REQUIRED FORMS
Acknowledgment Form

My child and I have received a copy of the Mt. Vernon Intermediate Student Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct for 2007–2008. I understand that the handbook contains information that my child and I may need during the school year and that all students will be held accountable for their behavior and will be subject to the disciplinary consequences outlined in the Code.

Printed name of student:

Signature of student:

Signature of parent:

Date:

“Please sign and date this page, remove it from the handbook, and return it to the student’s school.”

ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY SIGNATURE FORM

Student Name___________________________________________________________Grade__________

School________________________________________________________________________________
I understand that my computer use is not private and that the District may monitor my activity on the computer system.

I have read the Mt. Vernon ISD electronic communications system policy and administrative regulations and agree to abide by their provisions. I understand that violation of these provisions may result in suspension of system access.

Student’s signature_______________________________________Date____________________________

PARENT OR GUARDIAN
I have read the Mt. Vernon ISD electronic communications system policy and administrative regulations. In consideration for my child using the District’s electronic communications system, and in consideration for having access to the public networks, I hereby release the District, its operators, and any institutions with which they are affiliated from any and all claims and damages of any nature arising from my child’s use of, or inability to use, the system, including, without limitation, the type of damage identified in the District’s policy and administrative regulations.

_______I give permission for my child to participate in the District’s electronic communication system and certify that the information contained on this form is correct.

_______I do not give permission for my child to participate in the District’s electronic communications system. I release the District from providing state mandated curriculum, TEKS/TAKS-related content, and course requirements necessary for graduation available through the Internet.

Signature of parent or guardian_____________________________________________________________

Home address___________________________________________________________________________

Date___________________________________ Home phone number______________________________



RELEASE FOR ELECTRONICALLY DISPLAYED STUDENT PHOTOS/WORK

The Mt. Vernon Independent School District publishes a variety of teacher and student projects on District controlled web sites on the Internet. Should your child’s work be chosen for publication, you have the right to give or refuse permission for that work to be published on the MVISD web site.
Please choose from the following options regarding student photos:
_____I give permission for the District to publish my child’s photo on the district’s web page. The photo will not have a name attached to it.
_____I do not give permission for my child’s photo to be placed on the district web page.
Please choose from the following options regarding student work:
_____I give permission for the District to publish my child’s work accompanied by his/her first name. In the event that two children in the class have the same first name then the picture will include first name and last initial. I do not wish to be contacted for each piece of work.
_____I do not give permission for my child’s work to be published on the Internet at any time.
_____I reserve the right to review each piece of work before publication and wish to be contacted before publication of each piece of work.
Student’s Name_____________________________ Teacher__________________________
Parent’s or Guardian’s Signature_____________________________________
Date_________________________

Notice Regarding Directory Information and
Parent’s Response Regarding Release of Student Information

State law requires the district to give you the following information:
Certain information about district students is considered directory information and will be released to anyone who follows the procedures for requesting the information unless the parent or guardian objects to the release of the directory information about the student. If you do not want Mount Vernon ISD to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the district in writing by September 10, 2007.
This means that the district must give certain personal information (called “directory information”) about your child to any person who requests it, unless you have told the district in writing not to do so. In addition, you have the right to tell the district that it may, or may not, use certain personal information about your child for specific school-sponsored purposes. The district is providing you this form so you can communicate your wishes about these issues. [See Directory Information]
For the following school-sponsored purposes: all District publications and announcements, Mount Vernon ISD has designated the following information as directory information:

Student’s name, Address, Telephone listing, E-mail address, Photograph, Date and place of birth, Major field of study, Degrees, honors, and awards received, Dates of attendance, Grade level, Most recent school previously attended, Participation in officially, recognized activities and sports, Weight and height, if a member of an athletic team, Enrollment status
Directory information identified only for limited school-sponsored purposes remains otherwise confidential and will not be released to the public without the consent of the parent or eligible student.
Parent: Please circle one of the choices below:
I, parent of ______________________________ (student’s name), (do give) (do not give) the district permission to use the information in the above list for the specified school-sponsored purposes.

Parent signature Date

Parent’s Response Regarding Release of Student Information
to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education

Federal law requires that the district release to military recruiters and institutions of higher education, upon request, the name, address, and phone number of secondary school students enrolled in the district, unless the parent or eligible student directs the district not to release information to these types of requestors without prior written consent. [See Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education on page 8 for more information.]

Parent: Please complete the following only if you do not want your child’s information released to a military recruiter or an institution of higher education without your prior consent.
I, parent of ______________________________ (student’s name), request that the district not release my child’s name, address, and telephone number to a military recruiter or institutions of higher education upon their request without my prior written consent.

Parent signature Date
















Mt. Vernon Independent School District
2007-2008 District Personnel List

Superintendent of Schools………………………………..Mr. Rick Flanagan
Director of Curriculum and Staff Development………….Mrs. Carolyn Newsom
Business Manager………………………………………...Mrs. June Malone
Director of Special Education and 504 Coordinator……...Mr. Tim Evans
Director of Transportation………………………………...Mr. Ken Cushion
Director of Technology……………………………………Mr. Tim Evans
Director of Guidance and Counseling Services…………...Mr. Kelly Baird
Director of Food Services…………………………………Mr. Rick Flanagan
Director of Health Services………………………………..Mr. David Rains
Director of Library Services……………………………….Mrs. Tammy Hutchins
Director of Grounds and Maintenance……………………..Mr. Ken Cushion
High School Principal……………………………………...Mr. David Pierce
Jr. High School Principal…………………………………..Mr. Kelly Baird
Intermediate School Principal……………………………...Mrs. Tammy Hutchins
Elementary School Principal……………………………….Mr. David Rains


Mt. Vernon ISD Board of Trustees
2007-2008

Mr. Don Huffstetler, DDS…………………………………..President
Mr. Bob Stinson……………………………………………..Vice-President
Mrs. Marilyn Elbert…………………………………………Secretary
Mr. Richard Carr…………………………………………….Member
Mr. Bob Sehon………………………………………………Member
Mr. Bert Edmondson………………………………………...Member
Mr. Brad Sears………………………………………………Member


Table of Contents
REQUIRED FORMS i
Acknowledgment Form i
Acceptable Use Policy Signature Form………………………………………………..ii
Release for Electronically Displayed Student Photos/Work…………………………iii
Parent's Response Regarding Release of Student Information……………………….iv
Parent's Response Regarding Release of Student Information to
Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education…………………………….v
Mt. Vernon ISD Personnel List………………………………………………………….vi
PREFACE………………………………………………………………………………..xii
SECTION I: REQUIRED NOTICES AND INFORMATION FOR PARENTS 1
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION 1
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT 1
Working Together 1
PARENTAL RIGHTS 2
Obtaining Information and Protecting Student Rights 2
“Opting Out” of Surveys and Activities 3
Limiting the Display of a Student’s Artwork and Projects 3
Requesting Professional Qualifications of Teachers and Staff 3
Reviewing Instructional Materials 3
Inspecting Surveys 3
Accessing Student Records 4
Granting Permission to Video or Audio Record a Student 4
Removing a Student Temporarily from the Classroom 4
Excusing a Student from Reciting the Pledges to the U.S. and Texas Flags 4
Excusing a Student from Reciting a Portion of the Declaration of Independence 4
Requesting Notices of Certain Student Misconduct 5
Requesting Transfers for Your Child 5
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS 5
Parents of Students with Disabilities 5
Options and Requirements for Providing Assistance to Students Who Have Learning Difficulties or Who Need or May Need Special Education 5
Services for Title I Participants 6
Student Records 6
Directory Information 7
Directory Information for School-Sponsored Purposes 8
Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education 8
Bacterial Meningitis 8
SECTION II: INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS 11
ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE 11
Compulsory Attendance 11
Attendance for Credit 12
Parent’s Note After An Absence 13
Doctor’s Note After An Absence for Illness 13
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 13
AWARDS AND HONORS 13
COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS 13
COMPUTER RESOURCES 14
CONDUCT 14
Applicability of School Rules 14
Corporal Punishment 14
Disruptions 15
Drug & Alochol Testing…………………………………………………………....15
Refusal to Test…………………………………………………………………….15
Radios, CD Players, Other Electronic Devices and Games, and Cell Phones 15
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES / CONDITIONS 17
COUNSELING 17
Academic Counseling 17
Personal Counseling 17
Psychological Exams, Tests, or Treatment 17
CREDIT BY EXAM—If a Student Has Taken the Course…………………………...17
CREDIT BY EXAM—If a Student Has Not Taken the Course 18
DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLISHED MATERIALS OR DOCUMENTS 18
School Materials 18
Nonschool Materials...from students 18
Nonschool Materials...from others 19
DRESS AND GROOMING 19
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, CLUBS, AND ORGANIZATIONS 19
FEES 22
FUND-RAISING 23
GRADING GUIDELINES 23
HARASSMENT 23
Reporting Procedures 23
Investigation of Reported Harassment 24
HEALTH-RELATED MATTERS 24
Physical Activity for Students in Elementary and Middle School 24
School Health Advisory Council 24
Vending Machines 25
Other Health-Related Matters 25
Tobacco Prohibited 25
Asbestos Management Plan 25
Pest Management Plan 25
HOMELESS STUDENTS 25
HOMEWORK/ASSIGNED WORK 25
IMMUNIZATION 25
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES 26
Questioning of Students 26
Students Taken Into Custody 26
Notification of Law Violations 27
MAKEUP WORK 28
Routine and In-depth Makeup Work Assignments 28
LATE WORK………………………………………………………………………....28
DAEP or In-school Suspension Makeup Work 28
MEDICINE AT SCHOOL 29
Psychotropic Drugs 29
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS / HEALTH SCREENINGS 30
PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MINUTE OF SILENCE 30
PRAYER 30
PROMOTION AND RETENTION 30
RELEASE OF STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL 31
REPORT CARDS / PROGRESS REPORTS AND CONFERENCES 32
SAFETY 32
Accident Insurance 32
Drills: Fire, Tornado, and Other Emergencies 33
Fire Drill Bells 33
Tornado Drill Bells 33
Emergency Medical Treatment and Information 33
Emergency School-Closing Information 33
SCHOOL FACILITIES 34
Use By Students Before and After School 34
Conduct Before and After School 34
Use of Hallways During Class Time 34
Cafeteria Services 34
Library 34
Meetings of Noncurriculum-Related Groups 35
SEARCHES 35
Students’ Desks and Lockers 35
Trained Dogs 35
SPECIAL PROGRAMS 35
STEROIDS 35
TAKS (TEXAS ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS) 36
TARDINESS 36
TEXTBOOKS 36
TRANSFERS 36
TRANSPORTATION 37
School-Sponsored Trips 37
Buses and Other School Vehicles 37
VANDALISM 38
VIDEO CAMERAS 38
VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL 38
General Visitors 38
WITHDRAWING FROM SCHOOL 38
GLOSSARY 39
APPENDIX 41


