ASSIGNMENT COMPLETION POLICY
Assignment completion notices will be sent to parents as the need arises. Students may be held for detention, based on policies forwarded to parents.
HOMEWORK
Daily homework assignments are practice exercises to help you develop your skills. Doing homework each day makes learning and test-taking much easier. To keep things organized, an assignment notebook will be provided for all students.
Homework varies with each teacher and class. Frequently, you will have time in class to begin assignments. Much homework can be completed during class time, or during study hall if time is used wisely.
In general, students are expected to have 10 minutes of homework for each grade they are in. For example, 5th graders should have approximately 50 minutes of homework not completed during the school day. Students should be expected to have homework every night. EM School Board Policy #606.7
INCOMPLETE WORK
If staff assign “I” or incomplete for a student at the end of a quarter or semester due to extended illnesses or absences, students will have two weeks to complete necessary make up work. If students do not complete the work within two weeks, zeros will be put in for the missing scores and the accurate grade calculated. A failing grade will be placed on records if the missing work results in a failing score.
ELIGIBILITY- ACADEMIC-GOOD CONDUCT
If the athlete does not complete the season, then the ineligibility will carry over to their next sport.
To participate in all co-curricular activities at East Marshall Middle School (examples include: band, choir, athletics, etc.) a student must be in attendance at least the last half of that student’s day of the event/practice. This shall mean periods five through eight. Illness is not a satisfactory excuse. If one is too sick to come to school, one is too sick to participate. All medical appointments need a medical release to participate and all others (funeral) need to have administrative approval if gone in the afternoon.
See Activities Handbook.
STUDY TABLE/HOMEWORK DETENTION
Study table is normally held 2 times a week. Study table nights are the Thursday after grade drop until 4:45 PM and the following Tuesday (if an early out) until 3:45 PM. Grade drops occur by Tuesday 4:00 PM or early Wednesday. Staff can assign students to study table.
Parents or students may choose to not make use of study table, but have the students study at home. The exemption to this is when students are in extra-curricular activities and ineligible. Then the student is to attend study table. Unless a staff member assigns study table, it is an option only, not required. If study table is assigned, it should be completed as the staff member directs. If not completed, it will be considered possible grounds for In School Suspension (ISS).
Staff members have the authority to keep students after school for academic or behavioral detentions. School board policy #503.1 provides that authority. We are obligated to give parents 24 hour notice to contact to arrange transportation if necessary. Many students choose to tell their parents themselves, instead of a call from school, when the telephone is offered.
GENERAL NOTICE OF CENTRAL RIVERS AEA SUPPORT SERVICES
Additional support services are available to assist teachers when concerns arise with students. These services include assistance of building staff (special education teacher, counselor, nurse, etc.), and Central Rivers AEA support staff (consultant, speech/language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and others).
Teachers and families may request input on an informal basis or seek formal assistance in identifying strategies to address a concern, in carrying out these strategies, or in monitoring individual student progress. These services may be used as part of the school’s child study process.
PLAGIARISM POLICY
The staff of East Marshall Community Schools is committed to teaching students how to become ethical users of information and ideas. It is our responsibility not only to educate students in the research process and mechanics of writing and proper documentation, but also to hold these students accountable for honest work. Whether an assigned project is in a visual, written, or spoken format, students are expected to accurately reference all sources of information consulted for the project. Plagiarism is regarded as a serious offense and will not be tolerated. It is an expectation that all departments and students adhere to and enforce this policy.
Plagiarism is defined as:
• Copying of another person’s ideas and/or works, whether intentional or not, in whole or in part, from a print or non-print source, and using those ideas or works as one’s own.
• Deliberate and/or consistent lack of proper documentation and citation in a project, paper, or presentation. In-text documentation that is not reflected in the Works Cited page.
Staff Responsibilities:
• Staff members are responsible for discussing the subject of plagiarism as they teach students to communicate accurately, responsibly, and ethically under the essential concepts and skills defined by the Iowa Core Curriculum.
• East Marshall staff members are to provide the following at the beginning of any paper or project:
◦ An assignment sheet with detailed instructions
◦ A rubric outlining assessment at all points of the process and for the final product
◦ Clear guidelines regarding acceptable amounts of help from peers or other adults.
