BAINES MIDDLE SCHOOL

“Dream, Lead, Succeed”

STUDENT HANDBOOK 2014-2015

9000 Sienna Ranch Road Missouri City, TX 77459

Telephone: (281) 634-6870 Fax: (281) 634-6880

http://campuses.fortbendisd.com/campuses/bms/

About Billy Baines Middle School Billy Baines Middle School opened in August 2006, and is named in honor of Mr. Billy Jefferson (B.J.) Baines. BMS is Fort Bend ISD's 12th middle school. In 1959, after Missouri City School District and Sugar Land School District merged to become Fort Bend Independent School District, Superintendent L.P. Rodgers hired Mr. Baines as principal of Arcola Elementary School. Approved by the School Board, Mr. Baines became the first African American Principal in the newly formed Fort Bend ISD. He was named Outstanding Elementary Principal for the state of Texas in 1977 and went on to serve in several district leadership roles before retiring in 1990. Mr. Baines was a highly respected educator, and he was also a published author. Before going into education, Mr. Baines attended school in Wharton, Texas, where he graduated as Salutatorian and president of his senior class. Mr. Baines served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict where he earned the rank of Sergeant along with five decorations, including six Major Battle Stars, and the Purple Heart. His life experience led him to desire that his students excel academically and athletically, and most importantly, that they become good citizens. After living a long and fruitful life, Mr. Baines passed away on October 24, 2010.

Skyward ® Family and Student Access ™ You may access your grades and other information through Skyward ® Family and Student Access ™. Just visit http://www.fortbendisd.com/family-access and click on the “Login to Family Access” button. Your login is your student ID number, and your password is your regular district login password. Be sure to select “Family/Student Access” in the drop-down menu under “Login Area” on the login screen. Gaggle Accounts You may access your Gaggle account by visiting www.gaggle.net. Just click on “Customer Login” at the top right-hand portion of the screen, and login. Your login is the first letter of your first name, the first four letters of your last name, the last two numbers of your student ID number, and 052 (the number for Baines MS). For example, John Smith with a student ID of 123456, has the following login: jsmit56052. Your password is the password you created in Gaggle. If you are a new user, your teacher will give you the “new user key” that you will need to set up your account.

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Class Schedule

Period Subject Room # Teacher Class Time Tutorial Day/Times

Advisory Advisory 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

My Bus Route:

Whom to Call with Transportation Issues FBISD Transportation (281) 634-1940

Notes

Helpful Resources

TalkLine “When you just need to talk” (281) 240-TALK (8255) TalkLine is a confidential helpline dedicated to the needs of FBISD secondary students. TalkLine allows each student the opportunity to receive help in a safe way. Students can also get information on social service referrals and other community assistance. Top 5 reasons students call TalkLine:

1. Relationship issues such as: break ups, arguments, bullying, harassment, abuse or family problems

2. Basic human needs: food, clothing shelter, unemployment issues 3. Mental Health concerns 4. Drug or Alcohol abuse 5. Depression/ Suicidal thoughts

The Fort Bend County Libraries sponsor an Internet link for free homework help. . Help is available Monday through Sunday, 3:00pm until 11:00pm. Go to http://www.fortbend.lib.tx.us, and then select “Homework Tutoring” from the menu on the left side of the home page. The National Junior Honor Society also provides homework help in the library on select mornings.

Getting in touch with your teachers How to contact BMS teachers and staff via email: firstname.lastname@fortbend.k12.tx.us Visit your teachers’ webpages by going to http://campuses.fortbendisd.com/campuses/bms/ and then select “Faculty”. Navigate to your teachers’ webpages by clicking on their names in the alphabetical listing.

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Baines Middle School Floor Plan

First Floor

Second Floor

1802 1801

Temporary Buildings

1804 1803

1806 Temp Bld. 1805

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BAINES MIDDLE SCHOOL Please use this handbook to organize your assignments, goals, and your study schedule. Careful planning will help you to “Dream, Lead, Succeed.” Pages 4-12 include guidelines and information that extends or elaborates on the Fort Bend ISD guidelines or that pertain specifically to Baines Middle School. These guidelines are formulated to create an environment that maximizes students’ academic, emotional and social growth. These guidelines underpin the need to maintain an orderly, clean, and pleasant physical environment, as well as one that is safe for students and adults – both physically and emotionally. Further, in keeping with the FBISD Character Development Indicators, these guidelines foster the development of and respect for such traits as honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, effort, community involvement, and responsibility. Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines and understand that they are for the mutual benefit of our school community. They will be consistently and fairly enforced, both in school, and at all school activities. All topics are listed alphabetically.

