School Policies & Procedures

Trespassing

Although our campus contains an elementary, middle, and high school, each school operates as a separate school. No student is allowed to be at any other school campus without prior permission from a teacher or administrator before, during, or after school. Students found at the elementary or high school campus without prior permission will be considered trespassing.

Grading / Report Cards

Report cards are issued at the end of each quarter.  Interim reports are issued halfway through each quarter.

Grading Scale:
A 90-100
B 80-99
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 59 and below

Promotion Policy:
To be promoted, students shall:
1. Demonstrate proficiency in grade level Language Arts and Math by scoring Level III or IV on EOG tests.
2. Attain a passing course grade in language arts, math, either social studies or science, and a minimum of 50% of remaining courses taken.

Power School Parent Portal

The Power School Parent Portal is designed to provide students and parents with access to electronic records. All Leesville students will be issued an account. Parents may obtain a separate Power School account upon request after completing the appropriate application form, which requires picture identification to process.

Homework

Assignments will be an extension of learning. They will relate specifically to skills, concepts, and facts introduced in the classroom, keeping in mind the availability of resources and materials. Homework should be assigned regularly and on appropriate student levels. School agendas will be used by students to record assignments on a daily basis.

Other methods of posting assignments, including the use of the Internet, are encouraged as well.

Due to individual abilities, it is impossible to dictate specific time parameters for homework; however, a general recommended guideline is that daily homework should total approximately 90 minutes per day. If no written homework is assigned, students are encouraged to read at least 45 minutes each night. Adequate time and intermediate benchmarks should be provided for the preparation of long-term assignments. Teams will work to coordinate the types and amount of homework given on a regular basis.

Health & Medication

Please direct medical concerns to our guidance technician at (919) 870-4141 and your call will be directed to the nurse if necessary. The nurse is on site one day a week and can be reached by school personnel in case of emergency. Any student with a temperature of 100 or more should remain at home and must be fever free (without medication) for 24 hours before returning to school.

North Carolina’s Student Immunization Law requires all students to be adequately immunized according to their age and grade level.

All students who visit the health room must have a pass signed by his/her teacher before coming to the health room. Students should not come to the health room between classes or at lunch without permission from a staff member. No over- the-counter medication will be given to any student by school staff.

Medication: If medication for a student’s well being and ability to function in school cannot be scheduled outside the school day, school officials may administer medication if one of the following criteria is met:

1. All medication (including oral and topical, prescription and non-prescription) may only be administered to students by school staff if the parent has submitted “The Parent Request and Physician’s Order for Medication Form 1702.” This form must be properly completed and signed by both parent and physician. All medication forms must be updated at the beginning of each school year and any time there is a change in the dosage prescribed.
2. Students may carry one dose of over-the- counter medication for relief of minor discomforts-headaches, cramps, muscle aches, etc. All medicine must be kept in its original packaging. Any student carrying a bottle with more doses or sharing medication will be investigated for possible suspension.
3. Students may self-medicate with asthma inhalers or epipens if ordered by their doctor. There must be a #1702 form completed and on file in the student services office. This is a prescription medication and staff should have information on file about the medication- especially for emergency purposes.

Locks and Lockers

The homeroom teacher issues lockers to students at the beginning of the school year. School locks must be used and can be purchased from the PTSA for $5.00. The lock is yours to keep and can be reused each year. Unauthorized locks will be removed by administration. For security reasons, students may not exchange lockers, combinations, or locks. Lockers should be locked at all times and are not an appropriate place to store money, jewelry, or valuables. Students are responsible for any damage to the locker. Student lockers remain the property of the school. School authorities have a responsibility and a right to examine the contents of a locker for health, safety, or security reasons. Failure to comply with all rules relating to lockers may jeopardize the use of a locker. Administration will charge appropriate fines for locker damage.

Personal Belongings / Electronic Devices

Students are responsible for personal belongings brought to school. Students should not bring valuable items or large amounts of cash to campus. Electronic devices are permitted for instructional use through our BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program. Consult the BYOD section of our website for more information. Students should never leave an electronic device unattended.

Only money needed for lunch or after-school events should be brought to school. Personal belongings such as books, purses, bookbags, etc. should not be left unattended. All personal items should be marked with the student's name. If a student chooses to bring any valuable items / electronic devices to school, Leesville Middle School assumes no liability for lost/stolen items.

