EXCERPT FROM GRADY STUDENT AGENDA

GRADY MIDDLE SCHOOL

5215 San Felipe Road

Houston, Texas 77056

Phone: (713) 625-1411  Fax: (713) 625 -1415

ESTABLISHED:             1929 (On the corner of Westheimer and Post Oak)

                                    1950 (At its present location as an elementary school until 1979)

                                    1992 (As a middle school)

MASCOT:                     The Grady Gator

SCHOOL COLORS:       Royal Blue and Teal Green

WELCOME STUDENTS!

I would like to welcome you all to another exciting year at Grady Middle School.  There are many new changes around the campus for all of us.  There are new teachers, teachers in different classes, new deans, and a new principal.  I am very excited to be here at Grady!  Middle school is a great place for learning both academically and socially.  I have high expectations for you and I know you will meet them.

Some of my expectations are:  I expect you to respect yourself and others.  I expect you to do your best in all of your classes.  I want you take pride in your school.  When you are on and off the campus, I expect you to act well and present yourself as an upstanding Grady student.

I hope you all will say hello and introduce yourselves when you see me out and about.  This will be a year of new beginnings.  You as students have the chance to make it memorable! 

Sincerely,

Gretchen Kasper-Hoffman, Principal

MESSAGE TO TEACHERS

This handbook has been developed in the spirit of enhancing the connections between teacher, student, and parent.  The purpose of the information is to clearly delineate the expectations and responsibilities of our students, as well as provide clearly articulated information integral to the success of all school members.

Please pay close attention to and explain the text to your students.  This information primarily speaks to items related to expectations regarding discipline and expectations regarding attendance, grades, procedures, etc.

 MESSAGE TO PARENTS

Grady Middle School is a safe learning environment for your child where he/she will be challenged daily.  A quality education includes preparing students for life.  These life skills include character development, time management, and learning to adapt to everyday challenges.  Resiliency can only be accomplished by taking risks, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes.  This is what middle school is about –testing life and your place in it.  The transition from elementary to a middle school is difficult due to the increased amount of responsibilities given to students as well as the increased amount of life challenges for this age group.  As an adult team, it is important that parents and teachers work together to support the growth of each child.  While it is hard to allow mistakes and failures to happen, rescuing students does not give them the resiliency they must learn to be successful.  Please pay close attention to the information in the planner and support your child as he/she learns to adapt and grow.

Parental involvement is an integral part of the Grady program.  We are not just a school; we are a community. Parents are encouraged to volunteer, assist in after school activities, and to work with their children at home.  PTO is an excellent way to become more involved.

MISSION STATEMENT

Henry W. Grady Middle School is committed to academic excellence and to the belief that every student must be provided with opportunities to achieve his or her maximum potential.

HISTORY

Grady Middle School opened as a middle school in its present location in 1992 to provide the surrounding community with a quality neighborhood school that would promote high standards and academic achievement. Grady, originally an HISD elementary school, was named for Henry W. Grady, a journalist from Athens, Georgia.

In September 1950, the “new” Grady school building opened on a ten-acre site generously donated to HISD by Mr. William G. Farrington, a Tanglewood resident. Grady served as the neighborhood elementary school until 1979, when it closed due to low student enrollment. For the next thirteen years, HISD used Grady for alternative programs. It was a school for the handicapped and the headquarters for the Department of Technology.

In August 1992, Henry W. Grady reopened in response to strong community interest. Quite simply, a group of determined parents saw the need for a quality public middle school and convinced the HISD Board of this need. Grady underwent extensive renovation under the careful direction of newly hired principal, Clyde Hough. Working closely with the founding families, Mr. Hough created a middle school campus that met the needs of the neighborhoods being served. Presently, Grady Middle School serves 600 neighborhood students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, under the leadership of Mrs. Teresa Stoger, Principal, GRADY

back to top

DRESS CODE

All students attending Grady Middle School will be required to follow the Grady Code of Dress.  All articles of the uniform are to be maintained and worn in a way that represents the individual students and the school in a positive way.

