2015-2016 student and family handbook

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2015-2016 Student and Family Handbook

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Page 1: 2015-2016 Student and Family Handbook

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2015-2016 Student and Family Handbook

Page 2: 2015-2016 Student and Family Handbook

© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 2 !

TABLE!OF!CONTENTS!

!INTRODUCTION!

! !The! Howard! University! Middle! School! of! Mathematics! and! Science! Family! Handbook! provides!information!to!help:!● Students!have!a!productive,!enjoyable,!and!successful!experience!at!(MS)2,!and!!● Parents/guardians!fulfill!the!goal!of!effectively!supporting!their!child!in!the!(MS)2!environment.!

We!urge!you!to!study!the!handbook!and!become!familiar!with!all!of!the!information!presented.!Use!it!as!a!reference!and!guide!to!develop!an!understanding!of!the!resources!and!policies!at!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science.!Please!take!time!to!review!each!section!with!your!child!so!that!he/she!is!clear!of!the!expectations!and!underpinnings!of!the!operations!of!the!school.!!Throughout! the!year,!we!will!also! review!and!discuss! the!different!components!of! the!handbook!with!students.! In! this!way,! they!will! know!we! are!working! together! as! a! team! to! ensure! that! they! have! a!productive!year.!!!

Introduction!

(MS)2!Mission!Statement!…………………………………………..……!3!!Key!School!Policies!

Inclement!Weather!and!Emergency!Procedures!……………..!4!Daily!Arrival!and!Dismissal!………………………………………………!4!Early!Dismissal!Policy!………………………………………………………!5!Attendance!Policy!…………………………………………..……………...!5!Long!Term!Absence!Policy!………………………………………..…….!5!Excused!Absence!Policy!………………………………………….……….!6!Truancy!Policy!…………………………………………………………………!6!Notice!of!NonSDiscrimination!……….…………………………..…...!6!!!Academics!

Overview!of!(MS)2!Curriculum!…………………………………..……!7!School!Grading!and!Promotion!……………………………………….!7!Promotion!Criteria!………………………………………………………....!8!Students!with!Disability……………………………………………………!8!!Grading!Rubric!………………………………………………………………..!8!Progress!Reports!and!Report!Cards!………………………….…..!10!Homework!Policy!……………………………………………………….…!10!Standardized!Testing!…………………………………………………….!13!Extended!Enrichment!……………………………………………………!13!Student!Supplies!………………………………………………..…………!14!

Student!Support!Services!

Department!of!Student!Support!…………………….…….!14!Student!Probationary!Policy!……………………….………..!14!Student!Dress!Policy!…………………………………..….…….!15!TAG!Day/DressSUp!Day!………………………………………...!15!Student!Behavior!Policy!……………………………..………..!16!Due!Process!…………………………………………………….…...!20!Safety!Policy!…………………………………………………………!20!Student!Use!of!School!Telephone!……………………..….!21!Electronic!Device!Policy!……………………………………..…!22!Locker!Policy!………………………………………………………..!22!Loaned!School!Resources!Policy!…………………..……...!22!Health!Services!…………………………………………………….!22!Restroom!Policy!………………………………………………..…!23!Transportation!…………………………………………………....!23!Cafeteria!and!Meals!………………………………………..…..!23!!

Parent!Responsibilities!

Communication!With!(MS)2!………………………..……….!24!Advocacy!…………………………………………………..………...!25!Grievance!Policy!………………………………………………..…!26!(MS)2!Parents!in!Action!……………………………………..…!32!Visitors!and!Volunteers!…………………………………….….!30!Lost!and!Found!………………………………………………..…..!30!Universal!Permission!Slip!……………………….…………….!30!!

Page 3: 2015-2016 Student and Family Handbook

© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 3 !

MISSION!STATEMENT!!

In!the!tradition!of!Howard!University,!the!Howard!University!Public!Charter!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science!(MS)2!provides!an!educational!experience!of!exceptional!quality!for!a!diverse!population!of!students!in!grades!six,!seven!and!eight.!!Not!only!does!our!curriculum!emphasize!mathematics!and!the!sciences!as!core!disciplines,!but!also!within!all!content!areas!to!develop!and!support!students’!problem!solving!skills!and!creativity.!StandardsSbased!instruction,!facilitated!through!student!centered!and!inquirySbased!activities,!ignites!student!creativity!and!builds!academic!confidence,!thereby!providing!opportunities!for!exploration,!discovery!and!knowledge!building.!Our!students!are!afforded!educational!programs!and!services!that!foster!their!intellectual,!psychological,!social!and!emotional!wellSbeing!and!instill!a!desire!to!strive!for!excellence!and!to!pursue!lifeSlong!learning.!(MS)2!encourages!the!academic!riskStaking!needed!to!master!the!rigorous!academic!disciplines!and!celebrate!all!efforts.!The!relationship!with!Howard!University!enriches!both!institutions!through!a!continuum!of!care!provided!to!its!students!and!supported!through!collaborative!efforts!of!parents,!teachers,!school!staff,!university!personnel,!and!the!community.!!

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© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 4 !

!INCLEMENT!WEATHER!AND!EMERGENCY!PROCEDURES!!In!the!event!of!inclement!weather,!(MS)²!follows!the!District!of!Columbia!Public!Schools!policy!for!delays!and!closings!and/or!the!policy!of!Howard!University.!Notification!will!be!made!through!the!methods!of!communication!listed!below.!

In!the!case!of!other!unforeseen!emergencies,!notification!will!also!be!made!in!the!same!manner.!

Methods!of!Communication:!1. (MS)2!community!will!be!called!by!the!automated!telephone!and!email!message!system;!2. Television!announcements!will!be!made!on! local!channels,!such!as!WRCS4,!WJLAS7,!FOXS5!and!

WUSAS9;!3. Radio!announcements!will!be!made!on! local!stations,!such!as!WHUR!96.3FM!and!WTOP!107.7!

FM;!!DAILY!ARRIVAL!AND!DISMISSAL!!(MS)2!opens!its!doors!at!7:00!AM;!students!will!not!be!admitted!before!this!time!and!no!supervision!will!be!provided.!Therefore,! students!should!not!arrive!before! this! time.! If! it! is!necessary! for!your!child! to!arrive!earlier!on!any!given!day,!please!contact!the!office!in!advance!so!that!arrangements!can!be!made.!The!cafeteria!opens!for!breakfast!at!7:20!AM.!Homeroom!begins!at!7:50!AM,!and!any!student!arriving!after!8:00!AM!will!be!marked!tardy.!Students!arriving!after!11:30!AM!will!be!marked!absent.!!The!(MS)2!building’s!hallways!and!stairways!are!security!coded!and!are!not!open!for!public!access!prior!to!7:45!AM.!As!a!result,!students!will!not!be!able!to!travel!beyond!the!first!floor.!If!your!child!is!meeting!a!teacher!before!7:45!AM,!the!teacher!will!issue!a!pass!to!the!student!the!day!before!the!meeting.!In!the!morning,!staff!on!duty!will!contact!the!teacher!to!come!down!to!get!your!child.!!!Unless!otherwise!noted!on!the!school!calendar,!school!ends!at!4:30!PM!MondaySThursday,!and!3:30!PM!on!Fridays.!Students!are!expected!to!vacate!the!school!premises! immediately!at!the!end!of!the!school!day.!Parents/guardians!who!pickSup!their!children!are!asked!to!enter!the!campus!through!the!4th!Street!gate!which!generally!opens!at!4:25!PM!and!exit!through!the!6th!Street!gate.!The!4th!Street!gate!closes!at!about!4:45!PM.!Make!certain!when!picking!up!your!child,!that!access!to!the!crosswalk,!driveways,!and!intersections!are!not!blocked.!(MS)2!is!not!responsible!for!student!supervision!after!5:00!PM!unless!they!are!involved!in!previously!scheduled!afterShours!school!activities.!!Please!contact!the!school!immediately!if!you!will!be!delayed!in!picking!up!your!child.!All!students!in!the!building!after!hours!must!be!under!the!supervision!of!a!staff!member.!Unless!a!student!is!with!a!staff!member,!students!waiting!to!be!picked!up!must!wait!at!the!security!area!until!their!ride!comes.!!!!Students!who!walk!home!should!follow!staff!rules!as!they!exit!the!campus!to!ensure!their!safety.!(MS)2!is! limited! in! its!ability!to!manage!students!beyond!the!boundaries!of!Howard!Place!and!4th!Street!and,!the!metro!bus!stop!at!Howard!Place,!thus!students!are!encouraged!to!utilize!the!metro!bus!or!the!HU!shuttle!to!travel!up!or!down!Georgia!Avenue.!Ultimately,!it!is!the!parent’s!responsibility!to!ensure!their!child’s!route!home!is!a!safe!one.!!

KEY!SCHOOL!POLICIES!

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© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 5 !

EARLY!DISMISSAL!!An!early!dismissal!is!defined!as!a!child!leaving!school!before!the!end!of!the!school!day!at!the!request!of!a!parent/guardian.! Requests! for! early! dismissal!must! be!made! in!writing!or! electronically! via! email! and!submitted!to!the!main!office!upon!the!student’s!arrival!on!the!day!of!the!scheduled!early!dismissal.!The!written!notification!must!include!the!following!information:!

