Middle School Handbook
- Letter from the Director
- Mission Statement
- Academic Life
- Behavioral Expectations and Policies
- Uniform Code
- Middle School Communication
- Extracurricular Activities
- Student Support Services
- Facilities
Letter from the Director
August 2020
Dear Middle School Students,
I enthusiastically welcome you to the Middle School! For some of you, this is the fourth distribution of the Student Handbook and, for others, this marks a first. However, the message for all of you remains the same: we are one big, caring community that is firmly in place to support you. This Handbook should serve as a guide for you as you navigate the Middle School.
The year ahead will provide you with an abundance of opportunities to both fortify areas of interest and to delve into uncharted regions. In approaching these opportunities, I encourage you to both ask and field questions, to seek and provide answers, to initiate new friendships and nourish existing ones, and to appreciate the diverse experiences that members of our community bring on a daily basis. We are truly fortunate to have such a talented group of people within our walls to help you find experiences that will allow you to feel successful, challenged, and respected.
The Handbook explains various aspects of Middle School life and provides you with a clear set of expectations — expectations that we have for you and that you may have for your Middle School experience. Please take the time to read through the Handbook carefully, for your awareness of these expectations will be extremely helpful as we work together throughout the year.
Sincerely,
Schuyler Fauver
Middle School Director
Mission Statement
The Breck Middle School is designed to meet the needs of early adolescents as they experience the emergence of their own independence. It is a community in which this process of growth is respected, demanded and celebrated.
The following essential characteristics of the Middle School reflect our beliefs and values:
- engaging students in a challenging liberal arts curriculum;
- directing the development of a sense of personal accountability;
- offering the opportunity to make developmentally appropriate decisions, take risks, succeed and fail in an atmosphere of encouragement and support;
- promoting respect for self and others;
- fostering a sense of security and stability through friendships and membership in the Middle School community;
- identifying opportunities for the expression of an ever-growing social awareness and conscience;
- helping students to appreciate and profit from the diversity that characterizes the Breck community;
- collaborating with students and their families to form a partnership that will contribute to the maturation of students;
- encouraging each student to identify with their own spiritual being and values; and
- holding advocacy for adolescents at the center of all that we do.
Academic Life
Academic Awards
Our philosophy that academics, the arts, and life skills classes are important in maintaining a balanced program for Middle School students is reflected in our calculation of grade point average (GPA). In June, Academic Excellence Certificates are presented to students in the sixth grade who have earned a GPA of 3.533 and above during the current school year. At year’s end, in the seventh and eighth grades, Honors Awards Certificates are presented to seventh- and eighth-grade students who have earned grade point averages of 3.333 to 3.666, and High Honors Awards certificates are awarded to those who have earned grade point averages of 3.667 and above during the current school year.
Academic Probation Policy for Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Students
Level I Probation
A seventh- or eighth-grade Middle School student will be placed on Level I Probation if, at the end of a semester, s/he fails a course or has two grades of D+ or below. If after any semester in the Middle School the student is still earning Level I Probation grades in any academic subjects, s/he will be placed on Level II Probation.
Level II Probation
A student will be placed on Level II Probation if the student earns any of the following combinations of semester grades:
- 2 grades of F
- 3 grades of D+ or below
- Level I Probation grades past one semester
If after one semester on Level II Probation the student is still earning any of the above combinations of semester grades in any academic classes, the student will be subject to dismissal from Breck.
Students placed on Academic Probation at the conclusion of Middle School will remain on Academic Probation in the Upper School. (See Academic Probation in the Upper School section.)
Advanced Classes
Advanced classes in math are offered in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Students are recommended for these classes by the department. A semester average below a B- may result in a change of class in order to better match course content with student need.
If a child requires tutoring to remain in an accelerated class, the department may recommend the student change courses.
