Student Handbook

Full cooperation between home and school is essential.  Our concern and your concern for your student is mutual.  We encourage you to take an active role in your student’s education by:

1. Developing a relationship with the student’s teacher.
2. Instilling in your child the importance of regular and punctual attendance.
3. Providing a detailed note for student absences.  Please have approval from the principal for extenuating circumstances.  
4. Requiring, reinforcing, and encouraging school-day learning at home. 
5. Read and become familiar with the contents of this handbook; review it with your child.  Please sign and return the acknowledgment page.

Report cards will be issued to students following each six-week period.  Report cards should be examined, signed, and returned to the teacher after every six weeks.  Attendance will be indicated on report cards.  

All rules and administrative procedures may not be listed in this handbook.  Questions of concern not addressed should be directed to the building principal.
 

Jennifer Cross, Principal

Heather Phillips, Assistant Principal

Stacey Lanier, Counselor

Jo Overmyer, Campus Secretary

Kara Delay RN, Nurse

Trena Bergt, Attendance Secretary

Bobbie Wiley, Registrar

Destynee Baker, Receptionist

Tiffany Stiger, Library Aide

AMS Fax: 903-796-7290

AMS Band Hall: Ext. 4060

AMS Cafeteria: 903-799-1007

AMS Fight Song:
We are the rabbits, yes we are, 
We are here to win this game. 
Though others try with all their might, 
We won’t give up without a fight. 
Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight.
 

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Honor the Texas Flag
“Honor the Texas flag: I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.”
 

• No administrative office or employee of the Atlanta ISD acting in his/her official capacity may discriminate on the basis of a person’s sex, race, religion, color, or national origin regarding personnel practices, including assigning, hiring, promoting, awarding contracts, and participation in programs. 
• No student shall, on the basis of sex, race, religion, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity sponsored by this school district except as specifically provided in the Title IX Implementing Regulations.
• No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity sponsored by this school district except as specifically provided in the Sections 504 Implementing Regulations

Inquiries regarding any of these policies should be directed to:

Nancy Rinehart
Director of Instructional Program
903-796-4194 ext.1003
 

Attendance:

The first bell rings at 7:55 a.m.  The tardy bell rings at 8:00 a.m.  Students arriving after 8:00 a.m. will be considered tardy. They will need to stop by the office for an admit slip to class. For the safety of your child, we ask that you not leave them at school before 7:15 a.m. Supervision does not begin until 7:15 a.m. 

Dismissal Time:

3:36 p.m. Parent Pickup/ Bus Pickup

Campus Visitors:

Parents and other visitors are welcome on our campus.  All visitors must first report to the office, sign in, provide appropriate identification and receive a pass.

The Atlanta Independent School District will honor students in grades 6-8 for academic excellence at a special ceremony at the end of the school year.  To qualify for the Academic Awards Ceremony, the students must receive the A Honor Roll for four of the first five grading periods. Students who transfer to AMS will use their previous district grades to determine eligibility. Students who receive an invitation are eligible to attend. Students qualifying for the ceremony will be recognized. 

For safety and emergency contact purposes, changes of address or telephone number should be reported to the school office registrar immediately. 

Advanced RLA
For Grades 6, 7, and 8, the selection process requires that students meet the following criteria in order to be placed in an advanced RLA class: 

• Inclusion in the 60th percentile of performance on the previous year’s STAAR test

Advanced Science, Social Studies
For Grades 6, 7, and 8, the selection process requires that students meet the following criteria in order to be placed in an advanced science or social studies class:

• A score in the 60th percentile of the science MAPS EOY from the previous year
• A score in the 60th percentile of the social studies local EOY assessment from the previous year

Advanced Math Pathway

Upon arrival, students who are eating breakfast report to the cafeteria. Students who are not eating breakfast will report to the gym until the 7:55 a.m. bell rings. Students will be dismissed to their classrooms at that time. For the safety of your child, do not leave him/her at school before 7:15 a.m. Supervision does not begin until 7:15 a.m.

Students are expected to follow campus rules and guidelines during assemblies.  Students are required to conduct themselves during assemblies as they do in class. Students who are tardy or who do not abide by District rules of conduct during an assembly shall be subject to disciplinary action.