1. Student’s!name;!!2. Date!and!time!of!the!early!dismissal;!!3. Mode!of!transportation!the!child!will!be!using!or!whom!will!be!picking!up!the!child;!4. Parent/guardian!contact!information!so!that!the!request!can!be!verified!(particularly!if!the!child!

is!leaving!on!his/her!own).!This!person!must!be!the!parent/guardian!on!record.!!In! the! event! of! an! emergency! in!which! you! are! not! able! to! provide! prior!written! notification,! please!contact!the!school’s!Attendance!Coordinator!by!phone!as!well!as!send!an!email!for!the!school’s!records!as! soon! as! possible.!While! (MS)2! may! honor! unscheduled! walkSin! requests! for! student! dismissal,! we!strongly!encourage!parents!to!plan!ahead!to!ensure!that!your!child(ren)!is!prepared!to!be!released.!We!will! not! honor! unscheduled! walkSin! requests! for! dismissal! made! after! 3:30! pm! unless! there! is! a!documented!emergency,!as!students!are!participating!in!interactive!enrichment!classes!during!that!time!that!may!take!them!outside!of!the!school!building.!!!!All! students!are!required!to!be!signed!out!and!picked!up!by!an!adult!on!record! for!early!dismissals.!Early! dismissals! should! be! reserved! for! emergencies! only.! Excessive! early! dismissals! will! warrant! a!parent!conference!with!the!school.!!ATTENDANCE!POLICY!!Parents/guardians!should!“plant!the!seeds”!early!for!developing!the!habits!of!coming!to!school!daily!and!on! time.! Your! child! is! expected! to! be! in! school! every! day! that! school! is! in! session.! Both! excellent!attendance!and!punctuality!are!at!the!top!of!our!list!of!behaviors!we!believe!help!build!good!character!and! a! strong! work! ethic.! In! addition! to! coming! to! school! everyday,! we! believe! that! students! should!arrive!a!little!early!versus!right!on!time.!This!will!allow!him/her!to!have!extra!time!to!mentally!prepare!for!the!day.!!!Please!note!that!being!tardy!three! (3)! times!will!convert! to!one! (1)!unexcused!absence.!If!a!student! is!habitually!late,!parents!will!be!required!to!meet!with!the!school!administration!to!immediately!address!and!correct!this!behavior.!A!contractual!agreement!will!be!on!file!to!this!effect.!!!You!and!your!child,!together,!must!assume!the!responsibility!of!coming!to!school!everyday!and!on!time.!However,!as!the!parent/guardian,!the!ultimate!responsibility!is!yours.!!!LONG!TERM!ABSENCE!POLICY!!If! your! child! is! absent! from! school! for! a! week! or! longer,! this! constitutes! a! longSterm! absence.!Parents/guardians!have!the!responsibility!of!informing!the!administration!of!the!nature!of!the!absence!and! securing! all! missed! assignments.! Students! have! the! responsibility! of! working! within! a! planned!agreement!for!completing!and!submitting!all!missed!assignments.!!!

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© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 6 !

EXCUSED!ABSENCE!POLICY!!At!least!one!of!the!following!must!be!received!for!an!absence!to!be!considered!an!excused!absence:!

1. Note!from!a!doctor!specifying!the!date(s)!student!was!under!medical!care;*!2. Note!from!parent/guardian!stating!the!absence!was!due!to:!

a. Illness;!b. Celebrating!a!religious!event;!c. Attending!a!funeral!of!an!immediate!family!member;!d. A!mandated!court!appearance!with!verification!from!the!court.!!

*!!!!Required!if!student!is!absent!three!(3)!or!more!consecutive!days!!!TRUANCY!POLICY!!The!Office!of!the!State!Superintendent!of!Education!(OSSE)!has!adopted!an!enhanced!truancy!policy!for!DC! public! and! public! charter! schools.! Your! child! is! truant! if! he/she! is! excessively! absent! from! school!without!an!excuse.!Five!(5)!days!of!unexcused!absences!will!warrant!a!parent!conference.!Ten!(10)!days!of! unexcused! absences! will! warrant! a! truancy! court! referral! to! the! Department! of! Child! Protective!Services!for!educational!neglect.!!NOTICE!OF!NONVDISCRIMINATION!!In! accordance! with! Title! VI! of! the! Civil! Rights! Act! of! 1964! (“Title! VI”),! Title! IX! of! the! Education!Amendments!of!1972!(“Title!IX”),!Section!504!of!the!Rehabilitation!Act!of!1973!(“Section!504”),!Title!II!of!the!Americans!with!Disabilities!Act!of!1990!(“ADA”),!and!the!Age!Discrimination!Act!of!1975!(“The!Age!Act”),! applicants! for! admission! and! employment,! students,! parents,! employees,! sources! of! referral! of!applicants!for!admission!and!employment,!and!all!unions!or!professional!organizations!holding!collective!bargaining! or! professional! agreements! with! Howard! University! Middle! School! of! Mathematics! and!Science!are!hereby!notified!that!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science!does!not!discriminate!on!the!basis!of!race,!color,!national!origin,!sex,!age,!or!disability!in!admission!or!access!to,!or!treatment!or!employment!in,!its!programs!and!activities.!!!For! inquiries!or! to! file!a! complaint! regarding!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science!compliance!with!ADA,!Section!504!as!it!relates!to!employees!or!third!parties,!and!compliance!with!Title!VI,!Title!IX,!and!the!Age!Act!as!it!relates!to!students,!employees!and!third!parties!contact:!!!!

Section!504,!ADA,!Title!VI,!Title!IX,!and!Age!Act!Coordinator!Special!Education!Coordinator!

405!Howard!Place,!NW!Washington,!DC!!20059!

Email:[email protected]!!Tel:!(202)!806S7725!

!Our! special! education! coordinator! has! been! designated! by! Howard! University! Middle! School! of!Mathematics!and!Science!to!coordinate!its!efforts!to!comply!with!the!regulations!and!implementation!of!Section!504!and!ADA.!!

KEY!SCHOOL!POLICIES!

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© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 7 !

!OVERVIEW!OF!(MS)2!CURRICULUM!!(MS)2!uses!a!unique!curriculum!based!on!nationally!recognized!standards!of!learning.!Inclusive!in!this!are!the! learning! standards! of! the! District! of! Columbia! Public! Schools! (DCPS).! Our! learning! standards! are!designed!to!encourage!the!highest!achievement!of!every!student,!by!defining!the!knowledge,!concepts,!and! skills! that! students! should! acquire! at! each! grade! level.! The! new! learning! standards! in!reading/English! language! arts,! mathematics,! science,! and! social! studies! are! among! the! best! in! the!nation,! and! are! the! cornerstone! of! (MS)2’s! commitment! to! provide! each! student! with! an! excellent!education.!As!a!District!of!Columbia!public!charter!school,!our!annual!state!assessment!is!based!on!DCPS!Standards.!You!can!download!complete!copies!of!these!standards!at:!!!

http://www.k12.dc.us/dcps/Standards/standardsHome.htm!!

The!following!courses!are!offered!at!(MS)2:!● Mathematics!(including!Algebra!I!&!Geometry)*!● Science*!● Integrated!Mathematics!with!Technology!Applications!● English/Language!Arts*!● STEM!Literacy*!● Social!Studies*!● Spanish!● Music!● Physical!Education!

*This!is!a!core!subject.!!SCHOOL!GRADING!AND!PROMOTION!!The!question!of!promotion!is!one!that!challenges!every!school,!at!every!grade!level.!At!(MS)²,!we!know!that! neither! automatic! retention! nor! automatic! promotion! is! the! solution! for! students! who! do! not!successfully! complete! their! work.! Given! the! importance! of! the! decision,! our! promotion! policy! is!designed! to! provide! students! with! optimal! learning! opportunities! throughout! the! year! to! achieve! at!proficient!or!advanced!levels.!

The!goal!is!that!all!students!have!the!support!needed!to!move!forward!successfully!from!one!level!to!the!next.!To!be!considered!for!promotion,!students!must!at!least!satisfactorily!complete!work!in!their!core!courses.! For! the!prevention!of! academic! failure,!we!have! carefully!planned!a!proactive!approach! that!includes! parents,! teachers,! students! and! administrators.! Through! ongoing! monitoring! of! student!performance,!starting!before!the!first!day!of!class,!appropriate!interventions!will!be!provided!to!ensure!academic!success!for!all!students.!!

Evaluation!of!student!achievement!focuses!on!academic!performance!and!other!dimensions!of!student!growth.!The!Principal!is!ultimately!responsible!for!determining!the!placement!that!best!meets!the!student's!academic,!social,!emotional!and!physical!needs;!each!member!of!the!school!Instructional!Team!is!responsible!for!evaluating!the!growth!of!each!individual.!!!

ACADEMIC!

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© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 8 !

PROMOTION!CRITERIA!!To!be!promoted!to!the!next!grade!level!each!school!year,!each!middle!school!student!should:!

● Receive!no!more!than!one!D!and!no!Fs!in!any!core!subject.*!● Perform!at!the!Proficient!Level!or!higher!on!the!PARCC!or!comparable!standardized!assessment!

in!mathematics,!science,!and!reading.**!● Complete! a! writing! folder/portfolio! that! includes! 3! required! writing! pieces! –! one! from!

mathematics,!one!from!science,!and!one!from!English/language!arts.!One!of!the!writing!pieces!must!be!a!report!on!a!science!or!mathematics!project!conducted!by!the!student.!

*!!!!Students!receiving!a!D!in!a!core!course!at!the!end!of!the!school!year!will!be!required!to!!attend!summer!school.!

**!!Students!scoring!less!than!Proficient!on!the!PARRC!or!comparable!standardized!!! assessment,!will!be!required!to!attend!summer!school.!!The! Principal! and! Instructional! Team! will! also! consider! the! following! factors! in! determining!promotion/retention!of!students:!

● Academic!achievement!(successful!mastery!at!the!current! level!as!evidenced!by!grades!earned!during!academic!reporting!periods);!

● Demonstrated!ability!to!function!at!the!next!level,!academically;!● Organizational! skills! and! work! habits! that! are! commensurate! with! requirements! at! the! next!

grade!level;!● Attendance;!● Level!of!maturity!–!including!social,!emotional!and!physical!factors.!!

Students! who! are! failing! one! or! more! core! academic! subjects! or! scoring! less! than! Proficient! on! the!PARRC!assessment!in!mathematics,!reading!or!language!arts!will!be!considered!“at!risk”.!For!a!student!“at!risk,”!the!Principal!and!Instructional!Team!may!recommend!from!the!following!alternatives:!

● Attendance!at!summer!school!!● Supplemental! instruction/! assignments/tutoring! or! other! interventions! as! determined! by! the!

school;!● Promotion!to!a!Transition!Year!at!the!end!of!the!second!term!(Grade!8!only);!● Repeat! the! entire! year! (with! enhanced! supports! available! and! an! alternative! approach! to! the!

delivery!of!the!subject!matter!that!promises!greater!opportunity!for!success).!!

