Policies and Procedures

A MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATION

Students,

The administration, faculty and staff welcome you to William Pitcher Jr. High School.  We are proud that you are a part of our Pitcher family.  Please read this handbook carefully with your parent/guardian.  It has been designed to inform you of the Pitcher Jr. High School policies and expectations as well as the policies of the state and the St. Tammany Parish School Board (STPSB).  We believe that when you make the right choices you will have a successful year.  We also believe that you will learn a great deal while at PJH, and we hope that you make some wonderful memories.  

Sincerely,

Brandon Frederick, Principal.

SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY

Pitcher Jr. High has adopted a school-wide positive behavior plan in accordance with the State of Louisiana Department of Education’s Positive Behavior Support program.  Our goal is to promote positive behavior and recognize those individuals who are Pitcher Proud.  The school behavioral expectations are communicated using the acronym Proud:
Prepare for Success
Respect yourself and others
Own your actions
Understand individual differences
Define your future

VISION STATEMENT
It is the vision of all stakeholders of the Pitcher Junior High School community that all students develop academically, technologically, and socially in order to excel in today's global society.  We also believe that intrinsic to academic strides, we educate the child to become a self-started learner who knows how to respectfully interact with others, demonstrate responsibility for his/her own action and show good citizenship at school and in the community.  

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission at Pitcher Junior High is to create a positive, safe, and nurturing learning environment that is inclusive of all students and stakeholders. Our goal, on a daily basis, is to grow students in all aspects of their lives - academically, socially, and emotionally - preparing them for success today, tomorrow, and beyond. 

DRESS CODE (Uniforms)

Tops

•    Long or short-sleeved maroon or white, two or three-buttoned polo style shirt. 

•    Long or short sleeved maroon solid colored tee shirt or the Pitcher tee shirts sold in the front office.  

•    A solid white or black long or short sleeved tee shirt or turtle neck may be worn as an undershirt as part of the uniform.  Undershirts should be tucked in at all times.

•    In colder weather, students may wear sweaters, jackets, etc. of their choosing. Only school uniform sweatshirts or solid maroon, black or grey jackets will be allowed inside the building.  

•    Hoods are not to be worn in the building.
 

DRESS CODE (Uniforms)
Tops

Long or short-sleeved maroon or white, two or three-buttoned polo style shirt. 
Long or short sleeved maroon solid colored tee shirt or the Pitcher tee shirts sold in the front office.  
Gray, maroon, or black outwear is allowed in the building.  These may be sweaters, sweatshirts or a jacket.  They should be plain with no logos or writing on the front.  They should be one solid color.  
A solid white or black long or short sleeved tee shirt or turtle neck may be worn as an undershirt as part of the uniform.  Undershirts should be tucked in at all times.
In colder weather, students may wear sweaters, jackets, etc. of their choosing. Only school uniform sweatshirts or solid maroon, black or grey jackets will be allowed inside the building.  
Hoods are not to be worn in the building.
Uniform shirts should be long enough to be tucked in and must be worn properly at all times. Over-sized shirts are not allowed.  (The administration may require shirts to be tucked in if deemed too long)
Bottoms

Males can wear khaki colored (tan) cotton twill shorts or slacks.
Females can wear khaki colored (tan) cotton twill shorts, slacks, skorts, capris or jumpers.
Over-sized pants are not allowed.  Pants should fit securely at the waist.
If girls choose to wear leggings or stockings under skirts, they must be black or neutral.
No breaks in materials are allowed including holes, fringes or fraying.  If the bottom edge is hemmed and looks neat and is not excessively frayed, it is ok.  
Sweat pants, leggings, yoga pants, joggers and tights are NOT allowed.  
Females will also have the option of wearing a plaid skirt.  The skirts can be found on frenchtoast.com, burgundy plaid or idealuniform.com, plaid #3950. 
The minimum length of shorts, skirts, and skorts must be four inches above the knee.
Accessories (jewelry, belts, belt buckles, sashes, hair ornaments, etc.) should not detract from the uniform and will be monitored at the discretion of the administration.
All uniforms must comply with the Dress Code as outlined in the St. Tammany Parish School Board Discipline Policy Handbook.
 
