Student Handbook » Junior High Information

Junior High Information

 
Office hours: McCulloch Junior High School office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday during the school year.
 
Talk to a teacher: Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher. However, please understand that teachers may be unable to speak with you if they have students, but will return your call or respond to your message as soon as possible. See the above link for contact information for individual staff members.
 
Visit us: Parents are invited to visit their school, but we ask that all visitors follow certain procedures. Click here for more information.  
 
Meet with a teacher: Parents wanting to meet with their child’s teacher must call the office and set an appointment at least 24 hours in advance. This is a requirement written into the teacher contract which the administration is required to honor in good faith.   
 
Attend class: Parents are welcome to come and watch their child’s class. Parents interested in this opportunity will need to contact the principal to make arrangements about observations.

Questions/concerns: Communication is the key to developing a partnership between educators and parents, and we encourage parents to be involved in their student’s education.
 
If you have a question or concern dealing with in-class events, we would ask you to talk with the teacher first. If you feel your question or concern was not handled to your expectations, we would then ask you to follow the chain of communications established by MCS:
  1. Teacher
  2. Building Principal
  3. Superintendent
  4. Board Member
Your cooperation and support will greatly enhance our success in meeting the needs of the students. We are looking forward to serving you and your family. 
We recognize that students in the junior high school are passing through a very special and unique period of their lives. In accordance with this, it is understood that any educational program developed for children in grades seven and eight must be one continuous progress, which takes into consideration their academic, social, emotional, and physical development. This vital educational period must also provide a bridge between the PK-6 and 9-12 program structure.
 
In order to meet the individual needs of each student at the junior high school level, the following statements of philosophy have been developed.
  1. The academic and exploratory program will provide the student with the opportunity to realize his/her basic knowledge and academic potential while encouraging the development of critical thinking skills, creative abilities, and study techniques.

  2. The junior high school will allow for the expansion of social responsibility by providing the student the opportunity to experience leadership skills, interactions with peers and adults, and decision oriented situations in a guided setting.

  3. The junior high school will serve as a transitional setting moving the student from childhood to adolescence by allowing him/her an opportunity to develop a positive self-concept by providing success and maximizing student-staff contact experiences.

  4. Realizing that the junior high school student is going through a period of rapid physical development, educational and recreational experiences will be planned with that in mind.
    This philosophy recognizes the need to motivate students to develop creativity, leadership qualities, peer respect, sound study skills, and a healthy attitude toward gaining an education. These goals can best be accomplished by giving top priority to child-centered education and developing communication channels among all persons who have the potential to influence the educational success of the child.
At McCulloch Junior High School, doors open to students at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Click here for more schedule information. 
 
  • Students should NOT be dropped off before doors open. Entry areas are not supervised before then.

  • Every student is expected to be ready to begin when class starts. (This means they need to be dropped off a few minutes earlier than that, so they have time to get to class!) Students arriving late must check in at the main office. Please contact our school office if you need clarification on specific tardy procedures.
Parents are required to notify the school office when a child is absent from school.
 
Please call the office between 8 and 9 a.m.
 
If a call cannot be made, you can send a message to your school's attendance secretary or send a note to school with the child on the day he/she returns explaining the absence.
 
What to do if …

  • You are absent on a school day: Have your parent/guardian call the school within 24 hours of your absence.

  • You are late to school: Report to the office for a Late Pass, then report to class.  

  • You are returning to school after an absence: If a parent/guardian has not called in, you can bring a note to verify the absence.

  • You need to leave the building during the day: Have your parent/guardian call to the office or bring a note the morning of the day you need to leave.  

  • You have missed school and need your assignments or books: Assignments will only be compiled if the student is out three or more days. A parent/guardian can call the school to arrange for assignments on the third day of absence.
 
Tardies:
Students are expected to be in every class on time every day. A tardy is defined as follows: Students must be in the classroom before the tardy bell rings. Students who are not in the classroom will be considered tardy. Hallway sweeps may be conducted randomly. 
 
Students late to school will report to the main office. Even when a parent or guardian calls in, the student is counted as tardy.  
 
Number of tardies  /  Interventions
1  /  Warning from teacher; auto phone call.
2  /  Warning from teacher; auto phone call.
3  /  Warning from teacher; auto phone call; personal phone call made home by teacher.
4  /  Consequence assigned by the teacher; personal phone call 
made to home by teacher.
5  /  Consequence assigned by the teacher.
6 (or more)  /  Referral to administrator for disciplinary action.
 
The above steps are repeated each grading period, and the tardy count starts over for at the beginning of each semester. 
 
If a student is found out of class in violation of rules, he or she may be assigned an after-school detention, up to two hours in length. 
 

Academic Information

>> Click here to view our current Course Description Guide in the Student Services / Counseling section of our website
Parents/guardians can help their student(s) improve chances for academic success with the following tips for homework help:
 
  • Help set up a consistent organized place for homework to be done.

  • Help your child establish either a consistent schedule for completing homework or help him create a schedule each Sunday night that reflects that particular week’s activities.

  • Encourage, motivate, and prompt your child, but do not sit with her and do the homework with her. The purpose of the homework is for your child to practice and use what she has learned.  If your child is consistently not able to do the homework by herself, please contact the teacher.