Advisory Program
The Breck Middle School Advisory Program ensures that each student has a formally appointed member of the faculty who will serve as an academic advocate. Advisors and their advisees meet frequently to offer the opportunity to monitor academic progress, relay information from faculty, and to address issues and concerns that are a normal part of Middle School life. Advisors will receive information from their students’ classroom teachers as well as copies of information that faculty have sent to parents. Advisors provide semi-annual letters that speak to various areas of students’ development over the course of the year. Advisors may serve as the contact person for parents to call if they have questions of a general nature, and will communicate information, needs and concerns to the parents of their advisees. Questions regarding a specific class should be directed to the teacher.
Assignments
Whether in school or absent, the student is expected to keep track of their assignments. When absent, the student is advised to check online or contact another student in the class to obtain assignments and arrange for books and handouts to be brought home.
It is the student’s responsibility to arrange times with specific teachers to make up quizzes and tests that have been missed and to turn in all completed work. Students are encouraged to ask for help if needed.
Chapel
“Encouraging each student to identify with their own spiritual being and values,” is a key element in the Breck Middle School Mission Statement. Chapel is the place and program most clearly associated with this ambition, but it would not be accurate or appropriate to say that the Middle School restricts matters of the heart or spirituality to a single place or program in the school.
Middle School Chapel will usually be held twice during the week. Once a month, an All-School Chapel is held for the whole community. All students and faculty attend Chapel programs. Books, school supplies and outerwear are not to be brought to Chapel. Respect for the sanctity of Chapel is expected, as is quiet movement into and out of the Chapel area.
Community Engagement
There are two general types of community engagement opportunities in the Middle School:
- Middle School Community Partnerships — Six times a year, all Middle School students engage with a range of community organizations in and around the Twin Cities.
- Local or Special Projects — In the course of the year, there are focused community service efforts. These have included the stocking of food shelves, clothing drives, and efforts such as disaster relief. These are moved more by the collective awareness and conscience of the Middle School community than by any particular individuals within it. Often, Community Meeting and Chapel have been used as forums for generating participation and contribution. Interests in such projects should be directed to the Middle School Chaplain.
Community Meeting
Community Meeting allows members of the Middle School Community to celebrate individual, class and team accomplishments, ask questions of importance, provide helpful information, and address issues of concern in a town meeting forum.
Daily Announcements
Students will receive “Tomorrow’s News Today” (TNT) via email in the afternoon and are expected to be aware of matters affecting them.
Exams
We introduce the concept of semester exams in the seventh grade. Seventh and eighth graders take tests or complete projects that cover material throughout the year in English, world language, history, math, and science.. Exams acknowledge cumulative learning and help to prepare students and give them an increased sense of confidence in Upper School.
Homework
Homework plays an important role in a student’s academic life. The amount of time spent on homework will increase when students miss classes, do not use class time appropriately, and/or need extra practice.
Also, there are those times when athletics, performance evenings, family activities, and religious celebrations require students to plan ahead so that they may manage their academic work outside of school. Developing the right approach to organizing and doing homework is crucial. Students should know that there are many people in the Middle School eager to help in this effort. While faculty will try to pace their assignments and expectations, it is the student’s responsibility to let them know when help is needed.
Students will occasionally have time in class to begin homework, and they should take advantage of this opportunity! If a student does not understand the assignment, he or she will have the chance to ask questions and get help so that the assignment can be done properly.
Teachers on grade-level teams work in concert with one another to monitor the amount of homework students receive. As students get older, they should expect a gradual increase in their workload. For all grades, students and their teachers will work together on time management strategies for both day-to-day work and long-term projects. Papers and projects will be assigned sufficiently in advance. If a student finds that time spent on homework is outside the norm, a meeting with the student’s advisor is encouraged.
Laptops
Breck’s “Acceptable Use Policy” is given to all students at the start of the year and is included in the All-School Policies section of this Handbook. Students are expected to read as well as understand this policy.
Computer security—students are responsible for safe-guarding their laptops. This includes making sure students have their laptops with them or have them in a secure place. For those students participating in after-school activities, the expectation is that they will either leave their laptops in their locked locker or leave them with an adult, but never unattended.
Passwords are provided to students who are urged to keep them private to ensure greater security.
Non-Academic Times
Non-academic periods throughout the week are used for Community Meetings, Middle School Chapel, special events, Be a Mustang, Mindworks, Tutorial, study time, Advisory meetings, and recreational activities.
