All families who choose to attend school-based functions and athletic events are welcomed guests of the Lindenwold School District. The attached document outlines our guest expectations of conduct as attending these events is a privilege.
Lindenwold prides ourselves on the positive feedback received by other teams and special acknowledgements of our students’ good team sportsmanship conduct.
Please keep these reminders in mind as our children need our adults to serve as positive role models. Handling frustration and anger should never be displayed through aggression and none of our athletes deserve to hear our fans use profanity at or toward them or their opponent. It is our expectation that our fans also conduct themselves in an appropriate manner - just as we expect all of our students to do, too.
You must trust that our coaches and administration will handle any challenging situations that present themselves within the contest itself. Our guests are reminded their role is to cheer on our athletes and support them in every moment: happy, exciting, frustrating and disappointing.
Please understand this reminder serves as "the" guest warning," and Lindenwold staff will escort fans off of the grounds in the event fan conduct compromises and deviates from our expected standard of conduct.
Please note the following unique adjustments on this year's calendar:
Thursday, 9/5: Preschool Open House
Tuesday, 9/17: Schools 4 & 5 Open House
Thursday, 9/19: Middle School Open House
Thursday, 9/26: High School Open House
Thursday, 9/26: Twilight Program Open House (Twilight Program - closed)
Monday, 11/25: Middle School Conference (Early Dismissal Schedule - Middle School)
Tuesday, 11/26: High School Conference (Early Dismissal Schedule - High School)
Tues - Thurs. 12/10-12/12 School 4; School 5 & Preschool Conferences
(Early Dismissal Sched. 4 & 5 & PS)
Wednesday, 12/11 School 4; School 5 & Preschool Evening Conferences
(Early Dismissal Sched. 4 & 5 & PS)
Family/Community Partnerships - Electronic Devices (Cell Phones, Smart Watches, etc.):
This year, we are focusing on the importance of the home-school partnerships. There are so many things that we can not do alone. WE NEED YOU. One area where you can assist us is to support our protocols regarding the use of electronic devices (including but not limited to: cell phones, smart watch communication apps, and AirPods) in school. Electronic devices have become a significant learning distraction and have also become an actual safety issue in schools across the country. As a result, we need our families to understand our protocols and support us by reinforcing this message at home, too.
Grade PK – Grade 8:
Students may not have electronic devices (cell phones, smart watch communication apps, AirPods, etc.) visible and in during the school day. This protocol begins the moment a student steps off onto school property. Students will be asked ONE TIME in a school day to put their electronic device away which means devices must be placed in their backpack or locker. Electronic devices should remain out of sight and in backpacks and/or lockers during the school day. Please let your children know, after requesting one time for an electronic device to be deactivated from use or put away, the electronic device will be confiscated by an administrator. Devices will then be secured in the main office and released ONLY to an adult. Electronic devices will not be returned to a child. Refusing to surrender an electronic device to an administrator will be considered insubordination. If, as a parent, you do not wish to engage in this process, you must keep the cellular devices at home. If you allow your child to bring an electronic device into school, you are agreeing to follow our protocol.
Grade PK – Grade 12:
Students may not use their personal electronic devices to randomly record or photograph other students during the school day. Only school-related photographs may be taken during the school day. Those photographs are taken by our identified and trained LHS District Student Photographers or by designated School Staff. School District Photographers or school staff ONLY use photographs for the following identified purposes: communication with families, commemorating school-related celebrations, unique educational experiences, or for school/district promotional purposes. ANY student who chooses to video record or photograph during the school day – including but not limited to – inappropriate student behavior for the purpose of personal entertainment, humiliation, bullying, or harassment will be disciplined in accordance to the Code of Conduct. Furthermore, any student SHARING photographs/videos of other students for the purposes of bullying, harassment, humiliation, etc. will be addressed in the same manner. Sharing photos and videos causes significant harm to others. We hope you can support us as these actions have become socially, emotionally, and sometimes physically harmful to oneself and others.
