 23 October 29 December 11 February 3 March 14 April 26 May 26
Far Below Basic
Below Basic
4 or more 7 or more 10 or more 14 or more 17 or more 20 or more 23 or more
Number of Absences 3 2 1 5-6 3-4 1-2 7-9 4-6 1-3 9-13 5-8 1-4 11-16 6-10 1-6 13-19 7-12 1-6 15-22 8-14 1-7
Basic
Proficient
Advanced
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
(Refer to chart on previous page.) The following progressive interventions for attendance will be implemented when your child falls in the Below Basic or Far Below basic range according to the chart.
An attendance message will be sent to your home phone number. An attendance letter will be mailed home. A phone call from an administrator to discuss attendance. An administrator will meet with you to conduct an in-building hearing and create an attendance contract. A district hearing will be held to determine next steps.
Drugs and Alcohol: Drugs, alcohol and substances presented as such are not permitted on school grounds or in the building. This includes prohibition of tobacco, lighters, drug paraphernalia and over the counter medications. All medications must be distributed through the health clinic with written documentation of a doctor’s approval.
Academic Information: Your student’s schedule contains six classes, four of which are considered core classes. These classes consist of math, language arts, science and social studies. Core teachers work together as a team to ensure that your student’s academic, social and emotional needs are met. Each core meets weekly to discuss student concerns and plan units of instruction. It is important that you contact a core teacher or counselor immediately if you have concerns about your student’s academic performance or school engagement in order to establish appropriate, timely interventions for your child to be successful. In order to provide clearer understanding of where each student is on his or her learning trajectory, educators from across the district worked with content coordinators and used the Colorado Academic Standards to develop the following Gradebook Reporting Criteria (GRCs). Based on the Colorado Academic Standards, these grade reporting criteria help break down an overall course grade into specific aspects of study, so that educators, students, and parents can know where a student is doing well, and in what areas he or she may need to focus more attention. For each course, students will be evaluated on the following GRCs.
Math
Ratios and Proportional Relationships* The Number System Expressions and Equations Functions ** Geometry Statistics and Probability Procedural Fluency
Language Arts
Oral Expression and Listening Reading for all Purposes Writing and Composition Research and Reasoning
Social Studies
Content Conceptual Understanding Research and Source Analysis Presentation and Communication of Content
Science
Disciplinary Core Ideas (Content) Science Practices Cross‐cutting concepts Communication in the Discipline
*6th & 7th Grade Only **8th Grade Only
Final marks are first and foremost determined by teachers’ professional opinion of your child’s work toward those standards, not by mathematical calculations. Teachers have been trained in analyzing student products against standards and in finding evidence of that learning using a variety of methods. Please don’t hesitate to inquire how marks for your child were determined if you are unsure. Official notification of progress towards GRCs will be given at the quarter mark and at the end of each semester; however, marks can be accessed through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal at any time. Follow the links provided on our website to gain access.
Emergency Information: Rocky Top Middle School utilizes a state of the art security and camera system throughout the building. In addition to our building-based Crisis Response Team, our staff includes an experienced School Resource Officer and exceeds the district’s mandates for security and emergency drills. If you or your student has information that is important to the safety of our students or school, please contact a school or district representative immediately. We want to remind you as part of our continuing effort to ensure the safety of all students, students will only be released to parent(s)/legal guardian(s) prior to the end of the school day. If your child will be checked out before the end of the day by someone other than a parent/legal guardian you must contact the school office prior to the child being released. If we have not heard from you in advance we will attempt to contact you. If we are unable to contact you, the child will not be released and will remain at school until the end of the day. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Counseling Department: Our counselors collaborate with the mental health team, special education department, content area teachers, elective teachers and administrators to meet the academic, personal/social and career needs of students. Rocky Top counselors also coordinate the design and implementation of interventions for students as part of our school problem solving team. Counselors encourage parents and students to use the resources provided on their webpage to build their social emotional skills, and the Bully Button to anonymously report any peer issues negatively impacting the school experience so that we may intervene accordingly. Suicide Prevention Protecting the health and well-being of all students is of utmost importance to the Adams 12 Five Star School District. Superintendent Policy 5520 addresses suicide assessments as a priority to protect all students. Adams 12 will treat all threats or attempted suicides as serious regardless of the degree of lethality involved. When a student threatens or attempts suicide, the Adams 12 personnel will follow Superintendent Policy and respond accordingly. The following steps have been taken to help protect all students: 1. Students will learn about recognizing and responding to warning signs of suicide in friends, using coping skills, using support systems, and seeking help for themselves and friends. 2. When a student is identified as being at risk, he or she will be assessed by a District mental health professional that will work with the student and help connect the student to appropriate local resources. 3. Students will have access to national resources which they can contact for additional support, such as: • The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1.800.273.8255 (TALK), www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org • The Trevor Lifeline – 1.866.488.7386 www.thetrevorproject.org
4. All students will be expected to help create a school culture of respect and support in which students feel comfortable seeking help for themselves or friends. Students are encouraged to tell any staff member if they, or a friend, are feeling suicidal or in need of help. 5. Students should also know that because of the health and safety impacts of these matters, the confidentiality and privacy rights of individuals will be respected but concerns are secondary to seeking help for students in crisis. 6. For a more detailed review of District processes, please see the District’s full suicide prevention guidelines document.
