Handbook For Student Success

General School Information

School Colors: Blue and Silver

School Mascot: Spartan

Office Staff

Randy Bennion	Principal
Joel Winkler	Assistant Principal
Justin Bassett	Counselor
Jared Smith	Counselor
Nicole Nelson	Counselor
Melanie Francis	Counselor
Maria Hunsaker	Aware Counselor
Dycie Leishman	Head Administrative Secretary
Debbie Salvesen	Lunch Secretary
Jody Stout	Attendance Secretary
Rex Bailey	Head Custodian
Carrie Selvage	Lunch Manager

 

School Hours

Monday-Thursday	8:00 A.M. to 2:45 P.M.
Friday	8:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.

 

Parent Teacher Conferences

• October 2: 3:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.
• October 3: 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.
• January 15: 3:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.
• January 16: 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.
• April 19: 3:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.
• April 10: 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.

Trimester Dates

• 1st Trimester: August 20 - November 13
• 2nd Trimester: November 17 - February 26
• 3rd Trimester: March 2 - May 29

No School On

• September 2: Labor Day
• October 17 & 18: Fall Break
• November 18: Trimester Transition
• November 27-29: Thanksgiving Break
• December 13: District Professional Development
• December 23 -January 1: Christmas Break
• January 20: Martin Luth King Jr. Day
• February 17: Presidents Day
• February 28: Trimester Transition
• March 31-April 4: Spring Break
• May 26: Memorial Day

Website

Individual teacher email addresses, school calendar, student handbook and other school news can be found on the school website: www.ccsdut.org/southcache

 

Communication between the home and school is extremely important and we make our best efforts to keep everyone informed.  Parents can use email to reach teachers individually or can call the main office with any questions.  We will not interrupt teachers while teaching, but we will deliver messages for them to call as soon as they can.  We ask parents to please make sure they have set up their communication preferences in PowerSchool so that they will receive emails and text messages from the school.  The majority of information we send out will be through these two communication types.  Parents can expect to receive a monthly newsletter via email and our website is updated regularly with the most to date information.  Please do not rely on unofficial social media posts as your only way of receiving information about our school

Parents can have access to their students’ accounts through the parent portal on PowerSchool. If you have not already done so, you can create an account at: https://powerschool.ccsdut.org/public. If you are a parent of multiple students, you can link your account to all of your students in one convenient place. Teachers rely heavily on PowerSchool as their main communication tool with parents regarding student performance. If you did not use PowerSchool much in elementary school, you will need to become familiar with it moving forward into middle school and high school.

Canvas also gives parents the ability to follow their students’ accounts as an observer. To do this you must first create a parent account and then link to your student’s account as an observer. This is done through the “Pair With Observer” function found within your student’s Canvas account. When your student selects the Pair With Observer button in their account, Canvas will provide a code that you can use in your parent account to make the link. Once you are an observer, you can use your parent Canvas account to see all of the same modules, tests, assignments that your student sees.

	Safe	Caring	High Levels of Learning
Hallway	Walk Hands and feet to self Watch for hazards Use caution around doorways Keep food and drinks out of the hallways	Share the space Look out for others Throw away trash Use indoor voices Report any spills or issues to the office	Keep lockers organized Walk from class to class with purpose Be on time Bring what you need for class
Classroom	Follow teacher directions Hands and feet to self Sit in assigned seats	Help those around you Use kind words Be considerate Let others pay attention	Arrive on time Complete assignments Try your best Ask for help when you need it
Cafeteria	Walk Hands and feet to self Keep food where it belongs Keep high traffic areas clear Gather in approved areas	Wait in line Allow others to sit with you Share the space Use indoor voices Avoid messes and report spills	Eat nutritious foods for brain power Finish early and get ready for class Use Lunch Time Learning when assigned
Media Center	Walk Use the front doors Hands and feet to self Follow teacher directions	Check out books before taking them Return books on time Be respectful of others Ask for help when needed	Be respectful of presenters Try a new book Use good research methods
Gym	Follow teacher directions Keep cell phones out of locker rooms Play safe to stay safe Put equipment away properly	Let everyone play Avoid trash talking Encourage others	Learn the rules of the game Try new sports Practice unfamiliar skills
Bus	Follow the bus driver's instructions Stay in your assigned seat Keep hands and feet to self Cross in front of the bus	Be considerate of those around you Let others site with you Help those around you Use electronics that don't disturb others	Do your homework on the way home Study with a neighbor Ask your neighbor about something they learned today

While it is important for schools to enforce rules in the classroom and elsewhere on campus, it is equally important to recognize all of the great things that our students do everyday. There are far, far more students choosing to conduct themselves in positive ways than the very few who choose to run afoul of the rules.

