Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School
Student & Parent Handbook

Contents: Click a topic to view the information regarding it.

Board of Education Information
Jamesburg PTA
District Calendar
District Phone Directory
Attendance Policy
Early Closing Information
Instructional Schedules
Homework Policy
Discipline Policy
Honor Roll
Grading Policy
Extracurricular & After School Programs
National Junior Honor Society
The GMB Bicycle Program
The Faculty
Child Study Team Referrals
Mission Statement

Board of Education Information
Visit the Jamesburg Board of Education Page.

Jamesburg PTA
Visit the Jamesburg PTA Page.

District Calendar
Visit the School Calendar Page.

District Phone Directory

Superintendent of Schools	Dr. Gail Verona
	732-521-0303
Business Administrator	Mr. Tom Reynolds
	732-521-2134
Supervisor of Maintenance	Mr. Tom Reynolds
	732-521-0303
Supervisor of Child Study Team	Mrs. Renee Schwartz
	732-521-2135
Childcare Program Director	Mr. John Mihalko
	732-521-0244

Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School
13 Augusta Street

Principal	Dr. Gail Verona
	732-521-0303
Nurse's Office	Mrs. Linda Elko
	732-656-1108

Attendance Policy
New Jersey State Law 18A: 38-25 requires the parents or guardians of all children, between the ages of six and sixteen, to cause them to attend the public schools in the district, or some other equivalant instructional setting. New Jersey State Law 18A: 38-26 defines "Regular Attendance" as all of the days and hours that school is in session.

The following students absences are considered "Excused": Illness - Death in the Family - Religious Holidays.

Students who have unexcused absences in excess of twenty-five (25) days are at serious risk of failing for the year. Unexcused absences can be changed to excused absences when the class work that was missed is made up to the teacher's satifaction.

The school day is from 8:30 A.M. to 2:45 P.M.
Students should not arrive at the school before 8:15 A.M. unless they are enrolled in the Latch Key Program. The doors of the school will be opened at 8:15 A.M. so that students may enter the building.
Students arriving after 8:34 A.M. are considered late.
Students arriving late must report to the office.
Any student who is tardy six (6) or more times in a marking period will be given a school detention on the seventh tardiness and another detention for every day the student is tardy until the end of that marking period.

Early Closing Information

On "Early Closing Days" the school hours will be from 8:30 A.M. until 12:30 P.M. If this closing is due to inclement weather, we will try to put out announcements over the radio, and we will activate the phone chain. It is suggested that working parents make arrangements with neighbors, friends, or relatives, if no one is going to be home at that time.
On days when there is going to be a "Delayed Opening", the school's hours will be from 10:30 A.M. until 2:45 P.M.
Parents should only request an Early Dismissal in case of an emergency. Doctor and Dental visits should be scheduled outside the academic day whenever possible.
Parents taking their children out of school early must report to the office and sign them out.
Parents are encouraged to call the nurse’s office prior to 8:15AM to report a child out of school. Messages can be left 24 hours a day.

We contact the following stations:

New Jersey 101.5
WHWY 1350
WPST 97.5
WCTC/WMGQ
News 12 New Jersey - Television: Comcast Channel 42
Nassau Broadcasting Storm Center
Jamesburg Public Schools Online - (www.jamesburg.org)

Announcements are made between 6:45 & 8:00 A.M.

Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School Daily Instructional Schedule
Regular Bell Schedule

Locker Bell	8:30
Late Bell	8:34
Home Room	8:34	8:38
First Period	8:40	9:23
Second Period	9:25	10:08
Book Exchange	10:08	10:12
Third Period	10:12	10:55
Fourth Period (Lunch)	10:57	11:42
Fifth Period (Lunch)	11:44	12:29
Sixth Period	12:31	1:14
Seventh Period	1:16	1:59
Eighth Period	2:01	2:45

Early Dismissal Schedule

Locker Bell	8:30
Late Bell	8:34
Home Room	8:34	8:38
First Period	8:40	9:07
Second Period	9:09	9:36
Book Exchange	9:36	9:40
Third Period	9:40	10:07
Fourth Period	10:09	10:36
Fifth Period	10:38	11:05
Sixth Period	11:07	11:33
Seventh Period	11:35	12:01
Eighth Period	12:03	12:30

