Handbook

McKnight Handbook

In accordance with RCW 28A.225.005, here are our attendance expectations. Students are expected to be in school all day unless they are ill. Washington State law only recognizes absences due to illness, religious holidays, medical or legal appointments, and funerals in the family. Parents have the right to present reasons they believe are justifiable to the Principal for consideration of other absences.

All absences require a written note from parent or guardian stating the reason for the absence. Emailed notes accepted. A note without a reason and date of absence is unexcused. The note must include the student's full name, reason for absence, date(s) of absence, and parent/guardian signature.

In order to comply with district regulations and state law, when a student has seven unexcused absences in one month or ten unexcused absences in one year, McKnight administrators will petition the Juvenile Court System to seek mandatory attendance by a student. An unexcused absence is defined as any unauthorized absence from school. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Oversleeping
Shopping
Missing the bus
Concerts
Babysitting
Failure to obtain private transportation to school
Mechanical problem
Failure to obtain leave of Absence request for absences
Missing bus/school due to inclement weather if school is not closed

Should a parent/guardian wish to remove their student from school (3 or more days) for an extended period (medical problems, emergencies, family vacations, etc.) a Leave of Absence form must be filled out prior to the student's absence. To obtain a Leave of Absence form, please send a note that includes the student's name, reason for the leave, and dates requested to be excused at least a week in advance. The note should be delivered to the Attendance Secretary; one copy will be brought home by the student to the parent/guardian. We strongly discourage absences for non-medical and non-emergency reasons. If a form is not filled out prior to the leave, the absence will be regarded as unexcused.

Further information on Attendance Policies is available in the Student Handbook.

Dress Code

School attire should be comfortable for the student, while also supporting a positive learning environment. Wearing “school appropriate” clothing avoids disruptions and creates a comfortable environment for all students and adults in the school. Students attending McKnight Middle School are expected to follow the dress code outlined below.

Clothing that must be pulled up, pulled down, or continually adjusted throughout the day in order to meet the dress code will need to be changed upon request.

Administration may employ an investigation and issue consequences for any student who repeatedly violates these expectations. Certain exceptions may be made during “Spirit Days” and will be communicated to students. Our expectations regarding McKnight Dress Code are:

1. Students will keep clothing with pictures, symbols, or messages that represent anything illegal, gang-related, or culturally derogatory or negative out of school.

Examples of prohibited topics/messages include, but are not limited to: Alcohol, tobacco, drugs, weapons, sexual messages/innuendos, racial slurs, and profanity.
Any message determined to cause a disruption shall be addressed.

2. Students will wear clothing that minimizes exposed skin, covers undergarments, and fits appropriately.

Students will refrain from wearing short shirts or tank tops with large arm holes that reveal extensive sections of skin such as the belly, or tops that expose large areas of the student’s back or shoulders.
Students will refrain from wearing tops with a low neckline. A neckline will be considered too low if a large area of the chest is visible.
Students will wear clothes in the position and in the manner in which they are designed to be worn. For example, hoodies and jackets may not be worn backwards and pants/shorts must sit near the student’s natural waistline (for example, “sagging” pants are not appropriate).

3. Students may wear shorts, skirts, or dresses that are at least fingertip in length or longer.
4. Students may wear leggings, tights, and yoga or other workout pants as long as undergarments are covered and the fabric is substantial enough as to prevent a see-through or transparent effect.
5. Students will keep their faces visible, recognizable, and free of distraction.
8. Students will wear shoes that are appropriate for a learning environment. Shoes must allow students to safely navigate the halls and stairs, as well as not hinder any required evacuation of the building.

Consequences and Procedures for Dress Code Violations:

Students will be sent to the office to change into their PE clothes or another outfit, if available. Repeated offenses or refusal to change into appropriate clothing may result in further disciplinary action, up to and including suspension.
Teachers and staff members have administrative support to address any dress code issue within a classroom, in the hallways, or in any other common areas of the school. Staff may ask that students adjust or change their clothing in order to comply with the dress code as they are interpreting it. There is no administrative “appeal” if a staff member in the building feels that the student’s clothing does not meet the dress code requirements. Students are expected to comply with all staff requests.
Administration may issue consequences for any student who repeatedly violates these expectations.

