morton update 8/20/2020 - welcome back
TRANSCRIPT
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Good Evening Morton Families, We are almost there...only a few days until the official start of the 2020-2021 school year! I am sending this update from my school gmail account in the hopes that we will have fewer emails blocked or sent to junk mail. I thought it would be helpful to communicate some information home so that we can all get off to a smooth start, especially our students!
Attachments I have attached several documents, including the back-to-school newsletter, the sixth grade parent meeting Powerpoint presentation (for those who were not able to attend), information about school fees from our Treasurer, the Athletic Transportation Waiver, and the Chromebook guidelines and Chromebook agreement.
Fee information-Please be sure to read the fee information from Mr. Beavers. We are doing our best to be a "cashless" district this year, and this document shares information in regards to that process. School fees and pay-to-participate fees will not be posted to your child's account until after Labor Day, but please be sure your child has money on his or her lunch account to start the school year if needed. Payment for school fees, meals, and Pay to Participate can all be done through EZPay on the vbcsd.com website.
Transportation waiver-The transportation waiver for athletic events is also included. In order to help with social distancing on our school transportation to and from events, we are permitting parents to transport athletes. If interested in doing this, please complete the attached waiver and return it to Mr. Pohl or the Morton office 24 hours prior to the athletic contest.
Chromebooks-As soon as you are able to do so, please read through the Chromebook guidelines with your child. Please sign the agreement, have your child sign the agreement, and return the agreement to school. Students will be assigned Chromebooks the first week of school, but they will not be able to take them home with them until the
MORTON UPDATE 8/20/2020 - WELCOME BACK
Morton Sixth Grade Parent Meeting
WELCOME
Health checks at home
Assigned Chromebooks
Staggered dismissal
Health & Fitness, Project Lead the Way,
Life Skills, Latin, Healthy Habits
A Week/ B Week
Leveled math, Gifted language arts
All other classes- heterogeneous grouping
Math Enrichment Period
Testing – NWEA; State Testing
Monday Early Dismissal – 1:30
Go to Google.com.
From the Google Apps in the upper right corner, select the “Classroom” icon.
Sign in with student’s school gmail account (student ID#@vbaviators.com).
Click + Sign on the top right.
Select Join Class and enter in your teacher’s class code.
The “stream” tab has information from the teacher, school announcements, and class announcements.
The “Classwork” tab lists the assignments.
On the left side of the page, any upcoming assignments will be listed.
Submitting Google Classroom Assignments
Select a class and then “classwork”
Click on the assignment and then Select “Your Work” (upper right corner)
Select “Add or Create”
Select “Docs” to create a new Google document where student will complete the assignment. (This is most often used when answering anything in writing.)
You can also choose a file from a list (photo, download, etc.) and download or send a picture of an assignment.
Click “Turn in”
FROM THE APP:
Select a class and then “classwork”
Click on the assignment and then Select “Your Work”
Select “Add Attachment”
Choose from list (photo, download, add from Docs, etc.) and download assignment
Click “Turn in”
Tardy to school (note, call, or sign in)
Request for homework-to individual teachers (e-mail) or use Google Classroom/Remind
Notes from Doctor and Dentist when return
V-B- On 11th day of absence, doctor note required to excuse absence.
Attendance Law (HB 210): School must intervene with 30 or more consecutive hours of unexcused absences or 38 hours in a month or 65 hours in a year of excused or unexcused absences (letters, meetings, interventions, etc.).
Unexcused tardies per semester (4th & 6th-Detention; 8th & 10th-Friday Session)
Vacations
6
7 & 8 Pick-Up
Walkers/ Rec Center-Parent permission notes required
1:30 Transportation on Mondays
Upon successful login:
Select STUDENTS from the bar at the top of the page
Click on VIEW MY STUDENTS
Click on the student’s NAME to access bus information
Parent drop-off and pick-up
Drop-off: ALL STUDENTS in the front (Please pull all the way to the end of the sidewalk.)
Pick-up:
Back of the building-7th & 8th Grade
In and out the exit (loop around)
8
Plate lunch ($2.40) and Pizza Hut lunch ($2.70)
A la carte available (limited)
Print-outs
Students can call
NJHS-7th and 8th grade
Dude, Be Kind Program
Last Wednesday of month-Pink!
6th Grade Club Opportunities
Student Council, Drama Club, Science Club, Muse Machine, Yearbook, MYSA (Morton Youth Service Association), Heart and Sole
Pay to Participate (not for 6th grade)
NO Club Fees (with the exception of the MUSE fee)
$75 per sport for students in grades 7 and 8
$150 per student cap
Register and pay on EZ Pay or at Morton or Butler main office
See the website for more information and registration form (after Labor Day)
12
Limited Crowds
Ticket Prices
Students $4.00 (pre-pay)
Adults $6.00 (pre-pay)
Students $4.00
Adults $6.00
Morton PTO
The Morton Middle School PTO welcomes all students, parents, teachers, and staff to the 2020-2021 school year.
Follow Morton Middle School PTO on Facebook or visit the PTO Webpage (through vbcsd.com) for events, meetings, fundraisers, and events throughout this school year.
