LMS Student School Handbook

Lionville Middle School

550 West Uwchlan Avenue
Exton, PA 19341
610-524-6300
www.dasd.org
www.lm.dasd.org
Twitter: @DASD_LMS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dasdlms

Notification of Rights Under FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over eighteen years of age ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. Please review Board Policy 216-AG-3 on our website regarding the sharing of student directory information. If you would like to opt-out your child, you must notify the school district in writing by September 30, 2024. Please email or mail all requests to opt-out directly to your child's school. For more information on how to opt-out your student, please see our Communications page.

Doors Open for Parent Drop-off
7:40 A.M.

Regular School Day Bell Schedule
8:00 A.M. - 2:45 P.M.

Two-Hour Early Dismissal
8:00 A.M. - 12:45 P.M.

Two-Hour Delayed Opening
(usually weather related)
10:00 A.M. - 2:45 P.M.

Advisory: 2:13 – 2:45

Dismissal:

  2:45: 1st wave bus dismissal
                 2:49: Car line and walkers dismissal
     2:53: 2nd wave bus dismissal 

Dear LMS Families:

Welcome to Lionville Middle School! The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with information about our school. If you cannot find the answers to your questions in this booklet, please do not hesitate to contact us via phone or email.

We encourage all students and parents to familiarize themselves with the information in this handbook. This will enable our staff to focus on the educational process. The various rules, regulations, and guidelines of the school are presented to establish a positive, orderly, and nurturing school environment that is geared towards developing the whole child.

The Lionville Middle School staff will strive to provide an individually responsive learning environment. The student body and staff are divided into houses and subsequent teams, which accommodate individual needs, interests and abilities. Houses consist of 7th and 8th grade teams. Teams consist of teachers, a school counselor and assistant principal who collaborate to assist students in achieving rigorous and relevant learning goals.

On behalf of the administration, faculty, and staff of Lionville Middle School, we wish you a successful school year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jonathan Ross
Principal
JRoss@dasd.org

Any student who is injured on the way to school, in school or on the way home from school should immediately notify the nurse's office or the teacher in charge at the time of the injury.

It is strongly recommended that parents consider purchasing school insurance if adequate family insurance is not available to cover accidents and/or injuries. School insurance application forms are available at the beginning of each school year.

Students may purchase insurance through the school. Two types of insurance coverage are available: coverage only during the school day or twenty-four hour coverage.

All students participating in any interscholastic sport must be covered by the student accident insurance or provide evidence of satisfactory coverage. Student insurance forms can be obtained from the office. Parents must pay the cost of this insurance. Each student who makes the interscholastic team will be assessed an activity fee prior to the start of the season. All athletes are required to have a physical examination that is dated after July 1 of the active school year, and have a the P.I.A.A. athletic packet fully completed by their medical practitioner and loaded into ArbiterSports. The LMS Athletics page has all needed links. 

LMS offers the following sports for 7th & 8th grade female students:
Cross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer, Volleyball, Cheerleading, Basketball, Softball, Lacrosse, Track-Field

LMS offers the following sports for 7th & 8th grade male students:
Cross Country, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball, Lacrosse, Track-Field

Eligibility for Interscholastic Sports – At LMS, our student-athletes recognize that their first responsibility is to academics. They know that success on the field depends on success in the classroom.

1. Student athletes failing two or more classes (of any kind) as of each Friday during the marking period will be academically ineligible for the following week (Sunday through Saturday).
2. Student athletes failing two or more classes (of any kind) during the previous semester will result in the loss of eligibility for the first twenty school days of the next marking period. Ineligibility days begin from the date that report cards are issued.
3. The Athletic Director and Principal/Assistant Principal will make all eligibility determinations in accordance with the PIAA and Downingtown Area School District academic policy.

