student handbook - home - triad math and science academy

TRIAD MATH AND SCIENCE ACADEMY

Middle & High School Campus700 Creek Ridge Rd. Greensboro, NC 27406

(336) 621-0061 www.tmsacharter.org

Elementary Campus600 Industrial Ave. Greensboro, NC 27406

(336) 763-2771 www.triad-es.org

Triad Math and Science Academy isa part of TMSA Public Charter Schools.

http://www.tmsacharter.org

http://www.triad-es.org

TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS 2

School Directory 4TMSA Middle & High School 4TMSA Elementary 5

1. Welcome 5Principal Mrs. Burke’s Message 5About This Handbook 6

2. Student Rights & Responsibilities 7

3. General Information 8Home-School Communication 8Personal Belongings 8Cell Phones 8Classroom Observations 8Student Transportation 9Early Dismissal 9Emergency Drills 9Lost & Found Items 10Visitors & Volunteers 10Parent Volunteering 10Donations 11Student Agenda 11Use of School Telephones 11Fundraising in the School 12Student Activity Fee Policy 12

4. Academic Guidelines 13PowerSchool 13Grading Scale 13Parent-Teacher Conferences 13Cheating and Plagiarism 14Homework Policy 14Student Recognition 15Schedule Changes 16Retention Policy 16

K-8th Grades 16High School 17

Academic Probation 17Textbooks 17

5. Attendance, Tardiness, andTruancy 17

Absences and Tardiness 17Excused Absences 18Unexcused Absences 19Tardy Policy 19

Unexcused Tardy 20Excessive Tardiness 20

Early Checkout 20Perfect Attendance 20

Truancy 21

6. Grievances 22

7. Services for Students 22After-School Activities 22Field Trips 22Hall Passes 23Lunch & Nutrition Program 23School Pictures 23Search and Seizure 23Special Education Services 24Students with Disabilities 24

8. Health and Safety 25Student Health Guidelines 25Medication Policy 25

Self-Administration ofMedication 26

9. Student Code of Conduct 26Student Code of Conduct 26

Academic Dishonesty 26Bus Regulations 27Deception & WithholdingInformation 27Disruption of School or Class 27Extortion 27

Fighting 27Harassment & Verbal Abuse 27Racial & Ethnic Harassment 28Hazing and Bullying 28Indecent and Lewd Behavior 28Inducing Panic 28Intimidation & AggressiveBehavior 28Inappropriate Language 29Use of Recording orTransmitting Devices 29Physical Assault 29Public Displays of Affection 29Reckless Behavior & NegligentInjury 29Improper Use of Technology 29Theft 30Threat & Coercion 30Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol 30Truancy & Leaving Class WithoutPermission 30Vandalism and PropertyDamage 30Weapons & DangerousInstruments 30Willful Disobedience, Disrespect,and Insubordination 30Other Violations 31

10. Dress Code 31General Uniform Guidelines 31Tops 32Shoes 32Physical Education Uniforms 32Miscellaneous Guidelines 32Dress Code Violations 33

11. Discipline 34Responsibility for Individual Actionsor Choices 34

Use of Technology Equipment35During Emergency Drills 35

Discipline Procedures 35Discipline Cycle 36

Description of Discipline Options 36Student Expulsion andExclusion Policy 38

Disciplinary Consequencesfor Behavior Violation of theStudent Code of Conduct 39

Violation Levels of Code of Conduct39

Parent/Guardian & Student Signature2

School Directory

TMSA Middle & High School

Mr. Marcus Van Hagen Interim Principal [email protected]

Ms. Tonja McPhail HS Academic Dean [email protected]

Mr. Marcus VanHagen HS Dean of Student Culture [email protected]

Ms. Sylvia Lawrence MS Academic Dean [email protected]

Mr. Masaru Harris MS Dean of Student Culture [email protected]

Mr. Luke Saunders College Counselor [email protected]

Dr. Perihan Akcan School Counselor [email protected]

Ms. Tina Garrett School Social Worker [email protected]

Ms. Tasha Parks Student Data Coordinator [email protected]

Mr. Mustafa Tosun Operations Manager [email protected]

Ms. Christy McNeil Administrative Assistant [email protected]

Ms. Ana Arias Administrative Assistant [email protected]

Mr. Charles Williamson Athletic Director [email protected]

Mr. Lukman Sapar IT Coordinator [email protected]

Ms. Koisay Morlu School Nurse [email protected]

Ms. Meshone Todd District Lunch Coordinator [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]
















TMSA Elementary

Ms. Diane Burke Principal [email protected]

Ms, Alison Eilers 3-5 Dean/Testing [email protected]

Ms. Amani Saeed K-2 Dean [email protected]

1. Welcome

Principal Mrs. Burke’s Message

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,

What an exciting time for everyonehere at TMSA as we begin anotheryear! My name is Diane Burke, and Iam the TMSA Elementary SchoolPrincipal. I am married and have threechildren. One serving as a UnitedStates Marine, and two girls attendinghigh school. I have been in NorthCarolina for 20 years and am originallyfrom Long Island, New York. I am oneof five siblings and the only girl!

I have had teaching experience in eachgrade level from K – 5th grade, as wellas being a reading remediationteacher for a Title l school. I graduatedfrom UNC Chapel Hill in 2010 with aMaster Degree in SchoolAdministration. I have served in severalleadership roles before becomingprincipal and have been involved withTMSA since the early stages as afounding board member. I am

extremely excited about the growthand initiatives taking place as we havegrown and expanded so much in ashort time and what we were able toaccomplish during Digital Learninglast year.

I am really happy to be here and toserve the TMSA Community. I have hadover 30 years of experience ineducation, and I am passionate aboutworking with staff, students, familiesand community.

It has been a very busy summer and Ilook forward to building many lastingrelationships with our new andreturning students and their families. Iwill be proactive and visible as I visitclassrooms and interact with thestudents, teachers, staff and parentson a daily basis.

Please be sure to read through thestudent handbook, keep up with thewebsite updates, read and listen to theschool messages via email, phone andannouncements. You may also followus on our Facebook page for updates,information and great things going onat our school. We will continue toenhance our program with character

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TMSA/QCSS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLSSTUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK 2021 – 2022

education and growing well roundedTigers of Character. We will continue toimprove the great traditions whichhave been established over the yearsand implement new ones as this willbe our 12th year anniversary to ourdoors opening in 2008.

On behalf of the TMSA AdministrationTeam, I welcome new and old studentsand their families to the 2021-2022school year! I hope that you will join usin our journey to excellence! It is goingto be a great year!

Best Regards,

Diane Burke

Triad Math and Science AcademyElementary School Principal

About This Handbook

This handbook provides academic andgeneral information, policies, andprocedures, and student code ofconduct of the schools run by TriadMath and Science Academy Company(hereby TMSA) and CharlotteEducation Foundation (hereby QCSS).It aims to provide useful information toall students and parents that is easilyaccessible. Students and parents areexpected to read, understand, andcomply with all provisions of thishandbook. Please speak with yourprincipal if there are any questions notanswered within this handbook, or ifyou have any objections to any sectioncontained within.

TMSA/QCSS reserves the right to makechanges or modifications to thishandbook as needed throughout theschool year with or without advancednotice. We will try to inform you of anychanges as they occur.

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2. Student Rights &Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities Student Rights

● To be caring and honest,● To do his or her best to learn and

master all he/she can,● To respect school rules, regulations,

and policies,● To be sure that personal expressions

do not interfere with the rights ofothers,

● To follow state law and schoolpolicies concerning substance abuse,

● To respect and protect the personaland property rights of others and ofthe school,

● To treat all members of thecommunity with full respect,fairness, and courtesy,

● To abide by all the expectations ofthe school and its community,

● To follow the prescribed guidelinesfor participation in school activities,and

● To adhere to due process procedures.

● To feel safe in the schoolenvironment,

● To take full advantage of the learningopportunities,

● To work in an environment free fromdisruptions,

● To express his or her opinions, ideas,thoughts, and concerns,

● To have a healthy environment thatis smoke, alcohol, and drug-free,

● To use school resources and facilitiesfor self-betterment underappropriate supervision,

● To expect courtesy, fairness, andrespect from all members of thecommunity,

● To be informed of all expectationsand responsibilities,

● To take part in a variety of schoolactivities, and

● To have the right to due process.

All students at TMSA/QCSS are entitledto the rights guaranteed by the UnitedStates Constitution and Bill of Rights.Their rights will not knowingly bedenied by the required code ofconduct or by any disciplinary actionstaken by the school. Any student, whoexhibits any of the unacceptablestudent behaviors or conductviolations listed in this handbook, oradded to this list at a later date, willreceive immediate consequences.These consequences range from

notification of parents, isolation,detention, and emergency removalfrom a school activity to suspension,expulsion, and criminal prosecution. Inall instances, TMSA/QCSS’s policies andprocedures governing the due processfor suspensions and expulsions willfollow North Carolina Education Law.

All students at TMSA/QCSS have theright to feel physically, emotionally,and intellectually safe. Therefore, if atany time students think they are thesubject of harassment, hazing, threats,

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or other intimidating behavior, theyshould immediately speak to anadministrator about the problem. Thesituation will be investigated as soonas possible. All reports like this will bekept entirely confidential.