Per board policy, if a student is using a BYOD electronic device inappropriately during the school day, a staff member will confiscate the device and turn it in to the main office to be picked up by a parent/guardian. The parent/guardian must sign for the phone and present picture identification. Repeat offenders could lose privileges and face other consequences.

Lost and Found

A Lost and Found area is located in the main office. Students who find books or other items are required to turn them in to a staff member or the main office. All unclaimed items will be donated to charity at the end of each quarter. Students in possession of items belonging to others will be in violation of WCPSS board policy addressing theft.

Telephone Use

During the school day, a telephone is provided to students for EMERGENCY USE ONLY in the front office or the teacher’s classroom with teacher permission. Students will not be called to the telephone. Emergency messages will be taken and delivered to the student.

Physical Education (PE)

All students are required to “dress out” and change into PE clothing: a T-Shirt and athletic shorts / pants. Failure to comply with this policy will result in points completely deducted from the student’s grade (no half credit given for partial dressing out). Sneakers (with laces) are required. Students without sneakers cannot participate and will be given an alternate assignment. Under normal circumstances students cannot pass the course without dressing out in PE clothing and participating. Grades are a combination of Health and Physical Education. The PTSA sells PE T-Shirts. A note from home regarding illness and inability to participate in PE can only be honored for three days. Excuses for more than three days must be in writing from a doctor.

Lockers are provided in the locker rooms for students to use during their PE period. Students must bring a lock from home and MUST lock / secure items. The student will remove the lock from the locker at the end of class. Clothing and other items should not be brought in to the gym. The locker room doors will be locked during class. LRMS and its staff are not responsible for missing items.

School Dances

Only Leesville Road Middle School students are allowed to attend dances. The highest level of student behavior is expected and all school rules (including dress code) apply to dances and social activities. No student may leave early unless accompanied by a parent/guardian. All fines must be paid prior to purchasing a dance ticket. Students who have been in ISS for 2 separate incidents, suspended out of school (OSS), or have been in ALC since the previous dance will not be allowed to attend the next dance. Any inappropriate dancing will result in the student being warned. A repeat violation will result in dismissal from the dance and possible exclusion from future dances.

All students are expected to prearrange transportation home. Students must have their rides on campus at the time the dance ends. Any student not picked up within 15 minutes after the dance may lose the privilege of attending future after-school activities.

8th Grade Dance

At the end of the school year, 8th graders are invited to attend a special dance. All above dance guidelines apply. Please remember this is an 8th grade dance, not a high school prom. Attire should reflect this. The dress expectation for the 8th grade dance is as follows:
Boys: Dress pants, shirt and tie or suit
Girls: Nice dress or skirt – dresses may have spaghetti straps (shoulder straps used to hang dresses on the hanger are not appropriate straps). Halter dresses and one-strap dresses are permissible. NO strapless dresses should be worn without a wrap or cardigan.

 

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

Refer to the parent section of our website for information about our BYOD policies and procedures.

Suspensions

In School Suspension (ISS) and Alternate Learning Center (ALC) are programs of discipline and guidance designed to provide assistance to students in an isolated school setting. Students are assigned to ISS or ALC after their conduct has warranted removal from the classroom. An administrator assigns a student to ISS/ALC.

Students can be assigned ISS for a class period up to five full days. ALC placements vary and can be up to 45 days.

ISS / ALC Guidelines:
1.Students assigned to ISS / ALC will be marked present and receive credit for his/her work. Students must take all books and other school supplies to ISS / ALC.
2.Students will be given regular classroom assignments to be graded by their teachers.
3.Students assigned to ISS / ALC who refuse to follow the rules will be assigned an out-of-school suspension.
4.A student assigned to ISS / ALC must remain for the full number of days, even in the event of absences.
5.Students will not participate in athletic/extracurricular activities if they are in ISS / ALC on the day of the activity.

Out of School Suspension (OSS):
Serious misbehavior is a violation of school board policy and may result in an out of school suspension. Due to the seriousness of the infraction, students are sent home for a number of days. Every attempt will be made to notify a parent by phone of the occurrence and number of days the student is suspended. A suspension letter will be sent home confirming the duration and reason for suspension. Students are given the opportunity to complete assignments, and credit will be given for the work. Students may not participate in extracurricular activities or return to campus while on OSS. OSS can include a short-term suspension, a long-term suspension, or a 365 day suspension from NC Public Schools.