Scholastic Book Fairs
Spirit Nights
14
Communication
Website-Announcements link
Office- (937) 415-6600
and Instagram pages (dudebekindmms) (mortonmiddleschoolvbs)
15
August 26 - NWEA Testing Begins
August 31 - First Monday Early Dismissal Day (1:30 Dismissal)
September 4 - School Pictures
September 14 - PTO Meeting (7:00 pm)
September 18 - Interims Available Online
September 29 - State of the Schools Meeting (5:30-BHS)
October 14 - Picture Re-takes
October 16 – Staff Day/No School for Students
October 23 – Report Cards Online
October 29 & November 12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
16
QUESTIONS? Thank you for taking the time to be a part of your child’s education!
17
1:1 Chromebook Guidelines
The goal of the 1:1 Chromebook program is to create a collaborative, interactive learning environment
for students. This environment will enable and support students and teachers to implement
transformative uses of technology while enhancing students’ engagement with content and promoting
the development of self-directed and lifelong learners.
1. RECEIVING YOUR CHROMEBOOK:
These 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines outline the procedures and policies for families to protect the
Chromebook investment for the Vandalia Butler City School District.
2. TAKING CARE OF YOUR CHROMEBOOK:
Students are responsible for the general care of the Chromebook they have been issued by the
school. Chromebooks that are broken, or fail to work properly, must be reported and turned in
to the school’s main office.
Do not take District-provided Chromebooks to an outside computer service for any type of
repairs or maintenance.
2a: General Precautions
No food or drink is allowed next to your Chromebook while it is in use.
Never transport your Chromebook with the power cord plugged in.
Chromebooks must remain free of any writing, drawing, skins, or stickers except what is issued
by Vandalia Butler City School District.
Chromebooks will have a Vandalia Butler City School District Inventory tag on them as well as
any other identifying label the District may affix. Any attempt to remove or alter these tags will
result in disciplinary action.
Chromebooks should never be left in a car or any unsupervised area.
Students are responsible for bringing fully charged Chromebooks for use each school day.
2b: Carrying Chromebooks
Never move a Chromebook by lifting from the screen. Always support a Chromebook from the
bottom with lid closed.
2c: Screen Care
The Chromebook screens can be easily damaged! The screens are particularly sensitive to damage from
excessive pressure on the screen.
Do not lean or put pressure on the top of the Chromebook when it is closed.
Do not store the Chromebook with the screen in the open position.
Do not poke the screen with anything that will mark or scratch the screen surface, including long
fingernails, pens, pencils, etc.
Do not place anything on the keyboard before closing the lid (e.g. pens, pencils, or disks).
Only clean the screen with a soft, dry microfiber cloth or anti-static cloth. Do not use alcohol-
based window cleaners such as Windex®.
3. USING YOUR CHROMEBOOK
3a: Chromebooks left at home
When Chromebooks are taken home, fully-charged Chromebooks must be brought to school
every day. Repeated failure to bring a fully-charged Chromebook to school will result in
disciplinary action.
3b: Student Chromebook Use Policy
Use of the Chromebook falls under the Student Computer Resource Policy in the student
handbook.
3c: Sound
Sound must be muted at all times in the classroom unless permission is obtained from the
teacher for instructional purposes.
Headphones may be used at the discretion of the teacher.
3d: Printing
It is our intention to create a paperless environment with this program.
Students will not have the ability to print from their Chromebooks at school (assignments will be
submitted digitally).
3e: Account Access
Students should only login to their Chromebook using their Vandalia Butler City Schools Google
VBAviators account.
Students must not allow anyone else to use their Chromebook.
Take care to protect your password. Do not share your password.
Make sure you log out when you are done using your Chromebook.
4. MANAGING & SAVING YOUR DIGITAL WORK WITH A CHROMEBOOK
All Chromebooks will have access to Google Apps. Google Apps is a suite of products (Docs,
Presentations, Drawings, Spreadsheets, Forms) that lets you create different kinds of online
documents, work on them in real time with other people, and store your documents and your
other files.
With a wireless Internet connection, you can access your documents and files from any
Chromebook, anywhere there is a suitable wireless connection.
Files will be stored online in Google Drive.
5. OPERATING SYSTEM ON YOUR CHROMEBOOK
5a: Updating your Chromebook
When a Chromebook starts up, it updates itself automatically according to District system
policies, so it has the appropriate version of the Chrome operating system without you having
to think about it. No need for time-consuming installs, updates, or re-imaging.
5b: Virus Protection
Chromebooks are built with layers of protection against malware and security attacks.
However, students must still be careful not to use their Chromebooks in any way that exposes
them to malicious websites, malware, viruses, ransomware, etc.
6. PROTECTING & STORING YOUR CHROMEBOOK
6a: Chromebook Identification
Student Chromebooks will be labeled with a VBCSD Inventory tag as well as any other
identifying label the District may affix.
Chromebooks are the responsibility of the student. This device will be yours for the duration of
the school year. Take good care of it!
6b: Account Security
Students are required to use their vbaviators.com user ID and password to protect their
accounts and are required to keep that password confidential.
6c: Storing Your Chromebook
When students are not using their Chromebook, they should be stored in a secure location, e.g.
locked locker.
Chromebooks should not be left in an unsupervised area.
Unsupervised areas include the school grounds and campus, cafeteria, computer labs, locker
rooms, library, unlocked classrooms, and hallways.
If an unsupervised Chromebook is found, notify a staff member immediately.
7. SCHOOL FEES AND ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE REPAIR
The technology fee will help cover supplies and equipment repairs.
8. DAMAGED CHROMEBOOKS:
Repairs to Chromebooks malfunctioning from normal wear and tear will be made by the
Vandalia-Butler City School District. No District-managed Chromebook shall be taken to any
repair facility other than Vandalia-Butler City School.
