Be  kind.    Be  safe.    Work  hard!  

Welcome  to  the  2015-­‐2016  School  Year!     Included  in  this  handbook  are  many  city  and  school  policies  and  procedures  that   we  expect  all  students  to  respect.    We  expect  that  our  students  will  embody  our   three  values:  Be  kind.  Be  safe.  Work  hard!      

Table  of  Contents     I.  Letter  to  Students  –  Page  3     II.  The  Basics  –  Page  4     III.  Arrival  to  School  –  Page  5     IV.  Lockers  –  Page  6     V.  CVS  and  SLANT  –  Page  8     VI.  Out  Lunch  –  Page  9     VII.  Merits  and  Demerits  –  Page  10     VIII.  Discipline  Code  and  Code  of  Values  –  Page  12     IX.  Student  Agreement  –  Page  13

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September  2015     Dear  LMC  Students:   A  book  of  rules;  ugh.    That  sounds  pretty  unpleasant  to  many  middle  school   students,  but  we  promise  you  that  our  goal  in  writing  this  handbook  is  not  to   heap  a  big  list  of  “do’s  and  don’ts”  on  you.    Our  goal  with  this  handbook  is  to   create  a  resource  and  a  contract.    What  do  we  mean  by  this?    Let  us  explain.     The  LMC  Student  Handbook  is  a  resource  because  it  serves  as  a  place  where  we   store  information  that  will  help  guide  your  middle  school  experience  at  LMC.    Can   I  go  out  for  lunch?    Who  should  I  talk  to  if  I  am  having  problems  in  school?    What   is  a  demerit?    The  answers  to  those  questions  and  more  are  in  this  handbook  and   we  will  take  the  first  few  weeks  of  school  to  go  through  these  pages  with  you.    At   times  you  may  think  that  we  are  randomly  throwing  rules  and  directions  into  the   handbook  for  no  apparent  reason,  but  I  promise  you  –  most  of  what  is  in  here  is  a   shortened  explanation  of  policies  that  took  a  long  time  to  develop.    At  times  your   LMC  teachers  and  staff  argued  and  debated  over  what  these  policies  should  say.     The  process  of  coming  up  with  a  handbook  and  a  list  of  school  policies  and   procedures  is  tricky  and  takes  a  lot  of  time!     This  handbook  is  also  like  a  contract.    We  adults  here  at  LMC  think  it  is  extremely   important  to  commit  to  a  set  of  expectations  and  be  clear  about  what  these   mean.    It  would  not  be  fair  to  students  if  we  changed  the  rules  every  day  or   applied  the  rules  differently  to  different  kids.    If  we  did  that  everyone  would  be   angry  and  we  would  not  function  well  as  a  school.    By  putting  our  rules,  policies,   guides,  etc.  into  this  handbook  we  are  pledging  to  you  that  we  promise  to  uphold   these  items.    Trust  us,  sometimes  it  is  much  easier  for  the  adults  to  bend  or  even   break  the  rules,  but  in  doing  so  we  would  break  our  contract  with  you.    If  you  go   to  Starbucks  and  order  a  double  caramel  frappuccino,  it  would  not  be  fair  if   instead  you  received  a  cup  of  plain  ol’  black  coffee.       So,  we  will  work  through  this  handbook  together.    Remember  it  is  OK  to  make   some  mistakes  as  you  go  through  your  middle  school  career,  but  if  you  have  

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questions  about  things  as  they  come  up  during  the  year,  please  check  back  in  your   handbook  and  don’t  be  afraid  to  ask  questions.         Sincerely,     Your  LMC  Teachers  and  Staff  Members    

