The Baker Blast

Baker Families,

I hope that this week's edition of the Baker Blast finds you well! As we settle into another exciting school year, I am thrilled to invite you to our annual Troy School District Middle School Curriculum Night. This event is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about the academic programs and educational activities that your student will be involved in this year.

CURRICULUM NIGHT

Thursday, September 12th, 2024

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

During Curriculum Night, you'll have the chance to meet your student's teachers, explore the curriculum, and understand the expectations for our learning environment. We'll also provide insights into our educational goals and how we can work together to support our students' success.

Whether you're a returning family or new to our school, we encourage everyone to attend. Your involvement is key to creating a vibrant and supportive learning environment for our students.

Please mark your calendars! We can't wait to see you there!

Warmest regards,

Jonathan Cross

Principal

Baker Middle School

The New Family Parent Orientation Meeting is on Monday, September 9th from 5:00-6:00 pm in our media center. This is for any new family moving into the Baker community. If you attended the 6th Grade Family Information Night program last spring, there is no need to attend. We will cover the same information.

Most parent communications will be included in the Baker Blast. The Baker Blast is our bi-weekly newsletter that is sent out using School Messenger and (X) formerly known as Twitter. If you were subscribed to School Messenger last year (either at Baker or your student’s elementary school), then you are all set for this school year and don’t need to do anything. If you need to sign up for School Messenger, please contact the main office for more information 248-823-4600. You can follow us on (X) aka Twitter @jdcross76 and @BakerMiddle.

BAKER CLUB INFORMATION IS COMING SOON!

Baker Families,

We are currently in the process of finalizing the list of clubs that we are running this year and confirming the club staff sponsors for each of the clubs. This process occurs during the first 3 weeks of school. In the coming days we will publish the 2024-2025 Baker Middle School Club Guidebook and send it out in an independent School Messenger communication. We will also share club information with students during the school day.

Clubs are open to 6, 7, & 8 grade students. Participants in clubs are required to pay a one-time $50 club fee. Payments will be made using SchoolPay. Making this one-time payment provides unlimited access to all clubs for the entire school year. Making the payment early in the year will provide your student access to try a variety of different activities.

We encourage students to participate in extra-curricular activities. Joining a club can hone communication skills, foster creative thinking, and teach students how to work effectively with other people. Engaging in activities outside of school will allow students to develop time-management skills while exploring interests and identifying their talents.

Baker families thank you for driving safely and following our Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures. As we return to another amazing school year, I would like to remind our returning families and inform our new families of our Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures. Please follow these guidelines at all times and keep in mind the safety of our staff and students.

DROP-OFF & PICK-UP PROCEDURES

• Student may be dropped off at the main entrance starting at 7:30 am.
• Students must wait in the main entrance foyer outside the main office.
• Students will be allowed to enter the interior of the building at 7:45 am.
• Parents dropping off are asked to use the main entrance drop off loop.
• Please pull as far forward as possible.
• Adults should stay in the car.
• Please encourage students to exit your car quickly and safely (from the right side of the car only).
• Please stay behind the car in front of you and wait patiently.
• Please do NOT park in the staff parking spaces
• Parents are NOT allowed to use the bus loop to drop off or pick up students.
• Students are dismissed at 3:05 pm.
• If you are picking up your student before 3:05 pm, please call ahead or go into the main office to sign them out.

ATTENDANCE HOTLINE (248) 823-4601

Research shows that there is a strong relationship between regular school attendance and academic performance. Students who attend their classes daily and arrive on time increase their opportunities to maximize their learning potential. If your student is going to be absent or arriving late, please notify the school using our attendance hotline (248) 823-4601. If your student is out with an illness and you have a doctor's note, please bring it to school and give it to our attendance secretary. This will allow us to update our records and accurately document excused absences.

TSD ATTENDANCE POLICY

Tardiness – Students are expected to arrive on time to all classes. Students who arrive within five minutes after the start of class will be marked tardy to the class. Students who arrive more than five minutes late must report to the main office and will receive an unexcused tardy. Students are afforded 3 tardies per class per secondary marking period without penalty. Subsequent tardies in any will prompt the assignment of a detention. Ongoing tardiness shall cause additional disciplinary action.

