7^th Grade Orientation

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

August 22, 2023

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School Building Administration

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Mrs. Ayanna Roberts

Assistant Principal

8th Grade

Mr. Thomas LaMorte

Assistant Principal

7^th Grade

Mr. Drew Besler

Principal

Welcome to

Thomas E. Harrington MS!!

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• Who are we?
• We believe in building relationships
• We establish purpose for your child
• We lead with empathy

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• What are our goals for your child?
• To believe and feel that he or she is seen and welcomed
• Their voice matters
• Enjoyable learning experience

• How are we planning to build communication and trust with you, the parent?

1. Parents and students will both start in the auditorium.
2. After the slide presentation, students will receive a tour, and Question & Answer session with a teacher.
3. Parents will remain in auditorium with administrators to review parent relevant information.
4. At the conclusion of the presentation, parents are welcomed to walk the building or remain in the auditorium to wait for their children.

Today’s Agenda

Thomas E. Harrington MS

Staff Members

• Nurse – Mrs. Gallagher & Mrs. Kueny

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• Guidance Counselors:
• Ms. Slott
• Mrs. Sheehan
• Mr. Cianfrani
• Ms. Devlin (SAC)

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• School Resource Officer: Patrolman Louk

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• NJHS Advisors: Mrs. Langford and Mrs. Mangla

Schedules

Example Schedule

Cycles & Electives

Cycle Classes

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Electives

Elective Classes

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Elective and Cycle Combinations

Arrival, Dismissal, Homeroom, Lockers, Bathrooms, Lunch, &

Sign Out Procedures

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

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• Arrival & Dismissal
• Bus drop off and pick up at same location of building

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• Students will follow Wave 1 or Wave 2

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• 8^th grade in the front, 7^th grade in the back and then the buses rotate. It is important to mention that 8th Grade bus riders enter at the 8th Grade entrances, and the 7th Grade bus riders enter at the 7th Grade entrance. C & E Halls for 7th Grade (back of the building). A & D Halls for 8th Grade (front of the building).

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• Parent drop off at the flagpole, so all students who are dropped off enter through the Main Entrance.

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Arrival & Dismissal at HMS

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• Arrival into the building is 7:15 am and Homeroom starts at 7:30 am.

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• Any student arriving after 7:30 am could be subject to discipline.

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• Dismissal is at 2:05 pm and will happen in two waves.

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• No walkers or bike riders to school

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Arrival & Dismissal at HMS

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• The Mount Laurel Schools has privatized some of the bus runs for the 2023-2024 school year, using First Student.

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• If your child is taking a First Student bus, you will be contacted by transportation prior to the first bus run.

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Arrival & Dismissal at HMS

Homeroom

Being on Time for Homeroom

• Attendance is taken.

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• Announcements are provided.

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• Intervention services are provided to students by BSI Teachers.

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• Our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum is provided to our students through mini-lessons three times per week.

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• Talking Circles are conducted.

SAFETY

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• Please park in the front entrance parking lot in unlabeled spots.

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• Remain in vestibule while waiting for your child to arrive.

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• You must bring identification in order to receive your child.

Pick-Up/Sign Out Procedures

• Lockers:
• Students can bring backpacks to school, but are not permitted to walk around with them.

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• Students may use lockers throughout the day.

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• Students are encouraged to take their class items when they are at their lockers in a timely manner. A three-minute transition time is short, so please be quick.

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Lockers at Harrington MS

Lunchroom

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• Lunch is provided through Nutriserve. Snacks are also available through purchase. Lunch is $2.85 for the 2023-2024 school year. Money can be placed on the student account, or students can bring cash for snack purchase.

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• No student goes hungry. In the event a student forgets his or her lunch, or does not have money for that day, Nutriserve will provide the student with a hot lunch.

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• Students will be able to choose their seats on the first day; however, once they have chosen their seats they will need to remain in those seats. Students can change their location in the cafeteria with the Lunchroom Supervisor or a school administrator approval.

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• It is required that students arrive on time for lunch and in their seats when the period starts.

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• No student is allowed to share any outside food item with his or her classmates.