How You Can Help Us:
Many school-related issues first begin in the community, outside of school, and are brought into the school via social media. If you see something, please say something! Families, community members, and students may report anything they see directly to a teacher, staff member, or administrator. Families, community members, or students may also use our ANONYMOUS REPORTING APP called “Stop It.” You can report ANYTHING anonymously to us using this website/app. You can find it in your App Store or you can find it online: www.lindenwold.k12.nj.us (scroll to the middle of the page) and look for their emblem (below). You can also directly visit their website: https://appweb.stopitsolutions.com/login Please screen shot or save what you “See” and “Say Something” to us via email, telephone, or on our STOP IT anonymous app. You can upload any information there. You are helping us to help support children.
Thank you for modeling kindness and respect between one another.
We need everyone to commit to raising the bar when engaging with one another (home and school). Intentionally focusing on and modeling positive communication strategies (verbally and in writing), even in times of challenge, is essential when engaging with our youth. Role models include all the adults throughout our schools and community. It is imperative we all join together in raising the expectations of how we interact with one another: in person, online/social media, on email, and over the phone.
Reminders:
1. Often, miscommunication leads to disagreements. Try to assume the best of intentions at the start of every interaction; however, remember, it is always best to pick up the telephone or meet in person to resolve school conflicts.
2. It is important to acknowledge there may be times when it is best to take a "break" in a conversation and resume when emotions are less high.
3. In the event a parent or community member has concerns regarding their interactions with children (who are not their own) or with other adults (including staff), please contact your building administration to report your concern. You can also use the anonymous "STOP IT" website/app to share the concern, too. Please do not take it upon yourself to confront another child (who is not your own) or another parent on school property.
4. The school is unable to bring families together to resolve their community issues. These issues need to be resolved without school intervention. However, please be aware that unresolved community issues that continue in the schools, may result in student disciplinary consequences and Code of Conduct enforcement.
5. Violence and threats in the community or on school property are never the answer. Modeling how to resolve conflicts peacefully is the best way to teach our children to resolve issues. Children make mistakes when they are young; that is to be expected. Making those same mistakes when they are older can have serious consequences.
6. Parents must use the identified school entrance and exit doors as identified by building administration. Entering an unauthorized door may be perceived as a safety threat to our students and staff population.
7. If you are experiencing a concerning community issue, please contact our Lindenwold Police Department if intervention is needed. If you wish to file a complaint regarding a student-to-student issue, you may also file a complaint with the Lindenwold Police Department. Each school has a police officer on-site and you may reach out to him/her. Please contact the school and the main office will connect you to one of our officers. The school district will investigate, address, and handle all issues reported to us within the confines of our Code of Conduct and the parameters of NJ State Law.
Common Communication Etiquette:
1. Profanity may not be used in any public-school building or on any part of our campus. Profanity will not be permitted by anyone - staff, students or community adults. This includes communications over email, over the telephone, inside our buildings, or during interpersonal communications.
2. District staff have been instructed to terminate any student or adult engagement where aggressive language, profanity, or threatening language is used. In these situations, the school will "take a break" from this communication, and adults / students are encouraged to resume the discussion once their emotions are less high.
3. Direct, implied, or inferred threats against another individual will not be tolerated by anyone - students or adults. All threatening language will be reported to the Lindenwold Police Department.
4. Adults may not come onto school property to speak to any child other than their own child. Any attempt to enter our property for the sole purpose of engaging with a child who is not your own will be considered to be endangerment of a child and a safety issue.
5. The school may only speak with the legal custodian or a child's guardian. Personal guests of a parent are only welcome as a courtesy; however, guests are not invited to engage in conversations about another person's child without expressed written consent in advance of a given conversation.
It is important that all staff, students, and community members remember they are welcomed guests on school property. Individuals who are perceived as a threat or safety risk to our staff or students will no longer be welcome on our property.
All guardians have access to the PARENT PORTAL. It is VERY important for our families to log into the Parent Portal. Be sure to save your username/password. The Parent Portal allows families to set up their preferred communication method (email, text, telephone - all or some), access student report cards, and view student attendance and discipline records. If you did not receive your Parent Portal information OR if you are having difficulty accessing your account, please contact your child's school. Someone will assist you with accessing your account.