Veracross
The Veracross grade portal is open to Middle School students and their parents as a way of providing access to academic progress.
Teachers can be expected to have their grade books updated on the 15th and 30th of each month (or February 29th).
The teachers’ and advisors’ comments are very important. Students should take pride in their compliments and enjoy them, just as they should give careful attention to suggestions for improving classroom work. If more explanation is needed, students should speak with the teacher. There are many components that may make up the grade, depending on the course: quality of written and/or oral work, classroom participation, homework and practice, tests, and effort. Always remember that grades are earned. They are not gifts.
Grades mean:
A = Outstanding level of performance
A = 94-100%
A- = 90-93%
B = High level of performance
B+ = 87-89%
B = 83-86%
B- = 80-82%
C = Satisfactory level of performance
C+ = 77-79%
C = 73-76%
C- = 70-72%
D = Needs to improve in performance
D+ = 67-69%
D = 63-66%
D- = 60-62%
F = Indicates unsatisfactory level of performance
F = 59% and below
I = Incomplete work
Summer Coursework
Students who fail classes for a year may be asked to attend summer school to make up the coursework before entering the next grade level at Breck School.
Behavioral Expectations and Policies
Absences and Tardies
A student’s attendance is critically important to us. It is also the most important contributor to success in the Middle School. There is no substitute for being in class. Both students and classmates suffer when a student is not in class. The Middle School expects that there will not be absences for additional vacation time for personal convenience and that students will make daily attendance their highest school priority. Students who are not present the entire school day will not be able to participate in socials, athletic practices and games, or other co- and extracurricular activities (i.e., rehearsals or performances). Exceptions may be made for medical reasons or family emergencies.
Please use the Veracross Parent Portal to submit student absences, late arrivals, and/ or early departures by 9:00 am each day. You may also call the Middle School Office Assistant (763-381-8293) with the information.If your child is ill, we will need to know the symptoms to report to the Health Center. In addition, please notify the Health Center (763-381-8241) of any communicable diseases, medications, surgeries, or injuries that involve your child.
Late Arrival and/or Early Departure
Students arriving at school after 8:30 am must sign in at the Middle School Office where they will be given a pass to class. The Middle School Office will require communication from a parent/guardian explaining the reason for the late arrival.
Students planning to leave campus before 3:15 pm must sign out at the Middle School Office. The Middle School Office will require communication from a parent/guardian explaining the reason for the early departure.
Students who become ill during the school day may NOT make their own arrangements to leave campus. They should report to the Health Center for assistance. If your child reaches out to you directly, please remind them to go to the Health Center.
Excused Absences
Excused absences are defined as the following:
- Students become ill or are injured;
- Have a family emergency;
- Have a verified dental or medical appointment;
- Have completed a Middle School Absence Agreement Form and submitted it to the Middle School Office prior to departure;
- Have other reasons approved by the Dean of Students.
The school asks that every effort be made to schedule appointments outside of the school day.
Absence Agreement Form
When students know ahead of time that they will be missing school, they must complete and submit an Absence Agreement Form prior to their departure. The purpose of the form is to help students communicate with their teachers about their upcoming absence and to help make a plan for completing the work they will miss. The completed form will need to be signed by the student and parent(s), and finally the corresponding grade level Dean. Completing the form requires time to consult and plan with all classroom teachers whose classes will be missed. Please make sure that sufficient time is allowed to prepare and submit the form for approval. Students must pick up, as well as turn in, completed Absence Agreement Forms in the Middle School Office.
Excessive Absences
Students with excessive absences from school or from a particular class (ten or more per semester) will be referred by faculty members to the Dean of Students, who will contact the students’ parents. A student who is absent for ten school days or more during the semester will receive credit for the semester only upon review of the circumstances of the absences and the final level of achievement in each of the student’s courses. This review will be done by the student’s teachers and the Dean of Students who will make a recommendation to the Middle School Director.
Excessive Tardies
Excessive tardiness will be reported to the Dean of Students. The student’s parents may be notified and disciplinary action may result.