PREFACE
To Students and Parents:
Welcome to school year 2007–2008! Education is a team effort, and we know that students, parents, teachers, and other staff members all working together can make this a wonderfully successful year for our students.
The Mt. Vernon Intermediate School Student Handbook is designed to provide a resource for some of the basic information that you and your child will need during the school year. In an effort to make it easier to use, the handbook is divided into two sections:
Section I—REQUIRED NOTICES AND INFORMATION FOR PARENTS—with notices that the district must provide to all parents, as well as other information to assist you in responding to school-related issues. We encourage you to take some time to closely review this section of the handbook; and
Section II—INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS —organized alphabetically by topic for quick access when searching for information on a specific issue.
Please be aware that the term “the student’s parent” is used to refer to the parent, legal guardian, or any other person who has agreed to assume school-related responsibility for a student.
Both students and parents should become familiar with the Mt. Vernon ISD Student Code of Conduct, which is a document adopted by the board and intended to promote school safety and an atmosphere for learning. That document may be found as an attachment to this handbook and in the principal’s office or on the district website, www.mtvernonisd.com .
The student handbook is designed to be in harmony with board policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Please be aware that the handbook is updated yearly, while policy adoption and revision may occur throughout the year. Changes in policy or other rules that affect student handbook provisions will be made available to students and parents through newsletters and other communications.
In case of conflict between board policy or the Student Code of Conduct and any provisions of the student handbook, the provisions of board policy or the Student Code of Conduct that were most recently adopted by the board are to be followed.
After reading through the entire handbook with your child, keep it as a reference during this school year. If you or your child has questions about any of the material in this handbook, please contact a teacher, the counselor, or the principal.
Also, please complete and return to your child’s campus the following required forms included in this handbook:
1. Parental Acknowledgment Form;
2. Acceptable use Policy Form;
3. Release for Electronically Displayed Student Photo/Work;
4. Student Directory Information Form;
5. Release of Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Learning Forms; and
[See Obtaining Information and Protecting Student Rights on page 2 and Directory Information on page 7 for more information.]
Please note that references to policy codes are included so that parents can refer to current board policy. A copy of the district’s policy manual is available for review at www.mtvernonisd.com .


SECTION I: REQUIRED NOTICES AND INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
This section of the Mt. Vernon Intermediate Student Handbook includes several notices that the district is required to provide to you as well as other information on topics of particular interest to you as a parent.

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION
In its efforts to promote nondiscrimination, Mt. Vernon ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, or disability in providing education services, activities, and programs, including vocational programs, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
The following district staff members have been designated to coordinate compliance with these legal requirements:
• Title IX Coordinator, for concerns regarding discrimination on the basis of sex: Mr. Rick Flanagan.
• Section 504 Coordinator, for concerns regarding discrimination on the basis of disability: Mr. Tim Evans.
• All other concerns regarding discrimination: See the superintendent, Mr. Rick Flanagan.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
Working Together
Both experience and research tell us that a child’s education succeeds best when there is good communication and a strong partnership between home and school. Your involvement in this partnership may include:
• Encouraging your child to put a high priority on education and working with your child on a daily basis to make the most of the educational opportunities the school provides.
• Ensuring that your child completes all homework assignments and special projects and comes to school each day prepared, rested, and ready to learn.
• Becoming familiar with all of your child’s school activities and with the academic programs, including special programs, offered in the district.
• Discussing with the counselor or principal any questions you may have about the options and opportunities available to your child.
• Reviewing the requirements of the graduation programs with your child, if your child is entering ninth grade.
• Monitoring your child’s academic progress and contacting teachers as needed. [See Academic Counseling and Academic Programs.]
• Attending scheduled conferences and requesting additional conferences as needed. To schedule a telephone or in-person conference with a teacher, counselor, or principal, please call the school office at 903-537-3402 ext 232 for an appointment. The teacher will usually return your call or meet with you during his or her conference period or before or after school. [See Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences.]
• Becoming a school volunteer. Participating in campus parent organizations. Parent organizations include: PTA, Band Booster and Athletic Booster Club.
• Serving as a parent representative on the district-level or campus-level planning committees, assisting in the development of educational goals and plans to improve student achievement. For further information, see policies at BQA and BQB, and contact.
• Serving on the School Health Advisory Council, assisting the district in ensuring local community values are reflected in health education instruction. [See policies at BDF, EHAA, FFA, and information in this handbook at School Health Advisory Council on page 25.]
• Attending board meetings to learn more about district operations. [See policies at BE and BED for more information.]
PARENTAL RIGHTS
Obtaining Information and Protecting Student Rights
Your child will not be required to participate without parental consent in any survey, analysis, or evaluation—funded in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education—that concerns:
• Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent.
• Mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family.
• Sexual behavior or attitudes.
• Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior.
• Critical appraisals of individuals with whom the student has a close family relationship.
• Relationships privileged under law, such as relationships with lawyers, physicians, and ministers.
• Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents.
• Income, except when the information is required by law and will be used to determine the student’s eligibility to participate in a special program or to receive financial assistance under such a program.
You will be able to inspect the survey or other instrument and any instructional materials used in connection with such a survey, analysis, or evaluation. [For further information, see policy EF (LEGAL).]
“Opting Out” of Surveys and Activities
As a parent, you have a right to receive notice of and deny permission for your child’s participation in:
• Any survey concerning the private information listed above, regardless of funding.
• School activities involving the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information gathered from your child for the purpose of marketing or selling that information.
• Any nonemergency, invasive physical examination or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered and scheduled by the school in advance and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student. Exceptions are hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under state law. [See policies EF and FFAA.]
Limiting the Display of a Student’s Artwork and Projects
As a parent, if you do not want your child’s artwork, special projects, photographs, and the like to be displayed on the district’s Web site, in printed material, by video, or by any other method of mass communication, you must notify the principal in writing.
Requesting Professional Qualifications of Teachers and Staff
You may request information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s teachers, including whether a teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction; whether the teacher has an emergency permit or other provisional status for which state requirements have been waived; and undergraduate and graduate degree majors, graduate certifications, and the field of study of the certification or degree. You also have the right to request information about the qualifications of any paraprofessional who may provide services to your child.
Reviewing Instructional Materials
As a parent, you have a right to review teaching materials, textbooks, and other teaching aids and instructional materials used in the curriculum, and to examine tests that have been administered to your child.
Inspecting Surveys
As a parent, you may inspect a survey created by a third party before the survey is administered or distributed to your child.