Students!entering!the!school!at!the!6th!grade!level!will!be!given!diagnostic!assessments!in!mathematics!and!reading/language!arts.!Any!student!placing!more!than!2!grade!levels!below!the!beginning!6th!grade!level!will!be!considered!“at!risk”!and!the!accompanying!recommendations!listed!above!will!apply.!

STUDENTS!WITH!DISABILITIES!!Students! with! disabilities! are! expected! to! master! the! general! curriculum! to! the! maximum! extent!appropriate!with!the!use!of!supplementary!aides!and!services.!The!Individual!Education!Plan!(IEP)!goals!and!objectives!developed!by!the!School!Team!and!parents!determine!how!a!student!with!disabilities!is!expected!to!meet!the!(MS)²!promotion!criteria!and!must!be!documented!in!the!student’s!IEP.!

!

ACADEMIC!

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© Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science - revised 7/2015 do something extraordinarytm 9 !

Grading!Rubric!V!Standards!for!EndVofVCourse!Grading!

A!!AV!

93V100%!!

90V92%!

An! “A”! signifies! an! EXCEPTIONALLY! clear! and! creative! grasp! of! the! concepts!and! skills,!which! reflect,! full!mastery!of! the! standards! for! the! subject/area!of!study!for!his/her!grade! level.!Students!demonstrate!the!ability! to!apply!these!skills! and! knowledge! in! novel! situations.! They! demonstrate!mastery! through!oral! and! written! communication.! An! “A”! also! means! that! the! student! has!actively!participated! in!class!activities!and!has!completed!all!assignments!and!projects! in! a! timely!manner.! The! quality! and! appearance! of! the! assignments!and!projects! indicate! that! the!student!has! spent!extra! time,!personal!energy,!and!critical!reflection!in!an!effort!to!demonstrate!exceptional!work.!

B+!!B!!BV!

87V89%!!

83V86%!!

80V82%!

A!“B”!signifies!a!SOLID!understanding!and! full!mastery!of! the!major!concepts!and!skills!of!the!standards!for!the!subject/area!of!study!for!his/her!grade!level.!Students! are! able! to! demonstrate! the! application! of! the! concepts! and! skills!studied.! It! also! means! that! the! student’s! effort! and! class! participation! have!exceeded!the!minimal!basic!requirements!for!the!course.!All!assignments!and!projects!were! judged! to! be! solid! in! content! and!were! completed! in! a! timely!manner.!

C+!!C!!CV!

77V79%!!

73V76%!!

70V72%!!

A!“C”!signifies!a!SATISFACTORY!understanding!and!application!of!the!concepts!and!skills!targeted!in!the!standards!for!the!subject/area!of!study!for!the!given!grade!level!as!well!as!minimal!participation!in!class!discussion!and!activities.!It!also! indicates! that! the! student! completed! the! appropriate! assignments! and!projects!that!satisfied!the!basic!course!requirements.!

D+!!D!

67V69%!!

64V66%!!!

A! “D”! signifies! a! BELOW! AVERAGE! demonstration! and! application! of! the!subject! area! concepts! and! skills! and/or! inadequate! preparation! for! class!discussions! or! activities.! It! may! also! indicate! that! assignments! were! not!completed! in! a! satisfactory! or! timely! manner.! A! grade! of! “D”! is! minimally!passing.!

F! 63%!and!Below!

An!“F”!signifies!that!the!student!has!NOT!DEMONSTRATED!adequate!understanding!or!application!of!the!concepts!and!skills!reflected!in!the!content!standards!for!his/her!grade!level!targeted!in!the!course.!It!may!also!indicate!that!the!student!HAS!NOT!met!the!attendance!or!assignment!requirements.!A!grade!of!“F”!is!NOT!passing.

!!!

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PROGRESS!REPORTS!AND!REPORT!CARDS!!There!are!two!types!of!reports!that!officially!communicate!student!academic!progress.!The!reports!are:!!

● The! midSquarter! Progress! Report,! distributed! at! the! midpoint! of! each! quarter,! presents! the!progress!(grades)!of!the!student!for!the!firstShalf!of!the!specific!grading!period.!

● The!endSofSthe!quarter!Report!Card,!distributed!at!the!end!of!each!quarter,!presents!the!end!of!quarter!grades!and!the!cumulative!progress!for!the!academic!yearStoSdate.!!

!HOMEWORK!POLICY!!Purposes!of!Homework:!!Homework!prepares!for,!reinforces!and!extends!learning;!strengthens!skills!and!concepts!introduced!in!the! classroom;! activates! prior! knowledge! and! assesses! student! understanding;! and! establishes! study!habits!and!promotes!independence!and!academic!responsibility.!!The!administrators!and!faculty!at!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science! (MS)2!believe!that!homework!aids!in!preparing!students!for!classroom!instruction!and!reinforces!new!learning.!Classroom! instruction! is! enhanced! through! the!practice,! application,! and! reinforcement!of! learning! in!order!to!strengthen!the!acquisition!of!knowledge!and!skills.!!The!completion!of!homework!assignments!assists!in!the!development!of!good!study!skills,!work!habits,!and!research!skills!by!promoting!personal!responsibility,!time!management,!and!critical!thinking!skills.!!Homework! fosters!opportunities! for!parents! to!become!an!essential!part!of! their!child’s!daily! learning!and!endorses!communication!between!the!school!and!home.!!Homework!Factors!That!Impact!Student!Learning:!!

● Quality!of!homework!assigned!!

● Student!motivation!!

● Family!Support!!Homework!Time!Guidelines:!!It! is! our! policy! for! teachers! to! assign! meaningful! homework! on! a! regular! basis! and! that! students!complete!all!homework!that! is!assigned.!Students!may!be!expected!to!spend!a!maximum!of!2S3!hours!per!night!to!complete!homework!assignments.!However,!the!amount!of!time!devoted!to!homework!can!vary!considerably!depending!upon!grade!level,!the!nature!of!a!particular!assignment,!and!the!student’s!study! skills! and! habits.!We! urge! parents! to! establish! a! homework! policy! for! your! child! at! home! that!dictates!when!and!where!homework!is!to!be!completed!each!day.!!Late/Missing!Homework!!

ACADEMIC!

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Students!are!expected!to!turn!in!homework!on!time.!Students!who!do!not!turn!in!their!homework!will!receive!the!following!consequences:!!● Student!may!be!assigned!a!detention!period!that!will!occur!within!24!hours!of!the!assignment!

due!date.!The!detention!period!may!occur!during!freeScess!or!after!school.!!● Points!may!be!deducted!for!each!day!the!assignment!has!not!been!submitted!up!to!48!hours.!

Any!assignment! submitted!after! the!48!hours!extension!period! is! in! jeopardy!of!not! receiving!credit.!

!● An!exception!to!the!48Shour!extension!period!will!only!be!approved!by!an!Administrator.!

!● Parents!will!be!contacted!via!StudyWiz.!

!● Loss!of!extraScurricular!activities!until!all!homework!is!completed!and!submitted.!

!● Loss!of!field!trip!privileges!if!more!than!10%!of!homework!is!incomplete!or!missing.!

!● A!log!entry!will!be!entered!into!PowerSchool.!

!(MS)2!Administration!Responsibilities:!!● Periodically! engage! in! research! and! review! literature! on! relevant! homework! concerns! and!

trends.!!● Annually! review! the! homework! policy! and! guidelines! with! all! stakeholders! through! various!

means!of!communication.!!● Review! homework! practices! and! procedures! by! teacher’s! consistent! implementation! across!

grade!levels.!!● Collect!and!review!data!of!the!number!of!students!completing!homework!consistently!across!all!

subject!areas.!!Develop!an!incentive!program!for!the!population!of!students!that!have!accurately!completed!and!submitted!assignments!consistently.!!Teacher!Responsibilities:!!● To!plan!appropriate!homework,!which!will!reinforce!skills!already!taught!in!the!classroom.!

!● Post! 100%! of! all! homework! assignments! in! StudyWiz,! with! clear! and! explicit! instructions!

necessary!to!complete!each!assignment!and!within!a!timely!manner.!!● Utilize!StudyWiz!as!the!vehicle!for!submission!of!homework.!

!

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● In! order! to! assist! students! with! the! most! effective! use! of! StudyWiz,! review! the! operational!aspects! of! the! various! activities! with! students! in! the! classroom! prior! to! assigning! them! for!homework.!

!● Establish! homework! value! that! is! commensurate,! gradeSwise! to! its! importance! and! to!

communicate,! clearly! and! explicitly,! to! parents! and! students! (orally! and! in! writing),! the!expectations,!and!how!homework!fits!into!the!grading!policy.!

!● To!give!clear!and!concise!instructions!for!the!completion!and!submission!of!homework.!

!● To!check!daily!homework!for!completeness!and!mastery!of!skills,!and!return! it!within!3!school!

days.!Update!PowerSchool!with!a!textual!“indicator”!of!assignment(s)’!status.!!● Establish!consequences!for!not!completing!assignments!

!● Provide!accommodations!and!modifications!for!students!who!have!IEP’s/504!Plans.!

!● To!reSteach!where!completed!homework!indicates!student!lack!of!understanding!or!mastery!of!

a!concept.!!● Inform!students!when!they!are!available!to!provide!assistance.!

!● To!document!communication!with!parents!regularly!when!a!student!does!not!meet!homework!

requirements.! In! the! case! of! repeated,! chronic! problems,! to! set! up! with! the! parents,! a!homeworkSmonitoring!plan!and!notify!administration.!

!● To! periodically! give! feedback! to! parents! and! students! on! academic! progress,! including!

performance!on!homework!assignments.!!Student!Responsibilities:!!● Students!must!complete!all!homework!assignments!and!submit!them!when!due.!

!● Students!must!seek!assistance!from!their!teacher!whenever!they!have!problems!completing!the!

homework!assigned.!!● Students!have!the!responsibility!for!submitting!late!assignments!even!though!full!credit!may!not!

be!given.!!● Students! placed! on! an! intervention! plan! for! repeated! violations! of! the! homework! policy! are!

responsible!for!adhering!to!a!specific!plan.!!● Refer!to!the!class!syllabi!for!inSclass!homework!policies.!

!Parent!Responsibilities:!!● Consistently! monitor! student! progress! and! submission! of! homework! via! PowerSchool! and!

StudyWiz.!

ACADEMIC!