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The  Basics     • You  must  attend  all  of  your  classes  and  complete  all  class  work  and   homework.    This  is  absolutely  essential.    If  you  do  not  complete  your  work   you  should  expect  to  stay  after  school  with  your  teacher.     • No  electronics  in  school.    As  you  enter  the  school  lobby  on  the  1st  floor,   iPods,  cell  phones,  video  games,  headphones  all  need  to  be  put  away.    Put   them  into  your  locker  when  you  get  upstairs.  If  they  are  seen  or  heard  on   the  6th  and  7th  floors,  they  will  be  taken  away  and  an  authorized  adult  will   need  to  pick  it  up  from  the  principal’s  office.    These  items  cannot  be  kept  in   your  pocket  –  if  it  is  seen  by  an  LMC  staff  member  you  will  need  to  turn  it   over  to  the  office  until  your  parent  or  family  member  can  pick  it  up.    The   only  exception  to  this  is  if  teachers  have  given  students  permission  to  use   devices  for  a  special  project.       • Hats  or  headgear  of  any  kind  are  not  permitted  –  except  in  the  case  of   religious  tradition  or  observance.       • Food  and  drinks  are  not  permitted  outside  of  the  cafeteria.  Students  may   only  carry  or  use  clear  water  in  a  clear  bottle  in  the  classrooms.       • You  must  have  a  hall  pass  whenever  you  leave  the  room  –  You  must  have   your  planner  signed  before  leaving  the  room,  so  bring  your  planner  every   day!     • Don’t  be  late  to  class!  –  The  bell  will  ring  at  the  end  of  each  class  and  the   start  of  the  next  class.    You  must  be  in  the  room,  ready  to  learn  when  the   bell  rings.    Students  who  are  not  in  the  room  when  the  bell  rings  will  need   to  obtain  a  hall  pass  from  an  LMC  staff  member.    3  times  late  =  a  demerit   and  a  loss  of  privileges,  including  out  lunch  until  your  demerit  is  made  up   through  community  service.        

• Follow  the  LMC  Dress  Code  –    

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o Hats  and  headgear  are  not  permitted  unless  in  the  case  of  religious   tradition  or  observance.    Hats  that  you  wear  to  school  must  be  put   into  your  locker  at  the  start  of  the  day.   o Clothing  with  violent  images,  inappropriate  language,  drugs,  or   alcohol  are  not  permitted.   o Pants,  jeans,  and  shorts  must  be  pulled  up  to  the  waist.    No  sagging.   o Gang  symbols,  real  or  perceived  are  not  allowed.   o No  excessively  short  skirts  or  shorts   o Straps  on  tank  tops  must  be  at  least  2  finger  widths  wide.   o No  midriff  cut  or  short  shirts  that  expose  the  belly  are  permitted.   o In  addition  to  these  rules,  staff  members  may  use  their  discretion  in   determining  whether  student  clothing  is  inappropriate.   **Students  found  in  violation  of  these  rules  will  need  to  change  their   clothing  to  meet  the  LMC  dress  code.    More  than  one  violation  of  the   LMC  dress  code  will  result  in  a  parent  meeting.    

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Arriving  to  School:   Mornings  and  after  Out  Lunch     • The  doors  to  the  school  open  at  7:35am.    At  that  time  you  will  proceed   upstairs  to  the  cafeteria  for  breakfast.    You  will  wait  there  until  you  are   dismissed  or  picked  up  by  your  teachers  at  8:12am.     • When  you  are  on  the  street  surrounding  the  school  and  when  you  enter  the   building  you  are  expected  to  ALWAYS  be  courteous,  kind,  and  safe.     Maintain  full  respect  for  storeowners  and  people  around  you  when  you  are   traveling  from  the  buses  or  trains  to  our  school.     • The  late  bell  rings  at  8:17am.    If  you  arrive  late  you  will  be  issued  a  late   pass.    This  lateness  will  be  added  to  your  record  and  it  will  only  be  excused   if  you  bring  in  a  written  note  from  a  parent/guardian  or  doctor.    Lateness   phone  calls  to  the  office  do  not  count  as  an  excused  lateness.  If  you  are  late   to  school  in  the  morning  you  are  not  eligible  for  out-­‐lunch  for  the  day.    

• When  you  enter  the  building  in  the  morning  or  after  out  lunch,  you  must  do   the  following:   1.  Put  away  your  headphones,  electronic  games,  and  cell  phone  before  you  enter  the   building.    If  you  are  seen  inside  the  building  using  any  of  these  items,  they  will  be   confiscated  and  a  parent  will  need  to  come  and  pick  them  up  from  the  principal’s  office.       2.  Never  bring  in  any  food  from  outside  of  the  school,  unless  you  plan  to  eat  this  in  the   cafeteria  during  breakfast  or  lunch.     3.  Always  take  off  your  hat/hood  as  soon  as  you  enter  the  building.     4.  In  the  morning,  calmly  and  safely  take  the  elevator  to  the  7th  floor  cafeteria  and  wait  to   be  dismissed.    After  out  lunch,  calmly  and  safely  walk  up  the  stairs  to  the  6th  or  7th  floor.  