Unexcused Absences
Unexcused absences are defined as the following:
- Coming to class 15 minutes or more after the start of the class is considered an unexcused absence unless the student has a pass from a teacher in order to be excused (all tardies require passes).
- Skipping a class is considered an unexcused absence and may result in suspension and no credit earned for the work due in that class.
Extended Absences
In the event that a student is absent from school for an extended period, communication with the student’s Dean is paramount. If the absence is planned, the student’s parent or guardian will meet with the Dean, prior to the absence, to establish a common understanding of the school’s expectations regarding the coverage and completion of material missed. In the case of an unforeseen absence, the parent or guardian will meet with the Dean to discuss a plan for re-entry that will best meet the student’s needs.
Academic Honesty
In the fall, teachers discuss academic honesty, including plagiarism, with students including what constitutes the difference between collaborative/cooperative learning and cheating. Students are responsible for understanding what constitutes plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty; ignorance is not an excuse.
Cheating
Cheating includes:
- Turning in work that is not the student’s own;
- Not collaborating on a paper or project where all members are responsible and claiming credit;
- Copying someone else’s work or allowing someone to copy the student’s work;
- Sharing or acquiring test information except as allowed by teachers;
- Using crib sheets for exams except as allowed by teachers; and
- Other behaviors judged dishonest by the school.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism, the misrepresentation of the original author’s ideas as one’s own, is a serious form of academic dishonesty. You avoid plagiarism by documenting the words and ideas of others when you use them in your writing. The following are forms of plagiarism:
- Presenting someone else’s idea but not documenting it (so the idea seems to be yours);
- Presenting someone else’s words without documenting them (so they seem to be part of your own writing); and
- Quoting someone else’s words—perhaps even documenting them— but failing to use quotation marks.
Students who cheat or plagiarize on an assessment may be assigned a grade as low as zero; additional consequences may be determined by Breck administration.
After-School Activities
Fifth- and sixth-grade students may participate in the Mustang Intramural Program (MIP), and students in sixth through eighth grades are invited to participate in Middle School Interscholastic Sports. Students may also remain after-school if they are involved in a theater production, private music lessons, or if they have signed up for an extra help session with a faculty member or tutor.
After-School Policy
Students remaining in the building after 3:30 pm must be involved in an adult supervised after-school activity or registered for the Middle School After-School Program, which is available to students every day from 3:30-5:30 pm. Registration and information can be found on the Breck Website and by contacting the Middle School Office.
Students are eligible to participate in the Middle School After-School Program if one (or more) of the following conditions apply:
- The student is enrolled in a supervised after-school activity that ends before 5:30 pm.
- The student has a sibling at Breck who is involved in an after-school activity that requires a later family pick-up time.
- Parents and/or guardians require regular or occasional after-school supervision due to special circumstances. Please contact the Breck Middle School Office and speak with a member of the administration.
Classroom Behavior
A student who is disruptive in a class may be asked to report to the Middle School office where s/he will meet with an administrator. Additional offenses may result in a range of responses, from a behavioral contract to suspension, as deemed appropriate by the administration.
Clean Hall Policy
Backpacks/bags are not to be used during the school day. Backpacks/bags that are used to transport books and materials to and from school should be unloaded in the hallway lockers at the beginning of the day, and the backpacks/bags themselves should be stored in the classroom cubbies in their advisors’ rooms. At the end of the day, those materials that are needed at home may be packed for the trip, and those that are not needed may be kept at school. Students in all four grades will work with their advisors and grade-level faculty to develop organization systems to serve them at the beginning of the school year.
All personal belongings at school must fit into the hallway lockers and classroom cubbies. Oversized items such as downhill and cross-country skis, musical instruments and hockey bags should be stored in locations designated by the deans. The hallways and Middle School Commons are to be kept clear.
Disciplinary Consequences
The administration handles violations of the Middle School Contract and General Building Rules on a case-by-case basis. When these are not met or followed, any or all of the consequences indicated below may be earned. It is the responsibility of all members of the Middle School community to know and understand what is expected of them.
The following chart reflects a general series of steps taken in response to violation of school rules or expectations. Please note that serious violations may result in immediate suspension or expulsion.
