POLICY LINKS
Discipline Policy
Attendance Policy
Cell Phone Policy
AUP
Dress Code
Honor Code
Grading Policy
Student Handbook
ePLAN

IMPORTANT SCHOOL INFO
POLICY & RULES

Absences Reference MNPS policy # SP.6-113
Always bring a note when you return to school to explain your absence. A note must accompany your child upon his/her return to school if the absence is to be excused.

Excused Absences: student illness, death in the family, religious holidays, or family emergency when student is needed to help with family responsibilities
Vacations are unexcused. Teachers are not required to give make-up work.

Regular attendance is extremely important! Please make every effort to have your child at school each day. If a student has five or more unexcused absences, a referral will be made to the Metro Schools Attendance Office or to the Attendance Review Board, an arm of the Metropolitan Nashville/Davidson County Juvenile Court.

Make up Work – Students with an EXCUSED absence shall be provided the opportunity to receive assignments missed during the absence and to make up the work upon their return for the full grade. Make up work must be requested by the student or parent no later than three days after returning to school. The work should be turned in at a mutually agreed time frame between the teacher and the student. The attendance record is not changed when missed work is completed. At the PreK-12 level, students with UNEXCUSED absences will be provided the opportunity to make up work at the discretion of the classroom teacher or building administrator. A suspension is an unexcused absence.

Arrival and Dismissal
School begins at 8:00a.m. School doors open at 7:30am , please do not drop off your child any earlier due to lack of supervision. Students are allowed to go to classrooms at 7:45am. Students must be seated and ready to begin the instructional day when announcements begin at 8:00 am . Students arriving after 8:00am are tardy. Students arriving between 8:00 and the end of first period (8:51) go directly to their classes and sign in as tardy in the classroom. Students arriving after first period will report to the office to sign in. Students are dismissed at 3:00 p.m. Children must be picked up by 3:30 p.m.

Birthday Parties Reference MNPS policy # IM 4.146 Appendix A
Birthday parties are not allowed during school hours. If parents wish, they may send in a healthy snack (See policy at www.mnps.org) to be eaten during lunch time in the cafeteria. Birthday party invitations may not be given out at school, unless invitations are brought for every child in the classroom.

Before and After School Care
Our school has Fun Company from 6:30am to 7:30am and from 3:00pm to 6:00pm every day. For more information, parents can inquire in the office or call · YMCA Fun Company 566-2222

Breakfast and Lunch
Breakfast & Lunch are served daily in the cafeteria. Students should arrive by 7:30 a.m. if eating breakfast. Both are provided free of charge to ALL families regardless of need. Students are welcome to pack their own lunches and bring them to school.

Bullying Reference MNPS policy # SP.6.110
MNPS strives to provide a positive educational environment that prohibits any type of intimidation or bullying of students. Intimidation or bullying should be reported to any staff member, who must report the incident to the principal. The principal must take prompt action to prevent future harm. Guidelines for investigating bullying allegations will be followed and appropriate actions will be implemented to address and alleviate bullying behavior.

“This policy addresses conduct that takes place off school grounds, at any school sponsored activity, on school-sponsored transportation, at any official school bus stop immediately before boarding and immediately after leaving school transportation of any kind. Bullying that begins off-campus can be considered school related if it interferes with school activities, causes a disruption at school or interferes with the rights of students. Any incidents that occur in an after-school program will be referred to the afterschool program provider for discipline.”

CELL PHONE POLICY
A student may possess a cellular telephone, on school property, at after school activities and at school-related functions, provided that during school hours and on a school bus the cell phone remains off, not on vibrate, and is concealed in a personal backpack or locker. Students are not allowed to carry cell phones in pockets or purses.
Possession of a cellular telephone by a student is a privilege. Phones will be forfeited by any student who fails to abide by the terms of this policy.
1st violation     Phone is confiscated,  parent conferene
2nd violation     Phone is confiscated, parent conference is required, up to 3 days ISS
3rd violation    Phone is confiscated; parent conference required, up to 3 days OSS
Cell phones are not to be used for any of the following:

• Text messaging that contains inappropriate content, profanity, or threats to others.
• Cheating on tests.
• Taking or showing inappropriate photographs.
• Calling outside groups or individuals to participate in fights, retaliate, or participate in other inappropriate activities on the school grounds or at school events.

