MISSION STATEMENT

Sierra Vista Middle School's mission is to meet and support the unique and diverse needs of the adolescent child in a variety of ways - socially, emotionally, psychologically, and intellectually. All staff members strive to provide and develop a student-centered core curriculum with a rich elective/exploratory program open to all students built on a philosophy that every child will achieve success. It is a place where learning and discovering are both encouraged and rewarded. By promoting life-long learning, Sierra Vista prepares its students for challenges of a changing tomorrow and strives to help each individual reach his/her maximum potential. Learning matters here; we’re serious about success.

GENERAL INFORMATION

§ Absences: To report your child absent, please call our voice mail at (949) 936-6601 by 8:00 a.m. each day

your child is absent or tardy. Excused absences:

ü Medical/Dental appointments ü Funeral of an immediate family member ü Personal illness

• Attendance: Students are expected to arrive on campus before the first bell rings at 7:55 a.m. The tardy

bell rings at 8:00 a.m. Once a student arrives at school, they must remain on campus until dismissed.

• Bicycles: Students must park and lock bicycles in the designated bicycle parking area. For safety reasons, bicycles may not be ridden in the parking lot area at any time. The bike storage area should be reached by crossing the Liberty driveway from the north to the sidewalk along Westwood. The school cannot take responsibility for bicycle damage or theft. Bicycle riders must obey traffic regulations when riding to and from school. IT IS THE LAW that students are to wear bicycle helmets.

• Celebrations: Although we would like to help you celebrate your birthday, please leave balloons, make-up and interesting birthday attire at home.

• Closed Campus Policy: Sierra Vista is a closed campus. Students are not allowed to leave the campus during the school day unless their parent comes to school to check them out. This includes the lunch period. Friends of students, i.e., friends or cousins from other schools, are not permitted to visit campus.

• Conduct To and From School: Students are expected to behave in a responsible manner on the way to and from school. All school rules regarding behavior are in effect to and from school.

§ Daily Schedules: At Sierra Vista your classes, except the Advisement period, will rotate each day

• Dances: The Associated Student Body (ASB) sponsors dances during the school year which are held in the Performing Arts Building. Parents and teachers act as chaperones. Permission slips must be completed with a phone number and signed by parents for students to attend. Dress for ALL dances is casual and informal. There are no formal dances. Please read the information below.

ü Responsibilities and Consequences at School Dances:

• Dances are for Sierra Vista students only. No other persons will be admitted for any reason.
• Students must enter the dance boundaries as soon as they arrive. No student will be admitted late.
• Students must remain within the dance boundaries from the time of arrival until the dance is over.
• Students may leave the dance early ONLY with the permission of their parents
• Parents are to pick up students promptly.
• Students must be in full attendance at school the day of the dance in order to attend the dance.
• Students must demonstrate behavior appropriate to the dance
• Students must have an adult available by telephone (with transportation) during dance hours
• All school rules are in effect during dances, including the dress code.

ü Possible consequences of any infraction of the previously mentioned policies:

• Immediate exclusion from the dance
• Parents will be called
• Exclusion from the next dance
• Exclusion from all dances

• Early Dismissals: The parent must send a note with their student to the school office before school begins to obtain an Early Dismissal Slip. Prior to leaving, the student must report to the office and the parent or guardian must sign the student out.

• Effort: Every student has a responsibility to try their best - to make an effort. Students who are failing in two or more of their classes (academic or behavior grades), will lose the privilege of participating in special activities (i.e. dances, field trips, special year-end activities, etc.).

• Grading Procedures and Honor Roll: Every twelve weeks trimester grades will be mailed to students'

homes. Teachers will prepare a handwritten progress report in the six weeks between trimesters. These

reports require a parent signature. Progress grades will be averaged into a final trimester grade.

Teachers will use a deficiency notice on an as needed basis between six week grading periods for any

student receiving a grade of C- or lower.