In addition, instructors are responsible for:
• Assisting students who are having difficulty in the location and evaluation of information
• Assisting students in how to manage time and deadlines throughout the research process
• Conferencing with students on formatting and composing the project or paper.
Student Responsibilities:
• Submit authentic work
• Follow the project instructions and deadlines as assigned
• Ask questions and seek help from appropriate persons (teachers, teacher-librarian, peers)
• Follow the research and MLA or APA Style Guide per instructor direction
• Cite in-text or in-project sources correctly and accurately
• Format Works Cited pages correctly and accurately.
Plagiarism Violations:
If a staff member has sufficient reason to believe that a student has plagiarized, the staff member must determine the level of plagiarism according to the criteria below. A committee comprised of the principal, school counselor, library media specialist, and staff member involved then has the option to meet to determine what actions, if any, will be taken.
Degrees of Plagiarism:
I. A first-degree violation may occur due to ignorance or inexperience on the part of the student. An example of plagiarism at this level may involve a student using a paragraph or a few lines of text without citing the material properly; however, most of the paper, project, or presentation is the student’s own work. Recommended procedures for first-degree violations are outlined below. Any one or more procedures may be chosen:
1. A make-up assignment at a more difficult level.
2. A grade reduction on the original assignment.
II. A second-degree violation is considered a more serious plagiarism offense. Examples of this violation include use of one or more paragraphs of another’s ideas and/or works without correct citation. Incorrect citation may often take the form of improper paraphrasing. Although some of the work is the student’s, it is evident that much of the work has been taken from other sources and not referenced. Recommended procedures for second-degree violations are outlined below. Any one or more procedures may be chosen:
1. A grade reduction on the original assignment.
2. A letter in the student’s academic file detailing the offense.
III. A third-degree violation is a severe case of plagiarism and indicates the majority of a student’s work has been taken from another source or sources and not referenced. An example may be the use of a purchased term paper or other materials as one’s own. Also, this violation may involve improperly acquiring information and/or intentionally altering it, i.e. citing sources that are not actually sources. In addition, a third-degree violation occurs when a student has been found guilty of plagiarism in a prior instance. In this situation, a committee meeting will be held to discuss consequences.
Recommended procedures for third-degree violations are outlined below. Any one or more procedures may be chosen:
1. A recommendation that no credit (grade of zero) be given for the original assignment.
2. A letter in the student’s academic file detailing the offense.
3. Disciplinary action taken by the administration, including parent notification.
PROGRESS REPORTS
Staff can and should contact the student’s parents for a negative change in academic progress or a positive gain in academic progress. This can be done by telephone, email, texting or by a letter. Conferences are held two times during the year. First semester conferences are in October and second semester conferences are in February. Please see the district calendar for specific times and dates.
PROMOTION AND RETENTION POLICY
• Sixth grade students are expected to pass 8 out of their 10 semester classes.
• Seventh grade students are expected to pass at least 9 of their 10 academic semester classes.
• Eighth grade students are expected to pass at least 9 of their 10 academic semester classes
Students that do not pass that number will be contacted regarding summer school or retention. Students are not expected to fail more than one semester class during their seventh and eighth grade years combined. Students will be given an opportunity to earn up to one semester of passing credit per school year by using the e2020 program.
Students are not to go to the High School if they are carrying too many semester academic failing grades from the middle school. Students that do not follow the guidelines above will be considered for retention or making up credit. Special cases will be reviewed on an individual basis by staff members. One of the areas that will be evaluated is student effort. Details regarding credit recovery can be received from Mrs. Pirkl or Mr. Drury. EM School Board policy # 505.2
SECOND CHANCE READING
Literacy skills training will be either incorporated into the reading program (5th-6th grade) or provided with a supplemental class during workshop (7th-8th grade) at EMMS. The program is designed to provide identified students with additional reading support to increase chances of success later in their educational career. Students will be identified based on a combination of scores on the ISASP, aReading, and teacher recommendation.
CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT
Concurrent enrollment courses are made available to all eligible resident students in grades 9 through 12. While PSEO remains limited to ninth and tenth grade students that have been identified as gifted and talented and eligible eleventh and twelfth grade students.
A list of concurrent enrollment offerings may be requested from the high school counselor. It, also, can be found in the Iowa Valley Community College course listing.