Similarly, if anyone is concerned aboutthe safety of a student, who seems tobe the subject of harassment, hazing,or threats, he or she shouldimmediately speak to an administratorabout the problem. The situation willbe investigated as soon as possible,and reports will be kept entirelyconfidential.

3. General Information

Home-School Communication

We are dedicated to keeping ourcommunity informed.

Official announcements are providedon Schoology, websites, social mediaaccounts, phone calls, and/ornewsletters. As a common practice,the administration’s announcements,which affect the school community,are made through thesecommunication channels. Weencourage and expect that parentsand guardians will check thesechannels regularly.

Parents may communicate directlywith the school's staff members viaphone, e-mail, SMS, voicemail, writtenrequest, social media, messagingthrough learning managementsystems, or by accessing the school's

web page. A softcopy of the newsletterwill be sent home regularly via emailabout upcoming school activities andevents. Hard Copy versions will beavailable in the front lobby of theschool.

Personal Belongings

Gaming devices, iPods, toys, andelectronic games are not to bebrought to school. Please label coats,caps, sweaters, etc. to help identifythem if they are lost. Students arediscouraged from bringing money toschool except for specific purposes.Neither the teacher nor the school canbe held responsible when money orpersonal items are lost.

Cell Phones

Cell phones are brought to school atthe student’s own risk, and the schoolassumes no investigative or financialresponsibility if the device is lost,damaged, traded, or stolen.

Classroom Observations

We value the ideal of parents aspartners in education. Parent andcommunity support are vital in allfacets of the school program. Parentsof currently enrolled students orprospective students may wish toobserve the classroom setting orperhaps volunteer to serve as aninstructional partner in the classroom.To minimize disruption of the

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classroom environment, all classroomobservations are limited to one persemester per subject and must bescheduled in advance with anadministrator. Parents should arrive toobserve at the scheduled time, notinterrupt the regular classproceedings, and turn off all electronicdevices.

Student Transportation

At the beginning of the school year,the teacher should be informed if achild is to ride in a car, ride the bus, bea walker, or stay for the After-SchoolEnrichment Program daily. Notes mustbe sent if there are changes in dailyprocedures. If the notes are notreceived, the child will follow theinstructions given at the beginning ofthe school year.

We aim to maximize instruction for allstudents; therefore, we ask thatparents and guardians avoid pickingtheir child up after 2:00 PM. It posesan interruption to the instructional day,which ends at 2:45 PM.

Early Dismissal

Any parent wishing to pick up astudent early must first come to theoffice to sign out the student. We askthat parents and guardians sign theirchild out before 2:00 PM. In order for astudent to be picked up by someoneother than a parent, permission mustbe given by sending a note or makingsome other form of identifiable

contact with the office staff. The officewill refer to the Emergency Contactsin PowerSchool to determine if theindividual has permission to pick upthe child. Everyone picking up astudent must show identification. Astudent arriving after 11:30 AM will becounted absent. A student leavingschool before 11:30 AM and notreturning to complete a half-day willbe counted absent for the day.

In the event that school closes duringthe day, buses will run. Thesedismissals are rare but may occur withbad winter weather or major facilityproblems. Please listen to local radioand/or television stations forsystem-wide announcements. Pleasedo not call the school, as the phonelines will need to remain open foremergencies.

Emergency Drills

Regular emergency preparednessdrills will be held throughout theschool year so that students and staffwill be trained to act properly in anemergency. These drills will includefire, tornado, lockdown, and other crisisemergency drills. A comprehensiveemergency preparedness plan is onfile.

Fire drills are held once a month.Tornado drills and lockdown drills arealso conducted yearly. Alerts areexplained to students during the firstweek of school. A plan is also in placein case of an emergency. In the eventwe experience persons entering the

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school, apprehending a schooloccupant and/or threatening violence,we will implement the school’sestablished lockdown crisis plan, whichincludes the following steps:

1. We will secure the building bylocking all doors (classrooms, offices,cafeteria, gym, and entrances).

2. We will then await assistance fromthe police department and the TMSAcentral office staff. We are prepared tohandle a variety of emergencies.

Lost & Found Items

Personal items that are found shouldbe turned in at the front office.Students should check with the frontoffice secretary for lost articles.Unclaimed items will be donated tocharity every month after students areinformed about the deadlines to checklost and found objects.

When an item is missing, studentsshould report the missing item to thefront office administrative assistant. Alost item will be returned to the ownershould it be found or located. Shouldthe owner find the item themselves orit be returned directly to them, theyshould notify the front office as soonas it has been located.

Visitors & Volunteers

All visitors and volunteers must enterthe building through the main office.They must then sign in and receive a

name tag/ID. This name tag/ID mustbe worn and visible at all times while inthe school building. (Visitors andvolunteers need to provide photo IDfor an instant background check onevery visit to the school building.)

Parents are welcome at school at anytime. When parents or other visitorswish to tour the school, we ask thatthey call our secretary and schedule atour. Parents who want to observe intheir child’s classroom are requested toarrange this in advance with theteacher and fill out the classroomobservation form and have it approved.Once the observation is approved,parents check in at the office uponarrival to school so that a visitor’sbadge can be issued. While visiting,parents are not to use classroominstructional time to engage inconversation with the teacher. Wevalue teaching and learning time atour school. We hope parents willfrequently come for lunch. All visitorsare to sign-in and to wear a visitor’sbadge during the visit.

Parent Volunteering

We encourage parents to take part intheir child’s education. There are anumber of opportunities for parents tovolunteer, including after-school clubsupervisors or assistants, libraryassistants, cafeteria aides, roomrepresentatives, and instructionalpartners. We encourage our parents tobecome a member of our parentorganization and to support theirefforts.

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Volunteers may be required to have afull background check completeddepending on their level ofinvolvement with students. Forexample, a full background check isrequired for:

● Sponsoring, advising, or coaching astudent club, activity, academicteam, or sports team,

● Working with or supervisingstudents without a staff memberpresent,

● Chaperoning any field trips orovernight travel with students.

Other visitors and volunteers will bechecked through the office’s currentsystem (e.g., Raptor) each time theyinteract with the students.

Donations

If parents and/or businesses would liketo make a monetary donation to theschool to help cover the cost ofstudent incentive prizes, consumableworkbooks, student planners, lockermaintenance, etc., it would be muchappreciated. Checks can be madepayable to TMSA/QCSS.

Student Agenda

Students to bring their agenda toschool daily and carry it with them toall of their classes. All students in thehall while classes are in session mustcarry their agenda with them. There isa section for hall passes at the bottom

of each page. Teachers will issue hallpasses to students who have justifiablereasons for leaving the room.Regardless of the reason issued, hallpasses are only valid for a maximumtime of five (5) minutes out of theroom. It is the student’s responsibilityto maintain their Student Agenda inthe original condition as it was issued.An agenda will be issued to eachstudent at the beginning of the schoolyear. If it is lost and needs to bereplaced, then a new agenda can bepurchased from the school office.

Use of School Telephones

School telephones are businessphones, and student use is restrictedto calls of an urgent nature. The officestaff may take messages for studentswhen it is essential for a student toreceive information.

Students may not be called from classto talk on the telephone during schoolhours, nor are they allowed to makeoutgoing calls except in the mostcompelling circumstances. As part ofan effort to teach responsibility,students are discouraged from callinghome for forgotten items. Studentsmay not use any phone at school otherthan an office phone – classroomphones are prohibited from use bystudents at any time. The school doesnot have sufficient phone lines toaccommodate student phone calls atthe end of the school day. Allarrangements regarding after-schoolactivities must be made before thestudent leaves home in the morning.

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Calls of an emergency nature that mayinvolve the interruption of a class todeliver a message to a child must bedirected to an administrator forapproval. Students must have writtenpermission from a staff memberstating a reason to use the officephones between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm.We ask that all students come toschool in the morning clearly knowingwhether their parents will be pickingthem up or be picked up by anotherfamily member or friend in theafternoon. We also ask that parentsknow whether their children areplanning to stay for an after-schoolactivity.

Fundraising in the School

Students may only participate inschool-approved fundraisers whensoliciting within the school. Items arenot to be brought into the school to besold for personal reasons. Moneyand/or merchandise are notexchanged between students unless itis part of an approved fundraiser.Fundraising and selling may beapproved for school-related activitiesonly. Fundraising, selling, or buyingwithout the principal’s approval isprohibited.

Student Activity Fee Policy

Any after school activities, clubs, orfood service sponsored by an outsidevendor company will handle feesdirectly with the student’sparent/guardian.

An annual student materials fee willonly be charged if the local countyschool district assesses a materials feeto their students.

There may be individual fees assessedto students to participate in a schoolfield trip or activity. Before the field tripor activity, the organizer must submit arequest form through the onlinesystem, including any student feeassociated with it. The principal andoperations manager must approve thisrequest. The parent will also sign apermission slip when submitting thefee.

There may be individual fees assessedto students to participate in a schoolfundraiser activity (i.e., admission todance or carnival). Before thefundraising event, the organizer mustsubmit a request form explaining thepurpose and any fees associated withthe event. The principal and operationsmanager must approve this request.

Parents may apply for a fee waiverbased on financial need for anyincident when a fee is assessed.

