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Expectations for Students

Communication between home and school is very important so that many misunderstandings can be avoided. The purpose of presenting the following list of student rules is to make certain the rules we enforce on a daily basis are understood clearly by students and parents alike.

Electronic Devices / Cell Phone

  • Cell phones, headphones, iPads, smart watches or any electronic devices are not to be in use by students during the school day without special teacher permission. If your student needs to take any of these items to school they must be silenced and out of sight. Teachers will take any items in use and bring them to the office where the item will remain until the parent comes to pick it up from the principal.

Guidelines for Student Behavior

  • Respect other students and adults.
  • Respect the property of others.
  • Students’ language should be wholesome and reflect our commitment to Jesus Christ.

General Rules of Conduct

  • Students must walk in the school halls.
  • Students must remain on school property throughout the school day.
  • At recess time and noon hours, students play on mowed areas and the playground only. Students are not to play in the woods or swamp or near the parking areas.
  • Students may use the kitchen, workrooms, or supply rooms only when special permission is given by the teacher.
  • Forbidden items include:
    • Electronic devices – cell phones, headphones, iPads, smart watches or any other electronic devices – are not to be in use by students during the school day without special teacher permission. If your student needs to take any of these items to school, s/he must turn it off and keep it in a locker. Teachers will take any items in use and bring them to the office where the item will remain until the parent comes to pick it up from the principal.
    • Knives or any other objects that have a potential threat to the health and welfare of others are not to be taken to school (e.g. glass bottles, fireworks, or any other incendiary or explosive devices).
    • The trading of cards or other items is not allowed during the school day.
    • Skateboards, Toboggans or runner sleds
    • Face washing (with snow)

Before School

  • Supervision of students will be provided beginning at 7:45am.
  • All students are to enter school via the front door and put their backpacks in their lockers.
    • K-6 students will go outside to the playground, unless inclement weather rules are in effect.
    • 7th & 8th Grade students may remain in the middle school hallway until the bell.
  • When arriving at school, bicycles should be parked and remain parked until dismissal time. Please remember to lock your bikes.

After School

  • Please make “play dates” for your children from home so your children are clear as to what their plans are at the end of the school day before they come to school. Students are not allowed to make play plans from school using the classroom or office phones. If they ask, they are told that they must go home as their parents have expected, and to make their plans from home.
  • The playground is not supervised after school. Students staying after school must be attended by an adult.
  • Students are all expected to be off grounds by 3:15pm unless participating in or watching an athletic competition. Younger students are not allowed to stay at school when a sibling has practice since there is no supervision available except for the students involved in the “practice”.

During Athletic Events

  • Students below Grade Five should be supervised by a parent or another adult.
  • Students should make advance arrangements to attend an athletic event. Students are not to use the phone to obtain the parent’s permission to stay for after school activities.
  • Students attending an event in the gym are to remain in the gym.

Homework

We recognize that students learn in many ways and at different rates. Learning knowledge, skills, thinking processes, problem solving, and discernment can be enhanced by well designed homework, with goals such as:

  • To reinforce skills or topics taught in class or research a topic
  • To prepare for tests
  • To extend knowledge or skills to new situations
  • To teach students responsibility, independent thinking and time management
  • To encourage a connection between home and school in the development of good work habits

Kindergarten, First & Second Grade

  1. Optional activities are sent home in the student folders and are particularly good for extending learning, giving students something worthwhile to pursue, and creating times for parents and students to be together.
  2. Teachers might assign 10-20 minutes of required homework.
    Examples: Bible memory, spelling words, reading, math facts, test review, and perhaps completion of a project.

Parent partnership for homework
These simple, but important contributions by parents will make a great difference:

  1. Check your child’s folder,
  2. Review weekly class newsletter,
  3. Refer regularly to the Ada Connection newsletter
  4. Drill math facts or spelling words with your child,
  5. READ to, or with, your children every day.

Third and Fourth

  1. Homework might average 30-40 minutes per day (10 minutes per day, per grade). We recognize, however, that some students complete some homework quickly, while other students require a bit more time. Many evenings no homework will be required.
  2. Required homework activities might include: reading, Bible memory, reviewing math facts or spelling words, reviewing for a test, and doing projects.
  3. Some assignments are given over a period of time, which means that the parents and students can practice organizing work over several days. Accountability and responsibility are important in middle school, so it is helpful to begin practicing these already.

