Students and Families

Attendance

Students taking courses for high school credit can accrue the following number of unexcused absences before losing course credit:

45-day classes 3 unexcused absences
90-day classes 5 unexcused absences
180-day classes 10 unexcused absences

Students who exceed the approved limits for unexcused absences do not receive course credit. Three unexcused tardies for first block (anytime before 9:10 a.m.) will result in a lunch detention.

Students who must be dismissed early will need to be signed out in person by an approved parent/guardian with appropriate identification. We will no longer be able to accept an email request in order to sign out a student. Early dismissals must be done no later than 3:00 p.m.

No students will be permitted to leave school during the school day unless a parent/guardian or other approved person on the student’s emergency contact list comes to the school for the student or unless prior arrangements have been made.
The parent/guardian or other approved person must come to the office and sign the student out during school hours (the school is open at 7:30 a.m.). Parents may sign out students in the main office up to one week in advance of the appointment. Picture identification is required.
Anyone not on the student’s approved sign out list will not be allowed to sign any student out of school.
Students who leave school without being properly signed out will be treated as cutting/leaving school. Students are not allowed to be signed out of school between 3:05 and 3:30 p.m.
Students with an early dismissal pass must present a pass to the parking lot attendant.
Ill or injured students must be signed out by an adult in order to leave campus. In case of an emergency or extenuating circumstances, the principal will use his or her judgment in excusing a student.
Students will not be allowed to sign themselves out of school, regardless of age or grade, to go to appointments.

School Improvement Council

Student Sign Out Procedure

Volunteer

Title I

Parent Surveys

Title 1 Parent Survey

Título I Encuesta para Padres

School Policies

Grading Policy

Pelion Middle School uses a variety of informal/formal assessments that are formative (measures progress/growth) and summative (measuring final results in terms of what a student should know and be able to do in accordance with applicable standards and Lexington School District One Grading Policies and Practices). An Overview of Grading can be accessed by selecting the link.

Grades are not intended to be punitive. We assess to nurture, remove barriers to a love for teaching/learning, and accurately report knowledge and ability. How grades are earned and reported reflects this mind-set at Pelion Middle School.

Grading Scale

A 90-100%

B 80-89%

C 70-79%

D 60-69%

F 59 below

Interim reports are issued every nine weeks. You you may track student work/progress daily using PowerSchool or Schoology. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher and then one of the administrators if you have any questions or concerns.

ID Policy

Employees and students will wear their badges at all times unless directed otherwise by school personnel. Temporary I.D.s can be taken care of before school or before lunch. All students who come to get an I.D. after school begins will be given 10 minutes of lunch detention. Students will be unable to get lunch without an I.D. If students are caught without an I.D. after lunch they may receive a referral and follow the I.D. policy outlined below.

Students may purchase a temporary I.D. for $.50, replacement I.D.s for $5.00, and replacement lanyards for $1.00.They must purchase the I.D. before 1^st period.

Students referred for I.D. violations may not purchase temporary I.D.s. They will be given a temporary I.D. and receive detention. These measures will be administered on a semester basis.

Offense(s) | Consequence(s)

1st Violation | Student conference

2nd Violation | Student conference and parent contact

3rd Violation | Administrative Detention

Additional Violations | Administrative Detention

STUDENTS WITH TEMPORARY I.D.S MUST GO TO THE BACK OF THE LUNCH LINE.

M.M.G.W.

PMS is Making Middle Grades Work

Making Middle Grades Work ( MMGW) is a middle grades initiative designed to help states, districts and schools look at what they expect, what they teach and how they teach young adolescents to prepare for success in further education. Making Middle Grades Work is a network of schools, districts and states committed to implementing 10 essential elements in a comprehensive improvement framework.

Pelion Middle School has been a part of the MMGW initiative since the 2005-06 school year.

As a part of MMGW we have instituted a number of school-wide initiatives to improve instruction and help our students be successful. These include:

A renewed focus on learning and teaching including our No Excuses policy.
Rigorous in-service training for our teachers before school starts in the fall and throughout the school year.
An on-going study of our test and survey results, along with teacher made assessments, to improve teaching and learning.
Staff attendance and presentations at MMGW conferences.
Implementation of the “coaching” model to provide support and training for our staff. Presently we have a literacy coach and science coach on our staff.
Implementation in 2008-09 of a weekly advisor/advisee program for all students based on Sean Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Teens.
Scheduling a 30 minute period daily for students to complete enrichment activities in each core subject or to make-up or re-do work to standard.
Our advisor/advisee and re-do/make-up/enrichment period is called P.A.W.S. which stands for Panthers Always Work Smarter.

We believe our involvement in MMGW is an important part of our total effort to improve teaching and learning at Pelion Middle School.

No Bullying

The Lexington One school board and Pelion Middle School prohibits acts of harassment, intimidation or bullying of a student by students and third parties that interfere with or disrupt a student’s ability to learn and the school’s responsibility to educate its students in a safe and orderly environment. For purposes of this policy, harassment, intimidation or bullying is defined as a gesture, electronic communication, or a written, verbal, physical or sexual act reasonably perceived to have the effect of either harming a student physically or emotionally, or damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of personal harm or property damage, insulting or demeaning a student or group of students, or causing substantial disruption to the orderly operation of the school.

Any student who feels s/he has been subjected to harassment, intimidation or bullying is encouraged to file a complaint with their administrator. Complaints will be investigated promptly, and thoroughly. Reports by students or employees may be made anonymously. The identity of the victim or reporter of bullying or harassment will be protected to the extent allowed by law. The district prohibits retaliation or reprisal in any form against a student or employee who has filed a complaint or report of harassment, intimidation or bullying. The district also prohibits any person from falsely accusing another as a means of harassment, intimidation or bullying. Any student or employee who is found to have engaged in the prohibited actions as outlined in this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion in the case of a student or termination in the case of an employee. Individuals may also be referred to law enforcement officials. The district will take all other appropriate steps to correct or rectify the situation, consistent with this policy and administrative rule.

No Excuses Policy

The following broad guidelines are to be used in carrying out our “NO EXCUSES” policy. Teachers may publish more detailed guidelines for their students and parents.

Keep in mind that the purpose of the policy is to set high standards for students and to create a school climate in which students understand that failure to turn in work, or turning in work of clearly inferior quality, will not be tolerated. We want students to understand that we BELIEVE that they can do quality work and therefore we will hold them accountable to do so. We realize that teachers, students, and parents must believe in this policy for it to work.

CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT TURNING IN WORK OR FOR NOT TURNING WORK OF ACCEPTABLE QUALITY

As needed:

Re-do work during P.A.W.S.
Contact parent by agenda, phone, or in person.
Refer to guidance or an administrator for counseling.
Require students to make up work at recess time
Report to coach, director, or other activity sponsor.

CUT OFF POINTS

After a reasonable amount of time teachers may record of 50 for assignments not turned in.

Grades may be recorded as a 50 at the interim and at the 9-Weeks if not turned in.
Students understand that some assignments cannot be made up due to the nature of the assignment or the fact that the assignment is corrected in class on the due date.

MAKE UP TIME

The following may be used by teams. They may create other times that do not interfere with normal instruction for other students.

During P.A.W.S.
During recess time.
Before school as teachers schedule time.
After school as teachers schedule time.