1
Table of Contents
Mission Statement ..........................................................................................2
Curriculum and Program Overview ...........................................................2
School/Family Parntership ...........................................................................2
Organizational Structure ..............................................................................3
Arrival and Dismissal ....................................................................................3
Early Dismissal for Half Days ......................................................................4
Delayed Opening ............................................................................................4
Emergency Closing…………………………………………………………4
After School Activities/Late Bus ..................................................................5
Agenda Books/Homework ............................................................................5
Advisory ..........................................................................................................5
Book Bags .......................................................................................................6
Book Care .......................................................................................................6
Absences ..........................................................................................................7
Tardiness.........................................................................................................7
Early Pick-up/Visitors/Parking ....................................................................7
Code of Conduct for Students ......................................................................8
Cell Phone Policy…………………………………………………………………… 9
Bus Rules ..................................................................................................... 10
Dress Code for Students ............................................................................. 11
Student Use of Telephone........................................................................... 11
Internet Use ................................................................................................. 12
Lockers ......................................................................................................... 12
Lost and Found ........................................................................................... 12
School Nurse ................................................................................................ 13
Cafeteria ...................................................................................................... 13
Saturday School…………………………………………………………...13
Directory ...................................................................................................... 14
Appendix A .................................................................................................. 15
Student Behavior Policy 5131-R of the Stamford Board of Education
Appendix B .................................................................................................. 16
Student Dress Code Policy
Appendix C .................................................................................................. 17
Calendar
Appendix D .................................................................................................. 18
Acceptable Use of the Internet Policy
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Scofield Magnet Middle School
Mission Statement
Scofield Magnet Middle School respects the unique characteristics and
individuality of emerging adolescents. Our staff, in partnership with parents and
students, strives to develop independent and responsible learners in both
heterogeneous and homogeneous groupings. Through our unique school culture,
we address the physical, social, and emotional needs that further intellectual
development.
While using an interdisciplinary approach to learning, special emphasis is placed
on math, science, and technology. The school is strongly committed to
implementing the principles of the Carnegie Foundation Report and the Coalition
of Essential Schools.
Curriculum and Program Overview
The theme of Scofield Magnet Middle School is math/science/technology. The
interdisciplinary themes in sixth and seventh grades are built around objectives
taken from science; in the eighth grade the curriculum is built around technology,
an application of math and science.
Students are required to demonstrate the skills mastered during the middle school
years by preparing an Exhibition at the end of the eighth grade. They will choose a
particular technology and thoroughly investigate it. This culminates in student
presentations of Exhibitions to teachers, classmates, parents, and community.
School/Family Partnership
Welcome to Scofield Magnet Middle School and our school/family partnership.
We strive to work collaboratively to help young adolescents succeed in middle
school and in later life. When parents, students, and teachers view one another as
partners in education, a caring community forms. You, the students, are in the
center of this partnership. It’s the job of the parents and teachers to engage, guide,
and motivate you as you develop into a young adult. Teachers and families
reinforce the importance of school and homework. We are certain that you will
find the school filled with many challenging opportunities.
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Organizational Structure
As a student at Scofield Magnet Middle School you will be a member of a team,
which has approximately 100 students. You will be a member of this team for all
of your middle school years; it acts in some ways like your school family.
There are two teams at each grade level. The 6th grade teams are Turquoise and
White; 7th grade teams are Silver and Black; 8th grade teams are Purple and Gold.
Each year, you will be assigned to an advisory group and one of your Team
teachers will serve as your Advisor.
You will have the same guidance counselor and administrator throughout your
middle school years. Ms. Je-Nean Bauer is the counselor for
Turquoise/Silver/Purple and Mrs. Elvia Chalmers is the counselor for
White/Black/Gold.
Organization of the Teams
Mrs. Donna Gardner
Team Name
Grade Level
Assistant Principal
White
Black
th
6 Grade
7th Grade
Gold
8th Grade
Dr. Linda Fine
Team Name
Grade Level
Assistant Principal
Turquoise
Silver
th
6 Grade
7th Grade
Purple
8th Grade
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Arrival and Dismissal
Students are expected to arrive at school on time. Advisory begins promptly at
8:00 A.M. Students may report to their advisory classrooms at 7:45 A.M..
Dismissal begins at 2:40 P.M. Student’s who are picked-up or walk home, will
use the exit at the front of the building. For safety reasons, you are expected to
walk on the sidewalk and grass area at all times. Students should not walk
across the parking lot.
Note: Parents, please follow the one-way signs to get to the front entryway. You
will not be allowed to pick-up and drop-off your child in the handicapped parking
area unless your car displays a handicapped sticker.