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Lockers     Lockers  are  school/NYCDOE  property  on  loan  to  students.    The  school   reserves  the  legal  right  to  search  lockers  at  any  time.     The  school  is  not  responsible  for  lost  items,  theft,  damage,  or   vandalized  personal  property.     After  breakfast,  all  coats,  hats,  cell  phones,  and  other  electronic   devices  must  be  put  in  your  locker.    When  in  school,  you  cannot  keep   these  items  in  your  bag,  backpack,  pockets,  etc.     The  student/student’s  family  must  pay  for  any  school  property   missing  from  the  locker  or  damage  to  the  locker  itself.     Students  may  use  combination  locks  ONLY.    No  key  locks  unless   special  permission  is  granted.     All  lock  combinations  are  recorded  by  homeroom  teachers  and   stored  in  a  central  school  database.     Students  should  keep  only  items  necessary  for  school  in  the  locker.   Lockers  must  be  kept  free  of  trash  and  debris.     Lockers  must  be  in  the  same  condition  at  the  end  of  the  school  year   as  they  were  in  the  beginning  of  the  school  year.  This  means  NO   stickers,  writing  or  damage  on  the  inside  or  outside  of  the  locker.   Students  may  use  magnets  on  the  inside  and  locker  inserts  made  for   that  purpose  if  they  choose.     Students  should  only  be  at  lockers  during  the  following  times:   Before  Homeroom/Advisory   Between  4th  period  and  Lunch   Between  Lunch  and  6th  period  (7th  and  8th  graders  only)   After  8th  period  before  dismissal  down  the  stairs    

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If  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  a  student  to  visit  his/her  locker  at  a   time  other  than  the  ones  listed  above,  he/she  must  be  granted  a  pass   from  the  teacher.         If  there  are  any  problems  with  lockers,  students  should  go  to  the   main  office.    

   

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CVS  In  the  Hallways  Always!   It  is  very  hard  to  learn  in  an  environment  that  is  disruptive.  That  is  why  we  want   to  work  together  to  create  a  courteous  hallway  environment  in  which  everyone   can  learn  their  best.    At  LMC  our  courteous  hallways  are  defined  by  CVS!   C  =  Calm  –  stay  in  control,  keep  your  hands  to  yourself,  never  run   V  =  Voices  are  kept  low.     S  =  Smile  and  go  straight  to  your  destination     **Please  see  note  below  in  “Demerits”  section  regarding  warnings  and   consequences  for  not  following  CVS!        

SLANT!     One  of  our  values  at  Lower  Manhattan  Community  Middle  School  is  “Hard  Work”.    Hard  Work  is  so  important,  it’s  part  of  our  motto:  “Be  kind.    Be  safe.    Work  hard!”     In  order  to  make  sure  that  we  are  doing  our  absolute  best  to  stay  tuned  into  the   lesson,  show  respect  for  our  teachers  and  classmates,  and  get  the  most  of  our   lessons,  at  LMC  we  practice  SLANT!     S  =  Sit  up  straight!   L  =  Listen  to  the  speaker!   A  =  Ask  and  Answer  questions!   N  =  Nod  your  head  in  agreement!   T  =  Track  the  speaker  with  your  eyes!    

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Out  Lunch     Out  lunch  is  a  huge  privilege  that  not  many  NYC  middle  school  students   have.    It  is  not  a  right.    It  can  be  given  or  taken  away  at  any  time.      

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You  must  be  "in  good  standing"  academically  and  behaviorally  to  maintain   your  out  lunch  privileges.      This  includes  your  attendance  and  lateness   record,  completion  of  homework  and  class  work,  etc..    See  “Demerits”   section  for  specifics.    Out-­‐lunch  privileges  can  be  taken  away  at  anytime   by  any  adult  in  the  school.    