Absences – Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis. Excused absences include mandatory court appearance, chronic/serious illness, religious observances, family bereavement, school-sponsored field trip/activity, school suspension, or other reasons approved by a building administrator. For an absence to be excused, a parent must call the attendance office to notify the school of the absence within 24 hours of the absence.

If an absence is unexcused, students may not be permitted to make up the work missed or due during that period (this includes missed assessments/tests, labs, presentations, or other assignments). Any absence that is not excused within 24 hours of the absence, it will remain an unexcused absence.

Long-term absences, more than 5 days, must be prearranged and approved one week in advance through the submission of an Extended Absence form available in each school’s main office.

Long-term absences and chronic absences have a negative impact on student achievement. Many classroom experiences are not able to be recreated (discussions, lab work, group assignments) and can negatively impact a student’s grade.

Baker Families we need your assistance!

We can’t deny the fact that we now live in a Digital Age where students have access to cellphones and they pretty much never put them down. Of course, we understand how comforting and convenient it is to have a cell phone at school. However, we have seen negative impacts to the learning environment when students bring them to class and violate the cell phone policy.

The enforcement of the cell phone policy is necessary to maintain positive outcomes within our school setting. Cell phones should be stored in lockers or out of sight. Use of cell phones during the school day is a violation of the TSD Code of Conduct. Please speak with your student about complying with our policy.

TSD MIDDLE SCHOOL CELL PHONE POLICY

In order to build a positive learning environment and reduce distractions for all students, we are committed to the following:

• Cell phones, air pods, and other electronic devices are permitted in the building but must be put away before the school day begins.
• In order to reduce distractions throughout the day, cell phones should be stored in a student’s locker or in their backpack throughout the school day and remain out of sight.
• Phones should not be visible throughout the school day.
• Phone use is not permitted during the school day; this includes passing time and during lunch.
• If students need to use technology within the classroom, they will use district issued iPads.
• Students are permitted to use the school phone or their own phone in the main office.
• If families need to contact students during the school day, they should call the main office; messages can be delivered, or students can be called out of class when needed.

Violations of the Cell Phone Policy will result in the following:

• 1st offense: Phone is taken to the main office; student may pick up phone at the end of the day from office
• 2nd offense: Phone call home & parent must pick up phone from office
• 3rd offense: Parent pickup & further disciplinary actions

Baker Families, as you are aware, the state is providing FREE lunches to all students. If you and your student decide to opt out of the free lunch program, please be sure to send their alternative food with them in the morning. We DO NOT allow food deliveries to come to the Main Office. If there is an emergency or an issue related to a medical or diabetic need, please contact the main office (248) 823-4600.

Lunch is only 25 minutes long and it is a transition time for our office staff, as they take their scheduled lunches. There is not the capacity to facilitate individual food deliveries to the cafeteria in a timely manner. Thank you for your assistance in helping us manage the regular assigned tasks for the office administrative assistant team.

All students in grades 7 - 12 who plan to play a school sport are required to get a sports physical for the 2024 -2025 school year. Prior to getting a physical, please do the following:

1. Update/verify all information in Final Forms

2. Print the physical form, populated with your child’s information right from Final Forms

3. Take the physical form with you to the physical exam

4. Once the physical exam is completed and the form is signed by a doctor, either upload the completed physical form directly into Final Forms or turn in the hard copy to your coach/school.

PARENTS NEW TO FINAL FORMS: The Parent Playbook provides information on registering. If you require any support during this process, scroll to the bottom and click “Use Support”.

The 24-25 Annual iPad Insurance window is open. Please be sure to opt in at the beginning of the school year. The form and ability to opt-in for insurance will close on October 31st.

This year, insurance coverage has been upgraded to offer more to our district families, and we are excited to announce that it will be free to those families that are approved for Free and Reduced Lunch.

Each student in grades 2-12 who wishes to participate in the Troy School District 1:1 Device Insurance Program will be required to pay an annual insurance premium of $25 per student, not to exceed $100 per family. Kindergarten and 1st grade students have classroom sets of iPads that are shared in the classroom and not brought home, thus, no personal insurance is needed.

The iPad Responsibility form no longer needs to be signed/submitted, as it is covered under the Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy.

iPad Insurance Information Link