4. Academic Guidelines

PowerSchool

Parents can see their children’sacademic improvement, dailyassignments, projects, disciplinerecords, and attendance records

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through PowerSchool. Parents will beprovided a username and password,which will only give access to theirstudent’s records. We stronglyencourage parents to visitPowerSchool regularly to stayinformed of their student’s progress.

Powerschool may be accessed athttp:/tmsa.powerschool.com/public/home.html. Parents and students canobtain their PowerSchool usernameand password at the beginning of theyear, or by checking with the schooldata manager throughout the year.

Communication between the schooland parents is essential for a successfulschool year. Our organizationalstructure will allow team teachers tocontact parents if a student is having aproblem in a particular class. Interimreports will be issued to all studentshalfway through each quarter. Reportcards will be issued at the end of eachquarter. Report cards will reflectacademic achievement andattendance records.

Grading Scale

TMSA/QCSS will be using a 10 pointgrading scale.

100%-90% A

89%-80% B

79%-70% C

69%-60% D

0%-59% F

Incomplete I

Upon the discretion of the centraloffice and school administration,elementary schools may also use astandards-based grading system.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parents and teachers should maintaina good working relationship to helpstudents get the best possibleeducation. One of our most importantforms of communication is theparent-teacher conferences.Parent-teacher conferences arescheduled at least once per semester.Parents should check the schoolcalendar for the specific date.Additional conferences may berequested at any time during theschool year. If parents want to have aconference with any staff member,they should contact the school andmake arrangements. Teachers willrespond to parent communicationswithin two business days.

Cheating and Plagiarism

Cheating and plagiarism are choicesmade by students to misrepresenttheir true knowledge of the subjectmaterial (cheating) or misrepresentinginformation as their ownideas/concepts/words by not givingproper credit to the source(plagiarism).

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http://tmsa.powerschool.com/public/home.html

http://tmsa.powerschool.com/public/home.html


All assignments submitted atTMSA/QCSS are required to be in thestudent’s own words unless stated inwriting by the teacher otherwise.Therefore, any copying of informationfrom the Internet or any other source(i.e. “cutting & pasting”, etc.) isconsidered plagiarism. However,quotations, drawings and/or picturescan be taken from the Internet orother source as long as they areappropriately cited in the document.

Homework Policy

Homework is an essential part of asuccessful educational program atTMSA/QCSS. Doing homework willhelp students develop many valuableskills such as good study habits, timemanagement, responsibility, andperseverance. Teachers assignhomework that will foster individuallearning and growth, which isappropriate for the subject area.Homework is part of all students’regular evaluations. It is each student’sresponsibility to complete and turn inhomework on time; if it is not, a gradeof zero (0) may be given according tothe TMSA/QCSS Grading Policy. In caseof a conflict regarding homeworkassignments, the teacher’s record isfinal. If students or their parents havehomework questions, they shouldimmediately contact the teacher whoassigned it. Teacher’s email isavailable, and daily assignments areposted on Schoology.

Students will be assigned homeworkregularly to improve their skills in

various subjects. The total time spentstudying and doing homework willinfluence how much students learn. Atthe middle and high school level,however, homework will not typicallyexceed 90 minutes. Due to therigorous nature of Honors, Pre-AP, andAP classes, completing assignmentsfor those courses will likely requireadditional homework time. Homeworkcriteria are determined by theclassroom teacher. The following chartis a research-based suggestion. Itmeans that each teacher on themiddle and high school campus canassign 15-20 minutes of homeworkeach night. However, homework mayexceed 20 minutes in a particular classif it does not exceed 90 minutes.

Grade Level Nightly WrittenHomework(Does notincludeindependentreading time.)

Kindergarten 10 minutes

First Grade 20 minutes

Second Grade 30 minutes

Third Grade 40 minutes

Fourth Grade 50 minutes

Fifth Grade 60 minutes

Every teacher will post theirhomework on Schoology.

If a student does not have internet

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access at home to check out theschool’s LMS, it is his/herresponsibility to write it down(digitally or on paper) before leavingschool. Our teachers will provide aneffective environment at school forstudents to learn and improve theirskills. It will be necessary for studentsto assume the responsibility to do thefollowing:

1. Request all make-upassignments and homeworkassignments from each teacherafter an absence. Students will begiven one day for each day thatthey were absent. For example, if astudent misses three school days,he or she will have three schooldays to make up the missed work.

2. Complete all homeworkassignments and turn them in ontime.

3. Ask questions when the studentdoes not understand assignments.

4. Do all homework neatly.

5. Attempt to do homeworkindividually. Parents areencouraged to assist and monitorthe homework.

Teachers will notify parents if astudent continually fails to completehomework assignments. Parents mayalso monitor student grades inPowerSchool. If a student is absent forone day, parents ask for assignmentsthat the student returns to school. Ifthe student is absent for more thanone day, parents ask for assignments24-hours in advance. As an additional

resource, students may utilizeSchoology to learn about any missingassignments.

Late Work:

● If late work is not turned-in, thegrade will remain a zero (0).

● If work is submitted within aweek after the progress report isissued, the highest possible gradethe student can receive is sixty(60).

● No work will be accepted afterreport cards are finalized, usuallytwo to three days after the end ofa quarter.

Note: This policy does not apply toassessments/projects, which will bedetermined by teacher expectationsas determined by the rubric beingutilized.

Student Recognition

Students will be recognized foroutstanding performances andachievements at the end of eachgrading period. Students areencouraged to do their best, so theycan be recognized for theiroutstanding efforts.

Schedule Changes

Each student’s schedule is carefullyplanned and developed based on thestudent’s academic history anddemonstrated abilities. Modificationsto the student’s schedule can only bemade if requested within the first five(5) days of the semester. Any requests

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made after this time may be deemeddisruptive to the regular routinealready established, and therefore, maynot be honored. The administrationwill make the final decision, and not allrequests may be granted. Parentsshould check their students' schedulescarefully during the first week ofschool to ensure their students’ bestplacement.

Retention Policy

K-8th Grades

At the end of the school year, theStudent Academic Committee, whichmay include Assistant Principal, Dean,School Counselor, and one or morecore subject teachers, will review eachstudent’s case and make arecommendation to the principal forfinal approval. Final decisions onstudent promotion or retention restwith the principal.

Students’ academic performance, age,emotional and social development,national, state, and local assessmentresults, and teacher recommendationare all considered when makingretention decisions. Every effort will bemade to work with the student andparents to remediate the student’sdifficulties before he/she is retained.Students must successfully complete amajority of the required academicsubjects to be promoted.

1. Any student failing three (3) or morecore classes for an academic year is

automatically retained at that gradelevel.

2. Any student who has unexcusedabsences for more than 10% of therequired school attendance days maybe retained.

3. For any student failing two (2) coresubjects in a given year, the followingcriteria will be used to make a decision:

a. If a student fails Math andLanguage Arts, then the student willbe considered for retention.b. If a student also fails (End-of-Grade)EOG’s in two or more subjects, thenthe student will be considered forretention.c. If a student's MAP testing averagefor the year is not greater than 60%(50%)d. If a parent requests retention.e. If a student has been put onacademic probation (probation to lastthrough the following school year).

4. Any probationary student that failsthe same two (2) core subjects in asubsequent year will automatically beretained. (Parent will already havesigned paper in step #3 aboveindicates understanding of this action.)

High School

Students earn credits for coursesthrough the TMSA/QCSS and NorthCarolina Graduation Requirements.Any student who receives a passinggrade in a course will earn credit forthat course. Students will be placed

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into courses based on the credits thatthey have previously completed. TheCollege Counselor is responsible forassigning courses to high schoolstudents. Students who do not passEnglish and/or Math in any year will beretained until the course is completedsuccessfully. Any of the high schoolcredits earned during middle schoolcan be retaken with a parent’s writtenrequest in order that the original gradeis not counted against the student.

Academic Probation

Students on academic probation arerequired to go to after-school tutoringduring the week and will not beeligible to participate in after-schoolclubs or sports for that quarter or untilthey are removed from academicprobation. Students who are retainedwill be on academic probation for thefull academic year.

Students who fail two subjects in aquarter will be placed on academicprobation during the quarter and willcontinue to be on academic probationuntil their status is reviewed later on.Before a student is placed onacademic probation, an administratorwill meet with the parent and studentto explain the situation and will signthe “Understanding AcademicProbation Document.”

Textbooks

TMSA/QCSS furnishes textbooks.Restitution for lost and/or damaged

textbooks or related materials andsupplies will be required before asecond textbook or additional materialwill be made available to a student.Students who owe money for lost ordamaged textbooks or materials willbe permitted to use a textbook duringclassroom instruction; however, theywill not be permitted to take thetextbook or materials home forhomework purposes. Report cardsmay also be withheld until textbooksfees are collected.

5. Attendance, Tardiness, andTruancy

Absences and Tardiness

TMSA/QCSS recognizes two kinds ofabsences and tardiness: excused andunexcused. Parents should readthrough each definition carefully tounderstand what student andparents/guardian responsibilities are.Parents and students should be veryaware of their responsibilitiesregarding homework, quizzes, andtests when they have an excusedabsence and the consequences forunexcused absences.