    In addition to the dress code, there are requirements for student hair.  No student should have unusual colored hair or sculpted hair styles. 

 Males hair length should not fall below the base of the collar on a shirt.
 Facial hair is not permitted with the exception of a mustache for male students.
 Female students are not allowed to wear rollers, curlers or shower caps to school.
 Bandanas, caps and hats are not allowed for any student.
Students are also required to wear a student school I. D. visible above the waist during regular school hours.  

Unacceptable Items:

 Traditional flip flop sandals
 Soccer sandals
 House slippers
 Backless sandals between the toe
 Pajamas
 Flannel bottoms
 Sheer clothing
 No ornamentation, i.e., chains, spikes, metal studs, etc. may worn on clothing or body.
    
Dress Code Violations/ Consequences 
It is not only important to wear the correct uniform, it is important to wear the uniform correctly. Students in violation of the uniform policy will be sent to ISS until appropriate uniform is attained.
Consequences for wearing a uniform incorrectly may include, but are not limited to the following:

 Warning – parent contact
 ISS/Saturday Detention – parent contact
The school administration reserves the right to determine extremes in style.

BULLYING
Bullying is a form of aggression, and it occurs when a person(s) willfully subjects another person (victim) to an intentional, unwanted and unprovoked, hurtful verbal and/or physical action(s) at any school site or school-sponsored activity or event.  Bullying may also occur as various forms of hazing, including initiation rites perpetrated against a student or a member of a team. Examples of types of bullying may include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

Physical bulling includes, but is not limited to, punching, shoving, poking, strangling, hair pulling, beating, teasing, kicking, punching, or excessive tickling over an extended period of time.  
Verbal bullying includes, but is not limited to, such acts as malicious name calling, teasing, or gossip over an extended period of time.
Emotional (psychological) bullying includes, but is not limited to, rejecting, wronging, extortion, defaming, humiliation, black-mailing, diminishing personal characteristics (such as race, disability, ethnicity or perceived sexual orientation), manipulating friendships isolating, or ostracizing over an extended period of time.
Sexual bullying includes, but is not limited to, many of the actions proceeding as well as exhibitionism, voyeurism, sexual propositioning, abuse involving actual physical contact, or sexual assault over an extended period of time.
Personnel at all levels are responsible for taking corrective action to prevent bullying at any school sites or activities.  

Allegations of bullying will be promptly investigated, giving due regard to the need for confidentiality and the safety of the alleged victim and/or any individual(s) who report incident(s) of bullying.  An individual has the right to report an incident(s) of bullying without fear of reprisal or retaliation at any time.  
Retaliation is defined as meaning “to pay back (an injury) in kind.”  When a person is accused of having behaved in an inappropriate fashion, especially bullying, the common reaction for that person is to be angry and want to pay the “alleged victim” back (retaliate). Retaliation must not occur and will not be tolerated.

Proven allegations of bullying can have serious consequences for the person deemed guilty, including verbal or written reprimand, in-school or out-of-school suspension, disciplinary reassignment, and/or expulsion.

Victims of bullying have responsibilities; victims should clearly tell the bullies to stop.  If bullying persists, victims should not ignore the incident(s) but should report immediately the incident to someone at school.  Students should tell their parent(s).  If the bullying continues after having clearly told the bullies to stop, students should make a written record of the incident including dates, times, witness or witnesses, and parties involve in the incident.  The incident should be reported immediately to an adult who has authority over the bullies, for example, a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, or principal.  Victims should avoid being alone with the person(s) who attempted to bully them in the past.  Victims of bullying who feel uncomfortable reporting this fact to adult personnel at school should contact another appropriate adult or friend who will report on their behalf.  Harassment/Bullying Incident Report Forms are available in the office and should be completed for all reported acts of bullying.

To minimize the risk of being accused of bullying, students should keep their hands to themselves, remember that no one has the right to harm another person in any way, think before speaking, immediately apologize for accidentally saying or doing anything that has made another person feel oppressed, and report all incidents of bullying behavior they have witnessed to appropriate school personnel.  Students should not interact with a person after that person has perceived their behavior toward them as “inappropriate” and has clearly told them to “stop”, nor should they make remarks that may cause another person to feel “oppressed” (stressful, scared, and intimidated).

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES
The school shares the responsibility with parents to educate, guide, and discipline children.  It is a shared responsibility to create a school environment conducive to learning.  The State and Parish guidelines hold the staff of each school responsible for the maintenance of discipline at the school or any school function.  It is also the daily responsibility of all school personnel to see that the learning environment is free from disruptions that interrupt the learning process.  However, the ultimate responsibility for student conduct rests with the student and parents.  Refer to the policies in the STPSB Handbook on Attendance, Discipline & Student Records.  The STPSB classifies Acts of Misconduct into five groups.  All students and parents should thoroughly read and discuss these groups and the possible disciplinary action.  It is the expectation of the school administration that all students will comply with the STPSB policies and the PJHS policies.  Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action as outlined in the STPSB handbook.  

Classroom management:  The teacher will manage his/her classroom and will address discipline concerns accordingly.  The teacher will contact the parent when necessary.  Administration will also address discipline issues when necessary.
Fighting:  Any student instigating and/or participating in a fight will be suspended.  Proper steps to avoid fights include notifying the administration of potential problems and avoidance of verbal altercations.  If a student feels that another student is about to start a fight the threatened student should clearly communicate to the aggressor that they do not want to fight.  Walking away from the situation is an important step in avoiding a possible fight.

PROFANITY
Profanity and obscenities are not allowed on campus at any time.  Any student using obscenities or profanity will be disciplined as stated in the STPSB student handbook.  All students are required to demonstrate respect for themselves and others on the PJHS campus.

SOCIAL CONDUCT
Inappropriate public display of affection is to be avoided on school premises. This includes hand holding, kissing, etc.  Failure to refrain from these behaviors may result in disciplinary action.

BUS TRANSPORTATION
Students are expected to adhere to school bus requirements as instructed by the bus driver.  Together with the bus driver, the school administration assumes full responsibility for the discipline of students riding the bus.  The driver of the bus has complete responsibility for the bus and for the students.  For violation of any rules set by the driver, the student may be referred to the school administration who can suspend the student from riding the bus.

A student damaging a school bus will be subject to a suspension from school.  Any student suspended for damage to any school bus will not be readmitted until payment in full has been made for such damage or until the Superintendent directs re-admittance.

Any student who wants to transfer buses for one day must have a parent call the office (892-3021) or bring a note to the principal or assistant principal before school to be verified during the day. The note must include student and parent name and contact numbers.

WALKERS
Walkers should be off campus by 2:50 p.m.  They should leave campus promptly and quietly.  If parents pick up students, they are to pick them up on the 17th Avenue side of the school or in front of the school building by 3:00 p.m.  No student should be on campus after 3:00 p.m. unless under the supervision of a sponsor or coach.

DANCES
The school will sponsor dances throughout the year.  Dances are supervised by administration and teachers.  Students must adhere to appropriate dress code and behavior to attend the dance.

Students are to be dropped off and picked up on 18th avenue only. 
Parents will pick up students in a timely manner on 18th street.  Students will not be allowed to attend the next dance if their parents are 15 minutes late picking them up.  
NO-GO list – A list will be generated each quarter for those students who have been assigned Saturday detention, in-school suspension or suspension.  The list will also include the names of students who currently owe for textbooks, cafeteria or other fees.  Inclusion on this NO-GO list may exclude a student from school dances, as well as ability to attend and/or participate in extra-curricular activities and other STPSB sponsored events.

STUDENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
Pitcher students have many opportunities to earn rewards for appropriate behavior that is consistent with the Pitcher Proud School-wide Positive Behavior Expectations. 

Panther PROUD Rewards Program

Students have an opportunity to earn Panther Bucks throughout the school year to purchase rewards of their choice. The students can use the bucks to purchase small rewards or save up for bigger possibilities!!
          Students who attend school daily and behave appropriately will be invited to participate in special activities. Students who have received ISS or suspension during that nine weeks period will not be allowed to attend.  Each grading period, students who make the Honor Roll will be awarded at an Honor Roll Social.

GRADING SCALE
90-100    A
80-89    B
70-79    C
60-69    D
00-59    F
Interims are sent home during the 4th week of each 9 week grading period. 

HONOR ROLL
There will be an Honor Roll for each nine weeks period and the end of the year.  
The following are Honor Roll requirements:

 A minimum of 3.0 GPA is required for the 3.0 Honor Roll.
 A minimum of 3.5 GPA is required for the 3.5 Honor Roll.
 A minimum of 4.0 GPA is required for the 4.0 Honor Roll.
The student cannot earn a D or F in any subject.  Quality points for each letter grade are:  A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0.  These equivalents will be used to compute the Honor Roll.

REPORT CARDS

 Report cards are normally issued on the Thursday following the end of each nine week period.
 It is the student’s responsibility to present the report card to his/her parents.  The student is not required to return the report card.
 The end-of-year report cards are mailed to all students at the close of the school year.
 In the middle of each nine week period, interim reports are available to parents through JPAMS. If you would like a paper copy, please contact the office to request a copy.  
The school encourages parents to set up a conference with any of his/her child’s teachers when needed.

DISHONESTY
A student caught cheating on a test, homework assignment, project, or any other assignment will receive a zero on his/her work as the numerical grade for that particular assignment.

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
There are a variety of clubs and organizations available for students to join.  Some clubs and organizations will require students to attain a certain GPA in order to join.  This information will be provided at the beginning of each school year.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The school encourages participation in extracurricular activities and asks parental cooperation in supervision of late night activities.  Prompt pickup of students is essential for their safety and well being. Students participating in or attending extra-curricular activities are expected to comply with STPSB and PJHS policies.  Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action and possible ban from STPSB extra-curricular activities.

EXTRACURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULAR ELIGIBILITY
For a student to be eligible scholastically for extracurricular or co-curricular participation, such as athletics, cheerleading, dance team, or band, he/she must have an overall 1.5 GPA with no more than two F’s for each nine-week grading period.  If a student falls below the 1.5 GPA, he/she is ineligible to participate.  Many clubs and organizations have higher requirements.  Any student absent from school will not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities/athletics for that day unless an administrator approves the absence.
Any student receiving two or more suspensions will not be allowed to participate in or attend any extra-curricular activities. Due to an investigation of fighting, if a student is found guilty of instigating and/or willfully participating in a fight (self-defense was not observed) the student will not be allowed to participate in or attend any extra-curricular activities.   

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
As per state and STPSB policy, no electronic equipment, including but not limited to cell phones, MP3 players, iPods, tablets, smart watches or glasses with a camera, and radios, are not allowed on campus.  Such items will be confiscated.  The school will contact the parent/guardian to arrange for the item to be picked up.  The school will not be held responsible for these items. Students will receive disciplinary action for the possession and/or use of these devices on campus.

PERSONAL POSSESSIONS
The school is not responsible for students’ personal items such as book bags, purses, etc.  The student is responsible for securing their possessions to protect them from theft.  Again, NO electronic devices are allowed on campus. Students should protect themselves against theft of these items by leaving them at home.  

SAFETY AND SECURITY 

    School safety is our utmost priority.  Pitcher Junior High has a school resource officer on campus at all times.  If a student sees something, they should say something.  Students and parents may make anonymous tips through CrimeStoppers to report any issues regarding student safety.  

FIRE AND EMERGENCY DRILLS
Students must realize the importance of obeying rules and regulations and remaining calm during fire and emergency drills.  They must remain with their classes until the all-clear signal.  During emergency drills, students cannot be checked out.  We will conduct at least two lock-down drills every school year per St. Tammany Parish School Board Policy.  

INJURIES / ACCIDENTS
Any accident that occurs during school hours must be reported to the school administration immediately so that an accident report can be completed and a parent contacted if necessary.  PJHS has no financial responsibility for accidents that occur on the school campus.

INSURANCE
An insurance plan for the care of school injuries is made available to all students at a low premium.  Students participating in sports, cheerleading, and/or dance team must be covered by family or school insurance

CHECK OUT PROCEDURE    
Parents/ Guardians or their designee must be on the student’s emergency contact list in order to check out a student.  For the safety of our students, all persons must show identification.

 Only a parent or authorized guardian is given permission to check out a student.  If a parent cannot be contacted, the student will be notified, and he/she will remain in school.  No student will be checked out with a written note.  Parents must come to the office for check-out to be completed. As per state and STPSB policy, electronic devices are not allowed on campus.  Students should not contact parents; the office will contact parents.  

Students who check out and miss classes are to follow the Attendance Policy for missing classes.  When the student returns after the check out, he/she will present a written excuse (see attendance policy).  If a student returns to school the same day after checking out, he/she must go through the office and check in.  Notes from home to allow a student to check out will not be accepted.  The parent or legal guardian must come to the office to check out a student.  No student will be allowed to check in or out during an exam or testing period unless the parent comes to school to get the student or brings the student to school late.

LATE ARRIVAL TO SCHOOL
Students who arrive after the first hour tardy bell must report to the office to check in.  It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to see that his/her child arrives at school on time.
Excessive unexcused tardiness will result in disciplinary action that may include after-school detention, Saturday detention, and in-school suspension.

Excused tardiness may include the following:

 Illness substantiated by a written excuse from parent, doctor, or dentist
 A tardy resulting from events beyond a student’s control, such as an accident, road closed due to an accident, area power outage, late bus, or other excuses determined by the Principal or designee as acceptable.  Documentation is required to excuse a tardy.
 Other situations deemed unavoidable and approved by school administration.
Excused tardiness may follow under the same definition as excused absences.  Excused tardiness does not include oversleeping and nonfunctional alarm clocks, late car pools, late nights, parents running late, etc.

CAFETERIA
Breakfast and lunch are provided to students for free this year. If students request a second lunch, they do have to pay full price for the second meal.

CONCESSIONS
The concession area will be open the last half of the lunch period and after the lunch line has been closed.  Please help us keep the common area and campus neat and clean by throwing away paper and wrappers in the trash cans provided.  Snacks and drinks are a privilege and must be consumed outside the school building only.  No food or drink will be allowed in the gym without administrative approval.

FEES
Every student is asked to pay a school supply fee, which is set at the beginning of the school year.  It is important that this be paid early in the school year.  The fee covers locker rental, repairs, agendas, and supplies not provided by the school board.  Every student must purchase the school’s physical education uniform (t-shirt and shorts) from the Athletic Department.  Additional fees may be required for certain subjects.

FIELD TRIPS
When a teacher or club sponsor schedules a field trip, the parent must give permission for the student to participate.  A form for this purpose will be provided and collected by the teacher in charge of the field trip.  Students must turn in required permission form and fee by the due date in order to attend the field trip.  Once fees have been submitted, no refunds will be allowed without a doctor’s note.  Students who are denied attendance on the field trip for discipline purposes will NOT receive a refund.  Students are held to the same behavior and discipline requirements as during the regular school day.  If a student breaks a school rule on a field trip, that student will be held accountable just as if in school.  A student may be denied attendance on a field trip by the administration for disciplinary or attendance reasons. Students who do not attend the field trip will remain at school with scheduled lessons and activities. 

GUIDANCE COUNSELING
Guidance is a service provided for all students at PJHS.  The purpose of the guidance department is to assist students in meeting their academic and personal needs.  A student may request a conference with his/her counselor for personal problems, test results, recommendations and references, and a variety of school-related information. The counselor at PJHS provides many opportunities for students to receive individual as well as group counseling in assessing and evaluating abilities, achievements, aptitudes and aspirations.  This information could help students better understand themselves, plan high school courses, and plan for the future.

KIDS IN TRANSITION (KIT)
Education of Children and Youth in Homeless Situations
The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law passed in 1987 to help people experiencing homelessness.  The Act requires states and school districts to make sure students in homeless situations can attend and succeed in school.  The McKinney-Vento Act applies to all children and youth who do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are living in the following situations:

 Doubled-up housing with other families or friends because they lost their home or their family is having temporary financial problems;
 Living in a motel/hotel because of economic hardship or loss of housing;
 Living in an emergency or transitional shelter, domestic violence shelter, or in a runaway/homeless youth shelter;
 Living in a vehicle of any kind; trailer park or campground without running water and/or electricity; abandoned building; substandard housing; bus/train station;
    Awaiting foster care placement; or
    Abandoned in a hospital.
Children and youth in homeless situations have the right to the following:

 Attend and succeed in school no matter where they live or how long they have lived there;
 Enroll in school despite the lack of a permanent address or lack of school  and immunization records, or birth certificates and other documents;
 Receive services comparable to those offered to non-homeless children and youth;
 Get transportation to school;
 Access educationally related support services;
 Make sure that disagreements between students and schools are resolved quickly.

LIBRARY
The library staff extends a warm welcome to the users of the PJHS library.  The library operates on an open stack system that allows users to browse the shelves and locate material themselves.  The library staff is available to assist with any library problem.  

The student is responsible for any books checked out in his/her name.  Late fines and fees for lost books will be levied if the books are not returned on the due date.

MEDICATION 
The St. Tammany Parish School Board in accordance with state law has formulated the following guidelines to be used when a child has to receive medication during school hours.

 No medication shall be administered to any student without an order from a Louisiana licensed physician or dentist and a letter of request and authorization from the student’s parent or guardian.
 No medication shall be administered to any student unless it is provided to the school in a container that meets acceptable pharmacy standards.
 A registered nurse employed by the St. Tammany Parish School Board will review the physician’s order and the parent’s request.  The registered nurse will then assess the specific child in the educational setting to determine if delegation of administration of the medication by a trained, non-licensed health professional is acceptable.
 In order to ensure proper identification of students receiving medication, we are requesting the parent to submit a recent photo of the student to attach to the medication folder.
If your child requires medication for an acute illness, we encourage you to work with your physician to schedule doses that can be given at home.  Long term illness and medication may require administration during school hours.  If your child requires only short-term medication, we recommend, if possible, it be scheduled around school hours.

Students who violate the medication policy and are found to be in possession of prescription drugs or a controlled substance not authorized under this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action found under the Uniform Discipline Code.  Disciplinary Action for students found in possession of prescription drugs or controlled substance will result in suspension and recommendation for expulsion.

MESSAGES TO STUDENTS
The office is primarily an Attendance and Discipline office.  All personal arrangements (doctor’s appointments, etc.) should be made prior to the start of the school day.  A classroom will not be interrupted to give a student a message, and students will not be called to the office to talk to anyone on the phone.
The school will not accept deliveries to students, i.e. balloons, flowers, and gifts.

PARENT/TEACHER COMMUNICATION
Communication between parents, students, and teachers is of utmost importance to the success of the student.  The parent can expect that the administration and teachers will contact the parents in cases of academic and/or discipline concerns.  We also encourage students and parents to communicate with teachers regarding grades and behavior.  The following communication mediums will be used by PJHS to keep in contact with parents and students:

 PJHS webpage http://pitcherjunior.stpsb.org/
 Teacher and administration e-mail (available on website)
 School phone # 892-3021
 Conferences:  Parents can contact the school to schedule a conference with any of his/her child’s teachers or administration.

TARDY POLICY
All students are expected to arrive to school and class on time. (see section on Late Arrival to School).  Tardiness to class is excused only with written proof or verbal notification from an administrator, counselor, MHP, school nurse or faculty member.

TEXTBOOKS
All textbooks are the property of the State of Louisiana.  The use of state-owned books is the right of every student in Louisiana.  All books issued to students must be returned when the session ends, when called for by the teacher, or when one transfers or withdraws.  If a book is not returned by a student when the session ends or when he/she drops from the school, or when a book is lost or damaged beyond use, the student and the parent must make payment according to the number of years used.  The student will be expected to pay for any damage he/she does to a textbook. 

CAMPUS BOUNDARIES
Due to the large size of the PJHS campus it is necessary to limit students to those areas that are not regularly supervised.  The campus area extends to the street on all sides of Pitcher Junior High; students must remain within the fenced area in front of the main building and within the sidewalks in all other areas during the entire school day.  Students are not to go past the band room to the area behind the school buildings or behind the gym at all.  Students who are in an off-limits area will be disciplined accordingly.

During inclement weather, students must remain under the breezeways and/or in the main hallway before school and during lunch. 

    Students are not allowed to leave campus.  PJHS is a closed campus.  Items delivered directly to students will not be accepted.  All visitors must report to the office.