Check District website for Information: www.stamfordpublicschools.org
Early Dismissal & Half Days
On half days, the schedule is 8:00 A.M. to 12:20 P.M. Please check the district
calendar for the specific dates for middle school.
90 Minutes/Delayed Opening & Emergency Closings
When it is necessary to close or delay school, the announcement will be made over
the radio and television stations, beginning, usually, at 5:30A.M. Please check
local broadcasts. Do not call the school.
Occasionally, students may be dismissed early due to inclement weather. Parents
should monitor weather conditions and listen to news reports. Students and parents
should have an emergency plan in place so that students are safe and supervised in
case there is an emergency closing.
Radio station:
Television station:
District website:
District Phone #:
WSTC 1400 AM
Channel 12, Cablevision
www. stamfordpublicschools.org
203-977-6600
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After School Activities And
Procedures for the Late Bus
There will be after school activities available for students of all grade levels. For
example, there are intramural sports, i.e. soccer, basketball, softball, and track,
Soundwaters, girl’s club, homework clubs, and a school musical.
Students must obtain written permission from both their parents and staff member
in order to stay for an after school activity. Students must sign the After School
Activity Form during their morning Advisory period in order to stay for an activity
that day.
An appointment to stay with an individual teacher after school must be made in
advance. There will late buses Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday leaving the school
at 4:00 P.M.
Note: Students may not remain in the building unsupervised at the end of the
school day.
Agenda Books
Students will receive an agenda assignment book that they should have with them
in school at all times. In the Agenda Book, students and teachers will write: hall
passes, school dates & events, homework assignments, etc. Teachers and
parents/guardians may also use the Agenda Book to correspond between the home
and the school. Parents/guardians are encouraged to check the Agenda Book for
up-to-date school information and to monitor student homework assignments. (If a
student loses his/her Agenda Book, the replacement cost is $10.00.)
Homework
Students may check on daily assignments by calling the Homework Hotline phone,
977-2750, and then press 8. Students will need the team’s code number to have
access to the Hotline. (See page 13) Also check the school website at
www.magnetmiddle.org
Students are responsible for work missed while absent from school. Families
should know that teachers are not expected to arrange for advance work or make
up work for absences due to family vacations, not within the District School
Calendar.
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Advisory
Your day will begin in an advisory. Each morning you will meet in an advisory
group of 14 -18 students with a teacher who will focus on the intellectual, social,
emotional, and physical development of young adolescents.
The purpose of advisory is to provide each student with:
 An adult advocate who will know his/her advisee as a person and as a student in
order to foster positive self esteem and success in school.
 A home base for communication about school and community activities.
 An opportunity to reflect on and practice problem-solving and decision-making
skills.
 A teacher who will serve as a link between the school and the student’s home
with up-to-date information and help on personal and academic growth and
progress.
Book Bags
Carrying book bags throughout the school day contributes to back problems, traffic
jams in hallways, and on stairs. For this reason, students at Scofield Magnet
Middle School are to leave book bags in lockers during the school day. Students
may use book bags to transport materials to and from school only.
Book Care
Textbooks and library books are the property of the City of Stamford and they are
loaned to you. As you would with a loan of any other valuable item, please treat
these books with respect. Textbooks, which have been loaned to you, must be
adequately covered to protect them from damage such as stray pen marks, spills,
etc. Books are your responsibility and must be replaced if lost or damaged. There
will be periodic book checks throughout the year. Parents/guardians will be
notified if students have lost textbooks or library books. Should the books be
found, the money for the cost of the book will be returned.
At the end of the school year, students who have outstanding fines will not be
permitted to participate in Team Activities and will not be given their yearbooks or
report cards until the fines have been paid.
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Absences
To report an absence from school, parents/guardians should call the school at 9772750 and press 3 for attendance. In addition, students must return to school with a
written note signed by a parent/guardian. If students do not present a written note
for Advisory teacher, he/she will be given an unexcused absence.
Note: According to the Stamford Board of Education regulation 5113-R, a
“truant” is defined as a student who has four unexcused absences in one month or
ten unexcused absences in one year. A “habitual truant” is defined as any such
student who has 20 unexcused absences within a school year.
There may be times when the student knows that he/she will be absent from
school. It is important that the Main Office receive a letter with this information.
Please be sure to call the Main Office prior to 8:30 AM if you wish to make
arrangements to pick up homework assignments. Teachers need adequate time to
prepare assignments for the students so calling before 8:30 AM is very important.
The assignments will be placed in an envelope in the Main Office by 3:30 PM.