The Four Rules for Audiences:

1. Do not enter the performance area once it has begun.
2. Show respect for the performer/speaker.
3. Applaud according to the dictates of the performance.
4. Remain in attendance during the activity.
    

Attendance will be taken in each class period daily. Regular school attendance is essential for the student to make the most of his or her education. To benefit from teacher-led activities, to build each day’s learning on that of the previous day, to grow as an individual, and to gain exposure to the activities that make learning come alive, students need to be in class every school day. 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. 

Absences
Your progress in school depends greatly on punctuality and regularity of attendance. Personal sickness, sickness or deaths in the family, emergencies, or unusual causes (acceptable to the Principal) are the only acceptable reasons for absence. When parents are in doubt, they should contact the Principal before the absence occurs. If a student is absent for ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, or if a student is absent on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the student’s parent is subject to prosecution under the Compulsory Attendance Law. Even if absences are deemed excused, a student must attend school for at least 90% of the days class is offered. For a student to receive a perfect attendance award, they must be in attendance from bell to bell. If a student is checked out during the day and does not return with an excused absence from the doctor/dentist, this will count as missing part of a day.
 

Execused/Unexcused Absences/Parent Notes

The principal or designee shall determine if an absence is excused.  Students should not miss more than nine (9) days during a semester.  Any student not in attendance for at least 90% of the instructional days of the semester shall be referred to the local attendance committee to determine whether or not credit for the semester will be granted.  Students will turn in their missed work three (3) days after returning to school. A student who is absent for more than three (3) consecutive days because of a personal illness must bring a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness.  Parent notes should be turned in to the office immediately upon return to school or within three(3) days after the student returns to school. Parent notes will be accepted for five (5) absences per semester.
 

Tardies

Prompt attendance is essential for academic success. All students are expected to be in class and ready for the day by 8:00 a.m. Arrival to class after 8:00 will be counted as tardy. If your child arrives at school after the tardy bell has rung (which is 8:00 a.m.), the parent must escort their child to the front office and sign them in.  For the safety of your child, please do not drop off your child without notifying the office after the school day has begun. Students accumulating more than two tardies during a two-week period may be subject to disciplinary action. 

A student is tardy when they are not in the classroom when the bell rings.  Excessive tardiness shall be handled in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct Discipline Grid, following school procedure.  Tardies are cumulative, not individual per class. Tardies will start over every two weeks.  
 

Tardy Consequences
2 – Lunch Detention 2 days and parent notification
3 – Lunch Detention 5days  and parent notification
4 – ISS 1 day and parent conference or Saturday School
5 – ISS 3 days and parent conference or Saturday School
 

Attendance Recovery Time

After a student misses 9 days in a semester, the student is afforded the opportunity to recover the lost time.  The lost time will be provided during BLAST or Saturday School Attendance Recovery.  For a student to recover 1 day missed, they will need to attend 3 days of Afterschool Attendance Recovery or 1 day of Saturday Attendance Recovery.  Attendance Recovery does not remove the absence but is presented to the attendance committee to help determine whether or not credit for the year will be granted. While attending recovery time, a student will be required to complete assignments given by the instructional teacher.  This time cannot be recovered simultaneously with After-school Detention or Saturday School. 

Bicycles are to be parked upon arrival at school and are not to be used until the end of the school day.

It is the goal of Atlanta Middle School to provide the best educational experience possible in order for your child to reach his full potential.  We also strive to provide more immediate help to struggling students in order to reduce inappropriate identification of disabilities.  We want to provide high-quality instruction designed specifically to students' needs.

• This process includes the principal, teachers, parents, and specialists in order to define the problem/establish baseline data
• Develop the intervention plan
• Implement the intervention plan
• Multi-tiered models of instruction/intervention
• Evaluate the intervention plan

Housekeeping at Atlanta Middle School is everyone’s responsibility. Students are expected to assist in keeping our school clean by the proper disposal of waste paper, wrappings, and other debris. Through cooperation from all students, our building can be kept free from damage and defacement. 

Posters and Signs

Posters, notices, signs, etc are not to be posted in the building unless they concern Atlanta Middle School activities or students. Approval must be given by the campus administration. 

