Policies and Procedures

School Traditions

Mascot: Hawks

Colors: Royal Blue, Red, And White

Motto: We are H.A.W.K.S. Honoring Achievement With Kindness and Self-Respect

Mission Statement

Folsom Junior High is committed to education as a life-long endeavor.

Beliefs Statements

The primary task of teachers as leaders and designers is to create engaging work that encourages students to volunteer and commit to reaching their full potential. Students, as customers, volunteer commitment and involvement in their tasks to produce high-level engagement and quality work. The school system, parents, community members, and students share in the accountability for providing a supportive environment for life-long learning.

At the beginning of each week, an email blast is sent out to parents detailing the week’s activities and important reminders. Additionally, a school calendar is sent out each month. In order to receive this email, you must provide an email address to the office. You can do this by putting the email on your child’s emergency card or emailing Leslie.Hano@stpsb.org.

Attendance:

The State of Louisiana requires that all children from their seventh to their eighteenth birthdays must attend a public school, private day school, or must participate in an approved home study program. School attendance is imperative, not only to satisfy requirements of the law, but also to help ensure student achievement and success. Every missed day of school is a missed educational opportunity. As per State of Louisiana policy, St. Tammany Parish Public Schools are responsible for enforcing the following requirements:

Students are expected to be in attendance every student activity day scheduled by STPPS.

Schools must administer attendance regulations in accordance with the State and locally adopted policies.

In order to be eligible to receive credit for courses passed, students enrolled in high school credit courses may not miss more than five (5) days of non-exempted excused absences, unexcused absences, and/or suspensions per semester.

Elementary and junior high school students may not miss more than ten (10) days of non-exempted excused absences, unexcused absences, and/or suspensions per semester. Students missing more than three (3) hours of instructional time during the school day will be considered absent for the entire day.

Virtual Attendance:

On days when the district opts for virtual learning, students are still expected to attend their classes at their regularly scheduled times. Attendance will be taken by teacher per class period and entered by the attendance secretary. Prior arrangements for hot spots for families in need of internet services should be made in advance. All other attendance protocols for absences are applicable to virtual attendance days, barring extenuating circumstances. Please be sure to communicate any issues with the school or your child’s teacher.

Absences:

Excuses for all absences must be presented in writing to the attendance secretary within two (2) days of the absence. The note must include the student’s full name, days of absence, reason for absence and/or doctor’s verification, parent/guardian signature, and date of signature. Failure to send the note will result in the student not being able to make up missed coursework, and zeros will be given for that work.

In elementary through junior high school, when a student accumulates seven (7) absences which include non-exempted excused, unexcused, and/or suspensions, notifications will be made to the parents/guardians. After the tenth (10) absence, the school will notify the parents/guardians of the seat time recovery requirements.

For high school credit courses, when a student accumulates three (3) absences in a semester which include non-exempted excused, unexcused, and/or suspensions, notifications will be made to the parents/guardians. After the fifth (5) absence in a semester, the school will notify the parents/guardians of the seat time recovery requirements.

Seat Time Recovery Requirement:

Students in danger of failing due to excessive absences may be allowed to make up missed seat time outside of the regular school day. The makeup sessions must be completed before the end of the current semester for high school courses and the end of the school year for elementary/junior high students.

Truancy:

Parents will receive notification of the State truancy policy at the beginning of the school year. Any juvenile student who is habitually absent or tardy from school will be reported as a truant child to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance and the family and/or juvenile court, according to the provisions of the Louisiana Children’s Code regarding families in need of services.

Tardy Policy:

Since a full class period is necessary for academic achievement, it is necessary for students to arrive to school and class on time.

Consequences for Tardies To School & Class per nine-week period:

4 - mandatory parent conference; 5 – after school detention; 6 - Saturday support; 7 or more - at the discretion of administration

All Folsom Jr. High School students are required to adhere to the dress code policy found on the main page of the website under the tab "Dress Code." School policies comply with those set forth by STPPS and as noted in the district handbook. The administration of Folsom Jr. High reserves the right to determine appropriateness and suitability of student dress.

All courses are scheduled for a full year. Changes will only be made based on academic need and administrative discretion. All students will be enrolled in core courses that include English Language Arts, Health and Physical Education, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Electives include *Agriculture, *Art, *Band, *Chorus, *IBCA, *Quest for Success, and Study Skills. Courses denoted with an asterisk (*) indicate courses in which Carnegie units can be earned in 7th and 8th grade only. 8th grade students who wish to take Algebra I must meet the prerequisite requirements.