All clothing must be:

“Tops” [clothing above the waist]

·    Colors for all kinds of tops: white or navy blue.  [Please check with the school for a color sample if there is any question.]

·   Fabrics: cotton or cotton blend. 

·   Must wear a polo shirt or oxford shirt, long or short sleeved with a collar.

·   Grady logos and any other logos one inch square will be permitted.

·   Undershirts may be worn, and they may be visible.  Turtleneck and long-sleeved shirts may be worn under the uniform shirts as long as the shirt is tucked in.

·   Shirts must be tucked into the bottoms during the school day and whenever the student is in the building before school.

·   Any sweatshirt purchased in the school store and any official team or club sweatshirt may be worn.

·   Other sweatshirts (fleece material) may be worn if they are crewneck or hooded and if they are one of the “tops” colors.  

“Bottoms” [clothing below the waist]

·   Colors: Navy blue, khaki, or blue-jean blue.

·   Fabrics: denim, twill, or corduroy

·    May be pants, skirt, shorts, skort, capris, or jumper.

·    Must be fitted at the waistline [except jumpers]

·   May have pockets only near the waistline

·   The shortest part must be at least as long as the top of the kneecap, so that when standing, the garment touches the kneecap.  A slit in a skirt can be no higher than the kneecap.  The hem cannot touch the floor when standing.

o        May wear any colors

o        May have any ornamentation which is not disruptive or offensive

o        A polo or oxford shirt is not required, but a shirt with sleeves must be worn.

o        Additional criteria may be announced for special days

SPECIFIC RULES OF DRESS AND GROOMING:  

·         Field trips –Free dress day attire is not permitted for students attending a field trip.  Students must wear the regular dress code attire, even if the trip is on a free dress day.

·         Shoes must be closed-in and have a “rubber” sole.   The thickness of the heel and/or sole may not be more than one inch. 

·         Earrings may be worn if they are not larger than a quarter.

·         When Grady team uniforms are permitted to be worn during the school day, they must be worn in a way that meets dress code coverage guidelines – sleeves, length, tucked in, etc.

·         Coats, jackets, and sweaters may be worn to school, but must be placed in the locker immediately upon arrival. 

·         No hats or head-covering other than those required by religious practice. Hoods must stay down while in the Grady perimeter. 

·         No makeup is allowed.

·         Jewelry is permissible unless it is distracting or disruptive in the classroom.  All acceptable neckwear (necklaces) must be tucked inside the uniform shirt. 

·         Small storage bags for supplies and necessary items may be brought into the classroom. Book bags or backpacks and purses may not be brought into the classroom at any time during the school day.  If a bag or purse is large enough to hold a textbook it is a book bag and must be kept in the locker.

·      Exposed tattoos and/or use of pens or pencils to make marks on the skin or clothing are inappropriate for school and expressly prohibited.

·      Personal grooming is restricted to restroom facilities.

·         Students are required to wear the uniform dress to the campus and throughout the entire day until leaving after school.  Changes in the restroom prior to leaving school are not allowed

Grady administration reserves the right to determine if a student’s dress is a disruption to the educational process.  All such decisions are final.

PE UNIFORM:  Uniforms will be available for purchase from the PE teachers or school store.  Students must wear the official Grady PE uniform during physical education classes.  The PE uniform is to be worn during PE class only and not throughout the school day.  During cold weather, students may bring sweat pants to wear over their PE uniform.  Coats and jackets are NOT to be brought to PE class.

CONSEQUENCES FOR DRESS CODE VIOLATIONS

Failure to comply with the uniform dress code will result in disciplinary action.  The consequences for not meeting the expectations are as follows:

First Offense:        Note to discipline record, review of policy and phone contact with the parent.  The parent will be required to bring appropriate garments BEFORE the student may return to class.