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!● Provide! an! appropriate! environment! and! the! necessary! supplies! for! the! completion! of! all!

homework! assignment.! Such! an! environment! would! include! one! with! sufficient! lighting,!adequate!space,!and!isolation!from!extraneous!sounds.!!

!● Motivate!and!support!students!to!comply!with!the!(MS)2!homework!policy.!

!● Inform! teachers! and!administrators!of! any!barriers! that!may! interfere!with! the! completion!of!

homework!assignments.!!● Instruct! your! child! to! collect! all!missing! assignments! due! to! absence! and! follow!up!with! your!

child!to!make!sure!that!the!assignments!have!been!received!and!completed.!!● Refer!to!the!class!syllabi!for!inSclass!homework!policies.!

!Additional!Support:!!● 100%!of!all!homework!assignments!will!be!posted!on!StudyWiz.!

!● Use!of!homework!progress!sheets.!

!● Academic!advisement!sessions!with!the!Counseling!department.!

!STANDARDIZED!TESTING!!The!District!of!Columbia!is!a!governing!state!in!the!Partnership!for!Assessment!of!Readiness!for!College!and!Careers!(PARCC),!thus!the!PARCC!test!is!administered!to!all!students!at!(MS)2!at!least!twice!per!year.!This! test! is! the! state!assessment!used! to!evaluate! the! school’s!Adequate!Yearly!Progress! (AYP)! and! is!mandated!for!all!District!of!Columbia!public!and!charter!schools.!!!In!addition,!the!Northwestern!Evaluation!Association!(NWEA)!test,!an!independent!test!used!to!assess!student!achievement!and!gauge!performance,!is!administered!three!times!per!year!to!all!(MS)2!students.!!EXTENDED!ENRICHMENT!!(MS)2! has! an! extensive! Extended! Enrichment! program! designed! to! peak! the! interest! level! of! every!student.!From!3:30!PM!to!4:30!PM,!Monday!through!Thursday,!your!child!will!engage!in!activitySbased!learning! that! supports! the! core! content! areas! and/or! the! elective! courses.! ! Extended!Enrichment! is! a!mandatory!part!of!the!school!day!for!all!students.!!!Extended! Enrichment! club! opportunities! vary! each! year! based! on! the! dynamic! individuals! and!organizations!that!we!work!with.!Club!options!include:!!

● Architecture!Club!!● Science!Exploration!Club!!● Engineering!● Broadcast!Media!!● Yearbook!Club!!

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● Team!Sports!!● Performing!Arts!!● Spelling!Bee!!● Achievements!in!Manhood!(AIM)!!● Young!Voices!(Choir)!!● Band!!● Visual!Arts!!● Who!Wants!to!be!a!Millionaire!(Business!Club)!● Girls,!Inc.!

!STUDENT!SUPPLIES!!We!recommend!that!students!bring!the!following!to!school!each!day;!

● 2"ballpoint"pens,"blue"or"black"ink"● 2"pencils,"mechanical"optional"● 1"yellow"highlighter"pen,"any"size"tip"● 1"or"2"three9ring"binders"with"plain"front"cover"and"appropriate"amount"of"loose"leaf"paper"● 6"subject"dividers"with"the"pocket"folders"● Graph"paper"● Ruler"

Additionally,"teachers"will"make"specific"requests"throughout"the"year.!!!!

!DEPARTMENT!OF!STUDENT!SUPPORT!!The! Department! of! Student! Support! provides! opportunities! for! academic! and! social! development,!assists! students! with! basic! academic! requirements,! and! serves! to! motivate! students! toward! the!successful! completion! of! their! middle! school! education.! The! Department! of! Student! Support! also!provides!instruction!in!basic!study!skills,!tutorial!services,!academic!and!personal!counseling,!assistance!in!applying!to!high!school!programs,!mentoring,!and!specialized!services!for!students!with!special!needs.!The!Department!of!Student!Support!consists!of!the!Dean!of!Students,!School!Counselors,!Social!Worker,!Special!Education!Coordinator,!and!Behavior!Specialists.!!STUDENT!PROBATIONARY!POLICY!!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science!promotes!a! level!of!expectations! for!all!students! that! endorses! excellence,! respect,! discipline! and! responsibility.! A! review! of! each! student’s!performance!may!result!in!the!assignment!of!academic!or!behavioral!probation!should!a!student!fail!to!meet!the!required!expectations.!Any!student!that!fails!to!maintain!at!least!a!70%!grade!point!average!in!each!class!will!be!placed!on!academic!probation.!A!student!who!receives!multiple!disciplinary!referrals!may! be! placed! on! behavioral! probation! (See! “Student! Behavior! Policy”! for! more! information).! This!probationary!period!will!be!assigned!semiSquarterly!and!will!continue!for!the!following!quarter.!

STUDENT!SUPPORT!SERVICES!

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!At!the!beginning!of!each!probationary!period!and!by!grade!level,!an!(MS)2!administrator!will!meet!with!the! parent(s)! of! children! who! have! been! placed! on! probation! for! that! specific! period.! During! such!meetings,!a!studentSspecific!improvement!plan!will!be!distributed!to!the!parents.!It!is!the!responsibility!of! the!parent!and!student! to!abide!by! the!guidelines!of! the!plan! for! the!duration!of! the!probationary!period!and!to!contact!school!officials!should!further!assistance!be!required.!Please!note,! regardless!of!whether! or! not! a! student! makes! progress! before! the! end! of! his/her! probationary! period,! he/she! is!required!to!abide!by!the!terms!of!the!improvement!plan!for!the!duration!of!the!probationary!period.!!At!the!end!of!each!quarter,!the!administrator!will!review!the!academic/behavioral!progress!of!each!student!who!has!been!placed!on!probation.!Students!that!have!increased!the!grade!point!average!in!the!area!of!need!to!at!least!a!70%!and/or!have!met!the!terms!of!their!probation!will!no!longer!be!on!probation.!Students!that!have!not!maintained!that!level!of!academic!expectation!of!a!70%!grade!point!average!and/or!continue!to!earn!behavioral!demerits!may!receive!further!consequences,!including!expulsion.!!STUDENT!DRESS!POLICY!!(MS)2!maintains!a!strict!dress!code!policy.!All!students!must!wear!the!required!uniform!attire!everyday.!A!signed!contractual!agreement!regarding!the!school's!dress!code!policy!will!be!a!part!of!your!child's!file.!Violation!of!the!dress!code!policy!will!result!in!disciplinary!action!by!the!administrative!team,!which!will!include!a!conference!with!the!parent/guardian.!Students!arriving!to!school!out!of!uniform!will!be!sent!directly! to! the! senior! behavior! specialist,! who! will! document! the! uniform! violation! and! provide! the!student!with!any!appropriate!uniform!attire.!Students!will! receive!three!uniform!passes!per!semester.!After! three! uniform! violations,! students!will! not! be! allowed! to! return! to! school! until! they! are! in! full!uniform.!Students!will!also! lose!all!dress!down!privileges!for!the!remainder!of!the!semester.!Repeated!violations!could!also!warrant!suspension!and!expulsion.!!!All! students! must! wear! the! (MS)2! uniform! to! school! and! to! school! related! events,! unless! otherwise!informed.! To! be! in! compliance! with! the! uniform! policy,! the! (MS)2! student! must! be! attired! in! the!following:!

● (MS)2!logo!polo!shirt!in!navy!blue,!or!red;*!● Navy!blue!or!khaki!pants!or!skirts!(During"the"spring"and"summer"seasons,"students"may"also"

wear"navy"blue"or"khaki"shorts"9"not"to"exceed"one"inch"above"the"knee.);"● Socks:!solid!color!socks!!(no"patterned,"or"fishnet"stockings);"● Shoes! (ALL! BLACKS! including! solid! black! soles! and! laces):! open! toe,! high! heel! shoes,! and!

open!heel,!i.e.!crocs,!are!not!allowed;!● Belt:!solid!black!or!solid!brown!(only"required"if"pants"or"skirt"have"belt"loops);!● (MS)2!logo!sweater!in!navy!blue;!● Stud!earrings!(Hoop"earrings"are"not"allowed.);!● Headband:!solid!red,!white,!blue!or!black!(no"patterned"headbands)!

! *Shirts"must"be"tucked"in"at"all"times."!

Except!for!stud!earrings,!students!are!not!allowed!to!wear!jewelry!of!any!kind,!or!armbands,!wristbands,!hats,!scarves,!gloves,!vests!and!bandanas!during!the!school!day.!Make!up!is!not!allowed.!Lip!balm!should!be!clear!ONLY.!Students!are!also!discouraged!from!wearing!nail!polish.!!

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TAG!DAY/DRESSVUP!DAY!POLICY!!Occasionally,!(MS)2!relaxes!the!dress!code!policy!and!sponsors!TAG!Day!and!DressSup!Days.!These!days!are!announced!in!advance!and!students!are!permitted!to!dress!in!casual!or!dressSup!attire!respectively.!!Please!note:!Students!who!do!not!participate!are!required!to!wear!the!full!school!uniform.!!The!criteria!for!student!attire!for!these!TAG!days!are!as!follows:!

1. Students! are! to! wear! appropriate! clothing! that! is! not! too! tight,! nor! too! short! (i.e." does" not"exceed" one9inch" above" the" knee),! too! scant! (i.e.." halter" tops," strapless" tops," shoe9string" tops,"tops"that"bear"the"stomach),!or!too!baggy!(i.e."below"the"waist).!!

2. Students!are!to!wear!clothing!that!is!void!of!vulgar!and!inappropriate!images!and!language.!!3. Students!may!wear!ageSappropriate!jewelry.!4. Students!should!refrain!from!wearing!heels!that!are!more!than!an!inch!high.!

!Criteria!for!attire!on!these!DressSUp!days!includes!TAG!day!attire!guidelines!as!well!as!the!following:!!

1. Students!are!to!wear!ageSappropriate,!professional!clothing!that!is!appropriate!for!churchSlike!or!business!functions.!(“After9five”"attire"or"high"heels"(over"2’)"is"not"acceptable.)!