Important Reminders 1) In order to be promoted to the next grade, all students must pass English, math, science, and social studies; meet the state’s attendance requirement; and earn an overall average of 70 or above as determined by averaging the final grades for all courses. (FBISD Board Policy EIE-Local) 2) Students that receive “zeroes” on assignments will be required to attend a teacher make-up session or remain after school on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays to complete their work. 3) After an absence, a student must bring a note from his/her parent within five days of returning to school for the absence to be “excused.” 4) Truancy – FBISD will file truancy charges when students receive unexcused absences totaling 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year or three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period. • Academic Honesty Academic honesty is important to all members of the BMS community. Students bear all responsibility for the work that they produce and turn in for grading. Students should have a strong sense of pride in their work. Examples of violations of academic honesty include: copying from another person’s work, homework, or test; allowing someone to copy their work, homework, or test; using materials (ex. “cheat sheets”) or electronic devices that are not allowed during a test or assignment; plagiarism (submitting another person’s work as your own); allowing anyone (including parents, other family members, tutors, and friends) to do your assignments for you; falsely claiming illness

to avoid tests or assignment due dates; stealing another person’s property; lying; misuse of the district’s computer network; modifying or misusing an electronic device (ex.: calculator, cell phone, PDA, etc.) to gain an unfair or disallowed academic advantage; and illegal copying of computer software or electronic data created by others. Studying and working together on homework or assignments with friends is not a violation of academic honesty unless it has been prohibited by a teacher. Consequences for violations of academic honesty include: the student will receive a zero on the assignment; detention; the violation will be reported to all appropriate student organizations (ex. National Junior Honor Society) and extra-curricular sponsors (ex. Athletics, club sponsors, etc.). Additional consequences may include, but are not limited to: ineligibility for honor societies, student organizations, and letters of recommendation from BMS staff; ISS, suspension, and/or placement in an Alternative Education setting. • Arrival and Departure Arrival at Campus: The building opens at 8:00 A.M. Students may not enter the building before 8:00 A.M. Prior to 8:00 A.M., students are not under the supervision of any school employee. Students should report directly to the Commons and/or gyms immediately upon arrival at school (depending upon grade level). All car riders are to be dropped off at the front of the building. Cars are not allowed on the bus ramp. All bus riders will be unloaded at the bus ramp and immediately enter the Commons. Students are not permitted in other areas of the building without a pass from a teacher (i.e. for tutorials, detentions, rehearsals, etc.) A parent note for morning tutorials is sufficient. All students must be in class by 8:55 A.M. to avoid being counted tardy. Afternoon Departure: The school day ends at 3:55 P.M. All students must clear the main building by 4:08 P.M. unless they are with a teacher or club sponsor. First-run buses will depart at 4:02 P.M. Students riding first-run buses will proceed directly outside to their assigned bus at the first bell (3:55p.m.). Second-run buses will depart at 4:09 P.M. Students riding second-run buses will proceed directly outside to their assigned bus at the second bell (4:03p.m.). Third-run bus riders will report directly to their assigned table in the Commons at the second bell (4:03p.m.). Parents are to use the circular drive in the front of the building whenever picking students up in the afternoon. Students will not be allowed to walk between buses to enter cars parked on the east side of the building. Please do not park in the fire lanes. For emergency purposes only, if a student must ride a different bus, an administrator must approve a signed parent permission note in advance. Additionally, phone contact must be made

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between a parent and an administrator before 2:00 P.M. Loitering: Students are not permitted to loiter in the street, yards, or parking lots near the campus. Upon dismissal from school, bikers and walkers must leave the campus promptly. Only students who are remaining on campus for after school tutorials, school activities, club meetings, etc. should be on campus after 4:05 P.M. Students may not remain on campus to wait for evening athletic or extra-curricular events unless specifically allowed per event. After school hours use of the courtyard or parking area for bicycling, skateboarding, or rollerblading is not permitted and will be considered as trespassing. Repeat trespass offenders may be prosecuted. • Assembly Behavior Various activities will be scheduled in the commons and the gyms from time to time. Students should be aware of and use proper etiquette during the assemblies. Courtesy must be shown to all speakers and performers. Whistling, booing or shouting is unacceptable. Food and drink are not to be taken into an assembly. All students are required to go to an assembly in a quick and orderly manner and to sit according to designated areas or as directed. • Athletic Events Student spectators are expected to display good behavior during and after athletic events. During athletic events held in the gym, students will not be allowed to congregate in the halls. Student spectators are expected to sit in the bleachers and not stand around the perimeter of the court or on the sidelines. At all contests, students are forbidden from throwing any items. Noisemakers (air horns, clappers, etc.) are not allowed. Students must refrain from jeering and foot stomping. If a student is not interested in watching the game, he/she should not attend. Students are expected to adhere to all FBISD and BMS dress code and behavioral guidelines while attending games (whether at BMS or not). Students found guilty of violating these policies will be disciplined. Student spectators leaving football games may only re-enter the game area with a ticket stub. Students who do not comply with these rules may be turned over to a parent or be asked to leave the game without a refund. • Attendance Students must have 90% attendance, in accordance with Texas state law, in order to earn credit for a class. When a student is absent, we must receive a note from home or a parent email within five days of the absence. Notes/emails must come directly to the

