BLMS Supplemental Guidelines

Absence Reporting

To report a partial day or full-day student absence, call the Beaver Lake Attendance Line at 425-837-4157 or email, blmsattendance@issaquah.wednet.edu. The Attendance Line is available twenty-four(24) hours a day to receive messages regarding attendance.

Acceptable Technology/Computer Use Policy

This policy applies to all ISD-provided devices and technology, whether used on or off campus. In addition, it will be applied to any personal devices, when used on the school campus.

Digital Citizenship. Users of District Technology will exhibit good digital citizenship by conducting themselves appropriately and following the BARKS as part of the school’s expectations of positive behaviors. The school and District monitor technology use in a variety of ways, including automated word monitoring software and/or teacher visibility of screens within the classroom. Students are expected to:

Be Accountable:

• Select online names that are appropriate, and will consider the information and images posted online.
• Consider what personal information about their life, experiences, experimentation or relationships they post.
• Use Canvas messaging for schoolwork, not using it to message friends during class
• Use and abide by the fair use rules.
• Act with integrity.

Be Respectful:

• Not be obscene.
• Show respect to others.
• Do not use electronic mediums to antagonize, bully, harass or stalk other people.
• Show respect for other people in my choice of websites.
• Use free and open source alternatives rather than pirated software.

Be Kind:

• Moderate unacceptable materials and conversations
• Request permission to use resources.
• Cite all use of websites, books, media, Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistance, etc.
• Acknowledge all primary sources and validate all information used.
• Do not visit sites that are degrading, pornographic, racist or inappropriate.

Be Safe:

• Ensure that the information, images and materials posted online will not put themselves or others at risk.
• Report any attacks or inappropriate behavior directed at themselves or others.
• Protect passwords, accounts and resources.
• Do not abuse any rights of access, nor enter other people’s private spaces or areas.
• Protect others by reporting abuse, not forwarding inappropriate materials or communications.

Unacceptable Use. Users are responsible for their own actions regarding the use of BLMS technology. Unacceptable or inappropriate use can result in loss of access to technology as well as additional disciplinary action up to and including expulsion. Unacceptable use includes but is not limited to activities such as the following:

• Accessing, downloading, distributing, displaying, creating, submitting or posting harmful, indecent, offensive, pornographic, or otherwise inappropriate messages, pictures, or materials;
• Engaging in harassing, offensive, obscene or defamatory speech;
• Threatening, harassing or bullying others;
• Using the network for any illegal purpose or activity;
• Engaging in vandalism such as graffiti, tampering with or damaging the district provided laptop, inappropriate use of the school computer network, peripheral equipment or associated furniture damage, or spreading computer viruses (either intentionally or recklessly);
• Invading the privacy of others by the unauthorized disclosure or dissemination of information of a personal nature;
• Gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to files, resources or entities;
• Attempting to harm or destroy, or harming or destroying, District Technology or data of other users on the school network or the Internet;
• Attempting to override, bypass, or otherwise change the Internet filtering software or other network configurations. Examples might include (but are not limited to) the addition of any browser extensions, utilizing VPNs and anything that bypasses district filters;
• Posting material authored or created by others without their consent;
• Unauthorized downloading of software, loaning technology to others, or violating copyright laws or software licensing agreements;
• Using other users’ passwords, misrepresenting themselves, or otherwise engaging in identity theft;
• Using District Technology while access privileges are suspended or revoked or before access privileges have been granted;

Repeated violations of the acceptable use policy could result in loss of computer privileges and/or placement on a computer plan while at school.

See the Computer/Technology Use Policy in Student Conduct section of the ISD Handbook for further information.

Arrival at School

The official school day is 8:10 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 10:20 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.  Please do not drop off your student before 7:50 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday and 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

The first bell rings at 8:05 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

Athletics

BLMS follows the Issaquah School District’s Student Athletic/Activity Code. Specific information regarding BLMS athletics can be found on the BLMS athletics webpage.

Issaquah School District Athletic program offers a variety of opportunities for students to get involved in the following sports:

Fall (Season 1)

• Girls Volleyball
• Co-ed Cross Country
• Boys Soccer

Winter I (Season 2)

• Girls Basketball
• Co-ed Wrestling

Winter II (Season 3)

• Boys Basketball
• Girls Soccer

Spring (Season 4)

• Co-ed Track and Field

Additionally, BLMS also offers intramural sports throughout the year. These are no-cut, developmental opportunities for students to get involved with athletics at BLMS. The sports offered will be based on student interest and coach availability. Information regarding these opportunities will be communicated via the weekly bulletin.

All athletes participating in any sport (select or intramural) must have all athletic forms completed in a FinalForms account and must be cleared by the Athletic Director prior to the first practice. Requirements in FinalForms include:

• A Physical Examination Form needs to be signed and stamped by a qualified examining physician. Physicals are valid for a full two (2) years from the date of examination. Signed physical forms can be used for multiple sports seasons, so long as the expiration date is no earlier than the last day of the season as published on the school website. This form is available in the office and on the school website.
• Online Registration is required for every sports season. Please visit this site to access the athletic registration portal: https://issaquah-wa.finalforms.com/

Attendance Guidelines

Beaver Lake Middle School adheres by all Issaquah School District’s Attendance Policies and Procedures, as seen in the General Information section of this handbook. It is important to regularly reference these policies.

It is the responsibility of the students to:

• Attend classes promptly and regularly each day that school is in session. Students are expected to attend each scheduled class.
• Bring a note and sign in with the Attendance Secretary for all late arrivals and early dismissals.
• Make arrangements with each teacher for make-up work upon return to school.
• Obtain a “Pre-Approved Absence Request Form” for planned absences of 3 or more days.

It is the responsibility of parent/guardian/caretakers to:

• Emphasize to students that school attendance is a priority.
• Call the Beaver Lake Attendance Line at 425-837-4157 or email, blmsattendance@issaquah.wednet.edu by 8:00 a.m. of the day following the absence or send a signed note of explanation with the student upon the student’s return to school.

