SOUTH CHARLOTTE MIDDLE SCHOOL

POLICIES AT A GLANCE 

Parents & Guardians, 

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! Our team at South Charlotte Middle consists of 1,195 students and staff members -- you as parents/guardians are just as critical to the success of our vision. We must work to cultivate a dynamic and cohesive school-family-community partnership that maximizes student achievement and support. Each of us have a pivotal role to play in the fulfillment of our vision:

South Charlotte Middle School thrives in an environment of academic excellence where students are prepared to meet and exceed their future challenges.  We recognize each student's worth and develop lifelong learners who make positive contributions to our changing society.

WHOM TO CONTACT/SCHOOL COMMUNICATION see South Charlotte Middle’s Organizational Structure on the school website

[NEW] CELL PHONE POLICY

Student use of personal cell phones and electronic devices is prohibited during the school day. Please refrain from repeatedly calling and/or texting your child during the school day. South Charlotte has ample school phones available for student use. Students may not use cellular telephones, or other electronic devices (e.g., laser pointers and attachments, personal digital assistants and other devices designed to receive and send an electronic signal, Ipads, etc) during the school day for personal use. Students arriving at homeroom at 8:15 a.m. until dismissal at 3:30 p.m. constitutes the school day. This policy applies, but is not limited to, restrooms and common areas, such as the gymnasium and cafeteria.  Students and parents/guardians are expected to read and understand the policy regarding the use of cell phones and electronic devices.  

Consequences for violation of cell phone policy (CMS Code of Conduct, Rule 5; UB: Cell Phone Use)

1st Offense

(First 10 Days): Students will be reminded daily in the first ten days of school about the cell phone policy, SCMS staff will consider the first 10 days as the verbal warning

2nd Offense: Cell phone confiscated for parent pick-up in main office

3rd Offense: Cell phone confiscated for parent pick-up in main office

Student “checks in” cell phone upon arrival in the main office for the following week

4th Offense: Student not permitted to bring personal technology on campus for the remainder of the academic year. 

Office referral, In-School Suspension 1-3 days

5th Offense: Student not permitted to bring personal technology on campus for the remainder of the academic year.

Office referral, Out-of-School Suspension consideration

School personnel will not be responsible for conducting a search for lost or stolen cell phones or electronic devices.

EARLY DISMISSAL

Parents must send a note stating the student’s name, time and reason for dismissal. The student is to bring the early release request to the main office when they arrive at school. Failure to turn in a note will result in an extended delay while waiting for your child. Your student will meet you in the front office at the time requested. If you do not come for your child at the time requested, the student will be sent back to class.

If you arrive after 2:15pm to pick up your child, you will be asked to wait until afternoon announcements for your child to come up. 

DELIVERIES

Deliveries for students should not be sent to the school. Parents, family members, friends, etc. should not bring food, balloons, candy, cake, flowers, etc. These items will not be accepted or delivered to the student.

VISITORS/CLASSROOM VISITS/INTERRUPTIONS

Visitors are welcome on campus, as long as they are permitted under current state and local health guidelines. Parents wishing to confer with a teacher must contact the teacher by email to make an appointment. Conferences must always be scheduled in advance and are held outside school hours or during the teacher’s planning period. We will not interrupt class to call students, relay phone messages, or to call students who have forgotten items.  Parents may drop off messages or items in the main office. 

PHONE CALLS

Messages will not be delivered to students.  In the event of an emergency, the student will be called to the office either at the end of the block or at dismissal. Only in the most extreme emergency will a class be interrupted to give a message to a student. Changes in transportation will not be taken after 2:30pm

BUS TRANSPORTATION

If you have a question or concern about bus times, routes, or drivers please call CMS Transportation at 980-343-6715. Only in an extreme circumstance will an administrator approve a student to ride a different bus. Safety is one of our top priorities.  Please remind your student(s) about their behaviors on the bus. If students are misbehaving and a referral is written, it could result in a bus or school suspension.

UNSCHEDULED MEETING REQUESTS WITH ADMINISTRATORS

Generally, administrators are not available at the beginning of the school day until all students are in class and all buses have arrived.  Additionally, administrators may already have scheduled appointments.  Parents should call/email their grade-level administrator to schedule a meeting. Most of the time front office secretaries will have to take a message with your contact information for the administrator to follow-up with you.

DRESS CODE

Students at South Charlotte Middle School are expected to continue a tradition of appropriate dress for school and school-related events.  The following should be used as guidelines for what is considered acceptable school attire. 