Parent partnership for homework:

  1. Check your child’s folder
  2. Read the teacher letter and Ada Connection at www.adachristian.org
  3. Drill math facts or spelling words
  4. Provide a place, time and good environment for the student to work
  5. Help the student organize long-term projects into manageable parts over several days.

Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, & Eighth

  1. Check your student’s grades/progress online
  2. In middle school, the students continue using higher order thinking skills and are required to process information and apply it to new situations more often. Homework in these grades is more frequent, but should still remain within the parameters of 10 minutes per grade on average. However, as more complicated work is required and if advanced math classes are taken, the amount of time students need to complete work varies. The staff recognizes this and welcomes parent discussion should you find your student is consistently spending more than this average amount of time on homework each night.
  3. Time management is a skill that helps all students be successful. Teachers often give some time during class for students to work on assignments and encourage students to use the time wisely. In addition, parents can partner with teachers by assisting students in reviewing due dates, setting realistic goals, staying on task.
  4. Long term projects are part of middle school expectations. Students are taught to break these into manageable segments, and parents are encouraged to review and monitor the schedules with their students.
  5. Students are invited to come early and/or stay late if they need extra help or internet access for school work.
  6. Students are assisted in recording homework assignments on paper and/or electronic planners, and assignments are available on ‘moodle’ through the ACS website (www.adachristian.org).
  7. No more than two tests or projects will be due on any one day for core subjects: Bible, math, language arts, science, and social studies.
  8. Parents are asked to enforce a consistent time and place for students to do school work where the students’ computers are visible by parents. Parents are encouraged to monitor progress and offer assistance when needed.
  9. If your child is absent, teachers will work with students to assist them and will allow appropriate time for them to make up missed work. It is the student’s responsibility to ask the teachers what work needs to be done. If your child is not making progress on missed work, his/her teacher(s) will contact you for support.

If your child is struggling, we want to help! Adolescence can be overwhelming on its own some times. So, when it is combined with the demands of homework, extra-curricular, church, and family activities, students (and parents) can become periodically frustrated.

PLEASE consider the following steps/options if your child experiences anxiety related to school:

  1. Prayerfully:
    1. Help student determine and verbalize key sources of frustration
    2. Help your child break problems into smaller, manageable pieces
    3. Consider options for reducing some of your child’s obligations (even temporarily)
    4. Set realistic goals
    5. Communicate regularly with your child’s teacher to share concerns and to seek solutions together
    6. Monitor quality of student work and amount of time spent on homework

If your child is spending too much time on homework, we want to help!

  1. Because each student is unique, so is the amount of time each one takes to complete his/her homework. Although teachers are careful not to plan more than two tests or project due dates on a given day, the students’ work load will fluctuate between light and heavy. We want our students to be successful. We recognize that, without “lowering the bar,” we need to work with parents to determine ways to help students who, for a variety of reasons, may struggle. We, also, know that it is not enough for teachers and parents to want students to be successful. Success is, also, greatly determined by a student’s desire and motivation to learn and apply him/herself.
  2. Our goal is to provide an environment where each student is encouraged and equipped to do his/her very best as an image-bearer of Christ. The following are available options for parents to consider regarding students who become overwhelmed with homework.

Prevention:

  1. Procrastination is one characteristic that leads to student frustration and long homework nights. Teachers will help students plan ahead, and parents can help by monitoring progress on projects and studying in advance for tests.
  2. Several busy evenings in a row tend to create a “stack” of homework. Help students find time each night for a minimum of 10 minutes per grade of quality homework time.

Short-term solutions:

  1. With your help, have your student prioritize homework from most to least important OR have your student prioritize homework based on what will take the least to the greatest amount of time to complete.
  2. Set an appropriate time limit for your student to work on school work (at least 10 minutes per grade level).
  3. Encourage your student to work on the homework, beginning with what he/she placed the greatest priority on – either the most important OR the one taking the least amount of time.
  4. When the set amounts of time are up, review student accomplishments and call it “quits” for the evening.
  5. Send an email note to the teachers affected by the unfinished homework and explain that there was more work sent home than could be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time.
  6. Have your student talk to his/her teacher(s) to develop a plan for success.
  7. Ask your student about the plan and help them follow it.