Accessing Student Records
You may review your child’s student records. These records include:
• Attendance records, test scores, grades, disciplinary records, counseling records, psychological records, applications for admission, health and immunization information, other medical records, teacher and counselor evaluations, reports of behavioral patterns, and state assessment instruments that have been administered to your child.
Granting Permission to Video or Audio Record a Student
As a parent, you may grant or deny any written request from the district to make a video or voice recording of your child. State law, however, permits the school to make a video or voice recording without parental permission for the following circumstances:
• When it is to be used for school safety;
• When it relates to classroom instruction or a cocurricular or extracurricular activity; or
• When it relates to media coverage of the school.
Removing a Student Temporarily from the Classroom
You may remove your child temporarily from the classroom if an instructional activity in which your child is scheduled to participate conflicts with your religious or moral beliefs. The removal cannot be for the purpose of avoiding a test and may not extend for an entire semester. Further, your child must satisfy grade-level and graduation requirements as determined by the school and by the Texas Education Agency.
Excusing a Student from Reciting the Pledges to the U.S. and Texas Flags
As a parent, you may request that your child be excused from participation in the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag. The request must be in writing. State law does not allow your child to be excused from participation in the required minute of silence or silent activity that follows. [See Pledges of Allegiance and a Minute of Silence and policy EC (LEGAL).]
Excusing a Student from Reciting a Portion of the Declaration of Independence
You may request that your child be excused from recitation of a portion of the Declaration of Independence. State law requires students in social studies classes in grades 3–12 to recite a portion of the text of the Declaration of Independence during Celebrate Freedom Week unless (1) you provide a written statement requesting that your child be excused, (2) the district determines that your child has a conscientious objection to the recitation, or (3) you are a representative of a foreign government to whom the United States government extends diplomatic immunity. [See policy EHBK (LEGAL).]
Requesting Notices of Certain Student Misconduct
A noncustodial parent may request in writing that he or she be provided, for the remainder of the school year, a copy of any written notice usually provided to a parent related to your child’s misconduct that may involve placement in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) or expulsion. [See policy FO (LEGAL) and the Student Code of Conduct.]
Requesting Transfers for Your Child
As a parent, you have a right:
• To request the transfer of your child to another classroom or campus if your child has been determined by the Board of Trustees or its designee to have been a victim of bullying as the term is defined by Education Code 25.0341. Transportation is not provided for a transfer to another campus. See the Superintendent or designee for information. [See policy FDB.]
• To request the transfer of your child to attend a safe public school in the district if your child attends school at a campus identified by TEA as persistently dangerous or if your child has been a victim of a violent criminal offense while at school or on school grounds. [See policy FDD (LOCAL).]
• To request the transfer of your child to another campus if your child has been the victim of a sexual assault by another student assigned to the same campus, whether that assault occurred on or off campus, and that student has been convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for that assault. [See policies FDD (LEGAL) and (LOCAL).]
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Parents of Students with Disabilities
Parents of students with learning difficulties or who may need special education services may request an evaluation for special education at any time. For more information, see Special Programs and contact Dara Fisk 903-537-3700 Ext. 203.
Options and Requirements for Providing Assistance to Students Who Have Learning Difficulties or Who Need or May Need Special Education
If a child is experiencing learning difficulties, the parent may contact the person listed below to learn about the district’s overall general education referral or screening system for support services. This system links students to a variety of support options, including referral for a special education evaluation. Students having difficulty in the regular classroom should be considered for tutorial, compensatory, and other support services that are available to all students.
At any time, a parent is entitled to request an evaluation for special education services. Within a reasonable amount of time, the district must decide if the evaluation is needed. If evaluation is needed, the parent will be notified and asked to provide consent for the evaluation. The district must complete the evaluation and the report within 60 calendar days of the date the district receives the written consent. The district must give a copy of the report to the parent.
If the district determines that the evaluation is not needed, the district will provide the parent with a written notice that explains why the child will not be evaluated. This written notice will include a statement that informs the parent of his or her rights if the parent disagrees with the district. Additionally, the notice must inform the parent how to obtain a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards—Rights of Parents of Students with Disabilities.
The designated person to contact regarding options for a child experiencing learning difficulties or a referral for evaluation for special education is Dara Fisk at 903-537-3700 Ext. 203.
If a student is receiving special education services at a campus outside his or her attendance zone, the parent or guardian may request that any other student residing in the household be transferred to the same campus, if the appropriate grade level for the transferring student is offered on that campus. [See policy FDB (LOCAL).]
Services for Title I Participants
The Parent Involvement Coordinator, who works with parents of students participating in Title I programs is Tim Evans and may be contacted at 903-537-3700 Ext. 216.
Student Records
Both federal and state laws safeguard student records from unauthorized inspection or use and provide parents and eligible students certain rights. For purposes of student records, an “eligible” student is one who is 18 or older OR who is attending an institution of postsecondary education.
Virtually all information pertaining to student performance, including grades, test results, and disciplinary records, is considered confidential educational records. Release is restricted to:
• The parents—whether married, separated, or divorced—unless the school is given a copy of a court order terminating parental rights. Federal law requires that, as soon as a student becomes 18 or is emancipated by a court, control of the records goes to the student. The parents may continue to have access to the records, however, if the student is a dependent for tax purposes.
• District staff members who have what federal law refers to as a “legitimate educational interest” in a student’s records. “Legitimate educational interest” in a student’s records includes working with the student; considering disciplinary or academic actions, the student’s case, or an individualized education program for a student with disabilities; compiling statistical data; or investigating or evaluating programs. Such persons would include school officials (such as board members, the superintendent, and principals), school staff members (such as teachers, counselors, and diagnosticians), or an agent of the district (such as a medical consultant).
• Various governmental agencies.
• Individuals granted access in response to a subpoena or court order.
• A school or institution of postsecondary education to which a student seeks or intends to enroll or in which he or she subsequently enrolls.
Release to any other person or agency—such as a prospective employer or for a scholarship application—will occur only with parental or student permission as appropriate.
The principal is custodian of all records for currently enrolled students at the assigned school. The superintendent is the custodian of all records for students who have withdrawn or graduated.
Records may be inspected by a parent or eligible student during regular school hours. If circumstances prevent inspection during these hours, the district will either provide a copy of the records requested or make other arrangements for the parent or student to review these records. The records custodian or designee will respond to reasonable requests for explanation and interpretation of the records. The address of the superintendent’s office is P.O. Box 1139, Mount Vernon, TX 75457.
The address of the principals’ offices is:
P.O. Box 1139, Mount Vernon, TX 75457.
A parent (or eligible student) may inspect the student’s records and request a correction if the records are considered inaccurate or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. If the district refuses the request to amend the records, the requestor has the right to request a hearing. If the records are not amended as a result of the hearing, the requestor has 30 school days to exercise the right to place a statement commenting on the information in the student’s record. Although improperly recorded grades may be challenged, contesting a student’s grade in a course is handled through the general complaint process found in policy FNG (LOCAL). [See Report Cards/Progress Reports and Conferences and Student or Parent Complaints and Concerns for an overview of the process.]
Copies of student records are available at a cost of ten cents per page, payable in advance. If the student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunches and the parents are unable to view the records during regular school hours, one copy of the record will be provided at no charge upon written request of the parent.
Directory Information
The law permits the district to designate certain personal information about students as “directory information.” This “directory information” will be released to anyone who follows procedures for requesting it.
However, release of a student’s directory information may be prevented by the parent or an eligible student. This objection must be made in writing to the principal within ten school days of your child’s first day of instruction for this school year. See the “Notice Regarding Directory Information and Parent’s Response Regarding Release of Student Information” attached to this handbook.
Directory Information for School-Sponsored Purposes
The district often needs to use student information for the following school-sponsored purposes: recognition of honors and awards in both academic and extracurricular activities.
For these specific school-sponsored purposes, the district would like to use the following information: student name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, and date and place of birth, as well as major field of study; degrees, honors, and awards received; dates of attendance; grade level; most recent educational institution attended; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; enrollment status; and weight and height of members of athletic teams. This information will not be released to the public without the consent of the parent or eligible student.
Unless you object to the use of your child’s information for these limited purposes, the school will not need to ask your permission each time the district wishes to use this information for the school-sponsored purposes listed.
Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters and Institutions of Higher Education
The district is required by federal law to comply with a request by a military recruiter or an institution of higher education for students’ names, addresses, and telephone listings, unless parents have advised the district not to release their child’s information without prior written consent. For parents of secondary students (grades 7-12), a form has been attached for you to complete if you do not want the district to provide this information to military recruiters or institutions of higher education.
Please note:
Parents or eligible students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe the district is not in compliance with federal law regarding student records. The district’s policy regarding student records is available from the principal’s or superintendent’s office and on the district website.
The parent’s or eligible student’s right of access to and copies of student records does not extend to all records. Materials that are not considered educational records—such as teachers’ personal notes about a student that are shared only with a substitute teacher—do not have to be made available to the parents or student.
Bacterial Meningitis
State law specifically requires the district to provide the following information:
• What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis is most common and the least serious. Bacterial meningitis is the most common form of serious bacterial infection with the potential for serious, long-term complications. It is an uncommon disease, but requires urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death.
• What are the symptoms?
Someone with meningitis will become very ill. The illness may develop over one or two days, but it can also rapidly progress in a matter of hours. Not everyone with meningitis will have the same symptoms.
Children (over 1 year old) and adults with meningitis may have a severe headache, high temperature, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights, neck stiffness or joint pains, and drowsiness or confusion. In both children and adults, there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots. These can occur anywhere on the body.
The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is based on a combination of symptoms and laboratory results.
• How serious is bacterial meningitis?
If it is diagnosed early and treated promptly, the majority of people make a complete recovery. In some cases it can be fatal or a person may be left with a permanent disability.
• How is bacterial meningitis spread?
Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as diseases like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been. The germs live naturally in the back of our noses and throats, but they do not live for long outside the body. They are spread when people exchange saliva (such as by kissing, sharing drinking containers, utensils, or cigarettes).
The germ does not cause meningitis in most people. Instead, most people become carriers of the germ for days, weeks, or even months. The bacteria rarely overcome the body’s immune system and cause meningitis or another serious illness.
• How can bacterial meningitis be prevented?
Do not share food, drinks, utensils, toothbrushes, or cigarettes. Limit the number of persons you kiss.
While there are vaccines for some other strains of bacterial meningitis, they are used only in special circumstances. These include when there is a disease outbreak in a community or for people traveling to a country where there is a high risk of getting the disease. Also, a vaccine is recommended by some groups for college students, particularly freshmen living in dorms or residence halls. The vaccine is safe and effective (85–90 percent). It can cause mild side effects, such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two days. Immunity develops within seven to ten days after the vaccine is given and lasts for up to five years.
• What should you do if you think you or a friend might have bacterial meningitis?
You should seek prompt medical attention.
• Where can you get more information?
Your school nurse, family doctor, and the staff at your local or regional health department office are excellent sources for information on all communicable diseases. You may also call your local health department or Regional Department of State Health Services office to ask about a meningococcal vaccine. Additional information may also be found at the Web sites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov, and the Department of State Health Services, www.dshs.state.tx.us/.

SECTION II: INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS
Topics in this section of the handbook contain important information on academics, school activities, and school operations and requirements. Take a moment with your child to become familiar with the various issues addressed in this section. It is conveniently organized in alphabetical order to serve as a quick-reference when you or your child has a question about a specific school-related issue. Should you be unable to find the information on a particular topic, please contact the school principal at 903-537-3700 Ext. 232.
ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE
Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-led and school activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as an individual. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences. Two state laws, one dealing with compulsory attendance, the other with attendance for course credit, are of special interest to students and parents. They are discussed below:
Compulsory Attendance
State law requires that a student between the ages of six and 18 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction program, extended year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt.
A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her 18th birthday is required to attend each school day. If a student 18 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, however, the district may revoke the student’s enrollment. The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespassing.
State law requires attendance in an accelerated reading instruction program when kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students are assigned to such a program. Parents will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program as a result of the reading diagnosis test.
School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent without permission from school; from any class; from required special programs, such as additional special instruction (termed “accelerated instruction” by the state) assigned by a grade placement committee and basic skills for ninth graders; or from required tutorials will be considered in violation of the compulsory attendance law and subject to disciplinary action.