Attendance Office and must include: student’s full name, date, ID number, reason for absence, parent’s signature (notes), and telephone number. A phone message on the day of the absence does not take the place of a note/email. When we do not receive a note/email by the 5th day after returning to school, this absence will become unexcused. FBISD will file truancy charges in the local court according to state law. If a student needs to leave school early, he/she must turn in a note to the attendance office that includes the: student’s full name, ID number, date, reason for leaving, parent signature, telephone number, and the time of departure. The attendance office will issue the student an Early Dismissal Form. The student will show this form to his/her classroom teacher and then sign-out at the attendance office. The adult that checks the student out must be listed as an approved person on the emergency card (proof of identity required). The student will check back in at the attendance office upon returning to campus. Please be advised that we cannot call for students out of class for parent pickup after 3:30 P.M. This is a difficult time for our office staff, student workers, and teachers to arrange for your child to leave class, go to his/her locker, and come to the office. If a student leaves school early or is late to school because he/she was at a health care appointment, he/she will not be counted absent from the periods missed if we receive a note from the health care provider stating he /she was at the provider’s office. A student must be in attendance a portion of the day in order for the absence to be marked as medical. In order for a student to receive perfect attendance, he/she must be in attendance in every class, every day. The exceptions to this are religious holidays and documented medical appointments when a student is in attendance at school for a portion of the day. • Backpacks Small string bags (no larger than 15” X 20” when flattened) may be carried from class to class during the school day. Students are not allowed to carry backpacks of any size between classes. Backpacks may be used to transport books and supplies to school each morning and home in the afternoon. Students may carry their backpacks to 7th period in preparation for dismissal. Once at school the student must place his/her backpack in the locker. Wheeled backpacks are not allowed. Oversized purses and personal bags (larger than 15” X 20” when flattened) are not allowed.

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• Bicycles Bicycles must be parked in the racks provided. Bicycles should not be ridden on school property at any time. Bikes should be walked to and from the racks when arriving at or leaving school. Students should secure bicycles with locks. The school is not responsible for damage to, or theft of, parts/bicycles while parked in the racks. Skateboards, skates, and motorized vehicles (go-karts, mini-cycles, etc., RC cars, RC planes, etc.) are prohibited on school property. • Breakfast and Lunch Breakfast is offered to students between 8:00 A.M. and 8:30 A.M. in the cafeteria. Students wishing to purchase breakfast should arrive at school before 8:30 A.M. A student account may be set up in the cafeteria for students to pay for their breakfast or lunch. Adding funds to the account must occur before school (8:00 A.M. - 8:30 A.M.). Students who bring sack lunches from home may eat in the Courtyard when weather permits. Lunches purchased at school may not be brought out to the Courtyard. Students will not be allowed to make purchases on their account that will bring their account below zero or to make purchases for other students. Students and parents may not bring food items for group distribution. Student birthday parties or celebrations may not be held during lunch or during school time. • Cafeteria and Commons Eating in the Commons will be more pleasant for all if each of us will remember to: 1) Enter the Commons in an orderly fashion. DO NOT RUN. If you plan to purchase a lunch in the lunch line, proceed to the line of your choice upon entering the commons. 2) Wait in the lunch lines quietly and patiently; keep your place in line; do not save places for friends. 3) Buy YOUR lunch only. Do not buy lunches for your friends or share your lunch number. 4) Return your tray to the receiving window. Put all trash in the trash cans provided. 5) Be sure to clean up your eating area; others will come to eat there after you are finished. 6) Students may not wander through the halls or upstairs during their lunch period. Following breakfast and lunch, food and drinks may not be taken from or consumed outside of the Commons. 7) During the lunch period, students are only to use the restrooms located closest to the Commons. 8) No glass containers will be allowed. 9) Students should refrain from shouting or talking loudly. 10) Students are dismissed by rows in the Commons. 11) Lunch is closed to visitors other than parents/grandparents with prior administrative approval. Students are not allowed to have siblings or other student visitors during the day. 12) Vending machines are off-limits during class changes as well as at meal times. They

