| ATTENDANCE & COMMUNICATION Arrival and Dismissal: All students and visitors should enter the Richmond School through the main lobby. Students who arrive before 7:55 a.m. should wait in the lobby and then be in homerooms from 8:00 to 8:10. Attendance is taken in homerooms at 8:00. Notices are read in homeroom, and students are responsible for knowing the information in the notices. School ends at 3:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and at 2:00 on Wednesday. Students should return to homerooms to receive notices and be dismissed at the end of the day. Late Arrivals: Students who arrive after 8:00 must report to the office on arrival. Otherwise, they will be reported as absent and parents will be called, no doubt causing them anxiety. Absences: A parent should call the school office (643-6040) before 9:00 a.m. if a student will be absent. Otherwise, the school will call parents at home or at work to confirm the absence. Dismissals During School Hours: If students need to be dismissed early, they must bring a note signed by a parent which indicates the time of departure and designation. The homeroom teacher should initial the note in the morning. When it is time to leave, the classroom teacher will excuse the student who must stop at the office and leave the note with the receptionist. Students who return to school that day must sign back in at the office. Note: Students are expected to go only to the destination indicated in your note and return promptly. Homework Requests: Homework assignments may be requested by calling the office by 9:00 a.m. The receptionist will pass on the request to all teachers, and assignments may be picked up at 3:00 p.m. The office is open until 4:00 p.m. Messages for Students: The office staff will deliver messages to homeroom cubbies twice each day: 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. It is a student's responsibility to pick up items left by parents in the office. Extended Family Vacations: Extended vacations or extra vacations during school time are discouraged. Keeping up with work missed is very difficult, and much classwork cannot be duplicated. Note: Students are responsible for making up all work missed when out of school for a family vacation. The school needs one week's written notice from parents to prepare work assignments in advance. For a planned absence of more than 15 school days, parents must work with the Superintendent's Office to develop an education plan. Parent Communication: The principal communicates to all parents via email regularly. These communications are posted on the Richmond Website as well at the PRINCIPAL'S CORNER. School Delays and Cancellations: In case of extreme weather, school may be canceled for the day or delayed for two hours. Early morning announcements are given over the WMUR website or the following radio stations: WTSL/WGXL (1400 AM and 92.3 FM), WNHV (910 AM), WKXE (95.3 FM), WXMR (92.9 FM), WVRR (101.7 FM), Q106 (106.1 FM), AND NHPR (90.7 FM). Transportation - School Bus Service: The district provides a bus service for students who live more than one and a half miles from school. Those who ride should appreciate the service. The bus driver has complete authority. Transportation - School Bus Discipline: Cases of improper conduct will be reported to the principal. Serious disciplinary problems may result in the suspension of riding privileges. In such cases, it is the responsibility of the parents of the student involved to see that they get to and from school safely and on time. Visitors, Adult: All visitors, including parents and substitutes, must check in at the office each time they come to the Richmond School. Visitors must wear a school name tage. This is a part of our school safety plan and helps everyone feel more secure. Visitors, Student Guests: Students may bring a middle school age guest to school with prior permission of the principal and the teachers involved: this permission should be at least one day in advance. The visit may be for one half day and may not occuring during the first or last month of school, on days when field trips are planned, or the day before a vacation. All guests must bring a note to the office from the parent of the person whom they are visiting. Hosts are expected to introduce their guests to all relevant adults as well as friends. |
| SCHOOL ORGANIZATION Grade Level Teams: The Richmond School is divided into grade-level teams for academic courses: sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. All students elect to take courses from the Fine and Practical Arts team to complete their schedules. (See RMS Staff and RMS Curriculum for details.) Teachers of each team meet four times a week to discuss team curriculum and students; the fine and practical arts team meets twice a week. Parents are welcome to request a meeting with their child's teachers at these times. Quarters and Courses: The school year is divided into nine-week quarters. English, math, science, social studies, French and Spanish are taught as full-year courses. Electives are offered by the quarter. (See RMS Curriculum for course summaries.) Progress Reports: Reports cards are sent home with students after each quarter ends. Interim reports may be sent home at any time, usually at mid-term. Reports may reflect positive progress as well as areas needing improvement. Teachers may call parents at any time if there is a concern and are always welcome to set up a meeting with one or all of a student's teachers. Athletics: Richmond provides regular physical education classes and a broad selection of athletic electives. All after-school athletics for middle school students are sponsored by the Hanover Recreation Department. |