Delayed Opening Schedule

Locker Bell	10:30
Late Bell	10:34
Home Room	10:34	10:38
First Period	10:40	11:03
Second Period	11:05	11:28
Book Exchange	11:28	11:32
Fourth Period (Lunch)	11:32	12:17
Fifth Period (Lunch)	12:19	1:04
Third Period	1:06	1:29
Sixth Period	1:31	1:54
Seventh Period	1:56	2:19
Eighth Period	2:21	2:45

Homework Policy
The Jamesburg Board of Education believes that a well planned and challenging homework assignment is an appropriate extension of the school day. The Board of Education further believes that all homework assignments should meet the following standards:

Homework must have a valid educational purpose and must never be punitive.
Homework assignments must relate to the class objectives, the Goals established by the Board of Education, or the approved curriculum and the Core Standards.
Homework should always challenge the learner at the appropriate level of difficulty.
Homework should reinforce skills learned in the classroom.
Homework assignments should not require the use of resource material that are not readily available to the students.
Teachers should make every effort to insure that students understand the assignment, when it is due, and the consequences for not completing the assingment.
Teachers should review and correct all homework assignments and keep accurate records regarding their completion.
Teachers may use homework grades to assess student performance and determine final grades.
Teachers should contact the parents when they feel that students are not completing homework assignments on a regular basis.
Homework assignments must be completed using the Board of Education approved Heading.
The amount of time needed to complete homework assignments will vary, but generally the higher the grade level, the more time that will be needed. The district policy states that an average of 10 minutes per grade level of homework will be given.
Homework will be given at the teacher’s discretion. With the exception of long range assignments that were previously assigned, homework will not be given the day before a holiday.

GMB Homework Guidelines

Students will be given two days to make up work for one day of absence.
No more than 15 minutes per subject every night.
Homework assignments will be given at the discretion of the classroom teacher, keeping the district time mandates in mind.
No more than one academic test can be given on any day or the first day back from a vacation.

Discipline Policy
The Jamesburg Board of Education recognizes the role that an effective behavior management strategy plays in creating a comfortable, safe, and productive educational environment. The administration is committed to insuring that every student offered an education experience is free from threatening or disruptive behavior from other students.

The Board of Education also recognizes that the primary responsibility for behavior management rests with the classroom teacher. It is the responsibility of the administration to support the efforts of the teachers to create a non-threatening and student friendly environment. The following behavior management strategies have been developed to help maintain this environment.

Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School
Students are expected to demonstrate good school citizenship at all times during the regular school day and any other time they are in the building or participating in a school related extracurricular activity. Any acts of inappropriate behavior is to be dealt with by the classroom teacher who may assign a fifteen-minute after school detention. The teacher can require a student to return to his/her classroom at the end of the day to serve that detention. More serious infractions will be referred to the principal for review and possible school discipline.

Discipline referrals are to be filled out for all serious incidents of inappropriate behavior.
Any student who gets three (3) or more 45 minute detention referrals will be placed on the "Loss of School Privileges List" for two (2) weeks.
Students can be removed from the "list" by not receiving a discipline referral for ten (10) consecutive school days.
Students on the "Loss of School Privileges List" will loose the following privileges during that period:
- Students may not play on our school athletic teams or participate in the "After School Activities Program".
- Students may not attend any dances or school sponsored athletic games.
- Students may not serve as class officers.
- Students may not participate in Activity Days or Field Day if it falls during the loss of privileges period.
- Students may not participate in our Bicycle Program.
- The principal reserves the right to exclude students who repeatedly are on loss of privileges from end of the year activities.

The Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School will use Saturday detention as a behavior management strategy.

Students will be assigned Saturday detention for serious violations of school rules including but not limited to the following by the school principal:

Profanity
Vandalism
Cheating
Any serious incident of open defiance of school rules or procedures.
Serious instances of disrespect to staff.
Constant tardiness or lateness - six (6) or more times in a marking period.
Ten or more discipline referrals in a marking period.

We will use "Out of School Suspension" for the more serious instances of inappropriate behavior. The list of reasons a student could receive an "Out of School Suspension" include but is not limited to the following:

Serious instances of vandalism to school property.
Fighting, smoking, drinking, or stealing.
Verbal threats to injure another student or staff member.