Excused Absences

Parents or guardians must notify theschool front office in writing or emailany day their child is not attending.The excuse shall be submitted to theschool office and filed as part of thestudent's school record. Absences thatare not verified by parents with the

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office within three (3) days will beviewed as unexcused. A student’sabsence from school is excused byparent notification for a maximum oftwo (2) consecutive days. Once astudent reaches 10 cumulativeabsences (excused or unexcused),doctor verification or other acceptabledocumentation is required foradditional absences to be consideredexcused. Excessive absences mayresult in student retention.

TMSA/QCSS accepts only the followingas excusable reasons for absence fromschool.

In accordance with G.S. 115C-378,acceptable documentation mayinclude the following:

● Personal Illness or Injury: Personalillness or injury of the student orany health condition when schoolattendance would endanger thehealth of the student, or the healthof others is excused. Parents orguardians should call the schooleach morning when a student ishome ill. The school may require adoctor's confirmation if the studenthas three (3) or more medicalexcused absences.

● Medical or Dental Appointments:TMSA/QCSS requiresdocumentation from the medicaloffice when the student returns toschool.

● Serious Illness or Death in theFamily: Serious illness or death in astudent's immediate familynecessitating the absence is

considered excused. In the case ofserious illness, students arerequired to present medicaldocumentation to validate theabsence(s) as an excused absencewithin three days of the student’sreturn to school. Parents orguardians must call the office toexplain the situation and estimatedtime of absence. When the studentreturns to school, they must bringan explanatory note from theirparent/guardian or doctor.

● Court Order: Court order by agovernmental agency mandatingthe student’s absence from schoolis excused. Parents or guardiansmust call the office to explain thesituation and estimated time ofabsence. When a student returns toschool, they must bring a copy ofthe court order documentation.

● Quarantine: Absence is excusedwhen the student’s isolation isordered by the local health officeror by the State Board of Health.Parents or guardians must call theoffice to explain the situation andestimated time of absence.Documentation should be providedwhen the student returns to school.

● Special or Recognized ReligiousHolidays: School principals arerequired to authorize a minimum oftwo (2) excused absences eachacademic year for religiousobservances required by the faith ofthe student or the student’sparents. Parents or guardians mustcall the office to explain thesituation and estimated time ofabsence. When a student returns to

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school, they must bring anexplanatory note from theirparent/guardian.

● Educational Opportunity: When itis demonstrated that the absence isto take advantage of a valideducational opportunity, theabsence may be excused. Theprincipal must approve such anabsence prior to the absence bycompleting the appropriate form.

● Absence Related To DeploymentActivities: For a student whoseparent or legal guardian is an activeduty member of the uniformedservices and has been called toduty for, is on leave from, orimmediately returned fromdeployment to a combat zone orcombat support posting, visitingsaid parent, or legal guardian isconsidered excused. (G.S.115C-375.5)

● Other: Other absences to bedetermined by and at thediscretion of the principal and/orBoard of Directors may be excused.

Unexcused Absences

An unexcused absence is a part of astudent’s school record. Students willbe marked as an unexcused absencefor failure to attend school, with orwithout the parent/guardian’sknowledge, for reasons other thanthose outlined explicitly as excusedabsences.

Tardy Policy

Students will be considered tardy toschool when they are not present atthe beginning of the official schoolday/individual class period. A tardy willonly be considered excused in caseswith documentation of one of thereasons listed in the excused absencepolicy. Three (3) or more unexcusedtardies in a ten-day span first results inone detention as a warning and allsubsequent unexcused tardies movethe student through the schooldisciplinary cycle. School SocialWorkers will be involved in any casewith (3) or more unexcused tardies in aten-day span.

Students who are late to school musthave their parents/guardians comeinto the school office to sign thestudent in as tardy, and provide thereason for the tardiness. For individualstudents and carpools arriving late, thedriver responsible must come into theschool office and sign in each studentas tardy, and provide the reason for thetardiness. Once the students havebeen properly signed in, they will get a“late slip” for admittance to class. If thisprocedure is not followed, the studentswill receive an unexcused tardy.

Unexcused Tardy

Arriving late to school with or withoutthe knowledge of parent/guardian, as aresult of oversleeping, parent errands,etc. will result in an unexcused tardy.Tardiness to school – whether theresult of oversleeping, car problems,babysitting, athletic workouts, orsocializing – is unacceptable.

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Excessive Tardiness

Excessive tardiness to school mayresult in disciplinary action under theStudent Code of Conduct and/orreferral to Child Protective Services.

Students are required to be in theirclassrooms before the bell rings. If astudent is late to class, a consequencemay be assigned. If it is an ongoingproblem, then further disciplinaryaction, including an office level referral,may be assigned. If a student missesmore than 50% of an instructionalperiod, it will be considered anabsence. Four unexcused tardies willbe calculated as one unexcusedabsence per each class and may resultin truancy.

Early Checkout

Being removed from classes andleaving the school prior to the officialend of the school day with a parent orlegal guardian is considered an earlycheckout. A photo ID is required tocheck a student out of school. Onlythose persons who have beenpreviously approved by theparents/guardians, and officiallyrecorded on the student’s records atschool will be allowed to check out astudent.

● To be considered “in attendance”for a school day, a student must bepresent for at least one-half of theschool day, excluding the lunch

period. Students leaving schoolbefore meeting that requirementwill be considered absent for thewhole day.

● An authorized early checkout willbe considered only in the cases ofillness that is confirmed by theschool or doctor or a preplannedmedical appointment. Parents arerequired to provide documentationof any medical appointments whenthe student returns to school thenext day. Students who miss morethan 50% of an instructional periodto the end of a course will beconsidered absent.

● To avoid instructional interruptions,early checkouts should be kept to aminimum.

● Excessive unexcused earlycheckouts from school may resultin disciplinary action under theStudent Code of Conduct and/orreferral to Child Protective Services.

Perfect Attendance

Students are recognized throughoutthe school year if they maintain perfectattendance. Perfect attendance isconsidered as zero absences, zerotardies, and zero early checkouts fromschool and each assigned class.Whether the absence/tardy is excusedor unexcused is not a consideration.

Truancy

In accordance with G.S. 115C-378, anychild between the ages of seven (7)and sixteen (16) years is subject to thecompulsory attendance law. Any

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parent or guardian shall cause thechild to attend the school continuouslyfor a period equal to the time whichthe public school shall be in session.Truancy shows a deliberate disregardfor the educational program and isconsidered a serious matter that willhave immediate consequences.Absences can be reported per wholeschool day or per course.

● After two (2) days of unexcusedabsences: The principal ordesignee will notify theparent/guardian of the unexcusedabsences.

● After five (5) days of unexcusedabsences: The principal ordesignee will notify theparent/guardian by mail that he orshe may be in violation of theCompulsory Attendance Law andmay be prosecuted.

● After seven (7) days of unexcusedabsences: The principal ordesignee will meet with theparent/guardian about theexcessive unexcused absences andput interventions in place.

● After ten (10) days of unexcusedabsences: A letter will be sent fromthe administration to theparent/guardian regardingattendance. The principal ordesignee shall review any report orinvestigation and will confer withthe parent/guardian. In addition, areferral shall be made to Child

Protective Services by theadministration.

Note: Any student who has unexcusedabsences for more than 10% of therequired school attendance days maybe retained.

For high school students, retention willbe calculated per course and persemester. Nine or more unexcusedabsences in a course will necessitatethe student repeating the course. Thismay impact a student’s grade levelpromotion.

If a student fails to attend school forten (10) consecutive days the student isconsidered withdrawn from theschool. If the student shows up afterthat period, the student will beconsidered as a new enrolling student.If there is a waiting list for that gradelevel, that student will be added to thewaiting list.

When administrative actions taken tocorrect truancy have provenineffective, the school system may fileproceedings in court and furnishevidence for the conviction ofparents/guardians and/or child fornon-compliance with state attendancelaws.

6. Grievances

Student and parent complaints will beaddressed in a timely and consistentfashion. Disagreements should besolved whenever possible while

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preserving positive relationships.Therefore, when a student or parenthas a complaint or disagreement withany parties at TMSA/QCSS, they shouldobserve the following guidelines:

1. If the complaint involves a situationin the classroom, the student or parentshould seek to resolve the issue withthe teacher.

2. If a resolution with the teacher is notpossible, or if the complaint is with aschool-wide policy or procedure, thestudent or parent should seek toresolve the issue with the dean orassistant principal.

3. If a resolution with the dean orassistant principal is not possible, thestudent or parent should seek toresolve the issue with the principal.

4. If a resolution with the principal isnot possible, the student or parentshall submit a written grievance to theBoard of Directors within thirty (30)calendar days of the situation orincident. The board of directors willdiscuss the grievance in closed sessionand respond in writing. This will occurwithin thirty (30) days of receiving agrievance.

This Grievance Policy is not designedto supersede or supplant federal lawand parent rights under TheIndividuals with Disabilities EducationImprovement Act of 2004 and theFamily Educational Rights and PrivacyAct (FERPA) as amended, 1996.

7. Services for Students

After-School Activities

In order to participate in anyafter-school extra-curricular activity,including music performances, plays,sports etc., students must arrive intime to be counted present during theschool day. Students must be presentthat school day to be able to go toactivities. Students staying forafter-school activities will be expectedto follow the Student Code of Conductor they may be banned from allafter-school activities.