Bringing Items to School

Apart from obvious medical needs (which should be coordinated with the health room specialist) we encourage parents not to bring every forgotten item to school through the day.  Any student can get a meal from the cafeteria, if they forget their lunch, even if they do not carry a balance on their meal account. Likewise, students are encouraged to advocate for themselves in classes, if they forget work. This is getting less and less likely with the provision of a school laptop to every student.   Building resilience is an important part of the middle school years, but on the rare occasion parents do need to drop items at school, please follow our procedure:

• Place the item you are bringing in one of the cubby’s by the school front door, as you enter the building.
• Fill out the blue ‘Student Check the Drop-Off Station’ slip, indicating the number of the cubby you have used.
• Hand the blue slip to the front office staff before exiting the building.

The slip will be sent to your student as quickly as possible, indicating they should come to the drop off station at the next passing period. Items left in the morning, but not retrieved by lunch time, will be announced in the Commons for students to retrieve.

As a reminder:

• Cell phones are ‘off and away’ during the school day and texting your student about an item is unlikely to be an efficient way of communicating with them – and could lead to them facing in-house discipline.  Please use the blue slips.
• For safety and security, our cubbies are for parent and student use only. No outside delivery service items may be left in this area and, if found, will be stored for immediate collection by parents, or by students at the end of the school day. For example, DoorDash, Uber Eats, and other delivery services.

Buses

Find important information regarding bus transportation on the Bus webpage on the BLMS website.

Please note, city and community buses are not allowed on our campus at any time. Students are advised to wait on SE 32^nd Street if they schedule any kind of public ride-share.

Cafeteria and School Meals

Food Services / Student Meal Accounts

Each student is assigned a meal account accessed at the cashier terminal by entering a unique 5-digit PIN. For your convenience, funds may be loaded to the student’s account. In an effort to increase lunch line speed, students are encouraged to deliver cash and checks to the kitchen prior to the lunch period, and know their 5 digit number. Please make checks payable to Issaquah Food Services.

In addition to the standard hot lunch program, a la carte items are available for purchase and include items such as vendor pizza, beverages, snacks, etc. Prices for a la carte items vary and are subject to change. Students must have sufficient funds to purchase a la carte items.

If a student forgets a lunch or does not have funds to purchase items they may seek assistance from a lunch supervisor. We are here to help and all students will receive the food they need.   Students are not permitted to have food or drinks delivered to campus using delivery services; please refer to ‘Bringing Items to School’ for the drop off procedure for food brought into school through the day.

Additional information regarding Charging Meals and Balance Notification is located in the ISD Middle School General School Policies and Procedures. Check the district website for the most current lunch information. The BLMS kitchen may be reached with further questions at 425-837-4176.

Lunch Behavior Expectations and Procedures

In order to make lunch a pleasant time for everyone, the following expectations have been established for the lunchroom:

During lunch students will:

• Leave table area clean, placing garbage in garbage cans; recycling in recycling bins; compostable materials in compost containers.
• Be accountable for throwing away all garbage at lunch tables; this may include garbage that does not belong to them.
• Respond appropriately to any adult correcting their behavior.
• Use their electronic devices for the last 15 minutes of their lunch only, following the Acceptable Technology/Computer Use Policy guidelines.
• Wait to be excused from their table in order to leave the Commons and go to their next class/outside/library.

Celebration Guidelines

Birthdays and holidays can be very special and exciting days for everyone. As a school, we want our students to be able to celebrate their special day while being sensitive to student allergies, financial hardships and loss of instructional time. Together we can continue to celebrate our students in a healthy and positive way.

• Due to a potential distraction to the learning environment, as well as to protect students with allergies, balloons are not allowed at school.
• Food items brought from home for student community consumption must be purchased, ready-to-eat and be wrapped in the original packaging with ingredients listed in order to reduce the risk for food-related allergic reactions and foodborne illness.
• Students are not permitted to have food delivered to campus using delivery services; please refer to 'Bringing Items to School’, for the drop off procedure for items brought into school through the day.

Closed Campus

• BLMS is a closed campus.
• Students staying for supervised after-school activities are expected to remain on campus until dismissal from that activity. Students remaining on campus after school MUST be in a supervised activity.
• Students are not allowed on campus before 7:50 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays OR before 10:00 a.m. on Wednesdays unless an appointment has been made between a teacher and student. If an appointment has been made, teachers will meet the student in the front office at the scheduled time.
• Students are not allowed on campus after 2:50 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays OR after 3:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, unless in a supervised activity or attending an event with a parent/guardian/caretaker. This includes spectating at sports events.
• Students are not allowed to leave the campus once they have arrived except for off-campus field trips or early dismissals.
• During lunches, students must remain in the Commons, Courtyard (undercover basketball area), or Library. They must stay clear of all classrooms during lunch unless they have an appointment with a teacher.
• Students are to use the restrooms in the Commons during lunch.
• Students are not permitted to use food delivery services and should not accept deliveries from strangers.
• Students are to stay in the Commons or Library while waiting for classes to begin in the morning, unless they have an appointment with a teacher.
• Trail & field gates will typically be opened during the arrival and departure of students, from both our own school and the neighboring Challenger Elementary School.  During the school day these gates will be secured and so any student walking to school late on a morning, will need to find an alternative route into the front of their own school to sign in at the office. While we secure our own facilities at the end of the day, community gates are left unlocked to ensure student access into local neighborhoods after all school or evening activities.