The student who possesses a cellular phone shall assume responsibility for its care. At no time shall Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools be responsible for preventing theft, loss, or damage to cell phones brought onto its property.
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Cheating
Meigs students are expected to adhere to a high standard of conduct and integrity. Cheating is not tolerated. Cheating may be, but is not limited to: copying from another student's paper, plagarism, and substituting a peer's name for another's on a paper or assignment. Any student in violation of this policy is subject to immediate discipline.

1st offense:   Automatic "0" on the assignment, referral for cheating, call to parent by teacher, conference with principal.
2nd offense:  Automatic "0" on the assignment, referral for cheating, call to parent, mandatory conference with parent and principal.
3rd offense:   Principal discretion

Conferences
The faculty is ready to discuss any concerns you might have about your child and his/her experiences at our school. To protect the instructional time of our students, please call your child’s guidance counselor and arrange a convenient time to meet with your child’s teacher. There will be no impromptu conferences before or after school.

Custody
Custodial parents are encouraged to provide the school with all current and relevant legal documentation showing any restrictions to a natural parent’s visitation. If this is not provided, a parent proving legitimate connection to a student has parental rights under the non-custodial legal provisions of access. This includes all student records and could involve release of the student, if we have not received documents proving otherwise.

Dress Code
·Students may wear sweatshirt hoodies, sweaters, or light weight jackets inside the building as long as the hood is not covering the student’s head indoors, and as long as there are no inappropriate images or writing on them.

Students may wear any collared shirt as long as it does not display any inappropriate writing or images. They may also wear MeigsWear collarless t-shirts. Shirts do not have to be tucked in, but they must be of an appropriate size and length – not too long, too short, too large, or too small. Shirts must be long enough not to show any midriff or skin when students are involved in activities, and not so long that hems are hanging around the knees.
Pants, shorts, skorts and jumpers must extend below fingertips. Leggings may only be worn with pants, skorts, shorts, and jumpers that are the appropriate below fingertip length over them. No clothing that is too long, too short, too tight, too loose.
Students may wear jeans/denim as well as cargo pants/shorts, provided they are a solid color, they are not patched, ripped, ragged, frayed, or holey, do not have any inappropriate writing or embroidery on them, and are the appropriate length. Gym shorts are not acceptable outside the gym. MeigsWear shorts are okay. Pants must not be too large or skin tight. “Jeggings” are too tight. 
Pants must be worn at the waist, no low riding or low-slung hip-huggers. Belts are suggested but not required. Absolutely no sagging is allowed.
All outerwear such as long or over-sized raincoats and heavy cold-weather jackets or coats may not be worn in the classroom. They must be stored in the student’s locker during the day.
No see-through clothing of any kind is acceptable.
Appropriate footwear must be worn at all times. No flip-flops. No house shoes. No bedroom slippers. Sandals must have a strap on the heel.
Head coverings such as bandanas, scarves, sweatbands, caps, do-rags, or hairnets are not allowed. See Special provisions for exceptions.
Tattoos that display drugs, alcohol, or tobacco products, gang or sex-related words are not to be seen at any time.
Chains and spiked accessories are not allowed.
IDs must be in the student’s possession at all times.
Special Provisions
Approved head covering worn as part of a student’s bona fide religious practices or beliefs shall not be prohibited under this policy. Meigs will provide reasonable accommodation to students whose bona fide religious belief, medical condition, or disability requires special clothing.
Meigs Magnet reserves the right to modify this policy as necessary and reserves the right to determine what might be disruptive and safe.

Early Dismissal
Teachers use every minute of the instructional day and early releases create a disruption for students. No students will be dismissed after 2:45. Exclusions to this policy include religious training, doctor/dentist visits, guidance sessions, or other activities approved by the principal.