2. Students!may!not!wear!tSshirts,!jeans,!sweatpants,!or!leggings.!!Other!attire!guidelines!may!be!provided!for!themed!TAG!days!as!appropriate.!!!*Students)with)multiple)uniform)violations)and/or)disciplinary)infractions)may)not)be)allowed)to)participate)in)tag)days.!!STUDENT!BEHAVIOR!POLICY!!The! (MS)2! discipline! policy! helps! to! establish! an! environment! in! which! students’! basic! rights! are!guaranteed!and!responsibilities!are!clearly!understood.!Mutual!respect,!responsibility,!and!consideration!for!others! are! key! values!at! (MS)2.!We!encourage! students! to!be! responsible! for! their! actions,! to!use!good!judgment,!and!to!be!kind!and!honest!to!everyone!regardless!of!similarities!or!differences.!Please!know!that!violence!and!abuse,!of!any!kind,!imposed!upon!any!student,!teacher,!employee,!or!volunteer!will!not!be!tolerated.!!The!(MS)2!ZERO!TOLERANCE!POLICY!applies!to:!

● Assault;!!● Cheating;!● Destruction!of!(MS)2,!Howard!University,!or!personal!property!of!others;!!● Fighting;!● Inappropriate!behavior!on!the!HU!shuttle!bus,!Metro!bus,!or!subway;!● Inappropriate!behavior!and/or!written!communications!that!contradict!the!values!of!(MS)2;!● Possession!of!pornographic!material;!● Possession!of!tobacco,!alcohol!or!drug!products;!!● Possession!of!weapons;!● Theft;!!● Threats,!bullying!(including!cyber!bullying),!and!harassment;!● Use!of!profanity;!● Vandalism.!!

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All! acts! of! violence! and! threats! will! be! taken! seriously.! Parents/guardians! will! be! contacted! and!procedures!will! immediately!be! implemented!to!determine!appropriate!disciplinary!action.!For!serious!infractions,!a!student!may!be!suspended!or!expelled!from!(MS)2.!Also,!legal!action!may!be!taken.!!

!Disciplinary!Procedures!

!INFRACTION!BY!LEVEL:!Level!1!

● Classroom!disruption!● Eating/drinking!outside!of!cafeteria!● Insubordination!● Tardy!to!class!● Uniform!violations!● Possession!of!electronic!device!

!Level!2!

● Academic!Dishonesty/Cheating!● Cutting!class!!● Disrespect!to!any!(MS)2!personnel!!● Inappropriate!language/Profanity!● Rude,!disrespectful!or!discourteous!behavior!towards!others!on!or!off!campus!● Inappropriate!use!of!classroom!technology!

!Level!3!

● Assault!● Bullying!(including!Cyber!bullying)!● Failure! to! report!any! threats!or!behaviors,!which!may!compromise! the! safety!and!well!being!of!members!of!(MS)2!

● Forgery!!● Inappropriate!use!of!technology!to!include!sending!threats/inappropriate!pictures!via!social!media!or!text!message,!and/or!recording!fights/verbal!altercations!!

● Leaving!school!grounds!without!written!permission!from!parent/guardian!!● Physical!fighting,!verbal!assault,!intimidation,!or!threats!(written!or!verbal,!direct!or!indirect)!● Skipping!detention,!Homework!Scholars!Hall,!or!any!other!disciplinary!sanction!!

!Level!4!!

● Use/possession!of!tobacco!in!any!form!on!school!property,!immediate!vicinity!or!field!trips!!● Possession!or!use!of!any!form!of!drugs!or!alcohol!on!school!property,!the!immediate!vicinity,!or!at!schoolSsponsored!activities!on!or!off!campus**!!

● Defacing!or!deliberately!damaging!any!property!!● Possession! or! use! of!weapons,! ammunition! or! items! that! reasonably! could! be! construed! to! be!weapons**!

● Possession!of!pornographic!material!!● Vandalism!!● Sexual!harassment!● Stealing!

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● Any! behavior! or! illegal! act!on!or!off!school!property,!that!brings!disgrace!to!(MS)2!!

**In!this!case,!the!proper!authorities!will!also!be!notified.!!Administration!reserves!the!right!to!search!purses,!backpacks,!personal!belongings,!and!lockers!for!items!not!permitted!in!school,!on!campus,!or!in!the!classroom.!!ACTION!BY!LEVEL!OF!INFRACTION:!Infractions!and!consequences!will!be!processed!by!level!based!on!the!following!format:!Level!1!!

● 3!processed!referralsS!Detention!● 6!processed!referralsS!Detention/Other!Intervention!● 9!processed!referralsS!Parent/Guardian!Meeting!and!Probation!

!Level!2!!

● 2!processed!referralsS!Detention!● 4!processed!referralsS!Detention/Other!Intervention!● 6!processed!referralsS!Parent/Guardian!Meeting!and!Probation!

!Level!3!!

● 1!processed!referralS!Suspension!(In!or!Out!of!School)!and!Probation!● 2!processed!referralsS!Suspension,!pending!expulsion!

!Level!4!● Automatic!suspension,!pending!expulsion!

!NOTE:!

● Parents/guardians!will!be!notified!at!every!juncture!of!the!discipline!process.!● In!addition! to! the!aforementioned!discipline!procedure,! the!Dean!of!Students!will! actively! refer!

students! to! the! counseling! department! and/or! other! appropriate! entities! in! and! out! of! the!school!building!to!ensure!the!student’s!needs!are!being!met.!

● An!offense!may!be!upgraded!to!a!higher!level!of!offense!if!the!conduct!is:!!! ! (1)!a!repeat!offense,!! ! (2)!one!of!multiple!offenses!committed!within!a!school!year,!!

(3)!accompanied!by!disrespect,!dishonesty,!willfulness,!and/or!lack!of!remorse,!or!!(4)! committed! under! circumstances! indicating! a! flagrant! disregard! for! (MS)2’s! standards,!personnel,!or!values.!!

!!Detention:!!

● After!school!detention!will!be!held!from!4:35!pm!–!5:15!pm,!Monday!through!Thursday,!and!3:35!pm!–!4:15!pm!on!Fridays.!!

!The!Dean!of! Students! or! a! Behavior! Specialist!will! notify! students!when! they! are! assigned!detention.!Parents!will! be! notified!when! the! student! receives! infractions! that! result! in! disciplinary! action.! If! the!student!is!enrolled!in!a!required!academic!intervention!that!runs!concurrent!with!detention,!detention!

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may!be!assigned!for!a!later!date.!A!student!who!receives!excessive!infraction!points!may!be!placed!on!probation!after!the!Dean!of!Students!has!notified!the!parent/!guardian.!!No!unexcused!absences! from!detention!will! be!accepted.!A! student!who!does!not! serve!detention!or!any!other!disciplinary!consequence!will!be! suspended.!Notification!of! the!suspension!will!be!made!by!phone!to!the!parent/guardian!by!the!Dean!of!Students.!The!student! is!responsible!for!completing!any!quizzes,!tests,!and/or!class!work!missed!or!due!the!day!of!suspension!within!3V5!school!days!of!their!return!to!school.!!RESTORATIVE!PRACTICES!!

Restorative! practices! is! an! integrative! framework! of! practices! that! facilitates! a! strong! school! culture!through!proactive!and!reactive!processes.!Proactive!practices! include!a! large!emphasis!on!relationship!building! and! social! and! emotional! intelligence! through! the! formation! of! classroom! discussion! circles.!Through!proactive!circles,!teachers!can!facilitate!a!space!to!checkSin!with!students!and!discuss!relevant!topics! pertaining! to! classroom! culture! and! academic! progress.! Reactive! circles,! executed! within! the!classroom!and!within!the!disciplinary!process,!allows!for!the!collaboration!of!students,!staff!members,!and!parents!to!address!and!rectify!situations!that!have!caused!harm!to!the!school!community.!Justice!is!achieved!through!reflective!questioning!of!all!involved!parties!and!active!problem!solving.!!!(MS)2!Social!Emotional!Course:!The!(MS)2!social!emotional!course!will!be!utilized!as!a!major!reactive!tool! to! address! student! behavior.! The! course! will! serve! as! a! major! character! educationSbased!intervention!for!students!who!display!behaviors!that!are!inappropriate!or!unsanctioned!based!on!(MS)2!policies.! The! instructor! will! focus! on! helping! students! understand! their! role! in! the! (MS)2! and! larger!communities! and! the! responsibility! that! goes! along! with! that.! The! class! will! run! concurrent! with!Extended!Enrichment! from!3:30!pm!S!4:30!pm,!Monday!through!Thursday,!and!will! last!until!5:15!pm.!Students!will!be!assigned!the!course!for!a!predetermined!number!of!days!and!must!successfully!navigate!the! classes! to! the! instructor’s! satisfaction! or! they! may! risk! having! their! required! time! in! the! course!extended!or!be!subject!to!other!disciplinary!sanctions.!!DISCIPLINARY!PROBATION!

Once!a!student!earns!multiple!disciplinary!referrals,!the!student!will!be!placed!on!Disciplinary!Probation,!depending!on!the!violation!(See!“Action!by!Level!of!Infraction”).!A!student!on!disciplinary!probation!may!not!participate!in!coScurricular!activities!or!field!trips.!!All!students!placed!on!probation!will!be!enrolled!in! the! (MS)2! Social! Emotional! course! for! the! duration!of! their! probationary! period.! At! the! end!of! the!probationary!period,!the!student’s!records!will!be!discussed!by!the!Senior!Administration!to!determine!the!need!for!further!action!or!for!the!termination!of!the!probation.! If!a!student!on!probation!receives!further!disciplinary!notices,!the!student!and!the!student’s!parents/guardians!must!meet!with!members!of!the!Senior!Administration!regarding!further!action.!!SUSPENSION!

The! gravity! and! the! extent! of! the! violation! of! the! discipline! code! will! determine! the! length! of! the!suspension.!If!a!student! is!suspended!at! the!conclusion!of! the!suspension!upon!return!to!school! the!student! and! parent! must! participate! in! a! reentry/restorative! conference.! However,! the! restorative!conference!may!take!place!prior!to!the!start!of!the!suspension!term.!The!Dean!of!Students!will!conduct!the! conference! along! with! the! School! Counselor! or! Social! Worker.! During! the! conference! a!parent/guardian!must!be!in!attendance.!

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!EXPULSION!!