may be regulated after school in accordance with the Texas Department of Agriculture guidelines. 13) On days with good weather, students may eat in the courtyard if they bring their own lunch and do not bring food outside that was purchased in the cafeteria. Students should be courteous and responsible by cleaning up after themselves at the end of lunch. • Cell Phones The possession of cell phones on school property is allowed. However, except for usage under the FBISD Digital Citizenship guidelines, the use of cell phones during established school hours is prohibited. Students violating the Student Code of Conduct regarding cell phone usage will be subject to disciplinary actions including but not limited to an after school detention. Please refer to discipline menu on page 12 for further details. Cell phones not picked up by June 30th will be considered abandoned. • Clinic Students must receive a pass from their teacher to go to the clinic. A parent will be notified if the student is unable to remain at school or if an emergency arises requiring that they be taken immediately to a doctor or emergency facility. Students must sign in and out upon entering and leaving the clinic. At no time should an ill student leave campus without permission from the nurse. Students with a fever of 100.0 degrees or higher (within 24 hours), a suspected contagious disease, vomiting, diarrhea, or an undetermined rash are not allowed in school (See the nurse for details). All medication, including over the counter medication, must be brought to the clinic by the parent in its original container with written instructions. The student’s parent or the school nurse must administer all medication. All district guidelines must be followed. Students are not allowed to possess (carry) or distribute (pass out) any form of medication. This regulation applies to both prescription drugs and “over-the-counter” medication. Any student receiving medication in the clinic must not carry that medication out of the clinic; it should be ingested in the clinic. Possession or distribution of controlled medication is a felony (serious crime), and will result in serious consequences including arrest and expulsion from Fort Bend I.S.D. Please notify the nurse of any health conditions or problems affecting your child. We can better serve your child and promote or improve his/her health and/or reduce lost time from the classroom with this input.

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• Counseling Department The counselors are available to conference with students throughout the day. Students may request a signed hall pass from a classroom teacher to come see a counselor. Students are expected to register their name and time of arrival upon entering the counselor’s office. In an emergency situation, students are not reprimanded for coming to the counselor’s office without the appropriate written hall pass. A note will be made on the hall pass for re-entry into classroom. When a counselor is not available, the student will be addressed and sent to another area or directed back to class. Course requests/changes will be offered by the counselors in the beginning of the school year. • Deliveries/Balloons Items that are dropped off in the front office such as homework, gym clothes and other miscellaneous items will be delivered to the student as soon as possible with the minimum amount of disruption to the school. These items should have the student’s name clearly marked on the item. Students may not receive deliveries of balloons, flowers, or items for celebrations at school. All deliveries will remain in the office for students to pick up at the end of the school day. Parents and grandparents are always welcome to eat lunch with their child in the Commons. However, parents may not bring food for other students at lunch. Students may not place orders for lunch deliveries. • Discipline Record Any student being sent to the office for disciplinary reasons must report immediately to the appropriate principal. If action is taken on a discipline referral, a copy will be mailed to the parents and will be available for viewing in Family Access. • Dress and Grooming The District’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, to prevent disruption, and to avoid safety hazards. On the first offense, students will be allowed to call home for a change of clothing. All subsequent offenses will result in ISS or additional disciplinary consequences. Sagging pants, clothes with holes, low riding/hip hugger and breakaway pants are not permitted. Slogans, pictures or other graphic portrayals of violence, sex, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or inappropriate language are not permitted. Gang-related attire, as determined by the administration, will not be tolerated. Bandanas, hats, caps, visors, combs in hair, and large hair accessories will not be allowed. Sunglasses may not be worn during school. Tank tops and midriffs or shirts that show the stomach are prohibited.

Skirts/shorts must be within three inches of the knee. Clothing with holes is not permitted. Pajamas, sleepwear, slipper and house shoes are not permitted at school. Wheeled shoes (“Heelies”) are not permitted. Students not in dress code may be assigned to In-School Suspension if they cannot correct a violation of the school dress code. This list is not all-inclusive. Please refer to the FBISD Student Dress Code for further information.