Suspension
Suspension from school is assigned only when necessary, and in consultation with the Middle School Division Director. When a student frequently or seriously violates the social contract, building rules, or is academically dishonest, time away from school to plan needed changes in behavior may be necessary. When a student is suspended from school, daily assignments may be done and submitted for credit upon return. In addition, students may be required to write a reflection paper to address one’s behavior and plans for improvement.
Expulsion
When serious misbehavior occurs (either academic or personal) or a student repeatedly contributes negatively to the environment, it may be time for a student to seek another school. Sometimes, we are simply not the right fit for every student we accept. If that time comes, parents will be asked to withdraw the student, or the student will be expelled. This action is taken only in the most serious of cases, and only in consultation with the Head of School.
Electronics
Use and possession of non-school-issued electronics (cell phones, hand-held gaming devices, smart watches, etc.) is prohibited from 8:00 am-3:15 pm. Furthermore, such items are not allowed on field trips, unless an exception is made by the administration. School-issued laptops are not permitted in the common areas unless use is assigned by a teacher. Video games of any kind and on any device are not allowed. If used inappropriately, they will be confiscated for a period of time determined by the administration.
General Building Expectations
- Students will wear the Middle School uniform and do so properly. Please refer to the Uniform Code section of this Handbook.
- Students will be on time and prepared to contribute to classes.
- Students will not run in the halls or roughhouse.
- Students will not chew gum.
- For safety reasons, students are not allowed behind the building, in parking lots, on the practice fields, or in the gymnasiums without supervision or permission.
The Middle School Social Contract
Membership in the Middle School community presumes a commitment to respectful, honest, and responsible behavior. Certainly academic skills and intellectual growth are at the heart of what we are as a school, but as a school we are also deeply committed to modeling, teaching, and reinforcing attitudes and behaviors that reflect the high regard we have for ourselves, each other, the work we do together, and the place in which we gather to do it. The Middle School is a place in which we may learn and practice appropriate social interactions and feel encouraged and supported in our efforts. The following are the six expectations of the social contract we make with each other at the beginning of each year:
- • We will have respect for self and others.
- • We will have respect for personal and community property.
- • We will be respectful in our use of language.
- • We will exhibit academic integrity.
- • We will be honest with each other.
- • We will be responsible for our actions.
Permission Forms / Field Trips / Student-Parent Waiver
It is part of Breck School’s program to conduct field trips, camping experiences, and programmatic activities away from the Breck campus. Recognizing this, the school requires that a Breck School student/parent waiver be signed by parents/guardians at the beginning of each year. This form is part of the enrollment contract and gives permission for students to participate in normal field trips.
A specific permission form will be sent for those events involving a charge for the event or any expectation of parents (i.e., transportation needs). Failure to return such a signed permission form may result in a student not being able to participate in the trip.
Uniform Code
Official Breck uniforms may be purchased at the following stores:
- Educational Outfitters
6002 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park
www.minnesota.educationaloutfitters.com
- Donald’s Department Store
972 Payne Avenue, St. Paul
www.donaldsuniform.com
- Donald’s West
6407 City West Parkway, Suite 104, Eden Prairie
www.donaldsuniform.com
- Lands’ End — three locations (currently pants only)
11210 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka
820 W 78th Street, Richfield
8362 Tamarack Village, Woodbury
www.landsend.com
These stores will have a listing of the Breck uniform and we ask that there be no substitutions of suppliers or clothing.
The uniform consists of the following:
- khaki pants and shorts (length no shorter than the top of the kneecap);
- navy short-sleeved or long-sleeved polo shirts with banded bottom — shirts worn under uniform shirts must be tucked in and, if long sleeved, must also be navy blue;
- Be a Mustang t-shirt (distributed at school);
- pleated, plaid skirt);
- footwear must cover heels and toes (no slippers, sandals, slides, or boots).
Optional items:
- Quarter-zip sweatshirt with embroidered Breck logo
- Belt, and
- Solid-colored black, blue, or gray leggings under a uniform skirt.