Field Trips

Field Trips offer exciting ways to learn.TMSA/QCSS students will have theopportunity to go on field trips atvarious times throughout the schoolyear. Grade level and/or teamsponsored day field trips are offered tomost students. Students who havereceived an out-of-school suspension(OSS) during the school year will notbe eligible to participate in anyovernight field trips for the rest of theschool year, and any fees or depositspaid earlier are non-refundable. Inaddition, any student who hasdemonstrated the inability to followrules may be prohibited fromparticipating - this determination willbe made by the administration on anindividual basis. Any fees or depositspaid earlier are non-refundable. For allfield trips, students will be expected tofollow these rules:

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● Students must abide by theTMSA/QCSS Student Code ofConduct and Dress Code while onthe field trip.

● Students must bring to school theField Trip Permission Slip, signed byparents/guardians by the specifieddate. No phone calls or e-mails willbe accepted as permission.

Hall Passes

No hall passes will be provided duringthe first and the last periods of the dayor during the first and last 10 minutesof each class period. We urge allstudents to take advantage of thetransitional times for their personalneeds; however, emergency cases willbe addressed accordingly. Studentswho are occupying the hallway andengaged in an activity other than theone which their hall pass permits willbe subject to disciplinary action.

Lunch & Nutrition Program

Students may purchase a nutritionallunch through our caterer or maybring their lunch from home. The costof student lunch will be announced bythe caterer. Parents/guardians shouldinform the administration with aphysician’s note about any allergies orspecial requirements that theirstudents may have.

School Pictures

A contracted photographer willphotograph students in the schoolduring the fall and spring semesters.Parents may purchase the entirepackage of photos or a partial packet.

Search and Seizure

The administration of TMSA/QCSSreserves the right to search theassigned locker, cubby, desk, person,and personal property of a student onschool grounds, in school vehicles or atany school activity when it isreasonably necessary for themaintenance of order, discipline, andsafety in the supervision andeducation of students. At thebeginning of the school year, studentswill be informed that their assignedlockers, cubby, desk, persons andpersonal belongings, including but notlimited to purses, athletic bags, andarticles of clothing in the locker, aresubject to search for items prohibitedby the Student Handbook andConduct Policy.

Contraband is defined as property thatis illegal for a person to acquire orpossess under statute, ordinance, rule,policy or that TMSA/QCSS determinesto be illegal to possess by reason of theproperty’s involvement in an offenseshall be considered “contraband.” Suchcontraband is subject to forfeiture tothe school under the school’s ConductPolicy.

The Board of Directors andadministration authorizes the use oftrained canines in detecting the

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presence of drugs or drugparaphernalia. The canines may beused to patrol TMSA/QCSS facilitiesand grounds, including the lockers andparking areas. Use of trained caninesmay be unannounced and random. If atrained canine alerts a particularvehicle, locker or other container, itshall create reasonable suspicion tosearch that vehicle, locker, or containerin accordance with this policy.

Special Education Services

TMSA/QCSS employs certifiedExceptional Children’s Teachers. Theyprovide services to students withdisabilities and consultation to theclassroom teachers who serve thesestudents. TMSA/QCSS shall complywith federal and state law to ensurethat all students with disabilities willbe provided with free appropriateeducation (FAPE).

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities may besuspended for inappropriate behaviorin accordance with federal legislationand state law. The principal ordesignee may suspend a student withdisabilities for short-term suspension;suspension from school may not be formore than fifteen (15) days in a schoolyear and not more than ten (10)consecutive days. The principal mayrecommend a student with disabilitiesfor long-term suspension or expulsion- more than fifteen (15) days or ten (10)

consecutive days - following theseprocedures:

● The principal will follow regularprocedures for long-termsuspension or expulsion asdescribed above.

● Once the principal has made arecommendation for long-termsuspension or expulsion of astudent with disabilities, he or shewill convene members of theStudent Support Team for aManifestation Determinationmeeting. The team will determine:○ if the student is eligible for

special education services;○ if the student is appropriately

placed in a special educationprogram;

○ if the student’s IEP is beingimplemented; and

○ if there is a causal relationshipbetween the student‘s disablingcondition and the conduct forwhich he or she is to bedisciplined.

● The parent will be notified inwriting of the time and place of thecommittee meeting and itspurpose.

8. Health and Safety

The health room provides emergencyfirst aid and special services forstudents who become ill or areinvolved in minor accidents. If aproblem warrants medical attention,the parent is contacted immediately.Students who have a temperature of

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100.0 degrees or above or vomitingmust be picked up from school.Current phone numbers to contactparents or a responsible adult at alltimes are essential. Once contacted,parents/guardians are encouraged tobe prompt in picking up their sickchild. Parents/guardians are to makethe school aware of any medicalproblems/conditions that warrantspecial care. Parents should not sendchildren to school if they have fever,nausea, or other symptoms of illness.The school nurse oversees screening ofchildren for certain problems, reportsfindings to parents, and monitors ourrecords.

Student Health Guidelines

Parents/guardians should not sendtheir child to school if he/she has:

● Fever in the past 24 hours● Vomiting in the past 24 hours● Diarrhea in the past 24 hours● Chills● Sore throat(that cannot be relieved

with a cough drop)● Strep Throat (must have been

taking an antibiotic for at least 24hours before returning to school)

● Bad cold, with a very runny nose orbad cough, especially if it has keptthe child awake at night

If your child is sent to school prior to 24hours following fever, vomiting, ordiarrhea, then the parent/guardian willbe contacted to pick their child upfrom school immediately in order tolimit exposure to other students and

staff members. If your child becomes illat school and the school nurse aide oradministrator feels the child is too sickto benefit from school or is contagiousto other children, parents/guardianswill be called to pick him/her up fromschool. The student will not be sentback to the classroom.

Medication Policy

Over-The-Counter Medications

Aspirin, Tylenol, and other patientover-the-counter drugs are notavailable through school. Shouldparents wish for their children to haveaccess to these medications, theymust sign a waiver and leave a supplywith the school’s administrativeassistant. (Elementary would leavewith medical staff.)

Medication should not be brought toschool unless it is essential to thehealth of the student. If a studentmust take medicine at school, theseprocedures must be followed:

● The medication to be administeredby designated school personnelmust be sent directly from thepharmacy or physician’s office orbrought to school by the student’sparent/guardian. The school mustreceive a MedicationAdministration Directions Formsigned by the student’s physicianand parent/guardian.

● The following information must beprinted clearly on the originalmedication container:

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○ Student’s name,○ Name of the medication,○ Dosage,○ Time the medication must be

taken.

Bring in only the amount ofmedication that is needed for a schoolday. In the case of prolonged need,parents should send in the amount fora clearly specified period such as oneweek or one month. Extra medicationwill not be sent home with a student.All medication will be kept in a securelocation in the school.

Self-Administration of Medication

As a general rule, students are notallowed to carry any medication withthem in school. However, studentsmay carry and administer theirmedication if both of the followingconditions are met:

● It is warranted by a potentiallylife-threatening condition andadvised by their physician and,

● A Medication Self-AdministrationForm is on file in the office signedby the student’s parent, thephysician, and the principal.

9. Student Code of Conduct

Student Code of Conduct

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty is a difficultconcept to define. TMSA/QCSS’sphilosophy is to increase a student'sability to work independently andcollaboratively while realizing this onlyclouds the issue of academicdishonesty. We realize that valuablesocial skills and learning come throughgroup projects, collaboration, andcooperation. Students should attemptto do their own homework, but theyshould be willing to give assistance tofellow students when the learningexperience can be enhanced. In somesituations, testing is required to beindependent of any outside help.Students will be made aware of thisand will be expected to actaccordingly.

Plagiarism is a serious issue. Studentsshould give credit to the appropriateindividuals for their research andwriting. Students may have difficultydistinguishing what should be dulynoted and what is commonknowledge. It is the job of the facultyto bring this issue into a clearer focusfor the students so that students willlearn proper citation processes.Through their own research andwriting, the constitution of plagiarismwill become better defined for thestudent. Students will begin learningthe principles and processes ofresearch and writing in earlyelementary school. Over the course ofthe year, older students will be usingthe APA and MLA systems fordocumenting paraphrased andquoted material.

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Presenting someone’s work as one’sown in order to obtain a grade isconsidered to be cheating. Thisincludes, but is not limited to, copyingother’s assignments, answers,plagiarism, and unauthorized access.Allowing others to copy is also aviolation of this policy. Incidents ofcheating which constitute academicdishonesty will result in consequences.Repeated incidents of academicdishonesty will result in zero (0) for theassignment/assessment.

Bus Regulations

Any time students are riding theschool bus they are expected tocomply with basic safety regulations inorder to help ensure the safe transportof everyone on the bus. Studentsshould remain seated at all times,remain out of the aisle, and keep theirvoices at a low level. All school rulesand policies apply on the bus as well.Behavior issues can result in disciplinereferrals and may include suspensionfrom all bus activities.

Deception & WithholdingInformation

A student shall not withhold, distort,forge, or falsify any information to astaff member relevant to an eventwhich falls within the jurisdiction ofthe school.

