Student Handbook

All members of the RAMS community assume RESPONSIBILITY for success.

• Be a good role model with your thoughts and actions
• Be on time and prepared
• Demonstrate problem solving and decision-making skills
• Be honest and trustworthy
• Be responsible for yourself and your learning

All members of the RAMS community demonstrate RESPECT for others.

• Be caring and helpful
• Be courteous and polite
• Honor self and others through words and actions
• Be tolerant and appreciative
• Value and appreciate individual differences and cultural diversity
• Use common sense, self-control, and appropriate behavior
• Act with integrity

All members of the RAMS community strive to BUILD COMMUNITY.

• Work together as a team toward success
• Have a positive attitude about life and school
• Encourage each other to live up to their potential
• Take ownership and responsibility for our school
• Be a courageous leader – stand up for others
• Make an effort to get to know each other and share our stories

Access to Roseville Area Schools computers, iPads, network and the internet is a privilege and not a right. As such, the privilege can be revoked at any time for abusive conduct. In addition to the district standard consequences for student misbehavior (available at www.isd623.org) any network misuse or illegal activities will result in suspension and/or cancellation of network privileges, contact with the student’s parent/guardian and if a violation of law has occurred, contact with law enforcement authorities. 

• I understand many important educational resources are accessed using school technology. 
• I will use technology in schools for educational purposes only. The school has a right to monitor my use of school technology.
• I will use respectful language and behavior while using school technology. 
• I will be mindful of school resources by printing only what is absolutely necessary.
• I will not give out personal information about myself or anyone else while using school technology.
• I will not look at, download, or communicate any material that is obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit or offensive in terms of race, ethnicity, sex or religion. I will tell a teacher if I come across any information that is inappropriate or makes me feel uncomfortable.
• I will never access, remove, change, or harm another person’s files.
• I will not use another person’s system or password. 
• I will follow all laws and school rules when I use school technology.
• I will give credit when I use another’s work, whether it is from a book, the Internet, or elsewhere.
• I will use the Internet at school only with permission from a present, supervising adult.
• I will be respectful of and responsible for all school technology I use, leaving it in good working order, organized and ready for the next person.

Students participating in a school sponsored event can stay in the building after school. If a student is staying for an established extracurricular activity, they should be present and ready to participate by the 2:50 p.m. bell. Students staying after school with a teacher need to sign up with their teacher by 1 p.m. Students who are not participating in a school sponsored event are expected to leave the building at the end of the school day. Students staying after school must have a late bus pass provided by their teacher, coaches, or club advisors. If a student is waiting for an activity bus or a ride they need to wait in the Media Center. Students staying after school are not allowed to leave the building and re-enter. If a student does not follow the directions of staff after school they will forfeit their right to stay after school. The first violation results in not being allowed to stay after for two weeks. The second violation is not being able to stay after for one month, and the third violation results in no longer being able to stay after school. Building administrators have the right to determine different consequences based on the nature of the incident. 

RAMS students are not allowed to carry backpacks during the school day. Students should only keep essential items with them. Other supplies should be locked in the student’s assigned locker throughout the school day.

Students who have the opportunity to ride district school transportation may do so as long as they display behavior that is reasonable and safe. Students should participate in all school rules while riding the bus. Demonstrating unacceptable behavior could result in forfeiture of riding privileges. The bus driver is responsible for the safety and discipline of students on the bus.  Building administrators will determine consequences of misbehavior and the reinstatement of bus services should a suspension become necessary. A suspension applies to all school transportation otherwise designated by school officials. Students are assigned to busses and stops. No change in bus assignment is permitted unless granted by school officials. Temporary changes may be granted by school administrators. Failure to ride the assigned bus may jeopardize student’s safety and may result in disciplinary action.

Please notify the office of address, home/cell phone numbers, alternative phone numbers, and email addresses that can be used in emergency situations. Being able to contact a family is essential.

Roseville Area Middle School Student Support Services provide many services for students, families and school staff. These services include academic guidance, personal and social counseling, student assessment, career guidance, and referrals to outside sources. Families are encouraged to contact their student’s counselor by personally visiting the school and/or by telephoning the Student Support Services office at 651-482-5289. The Student Support Services secretary will be happy to assist you. Students should feel free to visit the Student Support Services office to make an appointment during passing time, before school, or after school. 

School dances will be held from 2:40 – 4 p.m. in order to accommodate all students. Acceptable dress and behavior are required. Only current RAMS students may attend – no guests. Students may ride the 4 p.m. activity bus or arrange their own transportation home. Families picking up their students should arrive by 4 p.m.

