Mountain View Student Handbook

1. It is essential that each student be present every day that school is in session.  Research indicates there is a direct correlation between school attendance and success in school.  We believe it is important to expect and to assist students in being in school and on time.  Students who are present at school derive maximum benefit from the instructional program and develop habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility.
2. Appointments should be scheduled outside of the school day, when possible, and vacations should be taken during the appointed breaks.
3. A student must be in school for 3 hours and 31 minutes to be considered present for the day.
4. If a student is not feeling well, they are allowed five (5) absences per year, without going to a doctor.  A written parent note is required upon the student returning to school.
5. After the allowed five (5) parent note days, a doctor/dentist note is required for additional absences.
6. Parents should call the school by 9:00 AM when their child will be absent.  After an absence, our policy requires that a written excuse from the parent or a doctor’s excuse be sent to the office the day the child returns to school.
7.  A student is allowed three (3) parent request days per year.  The principal must approve parent request days.
8. Johnson City School Board Policy 6.200 states “Upon recommendation of the Principal, students in grades K-8 who are absent more than twenty (20) days may not be promoted to the next grade. All absences, excused or unexcused, are counted in the maximum number of days that may be missed during a session or school year.”

1.  A copy of the system wide calendar is sent home at the beginning of the school year.
2. The attendance policy is placed in the Student Code of Conduct and School Handbooks.
3. “Pay Attention to Attendance” flyer is sent home with every student at the beginning of the school year.
4. Letters are sent to every student who missed 10+ days during the previous school year.
5. At every absence, an automated call/text or email is delivered to the student’s primary contact number.

1. A conference is held with the student and parent/guardian. 
2. The student, parent/guardian, and an attendance supervisor designee will sign an Attendance Contract.  The Attendance Contract will include:

a.  A specific description of the school’s attendance expectations for the student.

b. The period for which the contract is in effect.

c. The consequences for additional absences and alleged school offenses.  This may include any disciplinary action and could result in a referral to Juvenile Court.

3. Regularly scheduled follow-up meetings, which may be with the student and the parent/guardian to discuss the student’s progress.
4. An individualized assessment by a school employee of the reasons a student has been absent from school.  The employee may refer a student to counseling, community-based services, or other in-school or out-of-school services aimed at addressing the student’s attendance problems.

Violation:  The student has acquired ten unexcused absences.

1. Truancy Board will review the case with the family and make the appropriate referrals to community-based services, such as:  counseling, parenting classes, in-home services, etc.
2. The case is reviewed with the family every 30 days until the end of the contract.

If the student has further unexcused absences or fails to comply with the contract after progressing to Tier 3, a petition is filed with Juvenile Court.

If the parent/student refuses to participate in any part of the plan, the process will stop and a truancy petition is filed.

Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending themselves.  Bullying behavior is defined by three components:

1. Involves aggressive behavior
2. Typically involves a patter of behavior repeated over time
3. Imbalance of power or strength

Actions, words, intimidation, cyberbullying, or other forms of bullying that cause embarrassment, fear, humiliation to another person are considered harassment. Harassment is neither condoned or tolerated.  Students who feel they have been bullied or harassed should report it to an administrator, counselor, teacher, or other school staff member. 

Board Policy – The Johnson City Board of Education has determined that a safe, civil, and supportive environment in school is necessary for students to learn and achieve high academic standards. In order to maintain that environment, acts of bullying, cyber-bullying, discrimination (including the definition of antisemitism found in policy 4.100), harassment, hazing or any other victimization of students, based on any actual or perceived traits or characteristics, are prohibited.1

This policy shall be disseminated annually to all school staff, students, and parents.2 This policy shall cover employees, employees' behaviors, students and students' behaviors while on school property, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided equipment or transportation, or at any official school bus stop. If the act takes place off school property or outside of a school-sponsored activity, this policy is in effect only if the conduct is directed specifically at a student or students and has the effect of creating a hostile educational environment or otherwise creating a substantial disruption to the education environment or learning process.

Building administrators are responsible for educating and training their respective staff and students as to the definition and recognition of discrimination/harassment.3

Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending themselves.