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Lunch at Harrington MS

Bathroom

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• “5 & 5 Rule”:
• Bathrooms in the A, D, C, & E Wings are locked the last five minutes of class, and for the first five minutes of class. Mostly to prevent students entering during transition.

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• Staff members have the ability to open a bathroom in the event of a student emergency.

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• Any student with a medical plan that needs to use the bathroom at any time will have access to the nearest open bathroom.

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• The B Wing, Nurse’s Office, & Main Office Bathrooms are left open in the event of a nearby student emergency.

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Bathrooms at Harrington MS

• Three-Minute transition between classes

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• Students must fill out a SmartPass through their Chromebook, or by a Staff Member before they leave their current place in the school building.

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• Students will be responsible for carrying a colored pass which will indicate their destination. Pass needs to be present.

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• No student is to be in the hallway during class time without a SmartPass filled out, and a colored pass unless there is an extenuating circumstance.

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• No student should be in an area of the building that is not assigned to him or her.

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Hallway Transition at Harrington MS

• We follow a Color-Coded Pass System here at Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

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• Pass Color System:
• Blue: Administrative/Main Office
• Red: Nurse’s office
• Purple: Guidance/Child Study Team/Student Assistance Coordinator’s Office
• Pink: Library
• Green: A-Wing Bathroom
• Gold: B-Wing Bathroom
• Orange: C-Wing Bathroom
• Yellow: D-Wing Bathroom
• Dark Blue: E-Wing Bathroom

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Hallway Passes at Harrington MS

• SmartPass has the ability to be reviewed at any time.
• The program can calculate how much class time is missed.
• How often the student is in the hallway or out of the classroom during certain periods of the day.
• What hallway or location seems to have the most student traffic.

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• This information/data will often help us identify factors that are impacting learning.

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SmartPass at Harrington MS

Reporting Absences

at Harrington Middle School

Absent

When your child is Absent…

1. Please contact the Health Office by 8:30 am at 856-234-1610, Extension 1.

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1. If your child is absent 3 or more consecutive days, you may arrange to pick up work by emailing teachers. Work can also be found on your child’s Google classroom.

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1. Any student that is absent 5 or more days throughout the school year will receive parent notification by mail, per district policy.

Absent

When your child is Absent…

1. Vacations are an unexcused absence. Please make every effort to avoid family trips during the school year.

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1. To verify absences and tardiness in PowerSchool, please click “Grade and Attendance” and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School Athletics

Athletics

Harrington MS Athletics

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Athletics

1. All Student-Athletes are expected to follow our HMS Student-Athlete Code of Conduct.

HMS Athletic Code of Conduct

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1. Seventh-Grade students may participate and try-out for all HMS sports.

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1. Our HMS Teachers fill all of our 12 coaching roles in our school building.

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School Clubs & Activities

Clubs & Activities

HMS Clubs/Activities

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• Students will sign-up for Clubs & Activities they would like to do for the 2023-2024 school year by late September.

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• Students are encouraged to listen to the announcements for when the paperwork needs to be submitted.

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• Students will be expected to follow the HMS Clubs & Activities Code of Conduct
• HMS Clubs & Activities Code of Conduct

Clubs & Activities

HMS Clubs/Activities

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• Students will acquire a club and activities form from the front of the cafeteria.

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• A parent signature on the form is required, and an indication of whether the student will be picked up, or be taking the school bus is also needed.

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• All club and activities forms need to be turned into the Main Office.

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• Information for clubs and activities will also be posted on our PowerSchool bulletin.

Clubs

HMS Clubs/Activities

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Activities

Tutoring

• Available Monday through Thursday

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• Math, Science, Social Studies, & ELA support

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• A 4:15 pm Late Bus home is provided

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• Students may also be picked up by a parent or guardian.

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• See the Main Office or your Assistant Principal for a permission slip

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Homework Club

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School Guidance Team

Guidance

HMS Guidance Counselors & Student Assistance Coordinator

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Ms. Maryellen Slott

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Mrs. Sharon Sheehan

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Mr. Marc Cianfriani

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Ms. Colleen Devlin (SAC)

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NJHS

• Advisors: Mrs. Chandni Langford and Mrs. Smita Mangla
• National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is an organization that upholds the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
• Both 7th and 8th graders may apply; requirement-based acceptance
• If you are interested, please have your child join the correct Google Classroom.