  • If your child is practicing a skill, ask him to tell you which steps are easy for him, which are difficult, or how he is going to improve. If your child is doing a project, ask him what knowledge he is applying in the project. If, your child is consistently unable to talk about the knowledge he is practicing or using, please call the teacher.
Through testing, learning is enhanced, programs are strengthened and curriculum is upgraded.
 
Grade Level Standards Assessments: These assessments are given throughout the year to determine mastery of the state standards.  
 
i-Ready Testing: These assessments are given three times a year. These are used to determine targeted and purposeful interventions.
 
ILEARN Test: The test is administered in grades three through eight in the spring. For more information, visit the Indiana Department of Education website.
  1. All students can and should be successful. Achieving success is the responsibility of the learner with guidance from the teacher. Grades are an evaluative tool for the learner's benefit and a system of reporting learning progress to parents. Letter grades are to reflect the degree to which a student demonstrates his/her understanding of what is being studied. Grades are to be objectively determined to the greatest degree possible.

  2. Grades are to be criterion-based rather than norm-based, i.e. grades are based on the individual student's understanding of course objectives rather than on comparisons with other students.

  3. While attendance and/or behavior may affect achievement, it is achievement that is to be reflected in the grade except in those situations when a student is withdrawn from class due to excessive truancy per school attendance policy.

  4. The evaluation process shall include the use of multiple techniques, such as informal tests, standardized and/or teacher-made tests, observation, written and oral presentations and classroom participation and discussion.

  5. Course objectives are not to be considered minimum standards for grading but rather the goals for instruction.
Mark  /  Definition  /  Criteria

A  /  High Understanding of Course Objectives  /  As reflected in daily work, reports, tests, examinations, assignments, etc. 

B  /  Good Understanding of Course Objectives  /  As reflected in daily work, reports, tests, examinations, assignments, etc.

C  /  Moderate Understanding of Course Objectives  /  As reflected in daily work, reports, tests, examinations, assignments, etc.

D  / Low Understanding of Course Objectives  /  As reflected in daily work, reports,tests, examinations, assignment, etc.

F  /  Little or no Understanding of Course Objectives  /  As reflected in daily work, reports, tests, examinations, assignments, etc.

I (Incomplete*)  /  Incomplete performance of daily work, reports, tests, examinations, assignments, etc.
*Incomplete grades will not be given the last grading period of a school year.
 
 
Completion of work in a timely manner: Parents and students must realize it is their responsibility and not the responsibility of teachers, to see that all make up work is completed within a period not to exceed two weeks after the student's return following an absence. 
 
The honor roll is based on the student's GPA: Distinguished honor roll is 4.00; High Honor Roll is 3.50 - 3.99; Regular Honor Roll is 3.00 - 3.49.
 
Other academic awards are periodically issued to deserving students in many subject and service areas. Programs to present such awards can be held throughout the school year. Students earning special awards are notified of the honor.

Student Services

McCulloch Junior High School has a social services department to address student concerns. Students may stop by the office to arrange for a conference.
 
The primary role of the department is to help young people learn to deal with school-related problems. These include: class scheduling, problems with friends, teachers, etc. However, if a parent has concerns about a student with learning problems, social problems, or mental or physical problems, the parent should not hesitate to call.
Parents who need to reach their student quickly in case of an emergency should call the school and ask for the STUDENT SERVICES OFFICE. An administrator will be notified and the message will be given to your student.
Extra-curricular offerings at McCulloch Junior High School include (but are not necessarily limited to):
  • Clubs
  • Academic teams
  • Student government
  • Athletics (NOTE: For information about participation in athletics, please reference the student-athlete handbook available from the school office)
Marion Community Schools has a procedure for the reimbursement of student fees for junior high school students. This procedure is implemented uniformly in all buildings. The guidelines are as follows:
 
  1. The following fees will be refunded if a student moves during the school year: art fee, locker and laundry fee, technology education fee, a portion (excluding the cost of consumable practice book) of the instrumental music and/or rental.

  2. Fees will be refunded on grading period basis. Once a grading period begins, no refunds will be made for that grading period but only for future grading periods for which fees have been collected. Therefore, no fees will be refunded during the last grading period of the year.

  3. Money will not be refunded for consumable workbooks, student assignment books or practice books since these cannot be used by other students. Since these have been purchased by the students, they should be sent with the student to his/her next school or for home use.

  4. No fees will be reimbursed when a student moves within the system except for instrument rental. NO FEES WILL BE COLLECTED IN THE RECEIVING SCHOOL UNLESS A CLASS HAS TO BE SUBSTITUTED DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT.
Students are not permitted to switch lockers. It may be necessary for two students to share a locker.  Lockers must NOT be defaced in any way. Student Services Office will solve problems with lockers.
 
No student shall lock or otherwise impede access to any locker or storage area except with a lock provided or approved by the principal. Unapproved locks will be removed and destroyed, per Marion Community Schools Board Policy 5550.
Lost books, clothing, etc. will be returned to the main office. At the end of each semester, items left unclaimed will be discarded or given to local charities.
 
>> For more information from MJH Student Services, review our website
 

PLEASE NOTE: All Student Handbook information on these linked pages apply to all Marion Community Schools buildings, unless otherwise noted.

 

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