We have several systems in place to try to ensure we put our focus on those students who do everything they can to make South Cache a Safe School, With Caring Individuals, and High Levels of Learning.

Spartan Way Tickets
Teachers can recognize students in their classes who do great things by giving them a Spartan Way ticket to enter into our daily drawings. When students bring their tickets to the office to enter the drawing they get to exchange their ticket for a small piece of candy (Jolly Rancher, Laughy Taffy, etc.).

Daily Spartan Way Drawing
Each day during our morning announcements we draw out 3 winners from our Spartan Way tickets. Each winner’s name is announced for the whole school to hear as well as the name of the teacher who gave the student the ticket and the reason they were given the ticket. Daily drawing winners are brought to the office where they can choose from a selection of $5 gift cards to local businesses.

Spartan Coins
Teachers and staff can recognize a student immediately for something awesome they have seen the student do by giving that student a Spartan Coin. Coins can be exchanged for a candy bar in the office.

No Missing Mondays
Each Monday we roll the dice over our morning announcements to select a class period for our No Missing Mondays recognition. Students with no missing work in the selected class period earn a small candy reward (Jolly Rancher, Laughy Taffy, etc.)

No Missing Work Drawing
Every other week we hold our No Missing Work Drawing. During our advisory period, students receive a raffle ticket for each class that they have no missing work. Students can receive as many as 6 tickets for the drawing. On Fridays we draw 20+ names of students to recognize over the intercom during our daily announcements and those students can come down to the office to claim a candy bar.

Students of the Month
Each month teachers are able to nominate students in both 7th and 8th grade for Student of the Month. Those nominations are then presented to the entire staff for a vote. Students who are selected for the Student of the Month have their names read over the morning announcements for the whole school to hear and the paragraph from the nominating teacher is also read. Student of the Month receive a prize package and have their pictures displayed on our digital bulletin board in the lobby for the entire month.

Low Tardy Party
Students who are able to arrive to class punctually all trimester are recognized at our Low Tardy Party at the end of both 1st and 2nd trimesters. We celebrate in the cafeteria with music, treats, and prizes.

Honor Rolls Breakfast
Students who make the Honor Roll are recognized at our Honor Rolls Breakfast at the end of both 1st and 2nd trimesters. We celebrate with a cinnamon roll breakfast in the cafeteria.

4.0 Pizza Party
Students who achieve a 4.0 GPA for their final grades of the trimester are recognized at our 4.0 Pizza Party and the end of both 1st and 2nd trimesters. We celebrate with pizza in the cafeteria.

Super HERO
Each trimester we set schoolwide academic goals for students to reach. Students who reach those goals qualify for our Super HERO activity which is an extended HERO hour with additional enrichment activities like dances, movies, field games, etc.

Students at South Cache Middle School should adhere to the dress code guidelines set forth by the Cache County Board of Education. A copy of the board policy is included in the appendix. It is not our intent to embarrass or single out students for their attire. We seek to ensure an educational environment free from undue distractions. We also have the responsibility to prepare our students for a future workforce where certain expectations of dress are still expected in most professions. As such, we encourage all of our students to dress in an appropriately professional manner that supports these two goals and also allows ample room for the personal expression that young teens crave.