Counselors

Beaver Lake Middle School has two counselors: Rashmika Abajian (assisting students with last name A-L) and Kat Antes-Tadros (assisting students with last name M-Z). If you need to reach a counselor, it is best to call and/or email to make an appointment during the hours of 7:40 a.m. and approximately 3:00 p.m.. With a large caseload, please understand that it may take a few days to receive a response. Contact information is as follows:

Rashmika Abajian (A-L) 425-837-4161 AbajianR@issaquah.wednet.edu

Kat Antes-Tadros (M-Z) 425-837-4162 AntesTadrosK@issaquah.wednet.edu

BLMS Counseling Mission Statement

We provide counseling services that are based on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) model. Working through an equity lens, our goal is to partner with students, families, staff, and community agencies to provide a comprehensive support system that facilitates and encourages academic success, social-emotional health, and high school and beyond readiness. All students should feel welcome at BLMS and we advocate for every student to have a sense of belonging.

What do the school counselors do?

• Provide short-term counseling for students to support academic achievement and personal well-being (examples include peer conflicts, family and friendship concerns, support with teachers, goal setting, academic grade checks, etc.)
• Facilitate small group counseling activities determined by student need
• Teach school counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards, including zero-tolerance harassment expectation and the importance of creating a safe and welcoming school climate
• Collaboration with families/teachers/administrators/community to advocate for student well-being and success
• Support students and their families during times of crisis and/or provide school and community resource information and referrals for long-term support
• Advocacy for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings
• Data analysis to identify student issues, needs and challenges

Assist students with transitions including 8th grade students making a successful transition to high school, welcoming 5th grade students and parent/guardian/caretakers to BLMS, and supporting new students throughout the year

When can my student make an appointment to see the school counselor?

• Before/after school
• Lunch
• During any class period, if either the counselor or the student feels the discussion cannot wait

What can I do if my student is having difficulty in a class?

• Student should talk to the teacher.
• Parent/guardian/caretaker can follow-up with the teacher and set-up a meeting.
• If the situation is not resolved to your satisfaction, proceed to the next level by contacting an administrator.
• Students can contact a counselor at any time for strategies to resolve difficult situations.

What can my student do if they are having a problem with a peer?

• Consult their counselor for problem-solving ideas.
• Speak with teachers if it is a concern in the classroom.
• Fill out a Student Statement (available in the front office) for any concern, or the ISD HIB form (online) if it is believed to be harassment, intimidation or bullying as defined on the district website.  In either case the building administration will then follow up with the reporting student, as necessary.

Course Scheduling

Each student’s schedule will be generated based on the input provided during the course request process. After the start of the trimester, requests to change electives may be considered if there is space in the requested course. Requests to drop a year-long commitment course or request to change an academic placement will require administrative approval.

Additional information regarding academics, homework, grades, and academic integrity is addressed on the Issaquah School District Middle School Handbook.

Dress Code

At BLMS we believe the student and their parent/guardian/caretaker hold the primary responsibility in determining the student’s personal attire, hairstyle, jewelry, and personal items (e.g. backpacks, book bags). The school is responsible for ensuring student attire, hairstyle, jewelry, and personal items do not interfere with the health or safety of any student and do not contribute to a hostile or intimidating environment for any student.

Core Values

Considering student dress, our values are:

• Students should be able to dress and style their hair for school in a manner that expresses their individuality without fear of unnecessary discipline or body shaming;
• Students have the right to be treated equitably. Dress code enforcement will not create disparities, reinforce or increase marginalization of any group, nor will it be more strictly enforced against students because of racial identity, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, gender nonconformity, sexual orientation, cultural or religious identity, household income, body size/type, or body maturity;
• Students and staff are responsible for managing their personal distractions;
• Students should not face unnecessary barriers to school attendance; and
• Teachers should be able to focus on teaching without the additional and often uncomfortable burden of dress code enforcement.

BLMS Universal Dress Code

1. Students must wear:

• A top with fabric in the front, back, and on the sides under the arms (for example, T shirt style, collared shirt or blouse); and
• Pants/jeans/skirt or an equivalent (for example, shorts, skort, dress, etc.); and
• Shoes, suitable for movement through the school.

This policy permits teachers to request additional student attire requirements when necessary to ensure safety in certain academic settings (e.g. physical activity, science courses or CTE courses).

2. Students may wear:

• Hats* facing straight forward or straight backward. Hats must allow the face to be visible to staff, and not interfere with the line of sight of any student or staff.
• Religious headwear.
• Hoodie sweatshirts* (wearing the hood overhead is allowed, but the face and ears must always be visible to school staff).
• Fitted pants, including opaque leggings, yoga pants and “skinny jeans”.
• Pajamas.
• Ripped jeans, if underwear and/or buttocks are not exposed.
• Athletic attire (base layer garments should be added to other clothing, not worn alone).
• Visible waistbands on undergarments or visible straps on undergarments worn under other clothing (as long as this is done in a way that does not violate Section 3 below).

*Teachers may have classroom policies that prohibit wearing hats or hoods in their classroom. Teachers will clearly state the expectations to students and families in the class syllabus, via Canvas website and/or email communication. A violation of an individual classroom dress code policy will be disciplined in the same progressive manner as a violation of an all-school dress code policy.

3. Students cannot wear clothing, jewelry, or personal items that:

• Are pornographic, contain threats, or that promote illegal or violent conduct such as the unlawful use of weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or drug paraphernalia;
• Demonstrate hate group association/affiliation and/or use hate speech targeting groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or other protected groups;
• Shows private parts (nipples, genitals, buttocks). Clothing must cover private parts in opaque (not able to be seen-through) material;
• Reveal undergarments (e.g. boxers, briefs, bras, sports bras, bralettes, etc.);
• Cover the student’s face to the extent that the student is not identifiable (except clothing/headgear worn for a religious or medical purpose). This includes no sunglasses;
• Could be considered dangerous or could be used as weapons; or
• Demonstrate gang association/affiliation.

Enforcement

Staff will use reasonable efforts to avoid dress-coding students in front of other students.

Students shall not be disciplined or removed from class as a consequence for wearing attire in violation of this policy unless the attire creates a substantial disruption to the educational environment, poses a hazard to the health or safety of others, or factors into a student behavior rule violation such as malicious harassment or the prohibition on harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Further, no student shall be referred to as “a distraction” due to their appearance or attire.