Reporting Absences

When a student is absent from school for any reason, an excuse note must be submitted within 3 days of the absence. An excuse note may be submitted in person by submitting a note signed by your parent/guardian that includes the student's name, grade, and reason for the absence. Excuse notes may also be electronically submitted using the Attendance e-mail address for your school:
LM_Attendance@dasd.org

Excessive Absences:

The district’s Home & School Visitor and building administrator(s) will review students’ attendance records. Due to the signing of Act 138 by Governor Wolf in November 2016, the following changes have been implemented by DASD:

1. Parents of a student who has accumulated 3 unexcused or illegal absences will be notified by letter of the school’s concern regarding the student’s attendance. This letter will be a warning that a meeting will be required when a student accumulates 6 unexcused or illegal absences.
2. If a student accumulates 6 unexcused or illegal absences, a School Attendance Improvement Plan (SAIP) meeting will be scheduled by school administration.
3. It is imperative that an excuse note is submitted within 3 days of the student’s return to school. If an excuse note is not submitted within that time frame or if an excuse is provided that is not one of the 8 reasons for an acceptable excuse, the absence(s) will remain illegal or unexcused.

Homelessness: 

In 1987, Congress passed the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, (subsequently renamed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act) to aid homeless persons. The Act defines the term "homeless children and youths" as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. On December 10, 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was enacted, amending McKinney-Vento. Categories of children who are "homeless" and entitled to the protections of the federal law are as follows:

1. children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals;
2. children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
3. children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings;
4. “migratory children” who qualify as homeless under federal law because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii) above. The term "migratory children" means children who are (or whose parent(s) or spouse(s) are) migratory agricultural workers, including migratory dairy workers or migratory fishermen, and who have moved from one school district to another in the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain (or accompany such parents or spouses in order to obtain) temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural or fishing work; and
5. "Unaccompanied homeless youth" including any child who is "not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian." This includes youth who have run away from home, been thrown out of their home, been abandoned by parents or guardians, or separated from their parents for any other reason.

If you believer that you fall under one of the above mentioned categories of children who are "homeless" and entitled to the protections of the federal law, contact your school counselor or the district’s Home and School Visitor / Homeless Student Liaison.

(Basic Education Circular, December 2016)

Bicycles need to be locked to the bicycle racks outside the school. The school does not assume responsibility for student bicycles.

Knowing that it is likely that many families have decided to purchase smartphones for their middle school aged children, we have developed a plan that provides access to such devices multiple times during the day while still honoring the DASD Code of Student Conduct and District Policy #237.

Students are permitted to bring their personal devices to school, however they must be left in the student’s locker during classes. Students are permitted to check their smartphones when they visit their locker between classes. They are also permitted to bring their smartphones to the cafeteria during lunch. Smartphones must be returned to the student locker at the conclusion of lunch.

Additionally, as per District Policy students are prohibited from photographing, or recording (audio or video) via electronic devices during the instructional day in district buildings, on district property, and when engaged in a school-sponsored activity.

If students fail to use their smartphones properly and in accordance with the District and School policies, consequences will be administered as per the DASD Student Code of Conduct. For the first offense of using the device improperly, a student will have their phone confiscated and returned to them at the conclusion of the day. For any additional offenses phones will be confiscated and returned only to a parent/guardian with the possibility of school-based discipline resulting from the seriousness of the infraction. Multiple infractions could lead to loss of permission to have a smartphone at school.

Students having a medical or emergency need to have a smartphone in their possession during the school day, will be considered on a case by case basis by the school administration. This permission can only be granted by a school principal or assistant principal.

Students should be aware that incidents of bullying or harassment will be taken very seriously by the staff at LMS. Any students who are the victim of bullying or who witness what they believe to be bullying taking place, are encouraged to report what they witnessed to any adult in the school.

Any incidents reported will be addressed according to the DASD Discrimination/Title IX Sexual Harassment Affecting Students: Policy 103 and /or Bullying/Cyberbullying: Policy 249.

• Procedures for Violating Bus Regulations

Bus drivers will notify the school authorities of any infraction of these rules. Normally for the first infraction, a warning letter will be sent home with the student. If the first infraction (e.g., smoking or physical violence) is serious enough, a student could be removed from the bus without a first warning.

• Late Arrival Morning Bus Procedures

If your bus arrives late to school, but before the homeroom period has ended, students are to report directly to homeroom. A school-wide announcement will inform homeroom teachers not to mark you late to class. If your bus should arrive after the homeroom period has ended, report to the main office.

• Afternoon Bus Procedures

There will be two dismissals (waves) for afternoon bus dismissal. Please consult the school schedule for times.