| PERSONAL BELONGINGS Athletic Equipment: Sports equipment to be used after school must be stored in a homeroom or gym closet during the school day. Bikes, Skateboards, Roller Blades: Students may ride to and from school but not on school property unless these items are needed in an elective. Skateboards and roller blades should be kept in cubbies and bikes should be locked in the bike racks outside of school; sneaker-wheels should be removed during school Books: School books are signed out to each student and must be covered. Books are the responsibility of the student and must be paid for if lost or damaged. Cell Phones / Personal Technology: Personal entertainment devices should not be used during the school day. Personal computers must be registered with Marty Warren, technology coordinator, and used only for academic purposes unless specific permission is given by an adult. Any violation of technology rules may result in the loss of privileges. (See Technology Policy on the Resources page.) Cleats: Cleats may not be worn in the building. Cubbies: Each student has a cubby in homeroom for books, snack, lunch, and other belongings. Students are expected to respect the privacy of cubbies belonging to others at all times. Lost and Found: Personal belongings found around the school are placed in the Lost & Found Box in the main lobby. Anything found should be brought to the office, so students should check the box soon after they lose something. Periodically, unclaimed items are donated to the LISTEN Center. Money and Valuables: We do everything we can to safeguard personal property, but the school cannot be responsible for lost items. Students are asked to not bring valuables or large sums of money to school and should not leave valuables in their cubbies. Recycling: Richmond School recycles white paper, aluminum cans, and glass. Please use the bins in classrooms and around the school. As a community, we have made a commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle for a better school and planet. |
| FOOD & SOCIAL CONCERNS Snack: 9:40-9:55: Students may buy snacks in the cafeteria and at our Snack Shack when it is running or bring food from home. Lunch: Lunch may be brought from home or bought at school. Richmond School has a small but excellent cafeteria. Sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts, and beverages are offered in addition to a daily special made by the Richmond cafeteria staff. Lunch Time: The lunch period is a relaxed, social time. Each grade-level team will designate classrooms or the cafeteria as lunchrooms. Students are allowed the privilege to choose where to have lunch, although this privilege may be restricted by any staff member. Clean-up is the responsibility of students and is organized by lunchroom. After lunch the following options are available: 1) remain in the lunch area; 2) go to the gym; 3) go outside under supervision. Teacher Meetings: A student may be asked to meet with a teacher or other staff member during the lunch period. Because there are few times in the Richmond schedule when such meetings can take place, students must honor such requests. Dances: Richmond School holds Friday night dances a number of times each year. Dances are for Richmond students only and are held in the Richmond cafeteria with activities in the gym. They begin at 7:30 and end promptly at 9:30. Appropriate behavior is expected at all times. If students leave a dance before 9:30, they may not return. Visitors: Students may bring visitors to school with permission from the principal and the teachers involved. This permission must be received one day in advance. The visit may be for one-half day and may not occur during the first or last month of school or on days when field trips are planned. All visitors must bring a note to the office from the parent of the person whom they are visiting. Students are responsible for introducing their visitors to their teachers at the beginning of classes. Gum: Gum chewing is not allowed in our school! |
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A learning environment requires strong standards of behavior. Rather than set out a lot of rules, the Richmond School asks each member of its community to monitor her or his own behavior as much as possible. The following list of general expectations are posted in every room in the school. If problems arise, all will be asked to focus on these expectations when assessing their own behavior.