National Junior Honors Society

Incoming 7th Graders:

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Incoming 8th Graders:

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Focused Behaviors at Thomas E. Harrington MS

• We have three discipline infractions that we consider our “focused behaviors.”
• Electronic Violations
• Late to Class
• Dress Code

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• We use an automated message to inform parents of violations

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• Teachers will submit a Google Form that compiles the number of infractions and sends a unique message to the parents and to the student

Focused Behaviors at HMS

Dress Code

Dress Code at HMS

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1. Shirts need sleeves.
2. Shorts need to be an appropriate length
3. Pants need to be worn at the waistline.
4. You are encouraged to wear sneakers or shoes.
5. No pajama pants unless specified spirit day.
6. Be mindful of what is written on your shirt and what it communicates.

• Students need to have their cell phones in their issued school locker.
• Any student needing to use their cell phone must have permission from a staff member and should use their cell phone in the Main Office, or out of sight of other students
• Any student found to be in violation of our HMS focused behaviors will receive an automatic message to the parent via email.
• Additionally, 3-5 violations of these focused behaviors will result in the student doing a Lunch Detention.
• Any violation after the fifth violation of our Focused Behaviors will result in an After-School Detention, which will be served on Wednesday or Thursday from 2:15 pm to 4:15 pm. Failure to serve the After-School Detention will result in additional Lunch or After-School Detentions.

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Cell Phone Use & Consequences at HMS for Focused Behaviors

Cell Phone

When can a cell phone be used in a classroom?

• A student who needs their cell phone to help him or her monitor their medication condition is allowed to have their phone in their possession.

Automatic Message

Electronic Violation

Technology

at Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

Technology

• We are a 1:1 device school

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• Devices are to be left at school.
• In order to leave with your device, you will need written permission by Teacher or Administrator.

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• We utilize GoGuardian to monitor student progress and student safety.

Technology

• GoGuardian
• Filtering and Monitoring Software
• Please have a discussion with your children regarding inappropriate searches or use.
• If your child types Suicidal Ideations or Homicidal Ideations we will take appropriate actions.

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• Students are responsible for their Chromebooks
• Students are not to remove the protective casing from the school-issued Chromebook.
• Chromebooks will stay at school
• Bills get sent home for damage

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• Students have access to email

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Technology

Harrington W.A.T.C.H. Program

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houghts

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W

A

T

C

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The Program

• W.A.T.C.H. Citizens are nominated by staff and students every trimester.

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• Up to four students are nominated by each team.

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• A recognition ceremony with other W.A.T.C.H. award recipients occurs in our cafeteria every trimester.

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• We recognize students who exemplify our WATCH mantra

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Words To Live By

Watch your thoughts,

for they become your words.

Choose your words,

for they become actions. Understand your actions,

for they become habits.

Study your habits,

for they will become your character.

Develop your character,

for it becomes your Destiny.

Tour of the Building

Students may exit with one of our HMS Guides

Meet our Fabulous Tour Guides!

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8th Grade Harrington Middle School Students

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Abigail Anson

Abigail Brophy

Jacob Chacko

Maria Donch

Lauryn Elkins

Olivia Iaquinto

Mackenzie Johnson

Shailen Patel

Sudeepthi Reddy

Aarav Shah

Sophia Rehn

Roma Soni

Saranya Tiwari

Meghan Walter

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HMS Cougars

Health & Wellness

School Nurses

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Mrs. Gallagher RN, CSN

Mrs. Kueny RN, CSN

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• Nursing Office is located in the front hall, next to Main Office

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• Should your child be absent or late we ask you to call the school at 856-234-1610, Press 1 at the prompt to leave a message for the attendance secretary

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• Please leave the name of your child, grade level, homeroom teacher and reason for absence.  This line is available 24 hours a day. 