A court of law may also impose penalties against both the student and his or her parents if a school-aged student is deliberately not attending school. A complaint against the parent may be filed in court if the student:
• Is absent from school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, or
• Is absent on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period.
Attendance for Credit
To receive credit in a class, a student must attend at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered. A student who attends at least 75 percent but fewer than 90 percent of the days the class is offered may receive credit for the class if he or she completes a plan, approved by the principal, that allows the student to fulfill the instructional requirements of the class. If a student is involved in a criminal or juvenile court proceeding, the approval of the judge presiding over the case will also be required before the student receives credit for the class.
If a student attends less than 75 percent of the days a class is offered or has not completed the plan approved by the principal, then the student will be referred to the attendance review committee to determine whether there are extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the student can regain credit, if appropriate. (See policies at FEC)
In determining whether there were extenuating circumstances for the absences, the attendance committee will use the following guidelines:
• All absences will be considered in determining whether a student has attended the required percentage of days. If makeup work is completed, absences for religious holy days and documented health-care appointments will be considered days of attendance for this purpose. [See policies at FEB.]
• A transfer or migrant student begins to accumulate absences only after he or she has enrolled in the district. For a student transferring into the district after school begins, including a migrant student, only those absences after enrollment will be considered.
• In reaching a decision about a student’s absences, the committee will attempt to ensure that it is in the best interest of the student.
• The committee will consider the acceptability and authenticity of documented reasons for the student’s absences.
• The committee will consider whether the absences were for reasons over which the student or the student’s parent could exercise any control.
• The committee will consider the extent to which the student has completed all assignments, mastered the essential knowledge and skills, and maintained passing grades in the course or subject.
• The student or parent will be given an opportunity to present any information to the committee about the absences and to talk about ways to earn or regain credit.
The student or parent may appeal the committee’s decision to the board of trustees by filing a written request with the superintendent in accordance with policy FNG (LOCAL).
The actual number of days, a student must be in attendance in order to receive credit, will depend on whether the class is for a full semester or for a full year.
Parent’s Note After An Absence
When a student must be absent from school, the student—upon returning to school—must bring a note, signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence. A note signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission, will not be accepted unless the student is 18 or older.
Doctor’s Note After An Absence for Illness
Upon return to school, a student absent for more than five (5) consecutive days because of a personal illness must bring a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s extended absence from school. [See FEC (LOCAL).]
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The school counselor provides students and parents information regarding academic programs to prepare for higher education and career choices. [See Academic Counseling.]
AWARDS AND HONORS
HONOR ROLL. Students in Mount Vernon Intermediate School may qualify for the “A” Honor Roll or “A-B” Honor Roll. Students may also qualify for the Principal’s “A” Honor Roll or the Principal’s “A-B” Honor Roll. These Principal Honor Rolls include conduct as a criteria for qualifying. Students are named to the Honor Roll the week following the issue of report cards. The “A” Honor Roll is published in the Mount Vernon Optic Herald.

COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS
Usually student or parent complaints or concerns can be addressed by a phone call or a conference with the teacher or principal. For those complaints and concerns that cannot be handled so easily, the district has adopted a standard complaint policy at FNG (LOCAL) in the district’s policy manual. A copy of this policy may be obtained in the superintendent’s office or on the district website.
In general, the student or parent should submit a written complaint and request a conference with the campus principal. If the concern is not resolved, a request for a conference should be sent to the superintendent. If still unresolved, the district provides for the complaint to be presented to the board of trustees.
COMPUTER RESOURCES
To prepare students for an increasingly technological society, the district has made an investment in computer technology for instructional purposes. Use of these computer resources is restricted to students working under a teacher’s supervision and for approved purposes only. Students and parents will be asked to sign a user agreement (separate from this handbook) regarding use of these resources; violations of this agreement may result in withdrawal of privileges and other disciplinary action.
Students and their parents should be aware that e-mail using district computers are not private and will be monitored by district staff. [For additional information, see policies at CQ.]
CONDUCT
Applicability of School Rules
As required by law, the board has adopted a Student Code of Conduct that prohibits certain behaviors and defines standards of acceptable behavior—both on and off campus—and consequences for violation of these standards. The district has disciplinary authority over a student in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Students and parents should be familiar with the standards set out in the Student Code of Conduct, as well as campus and classroom rules.
To achieve the best possible learning environment for all students, the Student Code of Conduct and other campus rules will apply whenever the interest of the district is involved, whether on or off school grounds, in conjunction with classes and school-sponsored activities.
Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment is not used as a disciplinary consequence at Mt. Vernon Intermediate School.

Disruptions
As identified by law, disruptions include the following:
• Interference with the movement of people at an exit, entrance, or hallway of a district building without authorization from an administrator.
• Interference with an authorized activity by seizing control of all or part of a building.
• Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt to prevent participation in an authorized assembly.
• Use of force, violence, or threats to cause disruption during an assembly.
• Interference with the movement of people at an exit or an entrance to district property.
• Use of force, violence, or threats in an attempt to prevent people from entering or leaving district property without authorization from an administrator.
• Disruption of classes or other school activities while on district property or on public property that is within 500 feet of district property. Class disruption includes making loud noises; trying to entice a student away from, or to prevent a student from attending, a required class or activity; and entering a classroom without authorization and disrupting the activity with loud or profane language or any misconduct.
• Interference with the transportation of students in district vehicles.
Drug and Alcohol Testing
[refer to policy FNF(Local)]
The District shall require a student to submit to a drug and alcohol test when a school official has reasonable suspicion to believe a student is under the influence. Testing shall be based on the school official's specific observations concerning the student's appearance, behavior, speech, or body odor.
Any student suspected of engaging in any drug or alcohol offense, found to be under the influence, or suspected of being under the influence at school or at any school activity shall undergo the following administrative steps:
1. The school shall make reasonable effort to notify the parent or guardian.
2. The school nurse or other trained school personnel shall administer an approved drug and alcohol test.
3. Results of the test shall be shared with the administrator, parent, and student.
4. A positive test result shall result in disciplinary action.

REFUSAL TO TEST
Any student determined to be in violation of the District's policy on drug and alcohol use shall be disciplined according to the Student Code of Conduct and Board policy.
If school officials have reasonable suspicion the student is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the District shall interpret the student's or parent's refusal to cooperate with the testing procedure as a presumption of guilt.
ADMISSION
If during a reasonable suspicion process the student admits to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, no test shall be administered, and the student shall be considered under the influence.
OVERNIGHT TRIPS
Any student participating in an overnight trip as a representative of any school group, cocurricular or extracurricular, shall be subject to the same drug and alcohol test procedure as students at school.
PARENTAL REQUEST FOR TESTING
Absent any pending reasonable suspicion process, a parent may request a drug or alcohol screen/test one time per school year per child at no cost to the parent. If the test result is positive, the matter will be referred to the parent and shall not result in the consequences of the Student Code of Conduct.
RETESTING
If a parent disagrees with the results of an drug and alcohol test, the parent of the student must request in writing within 48 hours of the taking of the sample that the sample be retested. If notified in a timely manner, the District will send the original sample to a Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Services Administration certified laboratory at the expense of the District. The parent and the school will be notified of the retest results by the laboratory.
Radios, CD Players, Other Electronic Devices and Games, and Cell Phones
Students are not permitted to possess such items as pagers, radios, CD players, tape recorders, camcorders, DVD players, cameras, electronic devices or games at school, unless prior permission has been obtained from the principal. Without such permission, teachers will collect the items and turn them in to the principal’s office. The principal will determine whether to return items to students at the end of the day or to contact parents to pick up the items.
For safety purposes, the district permits students to possess cell phones; however, cell phones must remain turned off during the instructional day, including during all testing. The use of cell phones in locker rooms or restroom areas, at any time while at school or at a school-related or school-sponsored event, is strictly prohibited. Cell phones and pagers that are used or seen during the school day will be confiscated and given to the principal. Arrangements will be made with the parents for the return of the items. A $15.00 fee will be assessed and collected before releasing the item(s). Students will also be assigned to ISS, not to exceed three days, for the violation of the cell phone policy.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES / CONDITIONS
To protect other students from contagious illnesses, students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while contagious. If a parent suspects that his or her child has a contagious disease, the parent should contact the school nurse or principal so that other students who might have been exposed to the disease can be alerted.
The school nurse or the principal’s office can provide information from the Department of State Health Services regarding these diseases.
COUNSELING
Academic Counseling
Students and their parents are encouraged to talk with a school counselor, teacher, or principal to learn more about course offerings, graduation requirements, and early graduation procedures. To plan for the future, each student should work closely with the counselor in order to enroll in the high school courses that best prepare him or her for attendance at a college, university, or training school, or for pursuit of some other type of advanced education. During the last six weeks, sixth graders will be given the opportunity to sign up for Honors courses in Junior High School. The Junior High will also hold an orientation during the evening for parents and students.
Personal Counseling
The school counselor is available to assist students with a wide range of personal concerns, including such areas as social, family, or emotional issues, or substance abuse. The counselor may also make available information about community resources to address these concerns. A student who wishes to meet with the counselor should a request to see the counselor.
Psychological Exams, Tests, or Treatment
The school will not conduct a psychological examination, test, or treatment without first obtaining the parent’s written consent. Parental consent is not necessary when a psychological examination, test, or treatment is required by state or federal law for special education purposes or by the Texas Education Agency for child abuse investigations and reports.
[For more information, refer to FFE (LEGAL) and FFG (EXHIBIT).]
CREDIT BY EXAM—If a Student Has Taken the Course
A student who has previously taken a course or subject—but did not receive credit for it—may, in circumstances determined by the teacher, counselor, principal, or attendance committee, be permitted to earn credit by passing an exam on the essential knowledge and skills defined for that course or subject. Prior instruction may include, for example, incomplete coursework due to a failed course or excessive absences, home schooling, correspondence courses, or independent study supervised by a teacher.
The counselor or principal would determine if the student could take an exam for this purpose. If approval is granted, the student must score at least 70 on the exam to receive credit for the course or subject.
The attendance review committee may also offer a student with excessive absences an opportunity to earn credit for a course by passing an exam.
A student may not use this exam, however, to regain eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities.
[For further information, see the counselor and policies EEJA.]
CREDIT BY EXAM—If a Student Has Not Taken the Course
A student will be permitted to take exams to advance to a higher grade for which the student has had no prior instruction.
A student will earn credit with a passing score of at least 90 on the exams.
If a student plans to take an exam, the parent must register with the principal no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled testing date. The district may honor a request by a parent to administer a test on a date other than the assigned date(s). If the district agrees to administer a test other than the one chosen by the district, the parent must purchase a test from a university approved by the State Board of Education. [For further information, see EEJB (LOCAL).]
DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLISHED MATERIALS OR DOCUMENTS
School Materials
Publications prepared by and for the school may be posted or distributed, with the prior approval of the principal. Such items may include school posters, brochures, flyers, etc.
All school publications are under the supervision of a teacher, sponsor, and the principal.
[See Directory Information for School-Sponsored Purposes .]
Nonschool Materials...from students
Students must obtain prior approval from the campus principal before posting, circulating, or distributing written materials, handbills, photographs, pictures, petitions, films, tapes, posters, or other visual or auditory materials that were not developed under the oversight of the school. To be considered, any nonschool material must include the name of the sponsoring person or organization. The decision regarding approval will be made in two school days.
The principal has designated the Intermediate Office Doors area as the approved area for nonschool materials to be placed for voluntary viewing by students. [See policies at FNAA.]
A student may appeal a principal’s decision in accordance with policy FNG (LOCAL). Any student who posts nonschool material without prior approval will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Materials displayed without the principal’s approval will be removed.
Nonschool Materials...from others
Written or printed materials, handbills, photographs, pictures, films, tapes, or other visual or auditory materials not sponsored by the district or by a district-affiliated school-support organization will not be sold, circulated, distributed, or posted on any district premises by any district employee or by persons or groups not associated with the district, except as permitted by policies at GKDA. To be considered for distribution, any nonschool material must meet the limitations on content established in the policy, include the name of the sponsoring person or organization, and be submitted to the superintendent for prior review. The superintendent will approve or reject the materials within two school days of the time the materials are received. The requestor may appeal a rejection in accordance with the appropriate district complaint policy. [See policies at DGBA, FNG, or GF.]
Prior review will not be required for:
• Distribution of materials by an attendee to other attendees of a school-sponsored meeting intended for adults and held after school hours.
• Distribution of materials by an attendee to other attendees of a community group meeting held after school hours in accordance with policy GKD (LOCAL) or a noncurriculum-related student group meeting held in accordance with FNAB (LOCAL).
• Distribution for electioneering purposes during the time a school facility is being used as a polling place, in accordance with state law.
All nonschool materials distributed under these circumstances must be removed from district property immediately following the event at which the materials are distributed.