It is important to the health, safety, and welfare of each student that the school be notified as soon as an address or telephone number has changed during the school year. Please direct your calls to the School Counseling secretary. Please note that all address changes must be recorded with DASD central registration.

• Students willfully causing or attempting to cause damage to school property may be referred for civil prosecution.
• Unreasonable damage to textbooks will require restitution.
• Textbooks lost for any reason must be paid for and replaced immediately.
• All payments for damages will be made at the Main Office.

1. Detentions are held from one to three hours and are assigned by a building administrator.
2. Students must come prepared with enough learning materials to keep them actively working for the entire detention hall period.
3. There is no eating, sleeping, or drinking in detention hall. Students may not cause a disturbance or communicate with each other in any way.

Before the beginning of each school year, the School Board approves the Code of Student Conduct. A copy of the Code of Student Conduct can be found on our district website, www.dasd.org. Students are responsible to read the Code and to be knowledgeable about its contents.

Students are expected to make responsible choices within the DASD Code of Student Conduct regarding clothing for the school day or whenever representing Lionville Middle School. Students making inappropriate choices will be asked to change their clothing. The supervision and enforcement of these guidelines will be the responsibility of the professional staff.

An elevator is available for student use when the office grants prior approval. In order to obtain this approval, a student must present a written request from a doctor. This request must state the reason(s) for elevator usage and the approximate length of time that the student will need to use the elevator. Please see a secretary in the main office or the nurse to use the elevator.

The purpose of school counseling services is to assist students in their social, educational, and personal development. In addition, the school counselors help students to adjust to middle school life.

Our guidance counselors are especially trained to help young people in viewing their problems clearly and in taking appropriate steps toward workable solutions. Counselors are available from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. To schedule an appointment with a guidance counselor, please refer to the Lionville Middle School Counseling page or call the LMS Counseling Office at (610) 524-6300 x36030. 

In addition to the counseling services, the School Counseling Department is also responsible for standardized tests, collecting and interpreting educational and occupational information, and maintaining student records.

Withdrawal Procedures:
When moving from the district, please give at least one week's notice to the Lionville Middle School Counseling Office (610) 524-6300 x36030. Adequate notice is necessary to complete withdrawal forms and to prepare your child's school records. School issued electronic devices must be returned before withdrawal of your student.

The purpose of the Home & School Association is to improve communication between home and school. The Home & School invites and welcomes all LMS parents to attend their meetings, which are listed on the Lionville Middle School website.

Homework is defined as any assignment for reinforcement/introduction of concepts already covered in the classroom and for preparation of new material. Homework is to be completed by the student during classroom study time or outside the regular classroom without the direct supervision of the teacher.
Teacher/student/caregiver interaction and cooperation are essential for successful homework completion. The final responsibility, however, for homework completion rests with the student.

The Downingtown Area School District believes homework and other related out of school activities are important to the educational development of its students. The District further believes all homework activities should be well planned and appropriate to students' needs, capabilities, and interests. Homework should be an integral part of every subject; however, responsibility and flexibility rests with the individual teacher. While the teacher is responsible for identifying goals, preparing assignments, and giving prompt comments and criticism of completed work, the students and parents must assume final responsibility for homework completion. Cooperation and communication between home and school are essential to a successful program.

Teachers use Schoology for their homework and other related class information. Students have been instructed on how to access Schoology. Parents may set up an account linked to their student via www.Schoology.com.

A copy of the Drug and Alcohol Policy is contained in the District Code of Student Conduct and can be found on our school website or in each school's Backpack page. Students are responsible to read the Code and to be knowledgeable about its contents.

The Library is open throughout the day for student class use. Library materials are selected in many formats including books, magazines, newspapers, e-books, Playaways, online databases, and internet site selection aides. In addition, the library staff will be happy to assist you in borrowing items from over 2700 Pennsylvania libraries by using the Access Pennsylvania resource sharing network. The library collection can be accessed from any computer or laptop with Internet access by visiting the library link on the school web site.

Each student will be assigned a locker. Students may go to their lockers before school, before and after their assigned lunch period and after school. You must obtain a pass from a teacher if you need to use your hall locker at any other time.