Academic Honesty

Academic Honesty for the Student

Honesty, trust, and integrity are important aspects of the McKnight learning community. Academic dishonesty on the part of the student destroys trust and damages the integrity of the grading system. Academic dishonesty may fall into two broad categories:

Plagiarism: The taking of another person’s words, works, thoughts, or ideas and presenting them as your own.
Cheating: The actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one’s grade. Cheating also includes assisting another student to do so. Cheating includes any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means.

Consequences for academic dishonesty may include a grade of Insufficient Evidence (I.E.) on the assignment, or may require a retake, or may involve a classroom consequence, as well as a call home to the parent/guardian (first offense). Subsequent offenses will result in a discipline referral and may involve consequences assigned by administration.

Bicycles/Skateboards/Scooters

Bike/skateboard Safety

In an attempt to ensure the safety of our students who ride their bicycles to school, we have developed a set of guidelines for these students to follow:

Students must walk their bikes when on school grounds.
Bicycles should be LOCKED to prevent theft.
Students riding bicycles to school must wear a helmet while riding their bicycles in accordance with Washington’s state Bicycle Helmet Law.
The school is not responsible for damage or theft of bicycles/skateboards/scooters while on school property.

Closed Campus

McKnight is a Closed Campus School

For the safety and security of our students, McKnight is a closed-campus school. This means that all students must stay on school grounds once they arrive and remain on campus until the end of the normal school day. Students who leave the campus without authorization will be considered truant and will receive disciplinary consequences.

Disrupting the Educational Process

Disruptive Behavior

Includes, but is not limited to:

a student refusing to provide his/her name when requested or providing a false name
acts that are insulting, intimidating, threatening, or abusive (either physically or verbally) toward other students or staff
perpetuating rumors (either starting/spreading them or talking about other students behind their backs/in a hurtful way)
willfully disregarding the directions/instructions of an adult; creating a disturbance in the building or at a school-sponsored event
continual and/or repeated disruptive or non-compliant behavior; refusing to leave the building, the campus, or a school sponsored event when asked.

Distribution of Merchandise

Selling, Purchasing, or Distribution of Merchandise

Selling, purchasing, or any form of distribution of merchandise on school property is prohibited. Any money or merchandise in a student’s possession that is determined to be linked to buying or selling on campus will be confiscated and given to the parent/guardian, with a consequence assigned to the student.

Responsibility to Investigate: Administrators and/or the Safety Officer are obligated to initiate an investigation stemming from any report of inappropriate school conduct or behavior. These staff maintain the right to speak with or interview any McKnight student throughout the course of an investigation. The progression and scope of the investigation will be determined by the administrator or Safety Officer.

Duty to Cooperate during an investigation: Students have a duty to answer investigative questions honestly and completely. Witnesses who are dishonest or fail to cooperate during an investigation or impede an investigation by encouraging others to be dishonest, may be subject to disciplinary action.

Hall and Stairway Etiquette

Guidelines for Halls and Stairways

Because we are a very crowded school and we want our students to remain safe, students are to adhere to the following guidelines:

Walk on the right side of the hall and follow the directional markers indicated for each stairway.
Help maintain efficient movement through the halls by not congregating in clusters that block traffic in hallways and stairwells. Move into the pod to socialize.
Use quiet conversational voices and avoid loud noises such as shouting or yelling.
Keep moving on the stairs and landings and avoid stopping to talk to others.
Do not run, jump, push, trip others, or otherwise create a dangerous situation in the hallways or stairs. Students must keep hands, feet, and other objects to themselves.

Our School is Gender-Inclusive

In Washington, all students have the right to be treated consistent with their gender identity at school. Our school will:

Address students by their requested name and pronouns, with or without a legal name change
Change a student’s gender designation and have their gender accurately reflected in school records
Allow students to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity
Allow students to participate in sports, physical education courses, field trips, and overnight trips in accordance with their gender identity
Keep health and education information confidential and private
Allow students to wear clothing that reflects their gender identity and apply dress codes without regard to a student’s gender or perceived gender
Protect students from teasing, bullying, or harassment based on their gender or gender identity

Read our full commitment to Gender-Inclusive Schools.

Our School Protect Students from Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB)

Schools are meant to be safe and inclusive environments where all students are protected from Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB), including in the classroom, on the school bus, in school sports, and during other school activities. Our District Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) webpage defines HIB, explains what to do if you see or experience it, and our school and district process for responding to it.

Our School Stands Against Discrimination

Discrimination can happen when someone is treated differently or unfairly because they are part of a protected class, including their race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, creed, disability, use of a service animal, or veteran or military status. Renton School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of any of these protected groups and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

Read more about Non-discrimination , including what it is and how to report it.