Students are expected to dress appropriately. The following guidelines will be followed in determining if the dress is appropriate:

• Shoes or sandals must always be worn.
• Inappropriate dress that is too revealing.
• Pants are to be worn fastened around the waist. 
• All undergarments are to be covered and not exposed due to rips, tears or other modifications of the clothing.
• Clothing with any of the following connotations will be considered inappropriate; alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sexual, weapons, gangs, violence.

The following dress items are not allowed:

• Chains
• Sunglasses
• Blankets
• Jackets (to be stored in student lockers)
• Students wearing inappropriate dress may be asked to dress more appropriately or change their clothes.

Announcements regarding school closing due to inclement weather and/or hazardous conditions will be announced on the district webpage and on WCCO radio (830 AM). The district will make a decision to close the schools by 6:30 a.m. and pass this information on to WCCO at that time. Be sure to listen to WCCO and check the district webpage for an announcement on days when the weather is questionable.

In the event of an emergency or emergency drill, students will evacuate the building under the direction of their teacher. Fire, severe weather, and crisis drills are set up to help prevent injuries and deaths in the case of an emergency. In the event that students need to evacuate school premises, our emergency relocation site is Capitol View School, 70 W. County Road B2, Little Canada. 

Roseville Area Schools is committed to providing learning and work environments that are healthy and safe for all students and staff. To this end, all district schools and instructional support facilities have been designated as latex-reduced environments. The following guidelines are in place at all district schools and instructional support facilities:

• Latex balloons are restricted from Roseville Area Schools for the protection of students and staff who have latex allergies. They contain large amounts of latex residue and, therefore, carry the most danger for allergic reactions. 
• Latex products of all kinds have been removed from health offices. 
• The district will make every effort to order latex-free products (natural rubber products). In areas such as science classrooms, latex equipment may still be in use because latex free alternatives are unavailable. If a student has a known latex allergy, latex will not be used in that classroom.

We continue to develop awareness of other latex products that are being used in our schools. We either replace them with latex-free alternatives, or if replacements are not available, we focus on reducing the use of these products.

Your personal electronic devices are your responsibility, if you choose to bring them to school. Devices other than your school iPad must be locked in your locker during the school day (8:05 a.m. – 2:40 p.m.) including passing time and lunch. If you have a personal electronic device seen during the school day, the following will happen:

• 1st offense: Personal electronic device will be collected by a behavior response staff member and brought to the office. Student will receive the device at the end of the day.
• 2nd offense: Personal electronic device will be collected by a staff member and kept in the office until a family member comes to the school to pick it up.
• No pictures, video, or recording of anyone without their permission.
• Earbuds can be used with teacher permission during class but should not be worn during passing time.

The primary purpose of grading is to report the academic achievement of students. Course grades will reflect the level of the student’s academic achievement. There are two main types of assessments that form the trimester grade: academic practice and academic achievement assessments. Academic Practice Assessments, called formative assessments, are given while a student is learning the material. These are designed to provide direction for both students and teachers. These formative assessments may account for a maximum of 20% of the grade. Formative assessments may include activities such as teacher observations, quizzes, homework, rough drafts, peer editing, and notebook checks and extra credit. Academic Achievement Assessments, called summative assessments, are given after completing a sequence of instruction and practice and students are ready to be responsible for the material. Sample achievement assessments include: final drafts, tests, test re-takes, exams, assignments, assignment re-dos, projects, and performances. This part of the grade may account for a minimum of 80%. The majority of the grade is derived from these assessments because students are demonstrating what they know and can do. However, due to the wide variety of levels and courses, each course can set the breakdown provided that the academic practice grade counts no more than 20% and the achievement grade counts no less than 80%.

During class break, hundreds of students leave their rooms and have four minutes to get to their next class. In order to insure the safety of all students we ask all students to be courteous to others by not running, forming groups to block the hall, pushing, or playing rough. Students should walk on the right side of the halls.

Students should not be in the halls during class time, unless they are carrying a hall pass. Students may only leave class with a yellow lanyard pass they receive by getting a staff signature, time allotted, and date issued in their student planner provided by the school. Students are not allowed passes the first or last 10 minutes of class.

Receiving: iPads will be issued to all 7th and 8th grade students within the first month of school. Before students receive their iPads, families must review the iPad expectations and complete the digital iPad agreement.

Returning: Students who leave Roseville Area Schools during the school year must return the iPad and all district-issued accessories to the Media Center/Help Desk or the family will be charged for the full replacement value of anything that is not returned. All other students will return their iPads and accessories within the last week of school. The same iPads will be re-issued to students when they return in the fall of the next academic school year.

Costs for replacement purchases:

• iPad Air – $400
• Survivor case – $35
• Complete charger – $40  (cable only, $20; block only, $20)

Lockers are provided and each student will be assigned a locker. All books and personal items, when not in use, including coats and jackets, are to be kept locked in your locker. 