Our school cares about the safety of your children. Therefore, children will not be dismissed from their classrooms. All parents and visitors must come to the office to sign a student out of school. Office personnel will then call the appropriate classroom, and have the child dismissed to the office. Students will only be dismissed to adults listed on the student profile form. Anyone picking up a child must show identification.

Message Board
Sometimes it is necessary for parents to get a message to students during the school day. Please do not call your child’s teacher and leave a message, since the teacher may not check voice mail until after the end of the day. Instead, please call the main office and speak to either Mrs. Knight or Mrs. Forrest. They will take your message and place it on the message board. Your child will be called to the office at the end of the day during the afternoon announcements to get the message.

Emergency Information
The Student Emergency Information card is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. Please return it as soon as possible. Telephone numbers, cell phones, work phone, pagers, and emergency contacts are especially important in the event of illness or emergency. Should these numbers change during the school year, please notify the school office immediately, so that we may update our records.

Fees
Each student may be asked to purchase one or more workbooks. On other occasions, parents may be asked to pay for field trips, donate items used for special activities, or class snacks. If your child is on reduced or free lunch and you feel that you cannot pay the requested amount, just send a note to the classroom teacher.

Grades
MNPS assists students and parents in monitoring student academic progress by:
1. Sending student TCAP results home annually
2. Sending report cards after each grading period
3. Sending progress reports home in the middle of each grading period
4. Making Infinite Campus accessible to parents for daily monitoring of academic progress
The most current dates are indicated on the MNPS District Calendar which can be located on the MNPS website, www.mnps.org Students and parents are encouraged to contact the appropriate school staff should they have any questions or concerns with individual student needs.

Homework Policy
Homework is an extension of classroom learning. All classes will have homework at least three evenings each week. It is suggested that the amount of homework not exceed 45 minutes for grade 5. If your child is spending more than that amount of time in any subject, please contact the teacher.

Illness
Your child’s health is extremely important to us, and we need your help in maintaining a healthy environment for all of our children. Please be protective of your child and other children by not sending your child to school if he/she exhibits any of the following signs of illness: fever above 100 degrees, diarrhea, vomiting. Any child with these symptoms must be kept at home a full 24 hours without symptoms before returning to school.

• Head Lice – If your child should become infested with head lice, it is the policy of the district that he/she may not return to school until you have obtained a statement from your physician or the Health Department stating that your child is nit free. You may visit Lentz Health Center for a health care release (free of cost). A student’s absence will only be excused for three days following being sent home for infestations.

• Strep Throat – Students should not return to school until at least 24 hours after beginning antibiotic therapy and being fever free.

• Communicable Disease – If a child develops chickenpox, mumps, measles, strep throat, or “pink eye,” your child must have a doctor’s statement stating the child is not contagious and may return to school.

Liability for Textbooks and Other School Materials
It is the responsibility of the school principal to protect school properties including textbooks, band instruments, electronic gear, and other loaned materials and equipment. The principal or principals’ designee may apply any or all of the following sanctions against pupils who refuse or fail to pay for lost or damaged materials at the replacement cost.

· Refuse to issue any additional textbooks until restitution is made
· Withhold grade card in all subjects, diplomas, certificates of progress, or transcripts until restitution is made.
· Exclude students from school events, including graduation.

Lost & Found
Place lost articles on the lost and found table which is located in the cafeteria. Report articles as soon as they are missing. Please have your child check the table for their missing items.

Media Permission
Throughout the school year, television, radio and print reporters may cover activities at our school. Students may only be taped, interviewed, or photographed with parental permission. So we can abide by your wishes, please complete the media permission located in the Student Code of Conduct book and return to your school.

Students will also be given the opportunity to visit educational websites. Students will only be able to participate in these activities with your written permission. This permission is also included on the signature page of the Code of Conduct Book, if you would like for your child to participate.