• Clothing must completely cover all undergarments and may not expose any part of the midsection (no core exposed, hem of the shirt overlap waistband), or bust. Sheer or see-through clothing that also exposes these areas or shows undergarments through fabric is not permitted.

• Halter top, tube tops, and spaghetti straps are not permitted. 

• Pants/shorts/skirts must be worn unrolled, at the natural waistline, and securely fastened.

• Skirts, shorts, and dresses should be reasonable in length, using palm length (bottom of your palm to fingertips) as a general rule. 

• Shoes are required at all times.  

• No abusive, suggestive or profane language, symbols of illegal drugs, or any other words, symbols or slogans on clothing or jewelry that disrupt the learning environment.

• Athletic uniforms worn to school must conform to dress code.

• Jeans/pants with tears or holes above palm length must have an article of clothing beneath, like leggings/tights.

• Pajama pants, blankets, bedroom slippers, “scrubs”, or other loungewear are not permitted.

• Undergarments should not be visible.

• Hats and hoods are not permitted.

• Bandanas are not permitted.

All students will be responsible for following the dress code as established by South Charlotte Middle School and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Student dress or grooming that is deemed by the staff as disruptive or inappropriate is not permitted. Failure to comply with the dress code will result in disciplinary action.

METAL DETECTORS

To support Charlotte Mecklenburg School’s commitment to providing a secure school environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, Evolv body scanners were installed at South Charlotte Middle School in the 2022-2023 school year. During morning arrival, everyone entering the building must remove larger metal items from their backpacks and hold these items in their hands before walking through the scanners. Larger metal items include Chromebooks, large three-ring binders, metal water bottles, etc.

GRADING POLICY

The purpose of assessments is to provide teachers, students and parents with feedback on the extent of individual student learning.

Per academic quarter, each teacher must maintain a minimum of at least 9 smaller assignments that allow students to practice new learning per, 6 assignments that provide students with feedback on progress towards mastery of standards (i.e. quizzes), and 3 culminating/formative assessments that measure mastery of one or multiple standards (i.e. unit assessments). Assignments should be standards-aligned and should allow for students to demonstrate learning through a variety of modalities (i.e. written, conferences, discussions, multimedia, digital, etc.). Additional practice/re-teaching will be provided to students who do not achieve initial mastery on assessments before students are re-assessed. All assignments will be graded using a 100 point scale.

CARPOOL LINE

Parents who drive or pick-up their children should adhere to the carpool lanes during arrival and dismissal. Please follow South Charlotte’s carpool route during morning and afternoon dismissal. If you do not follow the established traffic pattern you will not only cause a delay in traffic flow but will put our children in danger. If you are picking up your child, please abide by the local traffic laws and go all the way through our carpool line. There is no parking on Strawberry Lane for student pick-up.

POWERSCHOOL

Parents are recommended to utilize PowerSchool to monitor student progress. Teachers will post grades within five school days of the assignment due date. Information regarding Powerschool can be found on the South Charlotte Middle School webpage.

IMMUNIZATIONS/MEDICATION

All students entering NC Public School for the first time are required to submit immunization records and a health assessment. The health assessment has to have been performed within the past year, signed and dated by the provider. Health assessments from out of state are acceptable and they do not have to be on the NS health assessment form. All 7th graders have to have a Td booster and a Meningococcal vaccine. Students not in compliance with required immunizations will be excluded from school beyond September 28, 2023.

All students that need to take medication at school have to have a completed medication authorization form submitted to the Nurse. All students that self-carry must have an medication authorization form and a self-carry authorization form submitted to the Nurse  for review.

ATTENDANCE

A written note or email must be sent to the school in order for an absence to be excused and must be received within five days of the absence.  All absences are unexcused until that note or email is received. Please report your child’s absences via the link on our school website or  to carriej.mckenzie@cms.k12.nc.us. Include student name, parent's name, reason for absence, and date(s) of absence. The process to change an unexcused absence to an excused absence may not be immediate. 

If you have an appointment, please indicate what type of appointment to correctly adjust our records. Examples of excused absences include: personal illness or injury, doctor/dental appointment, court or administrative proceedings, death in the immediate family.

We know that it is not always easy to get to school each day, and many situations can cause a student to be absent from school. However, we also know that with a partnership between the school and families, we can work together to find solutions to many of the barriers and situations that prevent students from being in school. Please contact your grade level counselor for assistance. We are happy to work with you to help your student maintain regular attendance.