Students are also encouraged to make arrangements to get their assignments from a
study partner in their classes when they are absent.
Tardy/Late To School
If a student arrives late to school, he/she are expected to report to the Main office
for a late pass. Students will be assigned Saturday School for excessive tardies.
Early Dismissal
A written request from a parent or guardian is necessary to be dismissed before the
regular dismissal time. Student should bring this request to their Advisory Teacher
upon arrival at school. Under no circumstances will you be dismissed based upon
a phone call. Student will not be permitted to leave school with an adult other than
your parent or guardian unless it is indicated in a written note that such
arrangements have been made by the parent or guardian.
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Scofield Magnet Middle School
Code of Conduct for Students
Honesty, respect and trust are basic to Scofield Magnet Middle School.
Therefore, we have certain responsibilities to our school and community. Students
are expected to behave in a manner that does not interfere with another person’s
rights and safety. All students have the right to learn and all teachers have the right
to teach in a safe and orderly environment. Please
note: It is expected that all students will follow the instructions of any adult in the
building the first time they are given.
The following is a list of non-negotiable behaviors. This means that under no
conditions will these behaviors be permitted.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lying or giving false information to an adult
Physical violence, fighting, or “play-fighting”
Profane or obscene language or gestures
Threats (Bullying) made to teachers or students (This includes
threats/bullying made on the computer via the Internet both at school
and at home)
5. Drug or alcohol use
6. Willful destruction of school or individual’s property
7. Excessive and unexcused tardiness or absence
8. Display or use of portable electronic devices such as: cell phones Ipods,
MP3 players, walkman, headsets, beepers, etc.
9. Wearing inappropriate clothing (See Dress Code, page 10)
10.No food or drink in the halls or classrooms unless this is an activity
organized by staff member
11.No gum chewing allowed
As a student of Scofield Magnet Middle School, it is expected that you will
respect, accept, and obey the rules and standards of behaviors in the Stamford
Public School System. Students who engage in conduct that endangers persons or
property, seriously disrupt the educational process or violate the Student Behavior
Policy 5131-R of the Board of Education are subject to disciplinary action (See
Appendix A).
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CELL PHONE POLICY
Date:
__________________________________
Student’s Name (Print):
__________________________________
You have been granted permission to have a cell phone in school under the
following conditions:
1.
The cell phone is always turned off and is locked in the students
locker.
2.
It is not to be brought to any class.
3.
NO calls or text messaging will be made or answered during the
school day.
4.
Any violation of these responsibilities will result in your permission
being revoked, the cell phone confiscated and a parent conference
scheduled.
Please fill out and return to Advisory
Cell Phone Permission
Student’s Signature:____________________________________________
Parent’s Signature: ___________________________________________
Administrative Signature:_______________________________________
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Bus Rules
Riding the bus to and from school is a privilege. The Transportation Department
assigns students to buses. Our drivers must have the full cooperation of students
on the buses at all times in order to provide you with safe transportation. In
addition to the Code of Conduct on the previous page, it is expected that all
students should conduct themselves in a safe manner on the bus, as well as at the
stop, and they should respect the property of citizens living near the bus stop.
Students should follow these rules:
1. Be at your designated bus stop 5 minutes before your scheduled
departure.
2. Do not attempt to board the bus until it has come to a complete stop. Enter the
bus in an orderly fashion, without pushing or shoving. Go to your seats
promptly and remain there until you arrive at your destination. If you must
cross the street once you get off the bus, cross in front of the bus, not behind it.
3. Do not eat or drink on the bus..
4. Do not throw anything out of the bus windows or on the bus floor.
5. Students are to ride only the bus routes to which they are assigned and get on
and off at their designated bus stop.
6. Ordinary conversation is permitted on the bus. However, loud talking,
standing and unnecessary confusion can divert the attention of the driver and
could result in a serious accident.
Inappropriate behavior on the bus will result in the loss of the privilege to ride the
bus. In addition, the Bus Driver and/or School Administrator may assign seats to
students, if necessary.
If a student is having problems on the bus, he/she should report them immediately
to the driver, a teacher, an administrator, or a parent/guardian.
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Dress Code for Students
We take pride in all Scofield Magnet Middle School students. We believe that
your dress reflects the way you feel about yourself. This, in turn, reflects upon the
entire school community. Therefore, the following guidelines concerning student
dress are recommended in order to keep distractions at a minimum and to maintain
a safe and orderly academic environment. Parents of an unsuitably dressed student
may be called and asked to provide more appropriate clothing for the day (See
Appendix B for the district policy).