• Students should be clean and well groomed
• Shoes or sandals must be worn at all times while on campus
• Hats should not be worn inside school buildings during school hours
• Clothes need to cover underwear at all times
• See-through or net fabrics, halter-tops, off-the-shoulder or low-cut tops, bare midriffs, and muscle shirts are prohibited
• Shorts and skirts should be nearer the knee
• Any item of apparel that promotes the following should not be worn to school:
  • Crude, profane, or sexually suggestive messages
  • Drug, alcohol, or tobacco products, advertising, etc.
  • Racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice
  • Represents or gives evidence of gang membership or affiliation
• Metal accessories that present a hazard to health and safety of others should not be brought to school

If a student chooses to wear clothing to school that distracts from the learning environment, the student will call a parent to bring appropriate clothing, be sent home to change (with parental permission), or wear clothing provided by the school. Should the student violate the dress code again, the school administration will contact a parent/guardian. Inappropriate items at school may be confiscated. South Cache is not responsible for any item(s) lost or stolen.

As per Utah law, cell phones are not allowed during instructional time. Students who chose to bring with them to school cellular phones and other electronic devices distracting to the educational environment,  are expected to store those devices in lockers or participate in our schoolwide cell phone pouch system in all of our classrooms. Upon entering the classroom, students are asked to place their phones in the assigned pouch for the duration of the class period, including bathroom breaks. Students may also be asked to place other electronic devices that create a distraction, such as AirPods, in their pouches. All items should be retrieved from the pouch at the end of the class period. Students who are uncomfortable storing their phones in the classroom pouches can be assigned a pouch in the office where they can store their devices for the day. A copy of the district policy regarding cell phones is included in the appendix.

Students who continue to inappropriately use phones during school may work with teachers and administration in the following ways to limit classroom distractions:

• Phones used during class should be taken by the teacher and brought to the office where students can pick them up at the end of the day.
• Students that continue to have problems with phone usage may have their phones kept in the office until a parent/guardian can collect the phone during school hours.
• In a few cases, students will not be allowed to attend school with any kind of electronic device.

Students who bring any personal electronic devices, including cell phones, to school do so at their own risk and the school assumes no liability for those items.

As educators who are also working parents, we understand the convenience that a cell phone brings when contacting our children. It is not our intent to limit any parent’s access to their child. With a pouch system, students can still contact parents between classes. In cases of emergency, contact should be made through the office regardless of where the student’s cell phone is stored. In rare cases where students have to monitor medical devices through apps on their cell phones, arrangements should be made through the office to take care of those unique scenarios. We wish to make contact between parents and children as simple as possible while helping children, parents, and teachers to limit the distractions causing real harm to the education of our students.

We believe that a schoolwide approach will help clarify the expectations we have as a school community that students should be using this short time in their lives spent in school focused on gaining an education.

Utah State Law requires that all student age children attend school and regular attendance is absolutely necessary for students to learn and succeed in school. Every student should strive to be at school at least 90% of the time. This equates to no more than 6 absences per trimester–verified or unverified. Research shows that attendance at levels below 90% begins to negatively impact the academic success of the student. While you are required to be in school every day, there may be illnesses or special emergencies that will require you to be absent from school. When these kinds of absences occur, parents need to call the school as soon as possible to verify the absence. Our attendance secretary may call parents to verify the legitimacy of any absence.

Procedures

• School attendance is the responsibility of the student and parent.
• Absences should be verified by parent/guardian within 5 school days by calling 435-245-6433
• Make-up work is the responsibility of the student to complete and can usually be obtained through their Canvas account. In cases where assignments do not appear in Canvas it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with their teacher to get the assignments they missed while absent.
• Family vacations of any extended time will be accepted and should be pre-approved. Pre-approved vacation days are treated as verified absences and the student is responsible for all coursework missed.

Interventions

• Attendance below 90%: Attendance letter will be sent home from the attendance secretary
• Attendance below 80%: Students may be contacted by their counselors and contact may be made with parents either through counselors or parent liaison to seek understanding and offer solutions
• Significant Attendance Problems: Students with significant, continued attendance issues may be required to meet with parents and South Cache administration to discuss next steps.

Illnesses at School

Students who are not feeling well should report to the office and will be referred to the school health aide. Arrangements with parents will be made to pick up the student if necessary. Ill students need to go home as soon as possible. If a parent is unable to be reached, the student’s emergency contacts will be notified. No medication will be given at school without a completed medical disbursement form and approval of school nurses. Please update guardian and emergency phone numbers in PowerSchool.