• Use only lockers assigned to you, and do not share lockers
• Do not give your locker combination to other students
• Lockers must be kept clean at all times. Writing on the outside or inside of lockers is prohibited 
• Lockers must be kept in good condition. If a locker is knowingly abused, you will lose the use of the locker and pay for damages
• Do not leave valuable personal property in lockers. If you must bring valuables, take them to the office for safe keeping. 
• Lockers remain the property of RAMS and may be subject to inspection by the school administration at any time. 
• Storage of inappropriate or illegal items is not allowed: spray paint, permanent ink markers, or other graffiti tools, water pistols, lighters, fireworks, any weapon: (real or simulated), obscene writing or pictures, etc.
• Safe school violation items (drugs, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, etc.) will be confiscated and not returned.
• Students’ rights will be protected if a locker search is initiated by a law enforcement officer.
• Students will be charged for loss or damage of school property or equipment placed in their care. 
• A Theft or Loss Report should be filed in the associate principal’s office if property is stolen or misplaced. RAMS assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to personal property brought to school. 

All books or other articles found should be taken to the Lost and Found located in the Activities Office. iPads should be brought to the Media Center. Students who have lost items should check in the Activities Office Lost and Found location periodically for items.  It is recommended you label your belongings. Students are discouraged from bringing valuable personal items to school. Owners must accurately identify lost items in order to reclaim. Items left over thirty days will be donated to charity. RAMS assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to personal property brought to school. 

Students can access an extensive variety of print materials including fiction, nonfiction, reference, picture books, graphic novels and magazines.  Some of the non-print resources available for checkout include DVDs, audiobooks, flash drives, graphing calculators, metronomes, and headphones.  There are many computer stations where students may research, work on assignments, and access the online catalog; there are also tables and open areas to work on classwork that does not require computer use. Smartboards, printers, scanners, and other technology are also available for use. The Media Center is a great place to go for academic support, access to resources, technical help, and more. Students are welcome and encouraged to use the Media Center throughout the school day on individual passes, with their classes, and during STAR.

The following items are disruptive and may interfere with the learning climate at our school. The following items are not allowed at school:

• Dangerous object such as knives, spike wristbands, sharp objects, lighters, matches, laser pens, or any device which can harm people
• Items of distraction such as toys, water guns, whistles, balloons, stink bombs, confetti, offensive spray, permanent markers, etc.
• Illegal chemicals including tobacco, vapes, drugs and alcohol
• Due to the increased reports of student allergies to latex balloons, RAMS students and families are asked to not bring latex balloons to school.

Students are not permitted to bring students from other schools with them to visit for the day, unless students are in an approved student exchange program. This includes lunch as well as after school athletics and activities.

An adminstrator will determine whether individual student absences are excused or unexcused. Generally, an excused absence is one where a parent/guardian communicates with the school about the absence and the absence is for illness, family emergency, medical appointments, special family trips, or official school business. An unexcused absence may include, but is not limited to; missing the bus, oversleeping, or truancy. 

Families must call the attendance office at 651-482-5281 when a student will be absent. Voicemail will be on from 7 – 9 a.m. each day. To talk to a person directly during that time, you may call 651-482-5280 after 7:30 a.m. If families are unable to call, the student needs to bring a note from a parent/guardian to the attendance office the morning they return to school. The school may request a physician’s verification of illness for excessive absences if deemed necessary. 

Students are expected to arrive at school on time. All late students must check in at the attendance office when arriving to school. If a student is late the school must have a note or a call from a parent/guardian as to a reason for the absence/tardy. When students need to leave school early due to an appointment, etc., they must bring a note from a parent/guardian to the attendance office before school starts. They will be given a pass to leave class and must sign out in the attendance office when leaving. 

Students are also expected to be in each class throughout the day on time.  Students have four minutes to move from one class to the next. 

Any student who is moving out of the Roseville Area School District should report to the Attendance Office accompanied by his/her parent/guardian prior to moving. A clearance form, signed by teachers who will check in materials and sign and post the current grade of the student, needs to be completed and turned in to the Attendance Office before the student leaves school.

Each school in Roseville Area Schools has a health office staffed by a health assistant under the supervision of the licensed school nurse. The school health office functions to support students who become ill or injured during the school day, administer medications to students who require it, and provide assistance to students who need support with the management of chronic health conditions at school.

You are encouraged to contact the licensed school nurse if your student has a chronic health condition requiring management during the school day, or if you have a question regarding your student’s health.

If your student becomes ill or seriously injured at school and it is necessary for them to go home, you or your designated emergency contact person will be contacted by the Health Office to pick up your student. Students who are 18 or older may sign themselves out at the discretion of school staff.