• Principal's Honor Roll - A student must earn a GPA of 4.0 in all subjects, with no mark lower than "S" (Satisfactory) in citizenship, work habits, and effort.
• Sierra Vista Honor Roll - A student must earn a GPA of 3.5-3.99 in all subjects, with no mark lower than "S" (Satisfactory) in citizenship, work habits, and effort.
• Citizenship Honor Roll - A student must earn all "O's" (Outstanding) in citizenship, with no mark lower than "S" (Satisfactory) in citizenship, work habits, and effort.
• National Junior Honor Society - A student must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 in the seventh grade (3 trimesters), with no " N's" or "U's." This average must be maintained in grade 8.

Qualification criteria for membership in N.J.H.S. also includes leadership, service, and character.

• Presidential Academic Fitness - A student must have earned a 3.7 in the seventh grade and the first and second trimesters of this year (eighth grade year) with no "N's" or "U's".

• Field Trips: Students are expected to follow all school rules and teacher expectancies on school field trips. Teachers/administrators may use discretion as to whether students may participate in class field trips, i.e., grades, attendance, behavior.

• Health Services, Medication: There is a first aid kit in each teacher's classroom to care for minor "band aid" needs. There is no school nurse on a regular basis. If a student needs medical care which cannot be handled in the classroom or office, parents will be called to take the student home.

ü Students are not to have any medication in their possession, including aspirin. If it is necessary for a student to take medication during school hours, obtain the proper forms in the office and have them completed by parents or guardians and physicians. The forms are to be returned to the nurse with the medicine in the prescription bottle. Medicine will be administered according to the physician's direction.

• Homework Guidelines/Policy: Homework is defined as school related assignments made by a teacher,

which will require time and effort outside of the regular classroom for successful completion. Homework

serves to reinforce what is taught in the classroom and, as such, is practiced independently as an extension

of the previous day’s lesson or as a preparation for the next lesson.

ü Frequency of Homework Assignments: Can be assigned to each student in the regular classroom each

weekday, Monday-Thursday. Homework on the weekend may be assigned at teacher discretion.

Each academic class will usually assign 20-30 minutes of homework per class; a total of 1-2 hours

per day. This time may vary based on the ability, use of class time, and/or effort of the student.

ü Students are expected to:

1. Develop regular study habits and the self-discipline basic to effective learning and the ability to

work independently.

2. Complete their homework assignments and return them when requested.

3. Learn to budget/plan their time more effectively.

4. Utilize learning resources outside of school such as the public library, technology, and Internet.

1. Complete the Student Planner daily for each academic subject.

ü Make-up assignments following an absence

1. Students shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed which can reasonably

be provided following an excused absence. An assignment that cannot be made up may either

be excused or an alternate assignment may be given. This includes independent Study Contracts.

2. Students may be allowed to complete school work missed during an unexcused absence at

the discretion of the classroom teacher.

3. The teacher of any class from which a pupil is suspended may require the suspended pupil to complete

any assignments and tests missed during the suspension. (Added Stats. 1983, Ch. 498, CA Ed Code)

4. The student has the responsibility to make arrangements with the classroom teacher for the

make-up work. Upon parent request, after 2 days of absence, the classroom teacher will

provide information on any make-up assignments covering the period of the student absence.

This will be provided on the Student Assignment Request form in the office if appropriate to

the assignment. The teacher will use the following make-up schedule in determining the

minimal amount of time the student will be allowed for make-up assignments:

A. Work assigned or Tests given during an absence:

A student will be allowed one (1) day for each day of absence. However, the student whose

first day of absence is the day of the test should plan to take the test on the day he/she returns

to class. Additional time may be given at the classroom teacher’s discretion.

B. Work Assigned Prior to an Absence:

Assignments made prior to an absence will be given no additional time and are due on the day

the student returns to class. Additional time may be given at the classroom teacher’s discretion.

C. Under unusual circumstances, the site principal has the authority to extend all the above

time schedules or waive any portion of the above restrictions

• Independent Study Agreements: If a student will miss school for five or more days due to a trip or other personal reasons, the student should obtain an Independent Study Agreement from the office at least three days before the absence. This form is used to obtain class assignments the student needs to complete during his/her

absence, and assignments must be turned in, completed, the first day he/she returns to school.

• Lockers: Lockers are the property of the school and using a locker is a privilege. Students are assigned

a locker by the office. This privilege can be lost if the lock is not maintained in a proper manner, if a

student moves to an unassigned locker, or if inappropriate items are kept in the locker.