Use only the locker assigned to you by your homeroom teacher. Keep it locked at all times. Do not give your combination to other students or place your belongings in another student's locker. Do not tamper with another student’s locker. Periodic checks by homeroom teachers and the principal will be made to ensure that lockers are neat and orderly. School authorities, with the assistance of police personnel, may conduct individual, random or school-wide searches using a drug-detection dog or by other methods.

Students will not be assigned a gym locker for Physical Education class as there is no requirement to change clothing. If a student participates on an interscholastic sports team, it is the student's responsibility to secure their belongings. Students may use a personal lock on a gym locker during this time. However, this lock must be removed a the end of each day.

Lost and Found is located inside the cafetorium, gymnasium and in each hallway. Valuables such as electronic devices, glasses, purses, keys and jewelry may be claimed in the office.

Students who become ill during the school day should report to the nurse. To be admitted into the Nurse's Office, students must have a written pass from one of their teachers. If the nurse determines that the student should go home, the nurse will contact the parent, and then the student will be released from school on a nurse's permit. If the nurse is not in the Nurse's Office, students should report to the Main Office.

Law prohibits school nurses from diagnosing injuries or illness. Nursing service is limited to injuries and accidents, which occur either in school or going to or from school. The care of any injuries occurring elsewhere is the responsibility of the parent.

Non-prescription Medicine must be dispensed in the health room and accompanied by a note from the parent/caregiver. The medication must be in the original labeled package. All non-prescription meds will be dispensed according to the recommended dosage on package. Over the counter medication will only be given for a 5-day period.

Prescription Medication must be dispensed in the health room with a note from the health care provider and a note from parent/caregiver. The medication must be in the original pharmacy bottle. The label must include the child's name, physician's name, date, drug name, dose and directions for use.

Throughout the year, all students’ progress is available via the Schoology page assigned to each course. Parents should monitor periodically their child's progress and if any concerns arrive, reach out to that teacher via email or contact their child's guidance counselor.

If students have a medical excuse from their doctor, they will be excused from class for the dates noted on the medical excuse. Students excused for an extended period of time for medical reasons verified by their physicians will be assigned to an adaptive physical education curriculum.

Students are promoted to the next grade if they pass all academic subjects. Students who fail two or more academic subjects or the equivalent must repeat one of the courses the following academic year. A student may receive credit for subjects failed by satisfactorily completing an approved summer school program. This would allow the student to move to the next grade. The expense of summer school and/or tutoring belongs to parents/guardians.

Honor Roll Qualifications

Students earn placement on one of the Honor Rolls by meeting these criteria:

Textbooks:
Textbooks are issued in usable condition. Students are expected to cover all textbooks. Reasonable damage is expected as a result of daily use; however, unreasonable damage will result in fines. Students must pay for all lost or defaced books. 

Obligations:
An obligation is a debt owed to the school by a student for a variety of reasons, such as unpaid cafeteria charges, library fines, lost or damaged textbooks, unreturned athletic uniforms, or locker locks. Students are expected to fulfill all obligations immediately upon notification from the teacher. Students will be banned from participating in any school activity (sports, dances, concerts, etc.) until all obligations are met.

S.A.S. is a district-wide secondary level program providing assistance to troubled students and their families by encouraging healthy coping alternatives. The S.A.S. team is composed of faculty members who have a special ability in relating to young people and who have expressed an interest in helping students deal with personal problems. In addition, members of the S.A.S. team have taken special training to assist them in providing these services to students. To contact any S.A.S. member, talk with your teacher or stop at the Counseling Office.

During very inclement weather, it may be necessary to either delay the opening of school or cancel school completely for the day. In addition to being parents/caregivers being notified via phone blast (Emergency School Notification System) Information regarding Late openings or school closings can be found on:

• Our DASD App
• Broadcast over radio stations 1060/KYW, and 1520/WCHE between 6:30 A.M.. and 8:00 A.M.
• NBC10/CBS3/Fox News
• District website at www.dasd.org
• District Social media platforms; Facebook/Twitter

All visitors should report directly to the Main Office/Lobby. A valid picture ID/drivers license is required to proceed any where other than the office. The office will issue a visitor’s pass and direct the visitor to the appropriate location.

Chapter 15 Annual Notice

Downingtown Area School District

Annual Notice to Parents