Parent Newsletter

December 4 - 8, 2023

Click Here to View This Week's Newsletter in a Separate Window

Bell Schedules

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MMS BELL SCHEDULES

MMS Student Handbook

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MMS STUDENT HANDBOOK

Dress Code Policy

Dress and Grooming (All Grade Levels)

Philosophy 

The district’s dress code teaches grooming and hygiene, prevents disruption, and minimizes safety hazards. Students and parents may determine a student’s personal dress and grooming standards, provided that they comply with district and campus expectations. The district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption and minimize safety-hazards. Students should be dressed and groomed in a manner that is clean and neat and that will not be a health or safety-hazard to themselves or others. The district prohibits any clothing, grooming, or display of images that cause, or in the principal or designee’s judgment may reasonably be predicted to cause, disruption of or interference with school activities. For dress code interpretation and enforcement, the campus Principal, or designee, shall be responsible.  

General Guidelines

The district prohibits the wearing or display of pictures, writings, images, or symbols that: 1) are lewd, vulgar, sexually-explicit, or obscene; 2) seek to demonstrate or recruit gang membership; 3) are discriminatory, harassing, or threatening towards others on the basis of their race, sex, disability, ethnicity, religion, or gender (including, but not limited to, display of the confederate flag); or 4) advertise or promote tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or any other substance prohibited by policy. 

Student ID’s 

The district's dress code includes proper display of the student’s campus identification card (ID). All students are expected to wear the campus-issued SmartTag ID while on campus. More information on SmartTag here https://www.hayscisd.net/smarttag 

Shirts

Shirts must be worn at an appropriate length. Tank tops, muscle shirts, spaghetti straps, exposed back or midriffs or see through garments are not permitted. Belly buttons/mid-section/cleavage should not be visible on any student, male or female.

Pants/Shorts/skirts/skorts

All pants/shorts/skirts/skorts should be worn at the waist and fit appropriately. “Sagging” or “bagging” is not permitted. Tight fitting pants (such as tights, Spandex, bicycle pants or leggings) should be worn with a shirt that covers the areas below the waist. Pants should be in good condition and there should be no excessive holes or fraying. Shorts, skirts and skorts may be worn no shorter than the tips of the middle fingers when the arms are naturally beside the body.

Hats

Hats or any other head coverings are not allowed to be worn inside the school buildings during school hours. This includes baseball caps, cowboy hats, bandannas, do rags, skull caps or any other type of headwear or head coverings. Hats / head coverings will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of school day. Students are not permitted to cover the head/face with  “hoodies” while on campus. Exceptions may be made for school-sponsored spirit days with approval of the principal, in advance.

Individual campuses may involve their Campus Leadership Team (CLT) in developing the dress code. The principal or administrative designee in cooperation with sponsors, coaches, or other persons in charge of any extracurricular activities, shall regulate the dress and grooming of students who participate in these activities, as per Hays CISD policy FNCA (LOCAL)  If the principal determines that a student’s grooming or clothing violates the school’s dress code, the student will be given an opportunity to correct the problem at school. If not corrected, the student may be assigned to in-school suspension, or another location, for the remainder of the day or until the problem is corrected, or a parent or designee brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school. 

Repeated offenses may result in more serious disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Repeated or severe offenses may result in more serious disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Hays Consolidated Independent School District Student Handbook.

Cell Phone Policy

This procedure is intended to support student learning while minimizing student distractions and disruptions. The procedure will also support and enhance current safety procedures and protocols. Teachers are expected to incorporate technology as a part of their lesson plans as long as it supports the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Students may use their own technology (laptops or iPad) to support the learning objectives in the classroom.

Student use guidelines during the school day (8:10 AM-3:45 PM)

• Students may use their personal electronics on campus before 7:45 AM and after 3:45 PM.

• Cell phones must be out of sight and on airplane mode in the classroom.

• Students will not have their cell phones out during class or passing periods.

• Cell Phone use is prohibited in bathroom, locker rooms, changing areas or any area considered private.

• Principals may allow students to use their cell phones during lunch time.

Students who violate the procedure will have the following consequences.

• 1st Offense – Warning

• 2nd Offense – Confiscation of the device.

• 3rd Offense – Confiscation of the device and parent notified.

• 4th Offense – Confiscation of the device, mandatory parent meeting. Assign one hour of after school detention. Device returned at the end of the day.

• Multiple Offenses – Confiscation of the device, may charge a $10 fee, and be assigned In School Suspension.

Students who fail to surrender devices will elevate consequences immediately. Confiscated phone will be returned to the student at the end of day. Violations will reset every nine week grading period.

Parent expectations Parents can help their child support this policy, the learning environment, and our school’s mission by:

• Discussing the school expectation with your child

• Picking up confiscated devices in a timely manner between 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Please take a moment to review our policy for students riding home on a bus with another student:

• A note is needed from both parties; the student that is going home with a friend AND a note from the friend's parent.
• Both notes must have a parent signature and a phone number.
• The campus will contact both parties for verification. Notes can be provided ahead of time for verification.
• Students will not be allowed to go home with their friend on the bus if we have not had verbal confirmation from both parties.

If you are unable to receive phone calls at work, please email me at James.Cruz@hayscisd.net. You can also text me at 512-698-7007.

I appreciate everyone’s understanding with this policy. Please let me know if you have any questions, I will be happy to assist you. 

SRP (Standard Response Protocol)
For a brief introduction to SRP (Standard Response Protocol) in English click here

For a brief introduction to SRP (Standard Response Protocol) in Spanish click here

To learn more detailed information about SRP and the iloveuguys foundation, please visit www.iloveuguys.org

SRP Parent Handout  

HERO
We are using a system called HERO this year that will keep track of tardy/no id/cell phone violations. We also use this system for Tiger Tickets and positive behavior. Parents are able to keep track of their students' tardy/no id violations as well as how many tiger tickets they have earned. Here are the directions: 

1. You must create an account on the computer first before downloading the app. Please go to https://herok12.com/. Click on sign in (top right corner)
2. After clicking sign in, click on the picture that says parents
3. Click on create an account
4. Hit submit after filling out the information
5. Click add a student
6. Click “no” when the message asks if you have a code
7. Fill out your child's information

• After you have followed these steps, you can download the APP.
• Type in your search “HeroK12”. Download the HERO APP, which is a blue color (it will say students).

Please let me know if you need any assistance.