A!student!may!be!expelled!from!school!when!the!student!has!violated!the!Zero!Tolerance!Policy!or!when!the! student! has!manifested! a! continued! unwillingness! to! abide! by! the! school’s! regulations,! including!violation!of!the!terms!of!his/her!behavioral!or!academic!probation.!

!HEARING!PROCESS!If! a! student! is! suspected!of! conduct!warranting! serious!disciplinary! consequences,! the! student!will!be!suspended!from!school!until!a!meeting!is!held!with!the!Dean!of!Students!and!parents/!guardians.!If!the!situation!calls!for!further!consideration,!the!parents/guardians!may!request!a!meeting!with!the!Dean!of!Students.!The!student!will!remain!suspended!from!school!until!a!final!decision!is!rendered.!!Students! suspended! less! than! 11! days!may! appeal! their! suspensions! to! the! Principal! or! the! Dean! of!Students! no! later! than! two! school! days! following! the! receipt! of! the! notice! of! suspension.! Appeal!requests!may!only!be!made!by!the!child’s!parent!or!guardian!and!may!be!made!in!writing.!!Upon!receipt!of! the! request,! a! hearing!will! be! scheduled.!At! the!end!of! the!hearing,! the! school! hearing!officer!will!render! a! final! decision! based! on! any! evidence! presented.! The! contents! of! said! hearing,! including! the!final!decision!will!be!submitted!to!the!parent/guardian!one!day!after!the!hearing.!!DUE!PROCESS!!Students! suspended! for! 11! days! or!more! or!who! have! been! expelled!will! have! a! disciplinary! hearing!scheduled!through!the!office!of!the!Dean!of!Students.!Hearings!will!be!scheduled!for!no!later!than!four!school! days! after! a! notice! of! disciplinary! action! is! sent! to! the! parent/guardian.! Hearings! may! be!postponed! for! up! to! five! days! upon! request! of! the! parent/guardian,! where! the! postponement! is!necessary!to!prepare!for!the!hearing.!A!notice!of!the!date,!time,!and!location!of!the!hearing!will!be!sent!through!the!office!of!the!Dean!of!Students.!Students!will!be!placed!on!suspension!until!the!proceedings!are!concluded.!!The!hearing!will!be!closed!to!the!public!unless!the!parent!or!guardian!requests!an!open!hearing.! ! In! the! hearing,! the! student! and! parent/guardian! has! the! right! to! have! a! representative.! ! In!addition,!the!family!has!the!right!to!question!or!challenge!any!evidence!presented!by!school!officials.!A!representative! designated! by! school! official! (Executive! Director,! Principal,! or! Dean! of! Students)! will!ensure! that! the! proceedings! are! conducted! in! a! fair! and! orderly! manner! and! that! all! due! process!procedures!have!been! followed!or!waived.!The!proceedings!will!be! recorded! for! the! school’s! records,!which!will!be!made!available!to!the!parent/guardian!upon!request.!!SAFETY!POLICY!!It!is!the!goal!at!(MS)2!to!ensure!that!all!students!and!staff!are!safe!while!in!the!school!building,!as!well!as!in!close!proximity!to!the!campus.!The!school!does!not!sanction!any!conduct!from!students,!employees,!parents/guardians,! or! volunteers! that! interferes! with! any! individual’s! academic! or! professional!performance! or! creates! an! intimidating,! hostile! or! offensive! environment! for! work! or! study.! Actions!contrary!to!this!policy!will!result!in!disciplinary!action,!up!to!and!including!dismissal,!expulsion!and!legal!intervention.!!!Currently,!the!following!policies!are!in!place!to!ensure!a!safe!school!environment:!

STUDENT!SUPPORT!SERVICES!

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● Visitors!must!signSin!at!the!security!desk!upon!entering!the!building!and!will!be!asked!to!show!governmentSissued!photo!identification.!All!visitors!will!be!issued!a!badge!that!must!be!worn!for!the!duration!of!the!visit.!!

● A!staff!member!escorts!visitors,!with!appointments,!to!their!meeting!venues.!● Students!are!not!allowed!to!carry!backpacks!and!other!book!bags!to!class.!All!student!backpacks!

are!to!be!stored!in!assigned!lockers!and/or!cubbies.!● Students! are! not! allowed! to! leave! the! building! without! written! permission! from! the!

parent/guardian!of!record.!They!must!be!signedSout!and!picked!up!in!the!main!office.!!● Students! are! prohibited! from! engaging! in! any! activities! that! could! impede! their! safety! or! the!

safety!of!others,!i.e.!running,!playing,!fighting,!etc.!● Students!are!not!permitted!out!of!the!classroom!without!a!pass.!

!We!also!suggest!that!you!review!safety!precautions!for!your!child!to!observe!while!coming!to!and!from!school.!These!include,!but!are!not!limited!to:!

● Traveling!with!at!least!one!other!student;!● Going! directly! to! school! and! coming! directly! home! (or! other! specific! destination)! without!

stopping!at!stores!and!carrySouts;!● Refraining!from!interacting!with!strangers!en!route!to!and!from!school;!● Refraining!from!getting!in!cars!with!strangers!for!any!reason;!● Staying!alert,!focused!and!aware!of!their!surroundings;!!

Refraining!from!playful!and!disruptive!behavior!while!walking,!in!the!Metro!stations,!or!riding!the!train,!bus,!and/or!Howard!University!shuttle.!!STUDENT!USE!OF!THE!SCHOOL!TELEPHONE!!Students!will! be! allowed! to! use! school! telephones! to!make! essential! calls! to! their! parents/guardians!during! the! school! day.! However,! the! student!must! get! permission! from! the! teacher/staff!member! in!charge.!A!written!note!or!pass!is!required!to!use!the!phone.!!Parents!should!communicate!with!students!through!the!main!office!during!the!school!day.!However,!we!urge!parents!to!try!to!anticipate!any!needs!of!their!children!to!avoid!having!to!communicate!with!them!during!the!school!day.!!ELECTRONIC!DEVICE!POLICY!!During! school! hours,! students! are! not! permitted! to! use! their! cell! phones! or! any! other! personal!electronic! device.! If! there! is! an! emergency,! students! will! be! allowed! to! use! a! school! telephone.! All!electronic! devices!must! be! turned! off! and! stored! in! the! locker! until! dismissal! time.! Violation! of! this!policy!will! result! in! the!device!being! confiscated!by!a! staff!member!and!given! to! the! front!office.!The!device!will!only!be!returned!to!the!parent.!!!We! are! also! requesting! that! students! refrain! from! bringing! items,! such! as! iPods,! MP3! players,! and!electronic!games!to!school,!as!well!as!other!toys!and!gadgets!that!can!be!distracting!to!other!students.!We!are!aware! that!many! students!use! these! items! to!entertain! themselves!on! their!way! to!and! from!school.!While!this!may!be!the!current!trend,!we!urge!you!to!remind!your!child!that! they!need!to!stay!focused!and!aware!of!their!surroundings!at!all!times!and!not!be!distracted!by!listening!to!their!favorite!tunes! or! playing! their! favorite! games.! Any! electronic! devices!must! be! stored! in! the! student’s! locker!during!the!school!day.!

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!If!a!student!is!found!in!possession!of!such!an!item,!including!cell!phones,!in!school!and/or!on!field!trips,!it!will!be!confiscated!by!a!staff!member!and!given!to!the!front!office!personnel.!If!an!item!is!confiscated,!the!following!will!apply:!!

● 1st!Offense!–!The!item!will!only!be!returned!to!the!parent/guardian!after!school!(12:30!or!3:30!pm)!on!the!Friday!of!the!week!from!which!the!item!was!confiscated.!

● 2nd!Offense!S!The!item!will!only!be!returned!to!the!parent/guardian!between!4:30!PM!S!5:00!PM!at!the!end!of!the!quarter!(a!date!will!be!determined!a!week!prior!to!the!end!of!the!quarter)!in!which!the!item!was!confiscated.!

● 3rd!Offense!S! Item!can!be!retrieved!by!parent/guardian!from!the!main!office!on!the!last!day!of!the!school!year!in!which!the!item!was!confiscated.!

!!*Please)note,)parents)and)students)must)comply)with)the)policy)in)order)to)remain)part)of)the)(MS)2)school)community.)!LOCKER!POLICY!!Each! student! will! be! assigned! a! combination! locker.! Each! student! should! remember! his/her!combination! and! not! reveal! it! to! any! other! students.! Please! note! that! assigned! lockers! are! still! the!property!of!the!school,!and!the!school!administration!has!the!right!to!open!any!locker!when!necessary.!Lockers! are! to!be!used! to! store! school!materials! and! supplies.! In! addition,! all! valuable! items!must!be!stored! in! the! locker.! Unfortunately! the! lockers! are! small,! resulting! in! students! having! to! store! their!outerwear!and!book!bags!in!the!“cubbies”!located!in!their!homerooms.!It!is!essential!that!you!label!all!of!your! child’s!belongings,! including!book!bags,! since! there! is! the!possibility! that! students!may!have! the!same/similar!items.!!!Students!are!only!allowed!to!use!their!lockers!before!school,!before!lunch,!after!lunch,!and!after!school.!Therefore,! it! is! essential! that! you!emphasize! the! importance!of!being!organized!with! your! child.! Each!child! needs! to! make! certain! that! they! have! all! the! materials! needed! for! the! morning! classes! in! the!morning!and!the!afternoon!classes!in!the!afternoon.!Students!will!not!be!allowed!to!return!to!lockers!to!retrieve!items!left!behind!once!the!locker!periods!have!ended.!(MS)2!personnel!are!not!responsible!for!any!lost!or!stolen!items!that!should!be!stored!in!the!locker.!!!LOANED!SCHOOL!RESOURCES!POLICY!!!The!parent/guardian!is!required!to!sign!a!“school!resource!form”!for!every!schoolSowned!resource!that!is! loaned! to! your! child.! These! resources! can! include! laptops,! textbooks,! calculators,! novels,! etc.! The!signed! form! represents! a! contract! between! the! school! and! the! parent/guardian.! It! states! that! you!assume!responsibility!for!the!issued!resource!and!if!it!is!lost!or!damaged,!you!are!responsible!for!paying!the!replacement!cost!of!that!item.!!!At!the!end!of!the!year,!students!are!to!return!all!issued!books!and!other!materials!in!good!condition!or!pay!the!replacement!cost.!Final!report!cards!and!transcripts!may!be!withheld!pending!compensation!for!items!that!have!not!been!returned!or! items!that!are!damaged.!Please!note!that!all!8th!grade!students!must!settle!all!outstanding!debts!to!participate!in!the!promotional!exercises.!!!