Not Permitted

2 inches

No sagging pants

Wear your pants at the waist!

Leggings/Jeggings are not permitted

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• Emergency Drills Students will be informed by a signal to the type of emergency drill being held. After the signal is given, the students must follow the directions given by the teacher. There is absolutely no talking during an emergency drill. • Extra-curricular/Social Activities Behavior at extra-curricular and social activities (i.e. school plays, concerts, dances, parties, field trips, etc.) – Dates, times, appropriate dress, cost (where applicable), and other information pertinent to such activities will be advertised at school in advance of the activity. Student Code of Conduct provisions are enforced at such events. Students whose behavior is deemed by the supervising staff/event sponsors as inappropriate may be removed. Students are not allowed to leave an evening event (i.e. dance, concert, etc.) prior to the ending time except with individual parent permission. • Fort Bend I.S.D. Police Department All secondary schools in the Fort Bend I.S.D. have one or more police officers assigned to the campus. Each officer is a licensed police officer and holds the same power as city, county, and state police officers. Fort Bend I.S.D. police officers have the authority to investigate complaints, question students, and issue citations. • Fund-raising Students may not bring any items to school for the purpose of selling, delivering, or trading except in conjunction with authorized school-wide or organizational fund-raisers or drives, and then only in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the school/organization. • Grading Procedures Philosophy: It is the mission of the Fort Bend Independent School District to inspire and equip students to pursue futures beyond what they can imagine. Therefore, our grading will reflect our core belief and provide all students with the necessary support for their success.

Grading in Fort Bend Independent School District is a method used to report student achievement. Grades represent the student’s level of mastery of the curriculum. Report cards: Report cards are issued on a nine-week basis. Progress reports are mailed home at three and six week intervals. Any grade below 70 is considered failing. The student’s actual numerical grade will be recorded in the grade book and reported on progress reports and report cards. Semester exams: All semester exams will be taken on the date and time scheduled. A parent should not make dental or doctor appointments or plan for a student to leave town during the semester exam days. Exams may not be given in advance for any reason. All make-up exams will be given by appointment. Call 281-634-6870 to schedule a make-up exam. Reassessment: Reassessment applies only to major assessments excluding semester exams. Students that receive a failing grade on a major assessment must retest. Students earning a 70-75 have the option to retest. In order to retest, a student must attend a re-teaching session. The reassessment must be completed prior to the next major assessment in the course. The highest grade that may be earned on a retest is an 75. Late work policy: The following policy will be used for both daily and major grades. 1st day late = 10 point deduction; 2nd day late = 20 point deduction; 3rd day late = 30 point deduction. • Gum There will be no gum chewing at any time on campus. This restriction also applies to school buses. • Hair/Jewelry/Tattoos In addition to the district hair code, no designs may be cut or shaved into the hair. Severe or distracting hair color or style will not be permitted. Jewelry/attire that displays drugs, alcohol, or weapons is not permissible. No visible tattoos will be allowed. Piercing of any body part other than the ears, except for religious purposes, will not be permitted. • Harassment (Physical/Verbal/Written) There is no place at school for any behavior that hurts another person’s feelings or injures them physically. Name-calling, derogatory remarks, “slam” books, sexual harassment, bullying, etc., will not be tolerated. Students engaged in this type of behavior will be

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disciplined. Baines MS has been and will continue to be recognized as a No Place for Hate ® school. • I.D. Card All students will be issued one free I.D. card. Students are required to visibly wear their I.D. card at all times while on campus. If lost it will be the student’s responsibility to purchase a new I.D. card in the counseling suite for $5.00. • Library Use Daily library hours are from 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. Students may come to the library before school, after school, and during lunch without a pass. A student must come with a pass from his/her teacher during regular class periods. Students may come to the library to check out and return books or to do research. To work on the computer, students must have a signed AUP on file. Remember that library computers are only for working on assignments or for research. Remember to plan ahead with the librarian for special needs as the library is occasionally closed for campus meetings. If there is a book you want to read, but it is at another campus, we can request the book for you. Just come to the front desk and we will fill out a request form. The book should arrive in 2-3 days. You may check out a book with your student ID or your six-digit ID number. You can check out 2 books at a time, and they will be checked out for 2 weeks. We also have a printer in the library for student use. Students may print 1 or 2 pages, if they ask first, and it is for a school assignment. • Lockers Each student is assigned a building locker for their storage needs. Students may not use any locker other than the one assigned to them. Any item affixed to the interior of the locker must not result in any damage to the locker. If locker damage does occur, the student is responsible for repair costs. The exteriors of lockers are not to be written upon or decorated. “Pegging” of lockers so that they can be opened without a combination is against school policy and will result in disciplinary action. Pegging lockers will increase a student’s chance of becoming prey to thieves or book borrowers. Students are not to “trade” lockers or allow unauthorized “sharing” of lockers. Lockers remain under the jurisdiction of the school even when assigned to an individual student. The school reserves the right, whenever the administration deems appropriate, to inspect all lockers.

