Geneva Middle School

The mission of Geneva Middle School is for all students to become responsible citizens and for all students to achieve academic excellence in a safe school environment supported by parents, community, and staff.

The following information will help you to have a successful experience at Geneva Middle School. Please read the information and go over it with your parent or guardian so that you can have a smooth transition to the junior high and are aware of the expected actions and behaviors.

A. Coming To School

1. Walking – Please respect the school neighbor’s property. Use the crosswalks and sidewalks where provided. Once on school property, stay on school property. You need to enter at the main entrance. You will not be allowed to enter the building until 7:15 so adjust your walk accordingly. You must be in your first-period class before 7:32. If you arrive after 7:32 you need to bring in a note and sign in at the office. If there is no note the student will be considered unexcused until a note is brought into the office.

2. Dropped Off By Parent – Please have your parents drop you off in the southeast parking area in front of the building and enter through the main entrance. Please do not have your parents drop you off in the back parking lot as it will interfere with the busses. Students will not be allowed in the building until 7:15. If you bring your parents to bring you to 7:32 or after, you will need to bring your parents into the office and sign in and have your parents write a note for the tardiness.

3. Bus Students – Students will remain on the bus until 7:15. Students must remain on school property when dismissed from the bus and enter directly into the building. If the student’s bus arrives after 7:32, they are to go directly to their locker and then to the first period if not directed to go to the office.

B. At School

1. Entering The School – When entering the school, students are to immediately dispose of pop, coffee, etc. Headphones and hats are to be off heads. Cell phones are to be turned off and are to remain off until dismissal. Students should not bring electronic equipment such as cell phones and cd players to school. If they are lost or stolen, no effort will be made to find them or the person(s) who took the item. Students who are in violation of the dress code or who draw unnecessary or unusual attention to themselves by their appearance will be asked to change into school-issued clothing. Students are to report directly to their own lockers. (lockers are school property and the contents may be checked if there is reason to believe it contains items that are in violation of the conduct code.) Students should not be giving their combination out to friends and they should not move into other student’s lockers. Students are responsible for all books and school property issued to them.
   Several of our hallways and many of our outside areas are monitored by a video security system.
   - Tardiness to School - Students who are tardy to school for a non-excused reason are considered truant. Students who are tardy must have a note from a parent when they sign in or at least by the following day. Failure to bring notes will result in detentions.
   - Absence From School - If a student is absent, a parent or guardian is to call the 466-4831, ext. 2007 or email gmsattendance@genevaschools.org before 8:00 a.m. on the day of the absence. A note still needs to be brought in even if a call was made to report the absence. We realize this seems to be redundant but the state requires us to keep documentation. We appreciate your cooperation with this. Students who do not bring notes on the second day after an absence will receive detentions. Please help us not to place your child in this situation.

2. Going To Class –Students are to be in class before 7:32 a.m. Once in class, they are to stay in the class unless they have received permission from their teacher to be somewhere else. If they arrive in class after 7:32 a.m., they must first sign-in and receive and admit pass from the office. Students are to have their class books and assignment book in class every day unless instructed by the teacher not to bring them. Students are to have their own pens, pencils, and paper so that they can take an active part in each lesson.

3. In Class
   - Students should listen to morning announcements for information that may need to be passed along to the parents.
   - Students have 3 minutes to get to class. Students not in the room when the bell rings are tardy. The teacher may make exceptions if specific problems are noted or may require a student to be seated at the time of the bell. Resource periods are considered a class and the tardy policy also applies.
   - Students need to be aware that pushing, shoving, running and yelling are not acceptable behaviors. Open drink containers and candy are not to be in the hallways.
   - Each teacher has his or her own rules to follow. Breaking those rules will result in teacher issued detentions. Detentions will be noted in the student assignment book. It is the student’s responsibility to inform parents of the detention. Detentions are in room 114. The time of detentions is 2:25 to 3:25 p.m. If teacher detentions and parental communication do not have the desired result, guidance referrals and/or conduct reports will be written. Students are to remain in seats except for when the teacher dismisses the class. The assignment book is to be used as a pass from class and carried whenever leaving a class. Restroom passes should only be used for emergency purposes. Students with urinary problems are to provide a note to their teachers at the beginning of the year from the parent indicating the nature of the problem.

4. Lunch - Students will eat either 5, 6 or 7th period for lunch. Students will have to enter their lunch pin numbers at the cash register. They will report to their lockers before lunch begins and then go directly to the cafeteria. The lunch periods will be 42 minutes in length. Half the grade will eat the first 21 minutes; the second half of the grade will eat the last 21 minutes. When not eating lunch, students will participate in a walking program with physical education instructors. The student will go directly to the lunch lines. After getting lunch, they will remain seated until their table has been dismissed to empty their trays. After emptying the trays, the students may use the restrooms and/or return to their seats where they will stay until being dismissed from lunch.

5. Early Dismissal - Students are to present their dismissal note to their first-period teacher who will forward it to the office. When picking the students up, the parent or guardian must pick the student up in the office. If a student returns from an appointment, they are to sign-in. The parent need not come back into the office.

6. Dismissal - Students should be attentive during afternoon announcements as there may be bus and athletic announcements that affect them and you. Students riding busses need to move quickly to their bus as they are on a tight schedule to pick up the elementary students.
   Students being picked up by parents after school are to be picked up in the front parking lot. The students should meet parents outside of the glass enclosure so that there is no interference with the busses.

7. The Assignment Book - The assignment book has become a very valuable tool for use at the middle school. Please review the following information and go over it with your child so that we can do the best for them in getting them off to a good start for the new school year.

Students Must:

• Carry assignment book to every class, record all assignments as written, show their parents comments from teachers and show teachers comments from parents, and use assignment book as a hall pass.

• Treat assignment books as textbooks. They are not to be folded, rolled, or have pages ripped from them. Students who have lost or abused the assignment book will have to purchase a new one.

Teachers Will:

• Write or post assignments, initial comments from parents when shown by students, write comments to parents that should be initialed by parents and use assignment books to record detentions.

Parents Should:

• Insist that assignment book be brought home each evening and check for notes, grades, etc.

• Insist that child is writing complete assignment down as written.

• Write notes to teachers in an assignment book to communicate concerns and initial comments from teachers.

• Email Mr. Anderson at alex.anderson@genevaschools.org or call if teachers are not responding to your notes in the assignment book.

Failure to bring assignment book to class repeatedly will result in disciplinary action.