1. No hats or headgear of any kind
2. All pants are to be worn no more than 2 inches below the natural waist.
3. Shorts and skirts are to be no shorter than the length of the extended arm and
the fingertip of the wearer.
4. All shirts and tops are to cover the entire torso of the wearer.
5. No see-through, mesh, fishnet, or translucent clothing
6. Bandannas are not to be worn or displayed.
7. No Pajamas
Student Use of Telephone
School phones are available for students’ use in the Main Office and the Guidance
area. In order to use the phone in the Guidance Office or the Main Office, students
must have a note signed by the teacher stating that he/she has been given
permission to place a call. If parents/guardians need to contact their child, they
should call the Main Office at 977-2750. The note will be given to the student’s
Advisory Teacher.
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Internet Use
Students will have access to the Internet in a variety of locations for educations
related purposes. Sites such as Myspace.com as well as personal email sites and
game sites are not to be accessed anywhere in the building. When students are
online here at school, they will be supervised and monitored. Written parental
permission must be on file in the Media Center in order to have this privilege. If
the student is new to Scofield, he/she will be given the Board of Education’s
Acceptable Use of the Internet Form from the grade level technology teacher,
“Guidelines for Student Use and Acceptable Internet Use Agreement.” This must
be signed by both the student and the parents/guardians, and returned to the Media
Center. Inappropriate use of the Internet will result in loss of privileges and parent
notification.
Lockers
At the start of each year, each student is issued a personal locker with its own
special combination. Students, are expected to keep lockers clean and orderly. To
help with this, we will have locker clean out several times a year. Please do not
write or put decals or stickers on your locker. Lockers are school property. School
administrators may open them at any time in order to (search) a student’s locker
who is suspected of containing items that are prohibited by school rules or state
laws. Students’ locker combinations should not be shared with any other students.
If you forget your combination, please see your advisory teacher.
If a student should have a problem opening a locker, he/she should go to class and
tell the teacher. The teacher will call for assistance to open the locker.
Lost and Found
The lost and found department is located in the cafeteria. Please do not bring
valuables or large sums of money to school where they may be lost. The school
cannot be responsible for lost items.
13
School Nurse
Our school nurse has an office located near the Main Office. If student needs to
see her, he/she should report to class first and ask for a pass from your teacher.
School-nursing services are provided for those who are sick during the school day
and for emergencies.
Connecticut State Law requires a physician’s or dentist’s written order and parent
or guardian authorization in order for the nurse, or other school personnel, to
administer medications. Medications must be in pharmacy prepared containers and
labeled with your name, the name of the drug, strength, dosage, frequency,
physician’s or dentist’s name, and the date of the original prescription. No student
can be given medication without valid authorization. This includes over-thecounter medications, such as aspirin or Tylenol.
Cafeteria & Breakfast Program
Each full day of school our cafeteria offers a breakfast program as well as a lunch
program. Each grade level has its own lunch shift. Appropriate behavior and
decorum is expected during meals. Specific rules are posted in the cafeteria.
Saturday School Program
Students committing infractions explained in the Handbook might be given a
Saturday School assignment as a consequence. The purpose of this program is to
provide an academic/study consequence for students who have violated school
rules.
We will be using the Turn of River School site for the program. This is located at
117 Vine Road, Stamford. The times are 9:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.
Once a student is assigned to Saturday School, an administrator will notify the
parent/guardian by a letter, which will be sent home with the student stating the
conditions of Saturday School. Failure to successfully complete this program will
result in an immediate out-of-school suspension.
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SCOFIELD SCHOOL DIRECTORY
www.magnetmiddle.org
MAIN OFFICE: (203) 977-2750
Fax: (203) 977-2766
DEPARTMENT
Main Office
Reporting Student Absence
ADMINISTRATORS
Ms. Jan Rossman, Principal
Dr. Linda Fine, Asst. Principal
Mrs. Donna Gardner, Asst. Principal
GUIDANCE COUNSELORS
Ms. Je-Nean Bauer
Mrs. Elvia Chalmers
Nurse
Sheila Taccone
Parent Information Network
TRANSPORTATION
Laidlaw Bus Company
Bus Lost & Found
EXTENSION
200 & 204
202
201
205
207
214
216
219
Press 8, then 5
203-977-4248
203-977-4840
HOMEWORK HOTLINE: PRESS 8, THEN THE CODE LISTED:
Turquoise Team
White Team
Silver Team
Black Team
Purple Team
Gold Team
Copper Team
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
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Appendix A
Student Behavior Policy 5131-R of the Stamford Board of Education
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Appendix B
Student Dress Code Policy
17
Appendix C
Calendar
18
Appendix D
Acceptable Use of the Internet Policy