Vandalism

Vandalism is the defacing or destruction of any public or private property. It may range from minor acts such as writing on desks or walls to more flagrant acts such as defacing the school building or destroying private property. In cases of vandalism, the campus administration shall review the case and determine the type of disciplinary action to be applied. Involved students (or their parents) must pay the damage assessed. A written report of all actions taken involving vandalism cases will be sent to central administration.

In compliance with Texas House Bill 1481 banning cell phones, flip phones, smartwatches, pagers, earbuds, headphones, and any personal communication devices not issued by Atlanta ISD during the school day, Atlanta Middle School will adhere to the following procedures:

• Leave all communication devices at home, (or)
• The school will provide you with a slot in a cell phone locker designated to your 7th-period teacher to secure the device upon request. The device will be locked up at the cell phone station by the cafeteria prior to 1st period.  They will be returned to you at the end of the 7th period. On athletic travel days, athletes will use the designated locker for their sport that morning instead of the regular 7th-period teacher.

*Students with a documented medical need or otherwise documented accommodation in an IEP or 504 plan will be allowed to use the device for the need specified.  

Students not following the above procedures will be subject to disciplinary action specified in the AISD Disciplinary Grid.
 
The consequences for not following the cell phone/smartwatch policy are as follows: 

• 1st offense—Parents or guardians will be required to pick up the phone/smartwatch from the school office. 
• Each subsequent offense—Parents or guardians will be required to pick up the device from the school office. Students will be assigned consequences per the district code of conduct.
   

Cheating shall be defined as giving or receiving information or help on a test, possession of any unauthorized material prior to or during a test, copying another student’s assignment, submitting duplicate work, or having someone else complete an assignment on behalf of the student.
 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, the use of another’s ideas or products as one's own, is also defined as cheating.  Any student involved in instances of cheating will have their paper taken up immediately, have a zero recorded for their work, and may be sent to the principal for further disciplinary action, and the parent will be contacted.  If a student is referred to the office, the principal will address disciplinary action.  

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Academic Work
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grok, QuillBot, etc.) to complete or generate assignments, essays, tests, or projects without prior teacher permission is considered academic dishonesty and may be treated as cheating. Students must complete all academic work independently unless explicitly authorized to use such tools. Violations may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the academic integrity policy.
 

The cheerleading team is composed of 7th- and 8th-grade students. Cheer tryouts occur during the Spring semester.  For a student to be eligible, they must meet the requirements listed in the cheer constitution.

For the school year 2026-2027, Atlanta ISD meets the requirements for the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, and all students will be served breakfast and lunch at no cost. This eliminates the need for applications to be completed to qualify for free or reduced-price meals. However, the socioeconomic forms in the registration packet must be filled out. This information is needed for other income-based programs and benefits for AISD students.

Breakfast will be served each school day starting at 7:15 a.m.  Students eating breakfast must go directly to the cafeteria when they arrive at school.  Breakfast will not be served to students arriving after 7:50 a.m. unless there is a late bus. Instruction will begin at 8:00 a.m., and the cafeteria must be cleared at that time.  

According to USDA guidelines, sharing food is prohibited. This includes students sharing food with each other and parents providing food for anyone other than their own children. 
 

Eighth-grade students will participate in a certificate ceremony. The ceremony does not constitute completion of requirements to be promoted to the ninth grade. The ceremony will tentatively take place on the Thursday before the Atlanta High School graduation.  Students are expected to attend in dressy casual attire.  Campus administrators will have the final decision if the clothes meet expectations to allow students to participate.  If a student or parent is uncertain, please meet with a campus administrator prior to the day of the ceremony. Students must attend the practice in order to participate. Students on the DAEP campus will not participate in the ceremony. All fines must be paid prior to the ceremony in order to participate.  

In the event that a check written to any Atlanta ISD campus, club, or organization is returned unpaid by your bank, Atlanta ISD or its agent will redeposit your check electronically. Additionally, you understand and agree that we may electronically collect a returned check fee of $30.00 plus applicable sales tax. The use of a check for payment is your acknowledgment and acceptance of this policy and its terms.