For students in 6th Grade: A=4 pts. B=3 pts. C=2 pts. D=1 pt. F=0 pts.

For students 7th Grade and Higher: A = 93-100 B = 85-92 C = 75-84 D = 67-74 F = 66 and below

Nine weeks exams will be given to all 7th and 8th grade students enrolled in high school credit courses. These exams count for 20 percent of the nine-week average. All other exams for 7th and 8th grade are worth 10 percent. There are no exams for 6th grade as they follow a letter grading scale instead of a numerical one. Interim reports are available on JPAMS during the 5th week of each nine-week period. Parents are encouraged to schedule conferences if they have any questions about their children’s grades.

Report cards are sent home four times during the year following the completion of each nine-week period. The nine-week period for the 2022-2023 school sessions will end on October 7, December 17, March 10, and May 20. Report cards are mailed home at the end of the year by the school board.

Pupil Progression Policy for 6th – 8th grades:

In order to be promoted at the end of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, a student shall pass the following: English Language Arts AND Math AND one of the following: Science or Social Studies.

It is important that both parents and students keep up with grades, behavior, and attendance through JPAMS. Parents are encouraged to regularly check their children’s grades on JPAMS. The link can be found on the school’s website or at https://jpams.stpsb.org/progress/. Parents can also keep up with students’ assignments by checking the teachers’ web pages each week. Teachers’ lesson plans with assignments/homework/tests are posted on Monday of each week.

The following forms are required in order for students to be issued a chromebook each year.  The first, which is the responsible use form, is only filled out one time and is good for the student's entire school career.  The second, which is the Device Damage Coverage form MUST be filled out each year.  We STRONGLY recommend that parents pay the $20 insurance coverage.  Accidents happen often, and the $20 coverage is a fraction of the cost of typical repairs.

Chromebook_Responsible_Use_AgreementPerpetual.pdf

Chromebook_Yearly_Student_Device_Damage_Coverage_Form.pdf

If a student is out due to illness or other instances, please check your child’s teachers’ Google Classrooms on the Chromebook for pertinent information regarding classwork. Assignments are placed in Google Classroom daily and can be turned in through the interactive feature as well.

All textbooks at Folsom Jr. High are the property of the State of Louisiana, and students are responsible for keeping up with them and keeping them in good condition. If a textbook is lost, the student must pay the original price for it before a new textbook will be issued. Most new textbooks cost in excess of $25; therefore, extra care should be taken. The student should check the textbook for damage when received and make the teacher aware of any damage found.

All visitors are required to check in with the front office and present a valid, state-issued ID upon arriving on our campus. From there, you will receive a visitor’s pass that must be worn and visible while on campus. Visitor’s passes are only good for the day it was issued. New passes must be obtained each time you visit our campus. Additionally, all visitations are subject to change in accordance with district and state protocols.

In the event of student illness, the office staff will call home for the student. Upon arrival of the parent/guardian, the student will be called out of class to check out. In the event that someone other than the parent/guardian must check the student out, that person’s name MUST be on the emergency card in the office. Once the student returns, he/she must bring a written excuse for any class missed due to checking out of school. Please refer to the district handbook for information about compulsory attendance laws.

Each student must have an emergency card on file in the front office. Cards are issued during the first week of school or upon registration. Please ensure that all information is accurate and up-to-date. Should phone numbers change, kindly alert the front office. All cards must include at least two working phone numbers in case of an emergency. Any person designated by the parent/guardian to check out your child must be printed on the student’s emergency card. Release of students’ personal information, academic or otherwise, must be authorized by the parent in writing and kept in the office.

In the event that emergency messages have to be delivered, please call the front office. Students will not be called out of class to take phone calls. Any transportation changes must be in writing and should be turned in before 10 AM, if possible.

If a student gets hurt at school, the extent of the injury is determined by the office; the parent is notified if deemed necessary. Parents must sign emergency forms which are kept on file in the office. Release of students’ personal information, academic or otherwise, must be authorized by the parent in writing and kept in the office.

To help cover the cost of accidental injury to students, an insurance policy is made available at a small cost. At the beginning of each school year, parents are notified about this policy and strongly encouraged to obtain it.

