SOUTHEASTMIDDLE SCHOOL
STAFF HANDBOOK
2013-2014
SCHEDULES
8th Grade
7:00 – 7:30 / Homebase7:28 / Pledge of Allegiance
7:30 – 7:35 / Dress Code Check
7:38-8:23 / 1st Period (Encore)
8:27 – 9:13 / 2nd Period (Encore)
9:20 – 10:25 / 3rd Period
10:29 – 11:55 / 4th Period + Lunch
11:59 – 12:57 / 5th Period
1:01 – 2:00 / 6th Period
7th Grade
7:00 – 7:30 / Homebase7:28 / Pledge of Allegiance
7:30 – 7:35 / Dress Code Check
7:30 – 12:15 / Core Classes
12:20 – 1:05 / 5th Period (Encore)
1:10 – 2:00 / 6th Period (Encore)
6th Grade
7:00 – 7:30 / Homebase7:28 / Pledge of Allegiance
7:30 – 7:35 / Dress Code Check
7:30 – 9:29 / Core Classes
9:34 – 10:19 / 3rd Period (Encore)
10:24 – 11:09 / 4th Period (Encore)
11:24 – 2:00 / Core Classes
ARRIVAL TIME FOR STAFF
All staff members are to be signed in on the staff sheet in the main office AND in their homebase class or at their assigned duty spot no later than 7:00am. Remember that students enter the building at 7:00, so staff members are expected to be present and prepared so that students are supervised properly.
LUNCH SCHEDULE
Please follow the lunch schedule by arriving and leaving at your assigned times. This will enable us to stay on schedule for all grade levels.
WEATHER DELAY SCHEDULE
We will have a one-hour and two-hour delay schedule posted when bad weather arises. All grade levels and encore teachers will receive a short planning period during the day. The encore teachers will teach one elective at each grade level on that day. We will run a normal lunch schedule on these days.
STAFF WORK HOURS
Work hours for certified staff:
Monday7:00—3:30
Tuesday7:00—2:30
Wednesday7:00—2:30
Thursday7:00—2:30
Friday7:00—2:30
Classified staff will work an 8 hour work day.
WEEKLY PLANNING PD. MEETINGS
MondayTeam Meeting
TuesdayCurriculum Meetings (see SSC)
WednesdayCurriculum Meetings (see SSC)
ThursdayGrade Level Mtg./Team Mtg.
FridayGrade Level Mtg./Team Mtg.
SINGLE SCHOOL CULTURE
The Single School Culture model is being used in the WSFCS system. Weekly curriculum (SSC) meetings are required by the district. All team members are expected to attend, participate, and play an active role in these meetings.
The purpose of the curriculum meetings is to share ideas, analyze student data, develop common assessments, and “unpack” standards. These meetings are not the place to print progress reports, run copies, or to talk about student discipline issues. By focusing on data and student achievement, we will experience positive outcomes, such as more efficient use of planning time and higher student achievement gains.
All core and EC teachers are required to attend the weekly curriculum meetings. This is a sacred meeting time. Parent conferences, IEP meetings, etc., are not to be scheduled at this time. The Learning Team Facilitators (LTF) will oversee the meetings. Administration will visit curriculum meetings.
Minutes of the weekly curriculum meetings are required to be submitted weekly to the principal.
The curriculum meeting schedule should be staggered during the planning block so that teachers who have multiple subject areas can attend both meetings and EC teachers can participate as well.
DATA NOTEBOOKS
Core teachers will use a data notebook. Teachers will keep EOG scores, EVAAS data, Blue Diamond results, and other sources of data in the notebook. Teachers are to bring this with them to their weekly curriculum meetings for data discussion. The Curriculum Coordinator will assist in organization of the information and how to best utilize the data.
MONDAY MEETINGS
Monday afternoons are considered our “sacred” meeting times. Please do not schedule doctor appointments or other events during this time. Attendance is mandatory. A tentative schedule for Monday meetings will be provided for you. Monday meetings will include:
Staff meetings
School Improvement Team meetings
Vertical departmental meetings
Curriculum meetings
Committee meetings
Staff development/training
GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS
Grade level meetings will typically be held once per month (sometimes more) and take place during the second planning period of your planning block. The Curriculum Coordinator and/or administrator will be present. Purpose of these meetings include:
Curriculum issues
SIT issues
Administration information
Testing training/information
Technology training
SUPERVISORY DUTIES
All teachers will have one supervisory hallway
duty during their planning block. Teachers are
expected to be on time for their duty and properly
supervise the students during that particular class
change. Please see the SEMS Supervision packet for
more details.
