2023-2024 Mauldin Middle School Student Handbook
** Highlighted items updated as of 7/17/23 **
The School District of Greenville County does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, handicap, religion, or national origin in its dealings with employees, students, the general public, applicants for employment, educational programs, activities, or access to facilities.
The vision of Mauldin Middle School is to develop 21st Century learners by creating a collaborative learning community. We will ensure lifelong learners who are responsible, productive citizens by encouraging discovery and exploration through personalized learning.
Greenville County uses a 10-point scale which is in compliance with statewide grading requirements.
A=100-90
B= 89-80
C= 79-70
D= 69-60
F= 59-50
Accrued student absences may not exceed ten (10) days during the school year, unless validated with a medical note.
Each parent/guardian has access to a Backpack account which provides parents, guardians, or contacts a central place to do the following:
Punctuality is a critical work-related skill that a person can learn. It directly correlates to an individual’s success in the work world. Parents should have students at school on time each day. Furthermore, students are expected to be in their individual classes on time. Late arrival (tardiness) results in interruptions to the learning process.
The school day begins for students at 8:30. Students who arrive to school after 8:30 need to be signed in at the front office by a parent upon arrival to school. Tardiness will be excused for doctor or dentist appointments or for a late bus. Parents are expected to provide a note in the event of a late arrival to school. The tardy will be entered into the student’s attendance record. Students are allowed three unexcused tardies to school per quarter without a consequence. Appropriate disciplinary actions will be followed.
Bus riders will receive a "Late Bus" pass and will have four minutes from the time on the pass to get to their first class.
Students are expected to be on time to each class within the school day. Flex is considered a class. Students are given ample time in between classes to transition to the next. Tardies to class will result in the following consequences:
1st Offense: warning
2nd Offense: parent contact
3rd Offense: detention
4th offense: referral to administration
Cutting class is an automatic referral to administration
Early dismissals should be scheduled between classes in order to avoid excessive disruption of class. The student must bring a note written and signed by the parent or guardian to the attendance office upon arrival to school. The note must contain the following information: date, name of student, time of dismissal, reason for dismissal, name of person picking up the student, telephone number where the parent can be reached for verification, and signature of the parent. If a note is not provided, parents should be prepared to wait until the next class change or administration is available to go to the classroom to dismiss the student.
The parent or guardian will be required to come into the office to sign the dismissal sheet. Identification from the person picking up the student will be necessary before the student is permitted to leave school. Only individuals approved in Backpack will be allowed to sign out a student for an early dismissal.
No early dismissals are permitted after 2:45 PM.
If students move during the school year or during the summer, they should report changes of address and phone numbers to the guidance clerk and to the nurse. Parents are responsible for updating this information in Backpack. Accurate addresses and phone numbers are needed in case of emergencies. The school should have an up-to-date address and phone number for each student’s parents at all times.
It is important that all students develop responsibility and work to complete all assignments by the due date. We are aware that certain situations arise that prevent a student from turning in assignments by the assigned due date. Students are expected to turn in all assignments. In an effort to provide every opportunity for students to succeed at Mauldin Middle School, we have created opportunities such as teacher tutoring and Flex time in our schedule to support student learning. The late work policy is posted on teachers’ websites and in Google Classroom.
All middle school students must pass all required academic subjects during the regular term or during summer school in order to be promoted to the next grade. The required academic subjects are ELA, math, science, and social studies.
*Students may retake tests if their original score does not meet the level of mastery set by the teacher. If they want to go back and do the work prior to the assessment, they may. Students also have to fill out a Retake Form that they can get from their teacher. They need to set a date with the teacher to retake their assessment, reflect on their preparation for the initial assessment, and do any work required by the teacher before retaking the assessment. Retakes are for major grades only.
Textbooks are available digitally. Issued textbooks are to be kept clean and handled carefully. Students will be required to pay replacement costs for lost books and an appropriate charge for damaged books.
If for some reason a student is unable to continue his/her education at Mauldin Middle School, the student is to notify their appropriate counselor and/or registrar. The student’s parent or legal guardian should come to the office to sign the proper withdrawal/transfer paperwork with our registrar. No student records will be released or forwarded to another school until the proper check-out procedures have been completed. All books, Chromebook with charger, and any outstanding fees must be checked in prior to withdrawing.
Behavior in the cafeteria should be based on courtesy and cleanliness and should adhere to the following guidelines:
Breakfast is served from 7:30 AM – 8:25 AM. Students planning to eat breakfast should report immediately to the cafeteria on arrival to school. Once student arrives to designated holding areas, student will not be permitted to leave designated holding area.
Each student will have an account with a designated number in the lunchroom. Parents have three options when paying on their student’s account. Payments by check, cash, or online are accepted. To pay online, parents may go to the Greenville County Schools website and click on the “myschoolbucks.com” link to set up an account.
Meals may not be charged. If a student does not have money in their account, they will be given an alternate meal. There will be no provision by the school to provide lunch money. Keeping up with lunch money is the sole responsibility of the student. Students should have their ID badge in order to purchase breakfast and/or lunch.