Office Referrals: If behavior problems occur, most will be worked out between teachers and students. However, students will be be sent to the office for serious or recurring problems. The following require an automatic office referral:
Office Referral: Students who are sent to the office will fill out a behavior discipline form. This allows the student to tell his or her side of the story. The staff member will fill out the form as well, and the principal will help the student and staff member solve the problem. Parents will be notified of serious or repetitive offenses. Guidance Counselors: The two Richmond guidance counselors can always act as mediators and support for students who have problems in school. Dress Standard: When on school property or when participating in a school activity, students must wear sufficient clothing so that no bare skin is visible on the torso. They must be covered from above the breasts to below the buttocks. ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY
HEALTH & SAFETY School Nurse: Richmond School employs a full-time registered nurse and assistant. The nurse sees all students who are injured at school or become ill while at school. Medications: Prescription and non-prescription medication may be given to a student only by the school nurse. All medicines which must be taken during school should be kept in the Nurse's Office in a prescription-labeled bottle. Non-perscription medicine should also be labeled and only administered by the nurse. Alcohol and Other Drugs: Richmond School and the Dresden School Board have made a commitment to the health and well-being of their students. The school develops age-appropriate programs and procedures related to alcohol and other substances. The school has made a commitment to a drug-free environment. Students in possession of alcohol or drugs while on school property or while attending school-sponsored or school-supervised functions are in violation of the law. Such students must be reported to the school principal who, in turn, must relate the information to a parent and the chief of police. A student is considered in violation of the Dresden School District policy on alcohol and other drugs if he/she is:
Dangerous Possessions: Dangerous possessions such as guns, knives, lighters, or matches are not appropriate for school. They will be confiscated and a consequence will be administered to the student in possession of such items. Fire Drills: We all hope there will never be a fire or other emergency in our school, but emergency procedures must be taken seriously. Each student is expected to:
Snowballs: Snowballs may not be thrown on school property. This is a safety matter and will be strictly enforced. |
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Richmond's Sexual Harassment Policy ~ Posted In All Classrooms SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS NOT ALLOWED AT RICHMOND - BY ANYONE!
WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT? Sexual harassment is behavior in which one person annoys or threatens another person with sexually related actions or words. Sexual harassment may make a person feel embarrassed, uncomfortable, intimidated, angry, humiliated, or violated. EXAMPLES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT:
THINK ABOUT YOUR BEHAVIOR: DO YOU HARASS OTHER PEOPLE?
Just because a person does not object to your behavior does not mean that your behavior is okay - that person may not feel comfortable objecting. NOTE: Anyone who intimidates a person for reporting sexual harassment will be strongly disciplined. TAKE ACTION! Sexual harassment usually won't stop unless the victim objects. If you think you are being sexually harassed, you need to take action in one of the following ways:
WHAT HAPPENS TO OFFENDERS?
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS ILLEGAL!
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DRESDEN DISTRICT POLICY ON SAFETY The Dresden School Board is committed to providing a learning and working environment which ensures the personal safety of all its members. Students and staff of the Dresden School have a right to remain safe from violence and intimidation. Physical or verbal intimidation, harassment, hazing, bullying, verbal abuse, or physical assault of any person will not be tolerated. All cases of simple assault, as defined by NH Statute 631:2-a and Vermont Statute 1023, which cause bodily injury will be reported to the police. This policy is in effect in school, on school grounds, on school transportation, and at school-sponsored functions. As required by NH Statute 193-D:8, a written record of any incident involving suspension, expulsion, or delinquent / criminal acts, theft, destruction, or violence which have occurred on these sites will be kept and will be part of a student's complete school record. Each school will develop and publicize age-appropriate procedures to respond to bullying, intimidation, or physical assault. These responses will hold students accountable for their behavior and help student learn alternatives to resolving conflict through violence. No employee, student, or other person other than a law enforcement officer shall possess a dangerous weapon on school property, on a school bus, or at any school-sponsored event. Cases involving serious assault will be reported to the Dresden School Board. RMS students are members of a school community. School responses to violent acts are designed to help students understand that:
Depending on the severity of an incident which occurs, the principal will determine whether to:
Incidents which result in suspension or expulsion must be included in the student's file as required by NH law. |