The Board of Education requires that the pupils enrolled in the schools of this district attend school regularly in accordance with the laws of the state. The educational program offered by this district is predicated on the presence of the pupil and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. The regular contact of pupils with one another in the classroom and their participation in a well-planned instructional activity under the tutelage of a competent teacher are vital to this purpose.

Attendance at school may be excused when the demonstrated mental or physical condition of the pupil is such as to interfere with learning, or by the observance of the pupil’s religion on a day approved by the Board of Education as a religious holiday, or by such circumstances as the building principal may determine constitute good cause. All other absences are unexcused.

When a student is absent from school, for any reason, the students is excluded from all school activities that day. The activities include: rehearsals, practices, athletic events, concerts, and play performances. Friday absences negate participation in activities on Saturday and Sunday. Students must attend school for a minimum of four hours to be considered present for the day.

Excused absences require that the student submit a note to the Middle School office upon returning to school. Excused absences include:

*Illness – verified by a doctor;

Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to the following:

vacations hunting illness - without a doctor’s note

appointments contests family obligations

working business trips

Middle School students who accumulate an excess of twelve (12) unexcused absences may not be promoted until the days are made up during the summer. Parents should keep in mind that students accumulating more than twelve (12) unexcused absences are violating the New Jersey mandatory attendance law, N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25, which states: Every parent, guardian or other person having custody and control of a child between the ages of six and sixteen years shall cause such child regularly to attend the public school of the district or a day school in which there is given instruction equivalent to that provided in the public schools for children of similar grades and attainments or to receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school.

Parents or guardians will be notified in writing, of their child’s absences at the fifth, tenth, and over twelve days of student non-attendance.

The Board of Education believes that pupils should commit themselves to learning and to the development of their unique potential. Pupils should know that their attitudes and acts affect both their own and their classmates’ learning and should accept responsibility for helping to create a positive school environment. With the support and assistance of school staff members and parents or legal guardians, all pupils can contribute to the effectiveness of the schools and the value of their education.

The Board expects all pupils in this school district, commensurate with their age and ability, to:

1. Prepare themselves mentally and physically for the process of learning;
2. Respect the person, property, and intellectual and creative products of others;
3. Take responsibility for their own behavior;
4. Use time and other resources responsibly;
5. Share responsibilities when working with others;
6. Meet the requirements of each course of study;
7. Monitor their own progress toward school objectives; and
8. Communicate with parents or legal guardians and appropriate school staff matters.

Policy: Riverside B.O.E.#5500

 

Fire drills are held monthly to prepare students for an actual emergency. The alarm consists of a continuous ring of the fire alarm bell. At the signal, all occupants will leave the building by the regularly assigned exits. Students are to move quickly and quietly. Classroom windows should be closed prior to leaving the room. The classroom door should be closed after all students have left the room.

In the event a door or an exit is impassable, affected persons should reverse direction and proceed to the closest exit. On an all-clear signal the students should return to the building in the same quiet manner in which they exited the building.

In the event of an emergency closing, the following radio stations will provide information during their morning newscasts between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Riverside Schools’ number is 662. If you do not hear the number broadcast on the radio station, school is open! The following stations will have the school number:

1060 AM  

610 AM  

101.5 FM

Students may only leave the school grounds after obtaining administrative approval and signing out in the Middle School office. The Middle School office must receive a note in the morning, prior to the early dismissal. The school recognizes only four (4) reasons for early dismissals:

1. Illness of a student, after arrival at school, as verified by the school nurse.
2. Notice of a verified doctor or dentist appointment.
3. Participation in a school sponsored activity.
4. Pre-approved religious observance.

The Board of Education, administration, and staff of Riverside Middle School recognize that academic achievement is the priority in the process of education students. We also recognize the value of extra-curricular activities and athletics as an important part of a comprehensive educational experience.