The school day should not be interrupted needlessly. Parents and students are asked to observe the following guidelines: 

1. If a student must leave school during school hours, a note from his/her parent or legal guardian must be sent to the office. The note should state the time that the student will be picked up. Approval from the office is necessary before a teacher may allow a student to leave. Anyone who picks up a student during the day may be asked for identification. The student must come to the office to meet the adult who is signing him/her out. Note: Unless the principal has granted approval because of extenuating circumstances, a student will not regularly be released before the end of the instructional day. Please reference the compulsory attendance law notice. 
2. For the protection of all students, anyone who wishes to contact the children or teachers must come to the office. 
3. Forgotten lunches, money, or supplies are to be left in the office and will be delivered to the appropriate student by office personnel. 
4. Because of the tremendous amount of essential business that must be transacted over the office telephones, students are asked not to use the telephone except in extreme emergencies. All calls should go through the front office. Office personnel will only deliver EMERGENCY telephone messages. After school plans should be made ahead of time. If parents change after-school arrangements, they should send a signed, written notice to the school office. If the office does not have a written notice, the student will follow his/her usual routine. 
5. If parents wish to speak to their child’s teacher during the day, they should call the school office. The teacher will return the call as soon as possible. Parents are encouraged to make appointments to meet with teachers so the instructional day, which begins promptly at 7:50 a.m., is not interrupted. 

Procedure to Follow When Leaving a Classroom 
When it is necessary for a student to initiate a request to leave class to see the counselor, nurse, assistant principal, or to go to the library, the student must acquire an e-hall pass from the teacher. Upon arrival at the intended destination, the student must sign in. 
 

We operate under a closed campus policy. Students must stay on the school grounds from the time they arrive, even if the first period has not yet started, until dismissal or until they are picked up by the bus or parent. Students are not permitted to drive vehicles to school. A student will not be released from school at times other than regular dismissal hours except with the principal’s permission or according to the campus sign-out procedures. The teacher will determine that permission has been granted before allowing the student to leave. 

School telephones may be used by students only in case of emergency as determined by the principal or secretary. Except in case of emergencies, classes will not be interrupted to deliver messages to students or to call them to the telephone. Any time your child’s routine of getting home is changed, please inform him or her before school, if at all possible, or call the office before 2:00 p.m. 

Students and parents may expect teachers to request a conference if:

• The student is not maintaining passing grades or achieving the expected level of performance
• The student presents any other problem to the teacher
• The teacher believes that a parent conference is necessary for any other concerns    

A student or parent who wants information or wants to raise a question or concern is encouraged to confer with the appropriate teacher, counselor, or principal.  A parent who wishes to schedule a conference may call the office for an appointment during the teacher’s conference period or request that the teacher call the parent during a conference period or at another mutually convenient time.

The school counselor is able to help students with a wide range of personal concerns. The counselor is familiar with community resources and may direct students to other sources of information and assistance. Students who wish to discuss academic or personal concerns with a counselor should make arrangements to see the counselor. In case of custody disputes, please make sure the school receives appropriate court documentation. 

Using the course tallies obtained from the students’ choice sheets, a master schedule of course offerings is designed in order to accommodate a maximum number of students’ choices with a minimum amount of conflict. When the students return to school in the fall, they are given a class schedule reflecting their teacher/room assignments. They will follow these schedules for the entire year. Schedule changes will only be considered based on an appropriate placement, lack of prerequisites, error in enrollment, or a scheduling conflict. All changes must be made within the first five days of school.

The school nurse provides health assessments, emergency care, and first aid; conducts vision, hearing, and spinal screenings; administers medications; and coordinates care for chronic conditions with individualized healthcare plans. The nurse also educates staff and students on health topics, maintains immunization records, manages communicable diseases, and ensures care for students with health plans during school activities.

Refer to the AISD District Handbook.

Refer to the AISD District Handbook. 

• If students have sagging pants, a zip tie will be used in place of a belt.
• Purses/Belt Bags must be kept in backpacks.
• The school is not responsible for personal items lost, stolen or broken. 
   

Water or products that meet federal nutritional guidelines will be allowed in classrooms or hallways only in non-glass containers that have secure lids. To-go containers/cups that do not secure the food or liquid in the container are not allowed in the hallway or classrooms. Containers must be able to be closed completely and secured to avoid spills. Food will only be allowed in hallways and classrooms during special events designated by the teacher or principal. 

