Middle School Information & Policies

Academics

Three boys at the Middle School Retreat

Schoology

Schoology is our learning management system where students turn in some of their assignments, find due dates, and check grades. Each Middle School teacher posts grades in Schoology on a regular basis. We provide log-in information for parents and encourage parents to monitor student grades in Schoology. Because we want students to take ownership of their own learning, we encourage students to use Schoology as an accountability and organizational tool. As we guide students into increasing independence and ownership of their learning we recommend that parents monitor their child’s progress in Schoology. Ask the student to go back through information posted in Schoology to see if s/he can resolve the issue independently. If questions remain, the student should contact the teacher directly. We discourage parents from intervening in these situations; they are important opportunities for our students to grow! Paper and electronic planners will also be available for students who would like to have one.

Homework

Middle School students at Minnehaha should expect to have 60-90 minutes of homework each night. If a student is regularly spending more than 20 minutes per day on homework for the same class, s/he should notify the teacher and/or his or her advisor. 

Homework is due at the beginning of the class period on the day stated. Extensions are granted for absences when arranged with the teacher. Students are responsible for getting missing assignments on the day they return. Points will be deducted from your grade totals for late or missing work. Incompletes at the end of a trimester may become a failing grade unless other arrangements are made with the teacher.

Honor Roll

Students who achieve a 3.33 grade point average are designated as Honor Roll Students. Students who achieve a 3.0 to 3.32 average have attained Honorable Mention. 

Grades and Academic Probation

Middle School grades are based on effort as well as achievement. Students should not fail a class if solid effort has been put forth. Passing trimester grades are required for continuing to the next grade at Minnehaha. 

If a student receives three or more D’s or one F in a trimester, s/he may be placed on Academic Probation. Students on Academic Probation may not participate in extracurricular activities, including athletics, if failing grades persist. If the student receives three or more D’s or one F the next trimester, there is a possibility that the student will not be able to continue the following trimester or to return the following year. If the student is allowed to return, s/he may be asked to make up failing work through tutoring or summer school.

Boundaries

Students may not leave the school grounds during the school day. Students must have parent permission to leave the school grounds during school hours. Middle School students should use designated Middle School bathrooms and avoid Lower School hallways and bathrooms.

Field Trips

Students are required to participate in trips planned by the teacher. Although the enrollment contract includes authorization for school-sponsored activities, Middle School teachers will notify parents about field trips. Please sign and submit permission slips promptly prior to each field trip. Teachers will organize parent chaperones if volunteers are needed. Parents sign a field trip slip at the beginning of the school year that gives permission for walking field trips near school grounds and bus trips to the Upper School for special events.

Library

The collection in the Library numbers over 21,000 items and is easily accessible to students through our online electronic catalog, located on our library web page. Access to our subscription databases can be found at elm4you.org. These databases can be accessed at school or home. Research and bibliography skills are taught and integrated into Middle School classes on a regular basis. Library materials may be checked out for three weeks and may be renewed if not needed by another student. Any lost materials must be paid for as soon as possible. Students will not receive their grades at the end of the year until all of their books/materials are returned. 

Lockers

Students are responsible for the locker they are assigned and fines will be assessed for damage done to lockers or locks. The lockers have a built-in lock with preset combinations that can be changed only with the assistance of a custodian. Students may not share their combination with other students. There may be a fee charged to change a locker combination. 

Physical Education

If a student is not able to participate in the physical education class, a note from home or a doctor must be presented. Only a written excuse from a doctor can excuse a student from Physical Education classes on a continuing basis. Students are required to wear the school-issued phy-ed shirt, along with athletic bottoms and athletic shoes when participating in physical education activities. It is recommended that students keep a pair of shoes for P.E. at school.

Textbooks

If a book is lost, excessively soiled, damaged or worn beyond normal use, students will be asked to pay for a replacement.

Attendance

Middle School students may arrive at 8:00 a.m. and will wait in the Redhawk Commons by the main entrance. At 8:15 a.m. students can go to their lockers, go to the library to do last minute homework, see a teacher if they need some help or have a question, or go to open gym on days when that is available. Students are expected to be on time and ready to begin class by 8:35 a.m. 

Tardies

Frequent lateness to school, whether “excused” or “unexcused,” disrupts the class and the tardy student misses valuable instructional time. If more than five unexcused tardies to school are recorded during a trimester, the family will be notified by the administration. The purpose of this contact will be to inform parents of our concern and to explore possible solutions to the problem. A conference with parents may be scheduled. Students who have repeated difficulty with tardiness may be required to make up the missed time in an activity deemed appropriate by the Principal. Excessive unexcused tardies may be considered grounds for reconsideration of student’s enrollment.

If a student is tardy to a class four times within a trimester s/he will receive a consequence of detention that must be served within two school days. Any additional tardy within the trimester will result in another detention.

Early Dismissal

If a student needs to leave school early for a medical or dental appointment, vacation, or any other reason, a parent needs to call the office to share the reason and time of early departure from school. A note with a parent signature will also be accepted, which needs to be brought to the office. The office staff will give the student a pass to leave school early. 

End of Day

Students must leave the campus no later than 3:30 p.m. unless they are involved in a supervised activity or the Yellow Lounge after-school program. Students not picked up by 3:30 p.m. will be taken to Yellow Lounge, which will result in a drop-in charge.