Please notify the school office immediately each time your phone numbers or emergency contact names/numbers change, or update them in ParentVue (CLICK HERE). We depend on you for this information and we need to be able to reach you quickly in case your student is ill or injured. If we cannot reach you or your emergency contacts, we may call 911 or contact the police. Students are not allowed to call parents from a classroom to request permission to go home. 

Not every health office visit will be reported home. You are encouraged to call your school health office with any questions.

The following will help you decide whether your child is too sick and should stay home from school.

• If your child has a fever of 100 degrees or more, they should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal and remains normal without fever-reducing medication.
• If your child has vomited or has diarrhea, they should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
• If your child had any rash that may be disease-related or the cause is unknown, check with your healthcare provider before sending them back to school.

If your child is ill, please call the school to report the absence each day of the illness. If you have questions regarding your child's illness, please call your school nurse or healthcare provider.

For students with health conditions that require medication during the school day, parents/guardian-provided medication is administered by the licensed school nurse, or by the health assistant or other staff under the direction and supervision of the licensed school nurse. There is no school supply of medication.

For the protection of students, families, and school personnel:

• A new medication permission form is required each and every school year.
• All medications needed during the school day are stored in the health office. Medications required in other programs or outside the normal school day hours are stored in a secure location in that program’s area.
• If there are concerns about any student medication, the licensed school nurse may contact the health care provider and/or request a healthcare provider’s order for an over-the-counter medication.
• Medications prescribed for more than two (2) weeks and which must be taken at school must have the “Dispensation of Medication” form signed by the prescribing provider and the parent/guardian. For over the counter medications, a parent’s signature only is required.
• Medication prescribed for less than two (2) weeks requires written permission from the parent/guardian only.
• All medications must be in original containers labeled with all of the following: student’s full name, medication name, dose, and times of day to take medication.
• Students are not allowed to self-administer medication without approval from the licensed school nurse, parent/guardian approval, and health care provider signature (for prescription medication).
• At the end of the school year medications will be sent home with students unless otherwise indicated. Return of controlled medications (e.g. ADHD medications) will be coordinated with families. 

Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the licensed school nurse at the child’s school to discuss any concerns or special needs, or to request assistance in obtaining required authorization from their healthcare provider.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications will be stored in a locked cabinet in the Health Office. Emergency medications (e.g., asthma inhalers, seizure medications, epinephrine pens) will be stored in an unlocked cabinet for easy access in the event of an emergency.

Roseville Area Schools are allergy aware and strive to provide a safe school environment for students with life threatening allergies. Please provide an anaphylaxis action plan each school year, or every 12 months. To plan accommodations specific to your student, please contact the Licensed School Nurse.

Minnesota law requires students to be immunized against certain diseases or have a signed, legal medical or conscientious exemption kept in the student health record. These requirements apply to all students whether they attend public schools, private schools, or home schools. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the school health office in order for the student to enroll or remain enrolled. If a parent or guardian objects to immunizations for either medical or personal reasons, a notarized statement is needed on the Student Immunization form. The notarized statement specifies the immunization(s) the child will not be receiving. Download the form here, or contact the health office for information about obtaining a medical or conscientious exemption.

Licensed school nurses conduct vision and hearing screening at school in alignment with the recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Teachers may identify a student who appears to struggle to see and then can request that the student is screened. Parent/guardians may also contact their licensed school nurse and request screening for their child.

Schoolwide screening provided in select grades, as recommended by MDH, are a way to identify students who may need glasses. Students may also be screened as part of a school special education evaluation. Often individuals are not aware that they are struggling to see details at a distance, so screening is helpful to identify those who should follow up with their healthcare provider.

Health screenings that licensed school nurses can provide at school include: 

• Distance vision acuity
• Close vision acuity
• Spot Vision Screener that can identify several different vision conditions
• Eye muscle balance for lazy eye (amblyopia) (for preschool to grade 1)
• Color vision deficiency 
• Hearing

When a student’s ability to attend school is interrupted by major illness or injury, they may become eligible for homebound instruction when the length of absence is anticipated to be fifteen or more school days. The application for homebound instruction is made through the school nurse. Allotted time is one hour per day for each day missed. When students have an extended illness that does not qualify for homebound instruction, they may request homework from teachers through the nurse or student support services.

Students getting breakfast in the cafeteria should go directly to the cafeteria upon arrival at school through the doors by the bus drop off sidewalk. Pick up breakfast items, get a pass (if after 8:03 a.m.), quickly drop off backpack and jacket, and head to class.

Everyone is expected to leave their eating area clean. It is your responsibility to follow cafeteria rules, including cleaning up and removing your tray and food before you go to your class. Failure to adhere to expectations could result in removal of cafeteria privileges, assigned seating, lunch detention, etc.