DRESS AND GROOMING
The district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards. Students and parents may determine a student’s personal dress and grooming standards, provided that they comply with the following:

• Button type shirts are to be buttoned within one button of the top of the shirt or whatever is appropriate for that shirt. All shirts worn by boys are to be worn inside the trousers with the exception of sweatshirts and sweaters. Shirts worn over T-shirts will be buttoned appropriately and worn inside the trousers.
• Hair should be cut often enough to insure good grooming. Hair must be kept neat, clean and out of eyes at all times. Designs will not be allowed in hair. Any unnatural hair color is unacceptable.
• To participate in extracurricular activities or to represent MVISD, a boy may not wear a hairstyle that extends beyond the shirt collar.
• Beards will not be worn by students.
• Boys may not wear earrings.
• Ornaments in, on or around the ears of male students or in, on or around the nose, eyebrows, and tongue of any student will not be worn during the school day or at school activities.
• Students will not be allowed to wear see thru or midriff tops, sun tops, or strapless tops. Straps on shirts must be a minimum of three (3) inches in width. Boys may not wear sleeveless shirts, tank tops or “muscle shirts” to school as their primary shirt. If skin is exposed while sitting or raising the arms the top is not acceptable.
• Skirt length and short length should not be more than three inches above the knee, even if tights are worn under the skirts or shorts. Tight fitting shorts and swimsuits are not acceptable.
• Pants must be worn at the waist and may not be torn or ripped inappropriately. Pants that are torn or ripped above the knee will be considered inappropriate. No pajamas or sleep pants.
• Caps, hats, toboggans, headbands or any other type of head covering will be considered unacceptable inside the building.
• Chains (including those attached to wallets) may not be worn at school.
• Clothing may not contain inappropriate symbols or language and may not advertise alcohol or tobacco.
• Violators of the dress code may be asked to change into appropriate clothing. Repeated violators will be handled according to the Student Code of Conduct.
• Any dress or grooming that, in the principal’s judgment, may reasonably be expected to interfere with normal school operations is prohibited. Students will be expected to be in proper dress code from the time they arrive at school until they depart.
• Tattoos and/or body markings may not be visible.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, CLUBS, AND ORGANIZATIONS
Participation in school-related activities is an excellent way for a student to develop talents, receive individual recognition, and build strong friendships with other students; participation, however, is a privilege, not a right.
Eligibility for participation in many of these activities is governed by state law and the rules of the University Interscholastic League (UIL)—a statewide association overseeing interdistrict competition. The following requirements apply to all extracurricular activities:
• A student who receives at the end of a grading period a grade below 70 in any academic class—other than a class identified as honors or advanced by either the State Board of Education or by the local board of trustees—may not participate in extracurricular activities for at least three school weeks.
• A student with disabilities who fails to meet the standards in the individualized education program (IEP) may not participate for at least three school weeks.
• An ineligible student may practice or rehearse.
• A student is allowed in a school year up to ten absences not related to post-district competition, a maximum of five absences for post-district competition prior to state, and a maximum of two absences for state competition. All extracurricular activities and public performances, whether UIL activities or other activities approved by the board, are subject to these restrictions.
• An absence for participation in an activity that has not been approved will receive an unexcused absence.
Please note: Sponsors of student clubs and performing groups such as the band, choir, and drill and athletic teams may establish standards of behavior—including consequences for misbehavior—that are stricter than those for students in general. If a violation is also a violation of school rules, the consequences specified by the Student Code of Conduct or by local policy will apply in addition to any consequences specified by the organization’s standards of behavior.
[For further information, see policies at FM and FO.]

FEES
Materials that are part of the basic educational program are provided with state and local funds at no charge to a student. A student, however, is expected to provide his or her own pencils, paper, erasers, and notebooks and may be required to pay certain other fees or deposits, including:
• Costs for materials for a class project that the student will keep.
• Membership dues in voluntary clubs or student organizations and admission fees to extracurricular activities.
• Security deposits.
• Personal physical education and athletic equipment and apparel.
• Voluntarily purchased pictures, publications, class rings, yearbooks, graduation announcements, etc.
• Voluntarily purchased student accident insurance.
• Musical instrument rental and uniform maintenance, when uniforms are provided by the district.
• Personal apparel used in extracurricular activities that becomes the property of the student.
• Parking fees and student identification cards.
• Fees for lost, damaged, or overdue library books.
• Fees for driver training courses, if offered.
• Fees for optional courses offered for credit that requires use of facilities not available on district premises.
• Summer school for courses that are offered tuition-free during the regular school year.
• A reasonable fee for providing transportation to a student who lives within two miles of the school. [See Buses and Other School Vehicles.]
• A fee not to exceed $50 for costs of providing an educational program outside of regular school hours for a student who has lost credit because of absences and whose parent chooses the program in order for the student to meet the 90 percent attendance requirement. The fee will be charged only if the parent or guardian signs a district-provided request form.
Any required fee or deposit may be waived if the student and parent are unable to pay. Application for such a waiver may be made to the campus principal. [For further information, see policies at FP.]
FUND-RAISING
Student groups or classes and/or parent groups may be permitted to conduct fund-raising drives for approved school purposes. An application for permission must be made to the campus principal at least 30 days before the event. [For further information, see policies at FJ and GE.]
GRADING GUIDELINES
In grades 4-6, achievement is reported to parents as a numerical grade. Any grade below 70 will be considered to be a failing grade.
HARASSMENT
The district believes that all students learn best in an environment free from harassment and that their welfare is best served when they can work free from discrimination. Students are expected to treat other students and district employees with courtesy and respect; to avoid behaviors known to be offensive; and to stop those behaviors when asked or told to stop. District employees are expected to treat students with courtesy and respect.
The board has established policies and procedures to prohibit and promptly respond to inappropriate and offensive behaviors that are based on a person’s race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, or disability. [See policy FFH] Prohibited harassment, in general terms, is conduct so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it affects the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or activity; creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive educational environment; or substantially interferes with the student’s academic performance. A copy of the district’s policy is available in the principal’s office and in the superintendent’s office or on the District’s web site. Examples of prohibited discrimination may include, but are not limited to, offensive or derogatory language directed at a person’s religious beliefs or practices, accent, skin color, or need for accommodation; threatening or intimidating conduct; offensive jokes, name-calling, slurs, or rumors; physical aggression or assault; graffiti or printed material promoting racial, ethnic, or other negative stereotypes; or other kinds of aggressive conduct such as theft or damage to property. Examples of prohibited sexual harassment may include touching private body parts or coercing physical contact that is sexual in nature; sexual advances; jokes or conversations of a sexual nature; and other sexually motivated conduct, communications, or contact.
Sexual harassment of a student by an employee or volunteer does not include necessary or permissible physical contact not reasonably construed as sexual in nature. However, romantic and other inappropriate social relationships, as well as all sexual relationships, between students and district employees are prohibited, even if consensual.
Reporting Procedures
Any student who believes that he or she has experienced prohibited harassment should immediately report the problem to a teacher, counselor, principal or other district employee. The report may be made by the student’s parent.
Investigation of Reported Harassment
To the extent possible, the district will respect the privacy of the student; however, limited disclosures may be necessary to conduct a thorough investigation and to comply with law. Allegations will be promptly investigated. The district will notify the parents of any student alleged to have experienced prohibited harassment by an adult associated with the district.
In the event alleged harassment involves another student, the district will notify the parents of the student alleged to have experienced the prohibited harassment when the allegations, if proven, would constitute “sexual harassment” or “other prohibited harassment” as defined by policy.
If the district’s investigation indicates that prohibited harassment occurred, appropriate disciplinary or corrective action will be taken to address the harassment. The district may take disciplinary action even if the conduct that is the subject of the complaint did not rise to the level of harassment prohibited by law or policy.
Retaliation against a person who makes a good faith report of prohibited harassment is prohibited. A person who makes a false claim or offers false statements or refuses to cooperate with a district investigation, however, may be subject to appropriate discipline.
A student or parent who is dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation may appeal in accordance with policy FNG (LOCAL).
HEALTH-RELATED MATTERS
Physical Activity for Students in Elementary and Middle School
In accordance with policies at EHAB, EHAC, and FFA, the district will ensure that students in kindergarten through grade 5 engage in moderate or vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day or 135 minutes per week.
The district offers one period of athletics or physical education to students in middle or junior high school to meet district physical education requirements for these grades. For additional information on the district’s requirements and programs regarding elementary, middle, and junior high school student physical activity requirements, please see the principal.
School Health Advisory Council
During the preceding school year, the district’s School Health Advisory Council held four meetings. Additional information regarding the district’s School Health Advisory Council is available from the school nurse. [See also policies at BDF and EHAA.]