It is our desire to establish standards that promote student participation in extra-curricular activities while motivating students to strive for academic excellence and good sportsmanship. The Board of Education, therefore, has established the following academic eligibility standards for all the students attending Riverside Middle School, relative to participating in extra-curricular activities and athletics. The policy supersedes any and all other eligibility policies prior to May 11, 1992.

Academic Requirements for participation in Activities and Athletics

To be eligible for extra-curricular activities and athletics a student must:

1. Pass at least six (6) classes each marking period.
2. Maintain an academic average of seventy-five (75%), or a "C." A student’s average will be calculated each marking period and will be based on the grades for that marking period, only! When a G.P.A. falls below 75% and a student loses eligibility, the student may request a formal review of their eligibility status by the Middle School principal.
3. Any student who loses eligibility at the end of a marking period:

1. May complete a seasonal activity started during the marking period.
2. Is prohibited from beginning a new co-curricular activity, or athletic activity.
3. Becomes ineligible to participate in yearlong activities, immediately!

Riverside Middle School will conduct a formal promotion ceremony in June to recognize eighth grade students who have successfully completed the school year and will begin high school in the fall. The ceremony will take place in the gymnasium where student awards will be given and certificates will be awarded.

Participation in promotion is a privilege, not a right. Students who are ineligible to participate in activities, have more than one failure in a year or quarter course, have more than twelve unexcused absences, or have a financial obligation to the school will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony.

HEALTH SERVICES

All students enrolled in the Riverside Public Schools must present proof of necessary immunizations to the school nurse, or face exclusion from school until the records are presented.

Reporting to the Nurse

1. Obtain a pass from the classroom teacher. Do not ask a teacher to give you a pass to the nurse unless you are going during that teacher’s class.
2. Students must report to the nurse, or the Middle School office, when ill or injured. Under no circumstances is a student to leave school and go home when they feel ill.
3. Any sport or activity injury must be immediately reported to the nurse’s office. Parents using school insurance and who have other insurance should submit both forms to the physician or hospital. The school’s insurance has restrictions and limitations, submitting both forms may help alleviate future problems with paperwork.
4. Students needing a medical excuse from physical education class must first present the nurse with a physician’s certificate. The certificate should include a diagnosis and time limit.

The health services of Riverside Middle School are available to any student who becomes ill or injured during school hours, or during a school-related activity. Students should not be sent to the school nurse to evaluate injuries or illnesses that have occurred at home. The nurses are extremely busy handling school injuries, illnesses, and performing mandated health screenings.

 

Emergency Notification

When a student becomes ill during the school day or requires medical attention, every effort will be made to comfort the student. However, the school is not permitted by New Jersey statues to provide aspirin or other drugs or medication to a student. The parents or guardians of sick or injured students, requiring additional medical attention, will be notified immediately. In the event a parent, or guardian, cannot be reached the person on the student’s emergency card identified as the emergency contact person will be notified. Students will not be permitted to walk home when they are ill. A student will not be sent home to an empty house!

 

Medication during School Hours

No medication can be taken in school without written permission of a doctor. The school nurse must be notified of any medication to be taken during school hours. Under some circumstances a student may be allowed to self medicate, but only with approval and the proper paperwork. All medication must be brought in the original bottle, with the name of the medicine and the dosage clearly noted (including Tylenol, aspirin, asthma inhalers, etc.)

 

RAMBOOKS

Each Riverside Middle School student will be given a Middle School student planner at the beginning of the school year. The purpose of the planner is to help the student learn to organize their time, assignments, and help them organize the work for a variety of classes. Students should be copying homework assignments into their student planner everyday. Parents are asked to initial the assignment in the planner when the work is complete.

 

Get in the habit of taking your planner to every class. Start to organize your work in the beginning of the year and let it become a daily routine. Some teachers may require the planner be used and check to make sure it is being used.