Long-term solutions:

  1. If your student has too much homework on a regular basis, contact his/her teacher(s) as-soon-as possible. Depending on the reason(s) for homework being too demanding, teachers will work with you and your child to develop a plan for success.
  2. Some students find work difficult and need time set aside during the day for extra help, which we offer before, during, and/or after school depending on individual needs.
  3. Some students benefit from having a tutor, and we will be happy to help you find one for your student.
  4. Some students have difficulty staying on task and need redirection. Teachers can often share helpful tips for parents to use at home.
  5. Some students are “perfectionists” and labor extensively on details that do not require such intensity. Teachers can often share guidelines for parents to consider when helping their students set priorities and manage time.
  6. Some students understand the assignments, but require extensive time to complete assignments. Teachers can sometimes adjust assignments based on student needs and parent input regarding the amount of time being spent at home on a particular subject.
  7. Some students need extra assistance with organizational skills and benefit by staying after for an extra 10 minutes to meet with a teacher to review their requirements for the next day and to get organized.
  8. Sometimes teachers assign too much work and do not realize how time consuming it is, so they consider ways of reducing homework without compromising learning.

There are many scenarios and many solutions – Our desire is to work with parents and students to help each individual, whom God has entrusted in our care, to live healthy, balanced lives.

Middle School Late Work Policy

Expectation: Students are expected to prompt and prepared.
Rationale: Being prompt and prepared are behaviors that help students be better equipped for service in God’s world.

  1. Daily Assignments
    1. Students will complete a Late Work form to turn in with their assignments.
    2. Teachers will review Late Work form and determine whether late work is excused or unexcused.
    3. Parent signatures may be required based on teacher preference.
    4. A maximum of credit given on unexcused late daily assignments is 75%.
  2. Major Assignments
    1. Students will complete a Late Work form to turn in with their assignments.
    2. Teachers will review Late Work form and determine whether late work is excused or unexcused.
    3. Parent signatures will be required on Late Work Form.
    4. A maximum of credit given on unexcused late major assignments is 90%.

Lockers

  1. Students will be assigned lockers by the homeroom teacher. Locker numbers may be changed at the discretion of the teacher.
  2. Lockers may be inspected at any time by the homeroom teacher or principal.
  3. Lockers must be properly cared for. Proper care of lockers means the following:
    1. Garbage may not be left in lockers.
    2. Students may not write on, deface or damage lockers.
    3. Students are not permitted to go into another student’s locker.
  4. Students who abuse locker privileges may have their locker assignments withdrawn.

Student Use of the Gym

  1. Adult supervision is necessary for gym activities.
  2. Students are required to keep an extra pair of gym shoes at school. These shoes should have soles that do not leave black marks and may not be worn outside.

Personal Dignity

Harassment or abuse of students or staff violates Christian and legal principles. Students should report such harassment so that the matter can be dealt with in a timely manner. Harassment, including verbal abuse, will result in corrective discipline and possible suspension. THREATS against the welfare of students or staff or against the school are taken seriously and may be grounds for expulsion. Staff members follow state guidelines for reporting suspected abuse to the authorities.

Discipline

Discipline procedures at Ada Christian School are followed with love for the student and a goal of helping the student develop into a responsible and self-disciplined follower of Jesus Christ. When students exhibit inappropriate behavior, the staff will admonish with love, helping the students face consequences, modify behavior, and restore relationships.

Most behavior can be handled quietly by the staff members talking with the students. If misbehavior persists, or if the behavior is seriously inappropriate, further actions will be taken and the principal and parents may be notified. Any discipline plan will involve concrete objectives for the student and cooperation on the part of students, teachers, and parents. Teachers will work to have consequences be appropriate for each situation. In general, students are asked to explain what they did wrong, what they could have done differently, what they will do next time, and what can they do to make it right. They may be required to complete a “Time to Think” form to guide them through the process.