Handbook

It is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to notify the school each day their child is absent for any reason by calling the attendance office at 292-2530 X33502. This is a 24-hour a-day voice mail.

You may also report an absence via the ParentVUE app or website.

New Mexico law dictates that students between the ages of six (6) and eighteen (18) years of age are mandated to attend public school, private school, home school, or a State institution.

Daily attendance is mandatory to fully benefit from the instructional program. The district recognizes, however, that there are situations that dictate a student’s absence. Therefore, in accordance with District guidelines, absences may be excused for the following reasons:

• Illness
• Medical appointments (students need to bring a doctor’s note to the office after the appointment)
• Death in the family
• Religious commitment
• Diagnostic testing
• Other circumstances as agreed to by the principal

An unexcused absence is any absence that does not adhere to the prescribed District guidelines (listed above), is not school-related, or is not reported within two (2) school days.

Excessive excused or unexcused absences (defined as five) or more absences per semester, will result in a mandatory truancy meeting for parents and students. In addition, the student may be recommended for retention and /or disciplinary action. APS generates a truancy notification for unexcused absences. Students who have excessive absences will be referred to Children’s Court.

Students leaving school during the day while classes are in session must sign out in the Main office. For safety reasons, parents will ALWAYS be asked for a picture ID when signing out his/her child. Parents must pick up their child(ren) in the Main office.

Tardies

Per District policy, the only excused tardy is a doctor or dentist appointment. Students arriving late to school must have parents call ahead, write a note, or accompany their child to the Attendance desk for the tardiness to be excused. All other tardies are unexcused. The tardy policy will be reviewed with the students at the beginning of the year. Excessive tardies will result in disciplinary actions (per semester). According to APS policy, out-of-town trips/vacations are not excused.

For the purposes of this procedural directive, “personal electronic device” means any device that a student is in possession of which electronically communicates, sends, receives, stores, reproduces, or displays voice and/or text communication or data. These include, but are not limited to cellular phones, smartphones, smartwatches or glasses, music and media players, gaming devices, tablets, laptop computers, iPads, headphones/earbuds and personal digital assistants.

Student use of personal electronic devices, including cell phones, will be at the discretion of the teacher. Devices should not be used at lunch, in the cafeteria, or anywhere on school grounds during the instructional day without staff approval. Students will be notified about what is acceptable during the class period. There are three instances that will be posted at the front of the class for student reference. Confiscation is at teacher's discretion.

• All Personal Electronic Devices must be turned off and stored in a backpack or locker during school hours.
• All headphones must be stored in a backpack or locker during the school day.
• Teachers will have discretion in allowing the use of Personal Electronic Devices in the classroom for educational purposes.
• Failure of students to follow the request to store Personal Electronic Devices or use of the Personal Electronic Devices for other than teacher-approved activities will then lead to confiscation of the Personal Electronic Device in accordance with the School/District Personal Electronic Device policy.
• If a student violates the use of cell phones or electronic devices the device is confiscated and secured in the office until picked up by a parent or guardian.

If a device is confiscated by school personnel, the procedure for reclaiming the device is as follows:

1. First Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device from the administrative office within 30 minutes of the start or end of the instructional day. Parents/legal guardians must sign the personal electronic device out from the log kept in the administration office. 

2. Second Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device from the administrative office within 30 minutes of the start or end of the instructional day, however the student will check the device in and out with the administration for the 7 days following the date of retrieval. 

3. Third Offense: The student’s parent/legal guardian may retrieve the personal electronic device from the administration office within 30 minutes of the start or end of the instructional day, however the student will check the device in and out with administration for the remainder of the semester following the retrieval date.

The school assumes no responsibility for theft, damage, or replacement of cell phones/electronic devices.

The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education and Eisenhower Middle School supports equitable and equal educational access and a Standard of Dress that fosters an educational environment that values, affirms, and welcomes ALL students. Standard of Dress shall be enforced consistently, equitably, equally, and in a manner that does not lead to differential treatment based on racial identity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, cultural or religious identity, observances, household income, body size/type, or body maturity.