 

CAFETERIA

All students must eat lunch in the school cafeteria. Students may bring a bag lunch from home, purchase the standard lunch, or buy a-la-carte items. Soup, sandwiches, bagels, or ice cream may be purchased separately any day of the week. The cafeteria rules and regulations are as follows:

1. Students are to eat seated at their tables; they are not permitted to stand in groups or sit on the "wall." Students are to remain seated at the tables until the cafeteria monitor dismisses the table. Students are to ask permission to leave their seats before changing seats for any reason. Students may request to change tables. If any school employee places a student at another table, they will sit at the "new location" until permission is granted for their return to the original seat.
2. Students are expected to get in line at the end of the line. Do not save places in line for your friends or attempt to cut into an established line. Consider the other students and get in line at the end!
3. Food must be eaten while students are seated at the tables. No food is to be eaten while walking around the cafeteria. No food is to be taken from the cafeteria without permission, by anyone, at anytime. No one may consume food or beverages in the hallways or classrooms.
4. Students are requested to leave the table and surrounding area clean. All trash is to be put into the receptacles provided in the cafeteria. Please remember that other people are using the same area. If your table is always a mess when you get to lunch, notify one of the teachers on cafeteria duty.
5. Students must never leave the cafeteria without permission and a pass from the cafeteria monitors.
6. Quiet conversation is permitted. Please refrain from screaming to your friends at your table, the next table, or across the room.
7. There will be a limited breakfast menu available in the cafeteria, each morning, from 7:30 a.m. until 8:05 a.m.
8. Students who forget their lunch or lose their ticket will be served peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, milk, and fruit until the ticket is found or replaced. No student should go through the day without lunch.

Groups of students under faculty supervision are often granted the privilege of participating in educational trips, which are an outgrowth of their classroom or school activities.

To be eligible the student must:

• Be a member of the class or organization taking the trip.
• Return the Parent Permission Form signed by the parent or guardian prior to the trip.
• Notify the teachers in the classes that will be missed prior to the trip.
• Make-up all the work missed in the other classes the day of the trip.
• Submit any work due the day of the trip before leaving on the trip.
• Be able to participate in school activities. Students who are serving a suspension are not eligible to participate in school activities during the suspension.

1. The library will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
2. Books may be checked out for a period of up to two weeks. Beyond the due date, students will be assessed a fine of five cents for each day the book is overdue.
3. Students wishing to use the library during their study hall should obtain a pass from the subject teacher, or the study hall teacher.
4. Leisure reading is permitted and encouraged.
5. Students are not to use the library to do assignments that could be done in study hall.
6. PROPER BEHAVIOR IS REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES IN THE LIBRARY. Students are expected to behave properly and respect the rights of others. No food, no drinks, and no chewing gum are permitted in the library.

Bookbags, knapsacks, and gym bags are not permitted in classrooms during the school day. Students should leave their bookbags in the locker during the school day. Students should carry notebooks, folders, and textbooks to class. Bookbags remain in lockers.

Students are issued the necessary textbooks in each class. They are responsible for the care and return of that book at the end of the year. Books are to be covered within five days of issue. Textbooks are not notebooks and should not be stuffed with papers or other materials. Each student is required to have their name written, in ink, on the appropriate line, inside each of the textbooks. Any text missing, for any reason, is the responsibility of the student to whom it was issued and they shall be liable for its replacement cost. Students are not expected to pay for the depreciation in value of textbooks or other school equipment resulting from normal use. They are expected to pay for any damage that results from unnecessary carelessness. In any case where a book is rendered useless through damage, the fine shall be the same as for a lost book. No student shall be given his final report card if fines are not paid. Remember the student’s textbook is the student’s responsibility.

All bicycles should be parked in the bicycle racks provided in the back of the school. Do not park bicycles in the breezeways or along the fence. If you ride your bike to school, be sure to bring a lock and use the lock on the bike before you enter the building. Scooters are not permitted on school property.

School and Family and several other clubs schedule middle school dances for you. Only students from the Riverside Middle School may attend the middle school dances. The dances are held from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Students are not permitted to leave early unless their parent comes into the dance to get them. Students are asked to dress in school appropriate clothing for the dances.