Disruption of School or Class

A student shall not behave in such away to disrupt the normal function of a

classroom of the school. This wouldinclude excessive noise, talking,laughing, throwing of objects,horseplay, etc. at inappropriate times.Disruptive behaviors can bedetermined by classroom teachers onan individual basis, according topolicies established in their syllabi.

Extortion

A student shall not obtain or attemptto obtain money, items of value, orspecial favors from anyone by impliedor expressed threats or intimidation.

Fighting

A student shall not attempt to resolvea conflict through active physicalmeans.

Harassment & Verbal Abuse

A student shall not intentionallyengage in harassment, threats orintimidation against a student, groupof students, or staff member when theharassment is severe and pervasiveand disrupts classes or creates disorderor an intimidating or hostileeducational environment. A studentshall not display, possess, or use words,phrases, illustrations, or gestures whichare offensive to any ethnic, racial, orreligious group. Also, students shall notmake reference to sexual activity,attitudes, physical attributes orcharacteristics, which could beconsidered offensive, lustful, indecent,or lewd.

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Racial & Ethnic Harassment

A student shall not engage inracial/ethnic harassment. This may beany behavior, verbal or physical, whichis imposed by a student, because ofrace or ethnic background, which isintimidating, offensive, abusive,threatening, or unwelcomed andwhich causes or contributes to aracially/ethnically hostile environment.

Hazing and Bullying

Hazing/bullying activities of any typeare inconsistent with the educationalprocess and shall be prohibited at alltimes. No student, including leaders ofstudent organizations, shall plan,encourage, or engage in anyhazing/bullying. Hazing is defined asdoing any act or coercing another,including the victim, to do any act ofinitiation unto any student or otherorganization that causes or creates asubstantial risk of causing mental orphysical harm to any person. Bullyingis defined as an intentional written,verbal, or physical act that a studenthas exhibited toward another personmore than once. The behavior causesboth mental and physical harm to theother student and is sufficiently severe,persistent, or pervasive that it createsan intimidating, threatening, orabusive educational environment forthe other student. The intentional actalso includes violence within a datingrelationship. Permission, consent, orassumption of risk by an individualsubjected to hazing/bullying and/ordating violence does not lessen the

prohibition in this policy. This behaviorwill result in a discipline referral.Teachers will document each incidentto provide an accurate scope of theissue. Once a pattern of behavior hasbecome clear, disciplinaryconsequences can be assigned.

Indecent and Lewd Behavior

A student shall not by any means,including verbal, written, gesture, ordress/appearance, behave in a mannerwhich would be considered immodest,lustful, indecent, or lewd while underthe jurisdiction of TMSA/QCSS.

Inducing Panic

A student shall not by any meanscreate an atmosphere to provoke fearor endanger the safety or welfare ofany student, staff member, or anyother person.

Intimidation & Aggressive Behavior

A student shall not by any means ofphysical contact, invasion of personalspace, loud voice, or aggressivelanguage attempt to influence thebehavior or attitude of a fellowstudent, staff member, or any otherperson.

Inappropriate Language

A student shall not use profane,obscene, or inappropriate language,either oral or written. This wouldinclude obscene gestures, signs,pictures, or publications. A student

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shall not possess pornographicmaterial in any form.

Use of Recording or TransmittingDevices

A student shall not record or transmitaudio/video/photographs of anystudent, school employee, or otherperson without the express writtenpermission from the student’s parent,employee, or other person. Studentsare not allowed to film/photograph atschool without prior consent.

Schools will provide media releaseforms every year and the student list isprovided to school staff.

Physical Assault

A student shall not cause or attempt tocause physical injury or intentionallybehave in such a way as couldreasonably be anticipated to causephysical injury to a fellow student orstaff member.

Public Displays of Affection

A student shall not participate indisplays of affection (kissing, hugging,embracing, holding hands, etc.) onschool grounds or at school activities.

Reckless Behavior & Negligent Injury

A student shall not behave in amanner which could reasonably beanticipated to result in injury to self,another person, or property.

Improper Use of Technology

All students are required to completean “Acceptable Use Policy” agreementprior to using school computers. Theschool has a right to review materialstored in files to which all users haveaccess, and will edit or remove materialthat is considered unlawful, abusive, orotherwise objectionable. The schoolhas a right to revoke a student’sprivilege to use the Internet and emailfor abusive conduct by the student.While it is the parents/guardians’responsibility to monitor theirchildren’s activities during non-schoolhours, if inappropriate actions orcomments posted to social networkingsites or via email are deemeddisruptive or to pose a danger toschool-related activities, TMSA/QCSSwill work in partnership with our locallaw enforcement officials to prosecuteindividuals violating state or federallaw. These actions may also be subjectto school discipline.

Theft

A student shall not steal, attempt tosteal, or be in possession of stolenproperty, school property, or personalproperty of students or staff on schoolgrounds, bus, or school-related events.

Threat & Coercion

A student shall not by threat ofviolence, force, intimidation, or fearattempt to influence the behavior orattitude of a fellow student, staffmember, or any other person. This

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includes, but is not limited to, bothverbal and written threats. Parents andguardians shall not by threat ofviolence, force, intimidation, or fearattempt to influence the behavior orattitude of students, staff members, orany other person within schoolproperty or attending school functions.This includes, but is not limited to, bothverbal and written threats. In the eventof such conduct, parents andguardians may be banned from schoolbuildings and extracurricular events.

Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol

TMSA/QCSS is a tobacco, drug andalcohol-free campus. Any possession,use, or sale of these substances isstrictly prohibited. This rule, as do allschool rules, applies to all schoolevents and school trips. This policyincludes all “look-alikes”, lighters,electronic cigarettes, and matches.Drug paraphernalia, whetherpossessed for use or with the intent tosell or distribute, will be seen as anattempt to promote the distributionand use of illegal drugs and will resultin suspension or expulsion. Bothprescription and non-prescriptionmedications are included in this policy.

Truancy & Leaving Class WithoutPermission

A student shall not be absent from anyclass or assigned area without properschool authorization. After arriving onschool property or to a scheduled class,a student shall not leave withoutproper school authorization.

Vandalism and Property Damage

Causing or attempts to cause damageto school property will result in thereplacement of the damaged propertyby the student. This includes damagesthat occur during field trips andschool-affiliated events. The parent orguardian will also be held responsiblefor the replacement of the damagedproperty. This policy also covers thepersonal property of students and staffmembers.

Weapons & Dangerous Instruments

Possession of a defined weapon,fireworks, or other dangerousinstruments will not be tolerated. Thispolicy includes all “look-alikes”, toys,and replicas of such devices.

Willful Disobedience, Disrespect, andInsubordination

Willful disobedience is the intentionaldefiance of teachers and/or staff. Suchaction may be exhibited while comingto and from school, on the bus, duringthe normal school day, or on field trips.For the safety of the student and otherstudents and the establishment of anurturing learning environment,respect for faculty, staff, and parents isnecessary. Students are expected todemonstrate good citizenship and actin a reasonable manner. No studentshall fail to comply with discipline orconsequences issued by teachers oradministrators.

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Other Violations

It should be noted that other examplesof conduct reaching the gravity of theabove examples might also be subjectto disciplinary action.

10. Dress Code

Students are expected to wear theTMSA/QCSS uniform at all times and todress and groom themselves in such away as to reflect neatness, cleanlinessand safety. All students should dressappropriately so as not to disrupt orinterfere with the educational programor the orderly operation of the school.The principal or other authorizedschool official shall determine whetherany particular use of the schooluniform is in violation of the spiritand/or the intent of this school uniformpolicy. Students and parents areexpected to honor the uniform code inorder that valuable school time is notspent examining student attire todetermine appropriateness.

General Uniform Guidelines

Students must be in complete uniformwhen they arrive at TMSA/QCSS.Uniforms are expected to remainintact and appropriately wornthroughout the entire day at school.Students must remain in full uniformuntil after they leave TMSA/QCSS.

Students can only change out of theiruniform if they are participating in PEclass, sports, and/or other school

activities that require flexible clothingor athletic gear. If a student changesclothes when not appropriate,disciplinary action will be taken.Students taking dual enrollmentcourses are expected to wear schooluniforms for any courses they areattending at TMSA/QCSS.

● Shirts must be tucked in at alltimes.

● Pants or shorts may be khaki, navyblue, or black. Uniform pants mustbe worn.

● Jeans, leggings, and jeggingscannot be worn as uniform pants.

● Material may not be denim, suede,or corduroy.

● Pants or shorts may not be rolled orfolded up. Shorts must be at leastfingertip length and no longer thanthe top of the knee when standing.

● Athletic shorts are not permittedexcept for PE class or after schoolsports.

● The length of Bermudas, skirts, andskorts cannot be more than 3inches above the knee.

● Solid uniform color leggings maybe worn under skirts and skorts.

● Pajama bottoms, jeans, pants, orother apparel may not be wornunder the pants, capris, skorts,bermudas.

● Pants, capris, scooters, skorts,bermudas must be worn properlyat the waist and not sag below thetop of the hips.

Tops

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The embroidered TMSA/QCSS schoollogo is required for all polo shirts. Thelogo should only be embroidered onthe upper left side of the shirt.