Transportation Policies

Students are allowed on the school campus starting at 7:00 a.m. Any student waiting for car or bus should remain in the designated areas. Any transportation changes require a written note signed by the parent or legal guardian and must be turned in to the office before school or during 1st hour. Transportation changes cannot be taken over the phone.

Car Riders & Walkers

Car riders may be dropped off starting at 7:00 a.m. and should leave promptly by 2:55 p.m. Any student not picked up by 2:55 p.m. will receive the following consequences:

• 1st time - verbal warning;
• 2nd and 3rd time - written warning;
• 4th time – parent conference
• 5th time – Saturday detention

In the event of a delay or an emergency, parents are asked to call the front office to relay expected time of arrival.

Students who walk to or from school must have a parent note on file in the office. These students cannot leave campus in the afternoon until after the bus line and car line is clear.

Bus Riders

Most of the junior high students ride buses to and from school. Parents must check with the STPPS Transportation Office at 898-3373 or visit the STPPS website to find out where and when the bus will pick them up.

Students must remember that the bus is an extension of school and the bus driver is responsible for their safety and well-being while they are on the bus. Students must obey the bus rules. Violating bus regulations or endangering themselves or others will result in a behavior referral by the bus driver to the principal. Students who receive behavior referrals for bus misconduct will be disciplined by the principal and/or suspended from the bus.

A student who must ride a bus other than his/her own must have a written request brought to the front office before the start of the first class. When the request is approved, the student will be given a special bus note. This note will be given to the bus driver who will permit the “visitor” to board the bus if space permits. Students without proper bus notes will not be allowed on another bus. Requests for a bus change will not be accepted during dismissal time or over the phone.

Students are permitted to bring clear water bottles to school.  Water bottles may contain water only.  Bottles may be refilled at the bottle filling stations conveniently located in the cafeteria, gym, and outdoors.

No caps, bandanas, gum, toys, or electronics such as radios, CD players, MP3 players, cameras, smart watches, etc. are allowed in the buildings or on any part of the campus during school times. The School System Policy for Possession and/or use of Electronic Communication Devices will be strictly enforced according to the STPSS handbook. Students taking pictures or videos, or using social media on campus will receive immediate consequences. If any of the banned items are picked up by a teacher and sent to the office, the items will have to be picked up by the parent. Folsom Jr. High is not responsible for any electronic devices brought to school.

Cell Phone Policy

Cell phones must be turned off and stored away while on campus. This includes after the dismissal bell unless given expressed permission by a teacher, coach, or administrator. Cell phones are prohibited in restrooms and locker rooms. Any student found using a cell phone, displaying a cell phone, or in possession of a ringing cell phone during the instructional day, may have the cell phone confiscated by the principal/designee and have disciplinary consequences. The parent/guardian will be required to retrieve the cell phone from the office. Please note that consequences for students refusing to hand over a phone when directed can result in more severe disciplinary actions such as suspension and/or expulsion. For more detailed information, please see the STPPS Cell Phone Policy.

School dances will be scheduled throughout the year. The cost of admission is $5. If parents wish to chaperone, we ask that they do not bring young children to the dance and do not photograph any children other than their own. Dances will be held on Friday nights. The dress code for dances is casual unless otherwise stated. All attire must be within dress code regulations. Parents must be prompt in picking up their children through car line. They should arrive at least 15 minutes before the dance is over. If a parent parks and walks in, he/she must park in the lot closest to the main office. Once inside the cafeteria, students cannot go outside for any reason. Students who are discipline problems at a dance may not be allowed to attend future dances. This decision will be made by the principal. Exclusion from any school dance will be at the discretion of the principal. Dances are for Folsom Jr. High students only.

Code of Conduct for Dances:

• When dancing (fast or slow), remain at an appropriate distance from the person/people with whom you are dancing with.
• Dance appropriately. No overly suggestive movements.
• No running, horseplay, stunts, or gymnastics when dancing.

Field trips are an opportunity for students to experience learning first hand. In order for a student to attend a field trip, he/she must not be suspended or in ISS on the date of the field trip. Administration reserves the right to exclude students based upon behavior in class. Students must remember that a field trip is an extension of the school. In order to arrange for buses, admissions, etc., all fees and permission slips are due one week prior to the field trip. NO REFUNDS will be issued once the fees are paid. If a student normally pays for lunch in the cafeteria, he/she must take a cafeteria lunch on the day of the field trip. Students who choose not to attend a field trip are not excused from attending school or completing classwork. All work must be made up when the student returns to school.