Medication Reference MNPS policy # SP 6.129
A student may not take medication at school without WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PARENT AND A DOCTOR. SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS OF THE AMOUNT AND TIME OF DOSAGE MUST BE CLEAR. THE MEDICATION MUST ALSO BE IN ITS ORIGINAL CONTAINER. Permission slips are available in the office. We discourage bringing antibiotics to school. Most can be given conveniently before a child comes to school and then immediately after getting home in the afternoon.

Money
Please do not allow your child to bring money to school for anything other than lunch, supplies, field trips, bookstore purchases, or school-sponsored fundraisers. When sending money to school, please secure it in a sealed envelope with the following information on the outside on the envelope:
· Child’s name
· Teacher’s name
· Amount enclosed
· Purpose of sending the money

Checks are permitted. Any checks returned for insufficient funds will eliminate that family’s privilege of writing a check to the school or PTO. A significant fee will also be charged by our check collection agency.

Office Routines (for students)
· Come into the office quietly without disturbing others and their work
· Come with written permission or an office pass
· Wait for someone to assist you if you need medication
· Ask permission from your teacher and the secretary before you use the telephone

PTO
Our School’s Parent Teacher Organization needs your support! Please join us for the meetings. Find out more here.

Recognition Lists
We are proud to honor students who demonstrate outstanding accomplishments, for example, character education awards and honor roll. If you do not wish to have your child or your child’s name publicly recognized, please fill out the front of the Student Code of Conduct book.

School Visitors
We welcome visitors to our school! Please report directly to the office, sign in, and obtain a visitor’s badge. Faculty and staff members are to challenge anyone who does not have a visitor’s pass.

Snow Days
When it is necessary to dismiss early or close schools, local radio and television stations will notify the community. Please do not call the school office and tie up the phone lines. These should be kept open for emergencies. We encourage you to go over emergency plans for your child in the event of an early dismissal. Teachers need a record of your plan, as well. Also, be reminded that when school is cancelled due to weather, all middle school sports are also cancelled.

Tardiness
Students are expected to arrive on time for school each day. Excessive tardiness and early dismissals are documented and may affect your child’s continuation in the magnet school.

Toys
Toys, games, trading cards (of any kind), music players, game players, headphones, and other like items, should not be brought to school unless requested by a teacher IN WRITING for special purposes. If an item of this nature is brought without the teacher’s permission, the item will be held at school until picked up by a parent. At the end of the school year, all unclaimed items will be discarded.

Meigs Middle Magnet School Discipline Plan

The staff of Meigs Middle Magnet School believes that no one has the right to disturb the learning environment. We believe that our students can and should behave appropriately. We believe that appropriate behavior should be modeled, encouraged and acknowledged. Those beliefs have led to the development of our school-wide discipline plan.

Our plan carries key elements of research-based classroom management programs which state that positive behavior has a positive effect on classroom instruction, and, therefore, student retention of material. Our plan acknowledges that when rules are broken, consequences occur. Conversely, we know that good behavior should be recognized. Students should be motivated to behave appropriately; sometimes, tangible rewards will encourage students to become accustomed to appropriate behavior. The Meigs discipline plan has enough flexibility to allow staff members to counsel students who may not understand the reasons for certain rules and procedures. Classroom teachers have flexibility as well in methods of motivation and individual classroom expectations.
In support of our beliefs, we have established the following Three Major Expectations for Behavior. (Examples of each follow each expectation:)

Students will be RESPECTFUL.
· Be kind to self and others (bullying and harassment will not be tolerated)
· Take care of school property
· Listen courteously to instruction, directions, etc.
· Respect personal space.( keep hands, feet, objects to self)
· Listen when others are talking
· Dress appropriately for school
· Be positive. (keep negative comments to self)
· Be on time for school/class
Students will be RESPONSIBLE.
· Make good choices
· Take care of yourself
· Keep up with your books, pencils, jackets, etc.
· Complete work on time
· Listen and follow directions
· Carry ID Badge at all times
Students will be RESOURCEFUL.
• Come to class prepared for success
• Have needed materials (paper, pencil, planner, books, etc.)
· Try to solve problems or locate needed information on your own before asking teachers for assistance
· Use materials wisely, recycling when possible