Students may wear an outer layer overtheir logo polo shirt as needed forcooler temperatures. The logo is notrequired to be embroidered on thisouter layer as long as the logo shirt isworn underneath. The outer layershould not have any brands or writingon them other than the school logo ifdesired. The outer layer should be asolid school color. The outer layer maynot be tied/worn around the waist. Thisouter layer may include:

● Pullover sweatshirts (no hood)● V-neck or crew neck sweaters● Cardigan/button sweaters● Sweater vests● Full or half zipper fleece● A long-sleeve solid, school-colored

shirt may be worn under theshort-sleeve embroidered polo shirtfor warmth.

● Shirt colors follow school colors.● On Fridays only, TMSA/QCSS Spirit

shirts are allowed as a top.

Shoes

The emphasis on shoes is safety. Forthat reason, all shoelaces must be tiedproperly, all buckles fastened, allstraps/velcro secured. Nothing maydangle or drag from the shoe. Shoesmust be closed-toed dress shoes,athletic shoes, or boots. Socks or tightsmust be worn daily.

The following are not permitted atschool:● Heels● Wheels or roller shoes● Lights, glitter, sequins, or jewels on

the shoe● Slippers, flip-flops, open-toed shoes,

and slides● Fish-net stockings● Leg warmers.

Physical Education Uniforms

Middle and high school students maybe required to dress out during theirscheduled physical education classesin a PE uniform. If students arerequired to dress out, they must wearthe PE uniform that can be purchasedthrough our vendor.

Miscellaneous Guidelines

All outside coats and jackets orhoodies may not be worn inside theschool building – this includeswindbreakers during the school day.All outside coats and jackets orhoodies must be put in the student’slocker immediately upon entering theschool building. Students who are apart of an athletic team may bepermitted to wear athletic apparel onFridays in lieu of spiritwear.● The bottom two or three buttons

on the uniform shirt must bebuttoned at all times.

● Clothing should be neat and clean.● Clothing may not be worn inside

out or backwards.● Undergarments must not be

exposed.

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● Hair, face, and body paint areinappropriate for school and notpermitted.

● Cosmetics and/or make-up shouldbe age-appropriate, appropriate forschool, and not attract undueattention.

● Jewelry and accessories should beappropriate for school and notattract undue attention or pose asafety risk.

● Extreme hairstyles are notpermitted and should not attractundue attention.

● Hats, caps, curlers, headscarves,bandanas, doo-rags, picks, combs,brushes, chains, sunglasses, gloves,arm warmers, and coats are not tobe worn during school hours.Headwraps for religious or culturalpurposes are permitted. Headwrapsshould be a solid color thatcoordinates with the school colors.

● Excessive multiple piercings are notallowed while in uniform so as notto attract undue attention or pose asafety risk.

● Dress Down Day guidelines alsoinclude:○ Students are expected to wear

appropriate clothing on dressdown days.

○ Clothing that is excessivelyrevealing, such as shortmini-skirts, short-shorts, tanktops, loosely fitting, low-cutblouses or halter tops,sheer/mesh shirts, or shirtsexposing the midriff are not tobe worn to school.

○ All t-shirts must be in goodtaste (no suggestive wording or

illustrations or advertisementsfor items which are illegal forstudents - i.e., alcohol andtobacco products, etc. ).

The administration at each schoolreserves the right to evaluate and ruleupon any dress, grooming, or studentappearance that is not consistent witha safe, non-distracting educationalenvironment that may or may not becontained in this policy. This wouldinclude but is not limited to, newtrends or fads in fashion which mayhave been unknown at the time of thepolicy’s approval by the Board ofDirectors.

Dress Code Violations

There are two types of dress codeviolations:

1. Dress code violations we canmodify at school:

Example: have students removearticles of clothing that are notprohibited - hats, jackets, sweaters, etc.

Students will be asked to correct theirdress code violations.

2. Dress code violations we cannotmodify at school:

Example: Not wearing a uniform topand not having one on hand

Parents will be contacted and requiredto bring the students proper attire.

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Students who violate the dress codewill receive a discipline referral.

11. Discipline

Responsibility for IndividualActions or Choices

It is expected that every individual willaccept responsibility for his/her ownactions, whether intentional orunintentional. Often, harm caused toother persons or their possessions isunintentional or the result of carelessbehavior. This, however, does notexcuse or diminish the personalresponsibility of the student and/or theparent/guardian) to make appropriaterestitution. When known and verifiedby an administrator, any harm causedto another will be reported to parents.Neither TMSA/QCSS and its employeesnor the Board of Directors assumesany liability for the intentional orunintentional harm caused by anystudent to another individual or his/herpossessions.

It is TMSA/QCSS’s goal to help everystudent fulfill his/her intellectual,social, physical, and emotionalpotential. Everything in and about theschool has been designed to create anorderly and distraction-freeenvironment in which all students canlearn effectively and pleasantly. Tofoster this kind of learningenvironment, the TMSA/QCSSadministrators and teachers will notallow inappropriate, distractive, ordisorderly behaviors to occur during

school, on school property, or at anyschool-sponsored activities. Studentswho continuously disregard the codeof conduct may be recommended tothe Board of Directors for expulsion.

Our primary goal is to develop a senseof responsibility and self-disciplinewithin students. “Firm but fair” is thebasis for this system wide disciplineprogram. Guidelines are provided inorder to foster mutual respect andcooperation within the school setting.TMSA/QCSS takes its responsibilityseriously to educate its students in asafe and drug-free school where theyare free from fear of harm orintimidation. Weapons, drugs, andgang activity will not be tolerated.Students who violate TMSA/QCSS rulesor state laws related to these offenseswill be suspended or expelled fromschool. Violators will also be reportedto the police and may be arrested.These rules apply to all students atschool or school-sponsored activities,including field trips and on buses,athletic fields, stadiums, parking lots,official school bus stops, and othersites used for school-sponsoredactivities.

Use of Technology Equipment

Students should respect all of thetechnological equipment. Anymishandling or tampering withcomputers or systems may result inlosing computer privileges at school. Inaddition, disciplinary action, includingsuspension, may occur for situationsconsidered serious by the school

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administration. Any damage requiringrepair to hardware or software willresult in financial charges beingassessed. Students shall not alter orattempt to alter school or privateproperty, including technologyhardware and software. Students maynot bring computer software tocampus to be used on schoolcomputers without prior approval ofthe school administration. Studentsare not allowed to instant message,email, write blogs or visit personalwebsites on school computers. Theremay be some exceptions to this forhigh school students. Students shouldnot bring food items or beverages intothe classroom setting near technology.

With the approval of schooladministration, some students may beallowed to bring their own electronicdevices to school. Students whochoose to bring their own electronicdevices into the building areresponsible for the maintenance andcare of their personal property. Thestaff is not liable or responsible for anymissing or damaged equipmentowned by the students. Parents areurged to practice caution in allowingtheir students to bring expensiveelectronic equipment to school.

All students and parents are requiredto sign an “Acceptable Use Policy”agreement prior to using the school’stechnology equipment.

During Emergency Drills

Fire, intruder, and tornado drills areheld at different intervals throughoutthe school year. Students must followtheir teachers' instructions and go todesignated areas as quickly aspossible. Students must not talk, run,or push. A signal will be given forreturning to class. A student that doesnot follow the safety rules will receivean online discipline referral andappropriate disciplinary action will betaken.

Discipline Procedures

TMSA/QCSS will use a consistentprocedure for handling discipline.Teachers will document and addressall minor infractions in the classroom.Teachers will refer to all majorinfractions to the office by completingan online discipline referral. If astudent receives an online disciplinereferral, parents will be contacted bythe school to notify them of theincident and what actions will betaken. The principal or his/herdesignee will make the finaldetermination of consequences.

Elementary classroom teachers willimplement an age-appropriatebehavioral system within theirclassrooms. Both teachers and schooladministrators will use theirprofessional discretion to ensureage-appropriate consequences.

Discipline Cycle

Although there is not a required orderto assign consequences, the following

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is considered a recommended modelshould a student receive a disciplinereferral for exhibiting misbehaviorwhich would not be considered assevere or extreme. For seriousmisbehaviors, some of these steps maybe bypassed.

● First Discipline Referral: Classroomwarning and a conference with thestudent.

● Second Discipline Referral:Classroom warning and contactwith a parent; detention

● Third Discipline Referral: One (1)day of in-school suspension

● Fourth Discipline Referral: Three(3) days of in-school suspension

● Fifth Discipline Referral: One (1)day of out-of-school suspension

● Sixth Discipline Referral: Three (3)days of out-of-school suspension

● Seventh Discipline Referral: Five(5) days of out-of-school suspension

● Eighth Discipline Referral: Optionto withdraw or ten (10) days ofout-of-school suspension pending atribunal hearing with arecommendation for expulsion.

Each major discipline referral (ISS orOSS referrals) will be noted on astudent’s permanent disciplinetranscript. Parents will be notified inwriting when a discipline referral isassigned, the resultant consequence,and advised as to their student’scurrent status within the disciplinecycle.

Description of Discipline Options

● Withholding of Privileges: Thestudent may be denied anopportunity to partake inschool-related activities and/orevents as deemed appropriate byan administrator. These privilegesinclude, but are not limited to clubs,teams, field trips, assemblies,lock-ins, camps, dances, and/orcompetitions.