Prohibited Items

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items

Due to safety and the security of such items, students are expected not to bring the following to school: skateboards, scooters, motorized scooters, gambling related items (such as dice), toys, perfume/cologne, etc. These items will be confiscated if observed and returned at the end of the day. Repeated violations may result in the school holding these items for parent pick-up and/or disciplinary consequences.

These items are also prohibited:

Fragrances/Body Spray/ Hairspray

Due to medical conditions such as allergies and the disruption created when these products are used at school, the possession or use of fragrances such as body sprays (ex: “AXE”), perfume, aroma-therapy products, fragrant lotions, hairspray, etc., are prohibited on campus or on school buses. Offending items will be confiscated, and the student will be asked to remove the fragrance(s) from his/her body.

Permanent Markers (Sharpies)

In order to prevent vandalism and maintain the positive appearance of our building, permanent markers are not to be brought to school. In addition, students are not to write on themselves, other students, or the personal belongings of others with markers while at school. If brought to school, permanent markers will be confiscated and not returned and consequences may be assigned.

Public Displays of Affection (PDA)

Reporting Illegal Activity and Dangerous Behavior

Reporting Guidelines for Illegal Acts and Potentially Dangerous Behavior

For the safety of everyone, students who have knowledge of illegal acts, crimes, or potentially dangerous behavior (such as students being in possession of, or under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol, or in possession of a weapon) are expected to immediately report this information to a staff member in the building. Students found to have prior knowledge of such information without making a report may be assigned disciplinary consequences.

Substitute "Guest" Teachers

Respect Guest Teachers

Because substitute teachers are guests in our building, we expect everyone to treat them with respect at all times. When the regular classroom teacher is absent, the Guest Teacher is the authority in the classroom and may fill out major discipline referrals on students who fail to comply with classroom rules. Teachers who return to find a poor report from a Guest Teacher (for individual students or class behavior) will follow up with discipline consequences as necessary.

Technology

Responsible Use of Technology

Renton School District Responsible Use Policy (RUP)
Students and Families: PLEASE READ THIS TOGETHER

1:1 Chromebook Handout

Statement of Purpose

Renton School District teachers and students use technology and internet-based tools in their classrooms on a regular basis to support student learning and prepare students to engage in the rapidly changing world. These technologies improve student communication and collaboration skills, provide an authentic audience, and extend learning beyond the classroom walls while building digital citizenship skills. Student access to technology requires responsible, courteous, efficient, and legal use. Our goal in providing access to these resources is to enhance learning experiences and to educate students in responsible and appropriate use. It is important that students and parents recognize that information posted on the internet is public, permanent, and needs to be appropriate.

Terms of Agreement

I agree to follow teachers’/building/district instructions when using technology.
I agree to be polite, considerate, and to use appropriate language.
I agree to report and/or help prevent any bullying, abuse, or harm of others.
I agree to tell an adult if I read, see, or access something inappropriate, or if I witness inappropriate use of technology.
I agree to adhere with all filters and security measures.
I agree to use technology carefully and to conserve district resources.
I agree not to share my passwords, except with my teacher or parent/guardian (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA).
I agree to use only my own files and folders. I will not access another individual’s files and folders without his/her permission.
I agree not to reveal or post personal information belonging to myself or another person (i.e., passwords, addresses, or telephone numbers).
I agree to adhere to copyright laws.
I agree to follow the technology check-out process.

Adhering to Federal, State and, local laws, Renton School District will protect student and employee data. However, I understand that my use of any district technology (computer, network, internet, resources, etc.) will be monitored and is neither private nor confidential to district/authorized personnel. I understand that if I violate this agreement, the district’s policies and procedures, or my student handbook, I may not be allowed to continue to use technology, or I may receive other appropriate consequences.

Cross-References/Guiding Reference/ Guiding Policies/ Policies

Board Policy: 2022 Instruction-Technology Resources

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) NETs standards:

Creativity and Innovation
Research and Information Fluency
Communication and Collaboration
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Digital Citizenship
Technology Operations and Concepts

Educational Technology Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRS):

EALR 1 Integration

Innovate
Collaborate
Investigate and Think Critically

EALR 2 Digital Citizenship

Practice Safety
Operate Systems
Select and Use Applications
Adapt to Change (Technology Fluency)