No Chromebook shall be disassembled, reset, reconfigured or otherwise “worked on” by
anyone other than designated Vandalia-Butler City Schools personnel.
If a repair cannot be made, parent(s)/guardian(s) will be responsible to cover the cost of the
replacement of the Chromebook.
If a Chromebook is damaged due to abuse, neglect or, intentionally damaged, report it to the
main office immediately. Parent(s)/guardian(s) will be responsible to cover the cost of the
repair or replacement of the Chromebook.
If a Chromebook is lost or stolen, report it to the main office immediately. Parent(s)/guardian(s)
will be responsible to cover the cost of the replacement of the Chromebook.
9. CHROMEBOOKS UNDER REPAIR:
A loaner Chromebook will be provided to the student while repairs are taking place. Loaner
Chromebooks will fall under the same guidelines as any other student-issued Chromebook.
10. RETURNING YOUR CHROMEBOOK:
All district owned Chromebooks must be returned following these guidelines:
Chromebook, charger, and protective case must be returned in good working condition upon
request or withdrawal from the school district. Students should not write on or decorate their
Chromebook.
Parents will be responsible for the replacement cost of any Chromebook, and/or charger if not
returned and student records will be held until payment is made to Morton Middle School.
Vandalia-Butler City Schools Chromebook Agreement Form
As part of our 1:1 Chromebook Program, all students in grades 6-12 will be provided a Chromebook and charger.
Detailed information and procedures related to this 1:1 Chromebook program are covered in the 1:1 guidelines.
Student Agreement
1. I have read, understand, and will follow the expectations covered in the 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines
2. I understand that the 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines are to be used as a guide and does not necessarily address
every required or prohibited behavior.
3. I agree to return the Chromebook and charger in good working condition at the end of the school year, or upon
request or withdrawal from the school district.
4. I assume full responsibility of my issued Chromebook.
5. I agree to fully charge my Chromebook prior to bringing the device to school, each day.
6. I understand that this equipment is the property of the Vandalia Butler City Schools and that there is no right or
expectation of privacy regarding the equipment. District staff may monitor and inspect the equipment including
browsing history, documents, files, and any other content.
By signing this form, the student agrees to the above terms.
Student Printed Name:______________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Agreement
1. I understand that my child will be issued a Chromebook that he/she will be bringing home each day.
2. I will be responsible for the Chromebook repair or replacement costs as specified in Section 8 of the 1:1
Chromebook Guidelines.
3. I acknowledge that my student and I have read, understand, and will follow the expectations covered in the 1:1
Chromebook Guidelines
4. I understand that the 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines are to be used as a guide and does not necessarily address
every required or prohibited behavior.
5. I will be responsible for monitoring my student’s use of the internet when he/she is not at school.
6. I agree to return the Chromebook and charger in good working condition at the end of the school year, or upon
request, or withdrawal from the school district.
By signing this form, the parent/guardian agrees to the above terms.
Parent/Guardian
Signature:___________________________________________________________Date:_____________
agreement is signed and returned.
Remote Learning Students For those students who are in remote learning, we understand and respect the decision that you made for your child and your family. This was certainly a tough decision for most of us. We look forward to being able to have your child attend Morton in-person at some point in the future! The majority of the information in this email deals with in-person students. However, some of the information may also be good to know. If you have not already been contacted with information about the PLP program, you will be soon.
If you are interested in borrowing a Chromebook and have not yet signed one out, please come to school with your child before the end of the week if you have not already done so. You and your child will need to read the guidelines and sign an agreement (or you can print the attached form and have your child sign this in advance).
School pictures will take place on September 4th. If you would like for your child to be photographed for the yearbook or in order to purchase pictures, we have time set aside in the beginning for our remote learners. Please park in the back parking lot, and we will have someone at a table to greet you. Please order pictures online if at all possible. Visit mylifetouch.com and enter our picture day ID: EVTJKVX9C. Please use the following schedule:
Sixth grade remote learners at 7:45 am
Seventh grade remote learners at 8:00 am
Eighth grade remote learners at 8:15 am
It is very important to only come at your child's designated times. This is the only morning that the picture company will be here so we will need to photograph students during their designated times in order to include everyone in that time frame.
In-Person Students Please take some time to review relevant information with your child so that our students will be more prepared when they come to school on Monday. With no "Meet the Teacher" night, we know students have not had a chance to find lockers and classes yet (unless they were sixth graders or new students who attended orientation). Please tell them not to worry; the teachers will be very flexible, helpful, and understanding! If you have not had a chance to print off your child's schedule yet, please do so if possible. We will have copies available at school if needed. The most important items would be that students have their locker number and combination (which should also show up on Powerschool) and that they know which class to attend first period. On the first day of school, students will be in study hall instead of Advisory during the last period of the day.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures Arrival: Students can be dropped off as early as 7:00. All students should be dropped off in the front of the building. Please do your part to help the drop-off process by pulling all the way to the stop sign so that we can have numerous students exit the cars simultaneously. Once your car is along the sidewalk, please allow your child to exit and walk to the front door. Do not drop off students at the back of the building or along the side of the building. Buses will all drop off in the back. Upon arrival, students should go directly to the back of the building. Eighth graders will be seated on the floor of the gym (because they are dismissed first),
seventh graders will be seated in the bleachers, and sixth graders will be seated in the cafeteria--all spatially distanced. We will dismiss to lockers in waves, and students will stop at lockers and then report directly to first period. School will begin at 7:30 am.