Each student has full responsibility for the security of his/her locker and is responsible for making certain it is locked and that the combination is not made available to others. The school is not responsible for items lost or stolen from students’ hallway or gym lockers. Leave valuables (monetary and sentimental) at home. • Lost and Found Articles, books and clothing that are found should be turned in to the Front Office. The office will make every effort to find the owners, provided the item is labeled with the student’s name. Unclaimed articles will be donated each nine weeks to a charitable organization. The school is not responsible for items lost or stolen at school, or for items abandoned in the academic or P.E. lockers at the end of the year. • Make-up Work It is the student’s responsibility to check with each teacher upon his/her return to school for any missing assignments. Students or parents may ask for make-up work upon returning to school or arrange to pick-up work by calling the Front Office if the student is out for more than two days. Requests should be made before 9:15 A.M. and will not be available for pickup until after 3:00 P.M. If a test or long-term assignment was scheduled before the student was absent, then the student may be required to take the test or turn in the assignment the day he/she returns unless other arrangements have been made. If a student has missed work, the teacher will give the student the opportunity to make up the work. Generally, students have the same amount of time to complete assignments as the other students received. Students should always communicate with their teachers regarding deadlines. Failure to meet the deadline or failure to show up for a pre-arranged time to make-up work or test may result in a “0”. • Non-educational Related Items Headsets, music players, games, cameras, toys, etc. which might distract a student from his own learning or interfere with the learning of others, should not be brought to school. Items of this nature may be confiscated by school staff and turned in to the assistant principal’s office for later return to the student or his/her parent. Repeat or chronic offenses may result in disciplinary consequences. • Parent Involvement Parents are always welcome in our school! For the safety of our students, we require that ALL visitors to our campus check in at the Front Office and obtain a visitor’s pass. A current driver’s license must be presented at each visit for identification purposes. To

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maximize instructional time for all students, visitors are not allowed to enter classrooms unless previously arranged with the teacher. Classroom visits are limited to one period per teacher. If you wish to schedule a conference with school personnel, please call ahead (281-634-6870) to schedule an appointment, ensuring that the individual with whom you need to speak will be available. Students are not allowed to have other student visitors during the school day. Please avoid walk-in appointments as teachers utilize time before and after school to prepare for instruction. We encourage you to become involved in your child’s education by participating in parent organizations. We have an active PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization) and VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools). For information about either, please call or come by the school office. Please visit the BMS PTO website at www.bmspto.org. • Property Personal Property: Students are advised against bringing valuables or excessive amounts of money to school. Although we provide students with lockers and guidelines for their use, we cannot assume responsibility for lost or stolen property. School Property: We are proud and appreciative of our school facility! Our building, its grounds, and furnishings are provided so that our students and staff may have a safe, clean, attractive, functional and comfortable environment in which to learn and work. All members of our school community, both staff and students, are responsible and accountable for maintaining this environment. Students that litter, deface, or damage school property will be subject not only to school disciplinary consequences, but will also be required to make appropriate reparation, (i.e. restore area to cleanliness standards, restore/replace damaged property, or make monetary reparation for damages). Criminal charges will be filed when appropriate. Please note: Guidelines for consumption of food, drink, and candy in the building may vary, as appropriate. Consumption of food and beverages, however, is not allowed in the hallways before/after school or between/during classes. • Respect Students are expected to comply with the directives of ALL school staff, promptly and respectfully. Failure to do so (insubordination) will result in disciplinary consequences. Any staff member may ask for a student’s name and ID card at any time. Students are expected to comply with all such requests.