A variety of student club, activities, and interscholastic sports are available for middle school students.

Student Council – Students from grade levels six, seven, and eight, serve as representatives to the Middle School Student Council. The Student Council members plan and organize elections and campaigns, dances, and spirit week.

Student Ambassadors – Under the direction of the guidance counselor, Mrs. DiBacco, students volunteer to assist new students get acquainted with Riverside Middle School. Changing schools can be a stressful event. The Student Ambassadors strive to ease the fears of new students and be the "first friends." Another activity provided by Student Ambassadors is tutoring. Some of the students volunteer to assist elementary students during their study hall.

Yearbook – Students from grades six, seven, and eight works together to produce a yearbook for the middle school. The yearbook staff plan, organize, and layout the yearbook with the help and guidance of an advisor.

Middle School Chorus – Students meet after school to work on solo and ensemble projects. The group performs at various functions outside of school and attends musical productions.

Media Club – Students are involved in the production of a video reporting on elementary, middle and high school events. The local cable company, Comcast, has given Riverside Middle School Media Club a weekly time slot and airs the events for the district.

Sunshine Club – Students from all three grade levels are welcome to meet once a month with the Sunshine Club advisor to create crafts projects.

Peer Mediation Program – Mediation is a process used for solving conflicts in school. Mediators are trained to be neutral and not to force solutions on the two parties in conflict. Twelve hours of training for students in the 6^th to 12^th grade begins in the beginning of the school year, and is conducted by Mrs. DiBacco. Students who are interested are asked to see Mrs. DiBacco in September.

Newspaper – Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students are responsible for the production of a middle school newspaper, The Rambler. The students gather news, write articles, edit and plan distribution of the newspaper.

Science Club – Students from grades six, seven and eight may participate in the Science Club. The Science Club helps run the Middle School Science Fair, participate in science competitions, and help to make the middle school a more environmentally responsible community.

Homework Club – The homework assistance club for each grade will meet Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week. Students may work together after school, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. to seek help or offer help to each other. A teacher will be present during the hour. Assistance for passing the state test will also be available.

Interscholastic Sports – Riverside Middle School boys and girls compete in the following sports:

Fall – boys soccer, girls soccer, girls field hockey

Winter – boys basketball, girls basketball

Spring – baseball, softball

The election of student council officers and homeroom representatives occurs early in September. Officers are selected by a majority vote and serve for one year. Those interested in becoming an officer should be prepared to speak to the entire middle school student body. If the middle school is to benefit from useful and relevant feedback from students, the officers and representatives must serve the student body by communicating with the homerooms and implementing suggestions for a better school environment.

Parents are the first and most important teachers in a child’s life. Support your child and all the other students involved in the activities offered at the middle school. Encourage your child to participate in a variety of activities and sports. Activities and sports help to enhance the educational processes and opportunities for all students.

Riverside Middle School parents are members of the Riverside School and Family organization. The Middle School – School and Family plan and organize activities and events for the students in the middle school. The work done by the Middle School – School and Family group is a great help to all the students in the middle school. Meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Volunteer your time and offer your suggestions. Your help, support, and ideas are needed!

Midway through each marking period, computer generated progress reports will be sent to the parents or guardians of each student. The grades used on the interim reports are an indication of the general area of your child’s grades, to date. The interim grades are not part of a student’s record and will not affect a student’s final average. Rather, they are an indication of your child’s present work.

Weekly Update

At the request of either the parent or the school weekly update sheets may be sent to the parents of selected students. Communication between the school and the family of the student is one of the most successful methods for helping a child to reach their potential.

Conferences

In an effort to help each child realize their goals we encourage conferences between parents and teachers. Teachers may ask for a conference with parents any time during the year. Also, parents may call at any time and ask to have conferences arranged through the guidance office when questions or concerns need personal attention.