To be eligible to attend the end-of-year trip, students must not have been assigned DAEP or assigned 2 or more placements in ISS.  Students may not have accumulated more than 20 tardies in a year.

Materials that are part of the basic educational program are provided without charge to students. Students are expected to provide their own supplies of pens, pencils, paper, erasers, and notebooks, and may be required to pay certain other fees or deposits. 

There will be no Valentine’s Day flower deliveries. Any deliveries to students made to campus will be accompanied by a $1 fee. 

A student who forges the signature of another person, misrepresents themselves, or falsifies information presented to school officials to identify themselves to school employees will be subject to disciplinary action.

Report Card Grades 6-8
Teachers will have a minimum of two grades per week.  There will be a minimum of three major grades per six weeks.  Grades should be updated weekly by Monday morning at 8:00 a.m.  In the event a six-week grading period is shortened due to unexpected school closure, the number of major grades may be reduced at the principal’s discretion.  

Report card grades are determined as follows:  
Daily Grades        50%
Major Grades       50%

Daily grades may consist of the following:

• Daily work
• Homework assignments
• Quizzes
• Participation
• Performance assessments

Major grades may consist of the following:

• Formal assessments
• Projects
• Term papers
• Extended assessments
• Performance assessments

To ensure that grading reflects a student’s relative mastery of an assignment, in accordance with grading guidelines, a student may be permitted a reasonable opportunity to redo an assignment or retake a test for which the student receives a failing grade. (refer to policy EIA(LOCAL)) 

Late Work
For each day an assignment is late, 10 points will be taken off.

Reteach 
Reteach is defined as a different presentation of content, usually to provide an additional opportunity for a student’s mastery of content.  Re-teaching is an integral part of the lesson cycle and may occur in different modalities.  Some re-teach opportunities include:

• During direct teaching while the teacher checks for understanding
• During guided practice while the teacher monitors progress
• During independent practice as students work individually in a cooperative learning group
• Small group instruction
• Individual or group tutorials
• In an accelerated class
• As a re-assessment

Retesting Guidelines
A student who earns below 70 on a test will be given the opportunity to retest after participation in the re-teaching process within a reasonable amount of time.  A student who refuses to participate in an initial testing administration will be denied retesting opportunities. Retesting is designed for those students who have yet to master the material covered/presented.

• Students will be allowed 1 retest per subject area per six-week grading period
• Students are responsible for initiating retest opportunities
• Teachers are required to prescribe a reasonable amount of work that must be completed prior to the student being able to take a retest:  attend a tutoring session, complete a review, accelerated instruction, etc.
• Retest shall be conducted at a time designated by the teacher: during regular class period, before/after school, etc.
• Unless otherwise approved by the teacher, retests shall be completed within 7 calendar days from the time the student is notified of the failing grade
• No retest will be given for semester finals/examination
• High School Advanced Placement, Dual Credit, and 8th Grade Algebra I are not eligible for retest opportunities
• The new grade recorded will be the higher of the two tests (initial test and retest) up to a maximum of 70

If a majority of the students tested (50% or higher) do not make a 70 or higher on a major test, the teacher will conclude that either the test construction was faulty or an error in judgment concerning students’ readiness was made.  In such cases, the teacher will reteach and retest the entire cohort without a grade penalty.

When students receive a failing major grade for a product (writing assignments, research papers, lab practicals, and projects), it is not necessary to reteach and retest.

Promotion and Retention
In grades 6 through 8, promotion to the next grade level shall be based on an overall average of 70 in the core subject areas — reading and/or English language arts, math, social studies, and science — on their report cards.  In addition, students must make at least a 70 in reading and math.

Honor Roll 

• Every six weeks, students making the A Honor Roll or the A-B Honor Roll will be recognized. In order for a student to qualify for the A Honor Roll, he or she must make all A’s. In order for a student to qualify for the A-B Honor Roll, he or she must make only A’s and B’s and have at least one A..  All subject areas ( ELAR, Math, Science, Social Studies) are included with the exception of the Elective courses.   

