SWATARA MIDDLE SCHOOL

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SWATARA MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Orientation Night
• 2008-2009

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PRINCIPALS MESSAGE

• Swatara Middle School is dedicated to improving
  student achievement for all students. At the
  onset of the sixth year of a systematic plan
  focusing on accomplishing the challenges
  presented in Turning Points 2000 Educating
  Adolescents in the 21st Century, a book
  co-authored by authors Gayle A. Davis Anthony
  Jackson, Swatara Middle School aims to prepare
  students to think creatively, identify and solve
  complex and meaningful problems, know their
  passions, strengths, and challenges, communicate
  and work well with others, lead healthy lives,
  and be ethical and caring citizens of a diverse
  world.

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• Teaching approaches include providing for
  multiple learning styles of students that respond
  to their diversity. Assessment and evaluation
  programs at Swatara Middle School promote quality
  learning as well as prepare students to score
  well on state standardized tests and fulfill No
  Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal requirements.

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• Through organizational structure, and
  specifically the school-wide Effective Behavior
  Plan that supports meaningful relationships,
  Swatara Middle School provides an inviting,
  supportive, and safe environment for its students
  where high expectations for every member of the
  learning community have been established.

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• As encouraged by Davis Jackson and the National
  Middle Schools Association, Swatara Middle School
  teachers aim to capture their students
  adolescent energy by providing them opportunities
  to demonstrate their gifts and experiences with
  learning by developing lessons (in adherence to
  the approved Central Dauphin School District
  curriculum) that are relevant, challenging,
  integrative, and exploratory.

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• Swatara Middle School is located just outside of
  Harrisburg City, Pennsylvania, in Swatara
  Township. It is one of four middle schools in
  the Central Dauphin School District. Swatara
  Middle School is a culturally and economically
  diverse school that houses approximately 500
  sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students.
  Approximately 50 of Swatara Middle School
  students are White, 35 are Black, 10 are
  Latin/Hispanic, and 5 Asian/Pacific.

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• Approximately 40 of the students receive free
  and reduced lunch, and about 15 of students have
  IEPs and receive special services. Swatara
  Middle School students are comprised of students
  from four of the districts elementary schools
  including Tri-Community, Paxtang, Lawnton, and
  Chambers Hill Elementary School, all of which are
  located inside of Swatara Township.

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Arrival to School

• Designated Bus drop off area
• Located on the driveway beside track/field and in
  front of the school building.
• No cars are permitted to drive up this ramp or in
  front of the school, between the hours of 700 am
  and 800 am. and between 200 pm and 300 pm.
• All students must enter through the cafeteria
  doors. Walkers/car riders must come to this
  entrance. (With the exception of our small buses
  and/or vans that drop students off in the front)
• Parents designated drop off area
• Parents are to drop off students at the parking
  lot entrance. After school, you may wait in the
  parking lot to pick up your child.

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School day hours

• Begins at 745
• Ends at 230

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Attendance

• Unexcused Tardiness To School/Class
• 4th 7th Tardy 1 Detention
• 8th 11th Tardy 2 Detentions
• 12th 15th Tardy ISS
• 16th Tardies OSS
• More than 10 minutes tardy class cut. Any
  absence from school (tardy or
• early dismissal) that are not accounted for by an
  appropriate note are
• accumulated as unlawful/unexcused attendance.

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Attendance cont.

• Unexcused/Unlawful Absences
• 3rd 9th 1 Detention each
• 10th 35th ISS each
• AND
• 1st Day Documented Parental Contact
• 2nd Day Parental Contact
• 3rd Day Official Notice
• 4th Day Student Conference
• 8th Day Documented Parental Contact
• 10th Day Registered Letter Parent Conference

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• I invite you to explore our schools web site and
  communicate any questions, concerns, or comments
  you may have with me or any member of our staff.
  Below please find school scheduling information.
• Michael A. P. Jordan, Principal
• Swatara Middle School

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Daily Arrival/Dismissal

• Students arrive enter cafeteria 720 a.m.
• (Students meet with attendance secretary in
• cafeteria and handle attendance matters, turn in
• notes.
• Students are released from cafeteria at 725.)
• Student Dismissal 230 p.m.
• Busses Depart 237 p.m.