Second Offense:   Same as above plus the student will be assigned a 30-minute after school detention.  The parent will be notified of the detention at least one day in advance.

back to top

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

ABSENCES:  When a student is absent, the parent/guardian is to call the Main Office (713-625-1411) before 9:00 a.m. and report the absence by giving the following: student name, grade and reason for absence.  Failure to give proper notification to the school may result in an absence being considered unexcused.  Upon returning from an absence, the student is required to bring a written excuse from the parent/guardian stating the reason for the absence.  They are to turn in the letter of excuse to the attendance clerk upon return to campus.  Absences are excused for the student's personal illness, illness or death of an immediate family member, participation in legitimate school activities with the permission of the Principal, or emergency/extenuating circumstances as recognized by the principal or principal's designee.  Absences for religious holidays - Parent should notify the attendance clerk and student’s cluster leader in writing prior to the student's observance of a religious holiday. These days will not affect the student's attendance record.

MAKE-UP WORK:  Students who are absent will be given an opportunity to make up work missed upon return to school.  The number of days afforded to students for make-up work will be equal to the number of days absent.  It is the student's responsibility to see that the work is made up.  During an extended absence, (3 days or more), work may be requested (with 48-hours notice) from the student’s dean or teachers.  For absences of one instructional cycle (2 days), it is recommended that students contact a classmate for information about the day’s instruction and assignments. 

ACTIVITIES (EXTRACURRICULAR): School districts shall not schedule nor permit students to participate in any school-related activities on or off campus that would require, permit, or allow a student to be absent from class in any course more than 10 times during the 180-day instructional year, or 5 times during one semester.  To participate in any extracurricular activity, a student must be passing all subjects as indicated by six-week performance reports. 

ATHLETICS: Participation in the UIL athletic activities is subject to the “No Pass, No Play” restriction.  These programs are open to all 7^th and 8^th grade students who wish to participate:

Football                         Volleyball                Basketball               Soccer

Swimming                     Track                      Cross Country

Cheerleaders are selected in the Spring.  They lead Grady Middle School in support of all athletic programs.  Only seventh graders are eligible to try-out for cheerleader.

CLUBS AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

Grady supports a community of learners where students and adults participate in an enriching school environment during the day and after school.  Clubs and after-school programs are practical ways to apply academic, physical, social, and leadership skills so important to the middle school years.  Offerings presently include Student Council, Citizen Schools, and National Junior Honor Society.

REPORT CARDS AND PROGRESS NOTICES:  Report cards to the parents will be distributed shortly after the close of the grading period. At mid-grading period, one progress report, with input from all teachers will be prepared and sent home with each student.

STUDENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS:

Tribute to Excellence – Recognizes students for superior academic achievements.  This program spotlights students with the highest GPA’s in each academic program of each grade level for each six weeks grading cycle.

Honor Roll – Students with all “A’s” and up to two “B’s” will be recognized each six weeks grading cycle.

Gator Elite – Recognizes the well-rounded, role model student each six weeks grading cycle.  Students must maintain a 78 or above grade point average in each class and have all “E’s” in conduct.

Perfect Attendance – Students who have perfect attendance for a one-semester period will be rewarded.

GRADING SYSTEM:

Criteria for grading academic subjects:                                         Criteria for grading citizenship (conduct)

90-100  Excellent work quality; subject mastery                           E          Excellent behavior; total self-discipline

80-89    Good work quality; consistent effort                                 S          Satisfactory behavior; cooperates readily

75-79    Satisfactory work; average achievement                           P          Poor quality behavior-below average

70-74    Work quality below expectations                                     U          Unsatisfactory quality of behavior

0-69      Failing

BACKPACKS OR BOOK BAGS AND PURSES may be brought to school, but MUST remain in the student’s locker throughout the student’s instructional day.

STUDENT ASSIGNMENT CENTER (SAC):  The Student Assignment Center is an alternative on-campus placement site for students exhibiting frequent or repeated inappropriate behavior within the Grady school community.  An administrator may assign a student to the SAC for one or more days.  The parent will be contacted before a student is assigned to the SAC.  Administrative approval will be required in order for these students to participate in UIL activities during the SAC assignment.  Refer to The HISD Code of Student Conduct.