Dismissal: Pick-up for sixth graders will be in the front of the building. Pick-up for 7th and 8th graders will be in the back of the building. With the buses lining up along the west side of the building, please enter the back lot through the exit and follow around the perimeter of the parking lot to form a large oval of cars. Please do not use the parking spaces, but just stay in the line and pick up your child once you are along the sidewalk. We do not want students crossing through a line of cars that are coming and going. If you have students in multiple grade levels, just choose one place or the other and communicate that to your children.
Breakfast/ Lunch Procedures Breakfast: Students will have a grab-and-go breakfast and will be eating on the stage, hallway, and possibly outdoor tent on spatially distanced tables with supervision. Once finished, they will wash hands and join their classmates in the designated areas. Students will choose their seats on the first day, and those will be their assigned seats for the nine-week grading period.
Lunch: Students will wash/sanitize hands on the way to lunch and from lunch with their classes. Students will be divided into six separate lunch sessions and will only have lunch and recess with students from that lunch period. Students will choose their seats at lunch on the first day, and those will be their assigned seats for the nine-week grading period. Students in the A lunch period for that grade level will sit on the distanced purple X's, and students in the B lunch periods will sit on the distanced yellow X's. After 15 minutes, the entire A lunch group will be dismissed for recess and the opposite lunch areas will be cleaned while the B lunch group is reporting to lunch. When A is picked up from recess, the B group will be dismissed to recess. (We know some students take longer to eat, and we will allow for that as well.)
General Information Please do not send your child to school if he or she is ill. Please follow our district guidelines and work with our nurses to be sure that your child is well before returning to school. This will sometimes involve needing a doctor note before your child can return to school.
On Mondays throughout the school year, we have an early dismissal time of 1:30 to allow for valuable teacher team time. Dismissal (including buses) will take place as usual, but one hour earlier. Please note that the first day of school (even though it is a Monday) will NOT have an early dismissal and will dismiss at our normal Tuesday through Friday 2:30 dismissal time instead.
If you have not already done so, please update your child's contact information and permission slips on Powerschool. It is best to go through the district website under the "For Parents" link and take care of this process through the website, not the app.
Schedules are likely showing up through the Powerschool app at this time. However, you may need to delete the app and download it again through the app store. Our district code is PDND.
All students will be required to wear face masks in school and on the bus, unless they fall under the list of exceptions and have a doctor's note. If a student is exempted, he or she should be wearing a face shield when possible. We will have some time for mask breaks during the day.
All students will be expected to go straight to classrooms from another class or from their lockers. Stopping at the locker will be permitted but will not be necessary every period since each child will be issued a Chromebook, and many textbooks are online or stored in classrooms.
Students are not permitted to carry backpacks from one class to another. They will need to keep backpacks in their lockers in the interest of safety and space. However, if you would like to purchase a Chromebook sleeve to help protect the Chromebook, feel free to do so.
If you would like for your child to walk home from school, please send a note to school (signed by you) giving permission to do so. We do have some sidewalks now, but please review with your child the importance of safely crossing Peters Pike and Stonequarry.
School picture day is September 4th. Please order pictures online if at all possible. Visit mylifetouch.com and enter our picture day ID: EVTJKVX9C.
If you would like for your child to bring his or her own hand sanitizer, that is fine. However, please be sure it is fragrance free.
The water fountains in the building have been turned off for now. We do have water bottle filling stations in place in the building. Your child is more than welcome to bring a water bottle to school, but try to send a clear water bottle if possible. Also, please be sure he or she is only bringing water to school (other than lunch time, when other drinks would be permitted).
Google Classroom will be the universal platform for all students at Morton and throughout the V-B school district. Teachers will begin the year instructing students on how to log on, submit assignments, etc. so that we are able to use Google Classroom and many of its enhancements throughout the school year and also in the event that we would need to go to remote learning.
If you need assistance with school supplies, please let us know.
Please label your child's items. You would not believe how many things end up in Lost and Found.
Your child will not be required to change for physical education class this year. Please be sure that he or she is wearing appropriate shoes and attire on days of physical education. Also, at this age, please be sure that students are focusing on hygiene, including the use of deodorant.
Yearbooks from last year have not yet been delivered. We will send them home with students as soon as we receive them.
New "Dude. Be kind." shirts are on sale from the Morton PTO (in the Morton office).
Cost is $10 for one and $15 for two. (The PTO will only be able to accept cash or checks to Morton PTO.) Please ask your child to share information about our "Dude. Be kind." program after the first week of school. New students will learn about it in Advisory class this week.
Please refer to the Morton "announcements" page on the vbcsd.com website for any announcements throughout the year. We also hope to send out announcements through Google Classroom once that is prepared to do so.
If you are interested in supporting Morton and many of our programs that we have in place, please feel free to sign up for Kroger Rewards and select to support Morton Middle School. You can register online at krogercommunityrewards.com. Thank you!
Please do not hesitate to contact me at (937) 415-6647 or [email protected] or any of our Morton teachers or staff members if you need anything at all. We welcome communication from our families because we know that we are "better together" as we support our students in their return to school!
Take care, Shannon
Mrs. Shannon White Principal Morton Middle School We are Aviators!
This email was sent from a Google for Education account, on behalf of Vandalia-Butler City Schools. This message and any response to it may constitute a PUBLIC RECORD, and therefore may be available upon request in accordance with Ohio Public Records Law. ALL USE OF THIS SERVICE MUST COMPLY WITH DISTRICT POLICY AS SET FORTH HERE: http://www.neola.com/vandalia-oh/, and in accordance with all rules set forth by your school Superintendent and/or Principal.
