General Information
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SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
Dodson’s principle goal is to provide an environment that
will develop the
knowledge, skills and values necessary for each individual to become
a
positive and productive participant in our school community and society.
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
“The Los Angeles Unified School District does not discriminate
on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual
harassment), handicap (or disability), or age in any of the policies,
procedures, or practices, in compliance with Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 (pertaining to race, color, and national origin),
Title IX of the Educational amendments of 1972 (pertaining to sex),
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (pertaining to handicap),
and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (pertaining to age). This nondiscrimination
policy covers admission and access to, and treatment and employment
of the District’s programs and activities, including vocation
education. The lack of English language skills will not be a barrier
to admission and participation in the District’s programs. The
District recognizes its obligations to provide overall program accessibility
throughout the District for handicapped person.”
ATTENDANCE OFFICE
ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE CHANGES: It is the responsibility of
parents to inform the school of any changes of address or telephone
number within 30 days of the change. Failure to do so is cause for
exclusion from school.
BUS PASSES: Applications for MTA bus passes are no longer available
from the Attendance Office. Students must make
their own arrangements to purchase bus passes through the MTA Fare Office at 213) 680-0054.
EMERGENCIES: If an emergency arises and you must pick up your
child without his/her prior knowledge, please understand that because
of class schedules it may be impossible to release your child immediately.
INACCURATE RESIDENCE INFORMATION: Any student who has been
enrolled in a school on the basis of a false address or inaccurate
residence information is subject to transfer and shall not be eligible
to receive any type of permit to the school where the falsification
or inaccuracy was discovered.
LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY: School is scheduled for 8:01 a.m. to
3:04 p.m. If your child must leave school for any reason before the
regular dismissal time, he/she must bring a note signed by a parent
to the Attendance Office before school. He/she must check out through
the Attendance Office with a parent/guardian who must sign the early
release log just before leaving campus. Identification may be required.
Anyone who leaves campus without properly checking out will be unexcused
and will be considered truant.
MESSAGES OR DELIVERY OF PERSONAL ITEMS: We ask the parents
not to use the office to delivery messages except in real emergencies.
The office staff does not call students out of class to take phone
calls or to pick up belongings during class time.
RELEASING A CHILD: Parents should be aware we couldn’t
release a child or any information to anyone except those persons on
the emergency card. If you will keep our Attendance Office informed
about any changes of name, address or telephone number, we can be better
service to you.
RETURN FROM ABSENCE: When returning from an absence, your
child must always have a note, which includes the date of the absence,
the reason and a parent’s signature. When a child does not bring
a valid note, an “unverified absence” will be recorded.
Teachers are not required to give any make-up work or tests for days
so recorded.
TARDY BELL: The tardy bell rings at 8:01 a.m. for the first
class. Students should be at school by 7:51 a.m. to ensure arriving
to class on time. A student tardy to school must check into the Attendance
Office in order to clear the absence status in the computer. Tardiness
to school will be excused only with a legitimate note brought on the
day of the tardiness. The attendance Office opens at 7:30 a.m. Waiting
in line in the Attendance Office is not an excuse for tardiness.
CAMPUS SECURITY
Parents, taxpayers, and citizens want to preserve and protect our
public property, including Dodson Middle School. Therefore, if you
ever see anyone trying to break into Dodson, or commit acts of vandalism,
etc. please call either 911 or the School Police Department, (213)
625-6631. If you ever become aware of a problem or potential problem
during the school day, please call us, at (310) 241-1900, or come in
and report it. The safety of our students, staff and property is everybody’s
concern and responsibility.
COUNSELING OFFICE
ELIGIBILITY FOR EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND PERFORMANCE:
All students must maintain a “C” average to participate
in extra curricular activities or perform before a group of people
during or after school. Eligibility is determined every ten weeks.
HOMEWORK FOR ABSENT STUDENTS: Make sure your child has a “Buddy”
or two in each class to call if he/she is absent for a day or two.
If a child is going to be absent three days or more, a parent can call
or fill out a form in the Counseling Office to request homework. The
parent must know all of the classes and teachers’ names. A minimum
of 24 hours must be allowed for teachers to prepare the work to be
picked up, and you must make your own arrangements for pick-up. The
office will be unable to send for your child’s friend.
PARENT CONFERENCES: Parent conferences are scheduled by calling the Counseling
Office or Magnet office at 310) 241-1900.
PHONE CALLS: The student should keep change handy for phone
calls. The pay phone in the Main Office is for students’ use
and only in case of an emergency. The phones in the office are for
teacher’s use, especially immediately after school. Travel arrangements
and rainy day plans should be made in advance with parents and carpools.
HEALTH OFFICE
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: A student that is suspected of having
a communicable disease would be excluded from school until guidelines
for readmission are met. Students returning after communicable diseases
such as measles, mumps or chicken pox must be readmitted by the nurse.