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If  you  are  late  to  school,  you  cannot  go  to  out  lunch  that  day.           Any  poor  behavior  during  out  lunch  (ex.  unsafe  use  of  the  staircase,   running,  yelling  and  screaming,  horseplay,  fighting,  or  rudeness/attitude   toward  citizens,  chronic  lateness  to  6th  period)  will  lead  to  you  losing  your   privileges.  

 

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You  may  not  bring  outside  food  into  the  school  after  out  lunch.    If  students   are  found  drinking  or  eating  items  in  class  or  the  hallway  after  out  lunch   these  items  will  be  taken  and  out  lunch  privileges  will  be  taken  away.  

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Out  lunch  begins  at  11:35.    Students  who  go  out  must  check  out  with  the   staff  member  posted  in  the  Exit  Staircase.    Out  lunch  technically  begins   once  students  step  into  the  stairwell  and  technically  ends  when  students   step  back  onto  the  6th  or  7th  floor.    Students  will  not  be  allowed  back  in   the  building  until  12:10.          

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Out  lunch  boundaries:     *  Students  may  eat  at  the  following  establishments  on  New  Street:   Sophie’s  Restaurant,  Ranchero’s,  Grotto’s  Pizza   *  Students  may  eat  at  the  following  establishments  on  Beaver  Street:   Burger  King,  convenience  store  “Lotto”,  Yip’s,  Georgio’s  Pizza,   Trader’s  Deli.  Students  may  also  visit  the  food  carts  on  Beaver  St.     *Students  may  also  go  to  Starbucks,  Chipotle,  and  Bowling  Green   Park  on  Whitehall  Street.        

 

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  Demerits    

One  day,  many  of  you  will  learn  to  drive  and  get  a  driver’s  license.  When  a  driver   gets  a  speeding  ticket  or  violates  our  laws  of  the  road,  he  or  she  receives  ‘points’   on  his/her  license.  Too  many  of  these  points,  and  a  driver  could  lose  his/her   driving  privileges.  We  see  similar  types  of  rules  in  all  parts  of  our  society,  rules   that  help  keep  all  of  us  responsible  for  our  own  actions.       At  LMC,  we  have  a  similar  system  called  the  Demerit  system.  This  helps  us  keep   track  of  your  behavior  and  helps  us  understand  what  skills  we  need  to  teach  or   reinforce  in  order  to  prepare  you  properly  for  high  school  and  beyond.  Here’s   how  it  works:     ● At  the  start  of  each  marking  period,  everyone  starts  with  a  perfect  record   of  zero  demerits.     ● If  a  student’s  actions  warrant  a  demerit  (see  the  LMC  Discipline  Code  for   information  on  what  could  be  a  demerit),  a  demerit  will  be  added  to  their   school  record.    Students  receiving  a  demerit  will  also  serve  a  lunch  or  after   school  detention.     ● If  a  student  earns  a  demerit  they  are  not  eligible  for  out  lunch  for  a  week.     In  some  situations  out  lunch  privileges  may  be  revoked  for  a  longer  period   of  time.         ● Too  many  demerits  will  lead  to  a  student  PERMANENTLY  losing  out  lunch   privileges,  a  parent  conference,  or  ineligibility  for  school  trips.     Additional  Info     The  adults  at  LMC  will  likely  issue  you  a  warning  for  behaviors  in  the  hallway  that   are  unsafe  and  contribute  to  disorder  in  the  school.    Such  behaviors  include   roughhousing,  running  in  the  hallway,  or  being  late  to  class.    Three  warnings  of   this  type  will  equal  a  demerit.    Please  note  that  we  do  track  these  warnings.    Also,   if  misbehavior  in  the  hallway  is  highly  unsafe  or  disruptive  we  may  issue  a  demerit   immediately.       13

   

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Student  Agreement     Instructions:  Fill  out  the  information  below,  then  detach  this  page  and  give  it  to   your  advisor.          

I,  __________________________________,  of  class  ____________,   have  read  and  understand  the  contents  of  this  handbook.    I  pledge  to   follow  all  school  wide  policies  and  procedures  to  the  best  of  my   ability.    I  will  do  my  best  to  embody  the  school  values  of  kindness,   safety,  and  hard  work.       My  signature:  _________________________________________     Today’s  date:  __________________________________            

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