BICYCLES:  Bicycling to and from school is permitted, but students are not allowed to ride on school grounds.  We have limited facilities for proper storage and security.  All bicycles must be locked in the bicycle rack each day.

CAMPUS SUPERVISION: Assigned teachers supervise the arrival of students and the dispersal of students at dismissal.  Teachers have the authority to correct any student at any time on the Grady campus.  Students are not supervised prior to 7:43 a.m. or after 3:15 p.m.   Parents are strongly encouraged to make arrangements for their children to arrive on campus after 7:30 a.m. and to be picked up by 3:30 p.m.

CONFERENCES:  Arrangements can be made for parent conferences with individual teachers, academic teams and deans.  These meetings must be prearranged and cannot be guaranteed on a drop-in basis.  A telephone message (713-625-1411) left in the main office will be returned no later than the following day or the day after if the message was left after the teacher’s conference period.  All visitors to the building must report immediately to the main office for a visitor’s pass.  This pass should be returned to the main office at the end of the appointment.

CRIMESTOPPERS:  Grady participates in the Crimestoppers Program.  If you encounter anything that seems unlawful or suspicious, report it to an administrator, teacher or any staff member in the school.  If you are uncomfortable reporting to a school staff member, you should call Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

HALLWAYS:  Students are not permitted in the hallway during class time without the signed hall pass in this student planner.  Should a student lose his/her planner, the student will be required to purchase a replacement from the main office.  The hall pass area must include all spaces completed and will be used only for the following reasons. 1. Emergency restroom use. 2. Library.  3. The clinic.  Students may only use the hall passes in the planners assigned to them.  No “stops” or diversions along the way.  Note:  All students must be on individual passes – No “group passes” permitted. Be sure to budget your passes for use throughout the school year. 

IMMUNIZATIONS:  All students are required to have current and updated immunizations as required by law.  It is the responsibility of the student and parent to provide the school with an accurate immunization record.  A student may not attend school without documentation of state required immunizations.  Exclusions from the compliance are allowable on an individual basis for medical and religious conflicts.  Students falling into these categories must submit affidavits as specified by law.

LOCKERS:        Student lockers are assigned and are to be used for storing school supplies. NEVER BRING VALUABLES TO SCHOOL.  ALWAYS MAKE CERTAIN YOUR LOCKER IS LOCKED.  DO NOT share your locker or locker combination with any other student.   Abuse of lockers may result in denial of a locker.  This includes sharing you locker combination with other students.

LOST AND FOUND:  Articles of clothing, valuables (jewelry, etc.), and glasses are held in each administrative office.  All personal articles need to be permanently marked with the owner’s name.  Students may look for lost items before or after school, during passing periods, and at lunchtime.  Students may not leave the classroom to look for lost items.  Articles not claimed after one week may be donated to a charitable organization.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL:  Students bringing medication to school are to take it to the nurse in the clinic.  Medications administered at school are to be maintained on campus by the school nurse and be for the treatment of chronic, long-term medical conditions. 

PERSONAL PROPERTY: Skate boards and personal PE equipment, such as balls, ropes, etc. are not allowed on campus. Portable radios, cameras, large sums of money, and other such personal property should not be brought to school. Many problems can arise and the school cannot assume responsibility for them. If such personal property is brought to school, and is being used during school hours (7:43 – 3:15) it will be taken and held in the student's administrative office for the parent to pick up.

SALES AND FUNDRAISING: The sale of any item for non-Grady fundraisers must be approved in writing by the principal.  Selling and fundraising initiated by individual students are prohibited.

SCHEDULE CHANGES:  Each student is to follow his/her schedule even if obvious errors exist until the schedule change process is completed and a new schedule generated.  Students are to complete a “Request for Schedule Change” form and turn it in to their administrative office.  The dean will make the change or let the student know why the change cannot be made.  No student is to leave the classroom to go to their dean’s office requesting schedule changes.  Schedule changes will only be made during the first two weeks of each semester.