If a student is sick with any of the following symptoms they should be kept at home until they are symptom free for 24 hours:

• Fever at 100.4 or above
• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Muscle aches and pain
• Shortness of Breath
• Reduced sense of taste or smell

Make-up Work During Absences

Making up work missed during an absence is the responsibility of the student. There will be no penalty for missing school if an excuse is verified by a parent, however, the responsibility remains on the student to complete work. All work, not only missing assignments will be found on CANVAS. If you are unable to get all the information you need, please contact the teacher. Students are responsible for making up the work and returning it to their teachers in a timely manner

It is important for students to arrive to class on-time and prepared for learning. Tardies are short absences from class that can add up to serious loss of educational time over the course of the year. Fair or not, consistently arriving late sends a nonverbal message to all that you just aren’t that serious about school. Tardiness also creates a distraction to the other students in the classroom who have arrived on-time and are already engaged in their learning tasks. Tardiness takes away valuable time from teachers, other students, and the tardy student as instructions are given or concepts are retaught. Students should make every effort to arrive to class on time. South Cache administration will work with teachers and students who are habitually late to class to offer solutions for improved attendance. Students who are habitually late may be required to attend mandatory parent meetings with administrators. In extreme cases students may be required to complete a tardy packet at home before being allowed to return to school.

At South Cache, we use a digital hall pass system to make sure we can accurately account for our students during the day. Parents and teachers generally have the same expectations that when students are at school, they should be in class learning, not meeting up to hang out with their friends in the bathrooms. At times it is entirely appropriate and acceptable for students to ask to be excused from class to take care of necessary functions. Each teacher can determine the appropriate times for bathroom breaks within their class structure to maximize learning. We ask teachers to follow best practices and only allow one student at a time to leave class with a hall pass. Students with medical conditions should work with their counselor or with the school nurses to make sure any necessary accommodations are made. In cases of emergency, teachers may release students to use the restroom. Students who have daily emergencies may need to meet with parents and administrators to determine what necessary next steps should be taken to ensure the student’s health and safety while at school.

Any visitors to the school are required to check-in/sign-in with the office. Students are not allowed to bring friends or relatives to school to attend classes with them.

According to Utah law, middle schools, like elementary schools, are closed campuses and students may not leave the school grounds for any reason or at any time during the school, including lunch, without permission from the office. If it is necessary for a student to leave school, a parent/legal guardian or an authorized representative found in the student’s emergency contacts must come to the office to check the student out. A student who leaves campus without permission is considered truant and will be referred to the administration. Students who arrive late to school, or are returned to school after being checked-out, must check into the office before attending class.

The use of a locker is provided for each student as a privilege and convenience for storing personal items. We are a public place and while it is rare to have problems, it is the responsibility of each individual to secure their personal property. Even though we may try to assist, the school is not liable for lost, broken, or stolen possessions that students choose to bring with them.. Lockers should be kept neat and clean. Please keep your locker locked at all times and NEVER let others have access to your locker or locker combination.

Breakfast and lunch are served each day in the cafeteria. Breakfast costs $1.75 and lunch costs $2.35 per day. As usual, free and reduced cost waivers are available. A la carte is not included in the free and reduced lunch program. Ala carte items are charged on a per item basis. If a student would like to purchase a second meal, they can do so for an additional price of $1.75 for a second breakfast meal and $4.00 for a second lunch. Students and parents should work together to make sure that lunch balances are current and that students are purchasing appropriate meals.

Lunch Card/Student ID

Each student is provided with a Lunch Card/Student ID to begin the year. To help facilitate the lines and get everyone their meals faster, it is very important for students to bring their lunch cards to the cafeteria to scan for their lunches. If students wish to purchase a la carte items which are charged separately, they must have a lunch card. Students without a lunch card can still purchase a full lunch meal in the other three lunch lines by giving their last names to lunch workers at the computers used for check-out. If students have lost their lunch card, they can purchase a new card from the lunch secretary for $1.

Students who are assigned by their teachers to lunchtime learning (LTL) must attend when assigned or may be considered truant. LTL is intended to be a quick intervention to help students get caught-up on a specific assignment and is not a punishment. Students should be able to complete their task in one or two lunches and return to normal lunches with their friends as soon as the assignment is completed.