LEAVING CAMPUS
Staff members are expected to remain on campus for
the duration of the school day. If anyone needs to
leave campus for any reason, they must obtain verbal
administrator approval first and then fill out the
stafflog in the main office. If you do not receive
verbalapproval, you may not leave campus. Abuse of
thisprivilege will be addressed by the administration
onan individual basis.
ORGANIZATIONAL
INSTRUCTIONS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcements are posted daily in the morning during homebase and during the afternoon on the TV. Administration will scroll any announcements that require immediate attention during the day. If you would like an AM or PM announcement posted, please submit your announcement in writing to the main office at least 24 hours in advance. Please indicate the period of time that the message will need to run (no more than 1-2 days).
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
School Board Policy 6115 states that all WSFCS schools recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily. No student shall be required to stand, salute, or even recite the Pledge, but the student may not talk nor disrupt the recitation of the Pledge by others. Homebase teachers are to conduct the pledge with their students at 7:28 each morning.
ARRIVAL ROUTES
All bus riders will enter through the 8th grade hall and report directly to their homebase.
Car riders will enter through the front doors of the school and report to homebase. Any cars riders that arrive in the bus parking lot will enter through the 8th grade hall and report to homebase.
DISMISSAL ROUTES
In order to make the afternoon dismissal as smooth as possible, we will use the following traffic patterns for a staggered dismissal:
6th Grade: Bus riders will be escorted to the bus lot, walking down both sides of the 700 hallway or using the back sidewalk. 6th grade car riders and walkers will be escorted to the front of the building.
7th Grade: Bus riders will be escorted to the bus lot, walking down both sides of the 700 hallway, after the 6th grade has cleared. 7th grade car riders and walkers will be escorted to the front of the building by encore teachers.
8th Grade: Will dismiss in waves down the 8th grade hall starting after 6th and 7th graders have cleared. Once the class has been dismissed by administration, bus riders will exit out to the bus lot and onto the bus after visiting their lockers. Walkers and car riders will go to their lockers and report to the front of the school building.
BREAKFAST
Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria from 7:00-7:35 each morning. Students must check in to homebase first and then must carry a breakfast pass with them to the cafeteria. These passes are distributed by each homebase teacher. Students are expected to follow all hallway expectations for movement, get their food in the cafeteria, and then return to the homebase classroom to eat. Students are to throw away all trash. Please be sure that students do not throw away full milk/juice cartons. If your trash is full at the end of the homebase, then you may empty it into the trash barrel in the hallway.
DRESS CODE CHECK
All staff members will perform a student dress code check each morning. Students in violation of the dress code policy will be instructed to correct the issue immediately and verify with that staff member. Students who are non-compliant or who need to call home should be sent to Room #712 for the Dress Code Check. Staff will be available in this room from 7:30 – 7:35am to resolve any remaining dress code issues. The staff member should fill out a Dress Code Pass for the student to report to the Dress Code Check. Please see the Dress Code Check Procedures for more detailed information.
CUSTODIAL ASSISTANCE
Everyone will need to pitch in and help to keep our school clean. Teachers are responsible for emptying their classroom trash cans. Trash barrels will be in each hallway throughout the day. It is recommended that the trash can be emptied after breakfast and then again at the end of the day.
END OF DAY ROUTINES
Please be sure to take care of the following items as you prepare to leave each school day:
Close and lock all windows and close blinds.
- Trash should be picked up off the floor and placed in trash can.
Trash emptied into hallway cans.
Turn off all computers, monitors, TV’s and electronics.
Turn off all lights and lock door.
Report any issues with the facility to the main office.
LOCKS AND LOCKERS
After students have paid their fees, they may be issued a lock and locker. Please advise students that they may only use their assigned lock and locker. They may only use a school-issued lock on their locker. Others will be removed from the locker by administrators.
Please make sure that all students know how to properly open their lock and locker. Common issues with locks include not closing the lock,
leaving the lock in the locker, setting the lock on the last number to open when they return, and giving others the combination. Students are responsible for their lock. If it is lost or stolen, they will need to pay the $4.50 fee to the homebase teacher in order to get a new one. Locks are considered lost/missing unless it is proven that it is stolen.
STUDENT AGENDA (PLANNER)
During the first week of school, teachers/teams are expected to review the student handbook with students.
Students receive their first agenda free of charge. If they lose, fold, cut, or mutilate their agenda book, then they will be required to replace the book for $5.00.
The back page of the planner serves as the student’s hall pass. A staff member must sign the student’s planner and document the time in order for them to travel. If the hall pass is not signed and timed, the student will be denied access to their destination.