The Yellow Lounge is our Middle School after school program. This program runs from 3:15-6:00 p.m. and is a great place to hang out with friends, work on homework, and enjoy a snack. All Middle School students must leave the campus by 3:30 p.m. unless they are in a supervised activity which includes athletics, meeting with a teacher, participating in a club or other school-sponsored activity, or The Yellow Lounge. Fee and registration information is available online or by calling (612) 728-7745.

Student Life

Activities and Athletics

Middle School students have many opportunities throughout the year to grow as individuals and as a community. The activities may vary slightly from year to year, but what does not change is our commitment to building community and providing rich exploration opportunities for students. Activity offerings, including athletic teams, are available on the Minnehaha website. 

All 6th-8th grade students are eligible to participate in activities and athletics at Minnehaha when they are meeting our academic and behavioral expectations.

Advisory

Advisory is an opportunity for students to be part of a daily community that is not specific to a class or subject area. Each student is assigned to an Advisory Group, led by a teacher who serves as an advocate and primary point of contact for the advisees and their parents. Advisory is an important time where students engage meaningfully with their advisor and their peers. Through this time students will:

  •  Demonstrate increased independence, ownership of their learning, and maturity in decision-making.
  •  Grow in their love for God - heart, mind, soul, and strength.
  •  Grow personally in areas of self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-acceptance.
  •  Grow in their friendships and their capacity to build positive relationships at Minnehaha and beyond.
  •  Engage in and enjoy a thriving community at Minnehaha Academy.

We do this through intentional daily activities, devotions and praying for one another, locker cleaning, checking student planners, community-building opportunities, chapel, and more.

Core Formation Experience (CFE) Program

CFE is a curricular program for all Middle School students. Program specifics are facilitated by the Director of Core Formation. CFE will provide an opportunity for students to participate in a week-long, authentic learning experience in Academic Formation, along with experiences throughout the year in Faith Formation, Community Formation, and Vocational Formation.

Minnehaha Leadership Institute

The Minnehaha Leadership Institute exists to develop servant leaders, who, through God’s story of redemption, are striving to become whole and holy people. Using a systematic process for leadership development, students learn how to use their gifts to glorify God and bring good to their neighbor. Students explore leadership within the framework of Christian faith along with practical opportunities for leadership, mentorship, and shared experience through serving things like chapel, social events, and community service opportunities.

Transportation

The morning and afternoon traffic in and around the Lower & Middle School parking lot is very busy. The safety procedures are in place to ensure student safety. As such, the guidelines below are very important. The procedures below reflect the plans for the beginning of the school year; any changes to these plans will be communicated to families by the Principal. 

Morning Drop-off Procedures

All buses will drop off in the bus area in the parking lot. Middle School families should drop off their students on 42nd Street.

Afternoon Pick-up Procedures

All students are dismissed at 3:10 p.m. Students not riding buses should be picked up on 42nd Street, heading east towards West River Parkway. 

Behavior Expectations and Discipline

Students are expected to behave in accordance with school policies, classroom behavioral expectations and instructions given by faculty and staff, and to always respect the rights and safety of others when in the school building or at school sponsored events, both on and off school grounds.

Students who do not meet the behavioral expectations of Minnehaha Academy will be subject to disciplinary action. There are not required steps in the disciplinary process; however incidents will be investigated by school administration. Students will be disciplined in a manner deemed appropriate by Minnehaha based upon its evaluation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the violation. Forms of discipline may include a student conference, parent or guardian conference, fine or restitution, detention, classroom contract, removal from class, behavioral probation, suspension, or expulsion from school.

Technology

Phones

Each teacher has a phone in the classroom and with permission from the teacher a student can make a call to a parent from the classroom. There is also a phone in the main office for student use during the school day. Students must have a pass from a teacher to use this phone. Students may not use cell phones during the school day. If a student has a cell phone, it must be turned off and stored when they enter the building and left in their locker until the end of the school day. This means that students are not able to check voicemails or text messages between classes.

Devices

The consistent focus of these rules is that personal electronic devices will be used for educational purposes only during the school day, cell phones are only allowed before and after school, and we strive for digital citizenship.

  •  Students are not allowed to use cell phones or smartwatches during school hours. Students must turn in their cell phones and/or smartwatches to their advisors at the beginning of advisory every day or when they arrive at school. Students must still turn in their cell phones and/or smartwatches if they arrive late. Students must retrieve all cell phones and smartwatches at the end of the school day.
  •  Students will not use apps or view or listen to content (with or without earbuds or earphones) which are not consistent with the educational focus of the school day and classroom requirements. Exceptions include before and after school, or when given permission from faculty or administration during the school day. Cell phone use is only allowed before or after school.
  •  Students are to not take photos, video, or audio of others without expressed consent from those being recorded. Furthermore, students cannot publish or re-broadcast any photos, video, or audio recorded events during the school day (including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, email, etc) without permission from faculty or administration. Innocent bystanders who record and distribute will receive appropriate consequences.
  •  Students cannot use learning devices to communicate specific content of quizzes or tests to anyone else, or to engage in any other form of academic dishonesty or prohibited behavior. (See Student Handbook for further explanation of “academic dishonesty” and consequences.)
  •  Students will not connect their personal learning devices to any school computer at any time or for any reason. This protects student devices as well as school computers and networks.
  •  Students will not tamper with any other student’s learning device.
  •  Students will cooperate with all requests from teachers or other adults in the building regarding the appropriate use of learning devices. Reasonable suspicion of misuse of technology could result in the consequences outlined below.

Note: Any student in violation of any part of this policy will have his or her personal or school devices taken away and brought to the office for the remainder of the school day. Repeat violations may result in additional consequences.