Report Cards

Report cards are issued quarterly during the academic year and are mailed home to the parents. Report card grades, in full year courses, and some academic quarter classes, are numeric and will be used to determine the yearly average for the student. The grading system is as follows:

93 – 100 A Outstanding work

85 – 92 B Mastery of Course Content

75 – 84 C Satisfactory Achievement

70 – 74 D Minimal Achievement

69 - & below F Failure to achieve minimal requirements

1. Indicates the child has done no work and is not cooperating in

class or completing homework

Med. Ex. Medical Excuse

I Incomplete work (grade awarded upon completion of work)

O Outstanding

S Satisfactory

NS Not Satisfactory

The Guidance Department offers a variety of services to the students at Riverside Middle School including counseling in individual or group situations for students, teachers, parents and administrators. As an advocate for the students, the guidance counselor identifies individuals who may need assistance and refers them to the appropriate agencies. The guidance counselor is involved in scheduling, testing, and organizing students’ permanent records.

The guidance counselor will be available to help students adjust to the middle school academically, socially, and emotionally. Some of the areas may include: changing classes, changing teachers during the day, areas of strength, setting up study routines, career counseling, and future course selections.

Signing up for a Guidance Appointment

The middle school guidance counselor is located in the guidance office on the first floor across from the high school main office. If a student wishes to talk to the counselor:

1. The student may go the guidance office and ask to sign up for an appointment.
2. Ask their homeroom teacher to notify the counselor they would like to talk.

Star Students

Throughout the year teachers may nominate a student to the principal for "Star Student" recognition. The students will be selected for outstanding work, outstanding classroom contribution, an outstanding test, an outstanding project, or an outstanding writing sample. The parents will be notified of the honor.

Student of the Month

One outstanding student will be chosen, from each grade, each month and honored as the "Student of the Month." These young people represent the best Riverside Middle School has to offer, specifically in the areas of academics, citizenship, attitude, and overall contributions to the school. The teachers from each grade level will meet and select the student most deserving of the honor. The student will be introduced and honored at the monthly Board of Education meeting.

Snappy Students

Students are encouraged to perform "Random Acts of Kindness" for fellow students, teachers, and school employees. Whenever a teacher or school employee notices a random act of kindness they are encouraged to complete a form and submit to the middle school office. Students’ names will be drawn from all the forms collected and the students selected will receive a coupon entitling the student to a free Snapple, or drink, at lunch.

Honor Rolls

1. Students with at least an 85% in every class for the marking period are placed on the "AB" Honor Roll.
2. Students receiving at least a 93% or an "outstanding" in each subject are placed on the "A" Honor Roll.

The names of all A and AB Honor Roll students will be displayed for the entire marking

period. The students will receive a certificate of recognition and they will be honored at the seasonal awards’ assembly and at a special celebration. The parents will be notified of honor roll status.

Academic Awards Ceremony

Outstanding students from the middle school will be recognized in the spring at the Middle School Academic Awards Ceremony. Students in each grade and each subject with the highest academic averages will be recognized. All students who have maintained averages of eighty-five or better for the first three marking periods will receive awards. This ceremony will be an evening meeting that will commence with dessert in the cafeteria.

Students identified by the teachers as the most dedicated will be honored at an assembly held in June. Students making the greatest improvement over the course of the year will also be recognized. Members of clubs, activities and athletic teams will receive their certificates of achievement.

Middle School students may enter the building at 7:55 a.m. each morning. Students may enter the building by using the second front entrance, near the Nurse’s Office or the entrance in the back leading up to the middle school office. Middle school students will be allowed in the cafeteria and are not to remain in the hallways or standing around the outside of the building. The students are asked please not to use the elementary entrances or congregate near the elementary entrances in the morning. Upon request, students who walk younger children to school will be given permission from the Middle School Office to be in the elementary area of the school. Students should go to their lockers and get the materials necessary for their morning classes when they report to school. Homeroom begins at 8:21 a.m. each morning.