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Swatara Middle School 2008-2009 6th
Grade Bell Schedule
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6th Grade Teams

• GREEN BLUE
• MATH
• Revenis (147) Henry (143)
• SCIENCE
• Leib (145) Forrest (140)
• SOCIAL STUDIES
• Byers-Pena (148) Lewis (105)

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6th Grade

• Science Beshore 142
• Support Werner 138
• Support Sheaffer 144

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Swatara Middle School 2008-2009 7th
Grade Bell Schedule
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7th Grade Teams

• RED ORANGE
• ENGLISH
• Kurtz (119)
  DiClemente (155)
• SCIENCE
• Lowe (169) Kauffman (170)
• SOCIAL STUDIES
• Butler (115)
  Trout (151)

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Swatara Middle School 2008-2009 8th
Grade Bell Schedule
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8th Grade Teams

• PURPLE SILVER
• ENGLISH
• Bretz (156) Wolf (120)
• SCIENCE
• Rote (168) Hansen
  (167)
• SOCIAL STUDIES
• Surmacz (152) Wenrich
  (116)

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Swatara Middle School 2008-2009 Math Teachers

• 6th, 7th, and 8th grades Flannery (154)
• 7th and 8th grades Goss (153)
• 7th and 8th grades Rhen (117)
• 8th grade Dubbs (118)

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Swatara Middle School 2008-2009 Reading Teachers

• 6th, 7th , and 8th grades Kreitzer (178)
• 6th, 7th, and 8th grades Tezak (130)
• 8th grade Trostle (113)

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SCHOOL WIDE EFFECTIVE BEHAVIOR SYSTEM

• Tier discipline system
• Hierarchy of consequences
• each check verbal warning
• 4 checks parent notification-mail referral
  letter
• 8 checks detention- parent notification-detentio
  n letter
• 12 checks detention- parent notification-
  detention letter
• 16 checks In School Suspension- notification to
  administration
• 20 checks In School Suspension and
  recommendation for school wide behavior plan
• 24 checks OSS and school wide behavior plan

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Student Code of Conduct Handbook

• Please read the handbook carefully and return the
  signed letter to school as soon as possible.
• Please note a few important details in the Code
  of Conduct
• Cell phones- No student shall use a communication
  device during the academic school day. If the
  student brings a cell phone to school, and it is
  lost, stolen or broken, the school is not
  responsible for the loss or damage.

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Dress and Grooming

• The following are prohibited
• Gloves, hats, caps, hoods (worn on head),
  scarves, sunglasses, or headphones are not
  permitted unless in keeping with an organized
  religion
• Camisoles, halter or tanktops
• Sagging pants, shirts w/explicit pictures
  (weapons/violence/sexual innuendo), belt buckles
  of weapons
• Pajama tops and/or bottoms
• Slippers, flip flops, sport flip flops, and
  Chinese slippers
• Exposure of undergarments
• Consequences for inappropriate dress
• 1st offense- Clothes must be turned inside out,
  changed
• 2nd offense- Detention, change clothes and
  parents contacted
• 3rd offense- ISS

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BULLYING

• CDSD School Board has passed a Bullying Policy
  (218,3) which can be found on the District
  Website.
• Bullying shall mean unwelcome verbal, written,
  electronic or physical contact directed at a
  student by another student or students, or by an
  adult.
• Bullying is occurring when there exists an
  imbalance of physical, psychological, or social
  power between the aggressor and the victim,
  favoring the aggressor.
• Instances of bullying, either being the victim or
  a witness, should report the incident to either a
  teacher, counselor or administrator.

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Important Information

• Counselors
• Meggan Smith- students with last names starting
  with A-L
• Shauntae Iachini- students with last names
  starting with M-Z
• PTA
• President- Robin Singer
• Vice President- Karen Eshenour
• Secretary- Carol Shearer
• Treasurer- Sue McMurray
• Please support the PTA and their efforts here at
  Swatara
• Please join (stop by tables)
• Fundraisers
• Magazine Fundraiser

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Learning Center

• Discipline Component
• ISS- In School Suspension
• CDSD infractions/school-wide behavioral
  consequences
• Range timeout, partial day, 1 3 days
• Students must complete assignments (academic and
  discipline)

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LC continued

• Learning Center Placement
• Students with chronic discipline issues or who
  commit major violations
• Minimum attendance in the LC is 7 days
• Students must meet daily point requirements to
  receive credit for the LC day
• Students assigned to the LC have restricted
  schedules
• Donna Bahoric is the LC secretary and all
  communications will be addressed through her at
  ext 76331

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ENJOY THE TOUR!