STUDENT!SUPPORT!SERVICES!

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Generally,! students! are! expected! to! bring! their! books! and! other! issued! resources! to! class! everyday;!however,!in!some!cases,!classroom!sets!of!textbooks!are!available,!which!enables!students!to!keep!their!assigned!books!and!materials!at!home.!Students!will!be!informed!if!this!is!the!case.!!HEALTH!SERVICES:!HEALTH!SUITE/SCHOOL!NURSE!!!(MS)2! has! a! fullStime! nurse! on! staff! and! a! fully! equipped! health! suite.! Our! nurse! oversees! the! daily!health! issues!of! all! students.! It! is! up! to! the!parent/guardian! to! fully! disclose! any!medical! condition(s)!about!your!child!to!the!school!nurse!prior!to!the!opening!of!the!school!each!year,!and/or!present!such!information! at! any! time! a!medical! condition! arises.! This! includes! information! about! allergies,! special!diets,!or!any!physical!impairment.!The!school!nurse!is!the!contact!person!for!such!information!and!may!be!reached!through!the!main!office!phone!number.!The!nurse!will!assume!responsibility!for!appropriate!communication!to!the!teaching!and!support!staff.!!!Medications/Medical! Concerns:! Neither! prescription! nor! overStheScounter! medications! can! be!dispensed! to! a! student! by! the! school! nurse! without! a! completed! release! form! signed! by! the! child’s!doctor.! The! form! for! schoolSdistributed! prescription!medication! is! available! from! the! nurse! or! in! the!school!office.!Also,!at!no!time!is!a!student!to!carry!either!a!prescriptive!or!overStheScounter!medication!–!including! headache! or! pain! relievers! –! in! school.! In! the! event! that! your! child! requires! a! specific!medication,! the! medication! and! proper! documentation!must! be! immediately! turned! in! to! the! nurse!upon!arrival!to!school.!!Finally,!if!your!child!is!ill!or!contagious,!it!is!in!his/her!best!interest!and!the!best!interest!of!the!other!students!that!he/she!is!not!sent!to!school.!!RESTROOM!POLICY!!Students!are!encouraged!to!use!the!restroom!during!their!independent!time!(before!school,!during!the!lunch!period,!freecess,!and!after!school).!Students!will!be!allowed!to!use!the!restroom!during!class!time.!However,!to!help!with!the!transition!of!students!into!and!out!of!classes,!we!ask!that!they!refrain!from!entering! the! halls! to! go! to! the! restroom! during! the! first! and! last! 10!minutes! of! class! unless! it! is! an!emergency.!A!log!of!student!restroom!usage!is!maintained!for!data!purposes!and!to!track!students!who!may!be!abusing!restroom!privileges.!!Parents/guardians! are! asked! to! inform! the! school! nurse! if! their! child! needs! special! consideration! for!using!the!restroom!for!a!temporary!problem.!If!there!is!a!chronic!condition,!a!doctor’s!note!stating!such!must!be!onSfile!with!the!nurse!who!will!confidentially!inform!teachers!of!this!medical!situation.!!TRANSPORTATION!!We! are! privileged! that! Howard! University! has! granted! (MS)2! students! permission! to! travel! on! the!Howard!University!shuttle!buses!to!and!from!the!campus!at!no!cost.!These!shuttle!buses!make!stops!in!locations! around! the! Howard! University! community! including! both! Metro! stations! nearest! the!university.! To! locate!other! stops! that!may!be! convenient! to! you,! please! check! the!Howard!University!website.! If! your! child! rides! the! shuttle,!please! remind!him/her! that! this! is! a!privilege!and!that!proper!decorum! is!expected!at!all! times.! Inappropriate!behavior!on! the! shuttle! can! result! in!your! child!being!banned!from!using!it!in!the!future.!

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!Additionally,!(MS)2!students!are!expected!to!demonstrate!proper!behavior!in!public!places!both!before!and!after!school.!This!is!particularly!true!for!large!groups!of!students!waiting!at!bus!stops!and!in!Metro!stations.!When!wearing!the!school!uniform,!our!students!can!easily!be!identified!as!(MS)2!students.!We!want!our!students!to!be!model!citizens!who,!by!their!decorum,!attract!others!middle!grade!scholars!to!(MS)2.!!CAFETERIA!AND!MEALS!!All! students! are! expected! to! respect! the! rights! of! everyone! during! the! breakfast! and! lunch! periods.!Students!are!to!stay!seated!during!meal!times!and!use!conversational!tones!when!speaking!with!friends.!Students!are!responsible!for!ensuring!that!their!eating!area!is!clean!before!leaving.!!!Students!should!use!the!restroom!during!their!lunch!period!to!avoid!restroom!interruptions!during!class!time.!Please!remind!your!child!that! following! lunch!period,!he/she!must!arrive!at! their!next!period!on!time!and!that!tardiness!will!not!be!tolerated.!!Catered!breakfast!and!lunch!are!available!daily,! including!early!dismissal!days.!Parents/guardians!must!submit!a!completed! lunch!application!to!determine! if!your!child!qualifies! for! free!or!reduced!meals.! If!your!child!does!not!qualify!for!free!or!reduced!meals!or!he/she!prefers!not!to!eat!the!school!breakfast!and/or! lunch,! then! they! may! bring! their! meals! from! home.! Also,! microwaves! are! available! in! the!cafeteria!for!student!use!on!a!firstScome,!first!serve!basis.!!(MS)2! has! adopted! the! Healthy! Schools! Act.! Therefore,! students/parents! are! not! allowed! to! bring!any!unhealthy! food! into! the! building! for! celebrations! (i.e.! Birthdays).! Any! foods! brought! into! the!building!for!the!consumption!of!other!students!will!be!confiscated!and!discarded!by!an!administrator.!!!!!!!COMMUNICATION!WITH!(MS)2!!NOTE:!Remember!that!you,!the!parent/guardian,!are!responsible!for!ensuring!that!your!child!is!in!school!and!on!time!every!day.!Make!it!a!habit!to!check!home!assignments!to!ensure!that!they!are!complete!and!done!well.!We!also!suggest!that!you!stay!in!touch!with!teachers/staff!using!any!of!the!ways!provided:!!It!is!easy!to!–!!

MAINTAIN!COMMUNICATION!WITH!(MS)2!ONLINE!WITH!!PowerSchool!

http://powerschool.universitymiddleschool.org/public/!!PowerSchool!is!a!fully!integrated,!webSbased,!crossSplatform!student!information!system.!PowerSchool!gives! you! the! ability! to! stay! abreast! of! student! progress! –! with! email! updates! and! online! access! to!schedules,!grades,!homework,!attendance!information,!and!teacher!comments.!!

STUDENT!SUPPORT!SERVICES!

PARENT!RESPONSIBILITIES!

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Login!instructions!will!be!provided.!!

Studywiz!http://studywiz.universitymiddleschool.org!

Studywiz!provides!an!online! space!where!educational! content!of! all! types! is! collected,!organized,! and!managed! to! create! an! enriched! learning! environment! and! curriculum! for! students.! Studywiz! gives!teachers! a! unique! tool! for! elevating! instruction! through! personalized,! collaborative! and! interactive!learning!and!realStime!assessment!and!results,!and!it!supports!parental!participation!in!learning.!!Login!instructions!will!be!provided.!!

Staff!contact!information!can!be!found!on!the!school’s!website:!!http://www.howard.edu/ms2/!!!

!ADVOCACY!Parent,!Teacher,!Administration!Conferences:!You!are!encouraged!to!obtain!information!about!your!child!using!the!ways!presented!in!the!“COMMUNICATION"WITH"(MS)2”"section!of!this!handbook.!As!you!review!this!information,!we!invite!you!to!arrange!for!conferences!with!your!child’s!teachers!through!our!parent!liaison!to!gain!even!more!insight!into!how!well!your!child!is!performing.!Being!informed!will!enable!you!to!play!a!more!significant!role!in!assisting!your!child’s!teachers!in!addressing!concerns!and!in!maintaining!success.!A!key!indicator!of!student!success!is!directly!linked!to!parent/guardian!involvement!and!support.!Even!when!things!are!going!well!for!your!child,!it!is!encouraging!for!him/her!to!know!that!both!parents!and!teachers!share!a!mutual!concern!about!the!child’s!wellSbeing!and!academic!successes.!!Be! certain! to! check! the! school! calendar! for! the! dates! and! times! of! the! formal! parentSteacher!conferences.!These!occur!at! the!midpoint!of!each!quarter.!During!these!conferences!you!are!afforded!the!opportunity! to! visit!with! all! your! child’s! teachers! in!one!day.! These! conferences! are! scheduled! at!times!that!accommodate!work!schedules!of!parents/guardians.!!Parent! Inquiry! Request:! For! all! general! concerns,! meeting! requests! and! other! requests! for!administrative! intervention!that!require! follow!up,!we!encourage!you!to!complete!the!“Parent! Inquiry!Request!Form”!found!on!the!(MS)2!website!and!at!the!link!below.!Once!submitting!the!form,!the!Parent!Liaison!will!contact!you!within!48!hours!to!work!with!you!to!resolve!any!issues!or!concerns!you!have!in!a!timely!manner.!!

http://www.jotformpro.com/form/51095925250959!

!!!GRIEVANCE!POLICY!AND!PROCEDURE!!

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It! is! the! policy! of! Howard! University!Middle! School! of!Mathematics! and! Science! that! all! employees,!students,! parents,! and! visitors! have! the! right! to! voice! their! complaints! or! grievances! about! matters!pertaining!to!its!school.!!Howard! University! Middle! School! of! Mathematics! and! Science! recognizes! the! meaningful! value! and!importance!of!full!discussion!in!resolving!misunderstandings!and!in!preserving!good!relations!between!all! (MS)2!stakeholders.! !Accordingly,!the!following!grievance!procedure!should!be!employed!to!ensure!that!complaints!receive!full!consideration.!!