Homeroom

Students are assigned to homerooms based on grade level. Homeroom is held from 8:21 until 8:26 each morning. Homeroom activities include:

1. Pledge of Allegiance – all the students stand and recite the pledge in homeroom.
2. Middle School bulletin – read to homeroom and posted.
3. Attendance – completed by homeroom teacher and forwarded to the Middle School Office.

Students are to be in their own seats when the bell rings at 8:21 a.m. Students late to

homeroom should report directly to homeroom. Students arriving at school after 8:26 a.m. should report directly to the Middle School Office. Start each day on a positive note by making it a habit to report to homeroom ready for the day, before the bell rings.

Valuables at School

Students, not the school, are responsible for their personal property. Students are advised not to bring valuables, large sums of money, expensive jewelry, or items of personal value to school. Be smart and take care of any valuable items by leaving them at home.

Lockers

Sixth grade students will be provided with hall lockers if space in their homeroom to store their belongings is not available.

Seventh and eighth grade students will be assigned a hall locker.

Students should always lock their locker. Do not give your locker combination to another student. Lockers remain the property of the school and may be inspected at any time. Locker clean out will be conducted several times during the school year. Please do not leave old lunches or food items in your locker; they are going to develop strange odors!

Radios, Tape Recorders, Walkmen, Electronic Games

Students are not to bring radios, walkmen, compact disc players, electronic games, laser pens, and tape recorders to school. Parents are asked to discourage their children from bringing these types of items to school. Items of this nature will be confiscated and held in the office. In some instances the item may not be returned unless the parent comes to the office to pick up the item. Please note - the school district is not responsible for lost or stolen electronic devices.

Beepers and Telephones

Students are not to bring, or possess, any remotely activated paging devise or cellular phone, on school property. Permission will not be granted unless and until the parent shall establish, to the satisfaction of the principal, a reasonable basis for granting permission to have the device on school property. Confiscated pagers and phones will only be returned to a parent. Students who must bring cell phones to school are to turn them off and leave them in the middle school office during the day, for safekeeping! Please note - the school district is not responsible for lost or stolen electronic devices.

Dice, Cards, Betting

Gambling is not permitted in school. Students are not to bring cards, dice, pogs, or sports betting slips to school. Trading cards are not permitted in school. Students are not to bring toys or games of any kind to school

Dismissal

The regular school day ends at 2:37 p.m. Students staying for activities, practice, extra help, or detention should report to the assigned area as soon as possible. All students should leave the building by 2:45 p.m., unless they are involved with a supervised activity. Please remember to let your parents know when you will be remaining at school after the regular dismissal time.

Dismissal for the middle school students on early dismissal days is 12:30 p.m.

Use of the office telephone

Students in the middle school must begin to take on more responsibility. One of these responsibilities is to remember to bring all necessary items to school. Students who need to use a phone during the school day must first get a pass from their teacher and then get the permission of the office.

Riverside Middle School has two types of detentions. Parents will be notified before the student stays after school.

Teachers may issue detention to a student. The detention will take place the following day and will last for no longer than thirty minutes. The teacher gives the student a form that the student takes home to inform the parent, have the parent sign, and then return the form to the teacher. If the parent has a question, they should call the school and talk to the teacher or guidance counselor. It is the student’s responsibility to give the detention notification form to their parents. Note: Extra help is not a detention!

Students who fail to stay for a teacher issued detention may be assigned an office detention.

The principal issues office detentions. The detentions are scheduled for the next day. A notice is always mailed to parents. The student signs the form and is aware of the detention when it is issued. Office detentions are held from 2:45 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Call the office if you have any questions about an assigned detention.

Students who fail to stay for an assigned office detention may be given an additional detention.

1. Be on time, be prepared to work or read a schoolbook.
2. Students must work on schoolwork while in detention.
3. Misbehavior of any kind will not be tolerated. A misbehaving student will be assigned an additional detention and a parent conference may be requested.
4. Students will not be permitted to leave the detention room. Go to your locker, use the lavatory, and get a drink before you enter at 2:45.