Use Caution. DO NOT click links or open attachments from unknown senders or unexpected emails.
Good Evening Morton Families, We are almost there...only a few days until the official start of the 2020-2021 school year! I am sending this update from my school gmail account in the hopes that we will have fewer emails blocked or sent to junk mail. I thought it would be helpful to communicate some information home so that we can all get off to a smooth start, especially our students!
Attachments I have attached several documents, including the back-to-school newsletter, the sixth grade parent meeting Powerpoint presentation (for those who were not able to attend), information about school fees from our Treasurer, the Athletic Transportation Waiver, and the Chromebook guidelines and Chromebook agreement.
Fee information-Please be sure to read the fee information from Mr. Beavers. We are doing our best to be a "cashless" district this year, and this document shares information in regards to that process. School fees and pay-to-participate fees will not be posted to your child's account until after Labor Day, but please be sure your child has money on his or her lunch account to start the school year if needed. Payment for school fees, meals, and Pay to Participate can all be done through EZPay on the vbcsd.com website.
Transportation waiver-The transportation waiver for athletic events is also included. In order to help with social distancing on our school transportation to and from events, we are permitting parents to transport athletes. If interested in doing this, please complete the attached waiver and return it to Mr. Pohl or the Morton office 24 hours prior to the athletic contest.
Chromebooks-As soon as you are able to do so, please read through the Chromebook guidelines with your child. Please sign the agreement, have your child sign the agreement, and return the agreement to school. Students will be assigned Chromebooks the first week of school, but they will not be able to take them home with them until the
MORTON UPDATE 8/20/2020 - WELCOME BACK
Morton Sixth Grade Parent Meeting
WELCOME
Health checks at home
Assigned Chromebooks
Staggered dismissal
Health & Fitness, Project Lead the Way,
Life Skills, Latin, Healthy Habits
A Week/ B Week
Leveled math, Gifted language arts
All other classes- heterogeneous grouping
Math Enrichment Period
Testing – NWEA; State Testing
Monday Early Dismissal – 1:30
Go to Google.com.
From the Google Apps in the upper right corner, select the “Classroom” icon.
Sign in with student’s school gmail account (student ID#@vbaviators.com).
Click + Sign on the top right.
Select Join Class and enter in your teacher’s class code.
The “stream” tab has information from the teacher, school announcements, and class announcements.
The “Classwork” tab lists the assignments.
On the left side of the page, any upcoming assignments will be listed.
Submitting Google Classroom Assignments
Select a class and then “classwork”
Click on the assignment and then Select “Your Work” (upper right corner)
Select “Add or Create”
Select “Docs” to create a new Google document where student will complete the assignment. (This is most often used when answering anything in writing.)
You can also choose a file from a list (photo, download, etc.) and download or send a picture of an assignment.
Click “Turn in”
FROM THE APP:
Select a class and then “classwork”
Click on the assignment and then Select “Your Work”
Select “Add Attachment”
Choose from list (photo, download, add from Docs, etc.) and download assignment
Click “Turn in”
Tardy to school (note, call, or sign in)
Request for homework-to individual teachers (e-mail) or use Google Classroom/Remind
Notes from Doctor and Dentist when return
V-B- On 11th day of absence, doctor note required to excuse absence.
Attendance Law (HB 210): School must intervene with 30 or more consecutive hours of unexcused absences or 38 hours in a month or 65 hours in a year of excused or unexcused absences (letters, meetings, interventions, etc.).
Unexcused tardies per semester (4th & 6th-Detention; 8th & 10th-Friday Session)
Vacations
6
7 & 8 Pick-Up
Walkers/ Rec Center-Parent permission notes required
1:30 Transportation on Mondays
Upon successful login:
Select STUDENTS from the bar at the top of the page
Click on VIEW MY STUDENTS
Click on the student’s NAME to access bus information
Parent drop-off and pick-up
Drop-off: ALL STUDENTS in the front (Please pull all the way to the end of the sidewalk.)
Pick-up:
Back of the building-7th & 8th Grade
In and out the exit (loop around)
8
Plate lunch ($2.40) and Pizza Hut lunch ($2.70)
A la carte available (limited)
Print-outs
Students can call
NJHS-7th and 8th grade
Dude, Be Kind Program
Last Wednesday of month-Pink!
6th Grade Club Opportunities
Student Council, Drama Club, Science Club, Muse Machine, Yearbook, MYSA (Morton Youth Service Association), Heart and Sole
Pay to Participate (not for 6th grade)
NO Club Fees (with the exception of the MUSE fee)
$75 per sport for students in grades 7 and 8
$150 per student cap
Register and pay on EZ Pay or at Morton or Butler main office
See the website for more information and registration form (after Labor Day)
12
Limited Crowds
Ticket Prices
Students $4.00 (pre-pay)
Adults $6.00 (pre-pay)
Students $4.00
Adults $6.00
Morton PTO
The Morton Middle School PTO welcomes all students, parents, teachers, and staff to the 2020-2021 school year.
Follow Morton Middle School PTO on Facebook or visit the PTO Webpage (through vbcsd.com) for events, meetings, fundraisers, and events throughout this school year.