At the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, a committee of staff, students, and parents met to discuss our Standard of Dress. The committee and 83.5% of our families agreed that students at Eisenhower Middle School should require students to dress appropriately for a school setting while maintaining agreed-upon dress standards. The Standard of Dress intends to foster an environment that will not disrupt the learning process while creating a school environment that is respectful of all. In addition, student attire should facilitate learning participation and the health and safety of students and the adults that supervise them. It is crucial to note acceptable attire in one setting may not be appropriate school attire. Our primary focus is to prepare ALL students for college and career readiness.

The responsibility to interpret and enforce this standard rests with the Eisenhower Middle School administration.

Overarching statements: Clothing must cover areas from one armpit across to the other armpit, down to the tip of the thumbs when arms are down by one’s side. Undergarments should not be shown at any time. Clothes should be worn as intended. The Standard of dress should be considered while standing with arms down. Conversations directing students within the agreed dress standard shall be respectful and private. The diagram below shows areas that must be covered on the front and back of the body.

Definitions:

Head- the upper/top part of the human body.

Tops- a top is a more generic “umbrella” term for any type of shirt or upper body garment.

Bottoms- the part of a garment worn on the lower part of the body.

Footwear garments are worn on the feet.

Head - hats, beanies, hoodies, or sunglasses shall not be worn inside the building.

Tops - The front and back of tops must be connected with shoulder straps. Shoulder straps must be wide enough to cover straps of undergarments. The chest area must be covered (see diagram). Undergarments should not show.

Bottoms - thumb tip length when arms are down, around the circumference of the leg. Undergarments must not show due to holes, rips, or sheerness of clothing; skin showing under rips/holes must be below thumb-tip length. Pajama pants may only be worn on designated pajama spirit days.

Footwear - must have a hard sole for safety reasons.

*No Head Coverings Allowed unless it is a “cultural or religious headdress.”

For purposes of this APS procedural directive, "cultural or religious headdresses" includes hijabs, head wraps, or other headdresses used as part of an individual's personal cultural or religious beliefs (Section 22-5-4.3 NMSA 1978).

*Hair color, length, and style, including hair coverings or styles related to an individual’s personal, cultural or religious beliefs, cannot be considered for disciplinary action.

*Prohibited dress includes but is not limited to any attire or accessories which advertise, display, promote, or indicate:· tobacco

• sexual activity
• violence
• weapons
• gangs
• pajamas
• revealing clothing
• excessively frayed or tattered hems
• dangerous items
• disrespect and /or bigotry toward any group
• obscene or violent language or images
• depictions of alcohol or drugs or other illegal item or activity
• racist content, hate speech, profanity, or pornography
• accessories that could be considered dangerous or used as a weapon

Non-Compliance with Standard of Dress:

● Students will be directed to dress appropriately and change into clothing provided by the school. Students may pick up their own clothing at the end of the day.

● Repeat Standard of Dress offenses will result in disciplinary action per the school discipline policy.

● Refusal to comply will result in a conference with the family and a school administrator and consequences per the school discipline policy.

The safety of the Eisenhower students is of utmost importance to all of us. Therefore, parents are asked to follow the traffic pattern (shown by the arrows on the parking lot) when dropping off and picking up their child(ren) both morning and afternoon. Please do not use the staff parking lot as a drop-off location. Signs are posted for safety. Also, please observe the 20MPH speed limit, when lights are flashing, on Juan Tabo- while school is in session for the year.

The Fire Lane (red Area) In Front Of The School Is A No Parking Or Stopping Zone.

As a community, we are all responsible for helping our students, staff, and families arrive and depart safely. The behaviors we model teach our students safety and respect for the safe passage of others. In order to provide for the safety of our community as over 1,000 people arrive and depart campus each day, please be aware of the following:

• Cars must pull as far forward as is possible and continue moving forward as traffic permits. This keeps traffic moving and limits the congestion which is dangerous and frustrating for everyone.
• City ordinance prohibits parking in the crosswalk zone for safety purposes. We appreciate your courtesy if you are asked to move.
• Students must use the sidewalk and crosswalks to get to their ride. Please do not encourage them to cross through the parking lot or pick them up in the road or in driveways.
• U-turns in the middle of the road are not safe.
• Students must enter and exit vehicles that are pulled over to the curb in the appropriate areas clearly marked by signs or painted curbs.