Health & Wellness

• Do not send your child to school with a fever (temperature of 100.00 F or over).
• Your child must be fever-free, without the use of fever-reducing medication, for 24 hours before returning to school.
• A child with vomiting and diarrhea should be kept home until symptoms have resolved for 24 hours and the child is able to tolerate food and drink.
• If your MD prescribed antibiotics, your child must be on antibiotics for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

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Health & Wellness

Health & Wellness

Medications

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• No medications may be carried on your child’s person with the exception of those for life-threatening purposes which include inhalers and Epi-pens.

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• All medication, including over the counter medications, must be brought to the nurse’s office by a parent in the original container with specific MD orders indicating the name of student, name of medication, dosage, time to be taken/instructions for administration.

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•  Tylenol, Cough Drops and Tums can be administered with signed parental permission.  This form will be sent home with your child as part of the “First Day Packet”.

Athletic Registration

Interscholastic & Intramural Sports Registration

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Go to the Harrington Middle School website and click the "Sports“ tab to register your child and electronically sign/acknowledge NJ State Mandated Forms.

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Print out hard copy of the Sports Physical Form: Grades 5-8 to be completed by you and your child’s Health Care Provider. Return completed Sports Physical Form to the Nursing Office, keep copy for your records.

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Important Reminders:

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Physicals are valid for 365 days from the date of the exam.

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Any unsigned or incomplete forms will be returned and may delay your child’s participation.

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All Sports Physicals must undergo an additional level of review by our school MD that can take up to one week.

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SRO

School Resource Officer

Charles Louk�School Resource Officer/Juvenile Officer

Email: sofficer@mtlaurelschools.org

SRO

• Available to provide educational resources from the law enforcement community.

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• Here to support the school administration in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment.

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• Responsible for any required juvenile enforcement activity.

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Educate and Enforce

Security

Security Reminders

• Please do not hold the door for anyone.

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• Each visitor must be identified by the front office and permitted entry.

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• If you are uncomfortable with someone nearby, return to your vehicle.

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• If the exterior blue strobe lights are on, you should return to your vehicle.
• Officer Louk: 609-820-5407
• Officer Sweely: 856-630-7130

Harassment, Intimidation,

& Bullying

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

Summer Orientation

HIB – Harassment, Intimidation, & Bullying

1. Must be motivated by actual or perceived characteristics, protected categories (race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, etc.), and any other distinguishing characteristic.

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1. Can take place either on or off school property

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1. Must substantially disrupt or interfere with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students

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1. Must cause harm.
1. Physical or emotional harm
2. Have the effect of insulting or demeaning
3. Create a hostile learning environment.

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1. 338 Form
2. HIB Incident Form: Families - NJ.gov

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Specifics to HIB Law

1. A situation may be found as conflict, & not harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
• Still means discipline; however, the situation might not fall under the scope of HIB.
• Defining characteristic
• Motive
• Direct Target
2. “It was just a joke.” It’s all about the impact of the action and whether the student should have known.
3. Principals can make a predetermination to identify if the incident meets the initial criteria.
4. A call must be made to both victim and potential ‘violators’ parents within 24 hours.

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What is HIB?

HIB means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that:

Is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by an actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic;

Takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus; or off school grounds, as provided for in N.J.S.A. 18A:37-15.3,

Substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students; and that

A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage to his property; or

Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or

Creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student

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Please review characteristics with your child.

HIB

First act of HIB – copy of investigation results placed in student’s record; student may be subject to remedial actions, including provision of counseling or behavioral intervention services, discipline or both, as determined by the principal in consultation with appropriate school staff.

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Please review consequences with your child.

Consequences and appropriate remedial action for students who commit an act of HIB may include:

PowerSchool

PowerSchool

• Do you have your Login information?
• Call Harrington MS & request your Access ID and Access Password.

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• Login Options:
• From any of the Mt. Laurel Web Pages, click on PowerSchool in the upper right hand corner.
• Download the App from the App Store

PowerSchool

• Email Notifications
• School Announcements
• Attendance
• Grades

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• For Absences, rely on the automated phone message
• At 8:30 am, you will receive a notification from our PowerSchool System if your child has been recorded as Absent.

Thank you!

Looking forward to an outstanding 2023-2024 school year.