A substitute teacher is an important visitor whose impressions of our school will be carried into the community. Students are expected to be polite, helpful, and considerate to all substitutes. Students who are disrespectful or misbehave in a substitute’s classroom will be disciplined for inappropriate behavior. • Student Concerns Students (or parents) who have a classroom-related concern must first discuss the matter with the teacher. If the outcome of that discussion is not satisfactory, they can contact their assistant principal, counselor, and ultimately, the building principal. If still not satisfied, students (or parents) may follow the complaint process in accordance with Board Policy FNG. • Student Organizations BMS offers a number of clubs and extra-curricular activities to accommodate students’ interests, to enhance personal, social, and academic development, and to allow for the exploration of individual talents and interests. Students wishing to start a student organization must first secure a faculty sponsor and then see Dr. Milner to begin the approval process. Students are not to solicit, recruit, or advertise for non-school related organizations or events without the written approval from the office. • Supplies Students need to attend school prepared with pens, pencils, paper and other necessary supplies. Permanent markers (Sharpies, Marks-A-Lot, etc.) will not be allowed for either classroom or personal use and may be confiscated. The BMS PTO operates a school store two days a week in the Commons. • Tardiness A student is tardy if he/she is not in the classroom when the bell rings to begin class. Tardiness will be dealt with by teacher and/or team disciplinary action. However, an excessive amount of tardiness will result in an office referral. Students will be allowed one “free” tardy per grading cycle per teacher. A second tardy will result in a teacher/team consequence. Transportation home is a parental responsibility. Subsequent tardiness will result in office referrals and additional consequences including, but not limited to, Saturday detention or ISS. A tardy in excess of 20 minutes will be regarded as an absence. Random “Hall Sweeps” will occur from time to time, where students who are in the halls when the tardy bell rings may receive stiffer consequences than the procedure listed above. Students must be on time to class.

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• Teacher Communication Each teacher has a designated conference period to visit with parents. Please call or email the teacher to arrange a time for a conference. • Textbooks Students are expected to care for textbooks by keeping them covered at all times, by ensuring that his/her name, along with that of his/her teacher, are in the book in the space provided, and by properly storing/securing textbooks when not in use. Students are responsible for textbooks issued to them and will be assessed monetary fines for damages (excessive wear and tear, graffiti, stray marks, water damage, torn or missing pages, etc.) and must pay for any books issued to them that are lost or stolen. If a student has damaged or has destroyed the bar code labels in a book, a 100% replacement cost will be charged. If the book number label is missing or destroyed, the entire cost of the book must be paid. Failure to return textbooks or to make monetary restitution for lost or damaged books may result in forfeiture of the student’s right to free textbooks, loss of exam exemptions, and the denial of extra-curricular and athletic equipment for the following school year. Please note: When textbooks are issued, each student will be given an opportunity to note any damage, marks, etc. already present in the book he/she is issued. This will be kept on file and reviewed when he/she returns the book to ensure that the student is not held responsible for pre-existing damage. Additional information on textbook fees is in the Student/Parent Handbook. • Visitors Parents are always welcome to visit Baines Middle School. For the safety of the school and those within it, all visitors must first report to the Front Office to register. A “Visitor’s Pass” will be issued after verification of destination, business and/or appointment. Please be prepared to silence your electronic devices and show a valid driver’s license upon entering the campus. Visits to individual classrooms during instructional time are permitted only with approval of the principal and teacher. Visits should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance and should not exceed one class period. Students are not allowed to have other student visitors during the day.

Discipline Menu

Minor violations are generally handled by the classroom teacher or academic team. Disciplinary actions may include: P.M. detention and/or A.M. detention, as determined by the classroom teacher or team. Examples of minor violations include: horseplay, minor damage to property, tardiness, running, disruptive noises, not being prepared for class, and sleeping in class. Repeated minor violations will require administrative action. The following is a list of consequences to be assigned for more serious offenses. However, discipline actions are subject to change, based on seriousness of offense and administrative investigations.

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***NOTES: Saturday detentions are served at Ridge Point High School. Transportation must be provided by the student’s parent. Disciplinary actions are subject to change based on the seriousness of the offense and administrative review.

Bus Referrals 1st Referral ……………. A warning 2nd Referral ……………. 5 day bus suspension 3rd Referral ……………. 10-30 day bus suspension 4th Referral ……………. Bus suspension for the remainder of the school year ***Severe infractions may result in immediate bus suspension

Cell Phones Cell phones may only be used when authorized by school personnel and in accordance with the FBISD Digital Citizenship guidelines. 1st Offense ……………. Phone confiscated; parents notified to pick up phone on the following school day;

$15 fee; after school detention 2nd Offense ……………. Phone confiscated; parents notified to pick up phone on the following school day;

