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Students are not to be released during the first and last 15 minutes of class. No teacher passes will be permitted during that time. Please do not call for an escort unless it is absolutely necessary.
Alarm System: Generally, the school is locked and the alarm is activated every evening and weekends. Clearance must be made with the principal and our head custodian if you are to be in the school buildings before or after school hours. Setting off the alarm is very expensive; please call first to get clearance.
Consequences for the violation of classroom rules are to be progressive, when possible. Suggestions include warnings, parent contact, student conferences, lunch detention (work in classroom during lunch, but not more than half of the lunch period), after-school detention (contact parent at least 24 hours in advance so transportation home can be arranged), behavior contract, counselor conference, etc. A discipline referral should be submitted online when other documented consequences have failed to change student behavior. In the case of a serious problem (such as a fight or one in which you cannot continue to teach), simply use the intercom phone in your room to request security. Always remain calm!!
Once a student is referred to the assistant principal, it is up to the administration to determine what action will be taken. Depending on the severity of the infraction and the guidelines in the Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, the administration will institute one of the following consequences:
Student conference
Parent conference
After school detention
In School Suspension
Out of School Suspension
Alternative School Placement
Recommendation for expulsion
When assigning consequences in class, please remember:
Under no circumstance can a reduction of a grade be used for discipline.
Assigning busy work as a punishment is prohibited by the administration.
If a constructive writing assignment is used as a corrective measure for misbehavior, the teacher is obligated to correct and return the written work to the student.
Corporal punishment is not allowed in CMS. In addition, state law requires that you not place your hands on a student unless they pose a danger to themselves or others.
Go to the link (http://educatorshandbook.com/resources/)
Create an account or sign in.
Go to the second icon on the left toolbar (resembles paper and pencil) Click
Complete referral in detail and click send.
Documented consequences/interventions must be listed on the referral including timely parent contacts. If in doubt, please communicate with your administrator.
On the referral, make sure that you have carefully documented interventions taken prior to writing the referral.
Please remember that a copy of the referral may be provided to the parent. Clarity in writing the facts is a necessity.
Barring any unusual circumstances, students will be seen by their administrator within 24 hours.
The foundation of any student management program is fostering respect for all people. Students need to be treated with respect and dignity, with the focus on behavior and not the individual. The best way to manage student behavior at Independence is through the course set of values established through Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and PATS Matrix systems .
P - Positive A - Accountable T - Trustworthy S - Safe
Behavior needs to be held up against these virtues so students begin to understand why certain actions are wrong.
Each classroom should include a PBIS matrix so students are aware of what being Positive, Accountable, Trustworthy, an Safe looks like in that room. Rules and procedures are to be communicated to the students at the beginning of the course and should be consistently enforced for all students.
TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GIVE STUDENTS PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL GROUNDS FOR ANY REASON.
Class Change Supervision
Remember, teachers dismiss students, not the bell. All students are to remain seated until the teacher dismisses them. Teachers will stand in their classroom doorways before school, during class change, and at dismissal, to supervise student conduct between classes. Teachers who have upcoming planning periods are required to stand at their doorways until the tardy bell rings and halls are clear. If you have a teacher floating into your room, please wait for the teacher to arrive before leaving your post. Be early to return to your room following your planning to allow the floater to move to the next assignment.
Duty Roster
All teachers are asked to stand by their doors before school beginning at 6:55 a.m. and after school at 2:15 p.m. until the hallway is clear. Many staff members will be assigned special duty areas before and after school. Each teacher will be assigned to a 30-minute hallway supervision period 1 day a week. In order to maintain a safe and orderly school, everyone must be highly visible throughout the school day.
In this age of lawsuits, it is critical that those of us who work with the public, especially with students, do nothing to compromise their safety or security. The responsibilities of supervision are vital and must be performed with care and a conscientious attitude. In addition, those who have been in education for some time may need to relearn behaviors now understood to be compromising. To that end,
Never leave students in a classroom or other location without adult supervision.
Do not put students in the hall unless they are working as a group and you are supervising.
Never leave your room unlocked so students can gain access to space where they might go undetected and engage in dangerous activities. Do not send students out of class for discipline reasons. If they need to be removed, call for security to remove them or send them to a colleague by prior arrangement. Students assigned to your class are your responsibility and must remain under your supervision. Failure to report to or carry out an assigned duty, resulting in injury to a student constitutes negligence. Knowledge of dangerous or potentially dangerous situations (even when created by colleagues) which go unreported can also be considered negligent. Work as a team and support our common effort to ensure safety in school.
In-School Suspension is a discipline alternative used to correct behavior while still being able to provide academic monitoring for students. In order to provide consistency within our ISS program school-wide, the following procedures will be followed:
Teachers who have students assigned to ISS for the day:
Please sign in classwork with Ms. Howard in the main office. We keep a sign in list of all classwork that will be given to Mr. Shropshire in the front office. This allows us to keep track of all classwork and to make sure it is turned back in to the correct teacher. If you have any questions, please email Mr. Shropshire at jamesl.shropshire@cms.k12.nc.us.
Officer Jose Rivera Email: josev.rivera@cms.k12.nc.us
Office: Room 105
Roles and Responsibilities - Provides a safe learning environment, provides valuable resources to school staff members, fosters positive relationships with students, develops strategies to resolve problems affecting students, and protects all students and staff.
Laverne Yasin Email: laverne1.yasin@cms.k12.nc.us
David Scott Email: davide.scott@cms.k12.nc.us
Laverne Yasin
Kelvin Seabrooks
Jaylin Tyes
Nicole Dean-Lowe
Betty Torrence
Office: Room 105
All students are expected to arrive to school on time. All tardy students must report to the Attendance Office to receive an excused or unexcused pass to first block. Write a referral and contact parents for students who have an unexcused pass - every time. If a student is excessively late to class after reporting to the Attendance Office, please call security for a removal.
For a student's 1st and 2nd tardy, note the tardy in Educator's Handbook and mark the student tardy in Powerschool. Notify the home adult of the student's tardy.
Beginning with the 3rd tardy, write a referral in Educator's Handbook in addition to marking the student tardy in Powerschool and notifying the student's home adult.