● Recess Detention: The studentmay be denied an opportunity toparticipate in recess as deemedappropriate by a teacher or thediscipline coordinator. Time isprovided to think about thebehavior that occurred and how itcan be prevented in the future. Thisconsequence will not be assignedfor high school students; highschool has no recess periods. (NCPolicy prevents this)

● Silent Lunch Detention: Thestudent may be assigned to eattheir lunch silently under thesupervision of the Dean of StudentCulture. The student loses theprivilege of eating with theirclassmates. Time is provided tothink about the behavior thatoccurred and how it can beprevented in the future. Studentsmay be asked to write a reflectiveessay about the event.

● Morning/After School Detentions:The student may be assigned amorning or an after schooldetention by the dean of studentculture or other administrator. If a

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morning or after school detention isnot served, then the student stillowes the original morning or afterschool detention and is assigned anadditional morning or after schooldetention as a consequence. If themorning or after school detentionscontinue to not be served, then amore severe consequence may beassigned.

● In-School Suspension: In-SchoolSuspension is a formal disciplinaryaction that can only be assigned bya TMSA/QCSS administrator andrequires correspondence with theparents. In-school days ofsuspension may increase onsuccessive occasions where itbecomes necessary for the samestudent to be placed in ISS.Students are to report to the ISSroom with all the textbooks,supplies, and materials necessary tocomplete all assignments providedby their teachers. Assignmentscompleted in ISS will be graded bythe teacher who provides theassignment, and students willreceive credit for all work that iscompleted. All students underin-school suspension are prohibitedfrom participating in after schoolactivities and are therefore requiredto leave the school campusimmediately upon dismissal.

● Out-of-School Suspension:Out-of-School Suspension is aformal disciplinary action that canonly be assigned by a TMSA/QCSSadministrator and requires

correspondence with the parents.Out-of-school suspension days mayincrease on successive occasionswhere it becomes necessary for thesame student to be suspendedfrom school. A meeting between aparent and an administrator maybe required prior to the return toTMSA/QCSS/QCSS of any studentserving an out-of-schoolsuspension. All students underout-of-school suspension areprohibited from participating inafter school activities and thereforeare not allowed to come on theschool campus. Students whoreceive an out-of-school suspensionwill not be able to participate onany overnight field trips for the restof the school year and any fees ordeposits paid earlier arenon-refundable. Students who areassigned out-of-school suspensionare responsible for communicatingwith their teachers and remainingcaught up on their assignmentswhile they are out of the building.

● Option to Withdraw: A studentmay withdraw without penaltyfrom a charter school at any timeand enroll in another local school inthe school district in which thestudent resides. A student who issuspended or expelled from acharter school as a result of adisciplinary action taken by acharter school shall be entitled toenroll in a local school if, under thedisciplinary policy of the localschool, such student would nothave been subject to suspension or

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expulsion. In such instances, thelocal school shall not be required toindependently verify the nature ofthe occurrence of the applicableconduct, or any evidence relatingthereto. Students who withdrawdue to discipline issues may not bereadmitted during the followingacademic year.

● Expulsion: Expulsion is a formaldisciplinary action that can only beapproved by the TMSA/QCSS Boardof Directors or designee afterreceiving a recommendation by theTMSA/QCSS administrative teamdue to the student’s involvement ina serious disciplinary offense or thestudent’s involvement in repetitivediscipline offenses. A writtencorrespondence to the student’sparents, containing the date andtime of the Board of Directorshearing will be mailed to theparents within ten days of thesuspension. If a student haspreviously been expelled from theschool, the principal may deny thestudent from re-enrolling in thefuture if he/she feels that thestudent will not be able to return tothe school and adhere to its policiesand Code of Conduct.

Student Expulsion and ExclusionPolicy

A student generally will not besuspended from school orrecommended for expulsion unless thePublic Charter School central office of

TMSA/QCSS determines that thestudent has:

● Caused or attempted to cause orthreatened to cause physical injuryto another person;

● Possessed, sold or otherwisefurnished any firearm, knife,explosive, or other dangerousobjects, unless, in the case ofpossession of any such object, thestudent had obtained writtenpermission to possess the itemfrom a certified school employee,which is concurred by the principalor the designee of the principal;

● Unlawfully possessed, used, sold orfurnished, or been under theinfluence of any controlledsubstance, alcoholic beverage,intoxicant of any kind, or drugparaphernalia;

● Unlawfully offered, arranged ornegotiated to sell any controlledsubstance or an intoxicant of anykind, and then either sold, deliveredor otherwise furnished to anyperson another liquid, substance, ormaterial and represented the liquid,substance, or materials as acontrolled substance, alcoholicbeverage or intoxicant;

● Committed robbery or extortion;● Caused or attempted to cause

damage to school property orprivate property;

● Stolen or attempted to steal schoolproperty or private property orknowingly received stolen property;

● Possessed or used tobacco, or anyproducts containing tobacco or

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nicotine cigarettes, smokelesstobacco, or chew packets or betel;

● Possessed or used vapes ore-cigarettes;

● Committed an obscene act orengaged in habitual profanity orvulgarity;

● Disrupted school activities orotherwise willfully defied the validauthority of supervisors, teachers,administrators, school officials orother personnel engaged in theperformance of their duties.

Disciplinary Consequences forBehavior Violation of the StudentCode of Conduct

Students and parents will understandthat disciplinary actions could beimplemented for acts enumerated inthis section and related to schoolactivities which occur at any time,

including (but not limited to) any ofthe following:

● While on school grounds;● While going to or coming from

school;● During or while going to or coming

from a school-sponsored activity;If necessary, we reserve the right tocarry a suspension or expulsion intothe following school year.

Violation Levels of Code ofConduct

TMSA/QCSS will maintain a levelsystem for handling infractions ofbehavioral expectations. Outlinedbelow is the level system along with aguide for handling such behaviors.

Level 1 Behaviors Include:

Typically Level 1 behaviors will be handled by the teachers at the classroom level.

Running in classrooms, hallways, orsidewalks

Cell phone/electronics in class

Defiant or disrespectful behavior Gum/food in the classroom

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Repeatedly breaking classroom rules Passing notes in class

Violation of uniform/dress code Computer violation/restricted website

Talking out of turn/excessive talking Horseplay

Excessive tardiness Interference with classroom activity

Being in the hallway without a pass Peer conflict

Name calling/taunting/teasing


Level 2 behaviors may result in an office referral. Teachers will complete a disciplinereferral and submit it to the Dean of Student Culture. If the student is unable to stayin the classroom, the teacher will radio for an available administrator to come andremove the student from the classroom. Parents will be contacted regarding theincident on the same day that it occurs.

Obscene language, materials, gesturesor behavior

Failure to identify/giving false ID

Profanity, vulgarity, offensive language Selling items without permission

Insubordination Verbal abuse

Excessive horseplay Acts of bigotry or prejudice

Disruption of education in theclassroom

Unauthorized audio or video recording

Out of assigned area/in restricted area Major dress code violations, such asexcessively revealing clothing

Dishonesty Misuse of school computers

Leaving class/area without permission


Level 3 behaviors should be referred to the office immediately. Teachers should callfor an available administrator to come and remove the student from the classroomimmediately. The teacher will complete an online referral outlining the events thattook place. Consequences for students who engage in level 3 behaviors will bedetermined by an administrator. An administrator will notify parents of the action

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taken. The consequences for such actions may result in immediate short or longterm out-of-school suspension with a pending Board of Directors hearing forexpulsion. Referrals will be made to law enforcement agencies when necessary.

Hitting/contact anotherstudent/provoking to fight

Repeated verbal abuse

Academic dishonesty Verbal/written threats, assault/batterystudent

Attendance problems/ditching (on oroff campus)

Verbal/written threats, assault/batteryon teachers

Public display of affection Possession of anyweapon/mace/pepper spray

Destruction of school property Unauthorized possession of adangerous instrument

Disrespect to staff members or otheradults

Willful or dangerous act

Theft of personal property Bullying or hazing

Horseplay/disruption during safety drill Forgery of passes, excuses, or otherforms

Sexual misconduct Arson

Truancy from school Extortion

Failure to report to assigned areaand/or class; leaving campus withoutnotice

Trespassing

False alarm Issuance of a bomb threat

Technology tampering Smoking/Vaping

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Parent/Guardian & Student Signature Page

By signing below, I acknowledge I have accessed the school handbook, and Iacknowledge that my child is responsible for adhering to these policies and may faceconsequences for failing to comply.

Student's Name (Print): _______________________________________

ID Number: ___________________

Parent/Guardian Name: _________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

Apt. # ________________ Zip Code: ________________

Home Phone Number: _________________________________________

Work Number: __________________ Cell Phone: _________________________

Emergency Phone Number: _______________________________________________

Emergency Contact Name: ________________________________________________

Relationship: (i.e. grandparent, uncle, friend, etc.) _____________________________

Indicate if emergency contact can pick up student: _____ Yes _____ No

Parent Email Address: ___________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________ Date: _____________

Student Signature: ___________________________________ Date: _____________

To be filled out by office only with copy kept on file.

_____________________________ Date hardcopy provided to parent/guardian.

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