Typical consequences for a violation of this policy include parent/guardian/caretaker contact or conference and the directive to cover, change, or remove the noncomplying attire. A student may be instructed to leave their classroom briefly to change clothes. The Principal or Assistant Principal will notify a student’s parent/guardian/caretaker of the school’s response to violations of the student dress policy.

Early Dismissal

As parent/guardian/caretakers are scheduling appointments for their student which might require an early dismissal, please be aware of our daily schedule. Our daily schedule is on our website for you to review as you are scheduling appointments for your student. It’s always best to have your student meet you in the office in between classes or at lunch to avoid any interruption during class time.

To expedite the release process, please call 425-837-4157 or send an email to blmsattendance@issaquah.wednet.edu before 8:00 a.m. so that an Early Release Pass can be issued to the student. Parent/guardian/caretakers must come in to the office for an early dismissal to sign out the student.

Events/Athletics Attendance

Students must attend the school day in order to participate in afterschool events. These events shall include, but are not limited to: school plays, musicals, concerts, all sports activities including practices, dances, socials, etc. (Exceptions: medical/dental appointments or certain emergency absences when approval is given by either the Principal or Assistant Principal.

Students who participate in an after-school or evening athletic event or activity must remain until the end of the activity unless parent/guardian/caretakers have made previous arrangements with the adult or coach in charge.

Parent/guardian/caretakers are expected to pick up students within fifteen (15) minutes after the close/completion of a school-sponsored event. Students who are not picked up within fifteen (15) minutes after the close of a school-sponsored event may not be allowed to attend the next such event. Practices are closed from observation to protect the safety of athletes.

We appreciate that students often wish to support their school team by attending sports events. To attend, students must be accompanied by a responsible adult, who they remain with for the whole event. Students should be seated during the event (except during breaks), and food and drink should be consumed outside the gym (bottled water is permitted inside the gym). Students at BLMS are expected to follow the BARKS behavior expectations while attending any extra-curricular activity or school-sponsored event.

Fees and Expenses

Some common fees and expenses are listed below:

BLMS is committed to all our students enjoying our organized activities, and we would never want financial hardship to impede any student from experiencing events at school or purchasing school-specific items (such as school photographs).  We appreciate that we are often not aware of these situations, to offer help directly, and so wanted to share that we work with a variety of local benefactors to provide ad hoc scholarships without any financial review. A student or parents/care givers can reach out to our school counselors directly, in confidence, if they would like assistance during the school year.

General Requirements for Visitors/Volunteers

BLMS encourages parent/guardian/caretakers and community members to visit our school, and believes that there are many potential benefits which can result from increased interaction with our community. At the same time, our school is committed to avoiding disruption to the educational process, protecting the safety and welfare of the students and staff, and protecting the district’s facilities and equipment from misuse or vandalism. The following guidelines are required for visitors.

General Requirements for Visitors:

• A visitor is defined as any person seeking to enter a school building who is not an employee of the school district or a student currently enrolled in that building.
• All visitors must enter through the front office entrance and obtain a visitor pass upon entering the building. A valid, government-issued photo ID is required. Visitor passes must be clearly displayed and worn at all times.
• Visitors should schedule an appointment in advance with the person(s) they wish to see. At the discretion of the administration, such prior authorization may be waived. Visitors wishing to conference with teachers or administrators during the course of the school day must make arrangements in advance.
• Students attending BLMS may not bring guests to school. Student visitors or relatives are not permitted at BLMS during school hours including lunch times.
• Parent/guardian/caretakers, guest speakers, or volunteers who have business to conduct are required to fill out an online application, register at the main office by signing in, and wear a visitor badge at all times while on campus. An ID is required.

Grading Information

Teachers will publish a syllabus, at the start of the school year, on their Canvas page. Detailed within it are the grading and retake policy for their specific classes.  Questions about grading should always be directed to teachers as soon as possible to deal with any amendments before the end of the Trimester and publication of Report Cards.

Human-Powered Vehicles

Skateboards, Scooters, Bikes, Unicycles, and In-Line Skates (etc.): Students arriving on campus at the start of the school day and leaving the campus at the end of the school day may use human-powered vehicles as transportation. We provide students access to bike racks and encourage students to lock their belongings up every day. BLMS is not responsible for lost or stolen items so use at your discretion. Storing these items in the office is not an option.

ID Cards and ASB Cards

All students will be issued a photo ID card. This card is needed for identification and safety purposes. Replacement cards may be purchased from the bookkeeper for a cost of $5.00.

An Associated Student Body (ASB) membership is available to all students at a cost of $35.00. The money received from the sale of ASB memberships help support school activities such as sports, clubs, assemblies, and school wide activities. ASB membership is required to participate in after school activities; this includes sports, band, orchestra, chorus, socials, clubs, and ASB sponsored events. Membership sales also pay for transportation, after school sports equipment, uniforms, awards, and officials. ASB cards must be presented at the door when attending ASB sponsored events. Replacement cards may be purchased for $5.00 from the Bookkeeper.

Illness/Injury During School Hours

A student who becomes ill or who is injured at school should report to their classroom teacher or to the Health Room. If the illness/injury is serious enough, parent/guardian/caretakers will be notified to take the student home. Only a parent/guardian/caretaker or emergency contact people may pick up an ill or injured student. Students need to be fever and symptom free, without medication, for 24 hours before returning to school. If a student has been experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, they should not return to school until they have not had an episode for 24 hours.

Interpretation and Translation Services

BLMS and the Issaquah School District are committed to improving meaningful, two-way communication and promoting access to District programs, services and activities for students and parent/guardian/caretakers with limited English proficiency (LEP) free of charge. Translator and interpreter service will be provided for parent/guardian/caretakers who have a preferred language other than English. Any parent/guardian/caretaker who needs translation and interpreting services in any language can contact the registrar for more information

Late Arrival

At BLMS we value the time students spend at school. Tardiness to school is strongly discouraged.  At the start of every school year, we teach students about the importance of being on time to class and explain how being tardy to any of their class periods, throughout the day, has a significant impact on their learning.  Tardies are always entered in the attendance record for parent/guardian/caretakers to see (through family access) and discuss with their students.  Parent/guardian/caretakers must ensure their children arrive at school before the formal starting time.