Identification Badges: All Rocky Top students and staff will wear a visible, school-issued identification badge (ID) on a lanyard. The school ID must be worn around the neck, on the outside of an individual’s outermost garment. School ID must be worn in the building at all times. During after-hours activities, students are not required to visibly wear their ID, but should have it in their possession. Every student will be issued one free ID, school lanyard and protective cover. Replacement ID, sleeve and lanyard set is $5.00. Sold individually – sleeve $1.00, ID $2.00, lanyard $3.00. Students may request up to two temporary IDs per quarter without consequences. Upon issuance of third temporary ID, parents will be billed $5.00 for a new ID, sleeve and lanyard. If a student has already been billed for a new I.D. and needs another temporary ID during the same quarter, they will be billed an additional $5.00 for that ID and any subsequent IDs issued during that quarter.
Skateboards, Scooter & Bicycles: Rocky Top Middle School has no inside storage for skateboards, scooters or bicycles. Students must lock these items to the bike racks located at the back of the building or not bring them to school.
Backpacks: Students are welcome to use backpacks or other tote bags to transport books, Chromebooks and other supplies to and from Rocky Top Middle School. However, all backpacks, duffle bags, and tote bags are to be stored in lockers during the school day. Students may visit their lockers at various times throughout the school day to drop off books and pick up items required for upcoming classes. Students may only carry personal items in a small pocket book, small Chromebook case, pencil bag, or purse while in classrooms. Dress Code: Rocky Top follows the Adams 12 Superintendent Policy for dress code. A brief list of how we uphold that dress code is below.
No undergarments may be showing; this includes bra straps and underwear. The midsection, chest area and derrière of a student’s body must be covered by clothing.
If your child is wearing clothing that does not meet these guidelines, they will be allowed to call for a change of clothes. They will then be provided more appropriate clothing and sent back to class. They will be called out of class to change should someone bring them other clothes. This is done to minimize the amount educational time lost. Intramurals, Clubs and Co-Curricular Information Rocky Top Middle School is proud to provide a variety of activities, both physical and intellectual, to ensure that your student has a well-rounded education. Students who participate in co-curricular activities have a stronger sense of belonging at school and perform at a higher level academically. Because of this, we encourage every student to participate in at least one activity outside of the regular classroom. These activities are held before or after school and may require parents to sign permission forms or provide transportation to and from the activity. For safety and supervision reasons, it is important that students arrive and be picked up promptly at prescribed times. To contact club sponsors visit our web site at
[email protected] Examples of Co-Curricular Clubs: (subject to change) Drama Club Spirit Club Student Council Jazz Band MESA and Math Counts Yearbook Club Weightlifting Computer Club Art Club Photography Club Tech Club Writer’s Club National Junior Honor Society
Other Activities Include Geography Bee Spelling Bee Talent Show
For additional information, please contact the secretary, Heather Jo Dean at 720-972-2201. ***THIS LIST OF CLUBS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE**