Students should refrain from eating or drinking outside of the school cafeteria. Students may carry only water in a container with a screw-top cap and/or flip-up spout during the day.
Homework may be assigned to students as a way to supplement and strengthen the student’s regular classwork. Homework is a part of a student’s grade, and the student is responsible for completing and submitting it.
Flex time is a period of additional instructional time during the school day set aside specifically for teachers to meet students where they are academically and students to receive either assistance in a content area in which they are struggling, enrichment in a content area in which they are excelling, or individualized guidance in completing their assigned academic tasks from teachers.
School counselors are available at Mauldin Middle School for conferences with students and parents and to provide information and assistance with regard to the school program. Parent conferences with teachers concerning a student’s academics can be made through the counselor department or directly with the teacher(s).
Greenville County Schools Code of Conduct applies to all clubs and extracurricular activities. Students who choose to participate must be picked up by the school’s designated time; failure to do so may prohibit student’s future participation.
Off-campus school-sponsored activities must be substantiated with a written permit (form given to students by the teacher or sponsor) signed by parents. Students are under the district’s code of conduct when on school-sponsored trips. Students are responsible for work missed during field trips.
All Greenville County Schools middle level students are required to take one semester of physical education per year. Each PE course includes health and wellness topics.
Students should notify their teachers immediately if they are ill or injured. Students are allowed to visit the health room after obtaining a health room pass from their teacher. All health-related phone calls to parents should be made in the health room. Students who are dismissed due to illness must first be seen in the health room or the absence will be considered unexcused. If it is necessary for a student to take medication while at school, the parent must bring the medication to the health room. All medication must be in the original container, labeled with the student’s name and the directions for use. Medication cannot be sent to school with the student.
When severe weather creates hazardous conditions, the regular school schedule may be suspended to ensure students’ safety. It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to monitor news reports via television, radio stations, and the school district's website and social media. District eLearning may be implemented on days the schools are closed due to inclement weather.
Any article found on school grounds should be turned in to the office. Students claiming items found may have the items returned by checking with the office and making proper identification. Gym clothes will be turned in to the lost and found in the gym.
All lost and found items will be discarded or given to a charitable organization every 4.5 weeks.
The Media Center is open from 8:15 AM – 3:30 PM daily. Students can make arrangements 24 hours in advance with the library staff if they need to use the library after 3:30 p.m. All students must have a pass when using the library. Only one name may be included on a pass from a teacher.
Students are to demonstrate appropriate behavior and courtesy when using the library. No student may check out materials and/or books for another student. The books are the responsibility of the student who checked out the book(s).
Two books may be checked out for two weeks and may be renewed. Books in great demand may not be renewed. All fees should be paid promptly. Students may print in the Media Center for a fee.
Students are expected to make all daily school and after school arrangements, prior to coming to school each day. Emergency messages that must be communicated to students during the school day will be taken and written down by the school receptionist. These students will be called to the office at the end of the day to pick up their messages. Students will only be allowed to call home with a pass from a teacher. Please refrain from texting your child during school hours as this interrupts the education process and puts them in a position to violate school rules.
Responsibility is a skill that will help students become successful. If a parent needs to drop off belongings for a student, parents may bring it to the front office and place in the cubby. Students will not be called to the office to pick up the belongings. Delivery of flowers, balloons, etc. are not accepted at school. If they are delivered, they will be kept in the office until the end of school and students will be notified that they need to pick up in the office.
Grades will be available at the end of the quarter. Parents are invited to visit the school or otherwise communicate with the principal, counselors, and teachers for a discussion of any problem having to do with the student’s progress.
1st Quarter - October 11
2nd Quarter - December 19
3rd Quarter - March 14
4th Quarter - May 22
The school day for Mauldin Middle School students is from 8:30 AM to 3:15 PM.
No student should be dropped off before 7:30 AM.
Students who are eating breakfast will report immediately to the cafeteria. Band students who are practicing or storing instruments will report to the cafeteria. Eighth grade students will report to the designated area in the cafeteria. Sixth and seventh grade students will report to designated areas in the gym. Sixth and seventh grade students will report to the gym when they finish breakfast.
Teachers desiring students to report to their classrooms or to the library prior to 8:00 a.m. should give the student(s) a written pass the previous day. Students without written passes will not be allowed to leave the designated area.
All car riders and walkers must exit the building by 3:25 PM unless under the supervision of a teacher. Car riders must be picked up no later than 3:45. Any students not picked up by 4:00 will need to be signed out in the office. Students who are designated walkers will exit out the 6th/7th grade loop door. In the event of an afterschool or evening school event, students are not permitted to stay on campus until the start of the event.
Students wishing to participate must have an overall passing average in each of their academic classes and abide by the athletic behavior contract. Each athlete is expected to conduct himself/herself in an honorable way at all times--in school and in the community. Students must also complete the required physical examination/forms to participate. Students who are selected to participate on a school athletic team are required to sign and adhere to the Mauldin Middle School Student Athlete Contract.
