1. Welcome!

2.  Excused absences are defined in WCPSS
Handbook
 Include illness & injury; death in the family
 Participation in a valid educational opportunity,
such as travel, with prior written approval, as
documented on the “Request for Excused
Absence for Educational Reasons” form
 It is extremely important for parents and
students to closely monitor and document all
school absences. Excessive absences will have
serious academic consequences and may result
in grade-level retention.

3. Following an absence from school, students must present
a note from a parent/guardian to their homeroom
teacher. The note must include:
 Student’s first and last name
 Date(s) absent
 Reason for absences
 Parent/Guardian signature
 Home, work, and/or cell phone numbers of
parent/guardian
 Sample 12/12/11
 Please excuse Jane E. Doe from school on Monday, Dec
10 and Tuesday, Dec 11. She was out with the flu.
 Thank you, 555-1234 (H)
 John Doe 555-1234 (cell)

4.  Teachers record students’ tardies to each
class. Students who are tardy to school check
in at the main office to receive a pass.
 Tardies to school are documented
 Students who report to school after 8:30am
are considered tardy. Students who miss
more than half of the instructional day or
period will be counted absent for that day or
period.

5.  1st Tardy
 Warning
 2nd Tardy
 Teacher Consequence
 3rd Tardy
 Teacher Consequence (Parent Phone Call)
 4th Tardy
 Administrative Consequence

6.  S - Self Control
 P - Pride
 L - Leadership
 A - Attitude
 S - Safety
 H – Honesty

7.  Code of Student Conduct
◦ All students shall comply with the Code of Student
Conduct of the Wake County Public School System,
state and federal laws, school board policies, and local
school rules and regulations governing student
behavior and conduct.
◦ This year WCPSS has separated behaviors into levels
(Level I - Level V)

8.  The Board specifically prohibits bullying and
harassment under any circumstances. Any
offensive verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct
that is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive
to interfere with a student’s ability to participate
or benefit from an educational program or
activity. Prohibited conduct may include, but is
not limited to, abusive jokes, insults, slurs,
name-calling, threats, bullying, intimidation, or
cyber-bullying (using the internet, email or text
messaging to bully.)

9.  Phones and other electronic devices may ONLY
be used before school, and after school.
 If staff member asks for your phone/electronic
device and student refuses to give it up, the
student will receive consequences from
administration
 Confiscated phones must be picked up by
parent unless otherwise authorized
 Students are responsible for their electronic
devices (have them on you at all times or locked
in locker)

10.  Dresses/skirts/shorts must be no shorter
than 6 inches above the knee.
 Should never see a child’s undergarments (no
sagging pants, bra straps, spaghetti straps)
 Boys cannot wear any type of tank top or
pants cannot sag.
 Girls must have straps at least two fingers
wide.

11.  Common Core & Language Arts
◦ English is taught as a world language
 Greater emphasis on vocabulary and grammar
◦ Students directly taught to “read to learn”
 Delve deeper into text, analyze text structure and
content
 Students will “grapple” with text to gain greater
understanding

12.  Weighted grade
◦ Tests, projects, writing assignments: 40%
◦ Quizzes, reading contracts: 30%
◦ Class work, including journals: 20%
◦ Homework: 10%

13.  Students will be participating in the 40-book
challenge (based on the reading research in
the book, The Book Whisperer)
 Students should be reading at least 15-30
minutes each day in their novels; pages to
count toward reading contract
 Each quarter students will contract with me
for a reading grade (quiz grade)
 Each quarter students will be given a project
or essay based on a novel, biography, etc.
they have read.

14.  Mrs. Thomas
 Core vs. Core +: Core + will have some 7th grade curriculum
intertwined within different units of the Core Curriculum. We also
do different levels of task cards and assignments/tests can be
different.
 Grades: Tests 50%, Quizzes 30%, Classwork 20% (includes in class
assignments, task cards)
 Homework and Warm Ups are recorded, but DOES NOT count
toward the overall average. You will see the following A, C or F.
 Community Service and Checking Accounts
 This only works with your support. Prizes are needed at the end
of each quarter.

15. 1st Quarter
 Geographic Tools
 The Ancient Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt
2nd Quarter
 Ancient Civilization- India (Hinduism and Buddhism)
 Ancient China
 Ancient Japan and Korea
3rd Quarter
 Ancient Greece
 Ancient Rome
 The Byzantine Empire and Eastern Europe
 The Middle East and Islamic Expansion
 World Religions
 Pre-Colonial Africa
4th Quarter
 Ancient Civilizations –South America
 The European Middle Ages
 The Renaissance and Reformation

16. Grading:
 Grades will include many
types of assignments and
will be calculated according
to the following
percentages.
1. Major Assessments 45%
2. Quizzes 30%
3. Class work 25%
FOCUS:
 Students will be:
A Reading
B. Writing
C. Speaking
D. Listening

17. The Units of Study for the year are:
 Matter: Properties and Change
 Forces and Motion
 Energy: Conservation and Transfer
 Earth in the Universe
 Earth Systems, Structures, and Processes: Lithosphere
 Structures and Functions of Living Organisms
 Ecosystems
 Please Mrs. Hall if you have any questions.
 You can access her email at nhall3@wcpss.net

18.  Can be found at the Durant Road Middle
School Website
 Click –Team websites
 Click- Track 1-6th Grade
 Posts will be updated every Monday and will
be sent out as a newsletter every Friday.
Please email Mrs. Thomas if you have not
received the newsletter.

19. Go to DRMS Homepage
1. Click on Team Websites
2. Click on Track 1
 Weekly Posts will be made.
 Teachers will update their core page
each week.

20.  Interims will be handed out that day and
conferences will be after school 3:30-5:00 p.m.
 Available time slots:
◦ 3:30-4:00
◦ 4:00-4:30
◦ 4:30-5:00
◦ * Please send an email to your child’s homeroom teacher
to sign up.
 You and your child should attend.
 If you cannot attend, the student can have the
conference at home.

21. Awards Ceremony Dates
October 18th- 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.
January 17th 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.
April 4th 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.
 Core Awards
◦ Academic Excellence
◦ Extra Effort
◦ Task Cards
◦ Reading Awards-for
students reading 1,000 or
more pages
◦ SPLASH Awards
◦ Dynamic Dolphin
◦ Honors - 3.5 -3.69 GPA
◦ High Honor 3.7-4.0 GPA

22.  Copy Organizer/Volunteer
 Birthday Bash
 Media Center Volunteer
 Field Trips

23.  Please report to your child’s elective teacher
at 7:00 p.m.
 Email your child’s teacher with additional
questions.