Welcome to the Jaguars team!

1. Welcome to the Jaguars team! Mr. Henry’s Social Studies Room 418

2. CORE PLUS: September 4, 2012 Core plus time is intended to be a silent study hall period each day prior to lunch. It will be administered as such. At the start of each core plus period, students will read silently for ten (10) minutes, UNLESS any of the scenarios below apply to you: 1. If you have missed school recently and need to visit with another teacher in order to collect missing assignments or submit make-up work, you will fill out your planner and do so during this period. 2. If you have a signed agenda from another teacher requesting that you visit them for the administration of a test or quiz, you can show that to your core plus teacher, and be on your way. Otherwise, you need to have a book to read! After you have completed the mandatory ten (10) minutes of silent reading, you may work on homework assignments or, if you prefer, continue reading. Any behavior which undermines the learning environment during this period is unacceptable. Today, you will be reading and reviewing the Student Code of Conduct, Dress Code, and Honor Code, each of which are located in your student agendas. Then, we’ll discuss some of the Jaguar’s disciplinary system and school rules!

3. The Jaguars Team – Procedures& Expectations The Jaguars Team consists of the eight teachers below: Ms. Abrams, Core and Advanced Science Ms. Gay, Core and Advanced Science Mr. Henry, Advanced Social Studies Ms. Solheim, Core and Advanced English Ms. Thompson, Advanced Social Studies Ms. Trojnar, Core and Advanced English Ms. Reyes, Algebra I, Math 7 Ms. Parker, Algebra I, Math Seven

4. The Jaguar Team Disciplinary System The Jaguar Team Any time that you are with one of the aforementioned teachers, you are expected to conduct yourself in a way that encourages learning in the classroom. Excitement and vigor for learning are expected, but any conduct which undermines the teacher’s lesson or is hurtful to the learning community is unacceptable. We want you to behave in the right manner simply because that’s the right thing to do! Conducting yourself in a thoughtful way, and considering the consequences of your actions on others is important in and of itself.

5. Infractions and Transgressions Tardiness to class Dress code violations Disruption of instruction Disrespect towards teachers and staff Insubordination Gum chewing We assume from the very beginning that you know how to conduct yourself in a classroom. Your disciplinary history and your outstanding academic records suggest to us that you know the difference between right and wrong behaviors, and that you make good choices the vast majority of the time. Nevertheless, there may be some different points of emphasis when it comes to conduct and responsibilities in the seventh grade than there were in sixth grade. Consider the behaviors the Jaguars want to discourage on the right! Now, reflect!

6. A few special points of emphasis this year… #1 – Bring a book to core plus time every day. Core plus time will be used as a study hall period and incorporate silent reading on a daily basis. Accordingly, any student who does not have a book to read is unprepared for class. #2 – We will be lining up and walking silently to the cafeteria. Since the Jaguars classrooms are immediately beside the cafeteria, this should not be a very difficult mission to execute. #3 – Bring your planner to every class, everyday. It is both your calendar and your hall pass, and school rules require that you have it. Think of it as your driver’s license. And if you lose it, replace it right away! ($8.00)

7. The Jaguars Team Classroom management and the disciplinary system

8. STEP ONE. Verbal Warning and/or Conferences with Student There are times when we get distracted or off task – everyone does! But when you’re in a class of thirty exceptionally intelligent learners, we have to all cooperate as much as possible to reduce distractions and off-task behavior. Your teachers are going to provide you with a range of verbal and non-verbal cues to ask you to correct your own behavior when we notice that you have become distracted. When your teachers give you “that look” or tap on your desk, or simply ask you to get back on task, respond the right way!

9. STEP TWO. The S.T.O.P. Sign: Student Time Out Program. STOP If reminding you to stay on task doesn’t work, your teacher will issue a S.T.O.P. sign. The S.T.O.P. sign is your last opportunity to correct your behavior before you are formally reprimanded. When you are issued a S.T.O.P. sign, you may or may not be sent out of the room – to another Jaguar teacher’s classroom – to complete a brief behavior modification assignment. Once you have completed the work, you will take it home to your parent or guardian, who will review the issue with you, and sign the document. You are responsible for bringing the signed document back to your teacher the very next day – whether or not you are scheduled to see them in class that day! If you choose not to have your S.T.O.P. sign signed by a parent or guardian, a phone call to your parents will follow. This will serve as your final warning prior to the assignment of detention.

10. STEP THREE. Teacher Detention A third transgression will result in a teacher issued detention period. TEACHER DETENTION: Lunch detentions will take place in the cafeteria, where students will be isolated from their peers for silent lunch. Any misbehavior during lunch detention will result in an afternoon detention period. Afternoon detentions will be supervised by one of the core teachers from 3:45 to 5:20, and students will have the option of taking the activity bus home (to the entrance of your local neighborhood.)

11. STEP FOUR. Referral to the Office If a teacher issued detention is not sufficient to change your behavior, then grudgingly, students will be referred to the office. All of the disciplinary action taken by school administrators will be part of your academic record going forth. The seventh grade principal for student discipline is Mr. Marchione. DO NOT BE ROTTEN!

12. Academic Detentions In addition, please be informed that failure to complete assigned work during class due to off task behavior or insufficient work ethic may result in an academic detention. At the discretion of the instructor, academic detentions may be assigned for the morning, between 8:00 AM and 8:45 AM; during the lunch period, or in the afternoons from 3:50 PM to 5:30 PM. Academic detentions are an opportunity to redeem poor grades which result from inattentiveness, off-task behavior, or poor work ethic. During academic detentions, students will be required to complete missing assignments or incomplete work. Skipping an academic detention will almost certainly result in scholastic underachievement, and may also result in further disciplinary action. Gasp!

13. The Jaguars Team Orientation The Princess Anne Middle School Honor Code

14. THE HONOR CODE at PAMS THE PRINCESS ANNE MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR CODE “I accept responsibility for my own actions, and I promise to uphold the honor code of Princess Anne Middle by neither giving nor receiving unauthorized help on any quiz, test, exam, or other assignment.” Honor Code First Infraction • The teacher will give a zero on the assignment. • The teacher will contact parents. • The incident will be reported to an assistant principal. Honor Code Second Infraction If the student violates the Honor Code a second time (or additional times), in addition to the above, the student is subject to the following disciplinary action(s) as prescribed in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Code of Student Conduct appropriate to the (2012-2013) academic school year. • Parent conference • In-School-Suspension (I.S.S.) for one to three days • Other measures as deemed appropriate Every assignment which is submitted for a grade must adhere to the requirements of the school honor code. Copying answers on homework assignments, looking on another student’s paper, submitting the work of someone else (including family members!), and plagiarism are all serious offenses which undermine academic integrity. You will be graded on the merit of your own work, and any violations of the school honor code will be reported and prosecuted accordingly.