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| Morris Plains School District
Policies |
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| Homework/Make-Up Work |
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Homework is any work the students are required to do outside of class.
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The purpose of homework is to provide students with a reinforcement,
application, and/or extension of previously taught subject matter in order to:
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Reinforce skills and concepts taught in the classroom;
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Extend skills through long term projects;
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Develop responsibility, organizational skills, study skills, and time
management.
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Homework is any work the students are required to do outside of class.
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The following total time allotments for homework are recommended and are to be
interpreted as the maximum time limit per student per day. Adherence to these
guidelines shall be monitored by the administration.
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Grade K: up to 15 minutes per day
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Grades 1-2: 15-30 minutes per day
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Grades 3-4: 30-60 minutes per day
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Grades 5-6: 60-90 minutes per day
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Grades 7-8: 60-120 minutes per day
These recommendations may be modified based on the needs of an individual
student.
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There are times when work which is not completed in class is sent home to be
completed, in addition to homework assignments.
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Make-up work (missed instruction and assignments) is the responsibility of the
student and the teacher. When a student returns to class after an absence,
every effort will be made by the teacher to provide the needed instruction and
assignments. The teacher will provide the student with materials and an
appropriate completion date. The student has the responsibility to see the
teacher to get appropriate assignments.
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The role of the parent/guardian is to provide an appropriate study area and
study time for the student. Parents/guardians are instrumental in developing an
organizational routine for checking the completion of assignments and the
return of those assignments.
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If a child does not have a specific assignment, the recommended homework times
may be used for pleasure reading, journal writing, newspaper reading or
drawing.
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Failure to complete homework or make-up work as assigned may affect a student’s
overall grade. Repeated infractions may result in disciplinary action.
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| Religious Holidays |
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No pupil who is absent from school because of a religious holiday may be
deprived of any award or of eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award
because of such absence.
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If a pupil misses a test or examination because of a religious holiday, he/she
must be given the right to take an alternate test or examination.
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To be entitled to the privileges set forth above, the pupil must present a
written excuse signed by a parent or guardian to his/her teacher prior to the
absence.
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| Family Vacations |
| The Morris Plains School District adheres to the
belief that each day of school is valued instructional time. We discourage
parents and/or guardians from taking students out of school during normally
scheduled school hours. Students who are absent due to family vacations should
notify teachers at least one week in advance of their planned departure.
Arrangements can be made for these students to continue their study and to
complete homework assignments upon their return to school. Pupils are permitted
to make up tests and/or major examinations administered while absent under
these circumstances within one week of their return to school. Completion of
assignments is each student’s responsibility. |
| Legal References: |
| N.J.S.A. |
18A:11-1 |
General mandatory powers and duties |
| N.J.S.A. |
18A:36-14 |
Religious holidays; absence of pupils on; effect |
| N.J.S.A. |
18A:54-20 |
Powers of board (county vocational) |
| N.J.A.C. |
6:3-1.8 |
Approved public elementary and secondary school summer
sessions |
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| Cross References: |
| 1322 |
Contests for pupils |
| 1520 |
Role of parents/guardians |
| 5113 |
Absences and excuses |
| 5121 |
Examinations/grading/rating/testing |
| 5124 |
Reporting to parents/guardians |
| 6145 |
Extracurricular activities |
| 6153 |
Field trips |
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| Policies Adopted: July 19, 2004 |
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| Conduct and Dress |
| A staff member’s conduct and dress should be
appropriate for a professional person in keeping with his/her their assigned
duties. (e.g., professional staff members should dress appropriately to set a
model or example for students.) |
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| Cell Phones and Wireless Communication Device Use |
| “Cell phone and wireless communication devices”
(referred to herein as “cell phones”) are defined to include portable two-way
telecommunication devices, including but not limited to cellular telephones,
walkie-talkies, personal digital assistants, and other hand-held computing
devices (when such device is being used as a communication device). This
definition will also include any new technology developed for similar purposes.
Excluded from this definition is any device with communication capabilities
that has been approved for instructional purposes, and district-issued cell
phones for professional use. |
Staff Use
The staff is prohibited from the use of personal cell phones while they are
performing their assigned duties and/or during the operation of district
equipment or vehicles. Personal cell phones should be turned off or silenced.
Personal cell phones may not be used during the time that staff are assigned to
student contact time (including homeroom, instructional time, duty periods).
Because of the threat to privacy and the integrity of the educational program,
the use of a camera function of a cell phone is strictly prohibited on school
premises or at school activities. All cell phone usage is prohibited in
restrooms, locker rooms and shower facilities.
Personal cell phones may be used during preparation/break periods, lunch
periods, and before and after the instructional school day.
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Cell Phone Use - Students
Restrictions
Students in grades K-2 may not possess or use cell phones on the school property or the
school bus unless specific approval has been granted by the principal.
Students in grades 3-8 may possess cell phones; however, to avoid disruption of the
educational process, students shall not display, use, activate, or permit cell phones to be
activated in any school building during the instructional day, without the expressed
permission of the principal or his/her designee. The instructional day includes, but is not
limited to, lunch break, class changes, and any other structured or non-structured
instructional activity that occurs during the normal school day. Students are responsible
to ensure that their cell phones are turned off and out of sight.
Because of the threat to privacy and the integrity of the educational program, the use of a
camera function of a cell phone is strictly prohibited on school premises or at school
activities. All cell phone usage is prohibited in restrooms, locker rooms and shower
facilities.
Permitted Use
Cell phones may be used before the instructional school day (before homeroom) and
after the official dismissal at the end of the instructional school day provided such use
does not create a distraction or disruption.
Cell phones are not to be used by students participating in before-school or after-school
activities unless approved by the staff member in charge.
Cell phones are not to be used on the school bus or commercial buses used for field trips
or other school activities unless approved by the staff member in charge.
Policy Implementation
Any staff member having knowledge or reasonable suspicion of the unauthorized
possession or use of a cell phone/pager (“beeper”) by a student should promptly report
this information to the principal or his/her designee.
Any student who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action which may
include, but is not limited to, parental/guardian notification, confiscation and privilege
denial.
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Emergency Use
Cell phone use is permitted at any time in the event of an emergency. An
emergency is defined as any event in which there is imminent danger of bodily
injury or loss of life or damage to property. |
| Legal References: |
| N.J.S.A. |
18A:6-10 |
Dismissal and reduction in compensation of
persons under tenure in public school system |
| N.J.S.A. |
18A:11-1 |
General mandatory powers of the board |
| N.J.S.A. |
18A:27-4 |
Power of boards of education to make rules
governing employment of teacher, etc., employment thereunder |
| Hicks v. Pemberton Bd. of Ed., 1975 S.L.D. 332 |
| Quiroli v. Linwood Bd. of Ed., 1974 S.L.D. 1035 |
| Carlstadt Teachers Assn v. Carlstadt Bd. of Ed.,
App. Div., unreported decision (docket no. A-1469-80-T4, decided March 26,
1982), 1982 S.L.D. 1448. |
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| Cross Reference: |
| 5131.9 |
Cell Phone and Wireless Communication Device Use (Students) |
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| Policies Adopted: February 7, 2005 |
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