HERO Hour is a block of time that we have scheduled each day, Monday through Thursday, for intervention and reteaching.  It is held between our 5th and 6th hours and students rotate to a variety of teachers.  Students who are needing, or wanting, extra help in their classes work with teachers to catch-up on assignments, participate in learning opportunities, retake tests, and participate in extension activities.  Those who are not working with teachers on curriculum are able to attend enrichment classrooms.  This program allows teachers to have an impact on all students instead of limiting additional help to only those few who can spend time before or after school.

Managing the flexibility of HERO is a large task as 1,000+ students move around to different classrooms each day according to their needs.  To assist us in this task we are using an online program called Minga Flex Time. Flex Time will allow students to login to a web based program and select where they would like to go for HERO each day.  They can do this on a phone, tablet, or computer.  Teachers are able to use the same system to select students who need to come to their classrooms each day.  When a teacher requests a student for HERO, that request will supersede any requests the student may have made for the day.  Students will be trained on how to use this system before we start rotating for HERO.  

Students who have repeat issues attending their assigned HERO, or students who struggle to manage the Flex Time system on a regular basis may be assigned by South Cache administration to a permanent location for HERO each day.  Students who are failing classes each trimester may also be removed from the rotation system and assigned by South Cache administration to a permanent HERO location to receive more supervised help each day.

Advisory (ADV)

Because students will need to have access to Minga Flex Time each day to request their HERO or to find out which teacher has assigned them, we have built a 10 minute advisory into the schedule at the end of 2nd hour.  This will take place in the 2nd hour classroom, meaning students will not move anywhere between 2nd and ADV.  Students can access Flex Time on their personal devices, but ADV will allow all students an opportunity to use a school device to access the program.  It will be the teacher’s responsibility each day during ADV to make sure that all students have a HERO assignment for that day.

Students who are struggling behaviorally, academically, or emotionally may be assigned to work in our Refocus Room for a period of time. While in Refocus, students can work on past and current assignments with a teacher assigned to a small group of students. Refocus is intended to be a short-term solution to help students, who are not academically ready to engage in the regular classroom setting, find a way to re-engage in the learning process instead of being sent home. Refocus can be assigned by administrators, teachers in cooperation with administrators, or even requested by students in consultation with administrators.

I. Dress Code Policy

1. Purpose: The courts, state, and federal laws, as well as Cache County School District, require an atmosphere at school which provides for a safe, orderly, and disruption-free learning environment. The following dress code policy has been designed to support such an environment. Please remember that the dress code policy applies to all students whether attending school or any school function (as participant or member of the audience).
2. There appears to be a close relationship between good dress and grooming habits, good work and study habits, and proper school behavior. If clothing, hairstyle, or personal adornment is causing a disruption in school or at any school function, appropriate corrective action will be taken.
3. Disruption is defined as, but not limited to, reactions by other individuals to the clothing or adornment, which causes the teacher/administrator to lose the attention of the students, to modify or cease instructional activities, or to deal with student confrontations or complaints.
4. Responsibilities: Adherence to dress and grooming standards is the responsibility of the student and his/her parents/guardians. Enforcement of the school’s dress code and standards is the responsibility of the school administration, faculty, and staff. Students that do not comply with a teacher’s request will be referred to the school administration for corrective action.
5. Corrective actions for the violation of the dress code are listed in each school’s student handbook. Any item which violates the dress code may be confiscated and later returned to the student or parent by the school administration.
6. All schools are expected to enforce the following guidelines. Individual schools may add to this policy with School Board approval. It is recognized that activities may arise that call for variations; therefore, exceptions to this policy may be made for special occasions only when so designated by the school administration.
7. The Cache County School District has established the following guidelines to aid parents and students in selecting proper school attire:
   • Students should be clean and well groomed (hair, clothes, cosmetics). If safety is a factor, more stringent standards may be applied.
   • Shoes or sandals must be worn at all times while on campus.
   • Except for religious or medical purposes, hats, caps, and other head coverings shall not be worn or displayed inside school facilities during school hours.
   • Clothes shall sufficiently cover undergarments at all times.
   • See-through or net fabrics, halter-tops, off-the shoulder or low-cut tops, bare midriffs, and muscle shirts (sleeveless/bare midriff shirts) are prohibited.
   • Shorts and skirts should be worn nearer the knee.
   • Clothing, jewelry, personal items (backpacks/bags, binders, bandanas, etc.), and skin shall be free of writing, pictures, symbols, insignia, or color combinations which:
     • Communicate crude, profane, or sexually suggestive messages
     • Displays drug, alcohol, or tobacco advertising, promotion, or likenesses
     • Advocate racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice
     • Represent or give evidence to gang membership or affiliation
   • Metal accessories that present a hazard to the health or safety of the wearer or others are prohibited on school grounds.