Scholastic Book Fairs
Spirit Nights
14
Communication
Website-Announcements link
Office- (937) 415-6600
and Instagram pages (dudebekindmms) (mortonmiddleschoolvbs)
15
August 26 - NWEA Testing Begins
August 31 - First Monday Early Dismissal Day (1:30 Dismissal)
September 4 - School Pictures
September 14 - PTO Meeting (7:00 pm)
September 18 - Interims Available Online
September 29 - State of the Schools Meeting (5:30-BHS)
October 14 - Picture Re-takes
October 16 – Staff Day/No School for Students
October 23 – Report Cards Online
October 29 & November 12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
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QUESTIONS? Thank you for taking the time to be a part of your child’s education!
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1:1 Chromebook Guidelines
The goal of the 1:1 Chromebook program is to create a collaborative, interactive learning environment
for students. This environment will enable and support students and teachers to implement
transformative uses of technology while enhancing students’ engagement with content and promoting
the development of self-directed and lifelong learners.
1. RECEIVING YOUR CHROMEBOOK:
These 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines outline the procedures and policies for families to protect the
Chromebook investment for the Vandalia Butler City School District.
2. TAKING CARE OF YOUR CHROMEBOOK:
Students are responsible for the general care of the Chromebook they have been issued by the
school. Chromebooks that are broken, or fail to work properly, must be reported and turned in
to the school’s main office.
Do not take District-provided Chromebooks to an outside computer service for any type of
repairs or maintenance.
2a: General Precautions
No food or drink is allowed next to your Chromebook while it is in use.
Never transport your Chromebook with the power cord plugged in.
Chromebooks must remain free of any writing, drawing, skins, or stickers except what is issued
by Vandalia Butler City School District.
Chromebooks will have a Vandalia Butler City School District Inventory tag on them as well as
any other identifying label the District may affix. Any attempt to remove or alter these tags will
result in disciplinary action.
Chromebooks should never be left in a car or any unsupervised area.
Students are responsible for bringing fully charged Chromebooks for use each school day.
2b: Carrying Chromebooks
Never move a Chromebook by lifting from the screen. Always support a Chromebook from the
bottom with lid closed.
2c: Screen Care
The Chromebook screens can be easily damaged! The screens are particularly sensitive to damage from
excessive pressure on the screen.
Do not lean or put pressure on the top of the Chromebook when it is closed.
Do not store the Chromebook with the screen in the open position.
Do not poke the screen with anything that will mark or scratch the screen surface, including long
fingernails, pens, pencils, etc.
Do not place anything on the keyboard before closing the lid (e.g. pens, pencils, or disks).
Only clean the screen with a soft, dry microfiber cloth or anti-static cloth. Do not use alcohol-
based window cleaners such as Windex®.
3. USING YOUR CHROMEBOOK
3a: Chromebooks left at home
When Chromebooks are taken home, fully-charged Chromebooks must be brought to school
every day. Repeated failure to bring a fully-charged Chromebook to school will result in
disciplinary action.
3b: Student Chromebook Use Policy
Use of the Chromebook falls under the Student Computer Resource Policy in the student
handbook.
3c: Sound
Sound must be muted at all times in the classroom unless permission is obtained from the
teacher for instructional purposes.
Headphones may be used at the discretion of the teacher.
3d: Printing
It is our intention to create a paperless environment with this program.
Students will not have the ability to print from their Chromebooks at school (assignments will be
submitted digitally).
3e: Account Access
Students should only login to their Chromebook using their Vandalia Butler City Schools Google
VBAviators account.
Students must not allow anyone else to use their Chromebook.
Take care to protect your password. Do not share your password.
Make sure you log out when you are done using your Chromebook.
4. MANAGING & SAVING YOUR DIGITAL WORK WITH A CHROMEBOOK
All Chromebooks will have access to Google Apps. Google Apps is a suite of products (Docs,
Presentations, Drawings, Spreadsheets, Forms) that lets you create different kinds of online
documents, work on them in real time with other people, and store your documents and your
other files.
With a wireless Internet connection, you can access your documents and files from any
Chromebook, anywhere there is a suitable wireless connection.
Files will be stored online in Google Drive.
5. OPERATING SYSTEM ON YOUR CHROMEBOOK
5a: Updating your Chromebook
When a Chromebook starts up, it updates itself automatically according to District system
policies, so it has the appropriate version of the Chrome operating system without you having
to think about it. No need for time-consuming installs, updates, or re-imaging.
5b: Virus Protection
Chromebooks are built with layers of protection against malware and security attacks.
However, students must still be careful not to use their Chromebooks in any way that exposes
them to malicious websites, malware, viruses, ransomware, etc.
6. PROTECTING & STORING YOUR CHROMEBOOK
6a: Chromebook Identification
Student Chromebooks will be labeled with a VBCSD Inventory tag as well as any other
identifying label the District may affix.
Chromebooks are the responsibility of the student. This device will be yours for the duration of
the school year. Take good care of it!
6b: Account Security
Students are required to use their vbaviators.com user ID and password to protect their
accounts and are required to keep that password confidential.
6c: Storing Your Chromebook
When students are not using their Chromebook, they should be stored in a secure location, e.g.
locked locker.
Chromebooks should not be left in an unsupervised area.
Unsupervised areas include the school grounds and campus, cafeteria, computer labs, locker
rooms, library, unlocked classrooms, and hallways.
If an unsupervised Chromebook is found, notify a staff member immediately.
7. SCHOOL FEES AND ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE REPAIR
The technology fee will help cover supplies and equipment repairs.