Students are encouraged to use technology to explore educational topics, conduct research, and communicate with others. Access to computers, however, also makes available material that may not be appropriate for a student’s age or course of study. The District will take reasonable steps to restrict access to inappropriate materials, but because it cannot guarantee such restrictions, students using technology must also bear responsibility for not accessing inappropriate materials. Students agree to the terms and conditions contained in the Acceptable Use Policy upon acceptance of the school handbook.
Each student will be issued a school owned device and charger. Students are responsible for the device and charger as long as it is issued to them. Any issues or damages should be reported to the school immediately.
The use of technology and/or social media on or off school property, which results in a school disturbance, may result in disciplinary action.
Do not bring money or other valuables to school. Bring only enough money for each day. Any item that is stolen should be reported to your teacher or the office personnel immediately. The school does not assume responsibility for lost or stolen articles.
Mauldin Middle School has procedures and guidelines in place for various safety-related and crisis situations. Mauldin Middle School practices these procedures throughout the year to better ensure school safety.
It is the expectation at Mauldin Middle School that students will behave responsibly and follow the school district discipline code of conduct. Behaviors are divided into levels with appropriate consequences. Level I conduct refers to disorderly conduct. “Disorderly conduct is defined as any activity in which a student engages that tends to impede orderly classroom procedures or instructional activities, orderly operation of the school or the frequency or seriousness of which disturbs the classroom or school”. Level II refers to disruptive conduct. Disruptive conduct is defined as: “those activities engaged in by student(s) which are directed against persons or property and the consequences of which tend to endanger the health or safety of themselves or others in the school.” The code of conduct can be accessed on the Greenville County Schools website.
Every student is issued an ID and grade level lanyard at no cost, at the beginning of the year or when they enroll. Every student must wear a school issued ID and lanyard every day while on campus. If a student forgets the ID, a new ID can be purchased in the morning before 8:45 in the media center for $5.00.
If a student forgets the school ID and does not have money to purchase another one, the following steps will be followed:
Greenville County School District students are expected to dress and be groomed in such a way as not to distract or cause disruption in the educational program or orderly operation of the school. Personal appearance of students should promote health and safety, contribute to a climate conducive to teaching and learning, and project a positive image of the District to the community. Students should dress for the educational setting and not the recreational one. Dress code expectations apply to all students.
1st Offense: warning/ parent contact
2nd Offense: detention
3rd Offense: referral to administration
Cell phones and Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) are allowed at Mauldin Middle School before dismissal from morning holding and after 3:15 PM. Student cell phones/PED must be turned off during the school day and stored in backpacks. Turned “on” includes a device that is activated and set or programmed to ring, vibrate or otherwise send or receive a signal. Students may not record video or take pictures of other students at any time. Earbuds/headphones are not to be worn in the hallways or classrooms during the school day. Students should not use smart watches to text during the school day. Personal speakers that play audio aloud are deemed inappropriate materials and will be disciplined as such. Failure to comply with this policy will result in disciplinary action. If a student refuses to put away his/her device, it will be considered failure to follow policy, and they will receive the consequences for that behavior (Level II offense).
Lunch Detention (LD) - Assigned by the classroom teacher as an intermediary step to a disciplinary referral. Students should heed this strong warning and modify the behavior so as to avoid a disciplinary referral.
Administrative Detention (AD) - Assigned by an administrator as a result of a disciplinary referral. If an Administrative Detention is assigned, parents will be notified at least one day in advance. If a student does not serve the assigned Administrative Detention, then an assignment in ISS may follow. Administrative Detention takes place from 3:20-4:30 on Tuesday.
In-School Suspension (ISS) - Assigned by an administrator. Student will be given assignments from their classes to complete. Students in ISS are not allowed to talk, sleep, or work on computers. Disruptions in ISS will automatically result in students being sent home as an OSS consequence. Failure to complete work will result in additional days of ISS. ISS does not count against student attendance.
Out of School Suspension (OSS) - Students will not be allowed on campus during OSS. This includes times during the school day and during after school sporting events, dances, clubs, etc. Additionally, students are not allowed at any other GCS event while they are suspended from school.
Expulsion (EXP) - Expulsion from school in most cases means the removal of a student from school and the cessation of educational services for the remainder of the school year. School administration may make a recommendation for expulsion; however, final decisions are made by a school board representative.
Referral to Law Enforcement (RLE) - In cases of criminal misconduct, Mauldin Middle will notify law enforcement. Law enforcement decisions/consequences are separate from school-based consequences and will have no impact on the consequences imposed by the school.
The key to an excellent school experience is determined by the pride we have in our school and the degree to which each of us accepts personal responsibility for the welfare of the school community as a whole. No list of rules and regulations can replace school spirit. The procedures which have been listed are simply reminders about things which a good citizen would probably do on his/her own. It is firmly believed that the great majority of us do what we consider right, without threat of punishment.