SDMC:  The Shared Decision Making Committee is an advisory group of teachers, parents, school staff, administrators, and community members elected by their peers in the spring to serve for two years.  The SDMC is chaired by the principal.  Decisions are made and school policy established based on school community needs and guidelines set by the Texas Education Agency and the Houston Independent School District.

TARDINESS TO CLASS:  The first class begins at 7:45 a.m.  Beginning the school day promptly is important and demonstrates commitment to success.  If a student arrives late to school, he/she shall report directly to their Administrative Office for a tardy pass.

TELEPHONE:  We request that parents and students take care of personal business before they part company for the school day.  The school telephones in the offices are for official school business only, not the personal use of students.  Students are allowed to bring cellular telephones to school.  Cellular telephone use is expressly prohibited by students during instructional time.  Cellular telephones may only be used by students before and after school, AND outside the building.  Emergency messages ONLY will be delivered to students during the instructional day.

TEXTBOOKS:   For each textbook issued, students should write their name, their teacher’s last name, the semester and year issued in ink inside the front cover.  All books must be covered as required by law.  Textbooks are the property of the State of Texas and if lost, damaged, or stolen, must be paid for by the student to whom the book was assigned.

TRUANCY:  Also known as “skipping school,” truancy is a crime.  It is a Class C misdemeanor for a minor child to be in a public place without the company of a parent or permission of the school during school hours.  [Houston City Code 28-172(a)].  Violation of this ordinance may result in criminal charges against the parent.  A student absent from school without parental or school permission is truant.  Refer to Houston ISD Student Code of Conduct.

GRADY MIDDLE SCHOOL POLICIES

It is our belief that school pride is developed not only by attaining honor in extracurricular activities and in scholastic accomplishments, but by the way students maintain high standards of behavior, appearance, and grooming.  The entire school community supports the individual student in the search for personal achievement and self-expression.  The following policies provide and define a structure in which this search is possible and students are able to develop personal esteem that will enrich not only themselves but the school community as well.

ASSIGNMENT BOOK, HANDBOOK AND PLANNER GUIDELINES

STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS

It will be the student’s responsibility to:

1.       Have the official Grady Middle School Student Assignment Book in every class every day.

2.       Copy the agenda and homework assignment at the beginning of each class period.  If there is no assignment, the student will write “none” in the space provided.

3.       Request Hall Passes for personal emergencies only.  You must have your planner in order to request a hall pass.

4.       Consider using the planner for personal planning (club meetings, sporting events, parties, family events).

5.       Be sure that your parents see your planner every night and initial every weekend indicating all pertinent school information for the week has been reviewed.

It is the parent’s responsibility to:

1.       Ask to see the assignment book every evening.

2.       Monitor homework assignments and their completion.

3.       Initial the planner at least every weekend so that the teacher knows the parent is up-to-date on the child’s assignments.

4.       Send notes regarding absences on the day following the absence.

5.       Include your child in planning family events and recording them in the student’s planner.

It is the teacher’s responsibility to:

1.       Use the assignment book as a means of communication with the parents, expecting a response from the parent.

2.       Have a clear, concise agenda and homework assignments posted daily for students to record in the daily planner.

3.       Have clear, concise expectations of special projects including checkpoints and final due dates.

4.       Assist the student in appropriate use of hall passes, never allowing a student to leave the classroom without a pass.

BUS RIDERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

 As a bus rider at Grady Middle School, I agree to:

       If problem behavior occurs regarding bus riding, disciplinary action will be taken. The following disciplinary actions are from HISD's Administrative Procedures, 318.320. Grady Middle School administration will use the following disciplinary steps:

       IF INCIDENT IS SEVERE IN NATURE, STRONGER DISCIPLINARY ACTION WILL OCCUR. 

HISD Transportation Services may utilize cameras to record student activity.