Students will be marked tardy if they arrive at any class and do not have a written hall pass from another staff member. Any student with 4 or more tardies in a single week (across all periods) will receive a lunch detention. If a student continues to exceed 4 tardies in any subsequent week, they will then be assigned after school detention. Tardiness is accumulated each trimester.

Locks/Lockers

Due to space restrictions, students are only allowed to carry one backpack or personal bag into each classroom. All students are encouraged to use the personal locker provided, multiple times daily, to store their lunch, personal belongings and books/folders and reduce the amount they carry around the school each morning and afternoon.  The passing time between each period, and the lunch time provide many opportunities to change belongings out.  

Lockers are school property and must be cared for responsibly. Students must only use their assigned locker. Use good judgment in the following ways:

• Student lockers and storage areas are the property of the school district and remain under the control of the school district at all times. The school district retains the right to inspect the student lockers for reasonable cause without notice, without student consent and without a search warrant. Please see “Locker Searches” in the Issaquah School District #411 portion of this handbook for more information.
• The student will use only the locker(s) assigned to them and not share their lock combination with any other student. The school and district are not responsible for items lost or stolen out of lockers.
• The outside of your locker should be clean – free of writing or decorations of any kind.
• The student understands that they are expected to assume full responsibility for their locker: its security (making sure the lock is locked and the dial is spun several times), keeping it clean, and free from all writing, stickers, tape and inappropriate items. The student also understands that fines will be assessed for any damage to the latches, paint, shelving or doors of the locker or to the lock itself.
• Any student abusing locker privileges could face disciplinary action.

Locker problems should be reported to the office for custodial help. The student must first check in with their classroom teacher for attendance purposes and obtain permission to go to the office. A student must obtain permission from the office to change a locker with another student.

Medical Excuse Procedure

Injured or sick students should inform their teacher of their infirmity at the beginning of the class period. If the student does not have a note from a parent/guardian/caretaker or doctor, the teacher may allow the student to sit out of the activity, or send the student to the health room or PAWS Room.

Students with a note from their parent/guardian/caretaker must provide the note to their PE teacher at the beginning of class and will be sent to the PAWS Room. Students with a parent/guardian/caretaker-note can be excused from class for up to 2 days. After 2 days, a doctor’s note is required to be excused from PE. The doctor’s note should be provided to the PE teacher and the Health Room.

Nurse’s Office  & The Health Room

We always have a nurse or Health Room Specialist available during the school day.

Our school nurse, Kerri Whitworth, may be contacted at 425-837-4159 or email, WhitworthK@issaquah.wednet.edu. Urgent messages should be relayed via the front office, however, to ensure your student’s needs are dealt with quickly.

When it is necessary for a student to receive medication at school, the procedure below must be followed:

• A parent/guardian/caretaker MUST bring all medications in to the health room.
• The health room cannot accept or administer any expired medications.
• An “Authorization for Administration of Medication at School” form must be signed by a parent/guardian/caretaker or legal guardian and licensed healthcare provider for any medication a student needs to take at school (over the counter or prescription).
• Medication cannot be carried by the student.  An exception can be made for inhalers, EpiPens and insulin if we have written permission from the students’ licensed healthcare provider and their parent/guardian/caretaker.  Students who self-carry EpiPens must provide an additional one to be stored in the health room.
• All medication must be in the original container labeled with the student’s name, name of medication, dosage, mode of administration, and current expiration date.

Children with life-threatening conditions such as life-threatening allergies, severe asthma, diabetes, or severe seizures, are required to have an Individual Health Plan (IHP) and any necessary emergency medication in place before they start school. They will be excluded from school if the completed IHP and emergency medication have not been turned in and processed by the school nurse by the first day of school. If your child has an existing medical issue requiring an IHP and medication, forms were emailed to you at the end of the previous school year to be completed by you and your student’s licensed healthcare provider over the summer. A licensed healthcare provider is defined in (RCW 18.79.260(2)) as a licensed physician or surgeon, dentist, osteopathic physician or surgeon, naturopathic physician, podiatric physician or surgeon, physician assistant, osteopathic physician assistant or advanced registered nurse practitioner acting within the scope of their license.

Please see Medication Administration at School in the ISD Handbook for more information.

Online Tools and Student/Parent/Guardian/Caretaker Portals

Canvas

Parent/guardian/caretakers and students are encouraged to keep up with course work, check grades and communicate with teachers through their Canvas websites.

Website: https://issaquah.instructure.com

Username: ISD student email address
Password: Student ID# + ISD

Classlink

ClassLink is a tool that provides secondary students and staff with easy access to a variety of tools and tech resources available to them, including online versions of our classroom textbooks. It is also a password locker making logging in easier.

Website: https://launchpad.classlink.com/issaquah

Username: ISD Computer username
(first 4 of last name, first 3 of first name, graduation year e.g. LastFir25)
Password: 7 digit student ID number (which can be found in Family Access)

Family/Student Access

The online grading program gives parent/guardian/caretakers and students on-line access to student information, including grades, attendance, class schedules, and immunization records. For questions about Family Access passwords or logins, contact the registrar.

Office 365

Office 365 is Microsoft’s subscription-based service that gives users access to the Microsoft desktop office applications through the web browser and access to its cloud storage solution.

Website: https://www.office.com

Username: school email (username@issaquah.wednet.edu)
Password: 7 digit student ID number which can be found in Family Access

Passing Period

Moving between classes during the school day is often one of the biggest changes for students joining middle school. There are seven teaching periods through the day (home room and six classes), which are each separated by a 5 minute passing period. During passing students are expected to visit their locker, refill water bottles, use the bathroom, move to their new location and, of course, if time permits socialize with their friends. There is no cell phone use during passing period. Due to our school's size, this passing time is sufficient; students are expected to be in class during all instructional time and should reach a supervised space for learning, studying, or eating by the end of each passing period. If a student is with an adult and working on a different task they will be provided a late excused hallway pass.  