$15 fee; 2-hour Saturday detention 3rd Offense ……………. Phone confiscated; parents to pick up phone at end of the semester; $15 fee;

disciplinary conference; 4-hour Saturday detention

Disruptive Behavior 1st Offense …………….. 1-3 days PM detention, parent contact 2nd Offense ……………. Saturday detention (4 hour), parent contact 3rd Offense …………….. ISS by period 4th Offense …………….. 1-3 days ISS 5th Offense …………….. 1-3 days suspension

Dress Code 1st Offense …………….. Call parent for a change of clothing, ISS if a change is unavailable 2nd Offense ……………. ISS, parent contact made 3rd Offense …………….. ISS, parent/administrator conference

Excessive Tardiness Enacted upon the student’s 3rd tardy to a class/grading cycle. 1st Referral …………….. 1 hr. afterschool detention (2 hr. Saturday detention if from hall sweep), parent contact 2nd Referral ……………. 2 hr. Saturday detention (4 hr. Saturday detention if from hall sweep), parent contact 3rd Referral ……………. 4 hr. Saturday detention (Disc. Conf. and SB strategies if from hall sweep), parent contact 4th Referral …………….. Disciplinary conference and school based strategies

Failure to complete AM/PM detentions 1st Offense …………….. 2 hour Saturday detention 2nd Offense ……………. 1 day ISS, parent contact 3rd Offense …………….. Disciplinary conference with principal, parent and student plus school based

disciplinary strategies

Failure to complete Saturday detention 1st Offense …………….. Double assignment and parent contact 2nd Offense ……………. Suspension and parent contact

Fighting 1st Offense …………….. Suspension, disciplinary conference, citation, and/or arrest 2nd Offense ……………. Suspension, Alternative Education Placement, conference, citation, and/or arrest 3rd Offense …………….. Suspension, citation, and/or arrest, conference with principal, appropriate

placement to be determined

Unauthorized Area 1st Offense …………….. 1 day PM detention 2nd Offense ……………. 1 day Saturday detention and parent contact 3rd Offense …………….. 1 day ISS and parent contact

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HOME PASSWORDS FOR FBISD DATABASES Baines Middle School Students

Go to: http://www.fortbendisd.com/Page/1018 NetTrekker: The first time you visit NetTrekker you must select “Register” and enter all required information to create a unique Username and Password. If you have created an account at school, then please use that.

Username: Your Student ID number Password: Your same password number as at Baines

World Book Web Login: Password: EBSCO Login: Password: Gale Cengage Login: Password: ABC-CLIO Login: Password: Discovery Education Login: Password: NoveList Login: Password: Maps 101 Login: Password: TeachingBooks.net Complete the profile form Sponsorship Access Code: Public Libraries Don’t forget about other online resources, such as the Fort Bend County Library system and the Houston Public Libraries. Links to their sites are below:

• Fort Bend County Libraries – www.fortbend.lib.tx.us • Houston Public Libraries – www.houstonlibrary.org

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No Place for Hate ® / Resolution of Respect I, as a member of the Baines Middle School community, promise to do my best to promote respect by not being prejudiced, and I will actively participate in stopping violence. I will attempt to be self-aware of actions and emotions and try to understand differences between myself and others. I will not endure or be entertained by hate, violence, or indifference. I will not tolerate the destruction, either physical or verbal, of others’ property, body, or hopes. I will aid those targeted by hate. In times of hate, I will not be a silent bystander; I will lead by example for others to follow; I will communicate with an adult to prevent or report hateful actions in my school or community. I will brainstorm and display detailed plans to make my school and community a prejudice-free space. I strongly think any one person can make a change when it comes to fighting prejudice. I understand that all people are responsible for promoting togetherness, honoring a person’s dignity, and supporting the equality of all. By signing this document, I commit myself to creating a harmonious school and community atmosphere where there is no place for hate.

Rachel’s Challenge

As a part of our continuing efforts to keep BMS a No Place for Hate ®, we urge all students, staff, and parents to accept Rachel’s Challenge (below). Go to www.rachelschallenge.com and click on “I Accept” to accept her challenges. Rachel’s life proved that one person can make a tremendous difference in the lives of other people; we urge you to do the same. Consider, also, being a part of our Chain Links Club, which has a huge impact on the culture of our campus. For meeting dates and times, check the Chain Links message board outside the downstairs computer labs.

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Grade Tracking

Class:

Date Due Assignment

Daily or

Major Grade

Class:

Date Due Assignment

Daily or

Major Grade

Class:

Date Due Assignment

Daily or

Major Grade