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Parents Still Make The Difference!
Secondary Parent Institute Newsletter
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Horizon Newsletter
HORIZON NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2009
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
Seventh grade students will report to school at 8:10 a.m., meet in the cafetorium, and then dismiss to their homebases. Eighth and ninth grade students will report to school at 8:45 a.m. The eighth graders will meet in the west gym and the ninth graders will meet in the cafetorium. After a brief meeting, eighth and ninth graders will report to their homebases. Students will enter through the main front entry. All students will be dismissed at 3:20 p.m.
School will begin its regular schedule on Friday, August 28 with school beginning at 8:10 a.m. and dismissing at 3:20 p.m. The building will be open for students to go to their lockers at 7:55 a.m. Students who come before that time may go to the cafetorium. Students will enter through the main front entry.
CLASS SCHEDULE Starts Ends__
School Starts (first bell) 8:05 am 8:10 am
Homebase 8:10 am 8:40 am
First Period 8:43 am 9:33 am
Second Period 9:36 am 10:26 am
Third Period 10:29 am 11:19 am Lunch Schedule
Fourth Period 11:22 am 12:42 pm 1st Lunch - 8th 11:19 am - 11:49 am
Fifth Period 12:44 pm 1:34 pm 2nd Lunch - 7th 11:46 am - 12:16 pm
Sixth Period 1:37 pm 2:27 pm 3rd Lunch - 9th 12:12 pm - 12:42 pm
Seventh Period 2:30 pm 3:20 pm
School Ends (last bell) 3:20 pm ____________
LUNCH ACCOUNTS
Parents are encouraged to stop by the school office (8:00 - 11:45 & 1:15 - 4:00) and deposit money in their students' account starting Aug. 10. This will avoid long waits in line for your student the first few days. The cost for breakfast is $1.10 and lunch $1.75. The cost for reduced meals is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch. Each deposit should be accompanied by the students' ID number.
SUPPLIES
Each student should bring a pen or pencil and notebook on the first day. Teachers will inform students of other necessary supplies. To assist with organization, students will need specific colored folders for their core subjects as follows:
Red --- Language Arts
Green --- Science
Blue --- Math
Yellow --- Social Studies
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, has been designated "Parents Back-To-School Night" at Horizon. Parents will start school at 7:00 p.m. and follow through their child's seven period class schedule. Your classroom periods will be about seven minutes long with four minutes to pass between classes. During the class period the teacher will give a brief summary of the course. It gives parents an excellent view of their child's class schedule, course outline, and teachers. Parking is available in any of our three lots and on the roads around the building. Please plan to come early.
SCHOOL PICTURES
Fall school pictures will be taken on Sept. 22 & 23. Spring pictures will be taken on April 21.
STUDENT PLANNERS - $5.00
The student planner is used to communicate mid-term grades, daily assignments, special activities and other important information pertaining to your child. The cost of the planner is $5.00. Student planners will be sold during the first week of school in homebase. Checks should be made out to Horizon Middle School.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION UNIFORMS
It is required that all students taking physical education wear the shirt that is being used in all middle schools and senior high schools in Bismarck. The shirts may be purchased from the physical education teacher for $5.00. Do not bring physical education gear or uniform money until instructed to do so. Students are also required to wear tennis shoes. It is recommended that students keep a pair in their gym locker.
APPROPRIATE DRESS
We ask you to be aware of the appropriateness of your child's school attire. What may be fine for the summer months may not be what should be worn to school. Low-cut jeans, short shorts, skirts, and tops and bottoms that expose underwear and cleavage are not appropriate. Whether it is the style of the clothing, or how it is worn, students will be asked to change.
VISITING THE SCHOOL
Visitors to the school should check in at the school office prior to going to any other areas of the building. Visitors will be issued a visitor badge, which should be worn during the visit and returned to the office when leaving the building. All doors entering the school, with the exception of the main entrance will be locked during school hours. All visitors must enter the school through the main entrance.
DROPPING OFF & PICKING UP STUDENTS
The Horizon staff and parents recognize that safety for our students is an important issue. Exercising courtesy and patience will help in getting the area cleared as quickly as possible. Please use the street in front of the school as a one-way. Enter using the east access road from Ash Coulee and follow the one-way signs. Exit using the west access road back to Ash Coulee.
Please encourage your student to move outside for transportation as quickly as possible. We also encourage students to walk either east or west on the sidewalk to meet rides rather than be picked up at the end of the main entry sidewalk.
Please do not double park and do not park in the lined crosswalk. This only adds to congestion and frustration. Signs are there to remind you of this violation. Tickets will be issued. The safety of the students is of utmost importance.
STUDENT DRIVERS
Students that drive to school need to park in the north parking lot between the football and soccer fields. Students are asked to park on the north half of the lot.
CHURCH NIGHT
Wednesday evenings are reserved for church activities. On the middle school level, no school activities will be scheduled after 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The committee has six parents from each of the seventh, eighth and ninth grades. This 18 member council meets with the Horizon administration the first Thursday of each month to offer suggestions and provide feedback from the community on the activities at school. These meetings are open to all parents.