All students are expected to maintain a neat, clean, and appropriate appearance at all times. This means wearing uniform clothing in good condition. Students who abuse the dress code may be removed from the regular schedule, or their parents may be called to bring appropriate clothing to school.
All students must be in uniform while on campus during the school day. *Non-uniform clothing must be placed in lockers before first hour. Students may wear additional outerwear during Activity, but must return to full uniform when returning to classes.
Hats and other headwear are only allowed outside the school building, including non-uniform days. The Parents Association holds ReUse Uniform Sales several times throughout the school year. The Email Bulletin Board will include dates and times of sales.
Non-Uniform Days
The last Friday of each month is typically a non-uniform day in the Middle School. Non-uniform day attire is clean, school-appropriate, modest clothing in good condition.
Occasionally, special events such as Homecoming, Halloween and field trips will dictate non-uniform attire particular to those events. In these cases, the recommended attire will be announced in advance to those affected.
General
- Inappropriately tight or short clothing will not be permitted.
- Exposed shoulders or midriff is not allowed.
- No open-toed shoes or flip flops.
Ordinarily, dress that attracts undue or negative attention or which infringes on the rights or values of others is not considered to be in the spirit of the dress code. Determining whether clothing is appropriate is at the discretion of the school. If the clothing is deemed inappropriate by the Middle School Administration, the student will be asked to change clothes or a parent will be called.
Dress-Up Day Attire
Certain days during the school year are designated “dress-up” days. These days include Grandparents’ Day and the day of the Middle School Closing Ceremony. On these days, appropriate dress includes a sport coat (optional), tie, sweater, dress pants, a dress or skirt, dress shirt, and dress shoes.
Physical Education Uniform
Students are required to change into gym uniforms for Physical Education classes. Required items for all students are: Breck gym shirt, Breck gym shorts, and gym shoes. Both gym shirts and shorts will be available for purchase through the Breck Online Store prior to the start of each semester.
Middle School Communication
Academic and Behavioral Communication
There are two types of general communication that may come from teachers and administrators: academic and behavioral. They may be used to indicate excellence in any area a teacher chooses to mention, or to notify parents of noteworthy behavior. The communications may also indicate that a student needs help. Typically, but not exclusively, they are sent when a student’s average falls below a C-, or if a student scores below the C- level on a test, project, or paper, or gets behind in work.
Middle School parents are encouraged to discuss matters of concern about their children’s school performance or any other school-related issue with the appropriate teacher, advisor or Middle School administrator. Parents with academic or classroom-related concerns should first contact the teacher of the individual course. Parents with concerns across several courses or activities may wish to contact the student’s advisor in addition to the teacher or teachers involved. For questions involving school policies, or for further clarification or discussion, parents may contact the Dean of Students. In addition, concerns or questions regarding curriculum and course content may be directed to the head of that academic department.
We encourage communication between parents and teachers. To speak with a teacher or administrator, please call their voicemail directly. If a teacher or administrator is not available, please leave a message with suggested times when the call may be returned. Teachers and administrators will return parents’ calls as soon as possible.
Teachers frequently use electronic communication with families. For parents or students looking to access faculty emails, they are located in the Breck Directory and on the Breck website.
Email Bulletin Boards
The Communications department sends out weekly email Bulletin Boards to current parents on Thursdays during the school year. These emails list Breck events and points of interest.
Parent/Advisor/Student Conferences
Parent/Advisor/Student Conferences are scheduled for two days in both October and March. Conference opportunities are offered both during the day and in the early evening hours in order to meet a variety of family schedules. Conferences include the student, members of the student’s family, and the student’s advisor. Parents will sign up for conferences using an online registration system. A communication to parents before each conference date will give instructions for accessing the system. Please respect the time reserved for these important conversations about your child.
An expectation for conferences is that families utilize the designated days.
Telephone Messages
A student’s daily schedule in the Middle School is a busy and geographically diverse one, and that makes it difficult to deliver messages personally. As most messages have to do with after-school plans, we recommend family discussion of such plans before students leave for school in the morning. If a message needs to be delivered to a student during school hours, we ask that you contact the Middle School Office no later than 2:30 pm.