Arriving to class on time, and ready to learn is an important part of the learning experience for all students. When students arrive late, they miss out on information provided by the teacher at the start of class and cause a disruption to the learning environment. The hallway pass system is also used whenever a student needs to leave a classroom unexpectedly, however  excessive absence from class may need to be managed through the school’s disciplinary policy.   

Students moving through the school without a hallway pass during instructional time must immediately return to their classroom and may be subject to further in-school discipline.

PE Locks, Lockers and Locker Room Guidelines

PE attire will include a gray (no logos) t-shirt and plain navy or black athletic shorts, appropriate athletic shoes* and athletic socks. Please have sweats available for cold weather days. Gray BLMS t-shirts and navy shorts are available for purchase through the Bookkeeper and during Bulldog Business Days.

* athletic shoes are any non-marking shoe designed to be worn for sport, exercise or recreational activity. Sneakers should be suitable for middle school sports activities; no open-toed shoes, foam clogs (eg Crocs) or dress shoes are allowed during PE.  

• Each Friday students will need to take home PE clothes and wash them.
• PE lockers and locks are available and issued to each student. Personal locks are not permitted to be used on PE lockers. Please observe the same guidelines with PE lockers as for hallway lockers.
• If locks are misplaced, lost, or stolen, students are responsible for paying for the lock before an additional lock is issued.
• Students are expected to store all personal items in lockers that are locked and secure.
• BLMS is not responsible for loss or theft of personal items.

Personal Communication Devices (e.g. Cell Phones, Smart Watches, Gaming Devices)

For the purposes of this policy, a personal communication device is any device that emits an audible signal, vibrates, displays any message or video image, or is otherwise capable of sending, receiving, emitting, photographing, recording, storing or displaying any type of audio or visual communication, files, or data. Typical examples we see at school include cell phones, smart watches, handheld gaming devices and iPads.

At BLMS we value your student’s education, and strive to remove barriers and distractions when possible. To this end, we commit that students will not need a personal communication device at Beaver Lake Middle School to access education and so it is a family choice when to introduce one to your student. With the district provided laptop now available to every student, there will never be a time, during the school year, where a personal communication device is the sole way to access any educational experience.

In an effort to protect our students and their educational environment, the following policy will be in place for this school year:

• Cell phones and other personal communication devices may only be used on school grounds (without specific permission) before the first bell, during the last 15 minutes of lunch, and after the last bell of the school day. If a student is ever in doubt whether they have permission to use their device, they should come to the front office.
• Students may use a classroom or office landline if they need to reach a parent/guardian/caretaker. In an emergency, parent/guardian/caretakers may pass messages on to students by contacting the main office.
• The use of cell phones and other personal communication devices in restrooms and locker rooms is prohibited.
• The use of cell phones and other personal communication devices for non-approved academic tasks in class is prohibited. Cell phones must remain out-of-sight and in silent mode. While a cell phone will never be the sole technology required to complete a learning experience, there may be limited opportunities (provided by teachers) to access learning through a personal communication device. Examples may include scanning a QR code, school approved apps, translation services, etc. Teachers will communicate this to students at their own discretion.
• Headphones, earbuds and other listening devices may only be used before the first bell and after school ends, and must be stored out-of-sight during the school day. Wired headphones, used with a district-issued computer, can be used for academic purposes with teacher or staff permission. Wireless headphones and earbuds are prohibited during the school day.
• During tests and assessments, all personal communication devices, including smart watches, must be placed in a locker, backpack, or another location away from students and their desks.
• No recording at any time (video, audio, or photos) may be taken of any individual on any device during the school day or at a school activity. Students enrolled in a class/course that requires filming (i.e., Yearbook, Video Production, etc.) may record for academic purposes only, with the consent of the student(s) being filmed.
• The school and its staff are not responsible for any damage to or theft of a student’s personal communication device. Students must properly secure and take care of personal items they choose to bring to school.
• Students may not use cell phones or electronic devices in any manner that disrupts the educational environment or violates the rights of others, including to bully or to post derogatory statements about students, teachers, or staff via text message or social media. Contents of a cell phone/electronic device may be reviewed and searched by an administrator if there is a reasonable suspicion that it may have been used in an activity prohibited by the Student Behavior Code.
• Students may be subject to disciplinary action if their use of a cell phone or personal communication device disrupts the school’s educational environment. Examples of this include, but are not limited to: cheating, bullying, harassment, unlawful recording or photographing, violating other school rules.

Cell phones and headphones that are not stored out-of-sight and in silent mode during the school day will be confiscated by staff members and brought to the main office for students to pick up at the end of the day. When students pick up their devices, they will review the cell phone/headphone policy and sign out their device(s). After the first confiscation, the following may occur:

• 2^nd confiscation of device(s): The student will pick up their device at the end of the day and review the school policy with the assistant principal.
• 3^rd confiscation of device(s): Student will pick up their device at the end of the day and parent/guardian/caretakers will be contacted. Students will serve a lunch detention as a consequence.
• 4^th confiscation of device(s): Parent/guardian/caretakers will be contacted to pick up the device(s) from school. Students will serve a lunch detention as a consequence.
• If the problem continues, a student may be prohibited from bringing their cell phone back on school grounds for a determined period of time.

Note: The administration reserves the right to adjust these consequences on a case-by-case basis if needed. For example, extreme behaviors that break the law or engaging in bullying or harassment of other students may result in suspension.