The Board of Education and the Administration recognize that it is virtually impossible to develop a regulation for every type of situation needing discipline. For this reason, the Board authorizes the building principal to use appropriate measures to manage any situation not specifically identified in this handbook or in the Board of Education policy. The principal will exercise a spirit of fairness and sound judgment when dealing with these types of situations.

LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4

Failure to do work Not serving detention Lewd or bizarre behavior Tampering with, or pulling

fire alarms

Running in the halls Profanity in the halls, Fighting Possession of, or use of

or classrooms tobacco or smoking

paraphernalia

Inattentiveness Theft Possession of, or use of

weapons

Talking in class Possession of obscene Antagonizing to start Possession of, or use of

material a fight alcohol

Chewing gum Continuous misconduct in Vandalism or destruction Possession of, or use of

class, study hall, or of school property narcotics

cafeteria

Not following directions Disrespect to teacher Insubordination

of the person in charge

Cutting class Harassment

Cheating Smoking

Tardy – for the Tardy – more than five Gambling

third, fourth, fifth time times

per marking period

Failure to follow reasonable Leaving school property

request of any authority, without permission

or school employee

Truancy

The Riverside School District believes that we must focus our energies on developing a positive school environment in which mutual trust, respect, and good citizenship are the norm.

The Time-Out Room is a place for the misbehaving student to calm down, think about their behavior, and develop a plan for more appropriate behavior before returning to class. The primary purpose of Time-Out is not to punish students, but to remove them temporarily from the situation where the problem has occurred.

A student may be placed in the Time-Out Room for one period up to three school days. It is the middle step between detention and out-of-school suspension. Parents will be notified if their child has been placed in the Time-Out Room.

When a child’s behavior warrants removal from the academic program the student will be suspended from school and lose all privileges during the period of suspension. Students may not attend any function on school property during the period of suspension. Parental contact will be made for all students suspended from school. In most cases a conference must be held before the student will be reinstated. It is the administrator’s desire to keep students in school, whenever possible.

The Riverside Public School District will not tolerate any form of harassment: sexual, racial, ethnic, or religious. Any student who engages in harassment of another student or school employee will be subject to suspension from school, a parental conference with the district administration, and may have a criminal charge filed against them on behalf of the offended student. Examples of student harassment include, but are not limited to such acts as sexual graffiti, sexual jokes, cat calls of a sexual nature, rating of girls or boys, acts of physical abuse, bullying, drawing swastikas, ethnic jokes, discrimination of any type, comments about nationality, or religious prejudice.

If you feel your civil rights have been violated, contact Mr. Lawrence Talbot in his office at 461-1255 ext. 115.

Although the school recognizes the prerogative of students and parents in determining appropriate dress and grooming, certain styles of dress and grooming are not considered appropriate for the public school. In making the determination for appropriate school attire, the administration has considered the three important areas of modesty, cleanliness, and safety. Examples of inappropriate school attire include, but are not limited to the following.

Students dressed inappropriately for school will be asked to call their parents for other

clothing or may be assigned to the time out room for the remainder of the day. If students are inappropriately dressed more than once, they may face disciplinary action.

Students and parents are granted the right to appeal or make their concerns known and have them considered and disposed of fairly by using the regular chain of command within the school in the following order:

1. The student or parent may schedule a conference with the person, or persons, with whom the concern arose, and the appropriate administrator.
2. If this does not result in a satisfactory resolution, the parent or student may file a written appeal with the principal. The appeal must be filed within five school days. Failure to submit an appeal within five days shall constitute acceptance of the decision at the first level of the appeal. After receiving the written appeal, the principal will review the matter and conference with all involved parties and then render a fair decision based on all the information presented.
3. If this does not result in a satisfactory resolution, the principal will refer the matter to the next step in the appeal process.

A written summary, including final dispensation of decisions, shall be maintained at each level of the appeal process and forwarded to:

• the student’s record file
• the next step of the appeal process