 TARDY POLICY

The Grady Tardy Policy has been developed to emphasize the importance of each student being in the classroom for the entire period, as well as arriving on time to school every day.  During the first 15 days of school, all teachers will be working with their students, focusing on getting organized and arriving to class on time, or early, every day.  The Tardy Policy will be effective beginning September 5, 2006, and will be implemented consistently throughout the school year.

 CONSEQUENCES FOR ARRIVING LATE TO SCHOOL

Tardiness to school will only be excused for doctor appointments, a late school bus, a court date, and reasons stated in the ABSENCES section of “FOR YOUR INFORMATION.”  Oversleeping, car/traffic problems, etc. are all unexcused.  Every time a student arrives late to school for unexcused reasons, (s)he is required to report to their Dean’s Office.

 First Four Tardies to School:               Note to student screen, with a review of policy. 

Fifth Tardy to School:                          Note to discipline record, review of policy, and issuance of school wide 2 hour detention.  Parents will be given at least 24 hours notice when this detention is issued.  The detention will be held from 3:30 – 5:30 pm.  Students must use the time to work on homework or read. 

Successive Tardies to School:             A progression through the Grady Discipline System will begin in accordance with the Houston ISD Code of Student Conduct.

CAFETERIA MANAGEMENT PLAN

Grady students eat in the cafeteria.  Students will have the privilege of being allowed to eat in the courtyard east of the cafeteria.  All other areas are off-limits during lunch.  Upon completion of lunch, dispose all trash in the trash receptacles.  At lunch dismissal, administrators will dismiss several tables at a time to line up until all are dismissed.

 GRADY CODE OF CONDUCT

The goal of the Grady Code of Conduct is-

·         To set the expectations that student always will be held accountable for the behavior they choose.

·         To show how to MONITOR their behavior.

·         To give students practice in EVALUATING the behavior they choose on a moment-to-moment basis.

Grady students are important members of the school community and their learning cluster.  Membership is based on responsible behavior, cooperation, respectfulness and courtesy.  As a student of Grady, each student must remember:

1.       I am responsible for the learning expectations of my school and cluster.

2.       I choose the way that I behave.

3.       I understand that my appropriate behavior impacts positively on my learning community.

4.       I know that I am accountable for my chosen behaviors.

HOUSTON ISD CODE OF CONDUCT

Students are given a copy of the Houston Independent School District’s publication of student rights and responsibilities within the greater Houston community.  It is the students' and parents’ responsibility to be familiar with the information in the book.  You are to review this information and sign and return the acknowledgement page.  Points of interest are below.

HISD students have the right to a well-balanced curriculum and instruction.  You have the right to attend public schools.  You have the right to an evaluation of your academic progress.  You have the responsibility to participate in the educational progress by attending class, paying close attention, completing assignments and asking questions if you don’t understand a subject you are being taught.  You especially have the responsibility to behave with respect and courteousness; not interfering with the goals of the learning community.

School teachers and administrators have the right and responsibility to respond to student acts of misconduct that interfere with the goals of education.  The following information regarding student misconduct is provided in detail in the HISD Student Code of Conduct.

Level I             These offenses generally occur in the classroom and can be corrected by the teacher.

Level II            These offenses are more serious than Level I and/or represent the student’s inability to control Level I misconduct.  Level II offenses call for administrative intervention.

Level III           These offenses seriously disrupt the educational process in the classroom, the school, and/or school related activities, or are continuances of repeated Level I, II, or III misconduct.  Level III misconduct may result in student suspension and optional removal to an alternative education program.

Level IV           Level IV misconduct involves more serious criminal offenses.  This includes any felony, whether school related or not, unless it is one for which expulsion is required.  This level of misconduct requires placement in an alternative education program.

Level V            Level V offenses are dealt with by the expulsion of the offending student.  Expulsion is fit punishment for violations that seriously threaten the safety of the school community.  Expulsion is fit punishment in response to criminal acts of mischief including, but not limited to, weapons possession, possession of illegal substances, and assault.

Home    School Information    Academics    Sports    Grady Gala    8th Grade Page    Faculty & Staff    Groups & Organizations

Grady Library    Citizen Schools