Places to Go for Help at BLMS

Homeroom, a.k.a. Bulldog Bonus Time (BBT)

Every morning, students begin their day in BBT. All students have been assigned to a Bulldog Bonus Time teacher. During this time, students will be able to request a meeting with teachers, make up assessments, complete missing work, read, or study. This is also when our Second Step program and Character Strong (Social Emotional Learning) will be implemented. Our goal is to minimize the interruptions to class instruction and to create a designated time to perform our required trainings, presentations and drills. BBT allows us to distribute school information while building community and supporting students at school.

Learning Lunch

This is independent work time supervised by school staff in our PAWS space. Students will eat their lunch and work on the assignments their teacher requested they complete. Students can self-refer, but most are referred to Learning Lunch by their teacher.

Open Library

Our library is accessible every morning before school when the doors open. The library is a quiet work zone. Students can access computers for assignments, complete homework, check out books, or read. The library may also be open during the last 15 minutes of each lunch period.

Teacher Support

Students have access to support from their individual teachers before and after school. Students should speak directly with their teachers to coordinate a time for help or to make up assessments or other in-class assignments, projects or labs.

We are committed to providing these opportunities to support your student’s academic success. If you have concerns about your student’s progress, please contact their teachers as soon as possible. Our counselors are also available and can help with questions or concerns.

Plagiarism/Forgery

At Beaver Lake Middle School, we want our students to always demonstrate their best work. We will use the district wide policy, regarding 'Academic Integrity/Honesty Regulation' and 'Student Conduct and Discipline', to address any allegations of plagiarism or forgery of work presented as the student’s own.

PAWS

Our Positive Academic Work Space (PAWS) allows students opportunities to receive support. Teachers may refer students to PAWS when they are in need of further support in academics or simply need a space to reflect on social and situational awareness. The PAWS space may be accessed by students throughout the day, including before school and during lunch.

Pre-Arranged Absences

Pre-arranged absences are either excused or unexcused by the Principal. If an absence is unexcused, a student will receive no credit on daily work. However, they will receive credit on, and are expected to: make up tests, projects, and major assignments that they missed while absent. Students should work directly with teachers. Teachers are not required to give work ahead of time, and some classroom experiences may not be recreated. Please reference teacher Canvas sites. For non-emergency absences to be excused, a completed Pre-Arranged Absence form must be turned into the Attendance office at least one week prior to the start of the requested absence dates to be approved by the Principal. The Pre-Arranged Absence form is to be used for absences that are 3+ consecutive school days.

School Closure and Notification System

When a delayed start, early dismissal, activity cancellation or school closure is necessary, BLMS will issue a school wide email and voice message alert from the automated notification system and will post a notice on the BLMS website (www.beaverlake.isd411.org). School closings, including unplanned late start days and early dismissals, are reported on our ISD webpage. Unless an alert is issued, BLMS will be open and operate on a normal school day schedule.

If BLMS has a late start day or an early dismissal due to severe weather or other emergencies, before-school and after-school functions may be canceled. Isolated activity cancellations will be handled more personally on a smaller scale as required by the situation.

On a day school remains in session, and severe weather is predicted, students and staff are urged to allow extra time in the morning to get to school safely. Whether walking to school, taking the bus, driving, or being dropped off at school in a vehicle, students and staff are encouraged to take extra precautions to stay warm by wearing additional layers and protective outerwear. Parent/guardian/caretakers are encouraged to make decisions about their child’s attendance at school based on current weather conditions in their neighborhood and safe transportation to and from school.

1 Hour Delay Schedules

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Wednesday

2 Hour Delay Schedule

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Wednesday

School Safety

BLMS has a comprehensive plan to cover a variety of crises that might occur at the school. Developed with the Sammamish police, fire, and city administration, the plan applies to all emergencies that take place during or after school hours, including extracurricular activities and sports events; club, teacher and parent/guardian/caretaker meetings; dances; or any activity in which a group or organization may be using the school building. In the event of an emergency, you must follow school procedures or directives from school personnel. When re-entering the school after an evacuation, return to the room/area from which you evacuated.

Safety Drills

Drills will occur at times established by the administration. Drills may not be preceded by warnings to students. When the fire alarm sounds, stay quiet, walk purposefully to the nearest exit, leave books and other personal property behind, clear access to the building for fire fighting and safety equipment, and return to the building when you are asked to return.

For more information regarding school drills and emergency preparedness, please visit the district Safety and Security webpage.

Safety Codes

In an emergency, one of the following warning codes will be announced:

• Full Lockdown This code indicates a very serious or dangerous situation exists within the building. All students, teachers, staff, and visitors should go immediately to the nearest classroom or office and lock the door. Stay away from windows and doors, and sit quietly on the floor. Anyone in a cafeteria should stay there, lock the doors, and get under the lunch tables. Disregard all class bells. Everyone outside on school grounds should move to an open space far away from the building. Do not enter the building until told to do so.
• Modified Lockdown When there is a possible threat in the community, BLMS may go into a modified lockdown. Staff and students can safely move about the building, exterior doors and gates will remain locked. Visitors must remain in place. For everyone's safety, entering or exiting the building will not be permitted.
• Shelter in Place At times BLMS may perform a Shelter in Place to ensure a safe environment. Everyone should ignore bells and remain in their classrooms. Operations and teaching should continue throughout the interior of the building. BLMS will not permit anyone to enter or exit.
• Evacuation This code indicates a situation calling for orderly evacuation of the school. Walk to the football field and line up with your BBT class. Wait quietly as your teacher takes attendance. Admin will provide further information when necessary.
• All Clear indicates “all clear.” Normal school activity can resume.

School Security Officer

Several secondary schools in the Issaquah School District, including BLMS, have a trained Security Officer stationed at their location. All Security Officers are trained in the most up-to-date best practices including first aid, de-escalation strategies, CPR, AED and Crisis Intervention. The Security Officer works with building administrative teams to ensure student and staff safety.

Student Behavior Code

At Beaver Lake Middle School, we set high standards for student behavior. All students have rights, but you also have responsibilities – to yourself, your classmates, your teachers and your school. If you make the right choices about your behavior and your work, the results for you will be positive.