Extracurricular Activities
Grades 5 and 6 Intramurals (MIP)
The Mustang Intramural Program (MIP) will begin by the second or third week of each semester. These groups meet two or three days a week after school.
Grades 6, 7, and 8 Athletics
Information about Breck’s Athletics programs for students in grades 6-12 may be found in the All-School Policies section of the Handbook.
Middle School Socials
Social activities are organized throughout the school year. They range from all-Middle School events to events for a particular grade level or even a single class. Typically, fifth and sixth graders enjoy Friday afternoon events such as bowling, roller-skating, pizza and movies, and seventh and eighth graders have social events twice a year (fall and spring). Middle School Socials are intended to promote friendship, playfulness, recreational activity, and community building. Information regarding the social and appropriate attire will be provided prior to the event. They are intended to be for our Middle School students. Guests are not to be invited without prior approval of a Dean of Students. Families are asked to be on time when picking up their children from socials.
Private Parties
Families are encouraged to think carefully about the size of private, social get-togethers. It can be awkward for the focus of a party to turn toward who is not going or has not been invited. As a general rule of thumb, once the majority of a grade level is invited to an event, the dynamics of the grade would benefit from the whole grade being invited. Navigating the waters of friendship formations can be tricky, so we would encourage ongoing sensitivity to the feelings of all members of the Middle School community in planning private parties. Invitations for parties that include only some members of a class should not be distributed at school.
Student Support Services
A number of resources exist at Breck to support student learning and social/emotional development. We believe it is important to provide the necessary structures for students to move forward as learners and as healthy young people.
Academic Resources
Members of the guidance team meet to discuss student needs and learning issues. A plan may be developed to support academic progress, emotional well-being and/or behavior skills, identify assessment needs, and assist families in accessing community resources.
Extra-Help Sessions
Students are welcome to ask their teachers if they may stay for extra help. Tuesday is NOT a good day to plan to stay due to faculty meetings. Here is what students must do:
- Arrange in advance to stay after school with a teacher.
- Set a time, date, and arrange for transportation. Parents are encouraged to pick up students immediately after extra help sessions, or students, if they live close enough, may walk or bike home with a parent’s permission.
- Be there, and be ready for work!
Student Planners and Electronic Calendars
All Middle School students are asked to keep track of their various commitments at school and, if they choose, at home as well. Depending on the grade level, the two manners of doing so are the Middle School Student Planner (a Breck-specific assignment book issued to grades five and six and optional for grades seven and eight) or use of an electronic calendar, such as Google calendar. Regardless of the method, students are expected to either refresh their eCalendar or update their Planners on a daily basis.
Academic Accommodations
Breck is committed to helping students be successful by providing appropriate accommodations for students with diagnosed learning differences. Our goal is to promote student self-awareness and independence, and help students realize their full potential. Accommodations are based on recommendations from educational psychologists or other qualified professionals and are decided upon in collaboration with the Middle School Learning Coaches, Deans, and grade-level teachers. When possible, the student is actively involved in planning their accommodations and they are encouraged to begin advocating for themselves on a daily basis. Advisors, teachers, the academic strategist, dean, and learning coaches are all available to support this burgeoning independence, self-awareness, and self advocacy. Instruction in learning strategies and compensatory techniques, help with time management and organizational skills, and the use of assistive technology may be woven into the fabric of support provided.
Learning Coaches
Students may be invited to work with the Middle School’s Learning Coaches to address identified academic needs. These meetings usually take place during the Life Skills or Performing/Visual Arts block for that student’s grade level. Students meet with the instructor every other day, and are excused from the standard rotation that is offered on that day. The coaches also offer help after school on an invitation-only basis.
Tutoring
Extra help with academic work is available from the Middle School classroom teachers before, during, and after school. When such help is not sufficient, tutoring may be recommended (for an additional cost) as a source of support to students. The Learning Coach arranges tutoring in consultation with the teaching team and the Middle School Deans. Tutors who have been hired through private arrangements with students or families are not permitted to meet with students on campus.