The following during the six weeks will disqualify a student from being on the Honor Roll for that grading period:  

• 2 or more instances of corporal punishment
• ISS/OSS or DAEP Placement

8th Grade National Junior Honor Society
All students who have an overall average of 90 or above are eligible to be chosen for the National Junior Honor Society. Eligible students are judged by a committee of teachers on the basis of citizenship, service to the community, and leadership. Students who meet all standards are chosen for the National Junior Honor Society. Students wishing to qualify for the National Junior Honor Society should request and turn in an application to a sponsor.

Class Rank/ Honor Graduates
The grade point system used at AMS was approved by the AISD Board of Trustees and is used at Atlanta Middle School to determine the selection of the top two AMS students in each grade level. The top two 8th-grade students will be the students with the highest grade point averages. To be eligible as an 8th-grade student, he/she must be enrolled and attending class by the last day of the first six weeks of his/her 7th-grade year, as well as continually enrolled in Atlanta Middle School during the 7th and 8th-grade years.  

Any student making a change in class assignment will be given the grade weight of the class in which he/she was enrolled at the end of the semester. The top two students will be determined at the end of the fifth six-week period. In case of a tie, students will share the honor. Students must meet the same criteria to be in the top 10%, as the top two students. 

The standing of the top two students in the 6th and 7th grades will be determined by their cumulative grade averages from the start of the current school year.  For a student to be eligible for this honor, they must be enrolled and attending class before the first third-week progress report of the current school year. The top two students will be determined at the end of the fifth six-week period. In case of a tie, students will share the honor.

Class rank for 8th grade shall be based on the cumulative weighted grade point average using semester grades for all core courses grades 6th through 8th. Core courses include: ELAR, Math, Science, and Social Studies.  Semester grades shall be converted to grade points according to the district's weighted grade point scale shown below. This process will also be used to figure out the Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and Top Ten percent. Honors courses will receive honor grade points, regular courses will receive regular grade points, and basic courses will receive basic grade points. Points are never added to grades for report cards. All courses taken for high school credit will count in the high school GPA and rank.  See the Middle School Counselor for a list of courses offered for high school credit.
 

No student may be in the halls during class time without a pass. The following rules must be observed by all in order to ensure and maintain proper order and safety. 

1. Students are allowed four minutes to travel between their classes.
2. No cell phone/headphone are allowed during transition.
3. There is to be no congregating in the halls or restrooms. 
4. There is to be no loud noises or running in the halls.
5. Students must clear the buildings within 15 minutes at the close of each day, unless they are with a teacher. 
6. For your protection, while you are pursuing your education in your school, we are videotaping from a remote location in the common areas. 
    

The use of personal headphones, earbuds, Beats, AirPods, or any other type of ear listening device, unless noted for health reasons, may not be used. All headphones must be up and out of sight during the school day. The headphones will be confiscated and returned to a parent after contact has been made.

Ordinarily, inclement weather will not require an early dismissal of school. Parents are urged to let their child remain at school unless otherwise instructed through the local radio and television media or the automated phone K-12 Alert System. Please keep the school updated on phone numbers so that the alert system can be updated.  Please check the district website at www.atlisd.net and the district Facebook page for information. In inclement weather, school may be the safest place for the children.  

At the beginning of the school year, the District will make available to students and parents a low-cost student accident insurance program. Parents must file on personal insurance policies before filing on the student accident insurance. The parent will be responsible for sending in premiums and filing claims. The District shall not be responsible for costs of treating injury. All students in grades K-12 are covered for UIL activities and field trips. School insurance is secondary to any personal insurance that the family member may have.

When it is necessary for a student to be taken from school during the school day by his/her parents, one parent should come to the school office and check the student out. School officials will then call the student from the classroom. Office clearance is necessary to provide the maximum possible safety for each student.

Physical Education in the 6th and 7th grades is required unless excused by a written request from the family physician. An ARD or 504 Committee will make considerations for exemption. Athletics can substitute for Physical Education

Individual and group pictures will be made during the school year.  Please watch for notices and announcements on the school website and Facebook.

Inappropriate touching at school or school-sponsored events will not be allowed.  Such inappropriate touching includes, but is not limited to, kissing, long embraces, sitting in each other’s laps, or fondling. The Principal or designee will have discretion to determine whether any touching is inappropriate.  

Our alert signals use voice/alarm to designate the type of alert. 