Physical Fitness Assessment
Annually, the district will conduct a physical fitness assessment of students in grades 3-12. At the end of the school year, a parent may submit a written request to obtain the results of his or her child’s physical fitness assessment conducted during the school year.
Vending Machines
The district has adopted policies and implemented procedures to comply with state and federal food service guidelines for restricting student access to vending machines. For more information regarding these policies and guidelines see the campus principal. [See policies at CO and FFA.]
Other Health-Related Matters
Tobacco Prohibited
The district and its staff strictly enforce prohibitions against the use of tobacco products by students and others on school property and at school-sponsored and school-related activities. [See the Student Code of Conduct and policies at FNCD and GKA.]
Asbestos Management Plan
The district’s Asbestos Management Plan, designed to be in compliance with state and federal regulations, is available in the Superintendents office. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Ken Cushion.
Pest Management Plan
The district applies only pest control products that comply with state and federal guidelines. Except in an emergency, signs will be posted 48 hours before application. Parents who want to be notified prior to pesticide application inside their child’s school assignment area may contact Mr. Ken Cushion.
HOMELESS STUDENTS
For more information on services for homeless students, contact the district’s Liaison for Homeless Children and Youths, Mr. Rick Flanagan.
HOMEWORK/ASSIGNED WORK
Work is due when called for by the teacher. Teachers should specify the due date when assignments are made and make every effort to collect the work on the due date. All work turned in one day late will receive a maximum grade of 80. A zero may be assigned to work turned in more than one day late.
IMMUNIZATION
A student must be fully immunized against certain diseases or must present a certificate or statement that, for medical reasons or reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, the student will not be immunized. For exemptions based on reasons of conscience, only official forms issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services, Immunization Branch, can be honored by the district. The immunizations required are: diphtheria, rubeola (measles), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and varicella (chicken pox). The school nurse can provide information on age-appropriate doses or on an acceptable physician-validated history of illness required by the Department of State Health Services. Proof of immunization may be established by personal records from a licensed physician or public health clinic with a signature or rubber-stamp validation.
If a student should not be immunized for medical reasons, the student or parent must present a certificate signed by a U.S. licensed physician stating that, in the doctor’s opinion, the immunization required poses a significant risk to the health and well-being of the student or member of the student’s family or household. This certificate must be renewed yearly unless the physician specifies a life-long condition. [For further information, see policy FFAB(LEGAL) and the Department of State Health Services Web site: www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/school/default.shtm.]
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
Questioning of Students
When law enforcement officers or other lawful authorities wish to question or interview a student at school, the principal will cooperate fully regarding the conditions of the interview, if the questioning or interview is part of a child abuse investigation. In other circumstances:
• The principal will verify and record the identity of the officer or other authority and ask for an explanation of the need to question or interview the student at school.
• The principal ordinarily will make reasonable efforts to notify the parents unless the interviewer raises what the principal considers to be a valid objection.
• The principal ordinarily will be present unless the interviewer raises what the principal considers to be a valid objection.
Students Taken Into Custody
State law requires the district to permit a student to be taken into legal custody:
• To comply with an order of the juvenile court.
• To comply with the laws of arrest.
• By a law enforcement officer if there is probable cause to believe the student has engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct in need of supervision.
• By a probation officer if there is probable cause to believe the student has violated a condition of probation imposed by the juvenile court.
• By an authorized representative of Child Protective Services, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a law enforcement officer, or a juvenile probation officer, without a court order, under the conditions set out in the Family Code relating to the student’s physical health or safety.
• To comply with a properly issued directive to take a student into custody.
Before a student is released to a law enforcement officer or other legally authorized person, the principal will verify the officer’s identity and, to the best of his or her ability, will verify the official’s authority to take custody of the student.
The principal will immediately notify the superintendent and will ordinarily attempt to notify the parent unless the officer or other authorized person raises what the principal considers to be a valid objection to notifying the parents. Because the principal does not have the authority to prevent or delay a student’s release to a law enforcement officer, any notification will most likely be after the fact.
Notification of Law Violations
The district is required by state law to notify:
• All instructional and support personnel who have responsibility for supervising a student who has been arrested or referred to the juvenile court for any felony offense or for certain misdemeanors.
• All instructional and support personnel who have regular contact with a student who has been convicted, received deferred prosecution, received deferred adjudication, or was adjudicated for delinquent conduct for any felony offense or certain misdemeanors.
[For further information, see policy GRA (LEGAL).]

MAKEUP WORK
Routine and In-depth Makeup Work Assignments
Makeup work is defined as work assigned during an absence.
For any class missed the teacher may assign the student makeup work based on the instructional objectives for the subject or course; and the needs of the individual student in mastering the essential knowledge and skills or in meeting subject or course requirements.
A student will be responsible for obtaining and completing the makeup work in a satisfactory manner and within the time specified by the teacher. [For further information, see policy EIAB (LOCAL).]
A student who does not make up assigned work within the time allotted by the teacher will receive a grade of zero for the assignment.
A student will be permitted to make up tests and to turn in projects due in any class missed because of absence. Teachers may assign a late penalty to any long-term project in accordance with time lines approved by the principal and previously communicated to students.
LATE WORK
Late work is defined as work turned in after a specified due date. Late work will be accepted one (1) day late for a maximum grade of 80. Students who fail to turn in late work may receive additional academic penalties. If a student is absent from class on the specified due date for the assignment, the assignment will be due on the student’s return to class.

DAEP or In-school Suspension Makeup Work
A student removed to a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) during the school year will have an opportunity to complete, before the beginning of the next school year, coursework needed to fulfill the student’s high school graduation requirements. The district may provide the opportunity to complete the coursework through an alternative method, including a correspondence course, distance learning, or summer school. The district will not charge the student for any method of completion provided by the district. [See policy FOCA (LEGAL).]
A student removed from the regular classroom to in-school suspension or another setting, other than a DAEP, will have an opportunity to complete before the beginning of the next school year each course the student was enrolled in at the time of removal from the regular classroom. The district may provide the opportunity by any method available, including a correspondence course, distance learning, or summer school. [See policy FEA (LEGAL).]
Students and their parents are encouraged to discuss options with the teacher or counselor to ensure the student completes all work required for the course or grade level.
MEDICINE AT SCHOOL
District employees will not give a student prescription medication, nonprescription medication, herbal substances, anabolic steroids, or dietary supplements, with the following exceptions:
• Only authorized employees, in accordance with policies at FFAC, may administer:
• Prescription medication, in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the parent, along with a written request.
• Prescription medication from a properly labeled unit dosage container filled by a registered nurse or another qualified district employee from the original, properly labeled container.
• Nonprescription medication, in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the parent along with a written request.
• Herbal or dietary supplements provided by the parent only if required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan for a student with disabilities.
• In certain emergency situations, the district will maintain and administer to a student nonprescription medication, but only:
• In accordance with the guidelines developed with the district’s medical advisor; and
• When the parent has previously provided written consent to emergency treatment on the district’s form.
A student with asthma or severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) may be permitted to possess and use prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication at school or school-related events only if he or she has written authorization from his or her parent and a physician or other licensed health-care provider. The student must also demonstrate to his or her physician or health-care provider and to the school nurse the ability to use the prescribed medication, including any device required to administer the medication.
If the student has been prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication for use during the school day, the student and parents should discuss this with the school nurse or principal.
In accordance with a student’s individual health plan for management of diabetes, a student with diabetes will be permitted to possess and use monitoring and treatment supplies and equipment while at school or at a school-related activity. See the school nurse or principal for information. [See policy FFAF (LEGAL).]
Psychotropic Drugs
A psychotropic drug is a substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication. It is intended to have an altering effect on perception, emotion, or behavior and is commonly described as a mood- or behavior-altering substance.
Teachers and other district employees may discuss a student’s academic progress or behavior with the student’s parents or another employee as appropriate; however, they are not permitted to recommend use of psychotropic drugs. A district employee who is a registered nurse, an advanced nurse practitioner, a physician, or a certified or credentialed mental health professional can recommend that a student be evaluated by an appropriate medical practitioner, if appropriate. [For further information, see policies at FFAC.]
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS / HEALTH SCREENINGS
We do not perform invasive physical examinations as a condition of attendance. We do perform vision, hearing, acanthrosis nigricans and scoliosis as required by law. Please contact the campus principal if your wish your child to be excused from these screenings.

PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MINUTE OF SILENCE
Each school day, students will recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag. Parents may submit a written request to the principal to excuse their child from reciting a pledge.
One minute of silence will follow recitation of the pledges. Each student may choose to reflect, pray, meditate, or engage in any other silent activity during that minute so long as the silent activity does not interfere with or distract others. [See policy EC(LEGAL) for more information.]
PRAYER
Each student has a right to individually, voluntarily, and silently pray or meditate in school in a manner that does not disrupt instructional or other activities of the school. The school will not encourage, require, or coerce a student to engage in or to refrain from such prayer or meditation during any school activity.
PROMOTION AND RETENTION
A student will be promoted only on the basis of academic achievement or demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter of the course or grade level. To earn credit in a course, a student must receive a grade of at least 70 based on course-level or grade-level standards.
In grades 4-6 promotion is based on academic achievement or demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter of the course or grade level. Students in grade 4-6 may be retained if they fail two or more academic core courses.
In addition, at certain grade levels a student—with limited exceptions—will be required to pass the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), if the student is enrolled in a public Texas school on any day between January 1 and April 15 and is a Texas resident during the week that the TAKS is administered the first time.
• In order to be promoted to grade 4, students must perform satisfactorily on the reading section of the grade 3 assessment in English or Spanish.
• In order to be promoted to grade 6, students enrolled in grade 5 must perform satisfactorily on the mathematics and reading sections of the grade 5 assessment in English or Spanish.
• Beginning with the 2007–2008 school year, in order to be promoted to grade 9, students enrolled in grade 8 must perform satisfactorily on the mathematics and reading sections of the grade 8 assessment in English.
Parents of a student in grade 3, 5, or 8 who does not perform satisfactorily on his or her exams will be notified that their child will participate in special instructional programs designed to improve performance. Such students will have two additional opportunities to take the test. If a student fails a second time, a grade placement committee, consisting of the principal or designee, the teacher, and the student’s parent, will determine the additional special instruction the student will receive. After a third failed attempt, the student will be retained; however, the parent can appeal this decision to the committee. In order for the student to be promoted, based on standards previously established by the district, the decision of the committee must be unanimous. Whether the student is retained or promoted, an educational plan for the student will be designed to enable the student to perform at grade level by the end of the next school year. [See policies at EIE.]
Certain students—some with disabilities and some with limited English proficiency—may be eligible for exemptions, accommodations, or deferred testing. For more information, see the principal, counselor, or special education director.
A Personal Graduation Plan (PGP) will be prepared for any student in a middle school or beyond who did not perform satisfactorily on a state-mandated assessment or is determined by the district as not likely to earn a high school diploma before the fifth school year following enrollment in grade 9. The PGP will be designed and implemented by a guidance counselor, teacher, or other staff member designated by the principal. The plan will, among other items, identify the student’s educational goals, address the parent’s educational expectations for the student, and outline an intensive instruction program for the student. [For additional information, see the counselor or principal and policy EIF (LEGAL).]
RELEASE OF STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL
Because class time is important, doctor’s appointments should be scheduled, if possible, at times when the student will not miss instructional time.
A student who will need to leave school during the day must bring a note from his or her parent that morning and follow the campus sign-out procedures before leaving the campus. Otherwise, a student will not be released from school at times other than at the end of the school day. Unless the principal or superintendent has granted approval because of extenuating circumstances, a student will not regularly be released before the end of the instructional day.
If a student becomes ill during the school day, the student should receive permission from the teacher before reporting to the school nurse. The nurse will decide whether or not the student should be sent home and will notify the student’s parent.
REPORT CARDS / PROGRESS REPORTS AND CONFERENCES
Report cards with each student’s grades or performance and absences in each class or subject are issued to parents at least once every six (6) weeks.
At the end of the first three weeks of a grading period parents will be given a written progress report if their child’s performance in any course is near or below 70, or is below the expected level of performance. If the student receives a grade lower than 70 in any class or subject at the end of a grading period, the parent will be requested to schedule a conference with the teacher of that class or subject. [See Working Together for how to schedule a conference.]
Teachers follow grading guidelines that have been approved by the campus principal and are designed to reflect each student’s academic achievement for the grading period, semester, or course. State law provides that a test or course grade issued by a teacher cannot be changed unless the board determines that the grade was arbitrary or contains an error, or that the teacher did not follow the district’s grading policy. [See policy EIA(LOCAL).]
Questions about grade calculation should first be discussed with the teacher; if the question is not resolved, the student or parent may request a conference with the principal in accordance with FNG(LOCAL).
The report card or unsatisfactory progress report will state whether tutorials are required for a student who receives a grade lower than 70 in a class or subject.
SAFETY
Student safety on campus and at school-related events is a high priority of the district. Although the district has implemented safety procedures, the cooperation of students is essential to ensuring school safety. A student should:
• Avoid conduct that is likely to put the student or other students at risk.
• Follow the behavioral standards in this handbook and the Student Code of Conduct, as well as any additional rules for behavior and safety set by the principal, teachers, or bus drivers.
• Remain alert to and promptly report to a teacher or the principal any safety hazards, such as intruders on campus or threats made by any person toward a student or staff member.
• Know emergency evacuation routes and signals.
• Follow immediately the instructions of teachers, bus drivers, and other district employees who are overseeing the welfare of students.
Accident Insurance
Soon after the school year begins, parents will have the opportunity to purchase low-cost accident insurance that would help meet medical expenses in the event of injury to their child.
Drills: Fire, Tornado, and Other Emergencies
From time to time, students, teachers, and other district employees will participate in drills of emergency procedures. When the alarm is sounded, students should follow the direction of teachers or others in charge quickly, quietly, and in an orderly manner.
Fire Drill Bells
Fire Alarm leave the building
1 bell halt; stand at attention
2 bells return to the classroom
Tornado Drill Bells
Continuous Bells move quietly but quickly to the designated locations
Announcement return to the classroom
Emergency Medical Treatment and Information
If a student has a medical emergency at school or a school-related activity when the parent cannot be reached, the school would need to have written parental consent to obtain emergency medical treatment, and information about allergies to medications, foods, insect bites, etc. Therefore, parents are asked each year to complete an emergency care consent form. Parents should keep emergency care information up-to-date (name of doctor, emergency phone numbers, allergies, etc.). Please contact the school nurse to update any information that the nurse or the teacher needs to know.
Emergency School-Closing Information
When weather conditions are such that cancellations or schedule alterations of regular school hours becomes necessary, parents and students should set their radios and televisions to the following stations:
Radio
KWNS Winnsboro 104.5 FM
KLAKE Mt. Pleasant 97.7 FM
Star Country Mt. Pleasant 96.9/95.9 FM
KSST Sulphur Springs 1230 AM
WBAP Dallas/Fort Worth 820 AM
KIMP Mt. Pleasant 960 AM Spanish

Television
KLTV Tyler Channel 7

SCHOOL FACILITIES
Use By Students Before and After School
Certain areas of the school will be accessible to students before and after school for specific purposes. Students are required to remain in the area where their activity is scheduled to take place.
The following areas are open to students before school, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
• Grade level hallways
• Cafeteria – for those eating breakfast at school
• Students are not allowed in the gymnasium, the courtyard area, foyer of the gym or other campus areas unless accompanied by a staff member.
Unless the teacher or sponsor overseeing the activity gives permission, a student will not be permitted to go to another area of the building or campus.
After dismissal of school in the afternoon, and unless involved in an activity under the supervision of a teacher, students must leave campus immediately.
Conduct Before and After School
Teachers and administrators have full authority over student conduct at before- or after-school activities on district premises and at school-sponsored events off district premises, such as play rehearsals, club meetings, athletic practices, and special study groups or tutorials. Students are subject to the same rules of conduct that apply during the instructional day and will be subject to consequences established by the Student Code of Conduct or any stricter standards of behavior established by the sponsor for extracurricular participants.
Use of Hallways During Class Time
Loitering or standing in the halls during class is not permitted. During class time, a student must have a hall pass to be outside the classroom for any purpose.
Cafeteria Services
The district participates in the National School Lunch Program and offers students nutritionally balanced lunches daily. Free and reduced-price lunches are available based on financial need. Information about a student’s participation is confidential.
The district follows the federal and state guidelines regarding foods of minimal nutritional value being served or sold on school premises during the school day. [For more information, see policy CO(LEGAL).]
Library
The library is a learning laboratory with books, computers, magazines, and other materials available for classroom assignments, projects, and reading or listening pleasure.
Meetings of Noncurriculum-Related Groups
Student-organized, student-led noncurriculum-related groups are permitted to meet during the hours designated by the principal before and after school. These groups must comply with the requirements of policy FNAB(LOCAL).
A list of these groups is available in the principal’s office.
SEARCHES
In the interest of promoting student safety and attempting to ensure that schools are safe and drug free, district officials may from time to time conduct searches. Such searches are conducted without a warrant and as permitted by law.
Students’ Desks and Lockers
Students’ desks and lockers are school property and remain under the control and jurisdiction of the school even when assigned to an individual student.
Students are fully responsible for the security and contents of their assigned desks and lockers. Students may purchase locks for their lockers but must share the key or combination with their locker partner, their teacher, and the office.
Searches of desks or lockers may be conducted at any time there is reasonable cause to believe that they contain articles or materials prohibited by policy, whether or not a student is present.
The parent will be notified if any prohibited items are found in the student’s desk or locker.
Trained Dogs
The district will use trained dogs to alert school officials to the presence of prohibited or illegal items, including drugs and alcohol. At any time, trained dogs may be used around lockers and the areas around vehicles parked on school property. Searches of classrooms, common areas, or student belongings may also be conducted by trained dogs when students are not present. An item in a classroom, a locker, or a vehicle to which a trained dog alerts may be searched by school officials.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
The district provides special programs for gifted and talented students, homeless students, bilingual students, migrant students, students with limited English proficiency, dyslexic students, and students with disabilities. The coordinator of each program can answer questions about eligibility requirements, as well as programs and services offered in the district or by other organizations. A student or parent with questions about these programs should contact Mrs. Carolyn Newsom.
STEROIDS
State law prohibits students from possessing, dispensing, delivering, or administering an anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids are for medical use only, and only a physician can prescribe use.
Body building, muscle enhancement, or the increase of muscle bulk or strength through the use of an anabolic steroid or human growth hormone by a healthy student is not a valid medical use and is a criminal offense.
TAKS (TEXAS ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS)
In addition to routine tests and other measures of achievement, students at certain grade levels will take state-mandated tests (such as TAKS: the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) in the following subjects:
• Mathematics, annually in grades 3–11
• Reading, annually in grades 3–9
• Writing, including spelling and grammar, in grades 4 and 7
• English language arts in grades 10 and 11
• Social studies in grades 8, 10, and 11
• Science in grades 5, 8, 10, and 11
• Any other subject and grade required by federal law
[See policy EKB(LEGAL).]
TARDINESS
A student who is tardy disrupts the learning process for himself and others. Parents need to ensure that students arrive before 8:00 a.m. so that students may be in class on time. Classes begin promptly at 8:00. Students must be punctual during the day to classes according to individual schedules. Students who are consistently tardy will be assigned to detentions or after-school make-up time. A student who is tardy has also missed part of the day. This can fall under attendance laws and a complaint can be filed in court.
TEXTBOOKS
State-approved textbooks are provided to students free of charge for each subject or class. Books must be covered by the student, as directed by the teacher, and treated with care. A student who is issued a damaged book should report the damage to the teacher. Any student failing to return a book issued by the school loses the right to free textbooks until the book is returned or paid for by the parent; however, the student will be provided textbooks for use at school during the school day.
TRANSFERS
[See Other Parental Rights and Options and Requirements for Providing Assistance to Students Who Have Learning Difficulties or Who Need or May Need Special Education for other transfer options.]
TRANSPORTATION
School-Sponsored Trips
Students who participate in school-sponsored trips are required to use transportation provided by the school to and from the event. The principal, however, may make an exception if the parent makes a written request that the student be released to the parent or to another adult designated by the parent.
Buses and Other School Vehicles
The district makes school bus transportation available to all students living two or more miles from school. This service is provided at no cost to students. Bus routes and any subsequent changes are posted at the school.
A parent may also designate a child-care facility or grandparent’s residence as the regular pickup and drop-off location for his or her child. The designated facility or residence must be on an approved stop on an approved route. For information on bus routes and stops or to designate an alternate pickup or drop-off location, you may contact Mr. Ken Cushion, Transportation Director, at (903) 537-3402 ext. 281.
See the Student Code of Conduct for provisions regarding transportation to the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP).
Students are expected to assist district staff in ensuring that buses remain in good condition and that transportation is provided safely. When riding in district vehicles, students are held to behavioral standards established in this handbook and the Student Code of Conduct. Students must:
• Follow the driver’s directions at all times.
• Enter and leave the bus or van in an orderly manner at the designated stop nearest home.
• Keep feet, books, instrument cases, and other objects out of the aisle.
• Not deface the bus, van, or its equipment.
• Not put head, hands, arms, or legs out of the window, hold any object out of the window, or throw objects within or out of the bus or van.
• Not possess or use any form of tobacco on school buses.
• Observe all usual classroom rules.
• Be seated while the vehicle is moving.
• Wait for the driver’s signal upon leaving the bus or van and before crossing in front of the vehicle.
When students ride in a district van or passenger car, seat belts must be fastened at all times.
Misconduct will be punished in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct; bus-riding privileges may be suspended.
VANDALISM
The taxpayers of the community have made a sustained financial commitment for the construction and upkeep of school facilities. To ensure that school facilities can serve those for whom they are intended—both this year and for years to come—littering, defacing, or damaging school property is not tolerated. Students will be required to pay for damages they cause and will be subject to criminal proceedings as well as disciplinary consequences in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
VIDEO CAMERAS
For safety purposes, video/audio equipment may be used to monitor student behavior on buses and in common areas on campus. Students will not be told when the equipment is being used.
The principal will review the video/audio recordings routinely and document student misconduct. Discipline will be in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL
General Visitors
Parents and others are welcome to visit district schools. For the safety of those within the school and to avoid disruption of instructional time, all visitors must first report to the principal’s office.
Visits to individual classrooms during instructional time are permitted only with approval of the principal and teacher and only so long as their duration or frequency does not interfere with the delivery of instruction or disrupt the normal school environment.
All visitors are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of courtesy and conduct; disruptive behavior will not be permitted.
WITHDRAWING FROM SCHOOL
A student under 18 may be withdrawn from school only by a parent. The school requests notice from the parent at least three days in advance so that records and documents may be prepared. The parent may obtain a withdrawal form from the principal’s office.
On the student’s last day, the withdrawal form must be presented to each teacher for current grade averages and book clearance; to the librarian to ensure a clear library record; to the clinic for health records; to the counselor for the last report card and course clearance; and finally, to the principal. A copy of the withdrawal form will be given to the student, and a copy will be placed in the student’s permanent record.
A student who is 18 or older, who is married, or who has been declared by a court to be an emancipated minor, may withdraw without parental signature.