Chicken Pox: An effort will be made to notify parents/guardians
about school exposure to chickenpox. The parent/guardian of a student
for whom chicken pox presents a particular hazard should contact the
school nurse to facilitate notification. Students at risk include
those with deficient immune systems and those receiving certain drugs
for the treatment of leukemia or organ transplants.
Conjunctivitis: (Pink Eye) is a very contagious eye infection characterized
by redness, itching or smarting
Accompanied by a pus-like discharge.
ILLNESS: Please keep truly ill students at home. Students who get
ill in school must be picked up in the Health Office and signed out
by the parent.
MEDICATIONS: A student who needs to take medication during school
hours must have a statement to this effect on file at the school,
signed by the prescribing and the parent/guardian. The required forms
are available from the school nurse. Parents shall deliver, or have
delivered by another adult, medication in original prescription container.
This includes all nonprescription medication (Tylenol, cough syrup,
etc.) which must also be labeled and brought to the Health Office.
School health personnel do not prescribe or give advice regarding
medication or other care beyond first aid.
PARENTS LEAVING TOWN: Be sure students are left in
the care of an adult on the emergency card or send a letter to school
authorizing a temporary guardian.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES: P.E. excuses for up to 5 days may be written
by the parent and given directly to P.E. teachers. Physician’s
recommendation is required for excuses beyond 5 days and must be cleared
through the health Office. An excuse (less than 10 weeks) from a physical
education class may be granted to student who is unable to participate
in a regular or modified curriculum for a temporary period of time
due to illness or injury. Requests for exemption beyond 10 weeks are
referred to the school nurse.
SERIOUS OR PROLONGED ILLNESS, INJURY, SURGERY OR OTHER HOSPITALIZATION:
A student returning to school following any of these must have written
permission by the health care provider to attend school, including
any recommendations regarding physical activity.
SUTURES, CAST, CRUTCHES, LEG BRACE(S), WHEEL CHAIRS: A student returning
to school with any of these must have a physician’s written
permission to attend school and must comply with any safety procedures
required by the school administration and Health services personnel.
UP-TO-DATE EMERGENCY CARD: A current and totally completed (signed
on the back) District Emergency Information Card must be on file at
the school so that parents/guardians can be notified promptly in case
of accident or illness involving their child. In the event your child
must be taken to the hospital, the Emergency Room will not perform
any medical services until the parent arrives (unless it is a life-threatening
emergency). All students will only be released to adults (over age
18) who are listed on the card. If applicable, list housekeeper’s
name on the card if she is allowed to pick up your child from school.
Provide a way to enter your home; i.e., a key with a neighbor or a
hidden key.
STUDENT STORE
HOURS: The Student Store is open before school, during nutrition,
lunch and after school.
LARGE SUMS OF MONEY: Large sums of money should not be brought to
school. If for some reason it is necessary, and then it is a good idea
to bring it to the Student Store or the Main Office for safekeeping.
LOST AND FOUND: Los & Found is located in the Student Store.
It is recommended students have their names on all personal items such
as jackets, sweater, backpacks, notebooks, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Notebook paper, pens, pencils, bookcovers, peechee
folders, report folders, rulers, pencil pouches, index dividers, stencils
and physical education uniforms are available in the Student Store.
Snack items are also available.
TAKE COVER, DROP AND EMERGENCY DRILLS
Fire drills are conducted at regular intervals so that pupils will
be familiar with the safest and most direct route to reach an evacuation
area in the event of an emergency. At the beginning of each semester,
teachers will discuss drop drill procedures with classes. These procedures
will be practiced in class throughout the year.
TRAFFIC SAFETY
Parents are requested to drop off students in the morning by 7:51
a.m. and to pick up students after
3:04 p.m. away from school, if possible, in order to avoid and reduce
some of the vehicular congestion around the school, especially around
the front of the school.
PLEASE: DO NOT have your children cross the street in the middle
of the block, out of the crosswalk, either when dropping them off or,
especially, when picking them up. This interrupts the flow of traffic,
is illegal and very dangerous. Please insist your children cross the
street at a crosswalk.
Please do not drop students off or pick up in the faculty parking
lot before or after school. Our buses use this area and it is a dangerous
situation.
Be extra alert in watching for bicycles and pedestrians coming onto
and leaving the school grounds. Please drive slowly and carefully.
VALUABLE PERSONAL PROPERTY
The Los Angeles Unified School District does not provide insurance
for loss of damage to personal property of students and is not, nor
is Dodson Middle School, responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.
Therefore, money, expensive clothing, jewelry, ipods, cell phones, cameras, watches, etc., should
not be brought to school.
Items such as radios, tape recorders and cameras are often very expensive
and are not appropriate items to be brought to school. There is always
the possibility of loss or damage to this type of equipment. Therefore,
these types of items are not permitted at school except on special
occasions, which are publicized well in advance. NOTE: Do not leave
backpacks unattended. They can be stolen.
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