8. DAMAGED CHROMEBOOKS:
Repairs to Chromebooks malfunctioning from normal wear and tear will be made by the
Vandalia-Butler City School District. No District-managed Chromebook shall be taken to any
repair facility other than Vandalia-Butler City School.
No Chromebook shall be disassembled, reset, reconfigured or otherwise “worked on” by
anyone other than designated Vandalia-Butler City Schools personnel.
If a repair cannot be made, parent(s)/guardian(s) will be responsible to cover the cost of the
replacement of the Chromebook.
If a Chromebook is damaged due to abuse, neglect or, intentionally damaged, report it to the
main office immediately. Parent(s)/guardian(s) will be responsible to cover the cost of the
repair or replacement of the Chromebook.
If a Chromebook is lost or stolen, report it to the main office immediately. Parent(s)/guardian(s)
will be responsible to cover the cost of the replacement of the Chromebook.
9. CHROMEBOOKS UNDER REPAIR:
A loaner Chromebook will be provided to the student while repairs are taking place. Loaner
Chromebooks will fall under the same guidelines as any other student-issued Chromebook.
10. RETURNING YOUR CHROMEBOOK:
All district owned Chromebooks must be returned following these guidelines:
Chromebook, charger, and protective case must be returned in good working condition upon
request or withdrawal from the school district. Students should not write on or decorate their
Chromebook.
Parents will be responsible for the replacement cost of any Chromebook, and/or charger if not
returned and student records will be held until payment is made to Morton Middle School.
Vandalia-Butler City Schools Chromebook Agreement Form
As part of our 1:1 Chromebook Program, all students in grades 6-12 will be provided a Chromebook and charger.
Detailed information and procedures related to this 1:1 Chromebook program are covered in the 1:1 guidelines.
Student Agreement
1. I have read, understand, and will follow the expectations covered in the 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines
2. I understand that the 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines are to be used as a guide and does not necessarily address
every required or prohibited behavior.
3. I agree to return the Chromebook and charger in good working condition at the end of the school year, or upon
request or withdrawal from the school district.
4. I assume full responsibility of my issued Chromebook.
5. I agree to fully charge my Chromebook prior to bringing the device to school, each day.
6. I understand that this equipment is the property of the Vandalia Butler City Schools and that there is no right or
expectation of privacy regarding the equipment. District staff may monitor and inspect the equipment including
browsing history, documents, files, and any other content.
By signing this form, the student agrees to the above terms.
Student Printed Name:______________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Agreement
1. I understand that my child will be issued a Chromebook that he/she will be bringing home each day.
2. I will be responsible for the Chromebook repair or replacement costs as specified in Section 8 of the 1:1
Chromebook Guidelines.
3. I acknowledge that my student and I have read, understand, and will follow the expectations covered in the 1:1
Chromebook Guidelines
4. I understand that the 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines are to be used as a guide and does not necessarily address
every required or prohibited behavior.
5. I will be responsible for monitoring my student’s use of the internet when he/she is not at school.
6. I agree to return the Chromebook and charger in good working condition at the end of the school year, or upon
request, or withdrawal from the school district.
By signing this form, the parent/guardian agrees to the above terms.
Parent/Guardian
Signature:___________________________________________________________Date:_____________
agreement is signed and returned.
Remote Learning Students For those students who are in remote learning, we understand and respect the decision that you made for your child and your family. This was certainly a tough decision for most of us. We look forward to being able to have your child attend Morton in-person at some point in the future! The majority of the information in this email deals with in-person students. However, some of the information may also be good to know. If you have not already been contacted with information about the PLP program, you will be soon.
If you are interested in borrowing a Chromebook and have not yet signed one out, please come to school with your child before the end of the week if you have not already done so. You and your child will need to read the guidelines and sign an agreement (or you can print the attached form and have your child sign this in advance).
School pictures will take place on September 4th. If you would like for your child to be photographed for the yearbook or in order to purchase pictures, we have time set aside in the beginning for our remote learners. Please park in the back parking lot, and we will have someone at a table to greet you. Please order pictures online if at all possible. Visit mylifetouch.com and enter our picture day ID: EVTJKVX9C. Please use the following schedule:
Sixth grade remote learners at 7:45 am
Seventh grade remote learners at 8:00 am
Eighth grade remote learners at 8:15 am
It is very important to only come at your child's designated times. This is the only morning that the picture company will be here so we will need to photograph students during their designated times in order to include everyone in that time frame.
In-Person Students Please take some time to review relevant information with your child so that our students will be more prepared when they come to school on Monday. With no "Meet the Teacher" night, we know students have not had a chance to find lockers and classes yet (unless they were sixth graders or new students who attended orientation). Please tell them not to worry; the teachers will be very flexible, helpful, and understanding! If you have not had a chance to print off your child's schedule yet, please do so if possible. We will have copies available at school if needed. The most important items would be that students have their locker number and combination (which should also show up on Powerschool) and that they know which class to attend first period. On the first day of school, students will be in study hall instead of Advisory during the last period of the day.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures Arrival: Students can be dropped off as early as 7:00. All students should be dropped off in the front of the building. Please do your part to help the drop-off process by pulling all the way to the stop sign so that we can have numerous students exit the cars simultaneously. Once your car is along the sidewalk, please allow your child to exit and walk to the front door. Do not drop off students at the back of the building or along the side of the building. Buses will all drop off in the back. Upon arrival, students should go directly to the back of the building. Eighth graders will be seated on the floor of the gym (because they are dismissed first),
seventh graders will be seated in the bleachers, and sixth graders will be seated in the cafeteria--all spatially distanced. We will dismiss to lockers in waves, and students will stop at lockers and then report directly to first period. School will begin at 7:30 am.
