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INDEX Click to jump to section Minyan All
students take part in morning services which begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 8:25
a.m. An important symbol of the attainment of religious maturity in Judaism is
the putting on of tefillin. While the obligation begins at age 13 there are
various customs regarding how long before the 13th birthday tefillin should be
put on for purposes of “practice”. In the absence of a conflicting family or
synagogue tradition in this matter, the school recommends approximately a month
of practice. Otherwise, males over 13 years of age must wear tefillin and talit
during morning worship at school and are expected to own and bring to school
both items. Young women students are also encouraged to lay tefillin, wear talit
and kippot. If they choose to do so, they are expected to do so on a daily basis
and not at their own discretion. All Middle School students have been given
their own copy of the Sim Shalom prayer book which they are required to bring to
tefillot daily. Students are to take an active part in the tefillot and to
refrain from talking. Kashrut is maintained in our School and at all SSSQ functions and field trips. A detailed discussion of food at SSSQ can be found in the Parent Handbook portion of the School calendar. All meals, including snacks, begin and end with appropriate blessings. Students
are to bring dairy or parve lunches and to make sure that all food is kosher. Fire drills occur at regular intervals by law and are an important safety precaution. It is essential that when the first signal is given, everyone obeys promptly and clears the building by the prescribed route as quickly as possible. The teacher in each classroom will give the students instructions. Instructions are also posted on the wall in each classroom. No one
is to pass another or break out of the line. Running is not permitted. No one is
permitted to talk during the fire drill and everyone must remain away from the
building until the signal to re-enter is given by a school administrator. Homework is an integral part of the Solomon Schechter program of studies and students are expected to do their assignments faithfully and carefully. The student assignment book should be used to record appointments, assignments and for keeping record of earned grades. The
amount of homework varies from teacher to teacher, subject to subject and grade
to grade. Long term assignments will be coordinated by the members of the Middle
School faculty. Homework is expected to be submitted on time. Students are expected to behave in an orderly manner and to observe rules of courtesy, cleanliness, and respect the rights of others throughout the school. A classroom structure and routine is necessary to provide an optimal learning environment for the pupils. Each teacher has the right to determine and request appropriate behavior from the students which meet his/her needs and encourage the positive social and educational development of the child. A fundamental aspect to the School experience is fostering self-discipline as it applies to study habits, as well as respect for persons, property, regulations and ideals. The School rules of behavior apply in the classroom as well as in the lunchroom, the hallways, the gym, specialized classrooms, during fire drills and on field trips. Positive reinforcement is provided for adherence to School rules for both individuals and classes. Negative consequence are applied for failure to abide by the rules. A student who commits an offense that endangers another student or school property or is involved in a serious infraction of School rules will be disciplined immediately. Parents will be notified and the disciplinary measure will be established by the administration. The administration may recommend suspension or expulsion. Examples
of unacceptable behaviors include: physical
violence, drug or alcohol possession or use, destruction of property -
vandalism, intimidation/threat/harassment toward another student or staff
member, abusive behavior toward a staff person, truancy and unexcused absence
from classes. All
teachers are required to post their tests on the calendar in the school office
at least a week prior to administration thereof.
No more than two tests per day and no more than six tests per week may be
assigned. Quizzes which deal
directly with recently covered material and are limited to 15 minutes or less in
duration may be announced or unannounced. Assignment books will be available for students on the first day of school. Other necessary school supplies should be purchased by students and brought to school every day. School books are issued to students for the duration of the school year. Some are consumable and need not be returned; others are non-consumable and will be returned to the School at the end of the year. Non-consumable books are expected to be returned in the condition in which they were issued, allowing for reasonable wear. The cost of replacing a lost or damaged book will be charged to the student. All books must be covered so that they remain in good condition. It is
suggested that students carry a loose-leaf binder with dividers for each subject
area, along with this assignment book. Students
should also be equipped with sufficient loose-leaf paper, pens, pencils, ruler
and any other materials necessary for completing school work in a satisfactory
manner. Students may seek extra help from teachers. Conferences can be arranged before or after school or at a time convenient to both during the school day. A teacher will sometimes request a student to attend an extra help session during lunch recess if it is apparent he/she is having difficulty with the work. This should be viewed as the teacher’s method for helping the student make progress. Students
in grades 7 & 8 who have not scored at or above grade level in reading on
the Stanford Achievement Test will be assigned to four periods per week of
Intensive English in lieu of Spanish. The
School nurse’s office is open to students during school hours.
The nurse is always available to assist students.
Students need a pass from a classroom teacher to go to the nurse. Every
accident in the School building, on the school grounds, at practice sessions or
at any event sponsored by the School, must be reported immediately to the person
in charge and to the School nurse. Psychological counseling services are available for every student in the school. These services include assistance with study skills and/or concerns related to home, school or social issues. Students who wish to meet with the School Psychologist should contact him/her to arrange for an appointment. Students must have a pass from their classroom teacher to visit the School Psychologist during class time. Parents
are welcome to call the office any time. Questions
will be answered and appointments can be arranged. The
official student governing organization, the Student Council, consists of
officers and representatives who are elected annually.
It meets bi-weekly during lunch to discuss issues of importance to the
student body and to make recommendations to the School administration.
Each grade has its own representatives. Establishing a firm bond of cooperation between School and home is very important to the students’ social and academic growth. From time to time teachers may request a conference with one or both parents for the kind of discussion which cannot take place during the regularly scheduled meetings. Parents in turn, should feel free to request such conferences when they have a particular matter to discuss with the teacher or with a member of the administrative staff. The procedure is to call the School office to arrange for an appointment or to request that your call be returned by the proper person. PLEASE RESPECT THE TEACHER’S PRIVACY AND DO NOT CALL THEM AT HOME. Report
cards are distributed three times each school year during the months of
December, March and June. Report
cards are brought home by the students and should be signed and returned as soon
as possible. Interim reports are
sent home at the half-way point between report cards to apprise parents of
current progress. Students will receive a numerical grade for their course work in each subject area, and a letter grade for their conduct and participation. In general, report card grades are computed as follows: classwork - 25% homework - 25% tests and special projects - 50% Teachers may adjust these guidelines to meet the needs of their individual subjects. Letter grades for conduct and participation are: E: excellent, G: good, S: Satisfactory, and U: Unsatisfactory The minimum passing grade is 65 in all subject areas. A failing grade is recorded as 55. In
order to participate in an athletic team and its practices a student must
maintain passing grades in all subject areas. By the end of the second marking period in the fifth grade a student’s academic and social progress will be assessed to determine if he/she is ready to meet the challenges of our middle school. Sixth and seventh grade students who receive a failing grade in any academic subject (Judaic or General) at the end of the school year are required to attend summer school (where applicable), or complete an assignment over the summer provided by the administration. The completed assignment is to be submitted prior to the start of the new school year to the Headmaster or Principal of General Studies and must earn a minimum grade of 80. The parent and child will be asked to sign a contract indicating that: (1) the student will be required to maintain a passing grade in all of his/her subjects. (2) if at the end of each marking period the student has not maintained passing grades, the administration reserves the right to ask the child to leave the School.
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