At Beaver Lake Middle School we have adopted a common language around behaviors that all staff and students are expected to observe.

Be

Accountable: exemplifying integrity in our decision-making; taking responsibility for our actions; planning, arranging, and completing schoolwork in an organized manner; giving our best effort at all times

Respectful: showing high regard and courtesy to all staff and students; approaching disagreements with curiosity as we seek to understand; cooperating with others toward a common goal or purpose

Kind: demonstrating a friendly and warm-hearted nature; taking initiative to help others; representing patience and flexibility with staff and students in our learning community

Safe: caring for the health, happiness, and fortunes of self and others

When problems are recognized with a student’s behavior, the guidelines below provide objective guidance for school administration in dealing with concerns. BLMS students and staff commit to the following core beliefs about discipline. Discipline at BLMS:

• Ensures the right of all students to learn in a safe environment;
• Primarily uses consistent, school-wide prevention and intervention, focusing on instruction and restorative practices;
• Promotes a shared responsibility throughout the school for problem solving by all students and staff;
• Acknowledges and honors individual student’s identities and developmental needs;
• Seeks to model, teach, and reinforce students’ and adults’ social-emotional skills (i.e., self-management, self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making) and;
• Involves a cooperative and collaborative effort among students, parent/guardian/caretakers, and staff.

See the Student Conduct section in the ISD Middle School Student Handbook for important, additional information.

Student Clubs and Organizations

Clubs at BLMS vary from year-to-year, as student interest initiates a clubs offering. Examples of past clubs include:

• Associated Student Body (ASB)
• Drama Club
• Buddy Hall (Homework Club)
• Robotics Club
• Math Club
• Science Olympiad
• Origami Club
• Safe Haven Club
• Jazz Band
• Journalism Club
• Builder's Club (Community Service)
• Screen-Free Gaming Club
• Green Team
• Junior Honor Society
• RC Car Club

Starting a Club

Any student that has an idea for a club that interests them and thinks it will interest other students at BLMS can follow these steps to start a new club:

1. Find an advisor (it can be any BLMS staff member)
2. Obtain an Application for a new club from the Bookkeeper
3. Fill out the form, which includes securing at least 10 signatures of interested students
4. Turn in the application and signatures to the Bookkeeper
5. ASB students will vote on your proposal and let you know the results

Student Drop-off/Pick-up

The main drop-off and pick-up site is located on the northeast side of campus. Enter the main entrance driveway and immediately turn right into the “loop area” to access this. (Please note: While parent/guardian/caretakers may certainly drop off or pick up students in the loop area of the school, it is not advised to park in this area, as this area is a restricted fire lane – it is a $250 fine). When the loop is full, waiting is permitted on the west side of the school, along SE 32^nd Street.   Alternatively, parking is available on the east side of the school, along SE 32^nd Street, and students can walk from the school to safely meet cars there.

Visitors to the school may use any space in the large parking lot near the field. Even if you remain in your vehicle, cars should be within an allocated space and not preventing others from leaving.

The Northwest driveway accesses BLMS staff parking and the BLMS bus loop. For student safety, there is absolutely no parking, student drop-off or student pick-up in the bus loop.

No automobiles, motorcycles, or any motorized vehicles are to be driven to school by middle school students. When bringing children to school or picking them up by automobile, parent/guardian/caretakers are requested to model common driving courtesy and carefully observe traffic safety rules. Please pull all the way forward when in the traffic circle and dropping off your student. Students are to exit vehicles on the building side of the circle, not in traffic. Please watch carefully for students walking or riding bicycles, observing all directions of school crossing guard personnel, not stopping in crosswalk areas, entering only through marked entries and exiting through marked exit areas. Traffic into and out of these areas before and after school will be very congested. Your patience is appreciated as we work together to keep our students safe.
 

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students of Beaver Lake Middle School have the right to equitable treatment and equitable access to the educational program. BLMS respects the right of every student to be free from personal harm and unfair treatment by staff members or other students. If a student has experienced discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, or any other prohibited conduct, they should report their claim to Administration or follow the steps listed in the Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying and Non-Discrimination portion of the ISD Middle School Handbook, found in the Student Conduct section.

Tardiness to Class

Students who are regularly tardy to their classes will have consequences assigned according to the following process.

Tardies are tracked based on the amount of tardies to each class period. Tardy counts reset each trimester.

• 5 tardies – Student receives one detention (30 minutes)
• 8 tardies - Student receives one additional detention (30 minutes)
• 10 tardies - Student receives one additional detention (30 minutes)
• 15+ tardies – Administration will meet with student and family to discuss additional support and/or consequences.

Students are responsible for serving detention time in the following ways: lunch detention, Wednesday morning (8:30-10:00), or after school. The amount of time a student needs to serve is determined by the number of detentions they have received. For example, if a student has received two detentions (60 minutes total), they could serve two lunch detentions to resolve the time assigned.

Students must serve all detention time prior to participating in the following events:

• Sports: Students may participate in tryouts or practices, but they will not be allowed to compete if there are unserved detentions.
• Club/Activities: Students must serve all detentions prior to participating in any clubs or club competitions.
• School Dances: Students must serve all detentions in order to attend a school dance.

Other School Social Events: Students must serve all detentions before being allowed to participate in school social events. For example, Assemblies, Fun Fridays, Spring Fling, Field Trips, etc.

Walking

Students who walk to BLMS must use the crosswalks and sidewalks wherever available. If approaching school from the Challenger side, students must abide by the Challenger rules governing students entering or leaving the property (using guarded crosswalks, walking bicycles on school property, no roller-blades/skateboards on campus, etc.)

Trail & field gates will typically be opened during the arrival and departure of students, from both our own school and the neighboring Challenger Elementary School.  During the school day, these gates will be secured, so any student walking to school late in the morning must find an alternative route into the front of their own school to sign in at the office.

While we secure our own facilities at the end of the day, community gates are left unlocked to ensure student access into local neighborhoods after all school or evening activities.