1. WHAT!MAY!BE!GRIEVED!Howard! University!Middle! School! of!Mathematics! and! Science’s! grievance! process! should! be!used! as! follows! (1)! to! deal! with! complaints! and! concerns! pertaining! to! the! educational!environment,! employment! arrangements,! or! interpersonal! conflicts;! and! (2)! to! resolve!complaints! of! discrimination! and! harassment! based! upon! race,! color,! religion,! creed,! sex,!national!origin,!age,!disability,!veteran!status,!sexual!orientation,!or!otherwise.!!

2. WHO!MAY!GRIEVE!The! procedures! set! forth! below! may! be! used! by! grievants! who! are! employees,! students,!parents,!or!visitors.!

!3. OTHER!REMEDIES!

The!existence!of! this!procedure!does!not!bar!grievants! from!also! filing! in!other! forums! to! the!extent!permitted!by!state!or!federal!law.!

!4. INFORMAL!GRIEVANCE!

Grievants! are! encouraged! to! discuss! their! concern! or! harassment! complaint! promptly! and!candidly!with!their!immediate!supervisor,!the!Principal!or!Head!of!School.!

!5. FORMAL!GRIEVANCE!

Within!sixty!(60)!days!of!encountering!the!harassment,!discrimination,!or!complaint!that! is!the!subject!of! the!grievance,!a!grievant!shall! file!a!written!notice!with!the!school!Principal!or!with!the!Executive!Director.!Grievants!may!use!the!Grievance!Form,!which!is!attached!hereto!and!is!also!available!online! from!the!school!website,!or! from!the!Principal!or!Executive!Director.!The!written! notice! shall! identify! the! nature! of! the! complaint,! the! date(s)! of! occurrence,! and! the!desired!result,!and!shall!be!signed!and!dated!by!the!person!filing!the!grievance.!!In!the!event!the!legal! guardian! or! parent! of! a! student! is! filing! a! grievance,! the! student! and! the! legal! guardian!and/or!parent!shall!sign!and!date!the!grievance.!!The!Principal!and!the!Executive!Director!can!be!reached!at!the!contact!information!provided!below.!

!The! Principal! or! Head! of! School!will! immediately! initiate! an! adequate,! reliable,! and! impartial!investigation!of!the!grievance.!Each!formal!complaint!will!be!investigated,!and!depending!on!the!facts!involved!in!each!situation,!will!be!decided!after!receiving!information!from!the!appropriate!individuals.! ! Each! investigation!will! include! interviewing!witnesses,! obtaining! documents,! and!allowing!parties!to!present!evidence.!

!All!documentation!related!to!the!investigation!and!discussions!held!in!this!process!are!considered!EXTREMELY!CONFIDENTIAL!and!are!not!to!be!revealed!to!or!!discussed!by!any!participant!with!persons!not!directly!involved!with!the!complaint,!with!its!investigation,!or!with!

PARENT!RESPONSIBILITIES!

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the!decision!making!process.!!This!provision!does!not!! include!discussions!with!governmental!authorities.!

!Within!five!(5)!business!days!of!receiving!the!written!notice,!the!Principal!or!Head!of!School!shall!respond!in!writing!to!the!grievant!(the!“Response”).!!The!Response!shall!summarize!the!course!of!the!investigation;!determine!the!validity!of!the!grievance!and!the!appropriate!resolution.!!

!If,!as!a!result!of!the!investigation,!harassment,!or!a!valid!grievance!is!established,!appropriate!corrective!and!remedial!action!will!be!taken.!

!APPEALS!If! the! grievant! is! not! satisfied!with! the! Response,! the! grievant!may! appeal! in! writing! to! the! Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science!Board!of!Directors!(or!designee)!within!thirty!(30)!days!of! the!date!of! the!Response! summarizing! the!outcome!of! the! investigation.! ! The!written!appeal!must! contain! all! written! documentation! from! the! initial! grievance! and! the! grievant’s! reasons! for! not!accepting!the!Response.!The!appeal,!in!letter!form,!may!be!sent!to!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics! and! Science! Board! of! Directors! at! 2400! Sixth! Street,! N.W.! Room! 302! Washington,! DC!20059.!

!Within!fifteen!(15)!days!from!receiving!the!written!appeal,!the!Board!Chair!(or!designee)!will!respond!in!writing!to!the!appellant!as!to!the!action!to!be!taken!and!the!reasons!therefore.!!!!PROHIBITION!AGAINST!RETALIATION!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science!pledges!that! it!will!not!retaliate!against!any! person! who! files! a! complaint! in! accordance! with! this! policy,! or! any! person! who! participates! in!proceedings!related!to!this!policy.!!

!Additionally,!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science!will!not!tolerate!any!form!of!retaliation! against! any! person! who! makes! a! good! faith! report! or! complaint! about! perceived! acts! of!harassment,! discrimination,! or! concern,! or! who! cooperates! in! an! investigation! of! harassment,!discrimination,!or!a!concern.!!Any!person!who!is!found!to!be!engaging!in!any!kind!of!retaliation!will!be!subject!to!appropriate!disciplinary!action.!!MODIFICATION!Howard! University! Middle! School! of! Mathematics! and! Science! may! approve! modification! of! the!foregoing! procedures! in! a! particular! case! if! the!modification! (a)! is! for! good! cause,! and! (b)! does! not!violate!due!process!rights!or!policies!of!Howard!University!Middle!School!of!Mathematics!and!Science.!!

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CONTACT!INFORMATION!!

HEAD!OF!SCHOOL! HUMAN!RESOURCES! BOARD!OF!DIRECTORS!!!

Head!of!School!405!Howard!Place,!NW!Washington,!D.C.!20059!

(202)!806S7725!

!Leslie!Boler!

Director!of!Human!Resources!405!Howard!Place,!NW!Washington,!D.C.!20059!

(202)!806S7725!

Board!of!Directors!H.!U.!Middle!School!of!!

Mathematics!and!Science!2400!Sixth!Street,!N.W.,!!

Room!302!Washington,!D.C.!20059!

(202)!806S2530!

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GRIEVANCE!FORM!FORM!QUESTIONS! ANSWER!TO!FORM!QUESTION!

Date!of!Complaint:! !NAME!OF!PERSON!ON!WHOM!THE!COMPLAINT!

IS!BEING!BROUGHT:!!

Relationship/Title:! !

NAME!OF!PERSON!BRINGING!COMPLAINT:! !Address:! !

Phone:! !SUMMARY!OF!COMPLAINT:! !

If!others!are!affected!by!the!possible!violation,!please!give!their!names!and/or!positions:!

!

Suggested!Resolution:! !

Additional!Relevant!Information:! !

!!!___________________________________________!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _________________________!SIGNATURE!OF!GRIEVANT! ! ! ! !!!!! ! DATE!!!!____________________________________________!!!!!!!!!!!!! _________________________!SIGNATURE!OF!PERSON!RECEIVING!COMPLAINT!! ! !!!!!! DATE!

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!!(MS)2!PARENTS!IN!ACTION!!!All!parents/guardians!are!encouraged!to!be!active!participants!in!the!(MS)2!Parents!in!Action.!The!(MS)2!Parents!in!Action!provides!parents/guardians!with!the!organizational!structure!and!network!capabilities!for! families! to! work! collaboratively! in!making! (MS)2! one! of! the!most! effective! schools! in! the! nation.!Check!the!school!calendar!for!meeting!dates!and!times.!!VISITORS!AND!VOLUNTEERS!!Upon!enrollment,!all!parents!agree!to!volunteer!for!at!least!five!hours!per!semester!in!a!school!related!activity.! Information!about!upcoming!opportunities!will! be! shared!on!a!monthly!basis! to! give!parents!ample!opportunity!to!fulfill!their!requirement.!!!(MS)2!welcomes!all!visitors!and!volunteers.! If!you!are!coming!to!meet!with!a! teacher!or!administrator!about!your!child,!or!even!as!a!volunteer,!parents/guardians!are!strongly!encouraged!to!call!to!schedule!an!appointment.! If!you!are! interested! in!volunteering,!please!contact!the!administrative!assistant!who!will!connect!you!to!the!volunteer!coordinator.!!All!individuals!entering!the!building!must!signSin!at!the!security!desk!and!will!be!asked!to!show!and!turn!in!government!issued!photo!identification!prior!to!receiving!a!visitor’s!badge.!The!badge!must!be!worn!for!the!duration!of!the!visit!and!returned!to!the!front!office!upon!leaving.!Children!from!other!schools!will!not!be!allowed!into!the!building!unless!accompanied!by!an!adult.!It!is!expected!that!all!visitors!will!exhibit!proper!decorum!while!in!the!building.!!!LOST!AND!FOUND!!You! are! reminded! to! label! all! of! your! child’s! belongings.! This! will! enable! us! to! return! lost! items!expediently.!All!unidentified!“lost!and!found”!items!will!be!left!at!the!lost!and!found!area!located!at!the!security! desk! in! the! main! lobby.! Also,! students! are! encouraged! to! check! their! classrooms! for! any!misplaced! items.! At! the! end! of! each! semester,! unclaimed! clothing!will! be! donated! to! local! charities.!Finally,! it! is! highly! recommended! that! large! amounts! of! money! and/or! valuables! are! not! brought! to!school.!The!school!will!not!assume!liability!if!these!items!are!lost!or!stolen.!!UNIVERSAL!PERMISSION!SLIP!!A!signed!universal!permission!slip!must!be!on!file!for!your!child.!This!permission!slip!grants!permission!for! your! child! to! participate! in! local! field! trips! (District! of! Columbia,!Maryland,! and!Virginia).! It! is! our!policy!to!notify!parents/guardians!in!advance!of!all!field!trips;!however,!occasionally!excursions!may!be!unanticipated!and!may!not!permit!advance!notification.!Thus,!with!this!slip!on!file,!your!child!will!be!able!to!participate!in!all!activities.!!

PARENT!RESPONSIBILITIES!

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!!!

Howard!University!Middle!School!of!!Mathematics!and!Science!

405!Howard!Place,!NW,!!Washington,!DC!20059!Phone:!202S806S7725!!

Website:!http://www.howard.edu/ms2!