GLOSSARY
Accelerated instruction is an intensive supplemental program designed to address the needs of an individual student in acquiring the knowledge and skills required at his or her grade level.
ACT refers to one of the two most frequently used college or university admissions exams: the American College Test. The test may be a requirement for admission to certain colleges or universities.
Alternative assessment instrument, developed by the state, may be given to students in special education and students identified as limited English proficient.
ARD is the admission, review, and dismissal committee convened for each student who is identified as needing a full and individual evaluation for special education services. The eligible student’s parents are part of the committee.
Attendance Review Committee is responsible for reviewing a student’s absences when the student’s attendance drops below 90 percent of the days the class is offered. Under guidelines adopted by the board, the committee will determine whether there were extenuating circumstances for the absences and whether the student needs to complete certain conditions to master the course and regain credit lost because of absences.
DAEP stands for disciplinary alternative education program, a placement for students who have violated certain provisions of the Student Code of Conduct. Students in the DAEP will be separated from students not assigned to the program. The DAEP will focus instruction on English language arts, mathematics, science, history, and self-discipline, and provide for students’ educational and behavior needs, as well as supervision and counseling.
FERPA refers to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act that grants specific privacy protections to student records. The law contains certain exceptions, such as for directory information, unless a student’s parent or a student 18 or older directs the school not to release directory information.
IEP is the written record of the Individualized Education Program prepared by the ARD committee for a student with disabilities who is eligible for special education services. The IEP contains several parts, such as a statement of the student’s present educational performance; a statement of measurable annual goals, with short-term objectives; the special education and related services and supplemental aids and services to be provided, and program modifications or support by school personnel; a statement regarding how the student’s progress will be measured and how the parents will be kept informed; modifications to state or districtwide tests, etc.
ISS refers to in-school suspension, a disciplinary technique for misconduct found in the Student Code of Conduct. Although different from out-of-school suspension and placement in a DAEP, ISS removes the student from the regular classroom.
NCLB Act is the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Personal Graduation Plan (PGP) is required by state law for any student in middle school or higher who fails a section on a state-mandated test or is identified by the district as not likely to earn a high school diploma before the fifth school year after he or she begins grade 9.
SAT refers to one of the two most frequently used college or university admissions exams: the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The test may be a requirement for admissions to certain colleges or universities.
Section 504 is the federal law that prohibits discrimination against a student with a disability, requiring schools to provide opportunities for equal services, programs, and participation in activities. Unless the student is determined by an ARD committee to be eligible for special education services, appropriate regular educational services will be provided.
State-mandated tests are required of students at certain grade levels and in specified subjects. Successful performance sometimes is a condition of promotion, and passing the grade 11 exit-level test is a condition of graduation. Students have multiple opportunities to take the tests if necessary for promotion or graduation.
Student Code of Conduct is developed with the advice of the district-level committee and adopted by the board; identifies the circumstances, consistent with law, when a student may be removed from the classroom or campus. It also sets out the conditions that authorize or require the principal or another administrator to place the student in a DAEP. It outlines conditions for out-of-school suspension and for expulsion, and states whether self-defense is a consideration in suspension, DAEP placement, or expulsion. The Student Code of Conduct also addresses notice to the parent regarding a student’s violation of one of its provisions.
TAKS is short for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, the state’s standardized achievement test currently given to students in certain subjects in grades 3–11.
UIL refers to the University Interscholastic League, the statewide voluntary nonprofit organization that oversees educational extracurricular academic, athletic, and music contests.

APPENDIX I
Acknowledgment Form

My child and I have received a copy of the Mount Vernon Intermediate School Student Handbook [and the Student Code of Conduct] for 2007–2008. I understand that the handbook contains information that my child and I may need during the school year and that all students will be held accountable for their behavior and will be subject to the disciplinary consequences outlined in the Code.

Printed name of student:

Signature of student:

Signature of parent:

Date:

“Please sign and date this page, remove it from the handbook, and return it to the student’s school.”


APPENDIX II

MT VERNON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY FOR ACCEPTABLE USE
OF COMPUTERS AND NETWORKS


Mt. Vernon ISD Superintendent or designee will oversee the District’s electronic communications system.
The District will provide training in proper use of the system and will provide all users with copies of acceptable use guidelines. All training in the use of the District’s system will emphasize the ethical use of this resource.
Mt. Vernon ISD fully meets all requirements of the Child Internet Protection Act and Child Online Protection Act in order to comply with rules and regulations established by the Federal Communications Commission and Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Fund.

CONSENT REQUIREMENTS

Copyrighted software or data may not be placed on any system connected to the District’s system without permission from the holder of the copyright. Only the owner(s) or individual(s) the owner specifically authorizes may upload copyrighted material to the system
No original work created by any District student or employee will be posted on a web page under the District’s control unless the District has received written consent from the student (and the student’s parent) or employee who created the work.
No personally identifiable information about a District student will be posted on a web page under the District’s control unless the District has received written consent from the student’s parent. An exception may be made for “directory information” as allowed by the Family Education Records Privacy Act and District policy.

SYSTEM ACCESS

Access to the District’s electronic communications system will be governed as follows:

1. As appropriate and with the approval of the employee’s immediate supervisor, district employees will be granted access to the District’s system.
2. Teachers, as appropriate, will grant students in grades K-3 access to the District’s system after their parents have signed a consent form their child to do so.
3. Students in grades 4-12 must return a signed consent form in order to be issued a Computer Access License, which must be displayed on top of the computer any time a student uses a district computer. These consent forms will be kept on file in the district technology office.
4. The District will require that all passwords be changed at the beginning of each academic year and at the discretion of the technology director.
5. Any system user identified as a security risk or as having violated District and/or campus computer use guidelines may have their access to the District’s technology system restricted.


TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES

The technology coordinator for the District’s electronic communications system (or campus designee) will:

1. Be responsible for disseminating and enforcing applicable District policies and acceptable use guidelines for the District’s system.
2. Ensure that all users of the District’s system complete and sign an agreement to abide by District policies and administrative regulations regarding such use. All such agreements will be maintained on file in the supervisor’s office.
3. Ensure that employees supervising students who use the District’s system provide training emphasizing the appropriate use of this resource and Internet safety.
4. Ensure that all software loaded on computers in the District is consistent with District standards and is properly licensed.
5. Be authorized to monitor or examine all system activities, including electronic mail transmissions, as deemed appropriate to ensure proper use of the system.
6. Be authorized to establish a retention schedule for messages on any electronic bulletin board and to remove messages posted locally that are deemed to be inappropriate.
7. Set limits for data storage within the District’s system, as needed.


INDIVIDUAL USER RESPONSIBILITIES
The following standards will apply to all users of the District’s electronic information/communications systems:

ON-LINE CONDUCT

1. The sole purpose of the district’s technology, Internet and e-mail is for educational purposes only.
2. The system may not be used for illegal purposes, in support of illegal activities, for financial gain, any commercial or political activity or for any other activity prohibited by District policy or guidelines.
3. System users may not use another person’s system account without written permission from the campus administrator or District coordinator, as appropriate The individual in whose name a system account is issued will be responsible at all times for its proper use.
4. Students may n