I. Introduction

Cellular devices have become an important communication tool in our society. The Cache County School Board recognizes the value of these devices but also understands if used inappropriately, they can disrupt the learning environment. As such, the school board seeks to adopt a policy of acceptable use of cellular devices at school while also creating reasonable expectations for limits. Use of a cellular device falls under the following guidelines:

II. Elementary Schools K-6

A. Elementary students' cellular devices must be turned off from the first bell, and remain off until last bell during school hours. Communication with parents/guardians will be facilitated through the teacher or the central office of the school.

B. Wearable cellular devices may be worn as long as they do not create a distraction or a disruption during school hours.

C. Students who choose to bring cellular devices to school do so at their own risk. The school district assumes NO LIABILITY for lost, stolen or damaged devices.

III. Secondary Schools 7-12

A. Cellular devices must be on silent while on campus and remain on silent throughout the school day.

B. Cell phones are to be put away during class time unless authorized by a teacher. Teachers have the authority to allow or ban cellular device use during their respective class times. Students should never be disadvantaged or penalized in classroom settings for not having access to a cell phone.

C. Considerable leniency for cellular device use will be allowed in emergency situations. However, cellular device use should not interfere with the students' ability to follow directions or adhere to safety advisement from school personnel.

D. Wearable cellular devices may be worn as long as they do not create a distraction or a disruption during school hours.

E. Cellular cameras and audio recorders may only be used for specific educational benefits and only with prior permission of the teacher or administrator.

F. Students who choose to bring cellular devices to school do so at their own risk. The school district assumes NO LIABILITY for lost, stolen, or damaged devices.

IV. Disciplinary Measures

A. Failure to adhere to the guidelines above may result in disciplinary measures such as:

1. Verbal warning. Student may be asked to turn off their device in the presence of the teacher and may be allowed to put it away.

2. Device may be taken away until the end of the day (to be picked up by student). Offense may be logged in PowerSchool.

3. Device may be taken away from the student and must be picked up by the student’s parents during school hours or after school, after consultation with a school administrator. Offense may be logged in PowerSchool.

4. Student may lose the privilege to use device on district property. Offense may be logged in PowerSchool.

V. Use of Cellular Devices on Buses or During School Activities

A. Cellular device usage by students while riding to and from school on the bus, or on the bus during school-sponsored activities is at the discretion of the bus driver and/or the student advisor/supervisor.

B. Distracting behavior which creates an unsafe environment will not be tolerated.

C. Cellular cameras and audio recorders may not be used on the bus.

D. The District Appropriate Use Policy applies to use on buses or during school activities.

VI. Privacy in Bathrooms, Locker Rooms and/or Dressing Areas

A. Individuals who use school district bathrooms, locker rooms and/or dressing areas have a right to a safe environment, which includes a reasonable assurance that the District will not tolerate the use of audio or visual recording devices, including a cell phone, in changing areas, rest rooms or locker rooms.to record or transfer images or recordings from these areas. In order to ensure that the privacy of all individuals is protected, the District has adopted these regulations to ensure that this right of privacy is not violated.

B. When the District has reason to believe that any person has violated this prohibition regarding the transmission of pictures of persons from the bathroom, locker room and/or dressing area, or has, in any other way, violated the right of privacy within these areas, the building principal shall contact local law enforcement representatives and make the appropriate reports.

C. Any person violating this policy may be subject to prosecution and face suspension and/or recommendation for expulsion.

D. School officials have the right to confiscate any cellular or recording device if there is a reasonable suspicion that the cellular or recording device has been used in violation of this policy. School administrators may search the contents of that device to ensure that images have not been taken or transmitted from within the locker room and/or dressing area.