Honor Roll
The Jamesburg Board of Education is committed to providing every child with an "Equal Educational Opportunity". It is also concerned about providing them with an education that challenges every student at an appropriate level of difficulty.

The Jamesburg Board of Education believes that outstanding academic students deserve recognition for their accomplishments and that such recognition is an integral part of the educational process.

Pupils who distinguish themselves by high academic achievement will be acknowledged at the end of each marking period and receive a certificate to mark that accomplishment.

All pupils with grades of "B" or higher in all subjects will be placed on this list.
Any student with an "Incomplete" on their report cards will not be eligible for the Honor Roll list.
Any student who makes the Honor Roll list all four marking periods in the same academic year will be presented with a certificate that recognizes this special achievement.

Grading Policy
Philosophy
The Jamesburg Board of Education issues report cards four times a year. These report cards are designed to inform parents about their child's academic progress and their behavior in school. The Board of Education requires the teachers to consider the following factors when determining the grades they report:
Scholarship
Classroom effort and participation
Initiative and interest
Completion of homework
Classroom work habits
Attendance

Grading

Sixth, Seventh, & Eighth Grades

90-100 - A
80-89 - B		50% - Major Test, Reports, & Projects
70-79 - C		25% - Quizzes (Oral & Written)
65-69 - D		25% - Subjective Evaluation (Classwork & Homework)
Below 65 - F

Grades for Art, Music, Computers, & P.E.
75% - Daily Preperation & Class Participation
25% - Tests, Quizzes, & Projects

Final Examinations

Administered in all Core Subjects.
Will include everything studied that year.
The value is 20% of their final grade.
Will include at least one essay question.
Teachers will have three days of review.
Material covered on the exam will include only material that was previously tested.

Extracurricular & After School Programs
We are proud to offer our students an oustanding package of student actvities that include academics, athletics, student government, individual student honors, Random Acts of Kindness, and the performing arts. Among the activities we offer are the following:

Four Scheduled Activity Days
PTA Sponsored Assembly Programs
Boys and Girls Soccer
Boys and Girls Basketball
After School Intramurals
Student Senate
National Junior Honor Society
Instrumental Music
School Band
Student of the Month
Random Acts of Kindness Awards
Eighth Grade Trip to Washington D.C.
Seventh Grade Trip to the Inner Harbor & Aquarium at Baltimore
Sixth Grade Trip to be Announced
Middlesex County School of the Arts
Regularly Scheduled PTA Dances

We offer school-sponsored fundraisers to help defray the costs of school trips. If you would like to participate in this fundraising process, please contact Mrs. Madden, the Student Senate Advisor.

National Junior Honor Society
Visit the National Junior Honor Society Page.

The GMB Bicycle Program
Who is eligible to participate in the Bicycle Program?:

Any student who requests permission to participate and is granted permission to do so by the Principal.
Any student not on the Loss of Privileges List.

Rules for Participation in the Program:

Must wear a helmet if the law requires them to do so.
Must park the bicycle at the bike rack.
Must lock the bicycle to the rack.
May not ride the bike on Augusta Street or in front of the building between 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M.
Must enter the school through the front entrance.
Must get off the bike and walk it across student crossing zones.
NO RIDING DOUBLE.
The first violation of a rule will result in a month suspension of your privilege.
The next violation will result in the loss of the provilege for the balance of the year.

The Faculty
Visit the GMB Faculty & Staff Page.

Child Study Team Referrals
Special education and related services are regulated by both state and federal law. They are available to all district students ranging in age from 3-21 who meet eligibility criteria. Referrals to the Child Study Team may be submitted directly by parents, teachers or through the Intervention and Referral Services Committee. A planning meeting will be scheduled by the CST within 20 days of a written request. At this meeting, the IEP Team reviews all information and determines whether evaluations are warranted. An evaluation plan is developed only when parents provide written consent. Testing and program placement must take place within 90 days of the initial planning meeting. The Department of Special Services may be reached at 732-521-2135.

Mission Statement
Visit the Mission Statement.

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Announcements are made between 6:45 & 8:00 A.M.

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