Designated Fire alarm – The signal indicates that staff should lead all students out of the building in an orderly manner without pushing or crowding (Only a continuous alarm with no words.) Designated Signal - Return to the classrooms 

Disaster Drill (Tornado) Signal – “Severe weather: move to the assigned area and take cover”. 
The signal indicates that staff should lead all students to the designated area where they are to assume the proper position for a tornado, which is on the floor facing the wall with a book covering their head or under a desk. Students who are already in their designated areas will get under desks; students coming into the classroom will get by the walls. 

Emergency Lockdown

In the case that students need to be involved in a lockdown, there will be an announcement over the intercom system stating, “Lockdown.” At that point, teachers would instruct their students to move away from the doors and windows. The teacher will lock his/her door and turn off the lights in the classroom. Teachers will follow emergency lockdown procedures. 

Building Evacuation Drill (Fire, Gas, Electrical Problems) 
There will be an announcement over the intercom system stating an evacuation drill. Quickly evacuate the building to load onto buses to be transported to the Atlanta High School football field. A bus evacuation drill is also practiced. 

Intruder Alert – signal will be used to indicate an active shooter on campus. Teachers will decide the best course to keep students safe in the classroom or move to an alternate location.
 

The Student Council is a service organization. It is composed of executive officers and representatives from each class. Grade standards must be maintained in order to be an active participant. Voting procedures will be explained prior to the first school-wide election.

It should be remembered that textbooks are not personal or private property. They are the property of the State. Students with damaged books must pay a fine. All books that are lost, stolen, or damaged must be paid for at the quoted price. A student may get a second book by paying for the one lost or damaged. If the student later finds the lost or stolen book, the money will be refunded.  

The Parent Involvement Policy of Atlanta Middle School aims to establish a collaborative partnership between parents, guardians, and the school to support student success and well-being. By actively involving parents in their child's education, we can create a nurturing and stimulating environment that fosters academic growth, personal development, and positive school experiences.

Communication and Collaboration:
Regular Communication: Atlanta Middle School is committed to fostering regular and effective communication between parents and teachers. We will utilize various channels, including newsletters, email, parent-teacher conferences, phone calls, and an online portal, to share important information regarding student progress, school events, and opportunities for involvement.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Atlanta Middle School recognizes and appreciates the contributions of parent volunteers. We provide a range of volunteer programs and opportunities to suit different interests, skills, and schedules. Parents can contribute by volunteering in classrooms, assisting with extracurricular activities, organizing school events, or participating in committees. We will ensure clear guidelines, training, and support for volunteers to maximize their impact.

Home-School Connection:
We believe that parental involvement in supporting students' learning at home is crucial. Atlanta Middle School encourages parents to create a supportive environment for studying, establish consistent routines, and provide guidance and assistance with homework assignments when needed. We will provide resources and guidelines to help parents effectively support their child's academic progress.

Inclusive Environment:
Atlanta Middle School celebrates the diversity of our student body and families. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that respects and appreciates the cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds of all families. We will ensure that our policies and practices promote inclusivity, equity, and equal opportunities for all students and parents.

Access to School and Staff:
Parents are welcome to visit Atlanta Middle School and engage with staff members to discuss their child's progress, share concerns, or seek guidance. We will establish clear procedures for scheduling appointments, conducting parent-teacher meetings, and facilitating open communication. Additionally, we will provide parents with necessary information on school access and security protocols to ensure a safe and supportive environment.

Parent Feedback:
Atlanta Middle School values parent feedback and input as essential components in school improvement efforts. We will regularly seek parent perspectives through surveys, focus groups, and feedback mechanisms to assess parental satisfaction, identify areas for improvement, and incorporate parent voices in decision-making processes. The feedback received will guide us in enhancing parental involvement and improving the overall educational experience.

Home-School Compact:
To strengthen the partnership between home and school, Atlanta Middle School encourages parents, students, and school staff to develop a shared commitment through a Home-School Compact. This compact outlines the responsibilities of each party and sets clear expectations for promoting student achievement and positive school experiences.

This Parent Involvement Policy will be widely communicated to parents at the beginning of each school year and made accessible on our school website. Atlanta Middle School will periodically review and revise this policy to align with evolving needs and best practices in parental involvement, ensuring its continued effectiveness in supporting student success.