The agenda book serves as an important communication tool for students, parents, and teachers. Teachers should have their assignments posted for students to copy each week in their agenda. There is also a space in the book for teachers and parents to communicate.
CLASSROOM SETUP
Teachers should create an environment that is inviting and orderly.
Classrooms should be kept neat and clean. It should be easy to move around the room.
Each classroom will have at least one desktop computer (in addition to teacher computer). This desktop is not to be removed from the room at any time.
CHAMPS posters should be displayed.
Bulletin boards should be kept current with relevant information.
Student work should be displayed. Work should be relevant and current.
Teachers are encouraged to make use of word walls.
Weekly homework/deadlines for assignments for the team(except for 8th grade) should be posted in a specific location. All core areas should be represented. Students should be given a routine time each week to write their assignments in their agenda.
A student-friendly essential question or objective should be posted in the room. This should be kept current.
Evacuation routes (map) and they safety clipboard are required to be posted by the classroom door.
LESSON PLANS
All teachers are required to create and implement lesson plans in accordance with the Common Core/Essentials Standards for their subject area. These plans should be available at any timeif an administrator requests to see them. Lesson plans may be required to be turned in if an administrator deems necessary.
COPYING/PRINTING
Each teacher will have access to three copiers in the staff workroom. Staff may use these copiers as needed. All staff are encouraged to use the WSFCS Print Shop for large quantities of copies.
Each area of the school is equipped with a printer. Staff members are only to print one copy of a document. No sets or multiples of a document are to be printed – those are to be copied on the copiers.
If there is an issue with a copier or printer, please see Susie Hook or Sheree Raya in the main office. Staff members are not to attempt to repair any copiers or printers. The issue will be resolved by the main office staff as time permits.
If you need any materials laminated or wish to create a poster, please turn in your original document to Susie Hook in the main office. The main office staff will complete that process and return the materials to you in 2-3 days. Staff members are not permitted to use the laminator or poster maker.
TEACHER ABSENCES
If you are sick, please contact the Subfinder system at 661-6549 or online before 6:00am to register the absence. The sooner the absence is submitted, the more likely a substitute will take the job. If you have an emergency that morning after 6:00am, please contact Susie Hook, Lead Secretary, as quickly as possible.
It is the responsibility of the staff member to register your absence with Subfinder unless you have worked out a plan with Susie Hook.
If you know in advance that you are going to be absent for a doctor’s appointment for a half-day or an entire day (during instructional time), you may go ahead and register the absence well ahead of time. If you have a doctor’s appointment during non-instructional time (during planning) only, then you can take sick leave in one-hour increments, but you must see the principalfor prior approval first.
Any incremental leave (i.e. two hours of sick time) is not to be entered into Subfinder by the staff member. It is to be entered by the Lead Secretary. Substitute teachers can only work a half day (7:30 – 11:00 or 11:00 – 2:30) or a full day – they may not work in incremental time.
Teachers are expected to turn in absence documentation to Susie Hook in the main office. It will be kept in your personnel file.
If you need to take a half or entire personal day, you must have this absence pre-approved by the principal. You must fill out a pre-approval sheet and turn it in to Susie Hook.
Teachers may not earn “comp” time for any reason. Teachers are contracted to work their school day and may not “trade out” time for any reason. For example, if you work a music concert, you may not trade out that two hours and leave early from school the next day. In addition, the school cannot readily provide coverage for a teacher so that they may leave campus. In case of emergency, the administration will work with that staff member to resolve the situation.
It is the responsibility of all staff members to keep up with their leave time. This information is available on your online pay stub. In addition, Susie Hook, Lead Secretary, can look up an individual’s personal, annual, or sick leave time. If a staff member is requesting a personal day and they have no personal days accumulated, then they will either not be approved for a day off or they will be permitted to take the day without pay (a day without pay is significantly more expensive than a personal day).
ABSORPTION PLAN
Teams and teachers are expected to have a student absorption plan in place. The purpose of this plan is to have a location for students to go to if the teacher has an emergency that requires them to leave campus or if a substitute is not readily available. The students will then be absorbed into other classrooms during that period. A copy of the absorption plan should be on your safety clipboard and in the main office. The principal reserves the right to override the absorption plan and have other teachers cover classrooms in emergency situations.
SUBSTITUTE FOLDERS
All teachers are required to have a substitute folder for any absences. The substitute folder must have required pieces of information, such as the Substitute Info Sheet, class rosters, seating charts, schedules, and lesson plans. The folder should be housed in your staff mailbox at all times. This process will eliminate the need to email lesson plans to staff at the last minute—they more than likely do not have the time first thing in the morning to take care of your lesson plan.