• Students may not change lockers. Report any locker trouble to the school office.
• Only school locks may be used on lockers.
• Students will be held responsible for the care and contents of the locker assigned to them.
• Students should not share their locker combination with other students

• Valuables—Lock Them Up!!!!! Prevent Theft BEFORE It Happens!!

Textbooks, calculators, money, and other valuables should never be left unattended. Use your book

locker to store these valuable items for safe keeping. When you go to lunch or PE, leave your

backpack in your book locker. Do NOT bring large amounts of cash to school. If unusual circumstances

occur; and it is absolutely necessary to bring over $15, please have your parents contact the office in advance.

§ Lost and Found: Valuables, such as wallets, watches, money, and books should be turned in to the

office when found. Clothing and other articles should be put in the lost and found in the Media Center.

• Lunch Procedures: Sierra Vista's eating area is limited to the lunch area. Lunch will be enjoyed and

pleasant if everyone remembers the following procedures:

• Take your place in line without pushing or crowding in front of others
• After purchasing your food, move to the eating area quickly instead of waiting for friends at the exit
• Bring your own lunch money. Students are not permitted to beg, borrow or loan money to each other. Anyone who engages in these activities will be taken to the office to call their parents.
• Clean up after yourself by putting all your papers in the trash can
• Use your Charger Card as a "Front of the Line" pass. Charger cards are nontransferable. Each card must have the teacher's and student's signature on it. Cards without both signatures will be destroyed, and the student sent to the end of the lunch line.

• Personal Items and Playthings: Personal items and playthings such as skateboards, in-line skates, radios, tape recorders, water pistols, yo-yos, dice, playing cards, beepers, pagers, etc., are not permitted at school. If a school activity requires such items be brought to school, a teacher's prior written permission is necessary. If students bring any of these items to school without permission, the items will be collected and turned in to the Assistant Principal. Parents will need to pick them up.

• Physical Activity: All students will be required to dress appropriately and participate in their assigned P.E. activity daily unless they have been properly excused for health or medical reasons.

§ School Colors: School colors are red, black, and white. The school mascot is the Charger Horse.

• Student Government: The student council consists of elected officers and a representative of each homeroom. There is an advisor for student body activities.

• Tardies: Students coming to school late must first report to the Office to obtain an admit slip before going to class. Students coming from a medical or dental appointment must bring a note from the doctor’s office for the tardy to be excused. Students having an unexcused tardy will will receive a consequence.

• Teacher Advisement (T.A.): Teacher Advisement is instructional time in which the teacher provides

support, helping students to be successful.

§ Textbooks

• Students are required to keep their textbooks covered at all times
• Students must print their full name on the space provided on the inside cover
• Students are responsible for taking good care of their textbooks
• Students will be charged for lost/damaged books; records and grades can be withheld until costs are paid

Ü ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

Students are expected to demonstrate honesty and integrity while at Sierra Vista Middle School. Each student is expected to do his or her own work on tests, homework, and class assignments. Sharing work with another student is not acceptable. All work submitted by students should be a true reflection of their effort and ability. If submitted work is not, the student has manifested unacceptable academic behavior.

Cheating is defined as taking the work, words, ideas and/or efforts of another and presenting it as one's own, or providing one's own work to be presented as an other's. Cheating on any type of assignment will not be tolerated. Any student involved will receive "No Credit" for the assignment. On all offenses the teacher telephones the parents and sends an office referral to the Assistant Principal.

ü First Offense:

• Teacher telephones parents and sends an office referral to the Assistant Principal
• "No Credit" is given for the assignment
• One hour of detention is assigned

ü Second Offense:

• Teacher telephones parents and sends an office referral to the Assistant Principal
• Parents are contacted; student is assigned an "in-house-suspension"
• "No Credit" is given for the assignment

ü Third Offense:

• Teacher telephones parents and sends an office referral to the Assistant Principal
• Parents are contacted; student is suspended from school for two days
• Assistant Principal refers the student to the Student Success Team

• Cheating on a final exam results in an "F" on the exam. The count of cheating referrals carries over

from year to year as long as the student is enrolled at Sierra Vista Middle School.