Dismissal: Pick-up for sixth graders will be in the front of the building. Pick-up for 7th and 8th graders will be in the back of the building. With the buses lining up along the west side of the building, please enter the back lot through the exit and follow around the perimeter of the parking lot to form a large oval of cars. Please do not use the parking spaces, but just stay in the line and pick up your child once you are along the sidewalk. We do not want students crossing through a line of cars that are coming and going. If you have students in multiple grade levels, just choose one place or the other and communicate that to your children.
Breakfast/ Lunch Procedures Breakfast: Students will have a grab-and-go breakfast and will be eating on the stage, hallway, and possibly outdoor tent on spatially distanced tables with supervision. Once finished, they will wash hands and join their classmates in the designated areas. Students will choose their seats on the first day, and those will be their assigned seats for the nine-week grading period.
Lunch: Students will wash/sanitize hands on the way to lunch and from lunch with their classes. Students will be divided into six separate lunch sessions and will only have lunch and recess with students from that lunch period. Students will choose their seats at lunch on the first day, and those will be their assigned seats for the nine-week grading period. Students in the A lunch period for that grade level will sit on the distanced purple X's, and students in the B lunch periods will sit on the distanced yellow X's. After 15 minutes, the entire A lunch group will be dismissed for recess and the opposite lunch areas will be cleaned while the B lunch group is reporting to lunch. When A is picked up from recess, the B group will be dismissed to recess. (We know some students take longer to eat, and we will allow for that as well.)
General Information Please do not send your child to school if he or she is ill. Please follow our district guidelines and work with our nurses to be sure that your child is well before returning to school. This will sometimes involve needing a doctor note before your child can return to school.
On Mondays throughout the school year, we have an early dismissal time of 1:30 to allow for valuable teacher team time. Dismissal (including buses) will take place as usual, but one hour earlier. Please note that the first day of school (even though it is a Monday) will NOT have an early dismissal and will dismiss at our normal Tuesday through Friday 2:30 dismissal time instead.
If you have not already done so, please update your child's contact information and permission slips on Powerschool. It is best to go through the district website under the "For Parents" link and take care of this process through the website, not the app.
Schedules are likely showing up through the Powerschool app at this time. However, you may need to delete the app and download it again through the app store. Our district code is PDND.
All students will be required to wear face masks in school and on the bus, unless they fall under the list of exceptions and have a doctor's note. If a student is exempted, he or she should be wearing a face shield when possible. We will have some time for mask breaks during the day.
All students will be expected to go straight to classrooms from another class or from their lockers. Stopping at the locker will be permitted but will not be necessary every period since each child will be issued a Chromebook, and many textbooks are online or stored in classrooms.
Students are not permitted to carry backpacks from one class to another. They will need to keep backpacks in their lockers in the interest of safety and space. However, if you would like to purchase a Chromebook sleeve to help protect the Chromebook, feel free to do so.
If you would like for your child to walk home from school, please send a note to school (signed by you) giving permission to do so. We do have some sidewalks now, but please review with your child the importance of safely crossing Peters Pike and Stonequarry.
School picture day is September 4th. Please order pictures online if at all possible. Visit mylifetouch.com and enter our picture day ID: EVTJKVX9C.
If you would like for your child to bring his or her own hand sanitizer, that is fine. However, please be sure it is fragrance free.
The water fountains in the building have been turned off for now. We do have water bottle filling stations in place in the building. Your child is more than welcome to bring a water bottle to school, but try to send a clear water bottle if possible. Also, please be sure he or she is only bringing water to school (other than lunch time, when other drinks would be permitted).
Google Classroom will be the universal platform for all students at Morton and throughout the V-B school district. Teachers will begin the year instructing students on how to log on, submit assignments, etc. so that we are able to use Google Classroom and many of its enhancements throughout the school year and also in the event that we would need to go to remote learning.
If you need assistance with school supplies, please let us know.
Please label your child's items. You would not believe how many things end up in Lost and Found.
Your child will not be required to change for physical education class this year. Please be sure that he or she is wearing appropriate shoes and attire on days of physical education. Also, at this age, please be sure that students are focusing on hygiene, including the use of deodorant.
Yearbooks from last year have not yet been delivered. We will send them home with students as soon as we receive them.
New "Dude. Be kind." shirts are on sale from the Morton PTO (in the Morton office).
Cost is $10 for one and $15 for two. (The PTO will only be able to accept cash or checks to Morton PTO.) Please ask your child to share information about our "Dude. Be kind." program after the first week of school. New students will learn about it in Advisory class this week.
Please refer to the Morton "announcements" page on the vbcsd.com website for any announcements throughout the year. We also hope to send out announcements through Google Classroom once that is prepared to do so.
If you are interested in supporting Morton and many of our programs that we have in place, please feel free to sign up for Kroger Rewards and select to support Morton Middle School. You can register online at krogercommunityrewards.com. Thank you!
Please do not hesitate to contact me at (937) 415-6647 or [email protected] or any of our Morton teachers or staff members if you need anything at all. We welcome communication from our families because we know that we are "better together" as we support our students in their return to school!
Take care, Shannon
Mrs. Shannon White Principal Morton Middle School We are Aviators!
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