Social/Emotional Resources
Counselor
The Middle School counselor provides support for students, families and faculty, which includes individual counseling, small skill-based groups, classroom presentations, assessment, parent education and referrals to community agencies. A variety of lessons/programs have been developed to address a broad range of topics to support children’s social/emotional health and academic success.
Deans
The Deans of grades 5/6 and 7/8 work to meet the academic, social, emotional and behavioral needs of students in Middle School. They listen to concerns and issues, provide coaching and feedback to students, facilitate small groups, and assist students in feeling positive, healthy, and responsible.
Facilities
Middle School Dining Room
Lunchtime at Breck is a time for students and faculty to relax and interact with each other. This type of informal interaction is encouraged to promote a sense of community. We would also like to stress the importance of eating lunch, especially during these growing years. Breck School offers many choices for a nutritious lunch, including a main entree for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. In addition, we offer two soups, a full salad bar, low-calorie dressings, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, water-packed fruit, assorted breads, sun butter, jelly, fresh fruit and whole, two percent, and skim milk. A deli sandwich bar is also available every day. Gluten-free options are available. We encourage families to discuss making healthy choices with their children. Please contact the Director of Food Services (763-381-8281) and/or the Health Center (763-381-8241) for special dietary needs. Information on individual students’ allergies and/or intolerances must be filed in the Health Center. In order to make the lunch time enjoyable, we ask that students behave in an appropriate manner, show respect for the other students and adults eating and working in the dining room, and observe the following guidelines:
- To make the dining room a pleasant place to eat for everyone, students are asked to clean up after themselves and/or others at their table when they have finished eating and before their table is dismissed. This includes wiping the tables clean, returning dirty dishes to the dish room, cleaning spills and trash that may be on the chairs and floor surrounding the table, and pushing in chairs. Please leave the dining room clean for those who eat later.
- For health and safety reasons, students should not run in the dining room or toss things between tables. They must wear shoes and shirts at all times in the dining areas, and should keep noise at a reasonable level.
- Food and dishes are not to be taken out of the dining room at any time.
Students will not be allowed into the dining room to get food at any time other than the designated lunch period.
Food/Snacks After School
Students may bring snacks to be consumed after school, not during the school day. Sealed food can be stored in their lockers during the school day. It is a community expectation that students will pick up after themselves and keep common areas clean.
Lockers
Advisor Cubbies
Advisory rooms have cubbies for students to store items that do not fit in their lockers. Students are asked not to use their cubbies for sports equipment or materials that they may need access to during class time.
Gym Lockers
Students are expected to keep their gym clothing clean and neat, and to take care to store gym clothing and equipment safely in their gym lockers. They are required to use the lock that will be issued to them at the beginning of the year, as many people share this locker room area.
Hallway Lockers
Each student is assigned a hallway locker for their own use. Combination locks are distributed to students upon entering Middle School. A copy of the lock combination will be on file in the Middle School Office. We ask that students not share lockers. Lockers should be kept clean and well organized. If you must bring valuables to school, it is strongly advised that they are left in the Middle School Office for the day. Students are encouraged not to bring valuable electronics, fad items, or cash to school.
Lockers are school property and may be opened and checked by the school staff. Any attachments in lockers (mirrors, note pads, etc.) should be magnetic and not adhesive. There is to be NO WRITING on either the inside or outside of lockers. If a student needs to leave someone a message, please tape a written message to the outside of the locker.
Students are responsible for the condition of their lockers throughout the school year. Efforts required to repair damage or remove writing or marks may result in an expense that will be added to the student’s account.
Library
The Middle School Library is reserved for instruction, reading, research, project work, reflection and quiet study. Books from the library must be checked out and returned on time. Fines will be issued for overdue books. The Library is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Please see the Library staff for any assistance you need.
Lost and Found
Please label all children’s clothing. There are two Middle School Lost and Found areas:
- The clothing racks facing Room 4 in the North Middle School Commons.
- The Transportation Office, for items left on buses or vans.
Students should be encouraged to be responsible for their belongings and to look in the Lost and Found for missing items. Lost and found items are displayed in the North Middle School Commons. At the end of each semester, all unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity.