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School Information
| As a student at Ridgedale Middle School, you will receive instruction in mathematics, communication arts, science, social studies,
and French or Spanish. In addition, you will also be able to explore the encore classes of vocal, general, and instrumental music,
visual arts, home economics, health, Quest, industrial arts/technologies, M.A.P., and physical education.
Your Responsibilities “You are responsible for doing your own work for classes. We feel strongly that copying, cheating, and plagiarizing the work of others are unethical behaviors and undermine the learning process.” Consequences for such action will result in grading adjustments and disciplinary action. Visitors For the safety of all our students, staff, and faculty, we insist that all visitors report to the main office as soon as they enter the building. At that time they must sign in and we will issue them a visitor’s pass. Because school is your place of business, we do not allow friends nor school-age relatives from other schools to accompany you as guests for the day. Please entertain your friends at home, after school hours. Report Cards We issue report cards four times a year. They represent each teacher’s assessment of your work. They report on your effort and achievement in class. Please discuss your grades with your parents. While each marking period is assessed separately, your final grade in any subject will be the average of all four of your marking period grades. We use the following scale in awarding grades: A+ 99-100 A 93-98 A- 91-92 B+ 89-90 B 83-88 B- 81-82 C+ 79-80 C 73-78 C- 71-72 D+ 69-70 D 67-68 D- 65-66 F 64 and below P Passing I* incomplete S satisfactory U unsatisfactory *You must make up all incomplete report card grades within ten school days after your return to school. You will make the honor roll if you receive a grade of A+ through B- in every course. The honor roll is posted and published at the end of every marking period. In addition, teachers will assess the attitudes and work habits you demonstrate in their classes by including comments on your report card. These comments are provided to help you and your parents evaluate your areas of strength and weakness. Please use them to help you set goals for the next marking period. Midway through each marking period, we issue interim progress reports. Interim progress reports are updates of your performance in each course. They may commend out-standing effort and/or make recommendations for improvement. You will not necessarily receive an interim progress report every marking period; they are issued to those students whose achievement warrants them. We encourage you to work hard and to pass all your subjects so that you can be promoted to the next grade level. However, if you fail two academic subjects for the year, you may be asked to remain at that grade level. It may be possible for you may attend summer school to retake at least one of the courses in which you were not successful. You will need to furnish us with proof of passing your summer school class(es). After the second making period, we will notify your parents of a possible failure for the year. Pupil Progress Conferences Twice a year, in the fall and early spring, we will dismiss school early on three afternoons. These afternoons and one evening are set aside in order to provide your teachers and your parents an opportunity to discuss your academic and social growth. You are encouraged to attend these meetings with your parents. Individual parent-teacher conferences may be arranged at any time during the school year, as the need arises. Teachers or parents may initiate these conferences if they have concerns. Your parents may contact any of your teachers by telephone at (973) 822-3855 according to the following schedule: Grade 8: 1:50p.m. - 2:30p.m. Grade 7: 9:50 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Encore: 7:50 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Grade 6: 11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Textbooks and Equipment The Board of Education will provide you with textbooks and calculators. You are responsible for taking care of the items assigned to you. If your books or calculators are damaged or lost, we will impose fines. When you receive a book, write your name in it, in ink, in the front portion of the book that is provided for that purpose. Keep your books covered. These are your academic tools. Notebooks You need to come to class every day with the materials recommended by your teacher. These items usually include this agenda, a loose-leaf binder, paper, pencils, pens, erasers, and a ruler. Your teacher in each class will make additional suggestions. It is important for you to be organized in order to keep track of your homework and class notes. Homework We support the intelligent and meaningful assignment of homework for all students at Ridgedale. Homework can play a valuable role in providing you with essential practice in needed skills as well as encouraging you to work independently. If it is discovered that you have submitted work that is not your own, you will receive a zero (no credit) for the home-work, quiz, test, or project in question. You will also be referred to the guidance office and your parents will be contacted. Extra Help Sometimes a lesson doesn’t “stick” the first time it is presented. You are encouraged to see any of your teachers for additional help, instruction or reinforcement if you feel the need. Check with your teachers for any before-school or after-school times they may be available to work with you or join our homework club. If you are scheduled to meet with one of your teachers, the teacher must issue a pass and you must report to that teacher— to do otherwise would be inconsiderate and counterproductive to your own academic success. Make-up Work When you are absent, you should make an effort to keep up with the class. It will make returning to school much easier for you. You may call homework hotline, (973) 822-3855 +teacher’s extension, to check on your daily assignments. After you have been absent for two or more days, your parents may call the guidance office in the morning to request assignments from your teachers. These assignments can be picked up in the guidance office the following day. When you return, you will receive a number of days to make up your work equal to the number that you were absent. In exceptional cases, you may make special arrangements with individual teachers. It is your responsibility to set up a schedule with your teachers regarding your make-up work and whatever tests and quizzes you have missed immediately upon your return to school. Lockers You will be assigned a hall locker at the beginning of the school year. Please use common sense regarding anything of value that you may bring to school. You are responsible for the contents and security of your locker. Your locker combination is private and should not be shared with other students. The Florham Park Board of Education cannot be responsible for your personal property. (See page 15 for our locker search policy.) Lost and Found Occasionally you will lose something. You should look for it in the Lost and Found boxes that can be found in every hallway. Please label all texts, workbooks, notebooks, and other personal items to make them easier to recover. We recommend that you not bring items of exceptional value to school. Telephone Please don’t ask to use the phones in the Main Office. For your convenience, there is a public phone located near the new library. You may make personal calls from these phones. You may not, however, use this phone during instructional time. In addition, you will not be called to the phone in the Main Office nor will you be given phone messages during instructional time, unless it is an emergency. Cell phones are prohibited in school. Cell phones may be used upon leaving the building after school. Lunch Depending upon the weather, you will eat lunch either in the cafeteria or outside at the picnic table area. We will make that decision daily. After lunch, you will participate in a variety of activities. If you know that you will be going outside that day either to eat or with your activity, bring appropriate outdoor clothing with you prior to eating lunch. You will not be allowed in the halls during your lunch period because classes are in session and your presence may be distracting to other students who are working. Announcements You will hear the flag salute and daily announcements read over the public address system during homeroom. These notices have been approved in advance and usually pertain to students’ birthdays, recaps of athletic events, meeting dates for extracurricular activities, etc. Please pay attention to the announcements; they may apply to you! |
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