ABSENCE EXCUSES (Phone 323-4550)
Parents are requested to call the school office on all student absences to clarify the reason for the absence. This should be done immediately the morning of the absence. Students are unexcused until a parent notifies the school. Your cooperation in this effort will be greatly appreciated.
TARDINESS
Upon the third unexcused tardy and any subsequent unexcused tardy, a student will serve after school detention. Oversleeping for one or more periods is treated as unexcused and will result in equal make-up time in after school detention.
DOCTOR AND DENTAL APPOINTMENTS
All medical appointments should be scheduled after school whenever possible. Please turn in doctor/dental excuses at the office.
NOON PERIOD
We will operate a closed noon period. All students will remain inside the school building for lunch. Students can eat school lunch, bring their own lunch, (milk may be purchased at the school), or if they choose not to eat, a place will be provided for them to spend their time.
TELEPHONE USE
There is a telephone available for student emergencies before and after school. We discourage students from using the phone during the school day since they usually take some class time to make the call. *** Cell phones are NOT allowed on during school hours***
MIDTERM REPORTS
Midterm grades are recorded in your child's planner at the halfway point of each quarter. Midterm reports are to be signed by parent(s) and returned to the homebase teacher the following day.
REPORT CARDS
Teachers will report your child's progress four times a year. If you have any questions or concerns about your child's progress, feel free to call or make an appointment to meet with your child's team.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION
For the 2009-2010 athletic season there are four things that will be mandated before we allow an athlete to practice:
1. Turn in a signed physical exam form BEFORE or AT the first practice. NOTE: The mandatory two-year physical examination forms are available at all major health providers. A Form B may be picked up at the school office and must be signed by student and parent at the beginning of the second year They may take next year's physical anytime after April 15th.
2. See the sports video "Sports and Activities: Know The Risks". This must be seen by all athletes each year, and also every parent who has not seen it. The video will be shown in the cafetorium following the 7th grade orientation at approximately the times listed below:
August 11 at 9:15 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 1:45 p.m.
3. Turn in the signed parental consent form that identifies that they have seen the film and will permit their child to play. Parents will identify all of the sports that they're consenting to for the year, for their child.
4. Prior to the first game/contest an athlete/participant must pay the activity fee.
ACCIDENT BENEFIT FUND
The Bismarck Public School District is a member of the NDHSAA (North Dakota High School Activity Association) but not a member of the NDHSAA Accident Benefit Fund. Therefore, parents are responsible for all costs associated with a school-related injury.
ACTIVITY FEES
Bismarck Public Schools has initiated a fee structure for students participating in activities that do not carry a unit of credit, or for courses that are not part of the required core curriculum. As of this date, fees for major activities will be $50 per unit for senior high students and $40 for middle school students. The maximum for any one family regardless of the number of children or the number of activities their children participate in during the school year is $200. The maximum for any one participant regardless of the number of activities is $125 at the senior high and $100 at the middle school. However, if a middle school student participates in any senior high activity, the maximum becomes $125.
HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITY TICKETS
Student season tickets are $25.00, adult season tickets are $75.00, and senior citizen tickets are $40.00. Student season tickets are available at the school office. This will enable students to attend all home athletic events as well as musical events and plays for both BHS and CHS. All Horizon school athletic and music events are free. An additional $1.00 will be charged at the Community Bowl for those carrying a season ticket. None of the season tickets cover invitational tourneys or NDHSAA sponsored events.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FOR 9TH GRADERS
The following high school sports begin in the fall: Boys' Soccer, Boys' Tennis, Girls' Golf, Football, Boys' & Girls' Cross Country, Girls' Swimming/Diving, and Girls' Volleyball. Please contact respective high school for information on these sports.
IMPORTANT NOTICE (Do NOT combine checks for fees)
Because students need to bring money to school for planners, lunch, sports fees, lab fees, etc., we ask that you do not combine checks for these fees. It would be helpful if you would note on the memo part of the check the student's name and purpose of the check (Memo Brian Smith - FB Fee). The office does not have the ability to make change, and all fees are distributed to separate accounts for bookkeeping purposes.
SPECIAL CALENDAR DATES
Aug. 27 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Aug. 28 - School Dance 7:30-10:00 p.m.
Sept. 3 - Back to School Night/Open House
for Parents - 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 7 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Sept. 10 & 11 - Medora Trip for Grade 8
Sept. 22 & 23 - School Pictures
Sept. 23 - Mid-Term grades in planners
Sept. 28 - Staff Development Day - NO SCHOOL
Oct. 22 & 23 - Teacher's Convention -NO SCHOOL
Nov. 5 - Student-Led Conferences - 4:30-8:15 p.m.
Nov. 9 - Student-Led Conferences - 4:30-8:15 p.m.
Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL
Nov. 25 - Mid-Term grades in planners
Nov. 26-27 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
Dec. 23 - Conference day off - NO SCHOOL
(Conferences held earlier in fall)
Dec. 24 - Last day of school before holidays
Jan. 4 - School reconvenes after the holidays
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