Bullying/Intimidation/Harassment – can take the form of an act that substantially interferes with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities, or performance, and the act has the effect of:

• Physically harming a student or damaging a student’s property;

• Knowingly placing a student or students in reasonable fear of physical harm to the student or damage to the student’s property;

• Causing emotional distress to a student or students; or

• Creating a hostile educational environment. 

Bullying, intimidation, or harassment may also be unwelcome conduct based on a protected class (race, color, religion, sex, gender, disabilities, national origin, or age) that is severe, pervasive, or persistent and creates a hostile environment. 

Cyber-bullying - A form of bullying undertaken through the use of electronic devices. Electronic devices include, but are not limited to, telephones, cellular phones or other wireless telecommunication devices, text messaging, emails, social networking sites, instant messaging, videos, web sites, or fake profiles

Hazing - An intentional or reckless act by a student or group of students that is directed against any other student(s) that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student(s) or that induces or coerces a student to endanger his/her mental or physical health or safety.  Coaches and other employees of the school district shall not encourage, permit, condone or tolerate hazing activities.3

“Hazing” does not include customary athletic events or similar contest or competitions and is limited to those actions taken and situations created in connection with initiation into or affiliation with any organization.5 

Riding the school bus to and from school is a privilege that could be revoked if the rules are not followed.  School buses and bus stops are an extension of the school day.  Students are expected to behave at bus stops and on the bus just as they would at school.  

Students should be supervised by an adult at the bus stop.  The bus driver will not allow kindergarten, first, and second grade students to exit the bus unless an adult is waiting at the bus stop to receive the student.  Buses will load and depart school in the order that they arrive.  Plan on being at the bus stop as early as 3:20 PM to make sure you are there on time.  

If an adult is not at the bus stop for these students, the bus driver will transport the students back to school.   Parents will be notified so they can pick their child up at school.  Students could lose their riding privileges if parents are not at the bus stop.  

• Board keeping hands/feet to self
• Sit in the seat the driver assigns you, facing forward and out of the aisle
• Stay in your seat at all times
• No hands out the windows
• Voice level 1
• Follow all directions from the bus driver
• When exiting the bus, keep hands/feet to self

The following procedures will govern how students, teachers, staff, and community members shall submit bus safety complaints:

1. All complaints shall be submitted to the school administration.
2. When calling with a complaint, please provide (if possible) the bus number, time of day, and location of bus. Example: Bus number 22, at 3:30 PM, corner of Maple Street and South Roan Street.

Medications should be limited to those required during school hours and necessary to maintain the student’s enrollment and attendance in school. If your child requires medication at school, the following guidelines must be followed:

must be turned into the office or clinic by a parent/guardian. NO student is to carry prescription or non-prescription medications, unless ordered by a physician and documented in the appropriate form.

must be accompanied by a medication administration permission form completed and signed by a physician and a parent. For students requiring emergency medication for a chronic health condition (such as adrenal insufficiency, severe allergy, anaphylaxis, asthma, and seizure), a specific order form is available to assist with the plan of care while at school. Please request from the school nurse, or a copy is available online at https://www.jcschools.org/departments/health-services/medication-and-health-service-forms.

• All controlled substance medications (ADHD meds, etc.) will need to be verified and counted by the nurse or designee once received and when the medication is picked up at the end of the school year. Johnson City Schools will only accept a 30-day supply of controlled medication.
• Prescription medicine must be in a properly labeled prescription bottle. If the medicine is over the counter, it must be in a new and unopened bottle or in a blister pack that is sealed and labeled. Any medicine sent to school loose and unlabeled will not be administered. Expired medication will not be given at school. Johnson City Schools' staff will not administer Complementary or Alternative Medicine (CAM). We do not administer any medications containing SALICYLATE (such as aspirin or aspirin-containing products such as Excedrin and Pepto-Bismol) without a doctor’s order due to the danger of Reye’s Syndrome.
• The parent is responsible for picking up any remaining or unused medication. If the parent does not pick up the remaining or unused medication, it will be discarded at the end of the school year unless your child is attending summer school or other arrangements have been made with the school nurse.
• The parent is responsible for picking up any remaining or unused medication at the end of the school year or summer school. Any remaining medication will be discarded unless other arrangements have been made with the school nurse.

• must be accompanied by a permission for medication administration form completed and signed by the parent. The student's parent/guardian must give permission in writing to administer medications while at school by TCA 49-50-1602(a)(2). Non-prescription medication given regularly will require a physician’s signature. Your child will be limited to 5 doses every 9 weeks unless accompanied by a medication administration permission form completed and signed by a physician. Johnson City Schools will follow the manufacturer's label and/or Johnson City Schools Medical Director's standing orders. Johnson City Schools will not administer any medications that are off-label or not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
• The first dose or administration of any medication should be given at home.

Parents are called immediately if their student sustains a head injury.  Appropriate action will be taken if a serious accident occurs. It is important that emergency phone numbers be up to date in PowerSchool. An accident report will be filled out and kept in the office.

The clinic is open for the duration of the school day every day. Parents will be called if your student is too sick to remain at school. Reasons for calling may include a fever of 100 degrees or higher, vomiting, head lice, or any time that a student is not well enough to complete school activities. Students should be well and fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

Parents and families should ensure that school personnel have the most updated home address, home phone, cell phone, email address, and/or other contact information for each student.  Affidavits or other documentation may be required.  

The ParentSquare system is used to relay information to parents.  Through ParentSquare, parents could receive calls, texts, and/or emails detailing important information concerning school closures, early dismissals, etc. 

If you need to change your child’s dismissal plan during the day, please call our office before 2:30 PM.  Changes are not permitted after 2:30 PM.  A photo ID (state issued) is required before a child can be released to an adult for pick up.  Remember that dismissal is not an appropriate time for parent-teacher meetings.  If you need to meet with your child’s teacher, make an appointment with the teacher.

Parents may drive through the drop-off/pick-up circle and school staff will supervise students as they enter/exit the vehicle.  Each afternoon, vehicles arrive after 3:00 and form a line for the drop-off/pick-up circle.  Cars that are in the car line circle before 3:00 will be asked to leave campus for security reasons.  There is one line and students are loaded as the vehicles enter the circle.  As in the morning, parking is not allowed in the drop-off/pick-up circle.  Any student not picked up by 3:30 PM could be sent to Educare and parents will be responsible for the Educare fee. 

The safety of our students is our greatest concern.  With hundreds of students entering and exiting the building each day, several school buses loading and unloading, along with many moving vehicles, we have implemented procedures and rules to ensure safety.  In the event of unsafe weather conditions during dismissal, students will remain in the building until conditions improve.  Should after-school programs be closed, parents must send a note to school detailing the change of dismissal plans for their children.

The appearance of a student is the responsibility of the parents and student.  We expect Mountain VIew students to dress modestly and appropriately for their age.  If the principal, counselor, or a teacher judges that a student’s attire is offensive or immodest, the student will be required to change and will be provided with clothes, or parents will be expected to bring a change of clothing. In matters of opinion, the judgment of teachers and administrators will prevail. Clothing that is not appropriate for school includes, but is not limited to, the following items:

• Clothing and accessories, including facial piercings, should never pose a disruption or distraction or be a health or safety hazard
• No undergarments should be visible at any time (no rips, tears, sagging pants, off-the-shoulder tops, or see-through clothing)
• Clothing and accessories should never display words or images that are offensive, suggestive, or promote illegal activity, including gangs.
• No pajamas should be worn to school

• Head coverings, such as hats, scarves, sweatbands, bandanas, and hoods, as well as sunglasses may not be worn during the school day (with exception to religious coverings)
• Hair should be well-groomed, out of the student’s eyes, and may not disrupt the learning environment
• Hair should not be brightly colored or styled in a manner that distracts the learning process.

• Shirts should always have a neckline that does not expose any portion of the chest and should be of sufficient length that no flesh/midriff is exposed at any time
• Sleeveless shirts should have arm openings that are about the same size as the arm. Undergarments should not be visible through the arm hole

• Bottoms, including pants, capris, shorts, skirts, and dresses must not be excessively short or tight
• Pants should never sag
• Shoes should be safe and appropriate for school activities like recess, PE, etc.  Students must wear tennis shoes/sneakers on the days that they have P.E.  Students are highly discouraged from wearing make-up to school.  If a student violates the dress code, the parent(s) will be asked to bring a change of clothing or address the violation.